DAC Variances

[crusaderlord]

Noticing the new NAD DAC at £1500 plus a new one from Arcam (very tempting) and the one from Naim, all at a pretty high price - i cant help but wonder how much more they can really bring to the table when compared to say the Rega or MF M1 DAC. I have heard both of these, and own the MF one myself, they sound so good its hard to see where the extra uplift would go in the £2k priced ones.

I am not having a go at the expensive DACs as i am genuinely interested in them, but would find it hard to part with £2k for one. I realise there are similar cost differentials on CD players but i find myself easier to understand the money being spent on improved transports and DACs that gell well together to form a better whole in those more than just a DAC on its own.

 

[chebby]

For £2K I would want time travel included in the spec. (So I could get the actual original performances 'piped' to me directly in infinite-bit clarity.)

 

[Helmut80]

How do you find it easier to explain/justify a four figure price tag for a CD player than for a DAC?

 

[Womaz]

Noticing the new NAD DAC at £1500 plus a new one from Arcam (very tempting) and the one from Naim, all at a pretty high price - i cant help but wonder how much more they can really bring to the table when compared to say the Rega or MF M1 DAC. I have heard both of these, and own the MF one myself, they sound so good its hard to see where the extra uplift would go in the £2k priced ones. I am not having a go at the expensive DACs as i am genuinely interested in them, but would find it hard to part with £2k for one. I realise there are similar cost differentials on CD players but i find myself easier to understand the money being spent on improved transports and DACs that gell well together to form a better whole in those more than just a DAC on its own.

I am in the process of considering upgrading my source and Amp and DACs are one of the possibilities so I will be watching this thread with interest. I have considered the Rega and the MI dac too, but its all so new to me. I think a demo is a must with a DAC.

 

[SteveR750]

FWIW here was my experience, bearing in mind:

I cannot hear diufferences in my interconnects

I cannot hear any differnces in USB cables that I have tried between PC and DAC

I don't think if I am honest I can tell the difference 90% of the time between 320kbs spotify and CDA

I did a demo recently and found this, all other elements being unchanged

#1 PC -> Chord Peach -> K2

#2 PC -> Chord Peach -> M2

#3 PC -> Pre 8xpd/2 x mono x

#4 PC -> Chord QBD76 -> K2

The order os sonic preference was:

#4

#3

#2

#1

Difference between #2 and #3 was marginal for me as I don't like the Cyrus sound, just doesnt have enough balls for me.

I would not have believed it either, a £3k DAC was a better upgrade than over £5ks worth of Cyrus per + mono powers. Don't underestimate what a DAC can do in the right system. As ever, it's all about balance. That much I have learnt over the last few months - what you partner something with is alsmot as important as the acoutsics of the room you listen in.

 

[Anonymous]

I own a mf m1 dac, it sound's great, i couldnt justify spending over £1'000 on a dac, for that money it would have to be a huge improvement over my m1 and i seriously doubt a £1,000 dac will be much better, i am sure rega dac owners feel the same with there dac, if i upgrade in the future it will be the speakers, the source and amp are sorted.

 

[Womaz]

It does appear to be that the people who are saying there is a massive improvement in SQ are the ones using PC based music.

Will the difference in SQ be as dramatic if your CD player is already pretty good, well it was when I got it 9 years ago.

So many variables

 

[acalex]

Difficult topic as usual. I will start digging into high-end DAC soon, so I will be watching this thread and upgrading with my findings. In my list for now are:

- M2Tech Young DAC (which for me would set the reference at 1k price level)

- Bel Canto DAC 1.5/2.5/3.5

- Pathos DAC (if I can put my hands on)

- Audio Note 2.1 Signature DAC

- Weiss DAC 202 (most expensive)

- Audio Research DAC

- Chord DAC (again, difficult to find here)

If I still have my rDAC (highly unlikely after seeing the interest on Ebay) I will also make a direct comparison with it.

 

[dannycanham]

No, idea. They would have to get alot right. But as I don't have as high an opinion of the £400-£500 dacs as some on here. If they did get alot right. When they start appearing on the second hand market I will definitely be having a demo.