This is not a typical DAC recommendation request post.
Quick background: I've had a benchmard dac1 for two years (non usb obviously). I have never been completely happy with the sound I was getting. The dac was 'recognition' wise the best component in my chain so I had assumed that the problem lay elsewhere but now I think it was the dac itself. I'm putting together a new system with
MacBook -> {some dac} -> RSA Apache -> Zuified Senn HD650
The way I chose the Apache and the cans I feel was an important evolution in my audiophile 'career'. While I used reviews to inform my initial choices: I actually hauled my ass down to Ray's place and auditioned some of his amps (finding out I absolutely loved Apache and didn't quite like some others as much). Similarly with the cans, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to hear a pair.
I feel like this is an important approach for me to start taking with every purchase. However I'm finding this extremely difficult to do with my DAC choice. I definitely don't want to just read some threads and reviews and get another product based purely on that (I guess the Bel Canto DAC3 would be the current hottest thing in my price range); but I can't seem to locate any meets where I could hear any of the products I am interested in (btw currently I'm in upstate NY so if anybody has something that might work for me I would love to meet up and listen). I know some people audition products from dealers - my problem with that is that I'm usually a used gear bargain hunter; and I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking I would buy from them if I don't intend to.
Some of the dacs that came into my attention are (I definitely want balanced and would prefer to have USB, although just optical is fine):
Bel Canto DAC3
PS DLIII (modded?)
Lavry DA10
feel free to add suggestions, thats not the most pertinent part of this thread for me but I'd definitely appreciate them if they come up
I'm not hoping that someone will say something that will let me choose one of these. That would be contrary to the entire spirit of this post. But how would you guys approach making this decision?
I can be happy with the benchmark for a while so its not like I'm in a hurry, I wanna make this decision right.
cheers
Quick background: I've had a benchmard dac1 for two years (non usb obviously). I have never been completely happy with the sound I was getting. The dac was 'recognition' wise the best component in my chain so I had assumed that the problem lay elsewhere but now I think it was the dac itself. I'm putting together a new system with
MacBook -> {some dac} -> RSA Apache -> Zuified Senn HD650
The way I chose the Apache and the cans I feel was an important evolution in my audiophile 'career'. While I used reviews to inform my initial choices: I actually hauled my ass down to Ray's place and auditioned some of his amps (finding out I absolutely loved Apache and didn't quite like some others as much). Similarly with the cans, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to hear a pair.
I feel like this is an important approach for me to start taking with every purchase. However I'm finding this extremely difficult to do with my DAC choice. I definitely don't want to just read some threads and reviews and get another product based purely on that (I guess the Bel Canto DAC3 would be the current hottest thing in my price range); but I can't seem to locate any meets where I could hear any of the products I am interested in (btw currently I'm in upstate NY so if anybody has something that might work for me I would love to meet up and listen). I know some people audition products from dealers - my problem with that is that I'm usually a used gear bargain hunter; and I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking I would buy from them if I don't intend to.
Some of the dacs that came into my attention are (I definitely want balanced and would prefer to have USB, although just optical is fine):
Bel Canto DAC3
PS DLIII (modded?)
Lavry DA10
feel free to add suggestions, thats not the most pertinent part of this thread for me but I'd definitely appreciate them if they come up
I'm not hoping that someone will say something that will let me choose one of these. That would be contrary to the entire spirit of this post. But how would you guys approach making this decision?
I can be happy with the benchmark for a while so its not like I'm in a hurry, I wanna make this decision right.
cheers
