AKM makes the best DACs

I agree w/the poster...and disagree w/anyone who says that different chips from different manufacturers don't have their own sound.  AKM is the clear leader [pun intended], closely followed by the Burr Brown 17 series, esp the 1795.

I've got the Hegel top-of-their-line DAC.  Guess which chip they used? To say that it is "highly resolving" is to make an understatement...detail upon detail, which is what I like ~ but not necessarily what everyone is looking for, obviously.

And so, I get why some folks favor the ESS, for their more subtle/somewhat smoother sound ~ not as in your face.  It's about preference, and how it sounds w/your setup, in your room.  What can we not make this statement about?  

AKM all the way vs ESS Sabre’s. I have multiple daps and the AKM’s sound better to my ear vs the “brighter” ess chips. I’ve experienced this in multiple Astel n Kern daps….

@buddyboy1 + 1

Did they ever find out how the fire in the AKM plant started? Curious.

Eric_Squires, I guess you haven't listened to the new ESS 9038 pro chip, maybe go listen to the Wyred for sound 10th anniversary dac. one of the reviewers put it up against his VPI turntable with a $5,000 Japanese cartridge and he said it was every bit as analog sounding go read the reviews.