Finding a DAC for the Cavalli Liquid Carbon. Only Four Months to Go.

[thomascrown]

   
Don't recommend the HRT. Too many problems with it stopping in the middle of playback. Returned mine. Haven't tried the others but the NAD had my interest for a moment.
 

Mine is working pretty well and it's now over 2 years old, when used with a good cable (a fancy tesco one), it's portable and when a/b with the odac had better bass. The only cons imo is that it doesn't work when used with a mobile phone or a tablet, it may need an hub to get enough power. Sorry for you bad experience, but in my case it's a good product.

 

[audiofrk]

 
I would definitely be interested in a Soekris!
 
Would you be making a standalone DAC, or one that is integrated with a Pi as in your own plans?

advise against this the clocks on the Pi sucks, the hifiberry digi+ takes the I2S and reclocks it.
 
 

  bucketinabucket yes I'm very interested in a completed soekris dac hehe.  as long as you didn't make it super high end and high priced 

I disagree make it high end but hold off on the high price

 

[Joeybgood]

Quite interested. Form factor not an issue. It's all about the SQ for sure.

 

[Stillhart]

For anyone who isn't quite a believer in R2R vs D-S, you might want to read this post by @x RELIC x:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/759872/new-audio-gd-dac-19-10th-anniversary-edition/555#post_11830232
 
Admittedly, there's going to be some honeymoon-factor with the new gear, but the differences in sounds that he describes have been expressed by everyone else who's moved to their first R2R.  
 

 I've read about the differences but I've just regulated them to being minor exaggerations (sorry guys). Nope, no exaggerations here. This is my first exposure to an R2R DAC implementation and Audio-gd and it may have ruined me for everything else.

 

[atsq17]

In the vein of "are we there yet?". Has anyone got their LC yet?

 

[DeLuX]

Don't recommend the HRT. Too many problems with it stopping in the middle of playback. Returned mine. Haven't tried the others but the NAD had my interest for a moment.

 

So what made you lose interest in the NAD?

 

[BucketInABucket]

If I get enough people interested, I'll be able to organize lower prices for everyone

Just keep in mind guys that it might take a while for the product to actually materialize as I have to wait for my own Soekris to arrive and learn how to use it, organize a supplier for any custom-made enclosures (panels etc) I need as well as all the extra PCBs for the I/O required from e.g. diyinhk.

 

[Cardiiiii]

  For anyone who isn't quite a believer in R2R vs D-S, you might want to read this post by @x RELIC x:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/759872/new-audio-gd-dac-19-10th-anniversary-edition/555#post_11830232
 
Admittedly, there's going to be some honeymoon-factor with the new gear, but the differences in sounds that he describes have been expressed by everyone else who's moved to their first R2R.  
 

So the DACs with PCM chips are superior to ones with the ESS chips?

 

[Stillhart]

  So the DACs with PCM chips are superior to ones with the ESS chips?

 
Err...not quite.
 
First, modern PCM chips (e.g. PCM1795UK) are delta-sigma (D-S) implementations, just like ESS chips.  I'd say ESS is better than those.
 
Second, older PCM chips (PCM1704UK and earlier) are R-2R implementations, which are very different from D-S.  There is a wide variety of R2R chips and implementations and you can't just categorically say that all are better than ESS or D-S.
 
The DAC-19 happens to be a pretty good DAC and I like it better than any Sabre ESS implementation I've heard.  I won't say it's better in every way because that's just not true.  But I'd take the pro's and con's of the DAC-19 over just about any ESS DAC.  Most folks who have heard the DAC-19 tend to agree with me there.  
 
There's plenty of info around on R2R vs D-S if you care to do some searching.  It's a fascinating subject.

 

[x RELIC x]

I'd agree with Stillhart but I don't see any downside to the DAC-19 yet, it's still very early in my time with the DAC-19 so time will tell.

I know I won't miss the DSD format as a recent test I'd done converting Norah Jones 'Come Away With Me' from DSD (noticeably superior dynamic range over redbook lossless in the DSD re-mastered transfer) to 24/96 (in preparation for the DAC-19) convinced me that I can hear zero difference between the formats.

Absolutely can't wait to hear the Liquid Carbon from the DAC-19.

 

[BRCMRGN]

Just for fun and to gain a better perspective on DACs, I bought a Starting Point Systems Battery DAC for comparison/contrast to the Emotiva Stealth DC-1. The Battery DAC is a NOS 16-bit/96KHz DAC based on the Philips TDA1543 chip. Very smooth, analog sound. Can't wait to try them both through the LC.

 

[atsq17]

+1. 
 
DAC-19 rocks. 
 
Anyone interested in a 240V Audio GD SA-1.32 (4 x PCM1704UK) DAC? 

 

[adobotj]

Just for fun and to gain a better perspective on DACs, I bought a Starting Point Systems Battery DAC for comparison/contrast to the Emotiva Stealth DC-1. The Battery DAC is a NOS 16-bit/96KHz DAC based on the Philips TDA1543 chip. Very smooth, analog sound. Can't wait to try them both through the LC.

Bought one myself too. It should be here by tomorrow. This would be my first NOS dac and I'm also excited to pair it with the LC and hd800

 

[BucketInABucket]

Do you guys mind a tall DAC with both DAC and power supply in one enclosure (isolated with a metal panel of course) or would you rather have a separate DAC and power supply which will be taller when stacked?

 

[aamefford]

How's about taking the "I'll build everyone a Dac" discussion to a dedicated thread or PM? This should be more convenient for all, yes?