Scott,
Thanks for this great effort! I am searching for a new digital source. BTW, have you ever had on trade an MSB Discrete or Mola Mola Tambaqui? Or, have you heard either in your travels?
Thanks!
DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend
Okay...in another thread I promised to do a side-by-side evaluation of the Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap vs the Rockna Wavelight. Due to the astonishing incompetence of DHL this has been delayed. At the moment, I have a plethora of DACs here and am going to do a broader comparison.
I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.
For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.
My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.
I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.
For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.
My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.
I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
- ...
- 393 posts total
@jjss49, which Mojo did you have and how would you compare it sonically to your other DACs? I have the Mystique V3 Balanced and really like it (previous DACs were the Bricasti M3 and RME ADI2FS) but have been tempted by the Chord DACs (e.g. Dave) but I'm guessing based on Scott's comparisons between them and the Bricasti that I would find them too lean/detailed for my tastes. |
@jjss49 - I am going to tempt you. There is a new Playback designs DAC coming out that is going to be a step up from the Weiss. $15K without built in renderer, $18K with what will be a Roon Ready end-point when it is finally authorized in a couple months. I am really excited about this unit as it is the natural step up from the Weiss. @sbank Thank you for the kind words. I love that movie and if there were points available for best post, you would have earned them. @jeffreyw I have heard several MSB DACs but the most time I have spent is with a Reference. I do have a good friend in NC with a Discrete but have not spent time with that model. The Mola Mola has not been through here either. I am not an MSB Dealer (though I would love to be and may pursue the line at some point). Geographically, the importer and NY retailer for Mola Mola is in North Jersey. Makes no sense for him to add me. As a result, I am adding Playback Design. See above my comment to jjss49. The natural competitor to the Discrete is the Rockna Wavedream Edition XLR. The MSB is obviously quite customizable which in upgraded form would likely land it between the Edition and Signature. The Playback is a natural competitor with the Mola Mola. It is a new unit but I expect it to be as popular as the Wavedream Signature which is a killer DAC. |
@ddafoe you stated you had the Bricasti M3 did you find it lean? I'm using a M1 and it's anything but lean. Just curious. |
- 393 posts total