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After Benchmark DAC1 and Lavry DA10 ... what next?

post #1 of 12
6/9/10 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 

Looking for help here fellas. I need a DAC with a good headphone amplifier.

 

I have had Benchmark DAC1 and then moved to Lavry DA10. I am wondering if I have to upgrade what should i goto next.

 

The criteria is to get a killer DAC with a killer headphone amp built in. My mobile living style cannon sustain 2 different pieces of equipment and the associated cables etc. Price about 1000-1500 USD

 

P.S.: I have heard good things about Grace m902 but they say its DAC is not as good as Benchmark or Lavry.

 

 

Any suggestions?

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post #2 of 12
6/9/10 at 10:34am

Maybe upgrade your source?

 

My Son and I recently compared his MBP/Air Express via toslink and my very cheap Sony BluRay player via coax (Blue Jeans Digital cable) into my Denon AVR-1803

 

Even with this modest Receiver/Speaker (Boston Acoustics HD-8's) setup the coax had a larger sound stage and more extension on the frequency extremes (mid-range was very similar). The treble was also a touch smoother on coax setup. 

 

His source was ripped from the same CD I was using in the highest quality format that Itunes allows (not sure what that is).

 

Not sure if it would make any difference on the Lavry.

 

How about re-cabling the T1's?

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post #3 of 12
6/9/10 at 10:44am
Thread Starter 

I have measured and there are numerous articles out there that state the the Macbook Pro + Airport Express is a Bit-Accurate transport. I am using a high quality Glass Toslink cable and I dont believe that is the limitation because both the Benchmarck DAC1 and Lavry DA10 have excellent excellent jitter reduction.

 

I am only looking to upgrade the DAC as of now so what are my options?

 

 

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post #4 of 12
6/9/10 at 11:43am

Electrocompaniet ECD-1--used.

 

EDIT: Ugh, just saw your HP out requirement.  Sorry about that.


Edited by The Monkey - 6/9/10 at 12:17pm
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post #5 of 12
6/9/10 at 12:05pm


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by tommarra View Post

Looking for help here fellas. I need a DAC with a good headphone amplifier.

 

I have had Benchmark DAC1 and then moved to Lavry DA10. I am wondering if I have to upgrade what should i goto next.

 

The criteria is to get a killer DAC with a killer headphone amp built in. My mobile living style cannon sustain 2 different pieces of equipment and the associated cables etc. Price about 1000-1500 USD

 

P.S.: I have heard good things about Grace m902 but they say its DAC is not as good as Benchmark or Lavry.

 

 

Any suggestions?

Audio-gd DAC19DSP & C2 amp ?

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post #6 of 12
6/9/10 at 12:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheaphifi View Post


 

Audio-gd DAC19DSP & C2 amp ?


What other DACs have you heard in the OP's price range?

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post #7 of 12
6/9/10 at 12:20pm

Lavry DA11 is supposed to have a superb headphone out.

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post #8 of 12
6/9/10 at 7:12pm

I agree on the DA11, although I'm not sure how big of an upgrade it will be. Improvement, yes. But probably not huge. I also agree that the Grace m902 has a good but not great DAC section (although the amp part is excellent), so that might not be an upgrade.

 

At that level you might be forced to split into seperate components, where there are many more options. What is so important about having an all in one unit, if you don't mind my asking?

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post #9 of 12
6/9/10 at 7:27pm

Mytek Stereo96 DAC, there's a review here. But at this price point I'm afraid that the most you'l be able to do would be side-grades and not upgrades.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the DA11 brings more functions Compared to the DA10, not a higher sound quality; the improvements, if there are, are at best limited.

 

Mytek Stereo192 DSD DAC or Antelope Audio Zodiac if you don't mind waiting a bit before upgrading.

Not to mention you should wait for the first reviews of those products though.


Edited by khaos974 - 6/9/10 at 7:29pm
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post #10 of 12
6/9/10 at 7:51pm

So you want a one box DAC with headphone amp that is small in size due to space limitations? You might have to accept that what you have in the DA10 is the best sound you will achiee in a single small box. To step up might mean a shift to a two box set up like Audio-GD REF5 and Roc. Sorry about hat but at least try and save youtself a costly side-grade ie an "upgrade" that really does little to truly improve things.

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post #11 of 12
6/9/10 at 10:38pm

As others in this thread have suggested, you might give the DA11 a try.

When doing my evaluation, I looked hard at the DAC1 HDR, m902 and DA11 and settled on the DA11.

Compared to the DA10 you get some additional features, PiC, USB input, remote support and slightly improved sound per Dan Lavry (he "tightened things up a bit").

The DA11 has some nice technical design advantages going for it over other products, such as:

- discrete headphone amp (no op amp): http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/410565/the-lavry-da11-for-your-ears-only/60#post_5540353

- digitally controlled analog volume: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/410565/the-lavry-da11-for-your-ears-only/15#post_5483146

Plus Dan Lavry KNOWS DA conversion, excellent jitter rejection, no internal jumpers, etc. 

All these things together led me to the DA11 but it's largely a personal decision, you just have to listen.  Good luck in your search!


Edited by USAudio - 6/9/10 at 10:41pm
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post #12 of 12
6/9/10 at 11:06pm

 Ayre QB9?

I owned Lavry DA10 , Grace m902, StelloDa100 and Apogee Duet.Although I never compare them side by side but I feel that they are all on the same leauge.

The difference between them is subtle.

 

Now Im looking at Ayre QB9.

Hopefully, it will be a big step upward.

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