The very best DACs today...

j.phelan · Nov 29, 2014

...include, from U.S.-Canada -EMM 2X, Berkeley Alpha Reference, PS Audio "DS" and Bricasti M1.

From Europe -Gryphon Kalliope, Total DAC and CH Precision C1.

They're either stripping the DAC-chip down or using discrete resistors. Much better than ever before - digital (finally) came of age, even with Red Book CD.

pweg · Nov 29, 2014

u forgot Vitus Masterpiece Dac

Bruce B · Nov 29, 2014

pweg said:
u forgot Vitus Masterpiece Dac

he forgot a lot of them....

JackD201 · Nov 29, 2014

Best I've heard lately. CH 1, Da Vinci Dual, EMM 2X, PBD.

There is one DAC that is very endearing to me because I can take it with me to the vacation houses (I have a small Pelican for it) is the TechDAS D7i S. It's got a good headphone amp, fixed and variable analog outputs, does D2D conversion, and has an iOS device input on the front panel. It is the swiss army knife of DACs in a mid sized package. While not as detailed and dynamic as those mentioned above, it is nonetheless, clear and devoid of edginess and glare. It is also not as expensive. Our top seller mainly because it is such a family pleaser. Mom's got her CDs playing through the Coax SPDIF input via her BD player, Dad does his Hi-Rez via USB and TV's cablebox via Toslink and the kids and friends with their i devices. Never thought how this last thing could make sales so much easier. At home it is the common area DAC. Dad gets the Dual in his lair.

j.phelan · Nov 29, 2014

Bruce B said:
he forgot a lot of them....

...but how many are on the cutting edge ? Not easy to compile - just models (that appear) to be a step ahead. And getting reviewed.

The Vitus looks like a definite contender - as does the Nagra.

I have not heard all of these, BTW...

marty · Nov 30, 2014

If someone is going to make up such a list, as subjective as it may be, it would be useful to list the MSRPs of the units. For example, the Berkeley Ref DAC is 18+K, where as the PS Audio DAC (which Arnie Nudell raves about and says is "the one" BTW) is about 6K.

bmoura · Nov 30, 2014

j.phelan said:
...but how many are on the cutting edge ? Not easy to compile - just models (that appear) to be a step ahead. And getting reviewed.

The Vitus looks like a definite contender - as does the Nagra.

I have not heard all of these, BTW...

The Nagra DAC with DSD is good. Heard it at RMAF last month in October.
Worth a listen.

FrantzM · Nov 30, 2014

JackD201 said:
Best I've heard lately. CH 1, Da Vinci Dual, EMM 2X, PBD.

There is one DAC that is very endearing to me because I can take it with me to the vacation houses (I have a small Pelican for it) is the TechDAS D7i S. It's got a good headphone amp, fixed and variable analog outputs, does D2D conversion, and has an iOS device input on the front panel. It is the swiss army knife of DACs in a mid sized package. While not as detailed and dynamic as those mentioned above, it is nonetheless, clear and devoid of edginess and glare. It is also not as expensive. Our top seller mainly because it is such a family pleaser. Mom's got her CDs playing through the Coax SPDIF input via her BD player, Dad does his Hi-Rez via USB and TV's cablebox via Toslink and the kids and friends with their i devices. Never thought how this last thing could make sales so much easier. At home it is the common area DAC. Dad gets the Dual in his lair.

How much is it?

Orb · Nov 30, 2014

j.phelan said:
...but how many are on the cutting edge ? Not easy to compile - just models (that appear) to be a step ahead. And getting reviewed.

The Vitus looks like a definite contender - as does the Nagra.

I have not heard all of these, BTW...

Cutting edge is also more than hardware, look how many (only a very few) know how to integrate their own filters-coefficients (could be deemed improvement when done right) with say ESS sabre top end DACs, that is just one example.
Cheers
Orb

JackD201 · Nov 30, 2014

FrantzM said:
How much is it?

I don't know what Bob would sell it for but over here we sell it for approximately 8k USD.

I forgot to say that it does up to 24/192, DSD and DXD over DoP.

Alrainbow · Nov 30, 2014

Where is LampizatOr in this . I have owned a few of the above and non on par with the B7 . any list is subjective for sure. also how we use the dac meaning from what source matters as much as the dac.
al

LL21 · Nov 30, 2014

Looking forward to watching this thread...i have really enjoyed the very latest generation of digital i have heard: Vivaldi, Stahl-Tek, Metronome Calypso...

...I still enjoy my Zanden digital which has taken me literally 6 years to hone and hone (primarily eeking out the very most detail it can produce, and substantially pushing its bass propulsion)...and i have no desire to change at all due to its exceedingly well balanced and natural presentation. Nevertheless, i feel that, even with the DCS Scarlatti (1 generation old), i could already feel the low noise floor/detail retrieval of the latest digital pulling away.

so i look forward to reading more about DACs people really like.

andromedaaudio · Nov 30, 2014

I am also in the market for a very good dac/player , although maybe not the " best", i find the $ performance ratio not that good anyway in digital , i want one that can play CD , Sacd dvd (bu ray ) Dvd rw , it has to have a computer connection so you can listen straight from the computer ( music you tube and more ) into the main stereosystem via analogue outputs .
I was thinking of a esoteric multiplayer of some sort , so maybe the best dac should have all those possibilities as well

Ps i like also the accuphase dacs , Lindeman , levinson weiss seemed to sound nice as well as devialet (part of a system ) DCS sounded nice from Puccini and up untill the latest expensive stack

LL21 · Nov 30, 2014

andromedaaudio said:
I am also in the market for a very good dac/player , although maybe not the " best", i find the $ performance ratio not that good anyway in digital , i want one that can play CD , Sacd dvd (bu ray ) Dvd rw , it has to have a computer connection so you can listen straight from the computer ( music you tube and more ) into the main stereosystem via analogue outputs .
I was thinking of a esoteric multiplayer of some sort , so maybe the best dac should have all those possibilities as well

Ps i like also the accuphase dacs , Lindeman , levinson weiss seemed to sound nice as well as devialet (part of a system ) DCS sounded nice from Puccini and up untill the latest expensive stack

i thought it was difficult to output the SACD from a transport into a different DAC unless they are all-in-one? And if they are all-in-one, i am not aware of that many which also do blu-ray, etc. The main all-in one that does is the Oppo 105...i suppose you could do a mod'd Oppo which i am reading are fabulously good.

dmnc02 · Nov 30, 2014

LL21 said:
i thought it was difficult to output the SACD from a transport into a different DAC unless they are all-in-one? And if they are all-in-one, i am not aware of that many which also do blu-ray, etc. The main all-in one that does is the Oppo 105...i suppose you could do a mod'd Oppo which i am reading are fabulously good.

Only if by "different" you mean "different brand". Otherwise, several companies offer transports that output DSD to their separate DACs through a proprietary interface.

Alrainbow · Nov 30, 2014

Unless there is one someone knows and States here now. There is no player that allows for sacd data in the raw to be used.
Only if ripped wotha PS3. My denon does this but only to its denon mate over a cat 5 shielded. But it's just to and from the two Denon units.
Oppo is supposed to be a good choice but does not allow outside DAC processing like a ripped sacd.
Al

LL21 · Nov 30, 2014

Purite Audio said:
LL how did you get more detail and bass from the Zanden did you physically alter its FR?
Keith.

I changed the PSU tubes in the Zanden and created 4 isolation sandwiches for each box. The problem with the Zanden is it is so prone to vibration internally and so sensitive to external vibration...the signal that normally comes thru a stock Zanden is substantially more 'hazy' than when it is absolutely still (or as still i have been able to get it).

So i feel that a lot of people have not heard what it is truly capable of. And having had a distributor (not of Zanden and with no bias) having heard my Zanden and heard a few other Zanden setups including a Reviewer's...he noted the detail and bass retreival...and when we played with the isolation...he realized what was being lost in a stock Zanden setup.

andromedaaudio · Nov 30, 2014

Let me guess change a tube

, oh and zanden is a great dac off course , probably the most natural around , i dont see many dac manufacturers daring to do such a comparison :

http://sixmoons.com/industryfeatures/zanden/zanden.html

LL21 · Nov 30, 2014

i am a huge hip-hop, rap and deep house fan as some here know...not at all what you think of with Zanden (and for good reason if the setup is not right). The bass is quite polite and while organic for certain music...it does not slam propulsively. We did a shoot-out with Esoteric X01SE...it was clear. But change out the PSU tubes (where i think somehow the stock ones were just not up for the job)...and really focus on the entire isolation...and i found the Zanden out-punched, out-slammed the Esoteric and Audio Aero La Source (which also is Esoteric transport-based).

LL21 · Nov 30, 2014

andromedaaudio said:
Let me guess change a tube , oh and zanden is a great dac off course , probably the most natural around , i dont see many dac manufacturers daring to do such a comparison :

http://sixmoons.com/industryfeatures/zanden/zanden.html

You know Zanden well!

thanks for the link...cool article!!! I have seen it before, but did not actually have it in my files. will download and save.

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