[KrauserX91]

Dont know if I missed some post or no one talking about it, but what about the Sonnet Morpheus? ZMF is official dealer and Zach praised it, so should it be a safe bet for ZMF and to be considered as another option in case you cannot try DAC in your area?

It was one of my options but it couldn't has USB and I2S at the same time and I dont know how is the USB implementation, while the Spring 3 had more ports options and its known to have good USB implementation. Thats said, besides the sound, the ports and their implementations is another thing to consider depending on your preferences (less than sound, but something to consider, right?)

The Frerot was another option since Monsterzero was talking about the DAC1 (I think Caldera post), but again, I was lacking information and the dealer here near me had it but they dont loan. Damn, is so hard to choose when one lives far from hifi events like CanJam or loaners and cannot test anything, almost the only option is to blindpick based on people opinions.

 

[haasaaroni]

Damn, is so hard to choose when one lives far from hifi events like CanJam or loaners and cannot test anything, almost the only option is to blindpick based on people opinions.

This is what return policies are for! If you have access to stores that offer reasonable ones.

Honestly, even hearing something at a hifi show or shop can be deceiving. You never really know how you’ll like something (in your environment, through your system, with your headphones) until you take it home and live with it for a little bit.

 

[jinxy245]

This is what return policies are for! If you have access to stores that offer reasonable ones.

Honestly, even hearing something at a hifi show or shop can be deceiving. You never really know how you’ll like something (in your environment, through your system, with your headphones) until you take it home and live with it for a little bit.

^^So much this. ^^

Many times what's flashy & catchy on the showroom (or convention) floor becomes fatiguing at home. That extra clarity in the treble, or the low end heft will sound very different in your own quieter environment.

Although you should never listen for extended periods at high volume, in demo situations it might be preferred to get a better handle on the sound signature.

It is possible to get it right with patience & some good advice from "ears you trust". Find some equipment you're familiar with & read reviews on that piece. Often you can find a reviewer with preferences similar to your own.

Keep asking questions and good luck!

 

[KrauserX91]

^^So much this. ^^

Many times what's flashy & catchy on the showroom (or convention) floor becomes fatiguing at home. That extra clarity in the treble, or the low end heft will sound very different in your own quieter environment.

Although you should never listen for extended periods at high volume, in demo situations it might be preferred to get a better handle on the sound signature.

It is possible to get it right with patience & some good advice from "ears you trust". Find some equipment you're familiar with & read reviews on that piece. Often you can find a reviewer with preferences similar to your own.

Keep asking questions and good luck!

The Spring 3 was a blind pick for my first R2R NOS and I think depending on my mood sometimes is perfect, sometimes is too laid back for my tastes and I would like to add some spices, but here I think the HA-300 (or any good tube amp) is the key with tube rolling. I dont know yet whether it is a thing of the R2R NOS in general, I mean, the laid back presentation and how much the sound can change between them. I coudn't know what was a laid back presentation until I hear the Spring 3, because I think there is no way to listen that with a delta sigma or Schiit multibit, and after hundred of hours listening in S3 I perfectly know what is it this characteristic. What I mean, even if you read reviews or advices, sometimes you cannot know if it is a good choice until you listen it, and that is what really will make you to choose more wisely the next time.

 

[ItHz]

In terms of budget I'm currently in a bit of a hazy $1-2k USD range. [...] Space is a big deciding factor for me

Given those two criteria, the Chord Qutest comes to mind. I use a Hugo 2 (the DAC portion is the same as in the Qutest) when I travel and have been very satisfied.

 

[shwnwllms]

The Spring 3 was a blind pick for my first R2R NOS and I think depending on my mood sometimes is perfect,

Are you upsampling via HQPlayer? If not you’re just scratching the surface of the Spring 3 and there may be better DACs in that price range if you’re just feeding it NOS redbook or hi-res. Magic in Holo Audio happens at DSD 256 (or higher) and you can certainly change the presentation of the music with different modulators and filters in HQP to suit your mood

 

[Toonartist]

Given those two criteria, the Chord Qutest comes to mind. I use a Hugo 2 (the DAC portion is the same as in the Qutest) when I travel and have been very satisfied.

It's a terrific little DAC. Small enough to melt away from view if that's what's needed. It also responds well to improved power supplies either LPS or battery pack.

 

[LXMc]

Given those two criteria, the Chord Qutest comes to mind. I use a Hugo 2 (the DAC portion is the same as in the Qutest) when I travel and have been very satisfied.

Was actually just looking at this again. Originally had written it off as too expensive (hence the mojo 2) but some other options already go past it so I might as well keep it in the running. Easier to find and trial than many others as well.

 

[KrauserX91]

Are you upsampling via HQPlayer? If not you’re just scratching the surface of the Spring 3 and there may be better DACs in that price range if you’re just feeding it NOS redbook or hi-res. Magic in Holo Audio happens at DSD 256 (or higher) and you can certainly change the presentation of the music with different modulators and filters in HQP to suit your mood

I was feeding with HQP through Roon during a time but I didn’t continue because the 30 mins of trial. To buy the license of HQP is one of my tasks in the list, but I was first collecting tubes for the HA-300. I am using just the basic Roon over sampling meanwhile. But in my plans were to add an streamer like the Holo Red using Ethernet from PC to Red and I2S from Red to S3 to isolate from my gaming PC and use HQP heavy filters with the CUDA processing.

 

[shwnwllms]

I was feeding with HQP through Roon during a time but I didn’t continue because the 30 mins of trial. To buy the license of HQP is one of my tasks in the list, but I was first collecting tubes for the HA-300. I am using just the basic Roon over sampling meanwhile. But in my plans were to add an streamer like the Holo Red using Ethernet from PC to Red and I2S from Red to S3 to isolate from my gaming PC and use HQP heavy filters with the CUDA processing.

I2S doesn’t gain much on Spring or May since the USB implementation is so great anyway. As long as you have an NAA (Holo Red or otherwise) you’re fine since Ethernet is galvanically isolated. If you’re really worried about noise you can go fiber but it’s not necessary. I upsample with CUDA offload to DSD512 with EC from a gaming PC and I use an UP Gateway with Jussi’s image for an NAA (with a LPS for the NAA)

I’d suggest trying HQP again with the 30 min trial before looking to buy a different DAC, or just buy the license (certainly cheaper in the long run than a new piece of equipment)

Also an UP Gateway is only $200 + cost of a thumb drive to build your own NAA

 

[Monsterzero]

If you’re really worried about noise you can go fiber but it’s not necessary.

I feel like that is a situational thing. When I 'upgraded' to AQ Cinnamon ethernet cables, the SQ improved quite audibly, but so did the noise level in my chain. I kept most of my AQ Cinnamon cables in place, but the longest run I have, which is about 13', I replaced it with fiber optic cable and that eliminated the noise.

Not to mention that fiber optic cable+converters and LPSs is still cheaper than a comparble length of audiophile ethernet cables.

 

[shwnwllms]

I feel like that is a situational thing. When I 'upgraded' to AQ Cinnamon ethernet cables, the SQ improved quite audibly, but so did the noise level in my chain. I kept most of my AQ Cinnamon cables in place, but the longest run I have, which is about 13', I replaced it with fiber optic cable and that eliminated the noise.

Not to mention that fiber optic cable+converters and LPSs is still cheaper than a comparble length of audiophile ethernet cables.

Should have clarified. Speaking directly about noise from a gaming PC which is what you’re worried about when adding a gaming rig to your chain for HQP upsampling. Adding an NAA over Ethernet mostly eliminates this since your PC is not connected directly to your DAC. Noise in general is certainly situational and in most cases fiber will improve things.

 

[KrauserX91]

Sorry if the post is intended to be for amps only, but we need also the best DAC for our ZMF's!

I2S doesn’t gain much on Spring or May since the USB implementation is so great anyway. As long as you have an NAA (Holo Red or otherwise) you’re fine since Ethernet is galvanically isolated. If you’re really worried about noise you can go fiber but it’s not necessary. I upsample with CUDA offload to DSD512 with EC from a gaming PC and I use an UP Gateway with Jussi’s image for an NAA (with a LPS for the NAA)

I’d suggest trying HQP again with the 30 min trial before looking to buy a different DAC, or just buy the license (certainly cheaper in the long run than a new piece of equipment)

Also an UP Gateway is only $200 + cost of a thumb drive to build your own NAA

I have been using full HQP these two days and definitely the Spring 3 needs HQP in certains aspects.

I have no complains in the low and mids, but the uppers are clearly muted in this DAC making it too laid back. Now, using the sinc-L/LNS15/1.5m adds the sharpening I want to the intruments in the Caldera making them more aggresive. I didn't try this combination before with Caldera, but I am making an orchestra as enjoyable as with the Susvara, something that I didn't expect. This filter combination is also too demanding, making the 4090 to be at 15% load, and thats why I wanted to isolate the PC with streamer.

 

[shwnwllms]

Sorry if the post is intended to be for amps only, but we need also the best DAC for our ZMF's!



I have been using full HQP these two days and definitely the Spring 3 needs HQP in certains aspects.

I have no complains in the low and mids, but the uppers are clearly muted in this DAC making it too laid back. Now, using the sinc-L/LNS15/1.5m adds the sharpening I want to the intruments in the Caldera making them more aggresive. I didn't try this combination before with Caldera, but I am making an orchestra as enjoyable as with the Susvara, something that I didn't expect. This filter combination is also too demanding, making the 4090 to be at 15% load, and thats why I wanted to isolate the PC with streamer.

Sinc-L is nice but can be a bit sharp IMO

Try:
gauss long 1x
gauss hires-lp nx

ASDM7EC-Super

DSD256 (should be roughly the same load as PCM1.536)

 

[Rollnrock]

Hello, I wanted to share some brief impressions about the amp Beyerdynamic A20 that I recently purchased.

The very first time I heard/read from this amp was in the post by @senseitedj (page 142). Then other folks commented that Zach recommended it in the past for the ZMF DD and so I was curious about it and decide to do some research.

This is a simple, small-sized, well-built amplifier, with an unusual output impedance of 100ohms. I've read many times from Zach that a higher output impedance benefits the ZMF DD sounds, preventing them from becoming too dampened and getting better timbres, bass, etc. So, I said let’s try, looked in the used stuff market and got it from a local guy for a ridiculous less than 200€/$

It’s very simple with just one pair or RCA inputs, RCA outputs for preamp (not tested), two 6.3mm hp sockets and a soft volume knob, but it’s surprisingly powerful at 300ohms (I never pass above nine o’clock on the volume knob)

About the sound, I fully agree with what @senseitedj mentioned in his post. I would highlight (paired with a VO):

• Very good timbre. I love the timbre of the Verite, but the A20 enhances it. More natural, full-bodied and delicious. Both with instruments and voices.
• Nice instruments separation, with much air/space between them and lot of layers. It's as if the driver can breathe easier and the music flows and expands effortlessly.
• Wide and holographic soundstage. I’d say wider than deeper, but very nice nonetheless

In terms of FR, I wouldn’t call it a warm amplifier, but neutral-warm with a clear, detailed and sweet sound.

Bringing up what @jonathan c also commented about the A20 in a previous post (page 148), absolutely agree about the ability to reproduce the ambiance and reverb of the space where the music was recorded. It’s a pleasure to listen to live music

Anyway, excuse me if I seem too hype (may be the price I paid helps…). But I have tried other good amps (not direct A/Bing) and I think the A20 isn't far off. It punches above his original price of 500-600$ when paired with high impedance DDs. It's definitely a keeper for me and “absolutely acceptable for worry-free listening” (borrowed from @jonathan c)