Lohb
Headphoneus Supremus
Only the PCM63 & PCM65 chips are better. Which are even older & only available in vintage equipment?
PCM63 pulled from old DAC units, can be found in new equipment such as Lite Audio/Teradak etc
Only the PCM63 & PCM65 chips are better. Which are even older & only available in vintage equipment?
Erin - Thanks for your thoughts! Regarding the Lite DACs, were you referring to the DAC68 or the DAC60? From the data pages I can find the DAC68 uses a AD1853 while the DAC60 is PCM1704.
Well, agree that it doesn't sound forward. But it doesn't sound backward either. On he rest of your characterisation, I couldn't disagree more.
I have no experience with the DAC-68, so cannot comment other than to say a) it's a Delta Sigma DAC, b) it uses JFET in the first part of its output stage and c) the tubes are only there as a buffer to add to the sound. Maybe you like the sound of Delta Sigma and tube buffers. Not me, though. I do like properly designed tube output stages though, or class A solid-state, but for seemingly the opposite reasons to you - which is totally cool.
I also disagree with a lot of his rankings, but I didn't buy based on his opinion, and nor does it mean his reviews lack value. The points made about payment for services are not unusual, but notoriously difficult to prove (or show causality) with any reviewer. Using critical thinking is always good, however.
I am sorry I was discussing the dac60 with pcm1704. The design is rather irrelevant if it sounds great which it does. Great design and poor subjective sound isn't what I'm after. No I don't particularly like delta sigma sound. However I don't mind the intermediate hybrid r2r chips like lc7880. Some deltas can sound ok if not ab-ing them against an r2r.
If a blog has ads - its monetised. If money is involved then impartiality is compromised, and people choose to use different language than they may otherwise have used to describe something. Sure we all know the sound is subjective. But I rather prefer reviewers to say "I didn't like it" than scrounge to say something nice to say. Someone who likes everything in its own way is being far too nice. In this hobby where we spend our hard earned money we need reviewers who are harsh to help others avoid mistakes.
All dacs except NOS dacs have a flat frequent response. So I have no time for flat, grainy, digital, undynamic, polite or boring sound. Neither should anyone else. So I have no time for polite reviews which seek to offend no one and inform no one.
All dacs except NOS dacs have a flat frequent response. So I have no time for flat, grainy, digital, undynamic, polite or boring sound. Neither should anyone else. So I have no time for polite reviews which seek to offend no one and inform no one.
Ehhh? What rubbish is this??
If you are saying all R-2R have a rolled off response, that may be partly true as regards the upper treble limits. Though well implemented designs get around that. I think the inverse is true hear, many DS designs have an emphasises mid to upper treble energy that is full of sibilance and ugly edge. It sounds too hi-fi. Best way to test that is play it real loud. I bet many tracks you are rushing for the volume.
Try the same with a good R-2R and it stays on - loud and enjoyable.
The DS camp have to cling onto technical readouts and 'amazing' signal to noise ratios. The sound however doesn't bear fruit....
I read someone saying the Audio Note kit 5.1 is out soon. I heard that somewhere as well. It could prove to be a monster DAC killer, the photos I have seen look incredible. I think the price is real world as well, not Audio Note UK DAC 5 prices of over 30K US. I have the 4.1 and it is amazing, truly incredible sound.
The Cambridge 752BD bluray player has Wolfson DACs and sounds very fine to me, somehow significantly more refined and musical than Sabre DACs. But you never hear much about these, especially in the popular DACs you read about here in head-fi.
Is the Wolfson a sleeper off-the-shelf DAC that's under the radar and does anyone have impressions? Do any table-top-size (smaller profile size) DACs for headphone use have these? It's not a rolled off or undetailed sound, in fact it is
just as detailed and extended in the bass and highs as the Sabre in the Oppo as I hear it, but more natural.
I also prefer the Wolfson DAC Chips sonically to Sabre, more musical IMO.