how much does USB limit DAC performance?

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by colinharding /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I do prefer the NOS DAC chips and I think this is in accordance with my musical tastes anyway.  If I may generalize here, audio reproduction back in the twenties through the late sixties and early seventies to an extent was more or less my perfect sound.  Euphoric, involving, heavy, rich, punchy, whereas the audiophile of today wants resolving, detailed, spacious, extended.  The older chips seem to emulate a richer music while the new chips, especially the Sabre, are very bright and analytical.  It's just not for me.

 
My only experience of NOS is the Hifiman HM-601.
 
With that said, I just dusted off my Sabre DAC a few days ago, and I definitely prefer the Sabre sound.  So I think I'm in the "resolving, spacious, extended, analytical" camp... unless I just haven't heard a 'real' NOS DAC yet.
 
Which sub-$500 would you recommend?
 

 

[kiteki]

 
Relevant thread - http://www.head-fi.org/t/527442/optical-toslink-vs-usb-which-connection-is-better-to-connect-a-dac
 

 

[Telstar]

Quote:

With that said, I just dusted off my Sabre DAC a few days ago, and I definitely prefer the Sabre sound.  So I think I'm in the "resolving, spacious, extended, analytical" camp... unless I just haven't heard a 'real' NOS DAC yet.
 
Which sub-$500 would you recommend?

The audio-gd dac19dsp (set in NOS mode). But it's discontinued.
Good "NOS" dacs costs over 1k unfortunately.

 

[colinharding]

 
 

Originally Posted by kiteki
 
So I think I'm in the "resolving, spacious, extended, analytical" camp... unless I just haven't heard a 'real' NOS DAC yet.

 
Oh I'm sure you've heard one lol, certainly doesn't mean that you will like it by any means.  And for all I know your DAC chip may be implemented very well and sounds much better than the Sabres that I've previously heard.  As far as NOS DACs go my favorite is the Meridian 563 followed by a Theta DSP Pro Basic.  Had those for a while and loved them.  Another contender would be a Goldmund Mimesis 12 DAC, I'm not sure how much these retail for anymore but I could have sworn I bought mine for around 500 quite some time ago.  The last one that I can think of right now would be a McCormack dac-1.