Massdrop RDAC Airist Audio R2-R DAC

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Jun 4, 2018.

  1. Type35

    Type35 New

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    Since the results of the cheap DAC-off are quite recent, any comments on SDAC vs RDAC (besides the obvious DS vs R2R, $80 vs $350, etc.)?
     
  2. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    I wouldn't spend any time worrying about that.

    I'm simplifying a bit, but long term value drift for thin-film resistors is on the order of something like 0.3% over a couple of hundred thousand HOURS if run at appropriate temperatures (nominally ~85c). That's > 20 years if run 24/7. Run them at significantly elevated temperatures (hotter than boiling water) and that'll accelerate. Conversely, runing them at cooler temperatures and they'll degrade slower.

    It's a non-issue in this application.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    This is in regards to Bifrost Multibit too. If you don't like a stage that is close or a stage that has little layering, RDAC may not be for you. I say this because I hear bitching about "soundstage" all the time.

    I personally don't care because headphones don't do "soundstage" for me, unless I concentrate on it really hard.

    I'd take this over any of the DACs in the cheap DAC comparo. But then again, I still use spinners and I prefer R2R sound and I'd probably hook up a 12A Sola 5V LPS to it. I can see the ODAC or SDAC type sound being preferred by others, e.g. GUTB
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You forgot the X-factor / intangible*: sweetness, involving, swing. What sets it apart from others in the price range.

    *Amir is having an objectivist spasm right now. Good.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2018
  5. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Just realized that Massdrop now gives "first production perks" to blind-join challengers. Not only for this product but also other massdrop-made ones.

    [​IMG]

    While it is good to have perks for riskier customers, I don't get the idea that Q&A with the developer is the perk.. It's much more needed before joining drops not after...

    I am still a bit skeptical towards the developer's decision to go for discrete r2r ladder. It's a reasonable guess that rdac may not have the highest quality resistors as @soekris indicated. I am not worrying about life but about sonic quality and accuracy (even msb or total offerings didn't resolve this issue sufficiently..). So I am quite curious about "Wht not off-the-shelf chips", particularly in this price range. Another concern is that this guy seems very new in this industry.. AFAIK his previous product was a headphone amp, not very related with digital processing and adjustments. This rdac is his first (commercialized) dac product. Hmm..

    But on the other hand, the three most trusted ears in sbaf (to me, or to others, too) approved its quality. So, I am puzzled.

    Really want to hear this product in quiet and comfortable environment.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2018
  6. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    If you are doing a multibit DAC there is no decision, the chips don't exist anymore. The only exception is Schiit using industrial DAC chips, which have their own issues and are limited to 20 bits.
     
  7. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

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    Does any DAC measure better than 20 ENOB?
     
  8. Gofspar

    Gofspar Facebook Friend

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    So has Airist gave up on the Heron 5 then? would've thought they would have made a stackable dac for their $1000 headamp they sell.
    Maybe we'll see a Massdrop x Airist Heron 5 in the future though, so who knows. I thought Airist died there for a bit.
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The Heron came around here and the few people who heard it didn't like it and never said much about it.

    On DAC ladders, resistors, accuracy, etc. IMO, this usually correlates to plankton or resolution. I don't feel that resolution is a strong suit of the RDAC. It's not bad, but the RDAC is not what I would say is a resolving DAC. Neither is the Modi Multibit. The Gungnir Multibit utterly destroys the former two in terms of resolution.
     
  10. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Exit stage left....
    1. am personally discounting comparisons between this MD RDAC Airist and a Bifrost multi bit from last year.
    given the inherent nature of rolling updates and random gluons, someone should buy a current Bifrost Multibit to compare to this new Kid DAC on the Block.

    2. never felt a DAC was primarily responsible for soundstage. oh sure, differences are noticeable at various price points.
    yet not overly large deltas compared to the "head stage" as the foremost responsibility of cans, then amp, then DAC.
    then power substitutes or cables made from invertebrates.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2018
  11. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Nope, but that doesn't stop people from building and marketing 24 bit DACs.
     
  12. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Well, some of those DACs with higher tier specs on paper sound less enjoyable in some respects or just flat out bad in comparison to the RDAC.

    I guess if you equated resolution or other arbitrary subjective, objective, or paper spec traits to stereotypical physical attractiveness of a person, someone less than ideal from said stereotypical and supposed ideal standard can still make things work and be attractive or sexy in their own way. Not my preferred analogy, but one I think most understand even if they too find it in poor taste.
     
  13. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    I like this analogy. That makes me reflect I might be too much biased wrt stereoSCHIITtypical criteria, mainly because my meaningful r2r experience mostly came from Gungnir Multibit. Maybe this is also related to my lacking NOS experience.
     
  14. magicwonder

    magicwonder New

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    Anyone compared RDAC to Gungnir Multibit?
     
  15. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Marvelous? This better be the sonic incarnation of a blond bombshell blowing me on a yacht in the cool breeze of a moonlit night with a live band playing on deck as i lean my head back, close my eyes, and see only stars. In other words, hahaha... did I fall asleep and wake up in 6 Moons Alice in Reviewland?
     
  16. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    A DAC thread without ocean views? WTF is happening around here.
     
  17. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    SOMEone got too excited blowing lines of coke off someone's breasts on the deck of a yacht to remember the ocean views. We are now left only with our imaginations.
     
  18. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    All I know is @CEE TEE is excited about it and that's enough for me. This is going to be my replacement work DAC. Is it the best ever? Probably not. Will this make me happy enough that I won't care about DACs at work for a while? I think so? Will it make @brencho into James Bond? Depends on what he drinks while listening. Will he be actual James Bond? Well no, but it's hilarious when he thinks he is, so let's watch.
     
  19. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Hahaha @drfindley that's true! The drink will definitely be un-james-bond-like, or ungentlemanly, probably an old fashioned or some such. Maybe even a gin tonic since it's hot as balls in SoCal already. I love rhetorical questions so let me add some. Will this dac be great, decent, or not so great? I dunno! But I also know and love our pal Christian aka @CEE TEE so will be glad to hear the RDAC whenever I get a chance, I'm sure it'll be mustard.
     
  20. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    To those who have heard it, is it worth getting this to run in a 2-channel system? I currently use the Modi Multibit.
     

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