-
Feeling lucky? Check out the AK 24th Anniversary Giveaway thread and join in the fun!
What's your favorite DAC?
- Thread starter AEX Labs
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I moved this from the Vintage Solid State forum mainly because I dont believe there are many "vintage" DACs out there yet.
Retro
Retro
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.
Retro
Retro
I have an older Parasound D/AC-1100HD that I like very much. It's definitely more analog-sounding than my Audio by Van Alstine Omega III TOPP-DAC and every bit as dynamic. It also decodes HDCD, which offers a subtle but welcome improvement in the sound of my few HDCD-encoded discs. It's a pity that Parasound got out of the component DAC business, as they had some good design talent working on those products.
I've thought about looking for a newer DAC, but the ones that fit my budget don't sound any better to me than the Parasound does. If my upgrade budget ever makes it back into the triple digits, I may have to pay Frank Van Alstine to upgrade that TOPP-DAC for me.
I've thought about looking for a newer DAC, but the ones that fit my budget don't sound any better to me than the Parasound does. If my upgrade budget ever makes it back into the triple digits, I may have to pay Frank Van Alstine to upgrade that TOPP-DAC for me.
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
My current DAC has been around longer than any digital piece I have ever owned. Its an Audio Magic Kukama. This unit used Burr Brown PCM 1704 chips, which are a multi-bit design, not a bit-streamer. Also uses a fully discrete output stage, which contributes to its superb sound. The output stage kicks out a full 4-volts, so it can be used with a passive line stage if needed. Also, this DAC has the latest set of upgrades installed in it, and to the best of my knowledge only the designer and I have these options. Henry Lamb is a neat guy who knows, digital, and I love what he has done with this unit. Unfortunately the Texas Instrument test boards that this unit is built on have become unavailable. So there may no longer be any Kukama DAC's made.
It's a plain looking unit, but man does it sound good. I have owned some decent digital gear, but nothing has made me want to upgrade from the Kukama. My previous piece were the Proceed DAC/Transport, Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1, Sony SCD-777ES with TRL mods, and Sony SCD-595 with TRL mods.
Regards
Mister Pig
It's a plain looking unit, but man does it sound good. I have owned some decent digital gear, but nothing has made me want to upgrade from the Kukama. My previous piece were the Proceed DAC/Transport, Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1, Sony SCD-777ES with TRL mods, and Sony SCD-595 with TRL mods.
Regards
Mister Pig
BeerCan
Tá mé ar meisce.
I had a dac that used the 1704, it was the assemblage 2.7 signature. It did not have a discrete output stage but it was still a very fine sounding dac.
The cia dac uses a pcm 1794, not a quite a delta sigma but an Advanced Segment DAC. I am technically challenged but I think it is basically a ladder dac for a portion of the bits and a delta sigma for the rest.
Any way bottom line is it sounds pretty good for the price but for whatever reason I am really liking the Buffalo. It is one of the few dacs that (strangely) I feel newer is better. It uses the ESS ES9018 chip. I think the only commercial piece that uses this chip is the McIntosh MCD500.
Anyway sorry for the ramble, I just like to talk about dac's
The cia dac uses a pcm 1794, not a quite a delta sigma but an Advanced Segment DAC. I am technically challenged but I think it is basically a ladder dac for a portion of the bits and a delta sigma for the rest.
Any way bottom line is it sounds pretty good for the price but for whatever reason I am really liking the Buffalo. It is one of the few dacs that (strangely) I feel newer is better. It uses the ESS ES9018 chip. I think the only commercial piece that uses this chip is the McIntosh MCD500.
Anyway sorry for the ramble, I just like to talk about dac's
Victor
Super Member
The McIntosh MDA1000 and Chord QBD76 are 2 DACs I really like. They both have a nice smooth detailed sound. I'm using the MDA1000 in my system.
I've heard the DCS stack with an Elgar Plus DAC. It sounded great but I thought it had a bit too much detail which gave it a slightly harsh sound.
I've heard the DCS stack with an Elgar Plus DAC. It sounded great but I thought it had a bit too much detail which gave it a slightly harsh sound.
Handlebar
Well-Known Member
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
Last edited by a moderator:
