[JWahl]

I for one am really looking forward to this one.  Right now i'm on the fence between keeping my NFB-1ES DAC and getting the new Bryston amp or selling my current amp and DAC and getting the Reference 10.  Leaning more toward the Reference 10 I2S since I've always wanted to try a PCM1704 DAC and I already have the Hiface Evo with matching I2S output.  
 
Only reason i'm undecided is that I've gotten a chance to hear the Bryston and really liked it.  I know the individual Audio-GD Master series and Reference series units have had a lot of good impressions though.  Should be an excellent value for what they're offering regardless.

 

[Telstar]

Get the ref10, ditch the Bryston

 

[JWahl]

Quote:

Get the ref10, ditch the Bryston

I'm pretty much 95% leaning in that direction right now.  Now just deciding what headphone to pair with it.  Currently have Rev. 1 LCD-2 but but planning on selling it.  Looking at HD800, HD700, T1, and maybe Shure SRH-1840.  It should drive any of them nicely.

 

[tim3320070]

D7000 sounds so good with 1704 AGD gear IMO. Not everyone's cup of tea though.

 

[OneSec]

Subscribed! Still thinking between master 5 / reference10, but leaning towards master 5 now...

 

[tim3320070]

You understand that the Ref-10 (dac/amp/pre) and Master-5 (head amp/ pre only) are different?

 

[OneSec]

Yeah. Currently I'm using Xonar ST, a reasonable all in one sound card, and I have been saving up for a master-5.  Now with Ref-10 I can skip Xonar ST all together (or maybe I will still use Xonar DSP with Dolby digital live and other features, not sure).
 
Problem is with 32bit DAC introduced to the market lately I'm not sure if I should

• wait a year or 2 for a matured 32bit DAC, go for master-5/6, for my HD800 and W3000ANV now, or
• get the all in one Ref-10.

 
Thanks Tim for bringing that up, yeah its a big mistake at this price :S

 

[tim3320070]

I'm not sure what a 32 bit dac will do for sound quality? I don't know of anything recorded in 32 bit and very few are even 24 bit. I think the Ref-10 would be better than ST to the Master-5 but that's just a guess. Compare the DAC section of the Ref-10 to your XT.

 

[Telstar]

32bit dacs are a markeking jimmick. Bits above 19-20 are used only for digital volume adjustment and filters.
Here is what MSB says about it:
http://www.msbtech.com/support/What_about_32_bit_DACs.php?Page=supportHome

 

[OneSec]

 
Quote:

I'm not sure what a 32 bit dac will do for sound quality? I don't know of anything recorded in 32 bit and very few are even 24 bit. I think the Ref-10 would be better than ST to the Master-5 but that's just a guess. Compare the DAC section of the Ref-10 to your XT.

 
I don't think there is any argument Ref-10 is superior to Xonar in the DAC area.
 
You are correct. Seems like the audio electronic world is moving slower than other the computer industry The questions was more of the final setup (or at least for another 5 year): To have a discrete headphone amp and DAC, or an all in one.

 

[wompa164]

Anyone who thinks this will sell below $2000 is nuts

 

[tim3320070]

 
Quote:

Anyone who thinks this will sell below $2000 is nuts

Huh??- call me crazy- it's been posted for a while.
 
[size=small]            Reference-10: USD1790 （I2S Input,Non-USB）[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small]            Reference-10.2: USD1850 (Applied TE8802)[/size]


 

 

[ztsen]

now we know who is nuts...

 

[drez]

 
Quote:

I for one am really looking forward to this one.  Right now i'm on the fence between keeping my NFB-1ES DAC and getting the new Bryston amp or selling my current amp and DAC and getting the Reference 10.  Leaning more toward the Reference 10 I2S since I've always wanted to try a PCM1704 DAC and I already have the Hiface Evo with matching I2S output.  
 
Only reason i'm undecided is that I've gotten a chance to hear the Bryston and really liked it.  I know the individual Audio-GD Master series and Reference series units have had a lot of good impressions though.  Should be an excellent value for what they're offering regardless.

You may want to check with AGD whether the I2S is compatible, AFAIK there is no industry standard for I2S, and some I2S devices may not be compatible with others.
 

 

[Telstar]

Quote:

I've always wanted to try a PCM1704 DAC...

Today I connected my dac19dsp to my main system. It sounds better than I remembered Natural yet with lots of PRAT.