Accuphase dac 60

@duketbrd88 

Congratulations. Seeing that you’re in States, may I ask which vendor did you use to order DAC60? 

Well, got the dac 60 installed and listened for a good 8 hrs on and off. I do not care for it at all. It sounds crystal clear and musical, but my trusty ps audio digital link iii dac sounds way better in my system hooked up with balanced xlr (kinmber hero xlr cables). Like at least a 10 db increase in volume, way better highs, midrange and bass.  With the ps audio sounds so much better, I honestly can't believe it.

I don't get it, honestly. Even switching back from the dac 60 to my ps audio, my Rel sub came back to life, the bass on my b&w 804S speakers, the midrange and treble, the whole soundstage was back. Like way better. I have never changed something in my system that made such a difference, it is unreal. The dac 60 is going back. I am pretty bummed actually. Maybe it is just my system, IDK...

So, how can a dac be that much of a drastic difference in sound and volume? I would love to know. Anyone could blind test this scenario and pick each one out any day of the week. I am still confused on this whole thing. No amount of burning in would change what i am hearing. It literally sounds like two different stereo systems with each one. I really wanted to like it, but the minute I started listening, I knew something was off and didn't sound right.

Maybe someone could explain why this is? IDK....

It’s your decision obviously, but I would give it more time and accumulate hours. Admittedly I do not own Accuphase , but from what I know of their history/track record this seems a very atypical experience. Their digital sound quality is consistently admired. But I understand, the final decision is yours.

Charles

@duketbrd88

you need to adjust volume of the internal accuphase dac card to be the same as the external ps audio dlink dac -- that difference will entirely screw up any proper comparison of sound

assuming that dac card from accuphase is working properly, it simply has a lower output through the amplifier section than the d-link (or said differently, the d-link has higher fixed output voltage it is sending to the accuphase input) which is accounting for the volume discrepancy -- that same volume discrepancy is also making it sound like the sub is hardly working

think of the problem as a less powerful car having a much more sensitive gas pedal, its not more powerful, it just gives you most of what it has in the first inch of gas pedal travel - you just need to compensate for that to compare the sound properly

the fact that the accuphase volume knob needs to be set higher for the internal dac compared to the external one does NOT mean the louder one sounds better!