[citraian]

  LCD-3 would benefit from some "treble harshness" (even though I don't experience it with this DAC).

I have the LCD-3 and I hate the treble harshness that some of the dacs have

 

[roskodan]

totally agree, tha lcd3 aren't certainly harsh per se , but very reveling of records and gear with non balanced sound (even more so the he-6)

 

[SP Wild]

I think if I ever feel the need to upgrade my LCD2s - it will be the with the 3s...I don't think I could take the risk with a leaner signature...I like may favorite tracks exactly like the LCD2s paint them.

 

[roskodan]

haha... comes to my mind... lcds sound Fat!

 

[SP Wild]

Thats harsh...they're just big boned...and I love my women curvy....yeah baby!
 
 
 
 
Hah, I got it...its like Scarlette Johansenn vs anarexic supermodels...every hot blooded man knows which is the cream...yummy...yummmyy....yummmmyyyyy. 

 
 
 
 
 
giggity

 

[Argo Duck]

XVampireX - just catching up...another 9018 option under 2K and with DSD is the BMC PureDAC. No treble/upper mid harshness that I can detect. Superb lower-mids/bass detail. Good macro/micro dynamics. Much more resolving than any other DAC I've heard (none of which are in PWD etc territory, however. Eastern Electric MiniMax is my previous 'best' DAC, though not my favorite).

One or two people had problems with USB connectivity, which BMC seem to have addressed with a recent update - Moon Audio have the details I think...

 

[Greed]

XVampireX - just catching up...another 9018 option under 2K and with DSD is the BMC PureDAC. No treble/upper mid harshness that I can detect. Superb lower-mids/bass detail. Good macro/micro dynamics. Much more resolving than any other DAC I've heard (none of which are in PWD etc territory, however. Eastern Electric MiniMax is my previous 'best' DAC, though not my favorite).

One or two people had problems with USB connectivity, which BMC seem to have addressed with a recent update - Moon Audio have the details I think...

 
No DSD/DXD - cross that off his list. 

 
(Note: Says capable but not implemented yet AFAIK)

 

[XVampireX]

I've got a friend who I'm sharing my audiophile endeavors with and he owns HD600 atm, he can't stand sibilance AT ALL! even if it's fairly natural sibilance. He keeps asking me why does it happen, last thing I told him is that it was recorded like that, and he replies with "But it's not natural, I'm not talking to you like thisss" of course all of that in russian, but you get the point.
 
Speaking of which I have to agree with him. It's weird that things are recorded in that way. Better yet the question is why?
 
Regarding the DAC, if PWD would promise to have DSD support in the near future, I'm willing to give it a try, but if it doesn't, I'd rather get something else like Auralic Vega or the X-Sabre (I've heard some tracks with the CuBox on youtube, seems fine on treble harshness, though that would be on speakers but I've heard it through the LCD-3's, on headphones, it's a different story) and also some space for the PWD mk2... but generally I'm looking forward to any coming up DACs, the thing is, to enjoy balanced sound I would need the the DAC to have balanced out, and since I'm using the STX card atm, I would have to be getting RCA to it.

 

[Greed]

FYI - Just because the DAC has balanced outs (XLR) doesn't mean it is a balanced DAC. You definitely should make sure before buying. 

 

[SP Wild]

Other than Sony do people actually care about DSD?

 

[citraian]

  I've got a friend who I'm sharing my audiophile endeavors with and he owns HD600 atm, he can't stand sibilance AT ALL! even if it's fairly natural sibilance. He keeps asking me why does it happen, last thing I told him is that it was recorded like that, and he replies with "But it's not natural, I'm not talking to you like thisss" of course all of that in russian, but you get the point.
 
Speaking of which I have to agree with him. It's weird that things are recorded in that way. Better yet the question is why?
 
Regarding the DAC, if PWD would promise to have DSD support in the near future, I'm willing to give it a try, but if it doesn't, I'd rather get something else like Auralic Vega or the X-Sabre (I've heard some tracks with the CuBox on youtube, seems fine on treble harshness, though that would be on speakers but I've heard it through the LCD-3's, on headphones, it's a different story) and also some space for the PWD mk2... but generally I'm looking forward to any coming up DACs, the thing is, to enjoy balanced sound I would need the the DAC to have balanced out, and since I'm using the STX card atm, I would have to be getting RCA to it.

Either way, try to get a very good DAC (something that's in the same class with the Vega or the PWD) . The GS-X deserves it. 

 

[ericfarrell85]

Another route you can go is to get something like a used Reference 7.1 and couple it with a Audiophilleo + PP, which I believe can now do DSD. At around $2k I would likely take this over the PWD I owned and the Vega I heard.

 

[mrcasey]

Another route you can go is to get something like a used Reference 7.1 and couple it with a Audiophilleo + PP, which I believe can now do DSD. At around $2k I would likely take this over the PWD I owned and the Vega I heard.

 
The Audiophilleo 1 "Special Edition" does DSD 64 and DSD 128.

 

[citraian]

Even if the Audiophilleo does DSD the DAC needs to do DSD as well.

 

[Solude]

Not sure there are any DACs that support DSD on SPDIF so the AP1se is likely converting DSD to PCM.