Vintage/Current R2R DAC Owners Discussion, Insight, and Review Thread

[Wildcatsare1]

I was going to wait for the "trickle down" as well. The Monarcy is so much better, barring setting up another system I don't really need the Bifrost. Plus, Ears I Trust rave about the Kenzie.

 

[Voltot]

I read this http://xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html   then bought Apogee DA-1000

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Hey Guys,

Just picked up a Kenzie Headamp, will arrive early next month. Beautiful tube amp, wondering if any of you have any experience with the Kenzie?

 

[MazzStrikers]

Guys!! Will need you to chime in on this one!! Just saw a pre-owned Wadia 12 DAC on the local forum for a very good price!! Dual AD1865N-Ks, fully balanced. Inputs are BNC and RCA SPDIF, AES/EBU and ST fibre. Seems pretty baller to me.

I'm thinking if this is even better sounding than my Theta I'll offset my Theta considering how much they can fetch nowdays. The AD1865N-K is said to be one of the best R2R DACs in existence, minimally playing in the same field as the PCM63.

Anyone heard the AD implementations on the Wadia, Audio Note etc and would like to share your experience? Would be even better if you could compare the Theta PCM63 experience vs the AD1865. Thanks!!

 

[audiosceptic]

I recently did a 2 month comparison between the Geek Pulse Xfi, Lynx Hilo, Audio Note 2.1 Rev B and a Wyred for Sound uDac through my BHSE and Stax SR-007 Mk I. I think DAC differences are very subtle and it was difficult to tell one from the other but at the end of the day I preferred the Audio Note with its AD1865N chip. There is something about the AD1865N that makes everything sound more organic.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

That, to me, the beauty of R2r DACs. Their pure, beautiful tonality compared to the thin sound I hear from Delta Sigma DACs.

 

[miceblue]

Oh there it is. I just saw this in today's "highest reputation" posts.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/763905/finding-a-dac-for-the-cavalli-liquid-carbon-only-four-months-to-go/1080#post_11877446

Might be interesting to read.

For what it's worth, I do think the Pulse X Infinity is one of the best Delta-Sigma implementation I've personally heard throughout the years.

I've been listening to the TDA1541 implementation in the Sony CDP-950 and although I think it has good synergy with my headphones (STAX SRS-2170 and AKG K701), it does have a certain colouration in the midrange that sounds pleasing.



I also have a ADC CD-100X that uses a Sony CX20152 non-oversampling DAC chip (it seems to use an integrator and bit-shifter rather than a current divider or something like what the TDA1541 seems to use). I should give that a listen, but it's kind of a hassle to lug these big boxes around, hahaha.
http://www.hobbyelectronics.it/techcorner/cdplayers/adc/adc_cd100x.pdf
http://pdf.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets/700/501821_DS.pdf

0.004% THD actually doesn't sound too bad for something from back in the 1980s. XD
The Yggdrasil in comparison is rated at less than 0.006% THD from 20-20,000 Hz at full output.

 

[adobotj]

Need help. Anyone here has a theta cobalt 307? Need info on its power supply. All I know is that it's 110v. I'll be using a transformer as my country has 220v mains. I want to know if this is just okay (using a transformer) and what is the rated wattage consumption so that I could buy a specific transformer that is able to supply it's consumption. Thanks in advance!

Edit: Nevermind. Tried it with what I have at the house and it's working great so far. Transformer is 110v 75W (for future reference).

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Well, how does your Theta sound?

For those of you who have Tidal, or have access to the disc, Dr. Chesky Binurial Recording. On my Monarchy, Taurus Mk2, HD800 it is unreal! Highly recommended for a fun listen.

For the more technical among us, has anyone ever ranked multi-bit chips by sonic attributes?

 

[Wildcatsare1]

One take on my question:

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/conversion.htm

 

[coli]

Yup, the 1bit PS Audio DirectStream DAC sounds like a piece of **** compared to 24bit R2R NOS Dacs. I was reminded of the analog broadcast sound of the 90s when I got the Metrum DAC. This industry really have been going backwards in sound quality for the last 10 years while increasing the price. We are such suckers.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

I know coli, I totally fell for the "it's newer technology, so it is must be better" lie.

I want to try one of Bob's tube 1704 based DACs, but I have no interest (nor can afford) in taking the huge financial plunge to aquite the better sounding Delta Sigma DACs.

 

[sheldaze]

Paragraph 9 is interesting:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-first-victim-alek-jk-47
 
I plan to meet with a fellow headphone enthusiast in future, quieter settings. However connected through his Schiit Ragnarok and Audeze LCD-X headphones, at an audio show on this past Sunday, neither of us could decipher a difference between my Gungnir Multibit and his Gungnir original. I personally have not listened to Delta Signa DACs costing more than the Yggdrasil (an R2R, I know - but just a price reference, and the DAC used in the link).

 

[Wildcatsare1]

sheldaze Thanks for sharing, what a fantastic experience it must have been listening to Tyl's incredible setup!!!

The biggest difference in the Yggy and the Antelope is price depending on the version Tyl has. The entry level is priced similarly to the Yggy, but a fully loaded one is pushing $4k.

IMO, there are great Delta Sigma and R2R DACs out there, it's just that the price for sonic greatness is much higher for multi-bit. Especially when one considers the fantastic vintage R2R DACs available.

 

[ThePianoMan]

Implementation is key too. A well implemented D/S can sound mighty fine. Heck the chip in an iPhone isn't half bad as a DAC to be completely honest (try it sometime... You might be surprised!) and for its price point obviously. That said, R2R is the more theoretically pure approach. Potato potahto.