Six DAC Comparison

stuartk,

Allow me to help you develop appreciation for classical music.  You have great potential to enter this fabulous world, since you already appreciate its abundance of melodic and harmonic content.  I'll cure you of boredom with a short 4 min example.  It is the solo piano piece, Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor, performed by one of today's top pianists, Valentina Lisitsa.  Peter McGrath made a wonderful CD of her playing, titled "Virtuosa Valentina."

https://youtu.be/4QB7ugJnHgs?si=qWP6Dfx-c8DX9kSN

This popular piano showpiece has everything--gorgeous melody, harmony, exciting rhythm, subtle and large dynamic contrasts.  The rhythm is flexible and varied to suit the changing moods.  Listen particularly from 1:15 to 2:20 where she melts into a lovely melody as a respite from the strong rhythms that precede it.  Note her delicate touch combined with dynamic strength in the loud passages.  On youtube, listen to other performances of this piece.  There is room for many interpretations according to the style and personality of each performer.

For more common classical music, The familiar opening movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony illustrates the architectural complexity of the basic kernel of 4 notes everyone knows--dadada-dum.  It is repeated hundreds of times by various instruments in combination at all dynamic levels and in different keys.  There is an amusing recording by the famous musicologist dubbed PDQ Bach aka Peter Schikelle about this movement.  PDQ plays the role of an announcer at a football game to show how the ball is repeatedly tossed around and fumbled.  It is like a football game in 6 min.  Beethoven was history's greatest master of building towering musical structures out of the barest essentials of notes and rhythm.

It takes an education to fully appreciate anything in life.  Classical music was my first language through exposure from the radio.  I spoke my first words of English at age 3, but by then already knew lots of classical music.  I started playing the violin at age 9, and continue to improve over 60 years later.  Playing the violin in orchestras and chamber pieces has further increased my appreciation.  

Right now, I am bored with watching football, simply because I never took the time to learn and understand the game.  Everything is an acquired taste.  I hope you further discover classical music.

@viber6 

Thanks for your suggestions.

I grew up hearing Classical and Broadway. My parents were big Classical music fans, as are my brother and sister. 

stuartk,

Good background.  I don't know where you live, but for decades in NY, radio station WQXR has had the classical countdown before New Years Day, starting about 1 week before, from about 8 AM to midnight.  It was the top 100, but then it became the top 105 when the NY Times owner dropped WQXR, and it went public on 105.9 FM.  You can now listen online.  No. 1 is always Beethoven's Ninth.  No 2 is either Beethoven's Fifth or Dvorak's New World Symphony.  This is an excellent way to re-introduce you to the great classics.  Lately, the list has included smaller scale chamber music.  Small scale chamber music is my favorite, because there is only 1 player on a part compared to orchestra where there are as many as 16 players on 1st violin, 14 players on 2nd violin.  I dislike the chorus effect of many players on a part, which creates sonic smear.  You can appreciate more nuances if there is only 1 player on a part.  Of course, there is less loudness, but in return you get more subtle varied dynamics and of course more overall detail.

Enjoy.

Michael Lavorgna has reviewed Tambaqui, Holo KTE May and Totaldac.

My impression was that he found his Totaldac DAC to sound more realistic than the 

other two; and that he preferred the Tambaqui  to the Holo KTE May. 

I’ve owned the Holo for a couple of years and love it!

It’s all about taste , some like a rich tubyness ,

some like every razer sharp detail., a lot has to do with your other equipment  also.