Audio-gd DAC choice: RE5 versus the RE7 - Page 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by gavszero 

I wonder how the NFB - 7  Sabre32 ES9018 DAC will compare to the REF 7 ... I hope I can get the funds together before the REF 7's are out of stock ...

You better be quick, because there is now one less REF7 in stock.

I now have both DACs.

Brief listening and no side by side comparison yet.

RE7 has slightly more realism. RE5 already very very real.

Tiny bit more depth with RE7.

Agree with Dynobot. Speakers completely disappear. Absolutely and completely. They look ridiculous sitting there doing nothing while the music seems to emanate from the air.

I had some aluminum hockey pucks with ball bearings rolling around in their center so I put the DAC on top of them. Things seemed tighter but its probably my head getting into the situation. Dont know how vibration isolation could help a DAC.

Guess thats it for now. As of this moment I would probably not buy RE7 over RE5 again. For the price difference I dont have that much gain. It should be noticed though that I am running only single ended so perhaps ACSS or XLR output would be different experience. Also its possible that I have reached the limit of the rest of my gear. 

Oh, Also I think I need to do some more listening between Computer/DI and output from CDP. There is a definite smoothness in the output from CDP that I dont think I was getting with output from DI. However, I just got the DAC 2 days ago and have only about 4 hours of non-critical listening right now.

Uriah

Quote:

Originally Posted by udailey 

I now have both DACs.

Brief listening and no side by side comparison yet.

RE7 has slightly more realism. RE5 already very very real.

Tiny bit more depth with RE7.

Agree with Dynobot. Speakers completely disappear. Absolutely and completely. They look ridiculous sitting there doing nothing while the music seems to emanate from the air.

I had some aluminum hockey pucks with ball bearings rolling around in their center so I put the DAC on top of them. Things seemed tighter but its probably my head getting into the situation. Dont know how vibration isolation could help a DAC.

Guess thats it for now. As of this moment I would probably not buy RE7 over RE5 again. For the price difference I dont have that much gain. It should be noticed though that I am running only single ended so perhaps ACSS or XLR output would be different experience. Also its possible that I have reached the limit of the rest of my gear. 

Oh, Also I think I need to do some more listening between Computer/DI and output from CDP. There is a definite smoothness in the output from CDP that I dont think I was getting with output from DI. However, I just got the DAC 2 days ago and have only about 4 hours of non-critical listening right now.

Uriah

Well, I am glad to read that you did not see much of a difference between REF5 and 7. Reason being that I received my REF 5 last week, and I choose the REF5 because I prefered buying two DACs rather than one. The REF 5 goes in my bedroom for headphone listening, while the other one NFB1 will go in the living room....

I just do not know which version I will buy... the Sabre or the Wolfson.....maybe I'll wait for the feedback... There's no rush for this purchase...

It comforts me in my decision...

Denys
 

Denys I think I read somewhere that Kingwa says Sabre isn't that different than the Ref series. So I would think Wolfson is the obvious choice then.

Denys, why not run really long interconnects from ref 5 to your living room?

100 ft 16 awg (wtf?) xlr cable, only $60 per pair and maybe ~$10-15 shipping. They also have 75 and 50 ft.

Quote:

Originally Posted by haloxt 

Denys, why not run really long interconnects from ref 5 to your living room?

 

100 ft 16 awg (wtf?) xlr cable, only $60 per pair and maybe ~$10-15 shipping. They also have 75 and 50 ft.

No... the house configuration would not allow me to do so.....it could have been a good idea
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Sup 

Denys I think I read somewhere that Kingwa says Sabre isn't that different than the Ref series. So I would think Wolfson is the obvious choice then.

Thanks, I'll remember that..... I'll ask Kingwa for sure when the time comes....

Denys