2. pc-audio
  3. 178686-171875

Chord DAVE DAC

Any owners who want to tell me more about it? I recently received an inheritance worth about 13k. I can shell out another 2 grand to get my end-game DAC with headphones. Or...maybe the wife and kids want their bathrooms renovated 

Please tell me how it sounds. I don't have a dealer close-by to audition. I just want "end-game" performance so I won't have to worry. I listen to mostly .flac and .wav files with some .mp3s (320 kbps) in the mix. Only because it was hard to get those albums so I downloaded mp3s and saved money.

 

- Jack

jackhifiguy
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,322 posts
 

Thank you all so much :)

For the comments or confusion? 😁

Post removed 
yyzsantabarbara
4,526 posts
 

Point is I would think long and hard about dropping $14k on a DAC.  If there is any category that is not mature it is DACs.

I also do not feel comfortable dropping 14K on DAC's but for the opposite reason. I think the DAC market has really grown up and reached a very high level with lower costs.

itsjustme
681 posts
 

Hi Jack,

Not your question - but ditch the MP3s and subscribe to Tidal or Qobuz. You;ll get at minimum full FLAC ro HD, and a huge library.  You simply cant get good meals from poor ingredients

 

As to ASR - they measure.  I guess you;ve been in a cave (*maybe wise) but this topic comes up regularly.  If you believes measurements no one would spend more than about $100 for a DAC and $300 for an integrated amp.  No tubes (terrible measurements). Certainly no vinyl (60 dB SNR).  I wont open Pandora's box (what are they missing?, do we like accurate) - but reality says otherwise.

Oh, and I design this stuff professionally as a side hobby, and retired as CTO of a major tech firm, so not unfamiliar with the tech. I sure wish measurements did correlate - my job would be much easier.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,235 posts
 

@itsjustme 

 If you believes measurements no one would spend more than about $100 for a DAC and $300 for an integrated amp. No tubes (terrible measurements). Certainly no vinyl

Yet there are those who vehemently make that very case. If the component has excellent measurements at that price point, you exhibit gullibility by paying more. Listen to it? Why do I need to do that?

Charles

More to discover