[atsq17]

   
IMO - Any sufficiently competent DAC will not audibly sound different than another. If it does, then someone is screwing with it and should be knocked off the list for consideration. Don't use components for EQ. Either use an actual EQ, or buy headphones whose sound signature you like. If nothing else, that saves you money not having to buy a different dac if you swap amps, or whatever changes you might make down the line. 

 
Hi, 
 
I am not sure if you are talking theoretically or from experience but having owned or tried a series of DACs including the Modi, pupDAC, Concero HP, Audio GD NFB2, DAC19, Neko D100 Mk2, I can say unequivocally that they almost all had a distinct characteristic or sounded different from each other. 
 
Using the Modi as a baseline, the pupDAC had more space and a slightly wider soundstage but the instruments and individual sounds were more recessed. The concero HP seemed (maybe with my equipment at the time - Burson Soloist) treble centric but I didn't give it much time to be honest. 
 
Having recently faced off the D100 Mk2 against the DAC19 and NFB2 using my recabled T1 and Crack (using Black Cat Silverstar USB and Audiophilleo2 transport), the D100Mk2 had a very smooth addictive analog sound that one could listen to all day. The DAC19 had a CLEARLY wider soundstage and bigger sounds and more details (which is why I have one on order). The NFB2 was a jack of all trades with a nice presentation (not as good as D100 Mk2), a wider soundstage than the D100Mk2 but less than the DAC19. Similar level of details to the D100Mk2 (both inferior to the DAC19) but they emphasized different parts of the sound. 
 
I was also testing the TH900 and LCD-X at a shop with the AK120 Mk2 player plugged into the Bakoon HPA21. It was good but when we plugged in the Chord Hugo DAC it sounded MUCH MUCH better. I used to think that I would not need anything better than Modi but after trying it out with high end equipment, I realized I was wrong. At least to my ears. 

 

[liamstrain]

I understand where you are coming from, and I do wonder how many of those listening tests were done in a controlled (preferably double blind) way.
 
DACs should be audibly transparent. Totally. Most are, in my experience - and after some significant testing, I got rid of my very expensive DAC's and replaced them with lower price, but similarly spec'd options. (My ODAC, Yulong D100 Mk1, and AMB Gamma all sound identical once output voltages are accounted for - this was also true of my Benchmark DAC 1, and a few others I've owned and since sold).  

If you are finding some are not, then they are not doing their only function as a DAC properly. 
 
And my larger point stands as well - don't use equipment selection as an EQ. 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

How long it would take to burn-in a newly installed film cap on crack?
I don't know if this thing is sounding better or it's just me imagining.

 

[atsq17]

  I understand where you are coming from, and I do wonder how many of those listening tests were done in a controlled (preferably double blind) way.

 
The tests with the Crack were very controlled and involved 2 other people who all tested and came to their own conclusions. We weren't trying to find every last bit of difference between the DACs so we didn't do double blind although we have done so before with stuff like low end USB cables (was VERY hard to tell). We only did so after we couldn't tell by just switching them out. 
 
With the DAC changes, we were looking for big differences (so we could sell the one we didn't like as much). All the differences I described to you was clear as night and day and didn't require double blind. It was almost like switching headphones. We were literally hearing completely different things. 
 
I do get what you are saying theoretically but it's hard to define "transparent" as it still implies that there is a control standard that we are aiming for. How does one define that exactly? I think that people can get two different setups to have the same frequency chart and still sound different (just an educated guess). I am a believer that our measuring equipment is still not accurate enough to capture every bit of information when it comes to reproduced sound. Otherwise people WOULD be creating "perfect" DACs and then releasing variations according to preference. 
 
Anyway, I think you have a fair point from a theoretical perspective but my experience has shown to me that DACs do make a huge difference to sound and most sound different. I must admit that when I was playing around with low to mid-fi it was much harder to tell. Once I got more "transparent" stuff, every little change (even the change to Audiophilleo or the addition of a USB power LPS) was audible. Some more than others. 

 

[JamieMcC]

  How long it would take to burn-in a newly installed film cap on crack?
I don't know if this thing is sounding better or it's just me imagining.

With your films I would say expect to hear any changes take place during the first 40-100hrs of use after which you could consider them burnt in.
 
I tend to put the music library on shuffle, plug a old pair of head phones and some cheap tubes in and leave the amp running for a few days depending on the ambient temperature to get the burn in done. Being a little paranoid I always place a smoke detector/alarm on the shelf above the amp. But have experienced no problems letting it run 24/7 for four or five day stretches.

 

[atraf]

Decision has been made, Schiit Modi is on his way to me.
 
In the mean time Morrow Ma-1 RCA cables have arrived today, build quality seems pretty darn good specially the connectors though the sleeving on the cable is pretty big compared to the inner core therefore the cable look flat and its a bit flimsy, the width of the cable is roughly 12 mm. 
Sound wise? well I can't tell a difference from my cheap interconnect to this one, maybe in the future, I don't know if burning will do anything but morrow recommend burn in for the cable and supplied 5 pages on the entire thesis on how  burn in properly, so i guess I shall see.. 
 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 

  How long it would take to burn-in a newly installed film cap on crack?
I don't know if this thing is sounding better or it's just me imagining.

With your films I would say expect to hear any changes take place during the first 40-100hrs of use after which you could consider them burnt in.
 
I tend to put the music library on shuffle, plug a old pair of head phones and some cheap tubes in and leave the amp running for a few days depending on the ambient temperature to get the burn in done. Being a little paranoid I always place a smoke detector/alarm on the shelf above the amp. But have experienced no problems letting it run 24/7 for four or five day stretches.

So far i don't think the caps have really improved the sound other than smooth the sound a little bit or i could be wrong,THANK YOU!

 

[i luvmusic 2]

  Decision has been made, Schiit Modi is on his way to me.
 
In the mean time Morrow Ma-1 RCA cables have arrived today, build quality seems pretty darn good specially the connectors though the sleeving on the cable is pretty big compared to the inner core therefore the cable look flat and its a bit flimsy, the width of the cable is roughly 12 mm. 
Sound wise? well I can't tell a difference from my cheap interconnect to this one, maybe in the future, I don't know if burning will do anything but morrow recommend burn in for the cable and supplied 5 pages on the entire thesis on how  burn in properly, so i guess I shall see.. 
 

 

  Decision has been made, Schiit Modi is on his way to me.
 
In the mean time Morrow Ma-1 RCA cables have arrived today, build quality seems pretty darn good specially the connectors though the sleeving on the cable is pretty big compared to the inner core therefore the cable look flat and its a bit flimsy, the width of the cable is roughly 12 mm. 
Sound wise? well I can't tell a difference from my cheap interconnect to this one, maybe in the future, I don't know if burning will do anything but morrow recommend burn in for the cable and supplied 5 pages on the entire thesis on how  burn in properly, so i guess I shall see.. 
 

I built a cable like that for under(2 ft) CAD $15 (REAN RCA Jack,techFlex cable sleeve and Mogami 2534).

 

[adamaley]

Way to get the thread on track guys.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Is it necessary for me to install a coupling caps for these?
What are the values for the Coupling caps that i need for my caps(please see pictures)? 
What are the benefits of using a coupling caps?
Is there any impact in sound? 
 
I hope this questions will put us back in track.......

Thanks!

 

 

 

[diaBoliQu3]

   
IMO - Any sufficiently competent DAC will not audibly sound different than another. If it does, then someone is screwing with it and should be knocked off the list for consideration. Don't use components for EQ. Either use an actual EQ, or buy headphones whose sound signature you like. If nothing else, that saves you money not having to buy a different dac if you swap amps, or whatever changes you might make down the line. 

When they not compared side by side, I heard minimal differences. It's not that I can't live either with UD100, Modi or ODAC. But when they compared side by side, I say it's pretty obvious. Mind set or ear set, say whatever you want.

My expectation is ODAC perform worst than Modi but end up I prefer ODAC afterall.
 
As you were saying, the complete rig play important parts. However in my case, rig as per siggy I stand firm with my setup plus music preferences that ODAC is better than Modi.

 

[liamstrain]

  But when they compared side by side, I say it's pretty obvious. 

 
Many DAC's do not output the same voltage at the line out. So hearing a difference would be expected (just as not doing level matching shows obvious differences in other "tests") - but those "obvious differences" usually vanish once properly level matched. 
 
Anyway... enjoy your new rig. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[JamieMcC]

  Is it necessary for me to install a coupling caps for these?
What are the values for the Coupling caps that i need for my caps(please see pictures)? 
What are the benefits of using a coupling caps?
Is there any impact in sound? 
 
I hope this questions will put us back in track.......

Thanks!
 

 
Your Mundorf caps should bring a noticeable improvement without any bypassing.. I would suggest if your not hearing a improvement after fitting them then something else in your system is probably a limiting factor. With those same caps (I have some) and good tubes you really should be onto a winner.

 

[trentrosa]

Your Mundorf caps should bring a noticeable improvement without any bypassing.. I would suggest if your not hearing a improvement after fitting them then something else in your system is probably a limiting factor. With those same caps (I have some) and good tubes you really should be onto a winner.

I installed those exact caps awhile back. It was a very noticeable improvement.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 Maybe it's too early for me to judge the caps i just installed it last night,However i tried listening to the amp i noticed that the amp is not sounding more forward like before i know when i just installed the SB it sounded like crisp,bright,warm(i don't know the proper term for it)  and more forward but now it sound smoother.Or it could be just  me.Did you guys experienced like what i'am experiencing?Can someone tell me what it sound like after you guys installed the CAPS and Speedball.Thanks!.