[kool bubba ice]

The DAC sells for 545.00 at Pacificvalve.us. I asked them if they have a DAC that is comparable to the Larvy10 & Benchmark DAC.. Then I got a reply stating my topic.. They also claim the 38 is unclored aswell.. Have anyone done a A/B comparison? I'm thinking about upgrading from the DAC I bought in July..

 

[Scrith]

Um...this is kind of like going to a used car dealer and asking if they have something better than a Porsche. Of course they do, and it's half the price!

 

[J-Pak]

Uh...

 

[Jon L]

"asynchronous over sampling DAC 38 is a 24-bit 96Khz
DAC that uses Burr Brown’s latest R-2R ladder network PCM1704UK. The Burr Brown DF1704 3rd order low pass filter chip set to "slow roll off" mode, which provides the asynchronous up sampling."

This "product info" on DAC38 on Pacific Valve website is rather perplexing, to say the least.

For my money, DAC 38 is the Lite DAC I would rather buy over others, being SS non-upsampling, simple oversampling DAC with DF1704 in slow roll off mode. I don't know what all this "asynchronous upsampling" is coming from...

 

[bluemeteor]

The DAC 38 is the most tonally neutral of the bunch and therefore sounds more like the Lavry than the tubed buffered DACs.

You could not compare the OP AMP'd DACs to the Lavry, so I could see the statement beign relatively true. Given the internal architecture, these two could sound very similar.

The perplexing diatribe is an explanation of how the DAC 38 uses the PCM1704UK. It in asynchronous mode - which, BTW, is how most DACs operate.

 

[thomaspf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluemeteor It in asynchronous mode - which, BTW, is how most DACs operate.

This is news to me. Did you mean to say synchronous?

THe DAC38 seems to be operating synchronously. The DF1704 is oversampling and filtering the output from the CS8414 x8 in a synchronous way. That was at least my understandoing the last time I read that data sheet.

To do anything asynchronously you need to resample the PCM stream via something lke an AD1896 or CS8420 which is not being used in the DAC38.

I was intrigued by this DAC a while ago but they have no measurements on it in any form. However Pacific valve has a no questions asked return policy and they told me to order one, measure away, and return it if I don't like it.

Cheers

Thomas

 

[Azure]

Has the PCM1704U vs. PCM1704U-K (I believe those were the models...) issue been resolved with this DAC?

 

[thomaspf]

When I talked to Pacific Valve and asked them the specific question about fake PCM1704U-K, they told me they guarantee that they only use original highest grade chips and again referred to their return policy that apparently is rarely exercised.

I am still considering buying one of these when I have a bit more time to put it through its paces during the allowed return period.

Cheers

Thomas