[MikeW]

I said fair value, not dumbass zeos pantera hype value. If you want to pay 800 more power to you, the value will drop faster then a new car. Just toss money out the window everyday. There are stupidly better amps for 800 freaking dollars. It's good man, but you can buy 1200$-1500$ amps on the used market for 800$.

Someone in the ADI-2 thread recently bought one to pair with his ADI-2, and ended up prefering the ADI-2's built in head amp.. Many have sold there's already in favor of Liquid Plat, some prefer Jotunheim even.. 200$ all day used. Once the next drop is delivered you'll see another wave of them F/S as people get it and try it and realize it's not as great as they thought, or are underwhelmed. So that's my advice for people looking to score one, wait couple weeks after next drop is delivered.

 

[ReAlien]

Your impressions on advantages: emotion, mid coloration, forward staging, AKA distortion.

That's my guess as well. That's why I plan to buy some tube preamp to play with tube rolling and not roll PSUs.

 

[MikeW]

Tube preamp is a great idea, as is EQ.

 

[Fatdoi]

I just did recently. It was a custom made linear PS on a basis of some old Soviet lab-level PS with great stabilization stage and voltage level fine tuning. Maybe attempting it with more audiophile and expensive PS would bring some other results, Idk.
My impressions:

Advantages: more punchy and massive bass, on some tracks the music started to feel more emotional, in some cases, pleasant mids coloration occurred, more forward staging overall.
Disadvantages: decreased sound resolution and "airiness", the bass becomes messier, less controlled, which in most cases feels like a minus, some overtones disappear that I can hear with stock PSU, sometimes it's just more discomforting to listen overall

Out of 7 testing tracks, only one sounded more pleasing and interesting, a couple of tracks brought some mixed feelings and the rest definitely sounded worse.

As you can understand, I decided to use the stock one.)

Thanks for the comment, quite a few ideas I can look into...

 

[domho7]

what's your budget? Grace sdac and SMSL SU-8 Rev2 get decent reviews. Both xmos usb chipset. SMSL VMV D1 is a higher end option that uses xmos.

I am OK with 2k budget for a gd dac

 

[BrotherKathos]

I am OK with 2k budget for a gd dac

Metrum Onyx or Schiit Gungir Multibit are great options and both on my short list of next dacs.

 

[domho7]

OK tks noted.

 

[Relaxasaurus]

I am OK with 2k budget for a gd dac

RME ADI-2 DAC is a great option, not sure if it has xmos or not

 

[domho7]

RME ADI-2 DAC is a great option, not sure if it has xmos or not

I have written to them and their reply no xmos they using their own drivers.
I am using A&K SR15 and can have handshake compatibility with xmos dac.

 

[BrotherKathos]

I have written to them and their reply no xmos they using their own drivers.
I am using A&K SR15 and can have handshake compatibility with xmos dac.

Its really going to depend on what sound you are after. The RME ADI 2 is going to sound very similar to most delta sigma dacs even at the $100 price point, but will have more detail, and better imaging. It will still have the sharp zing of the delta sigmas though. The schiit multibit options will be a bit smoother, but will still have good musicality and the gungir will have a bit of a v shaped response with slightly recessed mids with the Yggdrasil being a bit more sharp and detailed. The Onyx will have the most linear, natural and non fatiguing sound, but to some will come off as plain and less engaging if they like certain boosted frequency ranges. This is info I've gathered from various impressions of people who have owned them all and compared. I'm personally leaning towards the Oynx, but I like a very linear and natural sound and don't care much for added 'detail' or boosted bass since I'm pairing the Onyx to some Audeze planars that have bass like no other hp anyway.

 

[MikeW]

Thanks for the comment, quite a few ideas I can look into...

The best idea is to not put 8000$ rims on 1993 civic. Just buy a Lamborghini from start.

 

[MikeW]

Its really going to depend on what sound you are after. The RME ADI 2 is going to sound very similar to most delta sigma dacs even at the $100 price point, but will have more detail, and better imaging. It will still have the sharp zing of the delta sigmas though. The schiit multibit options will be a bit smoother, but will still have good musicality and the gungir will have a bit of a v shaped response with slightly recessed mids with the Yggdrasil being a bit more sharp and detailed. The Onyx will have the most linear, natural and non fatiguing sound, but to some will come off as plain and less engaging if they like certain boosted frequency ranges. This is info I've gathered from various impressions of people who have owned them all and compared. I'm personally leaning towards the Oynx, but I like a very linear and natural sound and don't care much for added 'detail' or boosted bass since I'm pairing the Onyx to some Audeze planars that have bass like no other hp anyway.

He needs xmos interface specifically so anything other then that is a non-starter. You should not compare 100$ DS to end game DS in this way
Either, it’s a bit disengenous. Like saying a Yggy will sounds like a 250$ modi multibit.

DO not underestimate the extreme flexibility and customization an option like adi-2 affords, like user selectable filters, crossfeed, and PEQ. Game changingly powerful stuff. People mess around with interconnect, power cable, tubes and all manner of nonsense to find “their sound” which is highly subjective and personal, device like adi allows this freedom and should not be dismissed. Yeah I’m a fanboy

 

[Nautrachkfriend]

The best idea is to not put 8000$ rims on 1993 civic. Just buy a Lamborghini from start.

The Lamborghini version of the THX 789 being the Benchmark HPA 4

 

[BrotherKathos]

He needs xmos interface specifically so anything other then that is a non-starter. You should not compare 100$ DS to end game DS in this way
Either, it’s a bit disengenous. Like saying a Yggy will sounds like a 250$ modi multibit.

DO not underestimate the extreme flexibility and customization an option like adi-2 affords, like user selectable filters, crossfeed, and PEQ. Game changingly powerful stuff. People mess around with interconnect, power cable, tubes and all manner of nonsense to find “their sound” which is highly subjective and personal, device like adi allows this freedom and should not be dismissed. Yeah I’m a fanboy

Its not clear whether the xmos is needed, or just desired since its the latest tech of the week. There are instances of people getting rid of their yggys for the modi multibit and eitr combo, so they must be pretty close for people to choose that path. The adi 2 has nice customization and is an all in one unit, but the dac tech is certainly not 'end game' as far as d/s goes. It could only retail for $600 in the dac section if RME is making a good profit on it, which makes it mid-fi at best.

 

[MikeW]

Or perhaps Nerochrome HPA1 if your into the that kind of thing. I like a bit more soul, though that can be infused with a good tube-pre or EQ.