Unobtainable WHF reviews.

[Deleted member 160668]

I’ve just read the WHF review of the Nagra DAC at a deliciously cheap £23,000! On paper it sounds like I need a new pair of pants and should immediately start doing the helicopter...

But what’s the point of this, or similar, reviews...

Realistically how does this relate to the common people. Let’s be honest we’d probably all love to be in this ballpark, but to me and most people this is Micky mouse money. (To anyone that it’s not - please invite me round for a listen to your setup!).

I know hifi can be an expensive hobby. But holy moly that’s beyond most ‘normal’ people surely?

 

[seemorebtts]

Just check eBay in 20 years time you might get a listen

 

[jjbomber]

But what’s the point of this, or similar, reviews...

Car magazines do reviews of Rolls Royce and Ferrari cars, as do Top Gear and other motoring programmes. Not of this is for normal people to buy. In fact, normal people will never be in a Ferrari.

Americans used to watch JR in Dallas from the comfort of their trailer park.

So it's harmless fun. Incidently the Chord DAC at £8,000 sells in decent numbers, just like people do buy Rolls Royce and Ferrari cars. So luxury hi-fi does sell. The Chord DAC at £8,000 sells in good numbers.

 

[jimmy1]

for 23 grand it better sound like scarlett johannsson is whispering in your ear and doing some other stuff hahaha *biggrin*

 

[lindsayt]

The price seems to have gone up a lot since Hi-fi+ reviewed what appears to be (more or less) the same DAC in 2015 for £17,950.

It'd be interesting to compare it against a £5 ebayed DAC with a £40 linear power supply.

 

[insider9]

I’ve just read the WHF review of the Nagra DAC at a deliciously cheap £23,000! On paper it sounds like I need a new pair of pants and should immediately start doing the helicopter... 

But what’s the point of this, or similar, reviews...

Realistically how does this relate to the common people. Let’s be honest we’d probably all love to be in this ballpark, but to me and most people this is Micky mouse money. (To anyone that it’s not - please invite me round for a listen to your setup!). 

I know hifi can be an expensive hobby. But holy moly that’s beyond most ‘normal’ people surely?

 

It's not cheap, is it? But then again there's many people who spend decades in this hobby. Kids grow up, you've seen enough world not to bother with seeing more. Bought a nice car, bought a nice house. Can't drink or smoke because doctor told you no to. What are you then going to spend your money on?

I don't have a £23k DAC and a rather modest system of my own, but have a £10k Esoteric here on loan. Should you fancy a listen please let me know.

 

[Vladimir]

Hmm... This NAGRA DAC has its signal going through a motorized (!) $25 analogue volume pot. The typical number on those is %20 channel imbalance. And what's the deal with the obscene number of ribbon cables and cheap plastic clip-on plugs? The chasis is bent sheet metal with rivets. Is this seriously £23,000?

Anyways, this Jamiroquai Automation album sounds really groovy. Digging it. It's made as a tribute to Giorgio Moroder apparently, thus all the robo-funk embeded throughout.

 

[nopiano]

The price seems to have gone up a lot since Hi-fi+ reviewed what appears to be (more or less) the same DAC in 2015 for £17,950.

Good point. I see that back then it was handled by RT Services, who I think used to intermittently handle at least one other hard to obtain brand like Accuphase. Now they come through Padood, who handle SME, as well as Plinius, EMT, Siltech, Crystal and other exotica. And SME’s new integrated turntable has a Nagra step up. It’s a small world.

 

[chebby]

Hmm... This NAGRA DAC has its signal going through a motorized (!) $25 analogue volume pot.

One of these from the look of it ...

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/potentiometers/2346617/

 

[chebby]

I agree. 20 percent tolerance is a bit rubbish for a £23k DAC. I have a ‘better’ (ok, more expensive) motorised Alps pot in my £599 Quad Vena DAC/Integrated.

 

[Vladimir]

Hmm... This NAGRA DAC has its signal going through a motorized (!) $25 analogue volume pot.

One of these from the look of it ...

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/potentiometers/2346617/

Even if it was an Alps Black Beauty, I'd still turn up my nose for that price tag. For 23K spent on a source with custom gold labeled film caps one expects more than that'll do utilitarianism with riveted sheet metal and budget pots.

Analogue pots are nasty, plain and simple.

 

[Vladimir]

In the Accuphase C-3850 preamp, which sells for £25K, this is the 'volume knob'.

Don't be confused by the huge power supply. It's a preamp, I kid you not. And the grills on the 'volume knob' are not riveted sheet metal.

Why does the 'knob' have bigger cooling vents than my 50Wpc RMS amplifier? Hmm...

AAVA means analog processing

The AAVA circuit converts the music signal from a voltage into a current, with the entire process being carried out in the analog domain.

Same operation feel as a conventional high-quality volume control

The volume control knob position is detected by a dedicated CPU which in turn selects the current switches for AAVA operation. Operating the knob therefore feels exactly the same as with a conventional control, and as before, operation via a remote commander is also possible.

Someone at NAGRA couldn't be fussed that much. CPU controlling current resistor-less audio attenuation in the analogue domain? Nah!

 

[jjbomber]

Can't drink or smoke because doctor told you no to. What are you then going to spend your money on?

Spend it on getting a second opinion!

 

[Vladimir]

Can't drink or smoke because doctor told you no to. What are you then going to spend your money on?

Spend it on getting a second opinion!

The good old days.

 

[insider9]

Can't drink or smoke because doctor told you no to. What are you then going to spend your money on?

Spend it on getting a second opinion!

Hahaha *ROFL*

 

[MrReaper182]

There is a CD player that is 32 grand, that's more than my car. I'm thinking of selling my car and using the money I get from it to help me fund that CD player because we all know that hifi is more important than owning a car.

 

[Nemo]

Hmm... This NAGRA DAC has its signal going through a motorized (!) $25 analogue volume pot. The typical number on those is %20 channel imbalance. And what's the deal with the obscene number of ribbon cables and cheap plastic clip-on plugs? The chasis is bent sheet metal with rivets. Is this seriously £23,000?

Anyways, this Jamiroquai Automation album sounds really groovy. Digging it. It's made as a tribute to Giorgio Moroder apparently, thus all the robo-funk embeded throughout.

less is more. A lot more, in this case!