New or Old DAC


I currently have an older Theta front end. Data ll transport & Chroma HDCD. I like it, even though it is old and discontinued. I would like to update my DAC first , I am looking for a Theta Pro Gen va. I know the sound of the older Theta stuff and like it. But, are there any newer DAC's out there in that $1K (used) price range that can really give an equal or better performance than the Pro Gen Va? Do the newer anti jitter (re-clocking) DACS fall into that price range?

thanks, mike
128x128mikedaniels
I wish i could have bought the Theta Gen. V when it first came out, as it rivaled the best Krell and Levinson DACs at a fraction of the price, but the Theta V(at 5-6 grand) was still more than I could afford. I demo many times, and I really thought the sound was realitic and as good as it could get or needs to be. IMO, the TOP DACs from the 90's still hold up well sonically to the run-of-the-mill DACs made now. (Im shure some of the price no object DACs are much better now, but the parabolic price increase is another story.)

IIRC, Theta was doing D-A conversion with custom software with a generalised DSP chip set and not going with the typical Burr-Brown, Crystal, or Analoge Devices chip sets that were favored by most of the "me-too" digital designers.

I've been looking for a used BALANCED VERSION Gen V ever since and they are hard to get. They have a stong demand in the used market. I think most sysems would benefit from one.
Jmcgrogan2-Sorry, I am still trying to translate what you are saying into something that makes sense. You classified DC Power to an Analog Stage as being, "Analog Based". Since when if both Analog and Digital Stages are based on DC Power Supplies. There is no difference in the Power Supply to either, other than the designed Voltages. DC is DC, regardless if it is supplying a Digital or Analog Stage. There is nothing special about the DC Power Supply to an Analog Stage that sets it apart from the DC Power Supply to a Digital One. Your claim that, "no-one puts Tubes, fancy Caps or Resistors in the Power Supply to Digital Stages as opposed to Analog Stages" is a bogus claim. Both Digital and Analog Stages recieve the same DC Power (at different regulated Voltages) from the same source, the AC-DC Rectifying Stage. This Stage, if Tube Rectified, supplies DC Power to both Analog and Digital Stages. There is nothing that sets this DC Power apart when supplying an Analog Stage as opposed to an Digital One, other than the underlying Regulated Voltage. It is bogus to claim that DC Power is anything else (Analog Based What?) other than simply DC Power! There is no real difference, other than Voltage, and it is simply wrong to imply that there is a difference! This is a fact, not a matter of agreeing to disagree, and stop using that as an excuse to support an bogus arguement! Your false statement IS the issue, stop trying to distract from that by using the issues of this Thread as cover! You are not fooling anyone, least of all me! Obviously, I am going to have to keep an eye on you! Your Statement was false, Period. You are not going to be able to diplomatically slime your way out of this one! Busted, with your hands firmly in the Cookie Jar, lets see you try to charm your way out of this one! I have a firm grip on you, and I am not letting go! You haven't a clue as to how the Power Supply works in any Stereo Component, more or less a CD Player/Processor, do you?
If this makes no more sense to you than your posts did to me, then I suggest we both just move on with our lives.
Jmcgrogan2

Pettyofficer, I read the first line of your response, and I just thought I'd re-post from my last reply.....life's to short. Enjoy yourself.

Cheers,
John
You want the short version? Analog based DC Power is a completely bogus and twisted concept. Analog based DC Power, this is your word construct, not mine! It is something that would be constructed by someone who has no idea of how a Power Supply works in any Stereo Component. It sounds like someone who doesn't know what he is talking about, trying to pretend like he knows what he is talking about. Life is too short to have the wool pulled over one's eyes. I enjoy myself more when someone is NOT seriously trying to jerk my chain. Life is too long to allow such a gross conceptual error to continue!
Jmcgrogan2

Not much need to read beyond the first line or two from Po's posts. I haven't been able to either. He is however part of our community and he certainly does take this hobby seriously...