Most Extensive State-of-the-Art DAC Survey Ever!

@soix , personally an Elise that was in loving hands and maintenance...

Lotto tix that counts, an Exige with a Hartley V8...only one issue for that, tho'

I can do without that which doesn't tempt. ;)

YOMV...have a great holiday, J

I would love to have a $10,000 DAC on my system, especially when I listen to what I have. The thing is My Verey old 'Pioneer Elite SACD' with a Burr Brown DAC sounds SO very much cleaner, fuller, and robust than the Built-in DAC in my NAD Receiver. For that reason, I am hesitant at best to spend any amount on an external DAC when You consider that a DAC that is at least 10 years older does so much better of a job considering what I have on hand.

A brief synopsis of one man’s opinion, nothing more nothing less. The two notables DAC’s missing from his review are Merging Technologies + player and Abendrot’s Stute & Hengst.

This should be called, "Most Expensive DAC Survey Ever!"

This survey is just a collection of hi-fi adjectives with all comparisons being to one DAC or another. Plus a collection of what his personal likes in sound are and what sound attributes he values. Why would anyone care?

What is missing is any sense of comparing the sound of each to actual music in real space for fidelity to the original. Seems to me, this is what the high-end should be about.

These comparisons just make me laugh.  With 10,000 (?) DACs on the market, who can pick a list of 10 and make the claim "these are the best".  It's all pie in the sky until they start doing everything in a blind test.  And even then I would want some middle of the road equipment thrown into the mix to keep them honest.  But that will never happen?