[boatheelmusic]

The DC 1 is much better....

See Emo forum for lots of discussion.

 

[7ryder]

  Thank you very much skeptic - now I see why I didn't find it. I was searching for "DC-1", and he simply referred to it as the stealth. I bought an XDA-2, which promptly broke in one day - but I feel as if it must be an aberration, because the reviews have generally been positive. I have been considering using the opportunity to upgrade.
 
Does anyone know how the XDA-2 compares to the DC-1 in terms of audio quality?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/689783/december-2013-mid-level-dac-comparison/630#post_10099710

 

[subsonic1050]

7ryder - I saw that he said the DC-1 was better than the XDA-1 - but I was wondering how much different it was in comparison to the XDA-2. 
 
boatheelmusic - I will check out the emotiva forum, I didn't know there was one until you mentioned it - thanks!

 

[brunk]

  7ryder - I saw that he said the DC-1 was better than the XDA-1 - but I was wondering how much different it was in comparison to the XDA-2. 
 
boatheelmusic - I will check out the emotiva forum, I didn't know there was one until you mentioned it - thanks!

Emo has a good return policy right? Check it out for yourself!

 

[7ryder]

sorry, I can't count to 2!

 

[subsonic1050]

brunk - I actually posted a review of my XDA-2, but since I am a new member, it is waiting for moderator approval. In there, I said I would update my thread with my customer service experience. It was working for a day, and it sounded great while it lasted. I am just considering taking the opportunity to upgrade.
 
No problem 7ryder! 

 

[Argo Duck]

Gary's findings - that most of the dacs tested are 'indistinguishables' - essentially contradict my own of two years ago, and experiences since. Btw, yes I carefully level-match and followed a careful comparison process. (Is it good enough? I don't know and don't claim it is or isn't).

Yet I have no problem with this contradiction, nor Gary's listening skills, method or gear.

+1 to brunk's recent comments.

I work in social science. Different teams - all with creative, rigorous scientists and support crew, exactingly crafted designs, methods, materials and equipment, and excellent statistical advice - come up with contradictory results frequently.

Sure, sometimes a mistake or literally bad luck has occurred. But tantalisingly, integration of the conflicting findings sometimes leads to new and substantially better theories. That's how science progresses.

I see no reason why our 'on the edge, listening for tiny differences at the limits of costly, well-designed (?!) gear' should be all that different.

 

[mordicai]

  Interestingly, I stumbled on this post over at the emolounge today.  Looks like Gary isn't alone in deciding to keep his dc-1 over a pwd:
 
http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/26584/dc-1?page=50
 
Admittedly, the fact that this guy ^ likes his hd650's with an O2, despite owning a lot of higher end gear, causes me to raise an eyebrow.  I built and own an O2 and don't love the pairing with hd650's at all.  In fact, although I find it to be decent with dt880's and modded fostex, I think I'm beginning to side with the "heavy global negative feedback is evil" crowd, due to that hint of treble glare.
 
That said, I'm really tempted to snag a dc1 before the sale expires tomorrow.  Still planning to resist the temptation though since I think the bottlehead/Swenson fpga dac is going to be where its at a few months down the road when they finally release.

+1, but I gave up waiting. Doc says maybe the middle of Jan. , but that could be the middle of April. Would be nice with my Crack through.

 

[d1sturb3d]

Thank you very much skeptic - now I see why I didn't find it. I was searching for "DC-1", and he simply referred to it as the stealth. I bought an XDA-2, which promptly broke in one day - but I feel as if it must be an aberration, because the reviews have generally been positive. I have been considering using the opportunity to upgrade.


 


Does anyone know how the XDA-2 compares to the DC-1 in terms of audio quality?

 


I remember one particular thread that someone said he cannot pinpoint any audible difference between xda-2 and dc-1..which is why dc-1 was shipped back..if you are in the US you have 30 day valuation period..

but most of the other posters afaik says they can hear a diff..anyway you can take a look over the emo forum..

 

[LCfiner]

I think it says a lot of good things about modern, competent DACs these days that having a $2000 LCD-3 - one of the best headphones ever made - is considered by some to be "not good enough" to discern differences between them. Too “laid back” or too “liquid” or whatever. That’s high praise for the DACs
 
If it turns out that an HD800 (or possibly Stax SR009) is needed to figure out how some subtle shimmer, echo or etch may reveal itself from one DAC to another, then it seems like a hole lot of people can breathe a sigh of relief and make a choice based on I/O moreso that SQ.
 
After all, what does someone do if they don’t like the elevated treble and super wide headstage of the HD800? Seems like there’s very little point (not saying zero) to get a megabuck DAC for some of the most popular headphones used by people on here. 

 

[cizx]

All of that is true, but if we're talking about most value for money, then I think overkill is necessary in the testing stage.  I don't want to pay the same or more for something that's not as good as the next thing just because I can't hear the difference.  That's not a good value for me.
 
I also don't buy compressed music from iTunes because I don't believe in paying for a compromised product, even if I cannot hear the difference.  I'd rather pay a dollar or two more for the CD on Amazon or to download FLAC files elsewhere.
 
All this thread is is a catalog of Gary's decision based on criteria he's happy with.  That's how he described it, and that's what it is.
 
Purrin's thread has broader value and authority because of his methodology and his goals, but this thread, like any collection of opinion in this hobby, is valuable for what it is.
 
It's a mistake to look to any single source as a reason for making a decision, and that includes your own perceptions.  These comparisons are just more data.  That's always good.

 

[Toe Tag]

Go read up on it here! 

Clearly what is needed is for Gary to re-run a combined test, all 84 combinations of 14 DACs X all 6 headphones. Joking!

I think we should all thank him for his hard work. This is a very popular thread, and all (most?) of us have learned and benefited.

 

[potterma]

Clearly what is needed is for Gary to re-run a combined test, all 84 combinations of 14 DACs X all 6 headphones. Joking!

I think we should all thank him for his hard work. This is a very popular thread, and all (most?) of us have learned and benefited.

+1  I know I certainly have!
 
Thanks again, Gary!

 

[CybDev]

I think it says a lot of good things about modern, competent DACs these days that having a $2000 LCD-3 - one of the best headphones ever made - is considered by some to be "not good enough" to discern differences between them. Too “laid back” or too “liquid” or whatever. That’s high praise for the DACs

If it turns out that an HD800 (or possibly Stax SR009) is needed to figure out how some subtle shimmer, echo or etch may reveal itself from one DAC to another, then it seems like a hole lot of people can breathe a sigh of relief and make a choice based on I/O moreso that SQ.

After all, what does someone do if they don’t like the elevated treble and super wide headstage of the HD800? Seems like there’s very little point (not saying zero) to get a megabuck DAC for some of the most popular headphones used by people on here. 

I did somewhat of the same shootout that Gary did, and I also found a bunch that went into an "indistinguishable" pile. That said, I don't pretend to have exceptional hearing, nor do I have any particular training in terms of listening.
I did the comparasions on HD800 and SR-009...

 

[i019791]

I did somewhat of the same shootout that Gary did, and I also found a bunch that went into an "indistinguishable" pile. That said, I don't pretend to have exceptional hearing, nor do I have any particular training in terms of listening.
I did the comparasions on HD800 and SR-009...

It will be interesting to name both the indistinguishables and the outsiders (if any).