[IPodPJ]

Audio-gd DAC-3 REF

A single ended, reference DAC using four PCM1704U-K chips and DSP-1 processor for $1070.
It is an upgrade from the DAC-3 DV.

 

[Drosera]

So, you're going to take one for the team then?

I would love to see it compared to the Reference One.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would love to see it compared to the Reference One.

Should be close using only unbalanced output maybe a bit better since it use R-core transformer like the reference 7.

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega17TheTrue /img/forum/go_quote.gif Should be close using only unbalanced output maybe a bit better since it use R-core transformer like the reference 7.

All other things being equal, yes. But I believe that the DAC-3 is part of Kingwa's non-neutral, 'musical' sounding products. So it should be voiced rather differently than the DAC-19 or the Reference One. At least, if it still sounds similar to the older DAC-3SE, which Kingwa describes as:
Quote:

If you listen to this gear, maybe you will have a mistake, it just like a tube DAC,but it have more dynamic and control, deep bass, thick mid and soft high but you can hear more detail.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, you're going to take one for the team then? I would love to see it compared to the Reference One.

No, I'm taking a Reference Seven for the team.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, I'm taking a Reference Seven for the team.

Excellent PJ ! Nice to see you Dro !

Peete.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif All other things being equal, yes. But I believe that the DAC-3 is part of Kingwa's non-neutral, 'musical' sounding products. So it should be voiced rather differently than the DAC-19 or the Reference One. At least, if it still sounds similar to the older DAC-3SE, which Kingwa describes as:

Yes the DAC 3 Reference are based of the DAC-3SE, like the DAC-3DV are an improved version also.

As i understand the unbalanced DAC are supposed to sound like tube DAC like in the description of the DAC-3SE :

Quote:

If you listen to this gear, mabey you will have a mistake, it just like a tube DAC,but it have more dynamic and control, deep bass, thick mid and soft high but you can hear more detail.

So the audio-gd DAC line should be like that :

Unbalanced Musical DAC :
DAC 3 REF > DAC-3DV > DAC-3SE
More inputs,better clock,... > DSP-1 upgrade,... > "Original"

Balanced Neutral DAC :
Reference 7 > Reference One > DAC-9MK3 > DAC 19
More inputs,better clock,... > DSP-1 upgrade,... > "Original" > Small version

Its just a supposition but it should be logic, someone should asked kingwa to be sure.

Notice the differences between the REF 3 and the REF 7.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Excellent PJ ! Nice to see you Dro ! Peete.

Yes, but since my RE1 is sold I can't do direct comparisons. Plus, I will have a new amp so it will be hard to judge it 100%, but I will do my best. At the very least I can tell you how much of a difference there is from BNC to AES.

 

[.Sup]

OMG for only 1k? very excited now. Thanks for sharing PJ!

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Im hoping this isnt like the first two dac3's and that it is in the line with the ref7 and 1 and the dac19, then it would be my next upgrade

 

[IPodPJ]

Yeah, if it is in line with the quality of the RE7 where the main difference is that it's single ended, it would be a steal of a DAC. But I can't imagine that's the case because it's $680 less. The internals are different. If it was only a matter of removing 4 DAC chips that would just take about $150 off the price. But I'm sure it's still one hell of an awesome unit. Kingwa's DACs are comparable to domestic gear that costs 4x - 5x the price.

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoupRKnowva /img/forum/go_quote.gif Im hoping this isnt like the first two dac3's and that it is in the line with the ref7 and 1 and the dac19, then it would be my next upgrade

I think for an affordable, neutral, hi-performance Audio-gd DAC, the DAC-9MK3 at 1100$ would be the better choice. Especially if you manage to find a PMD100 receiver chip so that Kingwa can incorporate that instead of the DF1704 (at least, I think this is still possible). Which brings us to another of those little Audio-gd unknowns: is the DSP-1 really better than the fabled PMD100? (Kingwa says so, I think, but a second opinion would be nice.

)

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think for an affordable, neutral, hi-performance Audio-gd DAC, the DAC-9MK3 at 1100$ would be the better choice. Especially if you manage to find a PMD100 receiver chip so that Kingwa can incorporate that instead of the DF1704 (at least, I think this is still possible). Which brings us to another of those little Audio-gd unknowns: is the DSP-1 really better than the fabled PMD100? (Kingwa says so, I think, but a second opinion would be nice. )

i dont really want balanced, and i really want the dsp-1, even if its just for the jitter reduction it provides. That and kingwa says its better

though the dac9 does have twice as many chips, it should sound better, even unbalanced, though i dont know how it implements all 8 chips in unbalanced mode. does anyone know how the 8 chip balanced dacs implement all 8 chips on unbalanced outs?

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoupRKnowva /img/forum/go_quote.gif i dont really want balanced, and i really want the dsp-1, even if its just for the jitter reduction it provides. That and kingwa says its better though the dac9 does have twice as many chips, it should sound better, even unbalanced, though i dont know how it implements all 8 chips in unbalanced mode. does anyone know how the 8 chip balanced dacs implement all 8 chips on unbalanced outs?

I was wondering about the same thing a while ago. And just looking at how the different outputs are wired to the board in the Reference One would lead you to the conclusion that only half of those 8 chips are contributing to the unbalanced (SE) output. But Kingwa says that actually all 8 chips are always involved, whether the output is unbalanced or balanced.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was wondering about the same thing a while ago. And just looking at how the different outputs are wired to the board in the Reference One would lead you to the conclusion that only half of those 8 chips are contributing to the unbalanced (SE) output. But Kingwa says that actually all 8 chips are always involved, whether the output is unbalanced or balanced.

maybe theres a relay that switches it so that all 4 chips per channel are in parallel when the unbalanced outputs are used....that would be sweet