Have a Parasound D/AC upgraded with PCM-63K. Thinking on getting a streamer to get rid of cabling. How would something like a Coctail Audio N25 or the cheaper Audiolab 7000n compare? Thx!
It depends on the implementation not the chip itself. If done right, any chips will produce pleasant results. Usually, older R2R DACs have good analog stages, but weak digital portion, i.e. receiver, filter, clock, regulator. Newer DACs took advantage of better parts, i.e. better receiver, ultra low noise LDO, low jitter clocks... etc.
Some people couldn't stand the sound of ESS dac chip Hump Distortion, while other people were never bothered by it.
If that bothers you you could try out a AKM/Rohm/Cirrus chip based DAC for a change. The AKM ones I have are very good sounding.
Differences in DAC chips today are minimal for untrained ears with the exception of more distorting older DAC topologies. Board design, PSU quality may differ with modern DACs in the sub 1000 Euro range.
Differences in DAC chips today are minimal for untrained ears with the exception of more distorting older DAC topologies. Board design, PSU quality may differ with modern DACs in the sub 1000 Euro range.
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Agreed. Its not just the implementation (which is very important, of course), the DAC chip also plays some role in the final sound.
Both seem to have ESS DAC chips FWIW. I had a few ESS based DACs as these guys are quite dominant but appreciate AKM chips more I have to admit.
What is also important is the userfriendliness of the app/software. I had a streamer last week that I really wanted to get rid of as the app was bad and stability was so so. Two days and it was gone. The app for the Audiolab 6000 also was so so.
Some streamers have very good stability and a good app but performance is so so (Bluesound).
Maybe you want a streamer with a AKM DAC either internally or externally but with good software and some other predefined parameters!?
Do you need local storage? USB output for a DAC? More than 1 USB port? Wireless? Bluetooth!? Gigabit ethernet? Display? Such choices.
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Many thanks to all! No, local storage is handled elsewhere - I need connectivity to it (as Bluesound do but I heard one and wasn`t impressed at best).
Perhaps best is to just ask the local dealer for a unit to demo in my system and decide if my cup of tea or not. A friend bought something (don`t remember the make) he said was very highly regarded (also more expensive than both the N25 or Audiolab) and will ask him to audition it at home as well. In his system it sounded very clinical - definitely not to my taste but its a whole different setup.
I know that in real terms performance one of those ESS dacs can approximate about 14 bits so still trying to clear my mind if I want to keep the DAC-1000 and maybe connect a streamer to it.
Perhaps best is to just ask the local dealer for a unit to demo in my system and decide if my cup of tea or not. A friend bought something (don`t remember the make) he said was very highly regarded (also more expensive than both the N25 or Audiolab) and will ask him to audition it at home as well. In his system it sounded very clinical - definitely not to my taste but its a whole different setup.
I know that in real terms performance one of those ESS dacs can approximate about 14 bits so still trying to clear my mind if I want to keep the DAC-1000 and maybe connect a streamer to it.
14 bits!?!??
You would be surprised if you would try out a streamer with decent built in DAC. No SPDIF/USB needed. The 2 box approach does not bring that much.
You would be surprised if you would try out a streamer with decent built in DAC. No SPDIF/USB needed. The 2 box approach does not bring that much.
Gustard A26 is good... will probably suit you perfectly in every possible way functionality-wise... it also has AKM DACs. Have a look inside... and check its measurements - superb value for money:
Its what was described in another forum but I cannot recall which one. Deep discussion on this.
This one`s also interesting: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/r2r...ntific-difference-thats-audible.779572/page-3
Anyways, a friend brought a Dune HD Ultra Vision and got it into my system for a few days. The like side compared to my PCM63K based one is the higher versatility (interface wise, not on sound), more precise bass control and a bit of more detail on the upper end. What I disliked is the plain presentation - stage was like butte cut at the speakers and inside, quite 2D in my opinion and somehow midrange appeared less detailed. Also, on any recording there was its own sound signature with about all vocals having pronounced "s" and "sh". Not my cup of tea but will ask a local dealer to audition the Cocktail Audio N25 and an Audiolab 7000N with an option to still keep the current dac and just get a cheaper music server to feed it.
You can dream to you existing DAC from a phone, tablet, or pc just need a gismo to go from USB to whatever input your DAC takes. Lots of USB gismos have spdif out. Cheap way out.
You can stream to you existing DAC from a phone, tablet, or pc just need a gismo to go from USB to whatever input your DAC takes. Lots of USB gismos have spdif out. Cheap way out
I really wish more PCBs were available in DIY land to build DACs around Rohm chips.
I am nowhere near competent enough to do that myself, but I can sling solder. 🤣
Just PCB maybe not enough - you may also need microcontroller and it's firmware.
That’s cool. Alas, I wouldn’t know what to do with it.
You are very right. At my skill level, I need all the help I can get. I looked at eval boards before, and I concluded I would not know what to do with them. Sad to say.
EE is not my trade, I am just a beginner in that field.
You are very right. At my skill level, I need all the help I can get. I looked at eval boards before, and I concluded I would not know what to do with them. Sad to say.
EE is not my trade, I am just a beginner in that field.
I've purchased an ESS DIY board from China before, and the measurement results were the worst. I returned it. Later, I bought a commercial converter (Apogee) based on ESS, and it not only met the specified catalog specifications but also delivered excellent sound quality.
This aligns with what has been said about ESS from the beginning - I believe it requires a significant level of technical knowledge and experience for proper implementation.
This aligns with what has been said about ESS from the beginning - I believe it requires a significant level of technical knowledge and experience for proper implementation.