Comments on Profile Post by joch

IMO, they never really went away. I think it's just that a lot of SBAF uses R2R stuff (specifically, Schiit R2R).

Maybe it's time to see if we can have a good DS DAC as a loaner.

@ChaChaRealSmooth Agreed! I think people who kept using DS just weren't discussing it. I still have my Bifrost Uber and a Gungnir DS. Wouldn't trade either away. Keen to try an ESS card in my Pietus or something iFi. The whole world ain't one flavour ;)

I’m just seeing mentions of Gungnir DS a few times lately, and Schiit is planning to have a next gen Gungnir(?) that’ll initially be DS. The only other favored ones were Modi, Modius and the X-Sabre Pro.

@joch There have been a few positive mentions of iFi's DACs, though more in the context of their portable AIOs than their desktop gear.

FWIW I also liked some of the iFi stuff. Zen Signature is pretty good and has good synergy with Piety.

I personally feel like, at least at more sane price points, DS DACs tend to outresolve R-2R designs and have a pretty wide range of presentations ranging from Cirrus etch to AKM bloom+tizz and Burr-Brown cosy so it's easy for someone to find something that suits em.

ECP Walnnut DACs are also DS, though not very common.

I *love* my Modius E

Generally speaking, implementation > topology IMO

I appreciate AKM DS sound (though some implementations are too bloomy, etc.) and at time prefer it over Yggdrasil. Wish I knew of a good (neutral) AKM based desktop DAC that was price competitive (no more than $2k range)...basically a Schiit version ;)

All my favorite DS DACs were pre-Velvet Mush AKM and pre-Ginsu Sharp ESS. Still have Wolfsons and AKM 4399s in the racks.

Now that AKM is coming back from their fire and companies are taming ESS, I hope DS continues its “comeback”. Our hobby needs healthy competition with good products.

DS never left. It has been used in mastering forever and still is.