Analyzing DACs

@teedee

One might assume that the simplest audio chain is sonically best, but my online empirical research shows a mixed bag - sometimes the sonics sound better with a preamplifier in the chain. Some surmise the preamp may somehow be conditioning the signal to be more favorable (ohms?) to the amp.

The HoloAudio May DAC would be my choice based on online reviews. Perhaps you can stretch to the Lampizator Baltic 3 DAC at $6.6k - reports that it’s sonics are way above it’s price point - it appears to be a very rare bargain.  

kennyc

... my online empirical research shows a mixed bag ...

Online empirical research? That's oxymoronic. "Researching" online is the exact opposite of empirical research.

Online empirical research? That’s oxymoronic. "Researching" online is the exact opposite of empirical research.

finally, a serious post in this train wreck of a forum thread LOL

Listening to music is a subjective experience. Measurements of meaning should significantly correlate with the subjective experience or at least some component of it. This, for me, is where the measurement argument runs out of steam. Measurements don’t tell me what I hear. I like certain sonic representations thru my stereo systems that are different. I have four systems that all sound different yet each is musically satisfying to me though I do like my reference best. I trust a few reviewers ears based on my listening to equipment they have reviewed. There is at least one Audiogon retailer who has yet to steer me wrong on a purchase. I could not tell you very many of the measurement specs on my equipment nor could I tell u what measurement explains why my PassLabs amp sounds different than my Ampzilla monoblocks.

@batvac2 Good to know but beyond my skill level at this point. 😀

Thanks for all the knowledge sharing here. Now, on to the experiments...