[rb2013]

Looks like this is the only active thread for the DAC 60 available.

I'm no good at soldering & feel I would mess something up if I did.  The extent of my modding would be switching something that can be plugged in or unplugged.

If I did buy this & did not mod, how would it stack up against the higher priced R2R DACs?



I mean for sound quality, what do these compete with? $1,000+ R2R DAC? $2,000 sigma delta DAC?
Or more to its' price point, give or take a few hundred?

The DAC60 with top tubes is excellent! It was way better then the Xindak DAC5 I had. I would recommend a top USB interface bridge for computer audio. The Gustard U12 and Breeze Audio are excellent XMOS based units.

In allso wondering this... I think I would mange rolling some tubes but that's about it. Would the DAC-60 be worth getting if that's all I put into it? Not really interested in what value you'd put on it, just your input on the quality of sound

For me tube rolling is a must. It only takes a few minutes. I've excellent results with the top Russian 6n23p (just google '6922 tube review' for my Headfi review of 17 top 6922's.

 

[rb2013]

I am not saying i hate Tube buffered outputs. I love them actually. I had a Paradisea for a while and it was magical. My fear is the noise floor given my headphones are rated at 32 Ohms.....so the noise floor beig raised any is always an issue I fear about unheard items in my setup.

Good well screened tubes can be dead quiet.. The 6n23p have an inky black noise floor. I used them in my Lyr head amp and the DAC60.

 

[kenman345]

Good well screened tubes can be dead quiet.. The 6n23p have an inky black noise floor. I used them in my Lyr head amp and the DAC60.

Interesting, I will read up on that but does any place sell an upgraded Lite-DAC60 like some of the stuff you guys are doing?

 

[DeLuX]

Interesting, I will read up on that but does any place sell an upgraded Lite-DAC60 like some of the stuff you guys are doing?

Apparently the monarchy audio nm24 is an upgraded DAC-60 tough I'm not sure the modifications are in line with what the guys in this thread are doing?

 

[rb2013]

Interesting, I will read up on that but does any place sell an upgraded Lite-DAC60 like some of the stuff you guys are doing?

Not that I'm aware of.

Apparently the monarchy audio nm24 is an upgraded DAC-60 tough I'm not sure the modifications are in line with what the guys in this thread are doing?

The nm24 adds a pre-amp section and SS output in addition to the tube output. The caps have been slightly upgraded to mediocre Wima Reds. Not much else improved. A tube upgrade (my mandatory 1st easy step) and simple coupling cap upgrade to Mundorf Supreme Silver/Gold/Oils take the DAC60 to extrodinary levels.

 

[m0reilly]

Not that I'm aware of.
...Not much else improved. A tube upgrade (my mandatory 1st easy step) and simple coupling cap upgrade to Mundorf Supreme Silver/Gold/Oils take the DAC60 to extrodinary levels.

this. after the tubes, the sonic improvements re mundorf caps, and the choke subbing for that one resistor are astounding. big time

 

[robertsong]

Hi, got a remedial question. Will the DAC-60 play 24 bit files and higher sample rates? Is the PCM1704 limited to redbook? Thanks.

 

[rb2013]

  Hi, got a remedial question. Will the DAC-60 play 24 bit files and higher sample rates? Is the PCM1704 limited to redbook? Thanks.

Yes - it is a true 24 bit DAC not a 20-bit or 18-bits like some other R2R's.  It easily handles up to 96K sampling - in fact I use the SoX upsampler on my redbook files in Foobar.
 
It does not do DSD - I use the excellent and free DSD to PCM converter in foobar for those few files that I have.  SoX can also downsample 352k DxD, 192k , and 176k to 96k.  I do this for my digitalized LP collection - which I did at 32bit 176k.
 
The sound with some good tubes is very good stock and really near sota with mods.  For me the best is the rich natural tone - man do piano, guitar, & violins sound good.  Realistic resonance.

 

[rb2013]

Using the Wyrd for Sound Remedy with the Modded DAC60 - and it works great!  Powering the Remedy with a high quality R-core linear power supply TeraDak DC-30W.  Very sweet.  The Remedy reclocks the signal with femto, ultra low phase noise Crystek CCHD-957 - so it acts as the master clock over the DAC60 through the coax S/PDIF connection.  And better yet the clock is on a completely separate power line - in my case a well filtered LPS one.  The Remedy also automatically up-samples to 96K and can handle 24 bits no problem.
 
 
A great match to the DAC60




 
TeraDak R-core LPS DC-30W (SB30W)

 

[m0reilly]

hey, rb, i was looking at these a bit ago. so it really overrides the dac clock? this alone (crystek) would be worth the price for me (i stopped short re replacing the dac60 clock. it just sounds so good).

 

[rb2013]

  hey, rb, i was looking at these a bit ago. so it really overrides the dac clock? this alone (crystek) would be worth the price for me (i stopped short re replacing the dac60 clock. it just sounds so good).

Yes - the clock on the S/PDIF acts as the master:  What was a disadvantage of S/PDIF now becomes an advantage.
 
I'm using an el-cheapo digital cable between the Remedy and the DAC60.  Using the excellent Audio Sensibilities Ref SPDIF coax between the Breeze and the Remedy.  The Remedy needs a good LPS really make a difference.  I got my Remedy on Audiogon for $325
 
I have this ViaBlue connector coming - to mount on the back of the Breeze or DAC60 - whichever sounds best.  I'm also using the 75ohm BNC output with a BNC to RCA adpater- just a tad better then the RCA out.
 
Also the Regen into the Breeze has nice synergies with the DAC60.
 
Cheers!

BTW You have to read the excellent review in the Oct 2015 issue of The Absolute Sound on the Monarchy NM24 DAC/Pre (basically a Lite DAC60 with a pre-amp section and optional SS output section).  The reviewer Dick Olsher gave the $1590 NM24 rave reviews.  I'll post some of his comments when I get the chance.  But he said that TI (Burr-Brown) wll stop production of the PCM1704 at the end of 2015 - to expensive ot make - really sad.  I see Digikey is already out of stock on the top grade U-K versions.
 
I was going to buy another couple pairs for the future - maybe I'll get a few stock DAC60s and put them away - I bet they'll be going for a fortune down the road.

 

[m0reilly]

any issue just switching out the mounted rca for a bnc fitting? if the rca plug is for spdif, shouldn't the dac60 input be 75ohm?

 

[m0reilly]

im ordering a chassis mounted bnc and one of those silver core oyaide bnc cables, see what happens...

 

[rb2013]

any issue just switching out the mounted rca for a bnc fitting? if the rca plug is for spdif, shouldn't the dac60 input be 75ohm?

Yes you could do that. Don't know how much that might help. Most of the better S/PDIF cables are of course RCA. I upgraded the gold plated brass CRC RCA spdif connector to an Eichman pure copper, exact 75 ohm rca. It did make a nice improvement. I had bought a pair of the Eichman's so will use the other one in my Breeze DU-U8 USB bridge.

 

[m0reilly]

that's odd rerca  spdif cables, as i thought rca fittings can't really do true 75 ohm...oh well, order the female bnc fitting from mouser, the fancy silver cable is up next