Mikem53
100+ Head-Fier
That's just the thing, I've always thought that headphones/amps are more important than the DAC. The idea of spending 2-3x+ more on DACs is very strange to me. I am very happy with my headphones/amp but I definitely feel my dac is the weakest part of the chain hence the search for a better one. I still have to figure out how much I am willing to spend and then try to see if the cost is worth the improvement I hear. I don't doubt a 5k dac sounds better than a 500 one, just how much better and if it's worth the money is something I gotta figure out, since we all hear differently and prioritize different things.
I am definitely interested in Rockna products but I remember reading somewhere they are made to order and takes 6-8 weeks? If I knew I'd like it I wouldn't have an issue with it but to try it out seems to be too long. I will keep an eye out on the forums/other used markets to see if any pops up.
On paper R2R dacs seems to be more inline with what I am looking for in terms of sound signature over a DS, but I really don't know at this point, I think I gotta just take a dive and buy one of them to try, even as a baseline because right now I have never owned a proper desktop dac.
Wait, if I am understanding your post correctly are you saying since most of the music I listen to, EDM, pop, for example, are synthesized by computers, the music won't actually benefit from a higher quality DAC as opposed to if I listened to music with more piano and acoustic instruments? Some songs I listen to do have acoustic guitars/pianos and such, though granted most of them do not.
ALL your music will sound better with a good DAC regardless of genres.. I’m a bang for the buck type.. I don’t care about fancy casework or having to have the latest formats and noise reduction methods.. This R2R DAC will give you Music ! At an affordable price, you will get performance close to other units costing MUCH more..
Read up on the internals of the Schiit Dac and Mike Moffats design. you will see a culmination of decades worth of his expertise, especially in the software that keeps the original digital signal throughout the entire process.. Robert Harley did a write in stereophile... worth a read and a test drive... IME..