What's your favorite DAC?

Handlebar said:
Retro Stereo said:
Oh, but in answer to your question, I have two Music Hall Tube DAC 25.2s and a Grant Fidelity Tube DAC 09. I like my MH DACs much better in my stereo systems than the GF DAC, but that one works great in my computer system, so all is good.

I am using a music hall too. I been thinking about getting a GF tube DAC9 too as it has an RCA input that I would like to try with a satellite radio plug and play.
for your stereo setup, did you find the difference between the music hall and dac9 to be nite and day?

Hbar
Click to expand...

In answer to your question, I tried the GF Tube DAC-09 in a large room system and it was a matter of the soundstage not being equal to the MH DAC. Also, to be fair, both of these DAC's when swapped in and out of that system, were both brand spanking new and not broken in yet. Who knows, with the break-in time, the GF DAC may be just fine. I'll swap them back out again during Christmas break and see what I think at that time.

Here's a picture of the system:

pb090016.jpg




Retro
Click to expand...
 
My dream DAC is a McIntosh MDA1000, but that's not in the cards anytime soon. In the meantime I am very happy with my Headroom MicroDAC, through which I run my Squeezebox.
 
My favorite so far is the Mc MDA-1000. I also use, and like, a Grace m902 (for iPod digital out of a Wadia dock) and the DAC in the Cambridge 840C.

I have an MDA-700 but it's not quite the equal of any of the above, IMHO. That said, it sounds amazingly good for such an old unit... that's old in digital years, of course.
 
Just got a Beresford 7520 dac I hooked to the Apple Express for internet radio to my main system. So far I'm pretty impressed and it's not burned in yet. Wide sound stage. Pretty sweet upgrade for $250 to your door.
 
I have the Cambridge DACMagic receiving digital from my Logitech Sqeezebox and so far I'm impressed. For under $800 for the both of em, it's the way to go.
 
I have enjoyed reading this thread. Thanks to those who posted. I only have experience with the Entech Number Cruncher 203.2 and a DiyEden SVDAC04. For being very inexpensive, both were an improvement over my stock CDPs, and computer sound card respectively, but neither would be considered all that great today, I don't think. I am leaning toward the Music Hall 25.2, but heard a rumor that Jolida will introduce a tube USB DAC with multiple inputs sometime next year for around $250, less than half the cost of the MH. So maybe I'll wait a bit longer...

Some things I think we can all agree on are that there is a huge range in the cost of DACs, and that the amount one needs to spend to get a decent one has really dropped in recent years. Still, a $1500 DAC is probably going to sound better than one that costs $300 if they are of similar vintages.

In light of these issues, I think it would be great if posters could also state 1) how much their DAC cost, and 2) what year (approximately) that it was introduced. That would help reduce the "apples to oranges" comparisons..
 
Last edited:
Both the DACs I own, the Grant Fidelity Tube DAC-09 ($300) & the Music Hall Tube DAC 25.2 ($595), were recently released and are still for sale new. I don't know if either have come down in price any, but I bought the MH in May and the GF in October.




Retro
 
I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but out of the three I own, I would say my entech fits the rest of my system better than the two others.

I also have a rega I/O, (It's too layed back for my preferences)
(and)
A Kinshaw, (I like the sound of the Kinshaw, but I find mine to be touchy with anything other than a coax source.)


Edit: I forgot one, I also got the USB E-MU 0404. Its alright, but the cheesy controls do bother me. Its an ok unit for a computer though.
 
Last edited:
Another vote for the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic, my first and only DAC (well, besides the Blue Circle Audio Thingee which has a totally unimpressive DAC and is really only a USB-to-S/PDIF digital converter).

I use it with my Cambridge Audio azur 640a amp and it is a happy combination, good system synergy.

I also use it with a little X-Head headphone amp and Grado 225i's.
 
I use and enjoy the Cambridge Audio DacMagic mk3 (designed by John Westlake of Pink Triangle fame no less)

I've always heard good things about Theta DAC's .... Would like to try one sometime.
 
My Favorite Dac & Implementation.

Burr-Brown PCM-1704K (highest grade, 24/96), used in Dual Differential mode (4 Dacs per channel). :tresbon:
...Add the HDCD decoder chip (PMD-100) for the Filtration, and I'm good, very good. :)

Next would be the BB PCM-1795 (32-bit/192 Khz), then the BB PCM-1792 Dac (24-bit/192 Khz). I also like the older BB PCM-63 Dac.
...And always in Differential Mode (if not Dual).
 
My only DAC experience is with the Musical Fidelity V-DAC I picked up a few weeks ago off eBay to use with my computer and I find it very nice. I play .wav files from iTunes and they sound perfectly fine to me.

I hesitate to use more descriptive language, but I don't have another to compare it to , but FWIW, I think this V-DAC will suit me perfectly fine for quite a while.
 
Last edited:
At the lower end of the market I'm very happy with my AlienDAC kit USB sound card.. essentially a BurrBrown PCM2702 chip, no output buffering (so you need a pre-amp).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

AEX Labs
What's your favorite DAC?
Replies
5
Views
2K
AEX Labs
AEX Labs
trhee
Benchmark DAC2 HGC vs Mytek DSD 192
2
Replies
30
Views
12K
TimF
TimF
J
What modern gear impressed you most in 2012?
2 3
Replies
53
Views
4K
uofmtiger
uofmtiger
RunOutGroove
MyTek Liberty vs Schiit Modius...?
Replies
12
Views
857
Gigantic
Gigantic
trhee
Schiit Asgard 2... Initial Thoughts...
Replies
1
Views
2K
Ballylongford
Ballylongford
Back
Top Bottom