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Which DACs are known to be sweet/rich/relaxed?

Problem
System is nicely transparant and detailed, but tends to get bright and harsh with certain (rock) recordings and at higher volume levels.

Objective
Nudge the system towards a sweeter, richer, more relaxed presentation.

Proposed solution / first step
Upgrade to a (tube based) DAC, budget $25-40k.

Current chain

  • ROON Nucleus
  • Mola Mola Tambaqui
  • Gryphon Essence pre amp
  • Gryphon Essence monoblocks
  • Focal Stella Utopia EVO
  • Full loom of Triode Wire Labs cables
  • Dedicated power line straight into Puritan PSM156 mains filter
  • System resides in the living room with some diffusors but no absorption other than sofas, chairs, and some rugs.


On my radar
Lampizator Pacific (or Golden Gate 2 since I heard it's more "tube-like")
Aries Cerat Kassandra 2 Ref or Sig

— What other DACs should I consider?
— Do you think upgrading to another (tube based) DAC will achieve that sweeter, richer, more relaxed presentation?

robert1976
ronboco
873 posts
 

+2 on optimizing the room first. So much time and $$$ on a fantastic system and so little effort with the most important component. The room. Happy listening 

 

Ron 

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 

+3 on adding room treatments.

djones51
4,947 posts
 

I use REW to measure the room myself.

Why not use it to EQ the offending frequencies? You could use room treatments but in this case I suspect it needs some attenuation at certain frequencies. Much easier to do.  

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,443 posts
 

@robert1976 That recording (and most all of them) of Red Hot Chilly Peppers sounds compressed. It’s the stuff you listen to in the car, in the gym with headphones or as background music at home. Unless I’m missing something myself I never heard the RHCPs sound good on any version of the system I had over the years. That’s just not a good benchmark and your system is basically telling you that. 
Just my $0.02

fastfreight
860 posts
 

Hello OP,

I have Nucleus+ > Tambaqui > Audionet PreG2 > Audionet Max amps >  YG Hailey 2.2s.

Changing my cables from (first cheap cables with silver) to Audience AU 24 SX was a big improvement in fullness and warmth. 

Then changing to Kubala Sosna Elation was a huge improvement (full loom).

I thought I was finished.  But I decided to try an Auralic Aries G2.1 as streamer, between my Nucleus + (on network) and now usb to Tambaqui.  this added better imaging, warmth, and seems more lifelike.  Very easy to install and set up, and also easy to compare.  Yes I used all K-S cables on the new streamer (power and usb).

Are you near Maryland?  Ken

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