[longbowbbs]

I owned the DAC2 then got the SE upgrade then I added the Femto clock so I have the current DAC2 DSDse version. I always felt the DAC2 presented a nicely organic full range presentation to whatever I put through it. I did not find it emphasized any particular frequency. Instead it allowed the music to flow with as much quality as the file/recording had to give. The upgrades all extended these qualities. I have reviewed many DAC's. I currently have a $6000 DAC in house that is only slightly better. This is not to say that the more expensive DAC is not keeping up, but rather the W4S is close enough to SOTA that the law of diminishing returns is at work here. The TEAC is a nice sub $1k unit. No negatives for what it offers. The W4S is a better presentation and I use it as my reference since I admire high value gear. To me that is more interesting than something that is more expensive but only marginally better. 
 
If you were asking about the best cost no object DAC then that becomes a different conversation. For $2550 USD retail this is an awesome buy.

 

[Nephorsis]

I've had a DAC2 for awhile now.. Has been really great in pairing with my Sennheiser HDVA600.. I was just wondering whether its worth upgrading to the DSDse version.. What do you guys think?

 

[longbowbbs]

  I've had a DAC2 for awhile now.. Has been really great in pairing with my Sennheiser HDVA600.. I was just wondering whether its worth upgrading to the DSDse version.. What do you guys think?

I upgraded my DAC2 to the DSDse with the Femto clocks. It was a significant upgrade. I am glad I did it.

 

[Nephorsis]

Ahh poisonous statements I'm only contemplating because my music collection is mostly FLAC!

 

[longbowbbs]

  Ahh poisonous statements I'm only contemplating because my music collection is mostly FLAC!

There is no going back....

 

[Silent One]

[/QUOTE]
There is no going back....:evil:
[/quote]

Haven't done the conversion here with my W4S shoebox, yet. Likely not. But bringing a Sony S9000ES DVD/SA-CD player into the listening room has me chasing discs for it. Currently on own one SA-CD and that'd be "Nightfly."

Can't afford much now but quietly looking for more titles. And YES, that one disc sounds yum-o!

 

[longbowbbs]

There is no going back....

[/quote]

Haven't done the conversion here with my W4S shoebox, yet. Likely not. But bringing a Sony S9000ES DVD/SA-CD player into the listening room has me chasing discs for it. Currently on own one SA-CD and that'd be "Nightfly."

Can't afford much now but quietly looking for more titles. And YES, that one disc sounds yum-o![/quote]

Love Nightfly on SACD! Not a bad one to have. I was listening to Aja via SACD before going back on the road for the week. Denon DVD-5900 is 10 years old and still a sweet spin.

 

[Silent One]

Would love to get Aja next! In December I visited SA-CD.net I think it was, and reviewed 2,875 discs. Only found 27 titles I'd bother with.

 

[longbowbbs]

Would love to get Aja next! In December I visited SA-CD.net I think it was, and reviewed 2,875 discs. Only found 27 titles I'd bother with.

A lot of the titles I would like are out of print and expensive on e-bay. I have about 50 myself. Many I got 20 years ago when they came out.

 

[Silent One]

When you consider the music lovers we are, 50 titles is hunger! :rolleyes:

Sony's paranoia with the vault is killing us!

 

[defbear]

15 years ago I bought a Eric Sardinas CD. It was published by Sony. When you tried to rip it, it Installed anti pirating software. I had to restore a PC to get rid of it. They were accused at the time of installing Trojan Horses. Sony lost ALL my business. No Sony TV, Walkman, VCR, DVD player. Sony is Anathema.

 

[Silent One]

I remember that storm. And the distrust that followed. It changed a few of my would be purchases at the time.
 
My listening sessions have slowed the past 18 months...hugely so. But proud to say my W4S shoebox has 2,274 reliable and satisfying hours on it to date.

 

[longbowbbs]

  I remember that storm. And the distrust that followed. It changed a few of my would be purchases at the time.
 
My listening sessions have slowed the past 18 months...hugely so. But proud to say my W4S shoebox has 2,274 reliable and satisfying hours on it to date.

I could not begin to guess at how many hours mine has. Still works like a champ though!

 

[defbear]

I remember that storm. And the distrust that followed. It changed a few of my would be purchases at the time.

My listening sessions have slowed the past 18 months...hugely so. But proud to say my W4S shoebox has 2,274 reliable and satisfying hours on it to date.

Has it burned in yet?

 

[Red Jacket Mike]

I've been reading lots of reviews and checking prices here on Head-Fi, and elsewhere, and I've finally decided to send my 4-year old DAC-2 in for the full DSDse upgrades.  W4S says the work should take 1-2 days at their end.  I've enjoyed this unit immensely over the last few years, for its transparency and connectivity, and I really wanted to keep it and upgrade it, rather than purchase something new and different.