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DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend

Okay...in another thread I promised to do a side-by-side evaluation of the Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap vs the Rockna Wavelight. Due to the astonishing incompetence of DHL this has been delayed. At the moment, I have a plethora of DACs here and am going to do a broader comparison.

I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.

For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.

My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.

I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
128x128verdantaudio
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yyzsantabarbara
4,926 posts
 

@verdantaudio 

Playback Designs MPD-6 Edelweiss DAC – Verdant Audio

Playback Designs MPD-8 Dream DAC – Verdant Audio

PLINK I/O Compatible with Classic, Sonoma, Edelweiss and Dream Series products for native digital audio transmission. Connection to Edelweiss and Dream series products via fiber optical PLINK for optimal separation between digital source and analog output stage of DAC.

Can the PLINK input take a fibre optic stream directly like the Lumin X1?

How is the volume control on the DAC? Improved with a preamp?

 

 

thieliste's avatar
thieliste
824 posts
 

How good is the preamp part of the MPD-8 ?

Could this drive Audionet Heisenberg Monoblocks without any frustration ?

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio OP
1,500 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara i know they will accept a direct fiber input from native Playback devices.  They have their own sources.  I will ask Andreas if it is possible for the DACs to receive a fiber signal from another source.  
 

@thieliste preamp stage and volume control in both units are very good.  I have found that it has worked well with both pairs of my monos (CANOR and Art Audio) along with the stereo amps (AGD, Rogue and Carver) I have lying around.  
 

That said, I have never heard a DAC output stage that compares to my Art Audio or CANOR preamps.  They just sound better.  It will do the job without frustration, yes.  Will it be the absolute be all, end all in terms of match, unlikely. 

f208frank's avatar
f208frank
69 posts
 

Wow what no responses since 11/14/2022?

Anyways I have received my playback mpd-6 and it is an absolute joy. Truly an endorphin pumping machine.

I have had in my past:

1. chord dave

2. holo may

3. benchmark dac

4. sagra

I like the mpd6 the most and the previous dacs I owned are listed above in order of my preference. I generally prefer the detailed but still very enjoyable type of sound which as well all know it is usually trading one for the other in either direction.

As of now, though it costed a partial arm and leg, no regrets and smiling ear to ear on a daily basis.

Scott can you chime in if you ever come across this the differences between Weiss 501 and MPD6? My second choice behind the MPD6 would have been the Weiss based on what was read.

Thank you.

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