Could you please suggest a good DAC for W5000/AT-HA5000 - Page 2

Hey guys, Thank you both for the informative posts! Amarphael great write up on the Havana, I think I will hold off on any purchase until I can try out both the Havana and Isabellina dacs at some meeting, though by just reading your impressions and reading about the response Korzena got from Mr. Rossi It seems like the best option would be the Isabellina dac. I am not really sure what to do now but wait until I can hear both for myself since they are expensive and I don't want to gamble on my next dac purchase since I would want to make it my final one. This is a very informative thread and if I try some new equipment (which I should soon) I will also post my impressions, so we can work together on achieving the best possible dac for an already special pairing. Cheers,

Benchmark being analytical and a bit hot in treble department W5000 is a bad idea. I had very good experience using CEC DAC53 and Raysonic CD128 modded with tube output that was in fact best sound as I could get from W5000. Just my 2 cents. I would try some "old school" DAC based on TDA Philips chip or DPA/CEC. ANy new DACs sound to me thin and impressive at first but after a while I'm already tired. I guess this overdetailed new sound school is not for me

Thanks for sharing your experience with Benchmark. I've read similar opinions about this DAC so it's good yours are confirming it.

Recently I have been also thinking about this over-detailed school of sound and I was wondering if it is possible to have both - great detail and involving and emotional sound. Maybe it is about other characteristics of sound, like depth/spaciousness and dynamics..

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikePio 

Hey guys, Thank you both for the informative posts! Amarphael great write up on the Havana, I think I will hold off on any purchase until I can try out both the Havana and Isabellina dacs at some meeting, though by just reading your impressions and reading about the response Korzena got from Mr. Rossi It seems like the best option would be the Isabellina dac. I am not really sure what to do now but wait until I can hear both for myself since they are expensive and I don't want to gamble on my next dac purchase since I would want to make it my final one. This is a very informative thread and if I try some new equipment (which I should soon) I will also post my impressions, so we can work together on achieving the best possible dac for an already special pairing. Cheers,

MikePio,

Hello, after a longer break! Have you had a chance to audition Havana or Isabelina with the W5000?

I am still looking for the DAC. It takes too long now and I am getting tired of it!:)

Recently I've been checking on Metrum Octave that is a new European production DAC (http://www.nosminidac.nl/Octave_English.html) and also heard good opinions about Audio-gd NFB-8. Everybody's waiting for the Schiit DAC too. 

Unfortunately my search is limited to reading only. It's a shame it's not easy to get the equipment for auditioning easily. It would be the fastest adn best way to find out!

Cheers,

Andrew

Anybody tried Rega DAC with W5000?

Confirmed! Isabellina DAC sounds great in this ATs' combo:)

Yeah it was very good when i had audiotioned it with the Rafinattos  through a Stello HP100 amp. The music was just flowing naturally, I remember i'd listened to Joe Bonamassa's Blues Delux the first time, the immersion was just sublime. When i came home and compared to my Stello DA100  it was noticeably less muscial, The tone of stings and voice was not near as nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amarphael 

Yeah it was very good when i had audiotioned it with the Rafinattos  through a Stello HP100 amp. The music was just flowing naturally, I remember i'd listened to Joe Bonamassa's Blues Delux the first time, the immersion was just sublime. When i came home and compared to my Stello DA100  it was noticeably less muscial, The tone of stings and voice was not near as nice.

Amarphael, 

You are  responsible in a big part for my Isabellina purchase! I've remebered your post about it some time ago. Then I was looking and looking...and couldn't decide on a DAC for my HA5000+W5000 combo.

I was considering Havana, Rega, Metrum, Hegel (unfortunately I didn't have a chance to audition them-I've been only reading about them), but finally I went for Isabellina and I am happy I did!

Thanks Man!:)

Haha I'm moved, It's great i could help somewaht. Have fun.