[TR909]

http://pacificvalve.us/LTDACAM.html

Anyone with any info/impressions on this unit? I had my heart set on a zhalou but have given up trying to keep up with which mods do what and I've vowed to take a break from soldering after my bad SMD experience

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My limit is $350, looking to split use between headphone and 2-channel, balanced outputs preferred as I have a dual-mono amp in my speaker setup and plan on eventually going true balanced in my headphone setup (650).

http://vocativeaudio.com/dac.html (scroll to DAC-AM VA edition w/modded caps $241)
This unit has everything I'm looking for as far as in/outputs but I'm curious about sound quality in comparison to the Dac-AH. I realize one is OS and the other NON-OS. Pacificvalves modded Dac-AH would be my alternative. Anyone here that? Any guesses?

I'm looking at the micro-dac as an alternative and portability is not a major concern.

 

[mindthegap]

I have heard the DAC AM and I like it better than the DAC AH M.

The DAC AM provides great detail and imaging and resolution. In Dire Straits, Brothers In Arms, for example, the background voices on cuts 1 and 2 are distinclty seperate on the DAC AM. With the DAC AH M, they tend to slur together. Also, the voices tend to have a broader seperation - you can tell how far they are from the lead singer and the instruments.

Although, nothing, yes nothing, can have the bass slam and go down to the lower registers like the DAC AH M can - and for this, the DAC AM takes a big hit as it sounds more like the DAC 68 than any other DAC that they carry.

I had the DAC AH M, sold it and now have the DAC AM. I got burned too many times with ordering from HK, that I will never do it again - no 30 day and yes warranty if you pay for $180 in round trip shipping costs. Forget it.

 

[TR909]

Thanks a lot for your impressions in comparison with the Dac-AH M. Your description of the AM's sound seem to be what I'm looking for as my speaker setup is definitely not bass-anemic. I realize the headamp is a throwaway part in a dac like this but could you describe it's sound qualities and how it compares to budget standalone amps? I assume the digital volume control on the front can't hurt.

 

[russdog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mindthegap I have heard the DAC AM and I like it better than the DAC AH M. The DAC AM provides great detail and imaging and resolution. In Dire Straits, Brothers In Arms, for example, the background voices on cuts 1 and 2 are distinclty seperate on the DAC AM. With the DAC AH M, they tend to slur together. Also, the voices tend to have a broader seperation - you can tell how far they are from the lead singer and the instruments. Although, nothing, yes nothing, can have the bass slam and go down to the lower registers like the DAC AH M can - and for this, the DAC AM takes a big hit as it sounds more like the DAC 68 than any other DAC that they carry.

Thanks for your report. I'm surprised that there's so little info about what people think of the DAC-AM. I did a search, and next-to-nothing came up. Anyone else?

 

[heymaceo]

Curious if anyone has compared the DAC-AM with the DAC 68 in balanced mode. I am looking for a balanced source and I like a mellower sound but I also like low end grunt. Seems like these two amps trade bass for smoothness. If that's the necessary compromise to go balanced from one of the Lite DAC offerings, how then does that difference manifest itself as between the DAC-AM and the DAC 68.

Thanks.

 

[sketchr]

Im sort of in the same boat, just a smaller budget(didn't get ahold of a ps3) I've had suggestions on getting a lite dat-am http://victrolax.blogspot.com/ this review praises it pretty well. Seems to have clean highs and mids, just not a big oomph in the bottom..