[rollo]

  To date nothing has beat a 20 year old Weiss Medea DAC. using a CEC 01 transport. Enlightened Audio and Theta 5A are still contenders today.
   

charles

[Folsom]

I've heard DSD is soft. But people seem to like that probably because their system is somewhat harsh.

[Sense63]

I've heard DSD is soft. But people seem to like that probably because their system is somewhat harsh.

You've heard DSD is "soft"?   People "seem" to like it because their system is harsh?   Wow.....it's pretty amazing what people come up with when they haven't heard something and then speculate about other people's systems when they don't know anything about them.  I would suggest you actually listen to a properly executed DAC with DSD in a high end system and then give some feedback.   

[Folsom]

oh, I'm all ears I assure you!

But if the DSD ends up sounding like classD, I'll be thoroughly snoozed. There are some leaders in the audio world that do and do not like DSD; it's not all pro.

I think almost all systems are somewhat harsh, btw. I can't listen to most systems due to fatigue levels. They're very respectable for so many reasons, I just don't like to sit in front of them for more than an evaluation.

[ozoid]

Good point Ozoid. 

And almost all DAC development is for formats which comprise about 1% of what's available in digital recordings and add to that much of whats available in the higher resolutions is nothing more than reworked 16/44.  Also, why would I pay $20 plus for a hi-res download when I can go to almost any thrift store or flea market and get a CD for 50 cents to $5.00.  The mass exodus from CDs is a bonus to those of us who want to amass a large collection of music for a very reasonable price.

A good NOS DAC from 7 or so years ago is still very much in the running and in the 16/44 format unbeaten by the high number crunchers IME.  I've had my TDA1543 based DAC for about 7 years and it's still unbeaten.  Even a properly implemented humble PCM2704 can sound incredibly good.

In light of the fact that music listening is migrating to the the likes of Tidal and Spotify it makes the NOS DAC look even more attractive.

NOS DACs will likely never be big sellers (just like SETs and single driver speakers) because big numbers of anything be it in resolution, number of drivers, watts per channel, horsepower, top speed etc.....sells.

Just listen to a well set up vintage Altec or similar system from the 60s and you'll see how far the mass audio industry hasn't come.

Rob—
I'll agree with much you wrote, but respectfully disagree with the rest.

No doubt about it, "progress in audio" is largely a mirage. You mentioned ’60s-era Altecs — Jeff Day, who wrote the review that first introduced me to Omegas (and still owns the pair he reviewed and strongly recommended I buy the Alnico monitors) has gone even further back: a few weeks ago he bought a pair of 1947 Altec Voice of the Theaters built expressly for Leopold Stokowski, which he's positively wallowing in. He wrote a blog post about vintage equipment the other day and I contributed a comment here: http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=8728&cpage=1#comment-21843. The quick takeaway from my comment that's relevant to Omega (& Decware) is that I think these are modern pieces that emulate vintage gear.

As far as digital goes, I've discovered that up-rezzing from 16/44.1 solves a lot of what has always bothered me about digital. It's always sounded freeze-dried to me. I have a small collection of hi-res files from Linn and I'd estimate that AIFF rips from 16/44.1 played back through Audirvana+ and the Meridian at 24/176.4 gets me about 80% of the way to the sound of native 24/192. (some of those tracks I also have in 16/44.1, so I can A/B) I once briefly set Audirvana to play at 16/44.1 and, believe me, someone would have to pay me a good deal of money to listen that way enough to write something about the difference. And since I have more than 2,000 CDs on my hard drive, I'm really happy that they sound this good.

I think digital music technology is far from mature. I think you're right that the future will be based around streaming. Meridian's high-res scheme is just now coming on-line at Tidal, and it remains to be seen how many record companies will adopt it. I wouldn't be surprised if others are working on other approaches.

Whether it's something from my library or a stream of a new release, I want to feed my Decware Zen UFO and Omega Alnico Monitors the best signal possible. They're so good it would be a shame not to.

[HiFiJeff]

I am going with a pretty inexpensive DAC from Schiit Audio. The Modi 2 Uber to pair with my Supercharged 3XRS's. http://schiit.com/products

After a few conversations with the rep at Schiit, we decided on the Modi 2 Uber. He told me that I would be hard pressed to hear a sonic difference between the Modi 2 and the much more expensive Bifrost MB.

[doggie]

I am using an Auralic Vega in my speaker system and like it a lot. I have owned two other Saber based DACs (Buffalo I and a Wyred4Sound DAC2 DSDse) and this is the best by far. Loads of detail without sounding etched or un-natural.

Recently I bought a Schitt Iggdrasil(Iggy). I am currently putting some hours on it in my headphone system in preparation for using it in my Omega rig. This DAC realizes the promise of digital. Incredibly natural timber and tone. It is really a break-through product considering it's price. I understand that it's little brother the Gungir Multibit comes very close for about half the price. BTW. The designer, Mike Moffat, started Theta in the olden days.

I hope to move the Iggy into my main system this weekend. I like the Iggy so much that if it performs as well with the Omegas I will probably sell my Vega and get either another Iggy or possibly a Gungir for my headphones.

BTW. My Vega does DSD and to be frank I find DSD way over rated. I enjoy well recorded Redbook much more and the Iggy just nails Redbook.

[JLM]

Advancements in audio has largely been for convenience sake and some advancements in materials.  Most changes over the years have been to satisfy market demands.  Digital is relatively young (compared to vinyl).  As native DSD can't be manipulated, 99% of DSD material started out life as PCM, so it's  hard to know it's true quality and pretty pointless IME.

The Schiit "Multi-Bit" technology takes us back to the roots of DAC - R2R vs. the extremely popular Delta-Sigma.  DS is easier to implement, so it caught on with designers/manufacturers but now a few high end companies have gone back to R2R.  Careful about Schiit advice.  If you described a 4.5 inch single driver ported stand-mounted speaker to them, they probably dismissed it as low-fi, like 95% of the audiophile world would. 

[doggie]

Careful about Schiit advice.  If you described a 4.5 inch single driver ported stand-mounted speaker to them, they probably dismissed it as low-fi, like 95% of the audiophile world would.

Not sure why you would conclude that. I do know that they are waiting for DSD to become more popular before investing part of their business around it.

I was slow to take them seriously mainly because of their name which seems a bit lame but having owned their DAC I would say that they know what they are doing and are are "walking the walk" and not "talking the talk." They seem to me to be one of the most down to earth, no nonsense companies out there. Personally I would put them in the 5%, not the 95%

Actually they are more likely to say "Try it and if it sounds good to you then buy it...."

[JLM]

I like Schiit a great deal, nearly bought a BiFrost Multi-Bit, but in my correspondence with them have found their advice to lack perspective/experience in regard to speakers, particularly with single driver designs.  After all their headphone amps only provide secondary consideration or quality as preamps.

I do agree with their assessment of DSD.

[squirrelman]

Hi Squirrelman:

so how does your Jolida Dac sound now that you've broken it in?
Also is it made in the US?

Sorry it is actually now long gone.  Not long after I got it, I got a chance to pick up the DAC I had originally wanted a Wavelength Brick (1st Gen NOS model) so I sold the Jolida.  It's been a long time but what I do remember is for basically the same price I very strongly prefer this Wavelength Brick.  I can't imagine upgrading to anything else, unless I came into crazy money to move up the Wavelength ladder.

So I can say that I highly recommend the Wavelength Brick DAC, it sounds so very sweet in my setup (PC->Wavelength Brick->Dennis Had Inspire LP-27a pre->Dennis Had Inspire KT-88->Omega 3U)

[sebas73]

MHDT Pagoda is an interesting nos dac based on the BB 1704     I used to own the Havana before obtaining the Metrum Octave (which I still own).   Recently dropped in a pair of Jupiter Coppers..  Very sweet

YMMV

Dwight

Hi Dwight,

I also have a Pagoda (and like it more then my Octave).
Can you tell me something about the caps upgrade you did? Is it the only upgrade you did (besides a better tube)? And is it difficult to do or just a matter of soldering (i never did something like this before)? I'm thinking about buying the same copper Jupiters (1.0uf 100vdc).

Sebastien