*Good Morning on this beautiful Saturday morning! Thank you for stopping by! 3000 likes on this video and I will make a video on TOP 5 DACs out of all the DACs I have tried :)* Related Video: Which DAC should you get? How to choose the best dac for yourself: kzread.info/dash/bejne/lWqZ2ZuJZKi6qJc.html MonAcoustic Platimon Review: kzread.info/dash/bejne/gZ54o5WoZ9u7k6g.html DACs mentioned in this video: Denafrips DACs: www.denafrips.com/dac Audio Note DACs: www.audionote.co.uk/dacs HoloAudio DACs: www.kitsunehifi.com/product-category/brands/holo-audio/ Topping DACs: apos.audio/collections/brand-spotlight-topping?sca_ref=459032.WbootYrpIv SMSL DACs: apos.audio/collections/brand-spotlight-smsl?sca_ref=459032.WbootYrpIv Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: kzread.info/head/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0 Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM #audiophile #homeaudio #hifi

@Tealc2323

9 ай бұрын

So, for those who have only experience with Chinese DACs like Topping, SMSL and such, what are those DACs that actually make a significant difference in the sound to be considered an upgrade and be worth the investment?

@robertmacdonald345

9 ай бұрын

Hi Jay, So Where does Audio gear Fall when it is Someone that Doesn't have gobs of Money to Spend, And It is nice to have different options but your Speakers Have to be able to Take advantage of what is trying to be offered, So does that mean you have to spend Thousands of Dollars for a Starter system to take advantage of or get the benefits. You can't get Wine from a lemon, no matter how much money you pay for it, Right? I think the same about the term " Audiophile ". I think people use it without thought??? No Sense in Buying capable gear if your ears aren't Capable of actually hearing tones/notes.... Ergo NOT an Audiophile... That person is an Enthusiast, Plain and Simple.

@Jayiyagi

9 ай бұрын

@@robertmacdonald345 As much as I'd love to brag about my hearing capabilities because I am "young," research shows that musical enjoyment and ability discern audio quality does not degrade with hearing loss. Of course, I have friends that do not care for audio quality but I've rarely seen someone not be able to tell the fidelity difference. (it's a matter of appreciation just like how someone may not appreciate a super car or a super watch but some may do) In terms of price, again, it is not about the price and more about how you choose and set them up the best you can. I consider anyone who puts time and effort into picking out and setting up the best they can to enjoy music an audiophile or enthusiast, the title doesn't really matter.

@robertmacdonald345

9 ай бұрын

@@Jayiyagi Hi, I agree but I am speaking of the Actual Ability to hear things that Others can't even with good hearing Thus the Term " Audiophile " and again if they Are not in that Catagory, then they are " Enthusiasts " NOT an Actual " Audiophile. Ergo top notch speakers etc, are just a waste of Money, basing it off of that term. There are REAL Audiphiles in This World But I wonder Just how Much different music is being one, So Enthusiast suits me just fine, Even if I was one. Thanks for the reply, and I enjot the Cannel I like The Maple Leaf To

@Jayiyagi

9 ай бұрын

@@robertmacdonald345 go maple leafs! 😂

A friend once told me be careful what your chasing in the audio world the sound you are looking for may leave you bankrupt best advice I ever got

@erikjohansson1488

8 ай бұрын

He's right , I blown alot of money on hifi and am not happier for that.

@zorankalina4399

6 ай бұрын

​@@erikjohansson1488You are not allone......

@mfgallonjaust7171

6 ай бұрын

Yeah same blown tens of Thousands and still working on my set up

@chronometa

4 ай бұрын

I'm more in the looking for unique advancement stage at a reasonable price.

@l67swap1

3 ай бұрын

Exactly , so many people listen to dollar store earbuds and are happy 😂

Great video. The word "bottleneck" is a perfect term. A few years ago I almost sold my speakers seeking audio nirvana. About that time I happened to be in NYC and stopped in at Park Avenue Audio. After describing my equipment, the manager (could have been the owner) of the shop told me I did not need to sell my once beloved Magnepans. And after demoing some speakers he told me he wanted me to listen to something. It was one of the external Chord DACS. I was stunned. The hifi world changed for me at that moment. I could not afford that Chord DAC but did add the Denafrips Ares II DAC (now upgraded to the Pontus II) to my system. The Magnepans were singing in a way I never heard before. Some music listened to a thousand times over the years stirred me emotionally literally bringing tears to my eyes. Before that day at Park Avenue Audio I did not know what an external DAC was.

@Jayiyagi

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@RudieVissenberg

9 ай бұрын

Exactly my story, including the upgrade from Ares to Pontus. BTW have you thought of buying the Hermes DDC? It did a lot to my system

@PureMoods85

9 ай бұрын

Could you share which Chord DAC it was please ?

@c34webb

2 ай бұрын

Which chord dac was it?

Hey Jay….enjoyed your discussion on this. Have been an audiophile for over 50 years now and really appreciate the way you work to help viewers understand the nuances of critical listening. Noted your room is heavily treated and you have learned well in a short amount of time the many issues that confront one in finding the best musicality from their system that they enjoy. Note the they! I have found most equipment inserted into the audio chain makes some level of difference in sound. Great video. I enjoy your youthful exuberance for a wonderful hobby that can enrich one’s life. I started mine when I was 14. 😊

@frankgeeraerts6243

9 ай бұрын

YES , I share your comment ...........and indeed he learned the good way !

@RUfromthe40s

8 ай бұрын

i´m a audio equipment enthusiast for more than 50 years and i agree with all that mr.Dean said on his coment

@iikatinggangsengii2471

5 ай бұрын

true2 its not buying expensive furnitures, you buy sound, which can be used on various purposes

Really good video, Jay. A lot of folks are going to understand how this stuff works much better now- something I had to figure out for myself over years. You summed it up in 20 mins 🙏

Good discussion on matching components to a system. I wish more reviewers would do stuff like this.

This is a great video Jay and actually extends far beyond the realm of comparing DACs. The point of reference that people have when they make statements about x or y piece of equipment is often completely absent in the warring parties of hi-fi internet debates. You are dead right, regarding room acoustics and speaker positioning and the reality that many systems are in modern living spaces which are often pretty compromised acoustic spaces.

Appreciate your take on this topic. As a newer audiophile the dac discussion is fascinating. So many choices.

Despite so many broadcasts and feedback on the science, art and experience regarding DAC components & technology, thanks for sharing on yours. It prompted me to side by side, try out 3 of mine that are different in design, topology & price point; for the first time and with 3 very different speakers, amps, headphones, etc. No surprise I experienced exactly what you and others have shared here and doing this has been fun, insightful and sharpened both perception and appreciation.

This is the most honest explanation i've ever heard about hifi gears. You're absolutely right.

Thank's Jay that really re-enforces the idea that you really need to hear for yourself especially as we all have differing preferences when it comes to what we think is good, The dac I use is focal arche with clear mg headphones mostly, I have however tried attaching it to a naim power amp and really enjoyed the sound which was a significant upgrade from the built in sabre dac on Yamaha receiver that I also own and was previously using as the pre out to the same naim power amp.

Great video! Glad a few reviewers are yackling this issue of what dac. Thanks Jay!

What’s better - a detailed, accurate DAC or a “good sounding” one? To me, a “musical” good sounding DAC is the goal, though I wouldn’t kick a detailed one out of bed

@YouSoundButtHurt

9 ай бұрын

It's subjective. To some, a detailed and accurate DAC is musical to them.

Great video Jay. Very well explained how DACs could make a difference and why you might not realize the performance upgrade👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I’ve heard great things about the Holo Audio DAC. I run the exaSound e62, with Sbooster botw power supply. I Choose that because my audiophile friends landed on it (performance/price) after trying many other choices. Great vid.

Our findings mirror mine as well. I too use a tube dac - AMR DP777 and absolutely adore it for its tone and refinement. We recently had a dac comparison amongst a bunch of friends of around 7 dacs - every single one of them sounded different. There were a bunch of discrete r2r, Philips ladder chips, ess chips, AD ladder chips and each dac sounded very different. Some were loved more than others but none of them were bad. Whoever says dacs don't change the sound of a system is smoking something really horrible.

@user-od9iz9cv1w

9 ай бұрын

Agree 100%. Nice choice with the AMR. I bet the DAC comparison day was fun. Love to have been there.

He Jay, I always watch your reviews❤❤ What is your recommendation for Focal Kanta2 + Hegel H390? Terminator or Holo Audio or do you have any other recommendation.

I thought you were going to review DACs here but instead I got a good understanding of how DACs work within the parameters of the overall system. Thanks for the perspective.

This is by far your best video! Great Job!

GREAT explanation of the synergies of the chain and complexity of subjective sound performance.

Your statements make sense and relate to my experiences. I also have to say there are audible differences in different audio drivers or modes especially when there is a certain asio driver made especially for the DAC.

So glad you mentioned room acoustics... IMO the most important and overlooked.

Good points have been stated. I have been told we all hear differently and one system can be loved by one and hated by another. Establish your budget, listen to all the reviews and suggestions and just go for it.

Agreed. After trying several I bought the ANK 4.1x DAC. Uses 4 tubes. Very musical.

Loving my Chord Qutest, Hegel, Kef R-series combination. Simply lovely sound ❤️

And as importantly, room treatment. The more I educate myself on room treatment and tackling it DIY, I have noticed a huge difference. Getting those bass pressures and frequency reflections/reverberations tackled ( building quadratic diffusers and frequency absorbers and placement) is critical for good sound. Not easy or cheap, but worth it.

@CompetentSalesUSA

6 ай бұрын

Very true, room treatment is just as important as the equipment that is being used.

@lllllllllllllllllllll1lll1

5 ай бұрын

Room treatment and speaker placement are everything. My audio recording professor told us years ago, "If you've got a $2000 budget, spend $500 on monitors and $1500 in treatment."

@hubsi5263

4 ай бұрын

I think Roomacustics is the importantst you have to do. Than a little correction with REW and youre done.

Jay, this is one of the BEST videos that you've ever done. congrats...

Thanks, Jay. Your video is very useful. Keep on creating these informative videos.

I had the same belife after reading about dacs on different forums. No need to use big money on dacs and you could skip preamp and use the dac instead. So I bought a gustard x16 that was considered an inexpence dac that measured well and hooked it up to my power amp. Then I bougth second hand preamp that was meant for the power amp. Sound got significant better. Then this summer I switched from my old dynaudio speaker to dynaudio HS after demo in shop on expensive naim setup. One ting that struck me was the presentation of the voice that was incredible good. When I listen at the speaker at home it was not on the same level. So I would try to upgrade my dac. I considered the Gustard A26 but it had not tidal connect and I need to import it myself. Then I found used Gold Note DS 10 plus with seperat power supply to same price as Gustard A26, so I bougth that. And yes the gold note was much better than the Gustard 16x that I had before. Now the 3d effect of having the artist in your livingroom was as I heard with the naim setup in the shop, but also more suprisingly the bass was also much better. Now there is a huge prise difference between my old and new dac, but for me it was worth it.

when I owned Harbeth (relatively rolled off) speakers I didn't notice a huge difference when swapping out an amp or DAC. However, with Klipsch Heritage speakers (lively sounding), every component has a distinct and noticeable character. Also, with Klipsch Heritage speakers, my favorite DAC so far is a Audio Research DAC 8. It has such a meaty, rich sound which is a perfect match for speakers that could otherwise be too bright

@r423sdex

9 ай бұрын

Is there something wrong with the dac ? it should just play whatever is in the digital file.

@dieselbrodeur

7 ай бұрын

Sorry but to me it sounds like you had really good natural sounding speakers and got artificial not so good speakers. ;) I never understood this Klipsch thing...

I owned the Ares 2 for more than 3 years. A friend bought the Pontus 2. He lent it to me and it was an improvement. I then bought the Gustard R26 and didnt like it. I purchased a Venus 2 and didnt like that either. I then bought a Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE and liked that better. Someone then told me to try the USB connection and reevaluated the Venus and Spring. This time around the Venus improved immensely and came out on top. I sold the R26 and the Spring out of preference. I was happy with the Venus for over 7 months, until my friend lent me a Terminator 2. The T2 was a revelation. Ive had it for 3 weeks and am about to swap back to the Venus. I know I will have to readjust to the Venus. I hope its not too bad.

@r423sdex

9 ай бұрын

And ?

@veetour

8 ай бұрын

So for your preference, the Terminator 2 > Venus 2 > Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE > Pontus 2 > Gustard R26?

@reidjames2938

2 ай бұрын

Delusion

@EricRhodeslives

Ай бұрын

Deaf ​@@reidjames2938

One of your best videos jay , great lessons for sure

Spot-on…it’s complicated. It’s set-up, synergy, your room and being aware and familiar about your sound system, your sound preference and your needs. Also "What are you trying to change or improve?"….GREAT AWARENESS! I watch The Audiophiliac and every episode he has "Viewer Systems of the Day"…THE MAJORITY of his viewers have their gear placed like furniture up against a wall!!! I crack-up at the &100,000 worth of gear where the person has spent NO energy or thought on set-up. NONE! it’s most people in my opinion. TRULY!

Great explanation Jay. Straight forward discussion people should digest before throwing around$$$

The thumbnail showed the RME ADI2, but it is not even mentioned once. As of today, has your opinion on the RME evolved soundwise? Could you kindly refresh our memories and provide commentary on how its soundstage and details compare to the most recent reference DAC you have listened to (Doge, Topping, Denafrips, Holo, Audio Note, etc)? Thank you very much!

Absolutely love you Jay says it like it is without the "bullshit". Kudos!

YESSSSSSSSSS! This is what I have been asking for !!! We in here Igayi Clan and thanks Jay!! We wanna know what you think after all these years on all these DACs you've reviewed !!! Youre the man!!!! I know you really cant do apples to apples across all these sets, but we just want to know how you look things since you come into possession of so many DACs. And this will be helpful for us to understand what different Dacs do at various price points (more like, what are you getting for your money, and why--and how you apply it to your system). Also thanks for such a long and thoughtful response to my comment last week!!!

Thx Jay. I would like to know what your favourite DAC’s are and why?

You explained this very well. I'm using an Denon DRA-800H AVR and a Emotiva BasX A2 power amp. Using Preouts on Zone 2 (on AVR no other preouts) into the BasX. One thing I noticed is the sound is flat compared to speakers connected to the AVR (DRA-800H). Is this because the preout cleans up any sound processing that happens within the receiver like the Preout is not full range..? If so how can I go about getting that big sound into my power amp? Do I need a DAC in between the Preout on the AVR and the power amp? Thanks to you or anyone who can help answer my q's.

Perfect analysis, could you explain how do you use your DAC ? Connected to a PC, a streamer or used to enhance a CD transport ? I had the case you are speaking, my DAC is analytic and I used it with my CD player in transport configuration, I didn't like what I eard, cause the integrated DAC of my CD player was less analytical and smoother. But connected to a PC I like my DAC for what it gives ...).

Im receiving a pair of OGY bookshelf speaker in a couple of days after seeing your review. Do you thinks they need a particular kind of DAC. My present system Mac Mini Audiolab M DAC, Swiss FM acoustics FM300A clone (supposed to warm and tube sounding) My DAC is a bit long in the tooth now so might be tempted to spend £1000-£1500; what do you think?

Very interesting video and enjoyed your thoughts and experiences. I’m wondering if and how the same could apply to streamers? Would love to hear your opinion on this topic. Especially for stand alone streamers without an internal DAC. Provided that one has already decided on their reference external DAC in their system.

Nice video. But Interesting: if you want warm vintage sound, what you must change in system with neutral power amp and bright speakers: preamp or dac? Or both?

I was the same as you in the late seventies with now called vintage audio. Love the content.

Hi Jay, may I take ur opinion on what dac would go best with kef R11? I m currently using a burmester amp and preamp and using a hifirose RS350 as digital transport.

Wow, new to this channel, that was a great video! More of a headphones guy, but you mirrored so much of my personal experiences in this hobby. Sometimes a DAC that measures worse, sounds better, because of the way it matches with the rest of my system. For example if a DAC compresses or "demolishes" the sound stage, it's going to be more difficult for the amp/headphones which are down the chain, to recover it. Thanks for making this video!

Best audio review ever. It’s all about pairing components. If you know how to do it, a small budget can make you very happy

Yes, please make a video of top 5 DACs, including cost. I think it would spur some great discussions.

Very well said Jay, you pay attention to details as a scientist for explaining your journey. Synergy is very important for sound system to get you in the lala land...

Thanks for the video review. How about streamer? Did different streamer makes a differences? Thanks!

My DAC journey started with a Bel Canto dac 3 which was a nice thing then changed to Meridian 808v3 cd dac which had the high end clarity and soundstage i was looking for .Then upgraded the v3 to v6 which was even better . I then sold the V6 because of cd drive issues . I then bought a pro-ject cd box rs2 transport with a Dac box rs2 because they were a match set . A little disapointed after the excellent Meridian v6 I found a used Weiss fire wire dac202... WOW this sounds so punchy natural and analogue . Its not only a great sounding Dac but also a great preamp/headphone amplifier my Sennheiser HD 650 never sounded so good . Now i`m wondering how good the newer Weiss 501 can be ?

Great explanation👍. This could be valid one also for the interconnet cables at least. But prerequisites must be met.

Great review. I would love your professional opinion.. what type of Dac complements the sound characteristics of the Maggie LRS+? I love the idea of the analog sounding Dac but I don’t want to lose 3d holographic detail.

Good video and important information. My only comment is to figure out your sound your after and buy appropriately. This all fuels the given idea of buy the speakers first and build the rest appropriately. Thanks Jay!

Obviously there are better DACs to be had but within my budget I am very happy. Adding a Denafrips Ares 12-1 to a Bluesound Node has been a success.

@r423sdex

9 ай бұрын

Define better ? It won't have anything to do with money. Maybe a feature !

Great review, many thanks! Shout out for a review of the Weiss Dac 204.

Dacs have amplifiers to boost the signal to line-level, correct? So that little amplifier could affect the overall sound of the dac

Good review, I like analog sounding dac like the r2r , rega dac r and the Cambridge audio dac magic

Difficult topic handled well. It all matters. I think its easier to get amp/linestage right than speakers or DAC. But given a transparent system where low level information can be heard and appreciated, a DAC makes a massive difference. Sure a $100 DAC does most everything. But moving up the line by orders of magnitude results in a holographic natural sound without any hint of digital fatigue. That is where the money is. I don't envy consumers making buying decisions. I build my own stuff and as a result can incrementally improve without replacing. My DAC journey took over 10 years. A credible DAC engine is the core, but the sound comes from the power supplies, the clock system, the output stage and the isolation from vibration and EMI. A clock upgrade can be huge. Supercaps in the digital power supplies bring substantial improvements. I love tube output but seek neutral not thick sound. The things I value that should be well done in a high end commercial DAC are: SOTA clock and FIFO buffer Oversized individual power supplies for every consumer. At minimum linear power supplies. Batteries and supercaps are great. Discrete output stage. I like triodes and use choke filtered mono power supplies, but good discrete JFET output buffers can also be fine. A good grounding scheme. Isolation from vibration and electronic noise. Particularly isolating the digital parts from the analogue. I like the sound of an R2R DAC, but this is just personal taste. I also am happy with 44.1 PCM. When you get it all right it sounds terrific. And the most important thing is well recorded music.

That was an excellent explanation. Very helpful.

Hey Jay, what AMP or DAC do you think would be a good synergy for KEF LS50 Meta speakers and REL T7x subwoofer? Mostly listening to Music (Dub, Metal, Rock) and watching movies (medium size room)

Wondering on best bang for buck: Denafrips ares with iris or, pontus on its own. Whats the better option?

Hi, love your channel. Question , what do you think about the Chinese brand Cayin they are highend and have a budget popular Ru7 dongle 1 bit R2R ...

Hi Jay Thanks for the detailed video. Can you please suggest me a DAC up to AUD500 to compliment my Marantz SR7012 and JBL ES90 speakers set up. Many thanks Antony

I am lucky that I have been working in Hifi / Car-audio / Pro-audio business, so I can confirm your explanation. But I want to add that it is also applicable on phono pré amps, and it has a lot to do with the output stages and how different configurations of output stages react or couple with your amplifier input stages. In my opinion the term DAC is not the right term for standalone dacs it is actually a DAC pré amplifier, because the DAC is only the chip with some electronics tot run / control / couple it with a pré amplifier board. In the stand alone DACs you ad an extra pré amplifier and it depends on the brand caracter, and the design choices that the engineering has to make to meet the budget in designing it. And especially when a brand wants a very specific sound caracter it can go in every direction, the warm sound with tubes for instance or a really transparant and highly resolving sound. Some brands really do this in purpose to make them stand out of the crowd, their sound signature might actually not be the technically best but it sells because our ears and taste are different. And on the other hand there are lots of products with very good and proven, lets say schoolbookdesigns that sound very good. For most people a middle price range product is the best choice, for both DACs and Phono pré amps. And the really expensive and exotic brands are not always better but very often different, and if you whant to spend thousends of dollars on that, be my guest.

Just as you say: its trial and error. I´ve needed 30 Years to build my system. With eye on the money. So i buyed most of my gear second hand. And now in 2023 with my age of 66 years i´m listen with Classe CP-700 and CDP-202, with a Krell KSA-200S, with SMSL M-300, Primare NP-5 and a Pair of Duntech Princess C-5000. There is no need for significant changes. It´s Time to relax and enjoy the Music in state of restless searching.😀

@Jayiyagi, if I may ask for help, I am currently running Denon A110 and I am finding it *** too much articulate ***, exactly how you mentioned in your review as well - however the soundstage is insane, best I have heard. Could I somehow soften the articulation using different DAC? Also - would you be able to recommend different amplifier to provide similar soundstage or even sound however with easier/softer listening experience? I am totally amazed by A110 but can't listen to it. I almost startle at sudden sounds and it does not even need to be loud or treble sounds.

Do you think that most integrated amplifiers have their DACs bottleneck-ing their amplifier part and the speakers? From my experience, there was a noticeable (but small) difference hooking up just a mid-tier (max $400) DAC to a $1300 Cambridge integrated amplifier. Also, what price ranges of DACs, amplifiers and speakers do you think we should combine for optimal synergy, if you think you can make such a conclusion? Of course you said it's not about the price, but if we ignore the characteristics/coloration of them, purely on sound quality?

If you wait like 10 years to update your DAC, like I did, you will notice a huge difference. I went from a very old Topping D2 DAC, to a SMSL M500, and it blew me away.

@r423sdex

9 ай бұрын

You can wait another year, and a dac won't sound any better. They are done.

@RUfromthe40s

8 ай бұрын

DAC or not DAC there´s my question ,i have a good cd player all though some albums that i have are very bad sounding compared to the record i bought when it originally came out, no matter if one adds to the cd player an expensive DAC it will never upgrade the bad cd sound, but there are cds with a lot of quality ,i own thousands

@CThienV

8 ай бұрын

Or it was 10 years worth of pent up expectation bias

Once I got the PS Audio DSJ DAC, I stopped there and now use different wires to flavor the sound. A non British DAC with excellent PRAT!

💯 % right. Gear, room + set up. In my case my hifi is set up in my small living room. But with both heresy iv and KLH model 5 I could clearly hear a difference between amplifiers and DACs. Holo spring 3 KTE is an amazing DAC but I think what we need to learn is that that’s the price it takes for goosebumps hifi. Ultimately I sold the spring 3 and returned to Ares II. Now I have JBL 4309 and now differences are more difficult to hear.

Hi Jay. Great video as usual. I know you have had praise for Schiit Audio products in the past. Have you tried the Modi+ DAC? I have it in my system and for $99 I think it was one of the best purchases I have ever made. I think it has gone up to $129 since I bought it last year but even at that price I think it is a great bargain. And this DAC can rival others that cost much more. It is just a basic DAC with no bells and whistles but for audio quality it cannot be beat in my opinion.

@asplmn

9 ай бұрын

The Modi is great. Highly recommended. I also have a Schiit Yggdrasil, and I have no desire to “upgrade.”

Thank you for this man!

Does a DAC clean up some streaming distortion?

Great Job Jay you hit on alot of crucial points of dacs , I been rolling dacs for over 30 years and i will say your digital transport is a huge factor of gettting the best performace out of your dac Jitter and errors are the biggest Evils and EMI 'but i wont ger into that comment would be a mile long !! keep on rolling buddy !

@hoobsgroove

9 ай бұрын

When's he going to send you his speakers two of you ;)

Can a dac be used on a vintage amp through the tape loop?

Commented on your IG as well but, long story short, one side of my speaker was connected out of phase due to wrong cable color labeling. Positive is negative and vice versa. And when Denafrips Pontus II + DDC was connected to the system, the holography and sound space immediately expanded. My brain also registered that something was off in one side of the room. I listened then inspected the entire chain from source, then shortly after the wrong mis-labeled speaker cable was found and corrected. Before this I never noticed how off the space was with another DAC. Although I returned the Pontus II after auditioning because I wasn’t a fan of the sound treatment it gave my system (less volume, attack and a soft veil), I was floored by the 3D soundstage and holography. It even helped me realize something was wrong with my system just from sound alone. Amazing stuff.

What is your opinion on the Audiophonics EVO-Sabre? I can’t really find any yt videos of it besides one. The measurements and the fact sheet is looking awesome - do you have an opinion or can you shoot a video about it by any chance?

This is direct and truthful…spoken with verity! I’ve had the same (very) decent dac for some time now. But whenever I’ve made a change or improvement to my system around it, I unlock more of the nuance and beauty that it very likely has always possessed. Thank you for articulating what so many seem to avoid in this discussion 🙏🏼

Great article Jay

Jay, why not listen on headphones to eliminate room problems?

@henrym78

Ай бұрын

Or get some Larsen speakers

Room acoustics + speaker placement is key. Yes.

I'd add one small detail to this fantastic video. I mean, I had a chance to listen to about a dozen of different DAC's on my home system (so the speaker and amplifier remained the same) and in my opinion there is a difference between chips used by DAC's manufacturers which contribute to the sound signature DAC is producing. I found Burr Brown based to be more flat and neutral and those based on ESS Sabre a bit wormer sounding. Unfortunately I have not tried AKM, Cirrus Logic, Texas Instruments or Wolfson based hardware to fully confirm my thoughts but at least for now, I'm enjoy'ing ESS based DAC a tad more...

@RacingAnt

9 ай бұрын

That's more likely the implementation of the specific dac. ESS DACs have a reputation for glare, which would never be classed as warm. Burr Brown, however, have always been firmly in the musical, warm camp. So, it's more likely the supporting analogue components giving the sound signature you're describing, than the chips themselves.

I upgraded from a Denafrips Ares II >>> Pontus II 12th w/ an IRIS DDC .... *massive* improvement in sound. That's me, now. Really happy w/ the digital end of my system. I've finally jumped off the DAC purchasing/upgrading merry-go-round Yay!!! *Now*, it's time for my final upgrade... i.e., changing my fairly expensive integrated to a final pre/power combo w/ at least 2 balanced XLR inputs. Or possibly a Luxman Class A Integrated. Happy w/ my Amphion Argon 3s standmounts w/ really great spkr. stands, (23kg each), Streamer, CD Transport, T/table, T/table power supply/phonoamp, Hi-Fi racks (x 2), sound treatments in my room, power conditioners (x 2), cables of various types for each format - *and* lastly... a few small, fairly inexpensive little tweaks, e.g. the Furutech NCF Clear Line plug-in adapters.... So *very, very* relieved to be able to watch lots of my favourite audio review channels *now* and *not feel* that "must upgrade twitch" any more... (It's only taken me 42 years to get here - started at age 18...!!!). Best of luck to everyone! Keep at it, and you'll get 'there'!!

@user-od9iz9cv1w

9 ай бұрын

Congratulations. I can relate.

@SmallChurch

9 ай бұрын

@@user-od9iz9cv1w Thanks! It's really good to be able to just watch all the good review channels, but purely from an entertainment/new information/format point of view... I never thought I'd be able to write that... I'm sure that everyone who's a hi-fi enthusiast/audiophile hopes to get 'there' w/ their system, one day... (Took me 40 + yrs. to get there... What a hobby [addiction?!], eh?!

Jay, what about a DAC + AMP + Speakers that all have a 3d tubey sound? Would that then be too much of a good thing?

@Jayiyagi

9 ай бұрын

If you don’t care for imaging, it’s never a bad thing. I know some audiophiles that love their soundstage and don’t care about imaging. Remember that too wide and dispersed soundstage can SOMETIMES lead to soft imaging. It’s again a balancing act

If you have treatment on one side of room via first reflections and not on the other (your room), does this possibly affect your listening position unevenly ? If you can’t hear it then ok cool; the whole dac thing is maybe too subtle to not be placebo.

Do you hear the deference between a 24 bit dac vs 32 bit?

The Audio note was $1800 and now, at least according to my closest dealer, is $2200. You also have to have it built to order. So you can’t really return it if you don’t like it. That said, Audio Note DACs only play redbook. So if your streaming all those hi-res files are either downsampled or you have to find the redbook version. If you ask Audio Note if the redbook stream sounds better than the hi-res stream thay say they don’t like the sound of streams. They expect you to just use CDs. Which is a complete cop out answer. Who would be satisfied with this answer? It’s like a mechanic telling you to get rid of your automatic transmission and start driving a stick. No one is going to buy 19000 CDs. So unfortunately, it’s reviewers like you that are left to offer a more realistic answer to this redbook design philosophy. Thanks for the video- it’s stuff that needed to be said.

@Jayiyagi

9 ай бұрын

yes I am also unhappy with Audio Note offering only coax in the DAC5 while they offer usb on the lower line 0.1x DAC. It makes zero sense. But I like the sound... and do understand where they are coming from as their idea is that anything done to the signal path is bad and less is more... BUT I can't help but feel like this is a little TOO less in 2023

What were the floor stander speakers pictured a lot in this video?

I had the PSAUDIO MK2 and then got a Mola Mola Tambaqui. I thought it a fairly significant upgrade. Each user would need to decide if it worth the extra $$$

Would love to hear where "preamps" fall within that scale of making a difference in the system.

Jay, as things like DACs and cables (of all kinds) have such subtle differences that it requires long term listening to ascertain worthwhile differences. hours or days of listening before switching will elucidate which are the desirable differences. and cables are needed for connection to and from the device, which may require some experimentation for compatibility. long ago, I got a rotel 8055 CD player that sounded VERY good but when I changed to the kinber pbj interconnect, WOW, a marriage made in heaven. i will say that changing ONE component at a time is the most reliable way to hear meaningful differences. so after determining which dac(s) is(are) the one(s) to seriously consider for purchase. ....hifitommy

I choose based on the remote control and how many filter settings there are :)

I have owned an SMSL VMV D1 since 2019, back when SMSL, Topping etc. didn't have a bazillion choices at the time. t retailed around $1300. I bought it off Drop for around $800.00. Schiit and Denafrips were the options I considered at that time. They now make a D2 and D3. I am pretty happy. I don't feel the need to upgrade. Sure there are better DACs, but at what price for an upgrade and for how much of a sonic improvement am I getting for that upgrade. I may upgrade at some point but for now I am sitting tight. I would love a newer DAC, but I wish to hear a an automatic upgrade. This, for me, is what is needed to have to spend a lot more. I stress and always will, to each their own, I am in no position to be critical of anyone!!!

Nice work Jay.

Hi Jay- I have a MSB Gryphon system which has really improved since adding a Antipodes K50 server, however my dealer mentioned he had taken on a brand called Ideon a small company based out of Greece after being at the Munich show and said all their products were to quote “ On a new level and I had to hear them. I also recently heard the DCS Bartok Apex which was very good but not any better than my MSB. Anyway replaced my MSB with the Ideon Ion DAC - blown away not only are they insanely transparent but the sound stage increased by at least 30% , along with just sounding so natural and organic it was mind blowing. My dealer has a MSB Reference DAC system and said their Absolute which is almost half the price is vastly superior to it which is quite something. Obviously I’ve ordered the Ideon which is arriving shortly and sold my MSB. The great thing about the brand Ideon is they have products from 3K all the way up to their Absolute range which is unheard in the Audiophile industry, even the lesser models are apparently sublime.

@vaneast411

2 ай бұрын

That sounds very interesting

More than anything it is about matching your gear, this includes the analogue interconnects being used - in my experience.

I'd just like to know how far up the chain I'd have to go to better the internal dac of the Hegel h390. Any suggestions anyone?

Do you match output levels to within 1db.? When comparing DACs. Only then you can compare.

Ditto that room treatment definitely comes before dac upgrades! At least cover up primary reflections. Love that that’s being mentioned. How are you supposed to hear digital artifacts through all the comb filtering…

Chord mojo 2 has been life changing. I have it so I can quickly connect to my home system and then disconnect to take on the go. Loving the lossless eq and the sound quality is excellent. I’m good until mojo 3 comes out.

@jirihorsky9600

9 ай бұрын

I have very similar experience and use case with my Mojo 2. It is by far the most expensive component in my system but when I first connected it made me say “whoa, ok wow, now i get it”.

@r423sdex

9 ай бұрын

I got a mojo 2, it never gets used. Topping and smsl make far better performing dac. Now sabaj are also beating them. It's in the numbers.

@degradacja

7 ай бұрын

@@r423sdex it's not

@steelic1

6 ай бұрын

@@r423sdexhad mojo then topping, went back to mojo 2 and the sound quality is incredible coupled with lossless EQ!