[oqvist]

Connect to speakers, different headphone amps. You could also use one to connect a subwoofer or buttkicker to for example.

 

[oqvist]

Edit 3:
 
Switched DSP modules after all kind of troubles. But both are finally back online... Puh...
I had some glue on the jumper switch and the adjacent pins on the DSP 5 no risk for shorts or anything?

 

[oqvist]

DSP does make a difference. But I do still preferr the Ref9 for the LCD-2 also with the DSP 3. Watched some movies yesterday on my tube. There the differences was so small you hade to try and go on your emotional state which would be preferrable. 
 
Going with my more detailed Goldpoint headphone Pro amp it was a much easier task separating them. I have had issues with vocals being to close to me on the LCD-2 with the DAC19. So focused on music including decent vocals. The Ref9 is just more easy listening and is able to expand the soundstage a bit further.
 
But to conclude it the DAC19 is a very good DAC and everyone should do the upgrade from V3 to V5 I feel.  The REF 9 does in no way kill it and it´s hard justifying the cost for it. But there is no going back here since it did exactly what I wanted for the LCD-2.
 

 

[lobe67]

Hello,
 
i"m still hesttating between ref9 and DAc 19. I'm really curious about diamond buffer , but the ref 9 is a bit expensive for me. if the DAc19  is close to the Ref9 maybe i'll stick to the chaper DAC19.. specially "it "s hard ti justif the cost like you say "but i'm  still  afraid of getting a sound not warm enough with the neureal sere.... On the other side i -have warm tube amp  that will maybe match well the DAC19 so maybe i should stop thinking i give it a go
 
No more DAC3 SE by the way

 

[haloxt]

What is your current audio setup? I think a different audio-gd dac or even dac/amp combo might be a better bet if you are uncertain. I think the dac19 option from audio-gd would be ideal for someone who likes to tweak the sound around.with gear matching and cable swapping. If you just want to plug and play and have good sound I would suggest dac's below dac19. If you want to get dac19 or above, I think it would be a good idea to make sure the rest of your chain is up to par, or else eventually upgrade the rest of your chain to fully utilize the dac, as I believe the main benefit of overbuilt components is in minutiae and super quick detail that can easily be lost if there is a bottleneck in your audio setup, such as lower amp or headphones, or excessively  thin, long cables.

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

Hello,
 
i"m still hesttating between ref9 and DAc 19. I'm really curious about diamond buffer , but the ref 9 is a bit expensive for me. if the DAc19  is close to the Ref9 maybe i'll stick to the chaper DAC19.. specially "it "s hard ti justif the cost like you say "but i'm  still  afraid of getting a sound not warm enough with the neureal sere.... On the other side i -have warm tube amp  that will maybe match well the DAC19 so maybe i should stop thinking i give it a go
 
No more DAC3 SE by the way

I don´t really perceive the Ref9 as warmer then the DAC19. It has a bit more action in the lowest of bass which make me have to equalize my sub a bit but it doesn´t intrude on the mid range on any of my headphones anyway. As for tube amp my Head One/LCD-2 combo work better with the Ref9 to my ears. Particularly the LCD-2 just get to soft on the DAC19. Particularly piano sound better on the Ref9 vs DAC19 on my tube. To be honest I haven´t found any combination where I preferr the DAC19 for musical enjoyment. 
 
DAC3SE if you can get that one is maybe the right middle road for you? I am not the slightest curious about the Ref8 and it was a very long time since I felt like trying out the DAC19 again.
 
Otherwise have you tbought about the sabre32 line? The oppo bd83se have a similar signature to the Ref9 so the real bang for buck may be there? I preferr it for my speakers since it´s a bit softer in the lowest of bass. My speakers are not as revealing as my headphone system anyway. If it had digital inputs I would have to think hard if I could justify both that and the Ref9. I am greatful not having to do that choice though.

 

[BournePerfect]

Well I pulled the trigger on the Ref 9 today! I'm pretty darn excited because I am upgrading from...wait for it...........a uDac1! So I'm hoping my giddiness is warranted. I will be using it with my k702s (soon to have an ALO cable) and modded M-Stage. I think I'm actually gonna put my Matrix up for sale once I get the dac, and pull the trigger on a Concerto. That was the amp I've wanted all along, but couldn't justify the cost at the time. Do you guys think the Concerto will be a noticeable improvement for me with this setup? I'm kinda looking at it because it seems to work so well with a lot of headphones (but so does the m-stage), and I think I'm gonna get a higher end headphone down the line to pair with it, probably either a AD2000, D7000, or *gulp* a T1. Thoughts?
 
FWIW: Kingwa said my Ref 9 will ship out via DHL on the 15th! I'm hoping I will get in that weekend (19-20th) if so.
 
-Daniel
 

 

[lobe67]

Quote:

What is your current audio setup?

 
hi
 
my digital source is a  slightly modded 713 philips CD player. My system :  6V6 pushpull amplifier ( plus home made phono tube preamp) with huge external power supply and all Audio Note copper caps on the signal path, the  turntable  is a  garrard  401 with a 50 pounds chassis, and  DIY speakers based on fostex woofers and revelator tweeters and AKG k340 and ATHM50 cans
So clearly the weakest element of my system is the digital source!
Maybe the dac 3 Se, as oqvist points it, is the right middle , but kingwa said it was discontibued. So i'im in between the ref 9 and dac 19.. not even sure i'll get either of them : the ref 9 is too expensive for me and I'm not convinced by the DAC19 yet.  But i'm very curious about that pcm1704 socalled analog flavour! 
 
Laurent

 

[haloxt]

Too bad dac3se is discontinued, it looked like good bang for buck. Imo, the strong point of dac19mk3 pmd-100 (not dsp-1) was the pretty accurate detail and timbre. It doesn't have the musical drive of lower end audio-gd gear, and doesn't have the very black background of higher end audio-gd gear, but if you just want to appreciate a more faithful presentation of the recording, dac19 does a good job.

 

[BournePerfect]

  8th , Nov.  : These products will discontinued with Nov. :  Reference 9, ST-1, ST-7 , SA-3000, SA-300CN, SA-200 , C-1SE, ROC , ROC-SA  .
 
I just cut and pasted that from Audio gd's site. Kinda makes me wonder about my just placed order for my Ref 9? :\ OTOH, I'll probably have one of the last ones made, as if that means anything.
 
Daniel

 

[oqvist]

You will still have warranty on it. Nothing really changes except you get a limited edition Ref9 I would expect.
 
I have shelved my DAC19 now. Soon going to the FS section.  Listening to the Oppo BD83se on the side now I have realized that it´s more forgiving then the Ref9 but/due to not being quite as detailed with cd recordings. Very easy listening and music is "hanging free in the air". But not quite as detailed for better and for worse and it doesn´t quite have the drive of the Ref9. I also preferr the sub bass of the Ref9 for the LCD-2 but especially ED 8 which needs more help here.

 

[lobe67]

 


 
Quote:

 
I have shelved my DAC19 now. Soon going to the FS section.

for sure it will not stay long in the FS section... could be intrested myself altough it's the3 SE or ref 9 i'm really longing for 

 

[Kenobi]

OQvist,
 
Knowing what you know now about the Ref 9 as well as other options, will you order this again if you hadn't?  I'm still on the fence between Ref 9, Ref 5 and NFB1.
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Kenobi

 

[bensl]

i was emailing kigwa last night with a few dac q's and he hold me there is no more stock of the PCM1704 and he doesnt know if he will get more.  He said, as such all dacs with this chip are discontinued.

 

[Denys]

Quote:

i was emailing kigwa last night with a few dac q's and he hold me there is no more stock of the PCM1704 and he doesnt know if he will get more.  He said, as such all dacs with this chip are discontinued.

On the site it says that Ref 9 (and some other DACS) is discontinued...
 
Denys