[Bonddam]

For me after doing the high-end DAC's I've landed on Primaluna Evo 100 and Wells Cipher. These are both tube but the Evo is all tube with mono design ways 30 lbs it uses drivers rectifiers and the clock is tube. Found that XLR isn't important for sound quality. The next is Cipher which is just drivers and transformers not a pure tube dac like EVO or Amber 3(drivers and rectifier) haven't heard but would most likely like it. Only High-end solid state dac is the Holo May the amount of parts used says why it's 5k look at Hugo TT2 it's very bare so for when I had WA33 Elite the May was the best choice. Found after many setups the EVO 100, Wells Dragon level 3 and 1266 TC is phenomenal. The detail in clarity, bass that isn't slow or lean. Midrange and treble tonally correct. Take look at the EVO internals used for 3k. Only negative is no XLR but my Dragon is unbalanced design. Now if you don't like tubes then Holo May and you need balanced designed DAC.

 

[Redcarmoose]

So this is a weird one. I was always under the impression that the most money should go into a trandsducer (like headphones), instead of the electornics driving it. I thought, as long as the amp is powerful enough and has some headroom, and my dac is revolsing enough with some linearity, I will be fine. So was rocking Chord Hugo TT 2 and Abyss AB-1266 and was happy. But then I got dCS Bartók for home listen and within minutes I realised how much better to my ears the sound is. So much so, that I ordered one and now I am selling TT2. People talk all the time about the law of diminishing returns, and I believed that so much so that I was 100% sure I won't hear a difference with Bartók compared to TT2, yet, the difference to my ears was enough to warrant the purchase.

Each part of the chain has equal importance.

 

[sajunky]

I would say, each part of the chain is important, but is influencing other components in a different way, unpredictable in general. If you don't have user's feedback, it can be time and money consuming. Only some interractions are easy to predict, i.e. components preventing spreading EMI (when applied correctly), also some technologies give better match, i.e. Delta-Sigma DAC paired with nested-feedback amplifier. Both give a sterile clean sound in a simplified way. If you like simplified sound of DS DAC, you will likely chose THX789 or Topping A90/L30 amps, it also depends on the music of your choice. If you chose this type of matching, you will aproach dead end very quick and withdrawing from this route can be costly.

 

[mammal]

Bartok looks very nice, but it also has a streamer built in And almost three times the price of tt2. I want and me likey

Haha, very true. I wanted to take TT2 to the next level, but keep it as all-in-one device and found Bartók to be the right choice for me.

 

[littlej0e]

Each part of the chain has equal importance.

I respectfully disagree.

I think the source is the single most important device in a chain (of course depending on your specific needs, situation, and use case). My reasoning is simple -the source directly affects every listening device and hifi component: headphones, DAC, amp, mobile phone, desktop, laptop, home theater system, smart speakers, etc. No other component affects this many devices or reaches this far into a home system and the increases in sound quality are felt across all devices and components (to varying degrees, obviously). The source is the foundation of a hifi system on which everything else is built (I presume that’s why it’s called the source in the first place) and I think it should be given a commensurate level of importance.

 

[OceanRanger]

I am liking this thread because I am reading things that surprise me. It is forcing me to step outside of my own experiences and think about things differently.

I don’t know if there is a single right answer. Having a balanced system is important. Having pieces that are complementary is important. Finally we each hear and value sound attributes differently. It seems tough to compartmentalize a single piece of the chain as the most important because of the interdependencies. To me this is also different than each piece having equal value.

anyway, thanks for making me think.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I respectfully disagree.

I think the source is the single most important device in a chain (of course depending on your specific needs, situation, and use case). My reasoning is simple -the source directly affects every listening device and hifi component: headphones, DAC, amp, mobile phone, desktop, laptop, home theater system, smart speakers, etc. No other component affects this many devices or reaches this far into a home system and the increases in sound quality are felt across all devices and components (to varying degrees, obviously). The source is the foundation of a hifi system on which everything else is built (I presume that’s why it’s called the source in the first place) and I think it should be given a commensurate level of importance.

Well, that is a way to look at it. I agree to a point. It is better than someone buying $2000 headphones and expecting the best hooked up to a PC sound card. The reason behind "everything matters" is not forgetting to leave any one thing out. Question the possibility of "anything" being the weakest link.

I have found improvements with-in all parts of the chain. But even with the "source" being the focus, you are going to be hard pressed to spend on downline equipment to fully hear that improvement. See where I'm coming from?


Edit: You have An AQDiamond USB! Amazing!

I am liking this thread because I am reading things that surprise me. It is forcing me to step outside of my own experiences and think about things differently.

I don’t know if there is a single right answer. Having a balanced system is important. Having pieces that are complementary is important. Finally we each hear and value sound attributes differently. It seems tough to compartmentalize a single piece of the chain as the most important because of the interdependencies. To me this is also different than each piece having equal value.

anyway, thanks for making me think.

Yes, I love this thread too.

 

[littlej0e]

It is better than someone buying $2000 headphones and expecting the best hooked up to a PC sound card.

Embarrassingly, this is me in a nutshell. I have an SR1a + HSA-1b + Holo May KTE setup and until recently I was using my gaming PC as a source for months because I’m really smart.

This is why it finally dawned on me how important the source is for literally everything around it

 

[OceanRanger]

Embarrassingly, this is me in a nutshell. I have an SR1a + HSA-1b + Holo May KTE setup and until recently I was using my gaming PC as a source for months because I’m really smart.

This is why it finally dawned on me how important the source is for literally everything around it

Eek. Guess it is time to rethink my MacBook Pro strategy…..

 

[mammal]

Embarrassingly, this is me in a nutshell. I have an SR1a + HSA-1b + Holo May KTE setup and until recently I was using my gaming PC as a source for months because I’m really smart.

At least you HAVE a gaming PC, not like all of us that are trying to build something decent, but cannot get parts, haha.

 

[chesebert]

I will trade my rtx 3080 for your AB-1266

 

[mammal]

Eek. Guess it is time to rethink my MacBook Pro strategy…..

I have an audition scheduled later in July for TOTL Linn streamer/source that costs like 30k. I am curious to hear at what price point I will stop hearing improvements. Currently also using my Macbook as the source and Bartok as the streamer.

 

[littlej0e]

I have found improvements with-in all parts of the chain. But even with the "source" being the focus, you are going to be hard pressed to spend on downline equipment to fully hear that improvement. See where I'm coming from?

Yeah, I definitely see where you are coming from and I can’t really disagree. It’s like a snake eating it’s own tail or a perfect example of the butterfly effect in high-end audio.

Edit: You have An AQDiamond USB! Amazing!

Yep, I tried to get some of the best stuff I could. In addition to the AQ Diamond USB, I also picked up some AQ Fire XLRs and AQ Firebird Power Cables. My only regret is I didn’t get to try JPS Alumiloy cables before purchasing the AQs.

 

[littlej0e]

At least you HAVE a gaming PC, not like all of us that are trying to build something decent, but cannot get parts, haha.

I can’t argue with you there, haha. Thanks for the perspective!

Eek. Guess it is time to rethink my MacBook Pro strategy…..

Learn from my idiocy…I beg you

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, worshipping the small aspects of the source IS often a romantic delusion. The way that it becomes possible and probable that an infinite level of quality is derived at that place. A place which is often very controversial in fact. Do all DACs sound the same? Is there variety in sound found from the DAC.