dacs that I have had in my system - a listing

@tksteingraber

Because of your analysis I picked up a Gustard r26 with an Audio Magic M-1 fuse. Wow this Dac blew me away. I am hearing things I have never heard before in a very nice black background. Very pleased with my purchase and the price is crazy for this performance.

glad you are enjoying the gustard 👍... simply an incredible value and wonderful performance in any absolute sense

@stuartk

So when can we expect to dee your detailed comments assessing the sonic attributes/deficiencies of each unit on your list? ;o)

maybe sometime this winter when weather outside is poor and i get really bored 😁... thankfully i have been a reasonably organized note taker over this journey, so it will not be too difficult to remind myself the sonic experiences -- what i have tried to do so far here in this thread is answer specific queries as they arise... that seems to be working okay thus far

Thanks for sharing your dac experiences. What a journey! I’m just ordered another dac, which will be my fourth in the last year. The Cambridge cxn v2 modded by ModWright is so easy to listen to but I feel it lacks some detail. Topping d90 has wonderful detail but can get piercing high up(could be my sensitive ears). I just demoed the Audio Note 1.1. Was very interesting. Better clarity or detail and better dynamics. Hard to pinpoint its sound. Seemed to change from song to song based on the recording I guess. That was a cool surprise. The 2.1 is a future consideration. I just ordered the Rock a Wavedream Edition. Might be awhile before it arrives. Not sure if there’s anyone who can share their experiences with Rockna but would love to hear if there is. 

@earthbound 

Picked up a Rockna Wavelight back in March and am very happy with it. Replaced a Chord Qutest in my main rig.  Nothing wrong with the Qutest, but the Wavelight is just in another league, which given the price differential it should be. Very natural and warm presentation. Soundstage is both wide and deep. Highly resolving. Lots of inner detail, but not in your face. I expect it to be in my main rig for a long time to come.

Thanks for the replay and great to hear. I’ve heard nothing but good things regarding the sound from Rockna. Glad you’re loving yours and good luck with it. 

The Cambridge cxn v2 modded by ModWright is so easy to listen to but I feel it lacks some detail.

i love my modwrighted cxn v2 for its ability to tube roll and thusly materially shape its sonic attributes, as dan uses the 6dj8 pair directly in its analog output gain stage (not just as a buffer) -- i found no lack to detail, even if the tubed nature of the sound steps back the low mid and treble a touch compared to classic solid state output dacs -- to my ears, this unit loves old stock dutch amperexes, hungarian tungsrams and german siemens tubes -- wonderful sheen and great air and openness to the sound that reminds us of what tube magic is all about

Picked up a Rockna Wavelight back in March and am very happy with it. Replaced a Chord Qutest in my main rig. Nothing wrong with the Qutest, but the Wavelight is just in another league, which given the price differential it should be. Very natural and warm presentation. Soundstage is both wide and deep. Highly resolving. Lots of inner detail, but not in your face.

i have not tried a rockna, though by reputation i know they are excellent, very ’analog’ sounding dacs -- i would just remind folks of the two schools of dac sound, and the chord qutest is a prime, excellent example of the clear and crisp school -- vast imaging and precise, wonderful delineation of elements in the image...

also i find the qutest especially benefits from a linear power supply (in spite of rob watts’ insistence that it doesn’t/won’t)