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Closest DAC to Vinyl Sound?

I love my vinyl, but sometimes it's a pain to keep flipping sides. I also have a lot of digital music (WAV, FLAC and MP3) that doesn't sound half bad through my Soundblaster X FI Titanium Fatality. But I'm wondering, is there a better way to enjoy digital? How would an external DAC stack up? Can anyone recommend a DAC that has that analog sound, or is it wishful thinking? Associated equipment includes Sound Valves VTP 101, Aragon 2004 and Large Advent Speakers. I also have an Adcom GCD 750 cd player that can accept a coax input.
heyraz
bigkidz
3,332 posts
 
Depends what your definition is of analog sound. Most people I know think analog is bloom sounding sort of like the tube dacs in Kora Hermes and Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista. If you are saying that you want an easeful sound then that would be one way to look at it. Some of my favorite DACs are the Museatex Bitstream stock and modified form, the Lampinzator DAC and the one I had built for me which uses a stacking chip set and transformers. Adding the transformers really improved the sound by removing AC noise and keep a few caps out of the signal path. This produced fantastic tone and let the music just flow out. While all this worked for me, the most improvement I hears was using direct heated tubes in a custom built preamp. That has been the single biggest upgrade I have heard.

Happy Listening.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,238 posts
 
BigKidz,
Which DHT tube is in your preamp? And does it utilize coupling caps or an interstage transformer, just curious.
cfluxa's avatar
cfluxa
127 posts
 
The new Tranquility Signature DAC does a pretty darn good job of delivering a sound with a lot of vinyl-like characteristics, IMO - extremely smooth, lush, detailed, nice dynamics and presence. Doesn't necessarily deliver the sheer weight, momentum and huge soundstage you're going to get with a high-end vinyl rig, but I haven't heard another DAC that would do a better job at a price that isn't stratospheric. There's a review out now in something called "Digital Audio Review" that compares it to the new WFS DAC 2 and it comes out very favorably, especially in terms of sounding more analogue.
wisnon
700 posts
 
Bigkidz,

I agree. The new Lampizator level 3 DAC with the penodes in triode config are supposed to be a killer.

I will let you know when I get to hear on and can compare to the level 2 equivalent I currently have.
sirotseta
30 posts
 
Depending on what you mean by Vinyl.

If it's "warm, thick and laid-back"
or
"fast, extended, present, and liquid".

Cfluxa,
I had a good listen with the Tranquility and compared it to Weiss 202 and Bel Canto DAC 2.5. It's very good and the analog-like quality people posted here and in other forums were apparent.

Wisnon,
Still waiting for Lukasz to send me the level2,5. Can't wait!
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