$43000 "hi-end" DAC vs $50 consumer audio dac ?

[toufu]

I bought an used Weiss DAC 202 a few months ago. I am done with digital source. This will be the DAC I will die with.

[Ken Newton]

(it doesn't shoot lasers at kittens does it?).

I'll have you know that kittens just love having lasers shot as them. There's little that a kitty loves more than to chase a pocket LED laser spot around around a room!

[abraxalito]

Originally Posted by Ken Newton

As poor as the linearity reported by Bruno is, it makes me wonder to what degree msb's subjective (presumably, positive) sound character is due to their discrete converter's distortion level proportionally tracking the signal level, sort of the way open loop class-A gain stages behave. Which, of course, is opposite to the way D/A converters usually behave.

I wondered if the subjective performance is down to them having a relatively low-glitch DAC architecture. But then seeing the measurements with their high levels of higher-order distortion I rather discount that hypothesis now. Also they seem to be running the DAC 'core' at least 16X and probably 32X oversampling - inferred from the ruler-flat FR and the way the digital filters are described. Such a high degree of oversampling wouldn't be consistent with low glitch energy which is for me the no.1 USP of a NOS DAC.

My tentative conclusion for the subjective approval is that its still a multibit DAC in an S-D world, lacking the noise modulation effects of the latter hence PRaT is good despite the relatively poor distortion performance.

[fas42]

Just to add some context to the discussion on subjective performance, and the influence of price on reviewers' opinions:

For those who haven't discovered this, Colloms's historical ratings, doesn't include the latest evaluations ... HIFICRITIC, audio review magazine, hi fi critic.

And, a post in another thread here, which quotes from a more recent issue of that magazine, one that I haven't seen ... hypex ncore

Frank

[DJNUBZ]

I bought an ODAC and have been immensely satisfied with it. I am a believer of the philosophy behind it. I would love to see a direct comparison of this $43K dac vs. the ODAC.

[abraxalito]

The ODAC is a believer's DAC, for sure

[qusp]

philosophy? isnt the whole point that it completely lacks philosophy? I find it pretty reductionist/empty myself and it completely and aggressively disregards any art.

[abraxalito]

I took it by 'philosophy' he actually meant 'ideology' - the ideology that a design can be guaranteed transparent by merely meeting or exceeding a set of numbers offered by a self proclaimed audio expert.