Best PCM DACs?

[Audiophile Bill]

I was going off a review of the Big 7 (by the owner of Audio Shark) that said it wasn't good for classical and that the product wasn't aimed at classical music lovers.

Hi MadFloyd,

This is the problem about concluding on the Lampi without trying other tubes - in that review he did not use the 101d which would have been more suitable for the Mahler that he auditioned. I listened to the Mahler on big7 with 101d and Bonzo and I almost flew out our seat with slam.

The review states that intimacy, realism and warmth are a strong trait - these are vital aspects for classical lovers. The dsd performance is virtually unmatched and classical fans are lucky with a very big dsd catalogue - more so than I think any genre. Therefore, I think it was a little misleading to conclude that this product is not for classical fans.

Finally "classical" as a genre is so heterogeneous such that the 101d might be optimal for large orchestral but for a simple piano / soprano duet, the 300b or others might be preferred.

 

[MadFloyd]

Hi MadFloyd,

This is the problem about concluding on the Lampi without trying other tubes - in that review he did not use the 101d which would have been more suitable for the Mahler that he auditioned. I listened to the Mahler on big7 with 101d and Bonzo and I almost flew out our seat with slam.

The review states that intimacy, realism and warmth are a strong trait - these are vital aspects for classical lovers. The dsd performance is virtually unmatched and classical fans are lucky with a very big dsd catalogue - more so than I think any genre. Therefore, I think it was a little misleading to conclude that this product is not for classical fans.

Finally "classical" as a genre is so heterogeneous such that the 101d might be optimal for large orchestral but for a simple piano / soprano duet, the 300b or others might be preferred.

Are you saying that one needs (or might want) to change tubes based on genres or recordings?

 

[bonzo75]

If you read what Marslo also write on this forum, he said while playing mussorgsky Lampi has no equal. The review on audioshark, he was new to Lampi and just tried one set of tubes.

Yes, you will have didn't preferences of tubes based on your genre. Tube changes are easy, not like amps, andd cheap

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Are you saying that one needs (or might want) to change tubes based on genres or recordings?

Hi MadFloyd,

Like having 2 (or more) arms / cartridges on your turntable.

You could just pick an all round combo and stick to that though.

 

[bmoura]

I was going off a review of the Big 7 (by the owner of Audio Shark) that said it wasn't good for classical and that the product wasn't aimed at classical music lovers.

Everyone is different. A post on Computer Audiophile from Doak raves about the new Harmonia Mundi DSD Download of "Oboe Concertos" on his Lampizator Level 4 DAC with the native filtered DSD option.
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f...es-2015-releases-24048/index4.html#post429653
https://harmoniamundi.nativedsd.com...concertos?mc_cid=70f017121a&mc_eid=a2adecac22

I would concur. Classical Music sounds very fine on my Lampizator DSD DAC.

 

[Joe Whip]

I had the pleasure last night of listening to the Schiit Yggdrasil for several hours and I mean several. A friend allowed me to bring my laptop and drive to play files I was familiar with. This is in a mega bucks set up in a room built and designed for 2 channel audio. This is a FANTASTIC DAC. Easily the best digital playback I have heard. While I was not present for the tests my friend ran with other new DACS including the Berkley, I can tell you that he decided that the Schiit was the best of the bunch and by a wide margin. There are some insanely priced DACS out there. The fact that the Yggdrasil sells for "only" $2,300 makes it a steal. I will have to convince the wife of that though, as I want this to replace my Gungnir. NO, it doesn't do native DSD but I convert my DSD files to 24/176.4 PCM and love the results. For those who don't mind paying tens of thousands of dollars for a DAC, should really check out this DAC. I can't wait to get it in my system.

 

[bonzo75]

Are you saying that one needs (or might want) to change tubes based on genres or recordings?

Floyd, noticed that you have Playback Designs - you might want to check with joaovieira and a friend of his who both owned the PD and now switched to the B7

 

[elescher]

Which capacitor does the B7 come with? I checked out the website and I thought they used Duelands, but now I see there is a different one made by Jupiter. Has anyone heard these?

 

[MadFloyd]

Floyd, noticed that you have Playback Designs - you might want to check with joaovieira and a friend of his who both owned the PD and now switched to the B7

I don't know who joavieria is, but I have succumbed to the hype and have a B7 on the way to audition. At this point I much prefer the MSB Analog over my Playback Designs but thought I owed it to myself to try the Lampi before taking any plunge.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I don't know who joavieria is, but I have succumbed to the hype and have a B7 on the way to audition. At this point I much prefer the MSB Analog over my Playback Designs but thought I owed it to myself to try the Lampi before taking any plunge.

Looking forward to hearing your views especially in the context of your fantastic system.

 

[wisnon]

Which capacitor does the B7 come with? I checked out the website and I thought they used Duelands, but now I see there is a different one made by Jupiter. Has anyone heard these?

They can do either. I had Duelunds in L4 and Jupiter in B7. Very close...

 

[wisnon]

Are you saying that one needs (or might want) to change tubes based on genres or recordings?

Floyd, didnt you see that Mike has accumulated a stash of tubes of his own for the GG? The guy has some of the BEST DHT now. Really impressive. EML Anniversary Gloves, Replica 101Ds and Elrog 300bs. Phew.

 

[wisnon]

I had the pleasure last night of listening to the Schiit Yggdrasil for several hours and I mean several. A friend allowed me to bring my laptop and drive to play files I was familiar with. This is in a mega bucks set up in a room built and designed for 2 channel audio. This is a FANTASTIC DAC. Easily the best digital playback I have heard. While I was not present for the tests my friend ran with other new DACS including the Berkley, I can tell you that he decided that the Schiit was the best of the bunch and by a wide margin. There are some insanely priced DACS out there. The fact that the Yggdrasil sells for "only" $2,300 makes it a steal. I will have to convince the wife of that though, as I want this to replace my Gungnir. NO, it doesn't do native DSD but I convert my DSD files to 24/176.4 PCM and love the results. For those who don't mind paying tens of thousands of dollars for a DAC, should really check out this DAC. I can't wait to get it in my system.

Joe, I am normally in your area every Summer, except this one. Perhaps at Xmas. If you have the YGGY then and are amenable, i would love to hear it!

 

[Joe Whip]

If I do, I will let you know.

 

[Simone Leroy]

Hi MadFloyd,
I usually listen to classical music, and after a long long reaserch and an accurate comparison I've decided to buy a Berkeley Reference DAC (with a Berkeley alpha USB interface).
Since I am a Music lover instead of an audiophile, usually I listen only to recordings where the artistic value is very high, and most of them are CDs and not SACDs. Well, with the Berkeley Reference DAC in my system I feel the sound as natural as it is in live perfomaces! It sounds as the live performance in every cathegory of classical music: starting from a Chopin prelude played by Maurizio Pollini to the Fortissimo (FF) of Dies Irae in Verdi Requiem played by Wiener Philarmoniker conducted by Claudio Abbado, passing through Schubert piano trios performed by Beaux Arts Trio.
And since I attend live concerts at least once a week, and I'm used to compare the acustic qualities (really wonderful!) of my town new Opera House (Opera di Firenze with Zubin Mehta) to the acustic quality of the most important Concert Halls in Europe (Salle Pleyel in Paris, better than the new Philarmonie de Paris, Berlin Philarmonie, MusikVerein in Wien, Royal Albert Hall in London, and so on) I can tell you that I am completely satisfied with the Berkeley Reference DAC. Moreover for the very first time in my life I often prefer to listen to a recording at home instead to go to Theater!
I've listened to several DACs, from the latest Vivaldi by DCS to MSB Analogue and Diamond IV and the latest Select, from Bricasti to CH precision, passing through Nagra DAC, Playback Design MPD-5, Lampizador 7 and PS Audio DirectStream DAC.
To my ears only three DACs sounded astonishigly "natural and live music-like": Trinity DAC, TotalDAC d-1 reference twelve and Berkeley Reference DAC.
Since I already had a Berkeley USB and since the amount of money it costs is considerably lower than the other two (half of half...) I decided to buy the Berkely.
And everyday I'm blessing that choice....
Please take into account that this is only an opinion of mine, based on my personal tastes, and take into account that I'm so fond of classical music that a simple iPod with its original cheap in-ear headphone sometimes is enough to make me happy and satisfied!

 

[MadFloyd]

Hi MadFloyd,
I usually listen to classical music, and after a long long reaserch and an accurate comparison I've decided to buy a Berkeley Reference DAC (with a Berkeley alpha USB interface).
Since I am a Music lover instead of an audiophile, usually I listen only to recordings where the artistic value is very high, and most of them are CDs and not SACDs. Well, with the Berkeley Reference DAC in my system I feel the sound as natural as it is in live perfomaces! It sounds as the live performance in every cathegory of classical music: starting from a Chopin prelude played by Maurizio Pollini to the Fortissimo (FF) of Dies Irae in Verdi Requiem played by Wiener Philarmoniker conducted by Claudio Abbado, passing through Schubert piano trios performed by Beaux Arts Trio.
And since I attend live concerts at least once a week, and I'm used to compare the acustic qualities (really wonderful!) of my town new Opera House (Opera di Firenze with Zubin Mehta) to the acustic quality of the most important Concert Halls in Europe (Salle Pleyel in Paris, better than the new Philarmonie de Paris, Berlin Philarmonie, MusikVerein in Wien, Royal Albert Hall in London, and so on) I can tell you that I am completely satisfied with the Berkeley Reference DAC. Moreover for the very first time in my life I often prefer to listen to a recording at home instead to go to Theater!
I've listened to several DACs, from the latest Vivaldi by DCS to MSB Analogue and Diamond IV and the latest Select, from Bricasti to CH precision, passing through Nagra DAC, Playback Design MPD-5, Lampizador 7 and PS Audio DirectStream DAC.
To my ears only three DACs sounded astonishigly "natural and live music-like": Trinity DAC, TotalDAC d-1 reference twelve and Berkeley Reference DAC.
Since I already had a Berkeley USB and since the amount of money it costs is considerably lower than the other two (half of half...) I decided to buy the Berkely.
And everyday I'm blessing that choice....
Please take into account that this is only an opinion of mine, based on my personal tastes, and take into account that I'm so fond of classical music that a simple iPod with its original cheap in-ear headphone sometimes is enough to make me happy and satisfied!

Thank you very much for your thoughts, Simone.

 

[wisnon]

I was going off a review of the Big 7 (by the owner of Audio Shark) that said it wasn't good for classical and that the product wasn't aimed at classical music lovers.

Did you see this post?

Blue58
Junior Member
Join Date
Jan 2013
Location
London, UK
Posts
6
With great sadness I had to return the Golden Gate Dac to Mark Coles of Sablon Audio and wanted to thank him for the extended loan of the unit.
Why sadness? Because I had no idea how large a leap forward in musical communication the GG could bring, with a little attention to the details.

My initial reservations about its PCM qualities compared to the Audio Aero LaFontaine have been blown out of the water with the addition of the best power cord I have ever heard. The new Sablon Audio Reserva. Without a doubt this cord improved my LaFontaine but did much more for the Golden Gate bringing out all the detail and ambience but more importantly the LIFE of the performance. The gap between AA and GG was now substantial. How can I now go back to the AA and be happy?

Surprisingly, the DSD performance, already at an incredible level prior to the power cord introduction, gained further presence, and ambient detail but the PCM was now much closer to it than ever before. Why PCM is improved to a greater degree than DSD I don't know. I'm sure Mr. 'Sablon' knows.

This Golden Gate had EML solid plate 45s and EML 5u4G as standard. I tried a GZ34 but this reduced the soundstage, dynamics and detail making for a boring sound. The solid plates I know are dynamic champions with plenty of detail but would have liked to hear the mesh plates with a 274b driver. I believe this would have been the ultimate combination in the context of my system. I'm guessing a 101d would be too detailed in my system. The Duo Omega are revealing speakers.

So, the combination of GG, Sablon Reserva power cord and Sablon Panatela USB are as we say in the UK, the dogs b....ks. One heavenly combination.

I now need to fundamentally re-evaluate my system after hearing what the GG can do with both PCM and DSD after paying attention to power cord and tube rolling.

This is the biggest leap forward in sonic performance I've ever witnessed in my 40 yrs of listening. Congratulations to Lukasz and to Mark for phenomenal products.

Ps. Musical selections ranged across, singer songwriter, jazz, classical, rock and electronic/dance. Everything was handled superbly from my Auralic Aries with HD.

Ppss. Bonzo, you have to hear your B7 with the Reserva.

 

[Bruce B]

Hi MadFloyd,
To my ears only three DACs sounded astonishigly "natural and live music-like": Trinity DAC, TotalDAC d-1 reference twelve and Berkeley Reference DAC.
Since I already had a Berkeley USB and since the amount of money it costs is considerably lower than the other two (half of half...) I decided to buy the Berkely.
And everyday I'm blessing that choice....

So this sounds more like an economical thing?

 

[wisnon]

Of those 3, I have not heard the Berkeley...

 

[Simone Leroy]

Hi Bruce,
Probably because of my poor English I wasn't completely successful in explaining my point of view since my choice wasn't a matter of economical thing!
I made my choice between the three best sounding DACs I've ever heard because, even if I listened to each of them in different conditions and different systems and not at home in my well known system, I literally fell in love with the sound of Berkeley Reference with Wilson Sasha speakers. Moreover, the DAC I preferred was also the considerably cheapest one of the three. Even if the title of this Thread is: Best PCM DACs" and not Best PCM DACs for money, I suppose that a very good value for money shouldn't be considered a negative factor, should it?