Thaiman...

CnoEvil

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...Can I "pick your brain" for a moment please...don't know anyone better to ask.

What Dacs/Streamers, would you rate up to say £10k?

Have you heard the Audio Note range, and if so, have you heard their dacs outside of an AN system?

What is your view on NOS/Tube dacs.....do you have any favorites?

Are there any conventional dacs that you rate, say from the likes of Linn or DCS (I've yet to here DCS sounding good, but it may be what it was paired with).

Sorry for all the questions

Many thanks

Cno

PS. I don't mean to exclude anyone who wants to contribute, but I particularly wanted to catch TM's attention due to his knowledge and the type of kit he likes/owns.
 
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Anonymous

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Cno , I am not Thaiman, but you really need to hear the differing options at home, do you want to stream, or have a PC/Mac Dac. NOS will be quite different presentation, is the computer going to be your primary source, will you require the dac to attenuate? Keith.
no
 

CnoEvil

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purite_audio said:
Cno , I am not Thaiman, but you really need to hear the differing options at home, do you want to stream, or have a PC/Mac Dac. NOS will be quite different presentation, is the computer going to be your primary source, will you require the dac to attenuate? Keith.

no

Thank you for replying.

At the moment my system is good.....for 2 channel it is as follows:

Linn Majik DS + MF AMS35i + Kef Ref 205/2.

Having heard an all Audio Note system, I'm trying (through a dac) to introduce a little of it's essence into mine.

I tried the AN 2.1x signature (NOS) dac fed by the DS (at home)....almost very good, but very surprisingly was a bit harsh....had it playing constantly for 3 weeks. Dealer said that due to the Blackgate capacitors and the like it might take several months to sound right...wasn't prepared to take the chance. Both myself and my wife preferred the Linn, so it went back.

Maybe AN dac only works in the context of its own system.

I also tried the DCS Dubussy (at home)...also not that impressed....but only had it for a couple of hours.

There is not a lot wrong with my system, but if there is a dac out there that can handle 24 bit and can inject some tube magic into the sound then I'd like to know what it is (doesn't have to be a tube dac, if it's good enough)

I'm in no hurry, but you know what us lot are like....always looking over the fence.

Regards Cno
 
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The Audio Note sound is based on valves and high efficentcy louspeakers ,quite different from what you have ,I am not sure changing dacs will really bring about Tje sound you are looking for?
Keith
 

Thaiman

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Hi

I have heard Audionote DAC (DAC 4.1x) and did like the sound however the price is not on a wallet friendly side. It's hard to recommend a Highend DAC because when you reach a certain level, the preformance per pounds rating drop more than any other hifi equipments. The best NOS DAC around today, in my mind, is properbly Vertex Aletheia but again come with a price tag of £13,000. If we are talking about upsample DAC, the best I have heard (were using here at home for few months) is Stahl~Tek Vekian which gave me the closet feeling to anolog playback without using a turntable but at $20,000 you can get a serious Deck + World class Cartridge and I personally prefer analog sound now a day.

To me, high end DAC (or high end Hifi as a whole) is rather personal. By that I mean depending on each and individual need.

You have mentioned the dCS which I have own myself for a while. I have been recomended the DAC by a friend who I believe he has a good pair of (hifi) ears. The dCS did tick many hifi boxes, details was very good with wide soundstage and decent dynamic swing but somehow it never touch my soul at all. It was like listen to a sound but not music but how can that happened? If the same song was to play by 2 different DAC and one has more details than the other then surely that one should be better? that I can't explain but I rather own (and have) a less details Reimyo DAP 777, which cost a lot less than the dCS, because it does something for me.

and that's is the point I want to make, what does it for you? colour? details, bass? etc etc because let me tell you, at this level, there is no bad products and the different between one and another is only a cigarette paper thin (we are still talking about DAC, remember) however that tiny little gap in preformance is so important because you could have all the boxes ticked apart from the most important one....the musical box.

Anyway, a very short list of DACs that I like (doesn't mean that you would though) buying NEW; Weiss DAC 202, MSB DAC IV, Audio Aero La source DAC and Stahl~Tek Vekian mentioned ealier.

Buying 2nd hand; Maratntz DA12 (if you found one and don't want to buy please let me know), or one of my favourate Marantz CD7 and use digital inputs at the rear (three inputs), Musical Fidelity Trivista (again use the rear digital inputs which I found it sound even better than it own transport!), My current Reimyo DAP 777 (obviously), Mark levinson No 39.

good luck

TM
 

CnoEvil

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purite_audio said:
The Audio Note sound is based on valves and high efficentcy louspeakers ,quite different from what you have ,I am not sure changing dacs will really bring about Tje sound you are looking for? Keith

Thank you for your thoughts.

I wasn't expecting a replication of the AN sound, only a possible change in presentation from using a different dac.....but you may be right...although there are a lot of dacs out there, and you just never know.

The AMS 35i sounds glorious, and the Kef Ref are very revealing of upstream componants/cables, so the right dac might give me the subtle change that I'm after.

Regards

Cno
 

CnoEvil

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oldric_naubhoff said:
check this out CNO:

http://www.lampizator.eu/NEWDAC/Lampizator/Welcome.html

Cheers Oldric

All suggestions greatfully received, especially as you understand where I'm coming from.....have you heard this particular dac?

Cno
 

CnoEvil

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Thaiman said:
Hi

I have heard Audionote DAC (DAC 4.1x) and did like the sound however the price is not on a wallet friendly side. It's hard to recommend a Highend DAC because when you reach a certain level, the preformance per pounds rating drop more than any other hifi equipments. The best NOS DAC around today, in my mind, is properbly Vertex Aletheia but again come with a price tag of £13,000. If we are talking about upsample DAC, the best I have heard (were using here at home for few months) is Stahl~Tek Vekian which gave me the closet feeling to anolog playback without using a turntable but at $20,000 you can get a serious Deck + World class Cartridge and I personally prefer analog sound now a day.

To me, high end DAC (or high end Hifi as a whole) is rather personal. By that I mean depending on each and individual need.

You have mentioned the dCS which I have own myself for a while. I have been recomended the DAC by a friend who I believe he has a good pair of (hifi) ears. The dCS did tick many hifi boxes, details was very good with wide soundstage and decent dynamic swing but somehow it never touch my soul at all. It was like listen to a sound but not music but how can that happened? If the same song was to play by 2 different DAC and one has more details than the other then surely that one should be better? that I can't explain but I rather own (and have) a less details Reimyo DAP 777, which cost a lot less than the dCS, because it does something for me.

and that's is the point I want to make, what does it for you? colour? details, bass? etc etc because let me tell you, at this level, there is no bad products and the different between one and another is only a cigarette paper thin (we are still talking about DAC, remember) however that tiny little gap in preformance is so important because you could have all the boxes ticked apart from the most important one....the musical box.

Anyway, a very short list of DACs that I like (doesn't mean that you would though) buying NEW; Weiss DAC 202, MSB DAC IV, Audio Aero La source DAC and Stahl~Tek Vekian mentioned ealier.

Buying 2nd hand; Maratntz DA12 (if you found one and don't want to buy please let me know), or one of my favourate Marantz CD7 and use digital inputs at the rear (three inputs), Musical Fidelity Trivista (again use the rear digital inputs which I found it sound even better than it own transport!), My current Reimyo DAP 777 (obviously), Mark levinson No 39.

good luck

TM

Hi Thaiman

Thank you for the detailed, knowledgeabble and insightful reply......reinforcing the reason why I wanted to get your advice.

One of the best systems that I've heard was from Audio Note: CD 3.1x/11 + M5 Pre + Ankoru Monos + ANE/LX all wired with Sogon.....if you want to know how I like music to sound, then that's it.

My system at home is integrated with AV (50/50 with music) using an AVR600, sharing the Kef Ref, so is compromised. The idea behind the Dac would be to tilt the 2 channel more towards my ideal.

I used to have a Linn Sondek (Ittok/Asak/Valhalla), but it is long gone, never to return. I also don't intend to go back to a CD player; so streaming through a Dac it is.

From what I've heard of the DCS I'm inclined to agree with you.

Anyway, thanks again

Cno
 

oldric_naubhoff

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CnoEvil said:
oldric_naubhoff said:
check this out CNO:

http://www.lampizator.eu/NEWDAC/Lampizator/Welcome.html

Cheers Oldric All suggestions greatfully received, especially as you understand where I'm coming from.....have you heard this particular dac? Cno

your welcome!

have I heard it? no... and I think I would not hear in near future as I'm not after a DAC and this particular one is definitely a niche product.

but this guy, who manufactures them, has a very good reputation over network. he was a modder and he was turning ordinary, often budget CDPs into beautifuly playing machines "simply" by switching output stage from SS to tube. from what I red those modded units could easily compete with very expensive CDPs. some would even get rid of their expensive SS rigs and kept tubed "junk".

anyway, right now he quit modding job and concentrated solely on improving his DAC. people who tried it are definitely satisfied. and I don' see a reason those DACs shouldn't sound great. theyre definitely class A and dual mono in output stage (two tubes indicate). and who knowes, there might even be dual DAC chips used? plus it works on "batteries" - stable signal. (I write "batteries because caps recharge after 3 minutes!). my CDP has similar topology and it sounds great.
 

CnoEvil

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Oldric

Thank you my friend

The dac looks exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for....Tubes and 24/192 compatable.

The problem arises due to the "distance relationship" for such an expensive product. I made a promise to myself only to buy from a dealer that I can drive to, when getting expensive products. The 5 day trial may not be enough, and I like the safety blanket of a local dealer for when things go wrong (and with me, they always do!)

Cheers

Cno
 

oldric_naubhoff

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CnoEvil said:
Oldric Thank you my friend The dac looks exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for....Tubes and 24/192 compatable. The problem arises due to the "distance relationship" for such an expensive product. I made a promise to myself only to buy from a dealer that I can drive to, when getting expensive products. The 5 day trial may not be enough, and I like the safety blanket of a local dealer for when things go wrong (and with me, they always do!) Cheers Cno

your welcome once again! :)

and I know exactly where you're comming from. buying on distance is risky, especially with this kind of equipment. and a 5 day trial period is a short one...

I on the other hand had no other choice but to buy online as the place where I live is such a hi-fi desert... but fortunately so far no disappointment. my hunch serves me well :)

as for lampizator I might take a closer look in the future. but for now I swore to myself that as long as CDs are available I'm not switching to streaming (I like discs). if he ever makes a one box solution (streamer + DAC) that would be even more appealing to me.

one more thing. I'd really like to know what is that you don't like about the sound you're getting right now? I thought you had a very nice set up. I also thought Linn doesn't need any augmentation with an external DAC.
 

CnoEvil

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oldric_naubhoff said:
CnoEvil said:
Oldric Thank you my friend The dac looks exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for....Tubes and 24/192 compatable. The problem arises due to the "distance relationship" for such an expensive product. I made a promise to myself only to buy from a dealer that I can drive to, when getting expensive products. The 5 day trial may not be enough, and I like the safety blanket of a local dealer for when things go wrong (and with me, they always do!) Cheers Cno

your welcome once again! :)

and I know exactly where you're comming from. buying on distance is risky, especially with this kind of equipment. and a 5 day trial period is a short one...

I on the other hand had no other choice but to buy online as the place where I live is such a hi-fi desert... but fortunately so far no disappointment. my hunch serves me well :)

as for lampizator I might take a closer look in the future. but for now I swore to myself that as long as CDs are available I'm not switching to streaming (I like discs). if he ever makes a one box solution (streamer + DAC) that would be even more appealing to me.

one more thing. I'd really like to know what is that you don't like about the sound you're getting right now? I thought you had a very nice set up. I also thought Linn doesn't need any augmentation with an external DAC.

It's the diehard audiophile in me......there's nothing fundamentally wrong with my system, especially as it has to cope with AV as well. The more I've tried other dacs, the more impressed I am with the Linn....and one can go further up the food chain there.

When I heard the Audio Note system that I listed above, it made a lasting impression on me....the way hifi occasionally can. I had never heard CD sounding so musical (there's that word again).

This set me on a path of grasping at straws...ie. The vain hope that there is a wonderful sounding tube dac that will introduce "that sound" at the start of the music chain.

I suspect Purite Audio may be right, but I'm not giving up my pilgrimage to find the Holy Grail for anyone....where's the fun in that. :)

If you hear anything interesting, let us know.

Cno
 

CnoEvil

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Thaiman said:
Cno, do you play any music instrument? or a regular gig going?

I used to play an instrument years ago in an amator orchestra....and I'll only tell you, if you promise not to tell anyone....if Mr E gets to hear, I'll never hear the end of it. It was the French Horn! (All that extra wind had to go somewhere).

My mother was a classically trained singer (studied in Brussels) and my father was the conductor of the local operatic society.

Regards

Cno
 

Thaiman

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Cno, and that's why you know (may be even subconsciously) that what is "musical" and what is not. All of my family play musical instruments to a very high level (I am the worst one!) and I was bought up listen to all sort of live music sound from traditional Thai instruments, cello, drums, guitar etc etc. People like me seem to be very fussy with hifi system, for example, if Les Paul were used on the rocording session I want to hear that, it's madness really because the end of the day we are all limited to the sound engineers ability to mix the sound onto medium as realistic as possible.
 
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Anonymous

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Thaiman - there is a listing for CD12 and DA12 on Audiogon - it just went up there today US$3500 and it's in the UK!

Neil.
 

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