lavry- best DAC for the price??!

johnzm · « **on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:11 pm »

so, what other DAC's compete with the lavry DA10?

everyone who owns one loves it, and according to

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161032

it sounds even better than a DAC1.

DAC's are new to me, so id like to take a look at what other companies have to offer. im looking for the 500-1000 range.

oh ya, im running onix ref1's with an onix SP3 tube amp.

fly_fish_nz · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:46 pm »

Two other Dacs I've heard good things about in that price category (including used):

Stello 200 (and the 100)
PS Audio Digital Link III

There is quite a bit about both at Headfi, and several reviews of the Stello if you run a Google search.

doug s. · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:08 pm »

i haven't heard that, or the dac1. but a coupla folks whose ears i trust, say the old standby, a modded art di/o dac, is also better than a dac1. these can pop up f/s used for $150-$500 every so often. one is listed as "sale pending" right now, on a-gon - a full-blown bolder cables modded unit:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1189560933

i have compared my modded art di/o to some well-respected digital gear, & have yet to have it bested by anything even remotely affordable. tho, i would be curious to listen to a great march 2 or a musiland md10... and, one bud of mine who kept his modded di/o over the benchmark dac1, recently told me he likes his roksan caspian cdp better than the di/o...

doug s.

Quote from: johnzm on 19 Jul 2007, 02:11 pm

so, what other DAC's compete with the lavry DA10?

everyone who owns one loves it, and according to

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161032

it sounds even better than a DAC1.

DAC's are new to me, so id like to take a look at what other companies have to offer. im looking for the 500-1000 range.

oh ya, im running onix ref1's with an onix SP3 tube amp.

mcullinan · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:10 pm »

This is a huge ongoing conversation, it all comes down to personal preference and all pieces are effected by the system it is put in. I use a Lavry and love it. Very musical, and even top to bottom. You really have to take each Dac and plunk it in your system and give it a listen.
Mike

miklorsmith · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:26 pm »

What do you like about your system and in what direction would you like to push it? I'm finding with my ongoing DACsperiments that they are as varied in character as amps or preamps. I wouldn't go so far as speakers but you get the idea. While some can surely be classified as "better", a better analysis though also more difficult is "different" and "how".

Don't focus so much on someone saying they like a piece as why they like it and what strengths it presents. When I hear folks going on and on about soundstage, those comments don't mean much to me because that isn't high on my priority list. Someone who focuses on that element would find those comments more valuable.

While the "listen in your system" advice is good, it is also idealistic. You'd love to get the contenders in for a Bigtime Smackdown but that's tough. If you're doing the Agon tango, this can work. You could buy a couple, compare, and sell the one(s) you like less. Then you're dealing from knowledge as well which helps calm the wallet-eating demons. If you are buying new, try to demo stuff - a couple at a time if possible.

It's always tricky buying new stuff. The better the system becomes, the more potential there is for backsliding. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Oh yeah, welcome to AC!

Jon L · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:59 pm »

Quote from: johnzm on 19 Jul 2007, 02:11 pm

so, what other DAC's compete with the lavry DA10?

everyone who owns one loves it, and according to

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161032

it sounds even better than a DAC1.

DAC's are new to me, so id like to take a look at what other companies have to offer. im looking for the 500-1000 range.

oh ya, im running onix ref1's with an onix SP3 tube amp.

If you search some more, you'll see that many Lavry owners have changed DAC's after the initial positive comments. Lavry DA10 is a nice DAC with smooth clarity, but most DAC's in this price range, including Benchmark, all play in the similar ballpark. Personal preferences (bias) really will dictate which you prefer.

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 04:23 pm »

what interests me about the Lavry is the phase invert switch. Does anyone know of another similar priced DAC with phase invert?

What I need for quality is something that will be representative of the better DACs, so that I can plug (through a digital switchbox) 3 different digital sources and make valid comparisons about the sound, when mixing my recordings.

BradJudy · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 04:40 pm »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins on 19 Jul 2007, 04:23 pm

what interests me about the Lavry is the phase invert switch. Does anyone know of another similar priced DAC with phase invert?

Perpetual Technologies P3A does ($800 new and typically $400 or less used).

My AudioAlchemy DDE 3.0 also has a phase inversion button.

gitarretyp · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 04:45 pm »

CI Audio's VDA-2 has a phase inversion switch.

brj · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 05:59 pm »

Another point to consider... are you connecting the DAC to a computer or a CD transport? In otherwords, is your input via USB, S/PDIF, or something else?

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 07:04 pm »

I had Conrad Johnson D/A1 with phase inverted switch too and do not see any differences when inverting the phases.

It depends on your system and your ears or taste. You would prefer what you mostly like based on your taste but to be honest you will never find any DACs at any prices that are matched well with your system (and again your taste) if you keep changing any components in your geeks. Try some NOS DACs and compare them to the upsampling and/or oversampling one that you like. Good luck.

BradJudy · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 07:12 pm »

Quote from: gitarretyp on 19 Jul 2007, 04:45 pm

CI Audio's VDA-2 has a phase inversion switch.

I'm noticing a theme since CIAudio and P-Tech were both born from former AudioAlchemy folks.

johnzm · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 10:06 pm »

this will be connceted via potica/coax to all sorts of things
cheap cd transports, SB3, pc soundcard, i just noticed the stello da100 has a usb input, and looking at

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=229294

he said that is almost an equivilant to the lavry (offering different tastesbut equal performances)

so at the moment its at the top of my list, and its cheaper too!@

http://www.hifi500.com/product/da100.htm

the question is

XLR with RCA converters, or RCA only? everything ive read leads to believe that balanced connections would be better, and the lavry has those, while the DA100 does not.

i was also REALLY looking at that aqvox MKII there is a local dealer of those as well, but its 1400 (9xx euros) which is a bit over my price range. the DA100 says 695 and the lavry im led to believe its from 700-900 dollars...

1000a · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 11:48 pm »

Hi Johnzm

It is really tuff to chose a DAC, and some of it as stated really has to do with your preferences and gear. If its your first offical outboard DAC, at least from my experience I was more than thrilled with my purchase of a used Birdland Odeon Lite. It handly beat what was in my CDP easily.

Basicly I was not in a position to audition 3-4 DACs and made a decision based on my endless reading on the internet of peoples opions on such piece, it you have to go about it this way it is very helpful to note waht kind of gear the people have (ie analitical speakers (this can easily be an area of disagreement for many - but generally as a loose rule of thumb there are people who prefer one group to the other, smoother speakers, tubes, SS and so on)

A good way to get some handle on different presentations (speakers are often the most influintial in a systems presentation) is to check out TNT audio they did a shoot out on 4-5 small speakers. and went to great lengths to compare and contrast their presentations. ie if you like Dynaudio speakers you may not want the Stello (meaning I think I understand both are etremely revealing) here you may wind up with too much of too much?

So for me it is not really just reading it is researching in a very analitical way. If B likes Stello and A likes Stello but A and B have 2 entirely differnt likes in presentation and have completely diff gear one tube one SS one spkr x one speaker y, I got a whole lot more research to to. I hope this is helpful not confusing.

It is my feeling if you do enough research you will not be disapointed. I have read many who say dispite the importance of the DAC there are other things more important and not addressed properly (possibly meaning many people do not have speakers that even jive with what they like much less their other gear)

Many of todays choices are so far past what my Birdland (980. new in 2000/2001) could deliver. So there is always a lot of improvement in digital in 4 yrs all of the mentioned ones play on very similar turf when it comes to being of very good quality and up to date efforts. So remember about 4 yrs or say 2 generations and you'll probably research a new crop that can outplay what you buy today.

I just recently got a Monarchy NM24 1108. shipped. the slightly older version M24 sells for 980. and 30. shipping. that one can be had used for less if you watch Agon. I think the thing is incredible fastantic, its musical, detailed and recreates the tone of real instruments extremly well.
mid range is rich and the body is there bass is tight stage is excellent.

i won't be doing anymore searching I will wait 1-2 generations and then catch up again. My system is a tube amp PP with smooth speakers this does not mean they are not without detail. with the cable I am using I would call MS pretty revealing.

anyway thats the one that floats my boat YMMV, you can find the review links on Monarchy Audios website. Once I studied the reviews then I researched the reviewers (do they like what I like are they tubes SS yada yada yada) We all have to be careful almost nothing gets a poor professional review these days.

gee long winded, junk that I hope helps you on your journey

I would try to get some handle on what various people like about
Stello, Larvey, Paradisia, Benchmark, PT, Monarchy, Altman, Promi DAC, Lite DACs, I believe GR has a modded DAC60 and use it as a learning exprience- its best to get some handle on 3 or 4 and be careful not to just study up on 1.

I can say my new DAC just embaresses my old DAC but to be fair the Birdland has changed it 3 times since then. mine old one was the contemporary of the Bel Canto DAC1 they are now on DAC3.

bradmorris1 · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 04:04 am »

My heavily modded art di/o (boulder mods) is a tone monster playing through the RWA Sig 30 and the Hornshoppe Horns (leaded and on Herbie's footers). Which is mostly responsible for the gobs of tone I'm getting I can't say but man what a combo. If there's a better dac out there I'm not sure I could handle it. It might make me weep. With all the room treatement I have (8th Nerve, Realtraps and GIK) every base note has a very distinct tone and bass lines are a gas to follow. If ther's a dac out there that you know for a fact bests the di/o let me know. I'll get an extra box of kleenex.

kyrill · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 09:17 am »

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/ (Altmann) sells a dac which was product of the year in http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0506/zero_oversampling_dac.htm

quote The Truth Changes Everything

The Attraction DAC changes everything. Attraction=Revelation. Its level of performance is so superior to that of other DACs in the under $3,000 price point that it simply obliterates the competition. In fact, upon further review, I have to admit that the Attraction DAC has given me the best CD sound I have experienced in the past 25 years... cost no object. No, I have not heard every DAC or CD player out there, so I am not proclaiming it as the best there is, just that it is a fantastic performer in every important musical aspect. unquote

I am saving my money to buy three of these dacs for my DEQX ( active digital crossover and room correction preamp)

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 09:36 am »

kyrill.....
Did you happen to read this ?
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=36765.0

kyrill · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 09:52 am »

thx
what is your opinion "Lone Wolf"?

mcullinan · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 01:26 pm »

Lone are you strictly a vinyl guy or do you own a Dac?
Mike

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Jul 2007, 03:59 am »

kyrill :

Quote

thx
what is your opinion "Lone Wolf"?

I thought the Altmann was very good....pulled out all those bits from every Cd I played....a big sound compared to some other Dac's....

mcullinan:

Quote

Lone are you strictly a vinyl guy or do you own a Dac?
Mike

Mike....
I do own a TT, and plenty of Lp's....but I have not played them in years.
So.....I'm in the Cd camp for convenience.....and I do own a few Dac's, last count was six...

Chris