[purrin]

   
Purrin, will you consider the M1 as a good choice with an Eddie Curent 445 ?  Will it offer a good synergy ?  
 
(so far I am considering a TotalDAC for my 445 because it is R2R and...I know the maker of it, Vincent,  but I am open to other suggestion...in the "10.000$ max" range)

 
I'd for go the M1 if I had a warmer amp like the 2A3mk4. Actually, if you had 2A3mk4, I'd just say Schiit Yggy. It depends if you want warmer sound or not. I myself prefer a slightly warm sound - just a touch. It also depends if you want something that sounds more forgiving or pleasant vs something very resolving. Personally I'd just get the Yggy because I think it's better than the Theta Gen V, which with a proper transport is better than anything from MSB I've heard. But again it depends. Theta and Yggy are same school: extremely resolving with incredible stage, lots of slam, un-blunted attacks. I know a lot of people who would prefer a more slightly colored pleasant DAC that sounds good with almost everything. The MSB stuff sounds good with almost everything. I'm betting the TotalDAC is along these lines.
 
Otherwise any of the warmer sounding R2R DACs for 4-45. I have not heard TotalDAC. I don't think you can go wrong with MSB Analog. Make sure you get the power supply. Best way to get MSB is to find someone who got one of the more expensive units selling for cheaper. See here: http://app.audiogon.com/listings/da-converters-msb-technology-platinum-dac-iv-plus-signature-platinum-power-base-signature-volume-us-2014-11-14-digital-53593-verona-wi.
 
The issue with the MSB Analog is that you can only upgrade to a certain extent. This is why I recommend a used higher level MSB if you want to go that route, such as the one linked above. MSB is horribly overpriced with Porsche like options, so that kind of turns me off from them. But then again, the MSB Analog comes more capable than the entry level higher up line from MSB. And it is almost impossible to go wrong with the MSB Analog + power base.
 
Maybe you should get your amp first and use whatever DAC you currently have to get a reference of where to start. Someone told me that EC is selling 2A3mk4 again, but I am not sure and I have not checked.

 

[jacal01]

 
I know. It drives you nuts huh? Sometimes good to have friends to share the effort with you to determine which are the good masters. I have Rain Dogs on vinyl purchased back in the day. Will need to ask around for the best digital version.

 
The Japanese remastering is almost always of first rate competance, which is why they're usually signifcantly more expensive and rapidly disappear from availability.  Sometimes Germany or some other country distributor besides Japan is your last and only resort.  These Dogs remasterings were released just this year, so don't wait too long...

 
UK import remasters are generally a cut about the US releases as well.  Maybe they're not so much into compression rock.
 
@ tony-
I'm sure you're right.  I actually crossed the SACD 'Rubicon' a couple of years back.  I'm just smarter about the PCM conversion to DSD format much more recently.

 

[bmichels]

  ..... But then again, the MSB Analog comes more capable than the entry level higher up line from MSB. And it is almost impossible to go wrong with the MSB Analog + power base.
 
Maybe you should get your amp first and use whatever DAC you currently have to get a reference of where to start. Someone told me that EC is selling 2A3mk4 again, but I am not sure and I have not checked.

 
Thanks a lot for your precise answer. TotalDAC & MSB Analog (+power base) are indeed first on my list.
 
But, as you suggest, I will start to use my 445 (supposed to arrive in 2 days) with my HUGO and then, when it will be breaked-in and I will get used to it's sound, I will start to test some higher end DACs with it.  

 

[TooPoor]

Does anyone wish to comment on the WM8741 chip? I never really here about it (probably for a reason), but I've loved the dual set in my AGD 10.33 so far... I just picked up the HD800 and it sounds pretty good so far, waiting on my balanced Draug2 to really comment though.

 

[estreeter]

  TOTALDAC !!!  
Hello Mr. Bmichels ,
 
  I have been noticing this TotalDAC and the person behind it .   I too am considering a proper R2R DAC as in the MSB Analog DAC and the Antelope Pure 2 and the Schiit Yggy thing that Professor Mike Moffat of Schiit is about to release .
  It seems now ( today ) that prices for these technologies are falling into the range where nonprofessional Music lovers might be able to justify and afford owning such devices  .   The Vishay resistors can be purchased by the do-it-yourself group which may result in a infant birth of home-grown DACs , I am hopeful .   
  I see the DAC today in three quality levels : Good , Better , Best !  
The Good can be purchased from nearly every outlet for costs in the $100 US to $250 US Range .
The Better seem to start from $250 US and range up beyond $2,000 .
The Best seem to start at prices beginning around $5,000 and reach beyond $50,000 .
 
I will own one of the Best group , I don't know which , how can a person decide without certain confidance , the prices are high for speculations and simple trust , I'm not trusting reviewers to have the vocabulary and lexicon of accuracy to properly describe as DAC performance is more likened to Digital Film Cameras than to musical instruments .  Still , I'm thinking that time will reveal the Better performers from the not so good .   Jon Iverson seems intent to separate these Best DACs , he already own's the MSB Ananlog and does field testing of the others ( with the assistance of his Audio Club )  , Iverson is a reviewer for Sterophile ( which is primarily an Analog Magazine but now leaning to the Digital ) .
  Overall , I feel the preponderance of the little white wires hanging from so many peoples ears is actually the driving force behind the Digital Movement , we can anticipate a growing number of these portable player people graduating to better Home Music , accurate Musical renderings from available DACs will improve as the Market for them develops . 
 
I am hopeful .
 
Tony in Michigan 

 
 
Tony, I'm wondering if you may have missed the part where purrin added the two vintage R2R DACs and ruled a line straight through everything else below them ? Perhaps I took this too literally - bolding is mine :
 
October 24, 2014 Update:
The two DACs in Class E can no longer be obtained. They are superior to all other DACs on this list. Like far superior. So much superior that I wouldn't bother with anything in the classes below. The unfortunate thing is that they are no longer being made. They were designed in the 90s: the golden age of R2R DACs. They offer vinyl like smoothness - no sigma-delta hash. They offer texture and tonal density not found on anything not R2R. They growl, scream, kick. They offer superior microdynamic contrast. It's really hard to put into words.
 
Not sure that I completely agree with you re the price of current R2R offerings, but I guess it's all relative - compared to the dCS offerings, they're all 'affordable', but from memory I think Yggy will be the only modern offering under 5k USD and that's my idea of 'affordable'. 

 

[tonykaz]

Hello Thailand Mr.estreeter ,  
 
I think everyone realizes this .  
The Recording industry had and has these older technologies , they produced excellent 16/44.1 but consumer electronics fell far short of the mark in quality , that quality gap is now closing for Consumers !  
It seems the new benchmark price point for high Quality DACs begins around the $2,500 level , I hope it continues to become even more accessible ! ,  we are just now seeing two such converters about to be released both from respectable Companies :  Antelope & Schiit .   I hope more will follow .  
  16/44.1 continues , 24/96 joins it and dominates the video side of Audio reproduction , top realized bit depth is around 20 bits which equates to 120 db of dynamic range .  No consumer gear is now capable of greater than 120 db of dynamic range ( for all practical purposes ) .  As of today , only OPPO claim dynamic range capability of their headphones & little headphone amp .  I hope others will also build to this capability .
  Things are looking very good for us civilian Music lovers and affordable reproduction equipment , I could say it's never been this good ( the Vinyl people might disagree ) .
  We live in exciting times .
 
Tony in Michigan  

 

[ogodei]

  Does anyone wish to comment on the WM8741 chip? I never really here about it (probably for a reason), but I've loved the dual set in my AGD 10.33 so far... I just picked up the HD800 and it sounds pretty good so far, waiting on my balanced Draug2 to really comment though.

 
PS Audio PerfectWave 2.

 

[TooPoor]

PS Audio PerfectWave 2.

Not sure how I missed that... Regardless, the Rag/Yggy seem like the setup I'll end up with. Continuing to hear great things about them both. Any potential pricing updates on the Yggy? I'm still catching up on the Rag/Yggy thread.

 

[Defiant00]

Not sure how I missed that... Regardless, the Rag/Yggy seem like the setup I'll end up with. Continuing to hear great things about them both. Any potential pricing updates on the Yggy? I'm still catching up on the Rag/Yggy thread.

 
Either $2300 or $2399, I can't remember for sure right now.

 

[listen4joy]

really good thread of the best Dacs out there. only 2 Dacs missing here i think
AMR DP 777 and 
Ayre QB-9
 
Bravo Purrin! 
 
i sure that future Yggy will place high as well

 

[bmichels]

  really good thread of the best Dacs out there. only 2 Dacs missing here i think
AMR DP 777 and 
Ayre QB-9
 
Bravo Purrin! 
 
i sure that future Yggy will place high as well

 
yes, expecialy now that there is a new DP777 SE upgraded version.

 

[listen4joy]

i forgot MSB oh well... 

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Would be good to also review the Chord Electronics Qute and QBD76HD as these two DACS have rave reviews in the HiFi World !

 

[estreeter]

Would be good to also review the Chord Electronics Qute and QBD76HD as these two DACS have rave reviews in the HiFi World !

 
I suspect that you may be in the wrong thread for those two DACs, but I would be interested in hearing purrin's opinion of the totaldac and the phasure nos-1a, assuming he's heard them. 

 

[lestuan]

Me, too. Still waiting for his value input about these DAC.