[trickyRoadsDummyTOOL]

I would get a used Dave now, then wait until the new Quartet scaler comes out and get a used M scaler. Then when you have the money upgrade to Quartet.

Thanks for caring, sorry forgot to say I've got that serious OCD which means I can handle only new stuff. I like to add spending this much money on OCD treatment, it's not an option.

 

[macfan]

@trickyRoadsDummyTOOL - I appreciate the OCD thing. I have a touch of it but only with certain things. Like everything else, the HiFi or "Head-Fi" hobby does cross the point of diminishing returns. As mentioned above you can wait for the new Quartet to come out and then get a pre-owned M-Scaler. I live in the US and there are a number of them available from reputable and honest dealers.

I think one of the things I enjoy most about the hobby is the research and coming up various designs that meet the goals of my current audio project. I may enjoy that more than when I settle on a design and make the actual purchase. I tend to second guess myself and sometimes reverse my choice, often too soon.

With all of the various approaches to DAC design, after watching many of the presentations Rob Watts has given, along with reading various academic papers on sampling theory, I believe in the approach Chord is taking vs. products that offer lots features but little long term substance behind them. This is why I have chosen a TT2 (which should be delivered tomorrow) and then if all goes well adding the M-Scaler later this year. The various Chord DAC designs have been implemented based on decades of research, experimentation, and continuous improvement to the WTA. So while "taps" plays an important role in reconstruction, the WTA appears to be integral to the success being achieved.

BTW, while the Quartet looks to have 4M taps in its design based on a few videos I have watched from the HiFi Munich, maybe we can hope for an M-Scaler 2 that will double the "taps" to 2 million.

 

[macfan]

@trickyRoadsDummyTOOL - I agree with the suggestion of a used Dave now and add pre-owned M-Scaler when Quartet comes out.

 

[boble]

Hey everyone - for what is's worth here is a nice video from the guy who runs the Convince Me Audio channel on YouTube with Rob Watts chatting about the Quartet. Does not reveal tons of info but worth a look.

If I heard right, In the video Rob said (Quartet) price has not been set but it will be more expensive than Dave. Current list price for Dave in the US is $14K.

 

[macfan]

@bobie - You heard it right more expensive than Dave and not sure if the price will include the power supply and if the PS is only for the Quartet or both Quartet and Dave. Would have been cool to get a photo of the back. That being said, while this HiFi hobby can be fun and interesting at some point we do enter the helm of diminishing returns.

Before changing careers in the early 2000's I worked at a mastering studio for ~10 years and I can tell you while some of the gear was expensive, it does not really compare to the prices we see these days in the world of "high end" audio. In some case it is very out of control.

 

[alphaman]

The Chord Gedanken:
a proposal for a new Chord DAC.
Take a current Chord DAC like the Hugo.
Remove the DF and DAC sections (fpga) and replace with a modular plug-n-play option.

Like old Counterpoint DA-10
https://www.gammaelectronics.xyz/stereoph_2-1994_Counterpoint_DA-10.html
or:
CAL
https://www.wghwoodworking.com/cal/cal.html

What DACs and/or DFs may be used: any and all, classic or modern, multibit, hybrid, DS, R2R, etc. And for DFs: PMD100, SAA7220, DF1704, various classic Philips, Sony and Yamaha YM series, etc.

Make the output (analog) section as modular as possible so that each plug-in DAC/DF module can optimized.
Have Mr Watts design and optimize the whole project, soup-to-nuts.
Then, the ASR and Hydrogen Audio community may be DEFEATED enough to throw their hands in the air.

 

[macfan]

@alphaman - This is a cool idea and I had recently scene this is a portable DAC headphone amp. The DAC modules are presented as "cards" that are encased in a metal of some sort. Currently, they have several DAC options including a form of R2R, ESS and AKM offerings. So Chord could offer quite a few options. Now, while being flexible, we would not want to distract from Rob Watts work and efforts so that balance might be a bit tricky. However, he could still apply his methodology of custom filter design to various DAC chips but I would think the selected chip would need to ability to bypass its internal filters.

BTW, the ASR / Hydrogen Audio crowd wears me out. Everything I have ever looked at on ASR trends toward product X is terrible and not any better than product Y. Just don't get the vibe.

 

[Currawong]

BTW, the ASR / Hydrogen Audio crowd wears me out. Everything I have ever looked at on ASR trends toward product X is terrible and not any better than product Y. Just don't get the vibe.

It's full of people angry that they can't afford nice gear, combined with tribalism.

 

[muhammedcakin]

Thanks Rob. The listening test criteria you listed are definitely useful for us to articulate what we are hearing when talking about sound quality.

 

[Digital Enigma]

It's full of people angry that they can't afford nice gear, combined with tribalism.

If you want to tar everyone with the same brush then that could apply to headfi, full of angry people who hate any other audio forum.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

If you want to tar everyone with the same brush then that could apply to headfi, full of angry people who hate any other audio forum.

Not fair comparison. Hating a forum that preaches "the one true science" and hating expensive audio components not equivalent. In general, headfi leans toward the buy what you can afford and enjoy side rather than a $99 gizmo "outperforms" a $9000 one. And trashing an audio designer because he uses taps and noise floor modulation as a basis for DA conversion vs. Off the shelf DA chips is not the tone at headfi.

Here if you buy a $5000 power cord, you won't face the acrimony like ASR. Tribalism is less rampant here. Fanboy-ism, maybe. Regardless, you won't see near the hostility and fist banging here that a SINAD of -120 is SOTA and the basis of "transparency" .

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Not fair comparison. Hating a forum that preaches "the one true science" and hating expensive audio components not equivalent. In general, headfi leans toward the buy what you can afford and enjoy side rather than a $99 gizmo "outperforms" a $9000 one. And trashing an audio designer because he uses taps and noise floor modulation as a basis for DA conversion vs. Off the shelf DA chips is not the tone at headfi.

Here if you buy a $5000 power cord, you won't face the acrimony like ASR. Tribalism is less rampant here. Fanboy-ism, maybe. Regardless, you won't see near the hostility and fist banging here that a SINAD of -120 is SOTA and the basis of "transparency" .

Exactly right, which is why I stopped visiting that cess pool of a site.

 

[Peti]

If you want to tar everyone with the same brush then that could apply to headfi, full of angry people who hate any other audio forum.

Ahh, who hurt you?

 

[Rob Watts]

One key reason I engage with Head-Fi and attend CanJams is people are invariably polite. Politeness is about respect for fellow human beings - in short being considerate to other people. Consideration requires a level of humility, both personally and intellectually. And this means admitting that we don't have all the answers, but need to be open minded. Recognising that a difference in opinion is no bad thing, as it provides an opportunity to learn - so long as everyone remains considerate.

Consideration and politeness is something sadly on the decline, both with individuals and governments. This will only lead to more conflicts - and when nation states lose respect for others it could lead to a global conflagration, something which is looking increasingly more likely.

 

[freaknout]

One key reason I engage with Head-Fi and attend CanJams is people are invariably polite. Politeness is about respect for fellow human beings - in short being considerate to other people. Consideration requires a level of humility, both personally and intellectually. And this means admitting that we don't have all the answers, but need to be open minded. Recognising that a difference in opinion is no bad thing, as it provides an opportunity to learn - so long as everyone remains considerate.

Consideration and politeness is something sadly on the decline, both with individuals and governments. This will only lead to more conflicts - and when nation states lose respect for others it could lead to a global conflagration, something which is loolking increasingly more likely.

Well said Rob. An enlightened view IMHO.