ESS Sabre 32 DAC

James Tanner · « **on:** 2 Apr 2011, 02:15 pm »

Hi Folks,

Playing around with the ESS Sabre 32 DAC this weekend.

james

mr_bill · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 02:18 pm »

I had the same demo board. The ESS Sabre Dacs sound really good.
What are you finding?

James Tanner · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 02:31 pm »

Quote from: mr_bill on 2 Apr 2011, 02:18 pm

I had the same demo board. The ESS Sabre Dacs sound really good.
What are you finding?

Hi Bill

So far I can not get it to decode above 96K native files

James

budt · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 02:52 pm »

Do youplan on trying the new AKM 4399( 32 bit) ? Many feel this is the best chip out there right now.

Anonamemouse · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 03:23 pm »

Now that would be an excellent addition to the BDP-1!

James Tanner · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 04:01 pm »

Quote from: budt on 2 Apr 2011, 02:52 pm

Do youplan on trying the new AKM 4399( 32 bit) ? Many feel this is the best chip out there right now.

Hi,

Yes trying as many as I can but so far I'm finding that the DAC's these days from many companies are so good relative to each other that the power supply, impedance matching, discrete op amps and grounding issues etc. seem to matter much more than the particular DAC chosen.

For instance on the ESS running it in current mode vs voltage mode makes a difference in performance specs.

james

Levi · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 04:54 pm »

That is a great DAC chip James. However, what you do with it separates it from the rest.

James Tanner · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 05:02 pm »

Quote from: Levi on 2 Apr 2011, 04:54 pm

That is a great DAC chip James. However, what you do with it separates it from the rest.

Hi Levi,

Yes I find that to be true of most of them.

james

hidefguy · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 08:40 pm »

Hello James,

My recently purchased Oppo BDP-95 has the ESS Sabre 32. I use the balanced outputs to my BP25>3B SST and it sounds much better than my previous USB music streamer. It sounds even better directly hooked up to my amp with the pre-amp bypassed, but only at louder volumes using the Oppo volume controls. The pre-amp gives better control, and makes it sound good even at lower volume levels.

95Dyna · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 04:45 pm »

Two well known CD players are currently using these DACs. The Mac MCD-500 uses the ESS Sabre and the Esoteric SA-50 uses the AKM although I think it's the 4392, still 32 bit. Both have digital ins. In fairness to the BCD-1 it's less than half the price of these two players so you can't expect James to build them into the BCD-1 and give external access to them without uping the ante.

If you can do it James, you are the man!

James Tanner · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 03:39 pm »

Hi Folks,

Just an update - we are looking at the measurements of the Sabre 32 DAC and the noise floor is a little better but the jitter numbers are identical to what we are currently getting with the BDP-1.

Time for a blind test listen

james

Anonamemouse · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 03:53 pm »

oooOOOooohhh... Sounds ecxellent!
I can hardly wait for the BDP-2 with RCA and XLR connectors!!!

James Tanner · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 04:12 pm »

Quote from: Anonamemouse on 10 Apr 2011, 03:53 pm

oooOOOooohhh... Sounds ecxellent!
I can hardly wait for the BDP-2 with RCA and XLR connectors!!!

NOT - I REPEAT .. NOT going to happen

james

Anonamemouse · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 04:17 pm »

I think it would quadruple sales... Probably even more...

James Tanner · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 05:23 pm »

Quote from: Anonamemouse on 10 Apr 2011, 04:17 pm

I think it would quadruple sales... Probably even more...

i really think a dedicated digital preamp would be the better option.

james

Anonamemouse · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 08:24 pm »

I am not in the position to question the Bryston company policy. But I do think you are missing out on a reasonably big market here.
I will not buy the BDP because I need to spend double the money to get it working. I have heard it recently, I am VERY impressed by it. But the lack of DAC is what stops me from buying it and what makes me look at other options, ones that do come with a DAC, and with the quality I expect to get from a piece of audio equipment I spend my money on. Also the fact that one needs a third party remote (in whatever way, shape or form) to control the device makes me raise an eyebrow.

I spent a shitload of money on an analog pre amp, one that *is* considerably better than the BP26 and gets more out of my 4B SST2 than the BP26 ever will, as you hopefully do know. I also spent a consideable amount of money on a CD player, the Marantz SA KI Pearl is more expensive than the BCD. I would also spend that amount of money on the BDP-2 IF it came as a complete device, with a DAC.

I know of at least 7 or 8 other people that have the same opinion, some even here on the Bryston section of the board.

Levi · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 08:57 pm »

Adding a DAC in it does not make it cheaper. It would be 2x the price. Having an option of a different DAC gives you...FLEXIBILITY.

I am truly interested on what Bryston can do on the 32bit Sabre chip.

James Tanner · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Apr 2011, 09:35 pm »

Quote from: Levi on 10 Apr 2011, 08:57 pm

Adding a DAC in it does not make it cheaper. It would be 2x the price. Having an option of a different DAC gives you...FLEXIBILITY.

I am truly interested on what Bryston can do on the 32bit Sabre chip.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE - "you can not just add a DAC" and get the same performance.

james

VOLKS · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Apr 2011, 02:52 am »

Quote from: Anonamemouse on 10 Apr 2011, 08:24 pm

I am not in the position to question the Bryston company policy. But I do think you are missing out on a reasonably big market here.
I will not buy the BDP because I need to spend double the money to get it working. I have heard it recently, I am VERY impressed by it. But the lack of DAC is what stops me from buying it and what makes me look at other options, ones that do come with a DAC, and with the quality I expect to get from a piece of audio equipment I spend my money on. Also the fact that one needs a third party remote (in whatever way, shape or form) to control the device makes me raise an eyebrow.

I spent a shitload of money on an analog pre amp, one that *is* considerably better than the BP26 and gets more out of my 4B SST2 than the BP26 ever will, as you hopefully do know. I also spent a consideable amount of money on a CD player, the Marantz SA KI Pearl is more expensive than the BCD. I would also spend that amount of money on the BDP-2 IF it came as a complete device, with a DAC.

I know of at least 7 or 8 other people that have the same opinion, some even here on the Bryston section of the board.

I agree 100% and this is what keeps me away from the BDP-1.....however i also understand that Bryston just cant "Throw a Dac in it" and get the same quality sound one would get with the BDA-1 outboard Dac..............but when i add the price of the 2 of them=$4300......at this point i would lean towards the Olive 06HD Audiophile Model(•Dedicated TI 192khz/24-bit Burr- Brown PCM1792
•TI's top-of the line TPA6120A2 High Performance Audio Amplifier (current-feedback architecture),•Ultra-quiet 2TB AV hard drive
•Holds almost 20,000 HD tracks or
6,000 CDs in original quality
•Cushioned in 8 layers of noise cancelling
padding,•High fidelity TEAC CDRW mechanism
•Import: Audio CDs
•Burn: Audio CDs, MP3 CDs, Data CDs,•Analog Output:
- 1x XLR (balanced), made by Neutrik
- 1x RCA, (24k gold-plated)
- 1x Headphone, stereo, 6.4 mm

•Digital Output:
- 1x AES/EBU (balanced), made by Neutrik
- 1x S/P DIF optical Toslink,
- 1x S/P DIF coaxial cinch, 24k gold-plated

•Bit rate: 16-bit, 20-bit, 24-bit
• Sampling Frequency: 10kHz up to
200kHz
•WAV, FLAC, MP3 (128 and 320 kbit/s),
AAC (128 kbit/s)

Personally for the price of $4999 and what the Olive O6HD does is amazing and offers far more features and connections then BDP-1.....its more expensive,but i think you get so much more......i have not heard the Olive O6HD yet.....so i cannot make an opinion on how it sounds,but it looks amazing on paper..........ive heard the BDP-1 mated with the BDA-1 and it was decent,but in Blind A/B tests i was able to pick the BCD-1 CDP 8 times out of 10 ....i still rather a CDP and its sound.......i dont think the BDP-1 is refined enough yet.....either that or pair the BDP-1 with a better Dac then brystons own BDA-1....but of course then the price will rise again.............oh hell......."Long Live the CD"~!!!! LOL

skunark · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Apr 2011, 08:11 am »

Since the Olive's backups are encrypted can you even access the files that it rips? Guessing not. The Olive is too CD focused for my tastes, if they would offer one without the CD-drive and user expandable storage then I probably would have considered it. Having the DAC internal is one less item to worry about but there are several outboard DACs that amazing along with several good pre-amps offer integrated DACs as well, so this isn't a huge selling point. It's probably fair to say that the BDP isn't as refined as the Olive (how many generations now?), but the heart is there just a few more software tweaks and along with a user serviceable HDD enclosure and it's along ways there. Perhaps even offer a software solution for Windows and Macs to sync your files to attahed HDDs to bring it up one more notch.