Best DAC from $1500 to $2500 (or so) Can anything beat the Eastern Electric Minimax? - Page 15

I can't see the W4S stomping too much. The amount of music I was missing is stagering. I was thinking the Nad is more of a 3 ring circus than a 1 trick pony.  Whatever up sampling seems to work well, the volume control system and it seems to sound better off HDMI. It is using the Nvidia Hd audio right off my graphics card I am guessing and maybe that is a better route to take then whatever route the usb takes. I don't want to sound like a salesman for Nad but after hearing the difference I can't see anyone in there right mind wanting to use the W4S over it.

Metrum Octave or Hex?

Octave.  With my setup even if I had a Hex, I'd have an Octave ;)

Comparison of the DAC-2 and Octave isn't as cut and dry as I had hoped.  Do know one thing... the optical off my motherboard brutal, the one off my X-Fi not much better.  While the Octave doesn't stumble, the DAC-2 takes a while to lock depending on the tune and also flat out drops. Guess that means I either forget about non usb dacs or get some XMOS external love.

So your post just reminded me of something important. When I used low-end transports, it homogenized the sound of everything downstream. It was hard to tell apart DACs and even amps. Heck, I found my headphones started sounding more similar (very noticeable). I just switched to the Musiland 02US (lower-end transport) to test this again...same result.

How is this happening? I find when the transport's the weakest link, it colours everything downstream and makes things sound more similar (and worse ofcourse).

Really should start another thread but meh...

Having a hard time deciding on the USB 'transport'.  Most if not all XMOS build are the reference circuit with layout and part makers swaps.  Even the new HiFace2 is just the Stello U3 in miniature form without AES.  The AP2 is an interesting choice, but the more I research the more an AP2MkII seems needed and could very well be right around the corner.  The price is also steep given they aren't alone in the market anymore.  So XMOS HiFace2 at $185, full size XMOS at $255-495 or AP2 at $580.  Hiface means no usb cable, others no spdif.  Which brings up another point.  Once upon a time, think it was Wavelength wrote an article about spdif cable length.  Without boring people too much, the point was short=bad.  Which would suggest no cable=real bad ;)  Came down to the time it took for the reflection to reach the spdif output.  After Xft, the reflection doesn't affect its own output.  I believe its was 1.5m for 16.44.  24/192 would need less length.

Anyway thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shahrose 

So your post just reminded me of something important. When I used low-end transports, it homogenized the sound of everything downstream. It was hard to tell apart DACs and even amps. Heck, I found my headphones started sounding more similar (very noticeable). I just switched to the Musiland 02US (lower-end transport) to test this again...same result.

 

How is this happening? I find when the transport's the weakest link, it colours everything downstream and makes things sound more similar (and worse ofcourse).

So it's 'source first', eh ?

http://www.linn.co.uk/

I hope you have a healthy limit on your credit card. Or perhaps that should read 'unhealthy' ....... 

That's Linnsane.

It would be Linntastic if I had that kind of money. 

I went to a high end shop and tried lowballing the sales rep there on some Linn monoblocks.  He got increasingly angry until he eventually blew a gasket and started pummeling me with the monoblocks.  As I lay inert on the ground in the heroic fetal position, he insulted my mother.

Way to add Linnsult to Linnjury.  

I take it Linn is overpriced but is it great sounding? Linnger longer

Yes over priced and oversold, they also have some strange business ethics.

I have never been impressed with their products, often hyped but mostly dissapoint. I remember listening to their huge and very expensive Isobaric speakers some years ago. I was shocked how poor they were sounded almost like mono not stereo!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaycalgary 

I take it Linn is overpriced but is it great sounding? Linnger longer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude 

Really should start another thread but meh...

 

Having a hard time deciding on the USB 'transport'.  Most if not all XMOS build are the reference circuit with layout and part makers swaps.  Even the new HiFace2 is just the Stello U3 in miniature form without AES.  The AP2 is an interesting choice, but the more I research the more an AP2MkII seems needed and could very well be right around the corner.  The price is also steep given they aren't alone in the market anymore.  So XMOS HiFace2 at $185, full size XMOS at $255-495 or AP2 at $580.  Hiface means no usb cable, others no spdif.  Which brings up another point.  Once upon a time, think it was Wavelength wrote an article about spdif cable length.  Without boring people too much, the point was short=bad.  Which would suggest no cable=real bad ;)  Came down to the time it took for the reflection to reach the spdif output.  After Xft, the reflection doesn't affect its own output.  I believe its was 1.5m for 16.44.  24/192 would need less length.

 

Anyway thoughts?

Which parts are changed can have a significant difference. See Viper's clock mods to the Anedio U2 converter in the last few pages of the D2 thread. Whatever you're looking for, make sure there's isolation on the S/Pdif output. Not all of them have it, and you don't want a direct noise path from PC to DAC, otherwise you might as well just use motherboard S/Pdif. By most accounts, the USB cable is much less important than the S/Pdif cable when it comes to asynchronous mode.