DAC Recommendation around 2.5K

As I read this thread, it occurs to me that I have been guilty of using hyberbole when describing a high end DAC. IMHO, once one reaches a certain level, the differences between modern DACs are often a matter of subtle preference and feature set. I have not heard the uber DACs in the $20k + range, but I know people who have and who sold them in favor of "more bang for the buck." In the most recent Stereophile, John Atkinson concedes that with certain files he was "hard pressed " to hear a difference between MSB's $43k DAC and the new $3,490 Marantz NA-11S1.

To determine which DAC is "best" at $2500 is a tall order and probably impossible. I have no doubt that all the ones mentioned here are excellent. I seriously doubt that any one would "trounce" another. On the other hand, I am sure one DAC does one thing better than another and, depending upon what you want, that may matter a lot or a little.

Above all, I want a DAC that is "musical" and would gladly trade mine for one that is significantly more musical even if it could never read a hi-res file. I also have my suspicions about the current DSD craze. Until I can obtain the vast majority of what I listen to on DSD, I will patiently wait on the sidelines until the music is there. It's been nearly three years since I bought a hi-res DAC and I still only own a handful of hi-res recordings that are worth the price I paid for them and that "blow away" what I have on Redbook. (And now I discover that I don't actually own my downloads and can never re-sell or trade them...eek!)

I am glad to have a DAC which handles 16/44 well and will continue to use that as my litmus for buying a DAC until there's significantly more truly good music to bring me to the table.

Good post Vhiner.

Vhiner,

The Lampi Dacs are very musical and this carries thru from their PCM dac to the DSD option that has recently become available (PURE DSD, no conversion to multibit Delta-Sigma internally...just poss pass filtration). They are excellent on RBCD, as that is where most of the effort is directed!

DSD128 is sublime though, no doubt about it. Many leading edge audiophiles are ripping their vinyl to DSD128 and claim that they cant hear a difference in Playback! Frankly, with the amount of material on DSD based on ability to rip SACDs, I cant understand why anyone would NOT want to have DSD playback ability on top of an excellent PCM DAC.

typo... LOW Pass filtration...

Wisnon,

I have heard the Lampizator 4 several times (without DSD option) and it is a great DAC, no doubt. I did not think it represented enough of an upgrade to justify switching from my current "musical" DAC. As I said, I find the differences between the better high end DACs to be subtle. That is not meant to be a slight...just an explanation of what I hear.

As to DSD, I fault no one for choosing or wanting it. *I* want it to take off but the fact is that very few titles I listen to are available in DSD and, based upon the very "iffy" hi-res material you can pay top dollar for on HDTracks, I remain skeptical that this format will change what I've already experienced with the hi- res bandwagon. Ninety-five percent of what l choose to listen to is 16/44 and only four or five hi -res recordings seriously beat the best Redbook I own. I find the vast majority of "audiophile only" recordings to be boring and/or creatively lacking. A friend of mine and I recently downloaded a half dozen rock recordings from HDtracks and compared them to the Redbook versions we owned. None of the "hi-res" versions were better. For example, the best one of the crop, Paul McCartney's Ram, is easily bested by Steve Hoffmann's gold Redbook disc remaster of the same sessions. Just because something has 24/96 or DSD label doesn't mean it's worth a purchase. So, when someone can offer truly better versions of even half of the music I already own, I'll get a ticket for the show.