[punit]

  Question/advice needed:
 
I've sold my bifrost and now have enough money for either the HA-1 or a used NAD m51. Currently I have the Crack amp with the 800 and like the sound of it. 
 
I curious about the HA-1 and also about going balanced with the 800. So should I upgrade the source with the NAD or go with HA-1 with the Sabre dac?

I had the HD 800 + Crack + AGD NFB-7. Was a Great pairing.Very musical, with good bass. Recently sold the Crack to move up on the OTL ladder.

 

[preproman]

I'd go with the NAD as well, unless you'er looking for an all in one unit.

 

[Sorrodje]

I'd choose the NAD too. Read many good things about this DAC and I'm curious about it

 

[pdrm360]

I'd back to the Uberfrost since it has almost as same sound quality as the M51, IMO.   

 

[Mortalcoil]

The NAD does get some stellar reviews overall.
 
It would be my choice if I had the $$ right now.  If I had even more $$$$ I would be looking at the Berkley Alpha DAC (the new reference series) or perhaps the Mytek Manhattan.
 
So yeah ....back to reality for a sec ....I would shoot for the NAD, seems like a good value.

 

[SilverEars]

Anedio D2 in da haaaaauuuuussss. Yeah!  Clean, very clean.  

 

 

[MattTCG]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm very much leaning towards the NAD option. I've read over and over how crucial the dac is for the overall performance of the 800. I'll likely pickup the NAD this week. 
 

 

[SilverEars]

This is interesting, pop/electronic doesn't sound bad with the D2(not as bad as what I've been experiencing with other gears).  It gives it finer treble than what I expect of the HD800 output with compressed music.  My preconceived notions of 800 not doing well certain genre has been broken.  Yes, the better master will sound better, but with the D2 compressed recordings sound better than I thought they would.  I hear details that I expect even of compressed music and the treble is so horribly done being really thick and piercing, and it outputs it better than what I thought 800 should perform as people were saying garbage in, garbage out.  I'm liking the D2 with HD800.  

  Based on my experience running into two ES9018(non-mobile) based sources, 9018 is not so piercingly sharp sounding as I thought. My ODAC is 9023 possibly it's treble is not as fine, but bolder and piercing.
 
D2 seems to make the HD800 output resolved sound even of the typically compressed genre such as electronic/pop.
 
This all I wanted from the HD800 and I think the HD800 does that with the D2.

 

[Failed Engineer]

The D2 is an amazing, underrated DAC.  I love the HD800 from my D2/Headamp GS-1.  Precise, clean, yet cohesive and not sterile or have piercing treble.  Even better and truly end game pairing with the ECP L-2.
 
Straight out of the D2 headphone out it's very attention grabbing but would get fatiguing on the treble after a couple of hours.  It's also a bit thin sounding from the headphone out.

 

[SilverEars]

  The D2 is an amazing, underrated DAC.  I love the HD800 from my D2/Headamp GS-1.  Precise, clean, yet cohesive and not sterile or have piercing treble.  Even better and truly end game pairing with the ECP L-2.
 
Straight out of the D2 headphone out it's very attention grabbing but would get fatiguing on the treble after a couple of hours.  It's also a bit thin sounding from the headphone out.

I don't find it to be thin, but if you have have source that create a wider stage, you probably notice the difference.  The bass and mids sound very good out of it, but I think the treble can be improved.  There is a disconnect in the way the details are presented with the treble.  There is the really bold treble and upper mids, and it's lacking something between.  So, there is a bit of contrast between the treble where the hash treble is at and the upper mids.  More likely it's the recordings and headphones of course, but I thought the D2 is getting better at presenting details in the popular genre of music without sounding so bad.  After trying my custom iem which is sounding bright, and the HD800 with the D2, I guess the characteristics of the ES9018 is a bit of contrast from the sharp treble to the upper mids.  This is probably so with electronic/pop, and I have listen more to better recordings to get a better hold of the D2's characterisitcs.

 

[koiloco]

^ some tube goodness might fix that issue for you.  

 

[kothganesh]

  Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm very much leaning towards the NAD option. I've read over and over how crucial the dac is for the overall performance of the 800. I'll likely pickup the NAD this week. 
 

You sold the Uberfrost? What, in your opinion, did it lack (may I ask) ?

 

[MattTCG]

  You sold the Uberfrost? What, in your opinion, did it lack (may I ask) ?

 
The uberfrost is a very good dac. But...I've heard the hd800 sound appreciably better on other dacs. I've been content with the bifrost for a long time, but I felt like if I could give the 800's a better source I'd be nearing the promised land. 

 

 

[Rossliew]

   
The uberfrost is a very good dac. But...I've heard the hd800 sound appreciably better on other dacs. I've been content with the bifrost for a long time, but I felt like if I could give the 800's a better source I'd be nearing the promised land. 

 

McIntosh D100? 

 

[pearljam50000]

What is the best sub 1000$ DAC for HD800?