Marvey's DAC Chart of Awesomeness

Didn't see that one! But acquired a couple of weeks ago a theta ds pro basic. I'm pretty inexperienced in the DAC world. Before the upgraditis got me, I had been living quite happily with the arcam rDAC. Then I acquired a Dangerous source. this acquisition made me realise two things:
1. SPDIF opt/coax >>>>> USB and
2. when both DACs are fed through SPDIF (rDAC via optical and DM Source via Coax), the differences are.... not identifiable for me

Now I have added the theta basic in the mix a couple of observations:
. I'm not able to experience the "theta bass" that I have been reading :'(
. but was able to clearly hear and experience that holographic presentation of the music )))))))))

As none of these DACs are in the DAC chart, I have no real point of comparison that can help me possibly get cured from this DAC acquisition syndrom! haha

 

Believe it or not, I just saw this post ! I'll arrange for the Chennai SBAF meet. Has to be on a weekend and I'll set up my office to do that. Abhishek wanted to come as well.

 

I am ready for it!

 

Oh, great! I'll be there

By the way, I see that the guys at hifivision.com are organising a Chennai meet. I don't spend much time on that site any longer, due to rampant audiophilia nervosa, but still, there are some very decent local guys, whether we agree about cables or not. Last time, there were three rooms at Savera, with different gear being demonstrated in each, served with a very decent lunch as well as tea and coffee. Interested non-members would be welcome. The try to cover the costs by sponsorship, but there will be a small fee.

 

This.

I'd place it just to the right of the Bifrost Multibit.

Perhaps slightly under it, but my ears aren't good enough to notice such minute differences.

 

the chart is really awesome to see and study.... i dont have any experience comparison with dacs ...Perhaps someone know where the bushmaster mk II will show on that chart?

 

Any opinions on the Rega Dac? (new version out supposedly improving USB implementation)

 

Where would the Audio GD 19 DAC 10th anniversary sit on the chart?

 

That's a good question. I bought that DAC and came away disappointed. On paper, the specs looks very good. In practice, I found it to have a "blended" presentation and just not very resolving. I believe that while r2r feature set is important, the way that it's implementation is just as critical. For me, DAC-19 was a fail.

 

Thanks for your input. I was reading about it on headfi with good impressions

I am new to audiophile and currently have a crack+SB with hd650

Dac is onboard PC soundcard asus essence stx

 

Anyone looking for a very good DAC around the $500 price point should be looking very closely at the bifrost. If you can afford MB, I'd grab it. If not the 4490 is a solid performer.

 

And for another perspective, I would probably reverse that idea, hahaha

 

I have an Essence ST, I've owned a Bifrost Uber, Multibit, and Gungnir multibit. If you're expecting to be blown away, the bifrost isn't going to get you there. To my ear, level matched, the Bifrost Multibit will give you a touch less digital glare, slightly warmer , and bit more sound-stage width and separation. The Gungnir Multibit is definitely more refined sounding, excellent micro-dynamics, excellent separation. Ultimately I went back to my Essence, however it was a question of budget to performance and I felt I got more out of upgrading my analog chain. I really do think the Gungnir Multibit sounds wonderful, and I plan on buying one again in a few years when Schiit upgrades and the used market tanks. To be clear I think the Bifrost/Bifrost Multibit is a killer DAC for the money, and a great first desktop/end of the line for sane people DAC. However, the Essence you already have is no slouch as a source, at all. So it becomes a lot harder to recommend them as IMHO a marginal upgrade. If I were you, I would save your pennies for a few more months and buy a used Gungnir Multibit.

 

Even as a Gungnir Multibit owner, it boggles my mind at times how much $$ we're willing to shell out for what usually ends up being barely noticeable "upgrades" in sound, especially taking into account the rest of the chain and the quality/source of music itself.

I will say that listening to live music recordings via Gungnir Multibit is fantastic.

 

Well, what is a acceptable standard for high end fidelity?
I never A/B tested any DACs before so I have no clue.

The differences between headphones & amps I tested are massive & some are completely justified in the price gaps. Though I'm not sure how much a difference a Gungnir Multibit or a Yggdrasil would make vs a standard mid-fi DAC.
Just a tad bit clearer in resolution? Or noticeable differences in bass slam, instrumental separation & micro/macro dynamics?

 

If it were really possible to aggregate everything together that a DAC does and assign a percentage of "better," as diminishing returns kick in, you are probably only talking a few percent - nothing close to night and day. However, there is that crucial point where just a percent of a percent better helps your whole rig turn a corner, allowing you to find that "it" that might allow for an epiphany in enjoyment. It is in a different spot for everyone, but for me, it was when I added a Bifrost 4490 to a Valhalla 2 feeding an HD650. I am not hearing anything that wasn't there with my GOV2 Infinity as my DAC, but I turned the corner on realism and depth and I found myself listening to a ton of music that I had been thoroughly enjoying prior with a brand new sense of appreciation. I find myself more engrossed in the music rather than just listening to it. That is why I really could be "done" for quite some time before I try climbing the mountain again. I know there is probably better sound for me to find, but I also know it will cost far more than I think is worth it right now. So in the end, it could be worth it for you to try other DACs to find your "it" if you don't think you have found it yet.

 

After downgrading from an ifi iDsd micro to an Emotiva Big ego for my hp rig, and a Meridian explorer (first gen) replaced a geek pulse in my speaker setup (the former change because I needed the money, the latter because the pulse took a shit for the second time, this time out of warranty and I already had the Explorer which was replaced by the Micro idsd), I have come to realize that I'm enjoying my music as much as I ever have. I know none of this is high-end gear in any event, but it confirms something I suspected as I was upgrading; the composition and performance of the music is way more important to my enjoyment than the differences between components, at least at any level I'm likely to be able to afford. Just my 2 cents.

 

Now this makes me wonder how the Xonar STII sounds.

 

The STX II? It didn't seem like it changed much beyond the original, I'm still not sure what changed beyond software actually...