DACs and Still DACs .. the high end

[Maro73]

Hello folks ..

My system is very very enjoyable , but I know that the upgrade disease will soon be here

Right now I'm streaming via a dedicated PC , with a linear PSU, outputing via the Spdif of the Asus Xonar Card , to the Modded Eastern Electric DAC plus .. The rest of my system include Belles LA01 pre , Belles MB 200 monoblocks , driving a pair of Virgo 25

Sound is very very nice .. detailed , soudstage terrific.

Upgrade will be for the sake of discovering the high end products , and not so soon , because it will need substancial funds

However , i'm just starting the short list .

Here's what I'm thinking of :

MSB Platinum , Auralic Vega , BMC Dac 1 , T+A Dac 8 , or why not BC DAC 3,5 .., or some DCS stuffs

What would be your choice ?

Any advice ?

Cheers

 

[roob]

Stick with what you have.

 

[cjr]

What would be your choice ?

Save all sources upgrades and put towards speakers, then amplification. Also sounds like you are happy already so why change? CD players & DACs see the most hype in this hobby. Sometime this hype is not really factual.

 

[hearingisbelieving]

Why not try an Audio Note DAC? Something like a 2.1 Sig maybe?

 

[crimsondonkey]

The list you have rattled off are more about different flavours not necessarily sonic improvement so tread carefully.

If you're happy with how it sounds Maro then just buy more music.

 

[Jazid]

I haven't heard a system with the Asus sound card but I'd offer a suggestion that this element might be worth re-visiting? Linear PSU or not, I'd hazard a guess that an asynch USB to SPDIF might give a different flavour to the sound. FWIW I use standard USB out to a Halide Bridge then as per system shown, and find the sound very engaging and natural, there are of course many other options for this approach at varying price points. Another option I have played with and left in place is adding ferrite cores on the USB cables to limit HF and RF interference. It costs pennies and whilst I may well be imagining it I think might have eliminated a fraction of digititis in the sound (also I don't have a linear PSU). Whether this would work in your current setup however I am not able to say.

Agree with the others that speakers give the best bang for buck upgrade, but sometimes other elements are more interesting (or politically practicable) to explore, so why not!

 

[tonerei]

Can see why you want to try out a different dac but would be very inclined to get a home demo but notice you are in France hence probably very difficult to try out other dacs from wammers! But you are on the continent and it might be worth the effort to spend a day in a city or town with plenty of hifi shops selling the kind of things on your list. Even cheapo ryanair flight for a day trip might be worth the outlay rather than dropping the cash on one of your list.Of course if buying secondhand you are mitigating a lot of the loss if you can sell it on if it don't work. Wouldn't mind hearing the audionote either but you have a tube dac already.

Have heard an eximus and meitner that approach and are above your price range. The meitner is ahead of the jkciúnas I use but not by €7k.

The owner of the meitner on hearing the eximus suggested he would have gone for that if he had heard it first(save the money). Know that plays into the all dacs sound the same camp but it is more than likely after a certain price point only the gifted will hear differences.

If it is any consolation I would love to get a Lampizator Level6 even though have never heard it but if the funds were available I think I would be going to hear one first just couldn't contemplate dropping that money without extensive listening.

The other suggestions about putting that money into better speakers is probably very sensible but you seem very happy with your lot so why bother go on a holiday instead

 

[Maro73]

The list you have rattled off are more about different flavours not necessarily sonic improvement so tread carefully.If you're happy with how it sounds Maro then just buy more music.

Totally forgot ians1's diy dac...

I'm preparing the future .. to upgrade or not to upgrade ..

Cheers

 

[RobHolt]

The sonic differences between most dacs produced today (or in recent years) is tiny at best, and often undetectable.

There are always exceptions and we can always find examples with very poor performance, or those were the designer has deliberately flavoured his product, but the majority of dacs all conform to the flat response, wide dynamic range, lowest possible distortion model, and sound very alike as a result.

Save the cash, spend it on more music, improving other part of the system, the rooms acoustics etc.

 

[Maro73]

Hi

It looks like I'd be wasting money ... hahh .. however , I'm desperate to listen to some high end dacs in my system .. for the sake of curiosity .

 

[lordmortlock]

Why not try an Audio Note DAC? Something like a 2.1 Sig maybe?

Was about to post something like this then saw the above from Chris further up the thread . The EE is technically superb, so maybe try something NOS for a different take on musicality. I'm using a relatively cheap NOS dac and the presentation suited my system better so I sold my minimax. The lampizator level 4 dac is the best source I've used, followed closely by the resonessence labs invicta. Both should be on any must hear list imo.

 

[rabski]

Stop beating about the bush people.

Change the pre and power amps and the bloody speakers.

The EE DAC is not the weakest link here. Not by a long way.

Get yerself to some bakeoffs and get an idea of the 'sound' you like. Then you can start making serious decisions.

Frankly, based on the sound I like, I think the EE DAC is probably the best component in your system. But that's my taste. Yours might well be different. Get to hear a load of stuff before making decisions that will mucho costo.

 

[Maro73]

Hi Guys

From the general feeling , i have to acknowlege that there is no need for a change (the change was to be planned in some months)

I really appreciate the Belles , with the Virgos , in a small room ..

The discussion here, was for an eventual upgrade ..

I clean my ears , have more time listening to music.

I do appreciate your help ... And sadly demo in my whereabouts in not possible .. You guys have the chance to live in a hifi country .. With nice dealers ..

Cheers

 

[ob1]

Vertex alethia DAC-1 :^

I have to disagree with Rabski here, I bet the Belles and Virgo sounded damm fine together.

 

[Maro73]

Hi Folks

I do have the impression that Belles is not appreciated on the WAM , and I don't know the reason.

Not bad stuff .. and secondhand buy is not so expensive ..

And apart from Hifinutt , I don't know anyone who has Belles on the wam ..

So what's the reason behind the lack of appreciation ?

... off topic .. back to my DACs ..

I agree about the change in sound being not so night and day when you change DACs ..

Cheers

 

[browellm]

Hi FolksI do have the impression that Belles is not appreciated on the WAM , and I don't know the reason.

I'd be very surprised if more than 5 people had ever heard any.

 

[i_should_coco]

Plenty of Belles ends on the wam.

 

[ob1]

I'd be very surprised if more than 5 people had ever heard any.

me...1 of the 5

 

[browellm]

me...1 of the 5

You've had everything