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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
aplhifi
515 posts
 
In my opinion, the "best DAC" would be the one that works in Pure DSD mode (that means converts PCM to DSD as well), and does not use D/A conversion chips which send/upsample DSD through Delta/Sigma modulators.
Lastly, there shouldn't be any solid state components on the signal path, after the DSD D/A conversion (usually an FIR filter).
Now, that is really hard to find. :-)

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi
bhobba's avatar
bhobba
303 posts
 
The Playback Designs does pure DSD and converts PCM to DSD.

The Phasure eats it alive using PCM. Its closer via DSD but the Phasure is still clearly better.

Prior to the Phasure the best sound I had heard was DSD using the Playback.

The DAC shootout I am organizing will have both those DAC's as part of the mix and should prove interesting for that and other reasons.

Thanks
Bill

aplhifi
515 posts
 
The Phasure eats it alive using PCM. Its closer via DSD but the Phasure is still clearly better.

I have the Phasure NOS1 DAC here, as well as many other DACs.

Prior to the Phasure the best sound I had heard was DSD using the Playback.

This just proves the fact that "best component" is only a synergy between all components in a given audio system. :-)

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
4orreal
91 posts
 
Bhobba,
Is the new "Lampi Level 7" going to be part of the shootout?
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
there is no best anything. there are only priorities, which when satisfied, please the listener.

it is impossible to hear everything. one may prefer a dac among those which are auditioned, but that does not denote that it is the best.

audio is a very subjective medium. so find something that pleases you within your price range and be happy.

there is no product which is superior in every way to all other products. thus the question has no definitive answer.
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