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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.
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verdantaudio OP
1,500 posts
 

@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.  

adriaan
19 posts
 

The upcoming PS Audio DirectStream DAC MKII will also be an interesting DAC to look at....

All the hardware has improved from opamps, USB galvanic isolation, better grounding, better RCA outputs, better power supplies and a better output transformer...

rsf507
2,335 posts
 

@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.

ddafoe
252 posts
 

@rsf507, compared to my previous DAC at the time a SimAudio 380DSD I found the M3 a little lean.   I liked the M3 and thought it had a little more detail and soundstage, and way more bass and dynamics than the much older SimAudio, but I desired a little more fuller presentation.   I really liked the SimAudio DAC when I purchased it years ago as it had a very organic musical sound that didn't make me feel like I was listening to digital.

I didn't find the M3 to be analytical or fatiguing, I just wanted a little more meat on the bones...  The RME I found to be cut along the same lines as the M3 sound wise, detailed and easy to listen to, it just didn't offer the same level of detail and soundstage and was likely the least dynamic of the DACs I tried (still killer for the $$ though in my opinion).    The Mystique I think gives up a little resolution and maybe soundstage to the M3, has equal or maybe better bass/dynamics (its power supplies are pretty crazy), but has that organic/musical presentation of the SimAudio taken to another level.

The couple really cool features of the M3 though which add to its value in my opinion are the quality of it analog output (which almost matched to my ears my ~ double the price preamp) and its option for a $1K Ethernet streamer.   I use a Bricasti M5 with my Mojo and it sounds excellent, but it costs more than $1K :)

rsf507
2,335 posts
 

Thanks @ddafoe for the info. As my dealer showed me it's easier and much more cost effective (although not as much fun) to change power cords and get what you are striving for than changing dacs. Yes dacs sound a bit different but they are all sounding so good and by changing an interconnect or ac cord you can change the sound even more. Just my own experience. 

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