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DAC-AH - Page 3

post #31 of 162
8/17/06 at 4:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fewtch
Better/more enjoyable than what?

Been thinking about the DAC-AH myself, but most likely as long as my DCM-370 keeps cranking along I'll probably skip it. Reason being, I really like what I've got already for the price and suspect a budget DAC won't improve much or at all on what I'm currently hearing (which to my ears is amazingly free of flaws for a budget CDP, not to mention fatigue free and listenable for hours on end).

Then again, maybe I'll pay the $150 to find out... I could always just sell it if it wasn't (enough of) an improvement.

That was just a vague approximation, not relevant to anyone but myself, and not meant to be taken too seriously, hence the but still, some people might wonder how I judge the improvement, so there you go.

I meant 5-10% better than my current loungeroom set up without the DAC in the line up:

Home: Sony CDP-CE515 >> RTC-940AX >> Rotel RB991 >> B&W DM604's >> ASW 4000

That's not exactly a top end transport but it's ok. The DAC unquestionably improves it. How much? To my ears, 5-10%

By the way Fewtch, you can get one for just over a hundred here:

http://www.diykits.com.hk/dac.html

Which I saw 12 hours after ordering mine for the equivalent of US $190 from here:

http://www.coemaudio.com.au/products.php?product_id=81


Live and learn.

I think it would be worth you getting one if you are going to mod it. Thats my future plan.

Steve.
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post #32 of 162
8/17/06 at 4:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevenkelby
By the way Fewtch, you can get one for just over a hundred here:

http://www.diykits.com.hk/dac.html
Yeah but then there's shipping from HK to the USA... I believe the one from Pacific Valve for $150 is the better US deal, and they offer something of a warranty (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Quote:
I think it would be worth you getting one if you are going to mod it. Thats my future plan.

Steve.
Actually I'm really not a modder and would not be doing any modding if I got one (although I could probably send it to a fellow forum modder later on who could do it for me for some cash).
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post #33 of 162
8/17/06 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fewtch
Yeah but then there's shipping from HK to the USA... I believe the one from Pacific Valve for $150 is the better US deal, and they offer something of a warranty (someone correct me if I'm wrong).


Actually I'm really not a modder and would not be doing any modding if I got one (although I could probably send it to a fellow forum modder later on who could do it for me for some cash).
Yes on Pacific Valve. Also if you order on the 1st tuesday of the month you get a 5% discount. Good luck.
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post #34 of 162
8/17/06 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fewtch
a budget DAC won't improve much or at all on what I'm currently hearing (which to my ears is amazingly free of flaws for a budget CDP, not to mention fatigue free and listenable for hours on end).

This is more or less what I heard from the stock DAC-ah. It had no areas that made one go "wow," what amazed me was that it had no glaring flaws, and was very listenable, considering the low price. Perhaps it sounds better than your Denon, but I'd be skeptical, since we both have similar impressions. Perhaps modding the DAC would make it better, but then you could say the same of the CDP
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post #35 of 162
8/17/06 at 2:48pm
Double Post
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post #36 of 162
8/17/06 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer
This is more or less what I heard from the stock DAC-ah. It had no areas that made one go "wow," what amazed me was that it had no glaring flaws, and was very listenable, considering the low price. Perhaps it sounds better than your Denon, but I'd be skeptical, since we both have similar impressions.
Or it might be better in some areas, worse in others... who knows. I believe the DAC in the DCM-370 is an unusual design that combines sigma-delta (1-bit) at low signal levels with 18-bit 8x OS at higher signal levels, or something like that. All I know is I have yet to be sonically fatigued even after listening for long hours through Beyer DT880s (and treble is definitely not rolled off IMO).

I'm probably splurging on a pair of K701 before anything else so I wouldn't be getting a DAC-Ah for a couple months anyway... but based on your report + others I'm definitely curious and may possibly get one... seems to me I could probably re-sell it for not much less than what I paid for it.

The Diyeden Great March is tempting as well, albeit somewhat pricier...

Quote:
Perhaps modding the DAC would make it better, but then you could say the same of the CDP
True .
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post #37 of 162
8/20/06 at 11:30pm
After reading everyone's opinion on the DAC-AH I made the jump and bought it. Now its just waiting game till it arrives. I am using my computer as the transport for flac files so I ordered the AV710. I read that people who use this combo are quite satisfied with it especially for the price. Are there any tweaks/settings that should be done to the AV710 for the best output?
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post #38 of 162
8/21/06 at 12:32am
Now this is a stupid question, but when dvd players provide digital output from regular cds, do they provide 16 bit/44khz or do they upsample for dvd audio playback? I am just curious if I am sending an up-sampled signal to my dac if I use a dvd player transport.

Thanks for answering my dumb question.
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post #39 of 162
8/21/06 at 2:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ak622
Are there any tweaks/settings that should be done to the AV710 for the best output?
I got the best, and most straightforward, digital output by flashing it to Prodigy firmware, and using ASIO to send the music to the digital output. Of course this bypasses all other uses for the card. Use the search to look up some old threads on the topic.
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post #40 of 162
8/21/06 at 11:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer
I got the best, and most straightforward, digital output by flashing it to Prodigy firmware, and using ASIO to send the music to the digital output. Of course this bypasses all other uses for the card. Use the search to look up some old threads on the topic.
Does this give better results than just using the regular AV710 drivers and Kernal streaming from Foobar2000?
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post #41 of 162
8/21/06 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ak622
After reading everyone's opinion on the DAC-AH I made the jump and bought it. Now its just waiting game till it arrives.
I don't think you will regret it,these DAC-AH's really do sound excellent and at such a low,low price.


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post #42 of 162
8/21/06 at 10:34pm
Thanks Gone4T! I've had a chance to hear it and I thought it sounded really good especially for the price. I have a relative who is coming from HK so I was able to have them pick it up for me directly there so I save on shipping fees which is great. Now its just waiting for my relatives to come and the local computer shop being able to get the AV710... I can't wait!
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post #43 of 162
8/22/06 at 2:06am
Is there anyone here who could explain how using 8 DACs (NOS) is supposed to reduce errors and sound better?

Is it using one DAC per bit or something... how exactly do the DACs divide up the work of converting digital to analog? I really don't get this aspect at all. Since DAC chips take a digital input and output analog, how in the heck are these things wired together?
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post #44 of 162
8/22/06 at 3:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fewtch
Is there anyone here who could explain how using 8 DACs (NOS) is supposed to reduce errors and sound better?
Scroll all the way down to "Paralleling DAC chips" for one explaination:
http://www.dddac.de/ma_dac21.htm
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post #45 of 162
8/22/06 at 5:14am
Hey guys, I'm not sure if this is the right place to be posting this but I was wondering if this would be a good upgrade for my rig. I'm currently listening to cd's and high bitrate mp3's off of my computer (through the integrated sound card on my motherboard) via my new Dt770/80's. I'm thinking my next upgrade should either be a DAC or an amp and I was considering a Go-vibe v5, however since I just lost my ipod I was thinking that I should just go for this DAC and then get the philips DVP642 dvd player. Any help would be great.

-Ryan
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