[zerodeefex]

I had a benchmark DAC2 HGC. I strongly prefer the wyrd > ciunas > transDAC stack down converting everything to 16/44 over the DAC2 with all formats including DSD.

The TransDAC is a little performer and can be had for cheap if you can find one.

 

[V-DiV]

Zoom, I had looked briefly at the Dangerous Source website but am skeptical that you can truly get excellent USB conversion + excellent digital to analog conversion + excellent output stage plus all of the studio functions in one box for its reasonable price.  Plenty of gain ("rarely go past 12o clock") doesn't say much about quality of sound.  I don't get my Bijou much past 8 o'clock.  I need to lower the gain so I can use more of my stepped attenuator volume control.  But that won't change the quality of the amplification.
 
Zerodeefex, do you think you like the transDAC stack better than Benchmark because of a more forgiving sound from the transDAC or because of better USB conversion?  Why would you down-convert.  I would think better, smoother sound would be had by up-converting or native.

 

[Klots]

Any point getting Taurus mk2 instead of BH Mainline if i can get them both at the same price?

 

[preproman]

 
Balanced output would be nice to keep options open, but not necessary.  I believe there are some excellent single-ended amps, and Donald North builds single-ended input, balanced output amps (at least Sonnet II).
 
So you liked the tone of the Octave MkII best of the three with HD800?  Do/did you send the Octave native 44.1 or up-sampled?   I would love to go for the Hex but that is stretching the budget too far.
 
Also, I don't care about the preamp options (or paying for them).  I don't have any plans to build a nice speaker system.  My wife could care less about hi-end sound.  So I'll keep it to myself.  

 
Also there are a few Master 7s with HDMI inputs on the for sale forums.  The Master 7 with a DI-2014 (HDMI) would be pretty good choice.

 

[Zoom25]

  Zoom, I had looked briefly at the Dangerous Source website but am skeptical that you can truly get excellent USB conversion + excellent digital to analog conversion + excellent output stage plus all of the studio functions in one box for its reasonable price.  Plenty of gain ("rarely go past 12o clock") doesn't say much about quality of sound.  I don't get my Bijou much past 8 o'clock.  I need to lower the gain so I can use more of my stepped attenuator volume control.  But that won't change the quality of the amplification.
 

I was super skeptical as well when I ordered in just on the features alone. You'll find a lot more reviews on the Source at gearslutz with people comparing it to a lot more expensive DACs. So far I haven't found one person that didn't like it as a DAC or that it doesn't compete sound wise. I get great results with USB running Amarra and Audirvana in optimized mode. AES works just as well. No clock problems on either input.
 
I've tried between pretty much all the top dynamics and planars (HE-400, HE-500, HE-6, LCD-2, LCD-3) on the Source and the HD800 by far complements it the best. I only have the HD800 because of the Source. The sound quality is really transparent and never fatiguing. In over a year I've never even thought of any mods or whatsoever. The sound signature is maintained at all volume levels. The bass and vocals are probably the best thing I love about the HD800 and Source combo.
 
I see you're in the US. I would highly recommend getting a trial. At the very least as a DAC, there is absolutely no reason to not consider this besides DSD.

 

[V-DiV]

Sounds great. I'll have to look more into the Source.
Thanks,
Vic

 

[pearljam50000]

I've read some reports about distortion when deep bass is played, at the Abyss thread, have you guys exprienced any distortion with the HD800?

 

[Priidik]

Any point getting Taurus mk2 instead of BH Mainline if i can get them both at the same price?

Have you tried HDVA600, you can audition one locally at Valiheli. 

 

[V-DiV]

Are they referring to distortion of the headphones from overdriving them or distortion in the amp because it can't drive the phones? I've never heard bass distortion on my HD800s but I don't play them at overly high volumes. Trying to preserve my ears, the were dulled enough in the old days playing in bands.

 

[koiloco]

  I've read some reports about distortion when deep bass is played, at the Abyss thread, have you guys exprienced any distortion with the HD800?

Nope, I've ran very low freq test tracks on my HD800 and to my ears, I couldn't detect/hear any audible distortion.  But then, I am driving mine with a tube amp so you know how that goes. 

 

[V-DiV]

I had a benchmark DAC2 HGC. I strongly prefer the wyrd > ciunas > transDAC stack down converting everything to 16/44 over the DAC2 with all formats including DSD.

The TransDAC is a little performer and can be had for cheap if you can find one.

Did you ever run the ciunas into the benchmark to see how the usb conversion compared?

 

[zerodeefex]

Zoom, I had looked briefly at the Dangerous Source website but am skeptical that you can truly get excellent USB conversion + excellent digital to analog conversion + excellent output stage plus all of the studio functions in one box for its reasonable price.  Plenty of gain ("rarely go past 12o clock") doesn't say much about quality of sound.  I don't get my Bijou much past 8 o'clock.  I need to lower the gain so I can use more of my stepped attenuator volume control.  But that won't change the quality of the amplification.

Zerodeefex, do you think you like the transDAC stack better than Benchmark because of a more forgiving sound from the transDAC or because of better USB conversion?  Why would you down-convert.  I would think better, smoother sound would be had by up-converting or native.

Nope. Plankton extraction is (surprisingly) slightly better on the TransDAC from what I remember of the DAC2 and tonal balance is better although it's a little smoother than I'd like.

The DAC2 tries to smooth over the SABRE treble resulting in an overall loss of resolution. The X-Sabre does a bit better job than the DAC2 does. Something funny going on with the DAC2, but oli enjoyed it at the time. Not the DAC I'd choose north of $1500, though. At that price I'd use a modi 2 uber or geek out 450 and save the difference for the yggdrasil.

 

[zerodeefex]

Did you ever run the ciunas into the benchmark to see how the usb conversion compared?

Didn't have the Ciunas at the time. But doubtful as USB was better than coax on the DAC2.

 

[V-DiV]

At that price I'd use a modi 2 uber or geek out 450 and save the difference for the yggdrasil.

 
That's another possibility, to save my money for the moment until I can rationalize paying for an amp in the next price level up.  By that time there would be a lot of opinions on the Yggdrasil with the HD800.  I think my Channel Island Audio VDA-2 DAC is ok for now if I improve the data link from the computer to it.  The few reviews of it that were available when I got it suggested that it was in the same ballpark as the Benchmark Dac 1 and the PS DLIII.  That's why I asked about the Ciunas.

 

[V-DiV]

   
That's another possibility, to save my money for the moment until I can rationalize paying for an amp in the next price level up.  By that time there would be a lot of opinions on the Yggdrasil with the HD800.  I think my Channel Island Audio VDA-2 DAC is ok for now if I improve the data link from the computer to it.  The few reviews of it that were available when I got it suggested that it was in the same ballpark as the Benchmark Dac 1 and the PS DLIII.  That's why I asked about the Ciunas.

This begs the question, does a DAC such as Octave or M51 leave one wanting a better front end for the HD800 or will it satisfy so that one can spend one's time/money pursuing great music?  And if this level DAC is not an end point, is a PWD or Yggdrasil or Hex, or BADA or QB-9 an end point, or does it never end?