[Wedge]

The Leben CS-300XS vs the Woo Audio WA-5?  

  I won't compare right now, but the Leben is awesome period.

 

[rlawli]

Quote:

... a $400 DAC could sound better than my $1500 DAC I just made out of some string, a USB cable and an empty bag of Doritos. 

Your reductio ad absurdum image is wonderful. I can see a way to interface the string to the empty Doritos bag; but how did you interface the USB cable to the string?  Reminds me of the $1 finger-powered cellophane based turntable/speaker RCA developed in the 50's to parachute into communist countries to spread the word about democracy. Even though I haven't heard your expensive DAC, I suspect it sounds substantially better than the RCA which I have heard and couldn't have been designed to sound worse. Talk about jitter! But DACs have come a long way since the 50s and $400 can buy a lot of serious engineering. Seriously, though, I think what you are rightly complaining about is a variety of "thread noise", perhaps more properly characterized as thread noise with a pervasively strident tone: something which until recently has been refreshingly absent from this thread and which I expect to fade away, given the obvious merit of milosz's thoughtful efforts. 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

[ale79]

I have just finished reading through this thread, and even though I didn't grasp all the technical details, I found it enlightening (even concerning some aspects of human nature..) and really wish to express my gratitude to Milosz for the excellent work he has done. I very much look forward to your DAC comparisons Milosz! 

 

[adydula]

Hi,
 
I just ordered a set of LCD2's...and was wondering what am to use with them!!!! Oh Boy I ran across this thread!
 
I built a SOHA II Cavalli design, have a SCHITT ASGARD and a very nice PreAmp by AVA, a Insight+....and even an head amp section of an Onkyo 05 AVR.
 
I asked the AVA person and he said the amp for the head section was great and try it before spending more $$$.
 
I did and it really sounds great with my present set of AKG702's.
 
But being the nut I am, I bought a Schitt ASGARD for hear a Class a SS amp and see for myself if the preamp head amp was any good...it was!
 
And wanted to see what a tube amp would sound like or do...and built the SOHAii.
 
Basically in my A/B tests they all sound pretty good.
 
Honestly I cant hear a real worldly difference and would be happy with either one...
 
I think I will hear quite a difference between the 702 cans and the LCD2's..
 
All the best!
Alex
 
 

 

[Navyblue]

Adydula,
 
I am considering to build a SOHA II for a different "flavour" to my SS amp. Are you saying that the SOHA II sounded very similar to an SS amp?