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Worlds best DAC

Went to CES this year to work on my transition to high Rez digital. I've heard many of the highly regarded players in my room or in others systems in the past. I'm actually very happy with my current cd based sound. As I listened to various DACS playing CD then high Rez, I was not bowled over. High rez was better, but only slightly so. The best (and most different) sound I heard happened to have one similarity. They were 2 non oversampling DACS with tube analog stages(Zanden and Ypsilon). These were without question the most natural sounding digital systems I heard at the show. They made CDsound miles ahead of high Rez. What gives?

PS: I understand the limitations of show auditions.
bflowers
argyro
438 posts
 
I have heard the Vekian, not the Zanden, bare in mind I do not believe in non over sampling "musical" DACS, I also know Mr. Ypsilon as I am from Greece.

The Vekian is a really really great DAC, I would have it number 2 in my list after the Orpheus! It is more "fat" sounding if you know what I mean, you would call it a bit more musical than the Orpheus I would call it a bit more colored than the Orpheus, the Heritage plays what exactly is in the disc. Both are great DACS with minor differences...

In any case enjoy your quest, you are dealing with great DACs here...
chadeffect
586 posts
 
Weiss Medea plus will put most of the above to shame.

The Vekian is over priced and approaching obsolete now. Sure the Orpheus will be up there too. But that Weiss (used with a FireWire mac) is the finest & purest digital sound I know.
audiofreak32's avatar
audiofreak32
281 posts
 
Or a LINN Akurate DS with no USB or Firewire connection to deal with.
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
Thanks, Argyro! Good to know!

Chad - i have heard the original Medea and understand it is quite different from the new Medea+...the original was less my flavor, but i will try to give the new one a listen.

Audiofreak - thanks to you too for your recommendation. Have heard the Linn Akurate...very impressive as well.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi chadeffect:

it's not possible to audition all dacs that ever existed. while i appreciate your enthusiasm for the weiss medea, i have auditioned it myself several times, with different transports.
i prefer the original zanden to the weiss dac. perhaps because i perceived a more full-bodied, classic tube sound, while the weiss with transport had a more linear sound.

i think one of the issues in this hobby is preference for spectral balance, which will determine component choices.
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