The diary entries of a little girl who is now 30! ~ Part 2 - Page 564

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuppetFace 

 

Personally if I were inclined to spend that kind of dosh, I'd probably opt for the Resolution Cantata which is also a really nice CD transport.

Wait, I thought you already had that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuppetFace 

Nuh uh. I've been considering one for a while. If I had the Cantata, I definitely wouldn't be looking for a DAC right now. It's a fantastic DAC.

Then you should totally get the Cantata.  I don't know jack about it's performance, but it just looks the business doesn't it?    And it would be pretty discrete in the bedroom as well.  Most people would probably see it as the world's fanciest alarm clock.

I want a DAC with a 9" display with real-time performance status and O-scope style signal display. I'm actually not kidding -- I'm mostly disinclined to pay the premium something like that would require on top of what a good-quality DAC costs.

Meanwhile, I'm contemplating a pair of AMB projects: Gamma 2 DAC and M3 amp. By description they seem to hit a good spot on the graph whose axes are labeled "price", "performance" and "likelihood of destroying everything by not knowing what I'm doing".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magick Man 


Not so fast, I have to agree with the dCS choice, I've not heard any better. Their Vivaldi is amazing, I'm still kicking myself for not getting that demo that was on Audiogon a while back (at 30% off MSRP). That's likely by next DAC purchase.

I think warren stated earlier he didn't really have very much experience with DACs and is just throwing out the Cantata because it looks cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magick Man 

That sounds like a Weiss MAN301, its iPad interface is to die for (I believe it actually comes with an iPad, too).

Looks awesome, but even if $12k was feasible, I'd be spending a lot of money on features I'd be trying to disable. The iTunes Remote app for iPad is pretty effective in my current setup, so the DAC doesn't need a lot of interface features -- just great sound and a kickin' light show.

Since everyone is talking DAC's I find it a small world that MF has an Onkyo DAC-1000. About a year or so ago I started to look into that DAC and really liked its feature set for the price. I'm surprised you would want to let it go MF. Most people I've chatted with who own one seem to gush over it and love it to death.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 28980 

because it looks cool.

It does.    She ain't gonna be seducing the ladies with a big hunk o' MAN301 in the bedroom.

Hey a_rec, quick question for you on the Momentum and 1R (since you've got both).  Do either/both/neither use memory foam as ear cup padding?  I'm thinking about picking up one of these as a closed circumaural portable, and I was just wondering about the comfort question.  Thanks!

My first full-sized HP review: http://www.head-fi.org/t/656160/review-hifiman-he-500-vs-sennheiser-hd600

Feedback would be appreciated!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuppetFace 

This is one of those cases where something is getting hyped by certain publications, but some of the borderline obsessed folks I turn to for DAC-related insights are much more underwhelmed. The general feeling I get is that the Femto is really not worth its cost, which is of course something you could say about most DACs above a certan price point depending on the perspective, so I mean that in a relative "already ridiculous" sense. One of my head-fi buddies in particular auditioned the Femto and ended up preferring other DACs that were similarly priced or less expensive.

 

I'm still interested in it just because Calyx is an interesting company, and plus I like the name "Femto." Personally if I were inclined to spend that kind of dosh, I'd probably opt for the Resolution Cantata which is also a really nice CD transport.

 

When it comes to holy grails tho, I'm really interested in stuff from dCS. Their entry-level product, the Debussy, is priced at about $11k.

True. Like you, I'm interested in it mostly because of its name. It does basically seem to shove in ultra-high performance parts where they're not necessary, driving up the price. The price is indeed just a bit too obscene for how it performs. I'd like to try out their single-ES9018 24/192 DAC, though, it seems like a better "value" in the grand scheme of things. It just doesn't quite have the same ring to its name.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warrenpchi 

Then you should totally get the Cantata.  I don't know jack about it's performance, but it just looks the business doesn't it?    And it would be pretty discrete in the bedroom as well.  Most people would probably see it as the world's fanciest alarm clock.

And we still wouldn't be able to wake up in the morning...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardgedee 

I want a DAC with a 9" display with real-time performance status and O-scope style signal display. I'm actually not kidding -- I'm mostly disinclined to pay the premium something like that would require on top of what a good-quality DAC costs.

 

Meanwhile, I'm contemplating a pair of AMB projects: Gamma 2 DAC and M3 amp. By description they seem to hit a good spot on the graph whose axes are labeled "price", "performance" and "likelihood of destroying everything by not knowing what I'm doing".

I'd like that too. Perhaps someone should fuse a DScope on top of a high-end DAC...

Quote:

Originally Posted by eke2k6 

My first full-sized HP review: http://www.head-fi.org/t/656160/review-hifiman-he-500-vs-sennheiser-hd600

 

Feedback would be appreciated!

Damn why did you have to post this review now? trying really hard not to buy an HD600