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Six DAC Comparison

I am in the middle of comparing the sound of six different DACs in my system. I own them all (I know weird) but one of them is still within a trial/return timeframe.

Not to share specific comparisons today, but a couple of observations so far are that first, they all definitely sound different from each other. On one hand, they all sound pretty good and play what is fed to them without significant flaws but on the other hand there are definite sonic differences that make it easy to understand how a person might like the sound of some of them while not liking others.

Second, raises the observation that most of them must be doing something to shape the sound in the manner the designer intended since one of the DACs, a Benchmark DAC3 HGA, was described by John Atkinson of Stereophile as providing "state-of-the-art measured performance." In the review, JA closed the measurements section by writing, "All I can say is "Wow!" I have also owned the Tambaqui (not in my current comparison), which also measured well ("The Mola Mola Tambaqui offers state-of-the-digital-art measured performance." - JA). The Benchmark reminds me sonically of the Tambaqui, both of which are excellent sounding DACs.

My point is that if the Benchmark is providing "state-of-the-art measured performance," then one could reasonably presume that the other five DACs, which sound different from the Benchmark, do not share similar ’state-of-the-art" measurements and are doing something to subtly or not so subtly alter the sound. Whether a person likes what they hear is a different issue.

mitch2
mitch2 OP
3,965 posts
 

It was more challenging than I anticipated to choose a small group of music selections that were both representative of music I listen to, and also suitable to highlight attributes of the of DACs being compared.  I started by creating a new playlist in Roon, where I could accumulate and compare tracks, and I eventually chose a smaller group of selections that I have grouped and listed below.

Music Selections (Title, Artist, Album)

Jazzy,

  • The Girl from Ipanema, Getz/Gilberto/Jobim/Astrud, from Getz/Gilberto (Remastered)
  • Birds, Dominique Fils-Aime’, from Nameless
  • Freddie Freeloader, Miles Davis, from Kind of Blue
  • Take Five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, from Time Out
  • Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan, from Gaucho

Vocals

  • Gravity (Live), Sara Bareilles, from Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse
  • Steamroller Blues, James Taylor, from Sweet Baby James (2019 Remaster)
  • Come and Go Blues, Allison Krauss, from Muscle Shoals: Small Town, Big Sound
  • Angel from Montgomery, Susan Tedeschi, from Live from Austin, TX
  • Come and Go Blues, The Allman Bros. Band, from Live at Alltel Pavilion, Raleigh, NC
  • Like a Stone (Live at Queen Elizabeth), Chris Cornell, from Songbook

Rock

  • Thorazine Shuffle, Gov’t Mule, from Live…With a Little Help from Our Friends
  • Fell on Black Days (Demo), Soundgarden, from Superunknown (Super Deluxe)
  • Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana, from Nevermind (Remastered, 2021)
  • Cortez the Killer, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, from Zuma
  • Otherside, Red Hot Chili Peppers, from Californication
  • Outside, Staind, from Break the Cycle
brbrock's avatar
brbrock
36 posts
 

@mitch2 and @vthokie83  and @trivema   I have a few questions about some of the equipment in the study.  Mitch do you know the DAC chip used in the SMc Audio DAC?  Also is part of the purpose other than correcting timing of a DDC to be able to change inputs?  Many DAC's do not have an optical input such as the SMc audio and Mojo Audio, because of this I am not able to connect the TV to watch movies etc.  

mitch2 OP
3,965 posts
 

@brbrock -

  • Here is a list of DAC chips from 2012 with performance comments by Antonino Scozzaro of Soundbsessive
  • The SMc DAC-2 uses the CS4328 chip (good odnobitnik)
  • The Mojo Audio DACs use dual AD1862 chips (20-bit – one of the best of the world’s Audio)
  • The LTA Aero uses the AD1865 chip (18-bit, very good multibitnik, 2 DACs in one case - stereo)
  • The Merason uses the BB PCM1794 chip (best of odnobitnik)
  • The Benchmark uses the ESS Technologies ES9028PRO chip
  • A DDC 1. provides multiple output options from a USB input, 2. reduces jitter, and 3. may allow the connection of a master clock or sync directly to the clock in a particular DAC (I believe, but am not sure, certain Denafrips DDCs/DACs may be used in this manner)
  • The SMc DAC-2 does indeed have an optical input (Toslink), as well as S/PDIF via coax
soix
9,456 posts
 

A DDC 1. provides multiple output options from a USB input, 2. reduces jitter, and 3. may allow the connection of a master clock or sync directly to the clock in a particular DAC

I’d add a DDC can also add galvanic isolation for further noise reduction that many DACs sadly do not have. 

mitch2 OP
3,965 posts
 

@soix - Galvanic isolation - good add.

In the digital audio world, a decent DDC offers tangible improvements for an $800 box! In the world of DACs, I believe there can be quite a variance in the quality of the USB input, which can also be negated by using a good DDC to accept the USB input and then output to the DAC using another type of connection..

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