Hi everyone,
I need some opinions to make the decision between new R8HE, R7HE and HE7(1704).
I have had the reference 1 since 2009 . During the past 12 years, I upgraded my system from headphones to several levels of speakers, from integrated amp to McIntosh c500t + mc501s, but the reference 1 is the only component I never changed. I modified the input to HDMI i2s and the M7 firmware feeded by su1, u16 , diu8 and now Di20. I had a R2R7 2017 for couple months but felt the sound a little lean. Then I sold it. Due to the pandemic, I cancelled some vacation trips, then I have some money to upgrade the DAC.
My mean concerns are:
1, R8HE or R7HE can play DSD, HE7 is not. The R7HE has better with details and focus, is this a sufficient improvement over HE7? Are they bright or lean?
2, the R7 has external clock input, R8 is not. Dose the sound quality improve a lots with an external clock? I never use a clock before.
3, Except the clock, is there a sufficient sound different between the HE7 and HE8?