[gadfly]

I recently sold a wyred4sound dac-2 dsdse used with ava CF pre, 600R amp,and HT3s.
Lots of detail but enough of a digital edge to interfere with involvement and musicality.
I am considering the chord2qute with an after-mrkt LPS.  The 2qute is basically the
Hugo with a galvanically isolated usb port and no headphone amp.  Sonically the goal
is a warm analog-like tone.  Also considering the schlit yggdrasil but get the vibe that
it leans more toward a sabre like digital vs. analog sound.  Any comments or suggestions
would be much appreciated.

no offense is intended to any dac-this all comes down to personal preference and system
synergy

gad-

[TJHUB]

What cable did you use between your source and DAC?

[sfox7076]

I would look at Lampizators.  I like the Chord a lot (own the Hugo), but it is a lot more digital sounding than any Lampizator I have heard. 

[ernest787]

I can in to suggest to Wyred, but it looks like you tried that, lol.  I've heard great things about Lampizators though.

[gadfly]

dac budget is $2,500 including cables and possible LPS

TJ- my last usb cable was an audioquest carbon- I did not notice a big diff between
the carbon and the generic.

sfox- considered the amber but 3 more tubes and the fact that I've seen quite
a few on the used mrkt. makes me nervous

My current thinking, always subject to revision, is that inherently sabre chip dacs
lean toward an analytical detail emphasis sacrificing a bit of analog tonality at
least at my price-point.  Eschewing tube dacs the chord and ygg or ? are
current non-sabre chip contenders.

gad-

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Consider the Hugo Chord for its wamer lush sound, Exogal Comet which I reviewed.  It has a very holographic 3D sound with a wide and deep sound stage.  It is very detailed.  It was a star at Axpona.  I would recommend the W4S DAC2 QSDse with the Femto clock but I found it a little fatiguing and it was beat out by the Hugo, Bryston BDA-1 and Comet in a recent DAC shoot out that we did.

If you decide to go with the Hugo and don't need a headphone amp then consider its much cheaper baby brother which is the same DAC minus the headphone amp.  Whoops, I see that you already know that.

I recently bought a Luxman DA-06 DAC direct from Japan for $2700 and it arrived in 3 days.  It sells here for $5-6K.  It has a lush, dynamic, musical, slightly warmer, analog sound and it sounds exactly as the 3 reviews listed below.  I use it with my Pass X250 amp, BAT VK-51se preamp and Magnepan 1.6 speakers using HQ player and JRiver.

Here are some reviews-

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/525-luxman-da-06-dac-review/

http://www.audiostream.com/content/luxman-da-06-usb-da-converter#fVGqGy9mYR77CHVK.97

http://www.stereophile.com/content/luxman-da-06-da-processor#6vdkutlEAb5T1eMK.97

[sfox7076]

I have not heard an Amber, but they are some great stuff.  A lot of those Ambers are there because people all move up the Lampi chain.  I am selling my Big 7 because I am getting a Golden Gate. 

Shawn

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I got to hear an Amber and loved the sound especially since  my prior DAC was a AVA tube DAC.  My friend who had the Amber had problems with it breaking down and sent it back for a return.  I considered buying an Amber but Lampi's have had reliability issues and they come in a huge case which turned me off.

Gadfly, the Hugo and Luxman would be a perfect match with the AVA gear.  I have heard your amp and preamp and wrote reviews of them for AVA.  I have also heard the HTR-3 speakers at Franks. I have heard the Hugo paired with the 600R and new FET preamp and it sounded great.  I feel the Lux would be even better.  It is more analog sounding and more dynamic with a much larger sound stage, more depth and detail than the Hugo.

[sfox7076]

I agree on the case being big.  I think the reliability issues were largely in the early days.  Not so many since.

Shawn

[pawsman]

Take a look at the Schiit Yggdrasil; the closed form digital filter and true multi-bit architecture is getting some good reviews at Head-Fi-

pawsman

[gadfly]

Greyhound- Thanks for the real life feedback.  I found the posts you referred to
I believe the system with my pre and amp used maggies.  Do you think your
impression would have been the same with HT3s?  The Hugo runs off a battery
which benefits performance.  The chord2qute is marketed as a desk top Hugo;
comes with a wall-wart, and has the additional benefits of usb galvanic isolation
and standard size usb port.  There are several reports on computeraudiophile
that particularly bass is improved with an after-mkt. LPS.  That totals to aprox.
$2,300 with the LPS.  If I hear what you heard I'm done.  Regarding the Luxman:
your a braver man than me ordering from Japan.  No matter what I spend
there's always that next step to financial obliteration... of course when it comes
to audio that hasn't always stopped me.

pawsman-  That's some interesting Schiit-if the Yggdrasil wasn't 25lbs., didn't
have to be on all the time consuming 35watts, and came in black, I would be
more interested.  Never the less if it really matched the Schitt fan-boy's hype,
I would probably buy one.

I will purchase the next real dac mid Sept.  Hopefully I wil find a dealer/manufacturer
with a decent in home trial period and no or minimal restock fee.  Until
then I trudge along with my trusty sb touch.  Sometimes, late at night, it sounds
almost decent.

gad-

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Gad, I think my impressions would have been the same with the HT3's.

I don't think you could go wrong with either Chord DAC's.   My issue with the Hugo was it lacked a little detail compared to some other dac's that I have heard in my system.  I have a friend with Magnepan 1.7's,  AVA 400R amp and the new AVA FET preamp with the Hugo chord and it sounds great.  It is a great match for his system.  He is selling his W4S DSDse DAC.

As far as buying from Japan, I have had good luck.  I bought a Nagaoka MP-200 cartrige direct for 1/2 the U.S. price.  I bought from a guy that has a 100% rating on ebay with Pay Pal and a good return policy.  The purchase was covered with Ebay and Pay Pal protection so I did not worry if something went wrong.  Both my DAC and Cartridge arrived in 3 days.  But I can understand your reluctance.

If you are in the Minneapolis-St Paul area you are welcome to stop by for a listen.

Larry

[BAJ55]

I own the Schiit audio Yggdrasil dac.
Sabre like? Digititis? Those vibes you say you get are inaccurate.

This dac has the best detailed, and I mean detailed bass I have ever experienced. I can hear and ""feel"" the vibrations of stringed instruments.  The yggy is nicely detailed and is very analog sounding. It's been in my system for a month or so now. It replaced my Bryston BDA-1. The bryston is a great dac but I do enjoy the yggy much more. I would hope that you wouldn't rule out this dac. I believe you would be doing yourself a dis-service if you did.
I am not a fanboy of no company  but I am a fan of the Yggdrasil dac.
Nor am I a fanboy of AVA, but I am a fan of my AVA 600R.

By the way.....mine is in Black.

Baj55

[gadfly]

greyhound- I'm down the street in sunny 90 degree Seattle.  Considering
you buy gear from Japan and invite internet stangers to your home, maybe
we could meet at the grand-canyon for some base diving.
Just kidding of course.  Your insights are much appreciated and extremely
relevent given your direct experience with my electronics.  This dac thing
has my biorythms slightly off key.

BAJ55- I hear you and I have to like a person who has a blk. 600R.
What preamp are you using?  Do you listen with speakers?  The ygg
gets major props and I would love to hear one in my system.  The
Schitt return/refund policy makes it pretty tempting.  You could be right
and that bothers me.

night folks-

gad

[BAJ55]

Hey Gad,

I'm using the tube research labs dude preamp.
I only listen with speakers.
I should of been more upfront and mentioned that I only use AES/EBU out of A transport to digital in of the yggy dac. I have no experience with its USB as I am to old and stuck in my ways to use computer audio. Just not interested in it.

My 600r is silver,
My Yggdrasil is Black

Your welcome to pm me any time if you would like to discuss the yggy further.

Baj55

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Gad, I understand what you are saying about Sabre based DAC's.  I was also looking for a very analog sounding dac with a warmer edge.  I have heard several high end DAC's- Bryston BDA-1, Exogal Comet, Exasound E22, W4S DSDse with femto clock, Hugo Cord, PS Audio Direct Stream (I have heard all these with your AVA amp and Preamp) and I have owned the Marantz NA-11s1, the new Cary Audio 200ts which has both a tube and SS output stage that you can switch between.  I have also heard the Bricasti M1 which is best that I have heard.

The Marantz, Hugo and Luxman are the most analog sounding of the bunch ( if you do not include the Bricasti).  I loved the detail and texture of the Marantz the best but it's sound was too forward and it had too much bass in my system.  I am getting a little off topic hear but my point is that the Hugo was the most analog with the right amount of warmth and musicality of all the DAC's that I have heard with your gear.  You won't get that razor sharp detail and resolution that you get with a Sabre based DAC but you will get a more natural sound that is easy to listen to. 

I was in the same situation as you.  I wanted a DAC that was analog sounding with some warmth and happened upon the Luxman and I was lucky enough to find a guy on the Audio Aficionado forum that has one and lives in the Twin Cities.  He brought it over for a listen in my system.

If you go with one of the Chord DAC's, consider buying a Regen.  It will be the best $175 spent.  I got to hear one in my friends AVA system with the Hugo.  I heard the system with and without the Regen.  The Regen added a blacker  background and slightly darker sound with more detail.  The sound was smoother and a bit more musical.

Good luck in what every DAC you choose,

Larry

[Big Red Machine]

Hey Gad,

I'm using the tube research labs dude preamp.
I only listen with speakers.
I should of been more upfront and mentioned that I only use AES/EBU out of A transport to digital in of the yggy dac. I have no experience with its USB as I am to old and stuck in my ways to use computer audio. Just not interested in it.

My 600r is silver,
My Yggdrasil is Black

Your welcome to pm me any time if you would like to discuss the yggy further.

Baj55

Thanks for the tip on the dac, I might load one in the cart and take it for a spin around the block.

Have you added bypass caps to your Dude soda can caps?  They really add another degree of smoothness.  One of the cheapest and easiest mods I have ever done.

[BAJ55]

Hey there BRM,
I am aware of that mod but have not done it.
What I have done was replaced the output caps with the new Jupiter caps. That was an improvement in clarity.

Baj55