Fun DAC comparisons

[HAL]

Back to having some fun listening to different DAC's with the audio group.

Have a stock Lite Audio DAC-60 coming to compare with the DAC-60 with the Sonic Craft Level 1+ DAC from Danny. Using an Oppo 981 as the transport driving the DAC's. Would be fun to compare it to the DAC-MAN that we heard at the VAGTG. :scratchchin:

It is also coming with a pair of Siemens CCa tubes that I want to try in the Dodd Audio preamp. Have a set of Philips Miniwatt 7308's and Amperex Bugle Boy Holland 6DJ8's to compare with the CCa's. Should make for interesting listening sessions. :yes:

[snock]

Back to having some fun listening to different DAC's with the audio group.

Have a stock Lite Audio DAC-60 coming to compare with the DAC-60 with the Sonic Craft Level 1+ DAC from Danny. Using an Oppo 981 as the transport driving the DAC's. Would be fun to compare it to the DAC-MAN that we heard at the VAGTG. :scratchchin:

It is also coming with a pair of Siemens CCa tubes that I want to try in the Dodd Audio preamp. Have a set of Philips Miniwatt 7308's and Amperex Bugle Boy Holland 6DJ8's to compare with the CCa's. Should make for interesting listening sessions. :yes:

Good stuff.

[zductive]

What specs would your DAC have?

Could some of you give me you opinions ---

I am a electrical/software design/test engineer looking for a little technical stimulation. Therefore, I have decided to design, program and build a multi-channel DAC with a re-clocking circuit to reduce jitter to a very small number.

The dac will use wolfson wm8742 dacs. "The new 24-bit 192kHz DAC device combines an exceptional signal to noise ratio of 123dB (stereo) with Wolfson’s low out-of-band noise, world-class linearity and a unique combination of programmable advanced digital filters."

1 - would you prefer a DAC that has only two channels or one that is modular and can provide from two to eight channels.

2 - This IC has a lot of capability with its internal filters. Would the audiophile want those capabilities to be brought out and made available.

3 - The interface can either be through a front panel display (TFT). If I went that route, the unit would use a single board computer. This would allow a nice graphical user interface. That interface could show spectral details of any channel and could possibly show the room distortion in near real time. Alternately, the interface could be through a network interface. That interface would allow/force the interface to be hosted on another platform.

What would be your dream machine? Anyone care to share a spec list?

Sorry about the thread hijack. I just figured that those that would look at this thread would have some strong opinions.


Zductive

[HAL]

Fellow EE here.

Have you tried breadboarding the Wolfson DAC in a simple configuration and compare it to other well regarded DAC's? The specs are very good, but the implementation in the many sections including the audio section will be key to the overall sound quality.

The reason I am trying the DAC-60's is this is the first fully passive I/V conversion stage DAC with a tube output stage I have tried. This has some interesting +'s and -'s from what I am hearing. The DAC is a BB PCM1704 24bit/96KHz multibit DAC unit that is very highly regarded in reviews of units using that device.

Ongoing mods to this unit will be interesting to compare to the stock unit once it arrives. The key is having a reference unit to start to make matched level A/B comparisons.

Just some thoughts.

[the7comeback7kid]

Anyone play with one of these? http://www.audiophileproducts.com/fubar3
Price seems right.
I am hoping I see a large improvement over a usb creative x-fi

Edit:

Also http://www.audiophileproducts.com/fubar2 for fun without headphone amp.
The etching on the little country on the same site is flipping awesome looking though

[HAL]

If the only type of files you are playing back are 16bit/44.1KHz stereo or mp3 that will work.

HiRez music files will need a DAC with 24bit/48KHz or higher sample rates to work for playback from the PC.

You might look at the M-Audio Audiophile USB unit as a comparison to the Fubar III. I use one to digitize LP's at 24bit/96KHz and it sounds very good to me.

[the7comeback7kid]

I will be playing flac files. So I will def need something beefier. Obviously need USB. I am considering holding out for the dacman. Any other good ones that won't burn a hole in your wallet?

[Josuah]

Unless your FLAC files came from something other than regular CDs, you don't need support for anything more than 16-bit 44.1kHz. ?

[the7comeback7kid]

Just lossless files ripped from cd. Not sure what kind of support is needed for them tho

[HAL]

For CD's, 16bit/44.1KHz is fine.

If you listen to HiRez files like DVD-A, you need the 24bit/48KHz+ capability.

[Josuah]

Well, most audio DACs won't decode DVD-A or SACD, so that wouldn't work to my knowledge. The only time I've seen DVD-A or SACD transmitted digitally is over HDMI.

If your source will allow interpolation, upsampling, or oversampling, and you like that, then you might want a DAC that supports higher resolutions and sample rates. Many DACs will do that internally, because people usually assume 24-bit and 192kHz is better than 16-bit and 44.1kHz.

The downside is that DACs usually perform worse at higher sample rates. And unless you're attempting to apply filter transforms, going from 44.1kHz to 192kHz doesn't buy much. 16-bit to 24-bit would be more interesting.

[arthurs]

Hal, I have Danny's level 2 DAC-60 here and it's pretty sweet. I'll be curious to hear your impressions of the level 1.

[HAL]

Well, most audio DACs won't decode DVD-A or SACD, so that wouldn't work to my knowledge. The only time I've seen DVD-A or SACD transmitted digitally is over HDMI.

If your source will allow interpolation, upsampling, or oversampling, and you like that, then you might want a DAC that supports higher resolutions and sample rates. Many DACs will do that internally, because people usually assume 24-bit and 192kHz is better than 16-bit and 44.1kHz. The DAC-60 will decode direct 24bit/96KHz PCM digital data.

The downside is that DACs usually perform worse at higher sample rates. And unless you're attempting to apply filter transforms, going from 44.1kHz to 192kHz doesn't buy much. 16-bit to 24-bit would be more interesting.

The Oppo 981 and the Integra DPS-8.3 will output 24bit/96KHz stereo PCM data to an external DAC without any upsampling from a DVD-A source via the coaxial digital output. SACD is 2.88MHz bit stream and will not go over any digital output other than HDMI.

The DAC-60 will directly decode a 24bit/96KHz PCM digital signal without any upsampling.

I have mastered DVD-A's with discWelder Steel from my home recordings at 24bit/96KHz stereo and have direct playback on both the Oppo and Integra.

Using a PC USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 link will support at least a 24bit/96KHz digital stereo feed to an external DAC like the M-Audio Audiophile USB.

[HAL]

Hal, I have Danny's level 2 DAC-60 here and it's pretty sweet. I'll be curious to hear your impressions of the level 1.

Ok, but I want to hear your in depth listening impressions of the Level II moded DAC-60. (where is a drooling smiley when you need it?)

Did some listening tonight with the Level I+ moded DAC-60 and the Dodd battery preamp with the Miniwatt 7308's installed. Seems to have everything the Amperex Bugle Boy 6DJ8's had plus a bit more extended HF response. :)

The stock DAC-60 should be here on 16 Feb to start listening comparisons.

[NekoAudio]

The Oppo 981 and the Integra DPS-8.3 will output 24bit/96KHz stereo PCM data to an external DAC without any upsampling from a DVD-A source via the coaxial digital output.

...

Using a PC USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 link will support at least a 24bit/96KHz digital stereo feed to an external DAC like the M-Audio Audiophile USB.

(This is Josuah.)

Ah, I thought the OPPO only did it over HDMI and not also over coax.

Do you have a way of ripping SACD or DVD-Audio to your computer? And some player software to get it to transmit PCM instead of DSD or MLP?

I haven't found one, although I didn't look too hard because the discs I have are multi-channel and I'm not aware of any processors or DACs that accept multi-channel over coax or optical.