New DAC hopefully <$2000, need significant step up from Benchmark DAC-1
Oct 21, 2006 at 8:12 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 39
daba

daba

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Hey all,

So one day I'll own a EMM Labs DAC, but until that day I want something that's good. I'm thinking about a Sonic Frontiers SFD2, Mark Levinson No. 36, or ... what else? No Lavry DA10 or Stello DA220 as I consider those more or less side steps. I haven't heard the first two DAC's I mentioned. Budget should be <$2000 used (I hope!).

Anyways, needs to have at least optical and coax inputs, and also must be balanced. Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 8:36 AM Post #4 of 39
Simple, get Nordot Vahalla cables, then your DAC1 will sound like a $3K DAC!
tongue.gif


Honestly though, I'd wait for user and professional reviews of the Bel Canto DAC3 and maybe some used units to show up on Audiogon (since you're considering the Levinson, I'm assuming that used is an option).
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 8:53 AM Post #6 of 39
Hey gevorg, you're right with the HD650's as not the most detailed headphones, but I do enjoy the bass and don't feel like shelling out $1600+ for the HE60. I'd like to keep my DAC1 stock. The reason I feel there is an upgrade path is because I heard a lower-end modded Sonic Frontiers DAC which definitely had some strengths over the DAC1.
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 11:54 AM Post #7 of 39
Listening to my Stello 220 mkII and Bel Canto Dac3, I believe they are both better across the board than the Benchmark (though I don't have one to directly compare), the latter by more than the former. I don't know how much of a plus/minus you mean by "more or less sidesteps" to say whether the former is enough better to suit you. Only your ears could answer that. I got the Bel Canto for less than $2k on Audiogon 5 weeks ago supposedly but not detectably used and saw another just after it listed a little higher as new for under that also. These seem to be 'flukes' related to its just becoming available to dealers and, I get the impression, to an early rumor among dealers that it was thin in the lower midrange, which I have not detected. This does suggest there is indeed hope of getting one in your price range.

Also, I can't say about the HD650 but I have been using balanced Black Dragon HD600 (awaiting the recabling of my R10 for balanced). They are fully capable of revealing and thus conveying benefits from differences in these dacs, though maybe the R10 will reveal even more.
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 1:16 PM Post #8 of 39
Sig step up from DAC1? Not going to happen.

You can change the flavour but nothing out there is going to offer a step up in resolution or detail retrieval. The 2 DACs you listed would be downgrades however from a performance stand point. Very different colour though.

Choices that would give you different flavour without loss would be:

Electro ECD1
Bel Canto DAC3
Stello DA220/MKII
MF Tri-Vista 21

The Stello being the most DAC1 like. Just taken to the next level with discrete output, dual supplies and such.

But as said if you are looking for a large step up look elsewhere. I'm not a fan of the Dynahi as a headphone amp and the Senn 650 though better than most headphones under ~$1000USD has stiff competition in some areas from cans above that.
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 3:20 PM Post #9 of 39
Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude
Sig step up from DAC1? Not going to happen.

You can change the flavour but nothing out there is going to offer a step up in resolution or detail retrieval.


Perhaps so if you are subsuming nature of sound stage, clarity, openness, timbre of instruments, tightness of bass, frequency balance and extension, etc, under "flavour"? Dacs affect a lot more than resolution and detail, which no doubt the DAC1 excels at. Even there, though, do you really think it cannot be meaningfully surpassed?
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 5:04 PM Post #10 of 39
If you are using speakers, have you built bass traps for your listening room yet? I would do that before spending a ton more on another DAC because from everything i've read over the years here, you aren't going to get much better than a DAC1
 
Oct 22, 2006 at 12:31 AM Post #13 of 39
Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude
Sig step up from DAC1? Not going to happen.


I woudln't be so sure. Not all people like the detailed and bright sound the DAC1 produces. For them even something like a Zhalou would be a significant upgrade. No equipment regardless of how expensive of well designed will suit all tastes.
 
Oct 22, 2006 at 3:14 AM Post #15 of 39
Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok
Oh crap, I forgot to mention:

http://www.lessloss.com


yeah they even have a word clock out
 
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