[Stu Pitt]

A dealer on Pink Fish just posted the Rega DAC is due out in October.  If that's the correct date, I'd expect it to take at least a few weeks to get here.  I doubt they'll release it here and there at the same time.  Can't remember if the Apollo was or not.

[Stu Pitt]

If your Bryston dealer doesn't have a BDA-1, see if they have the BCD-1.  They sound pretty much identical.

Its an excellent DAC worth every penny of its retail price.  If I could swing it, I'd have bought one a long time ago.

[face]

Another vote for the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2.

[mmetts]

ok.  talked to the guy up the road and he doesn't have BDA-1 on hand but will sell me one on order at what appears to be a very good price (he made me promise not to disclose it).  he sounds sincere so i'm going to go see what other wares he has to see if things look legit.

he says if i don't like it (after i've got it home) he'll resell it for me w/o commision to recover my purchase price.  audio is a strange business.

so, at the end of the day, folks, if you could get the Bryston BDA-1 for somewhere fairly south of MSRP, does that represent a good/great value and a tribute/credit to the equipment i've already sunk several $ into?

@face, for me, the Wyred sounds like a non-starter since it's known (suspected?) to not play well with the Apple Airport Express 802.11n -- and I'm not getting a -g to accomodate it.

[roscoeiii]

And yes, how could I forget Neko Audio? Very well reviewed in many corners of the web. When I auditioned one they were only balanced outputs, and I didn't have any other balanced equipment, but RCAs are now an option.

Said it before and I'll say it again, try DACs out. Neko, AVA and other manufacturers often have great trial periods. As do some internet audio retailers like Music Direct.

[Hogg]

For not much money you can buy a MHDT Labs DACs on Ebay. at most $900.  These are NOS DAC's but very good.  Also consider the Eastern Electric  DAC, although it does use the ESS Sabre chip, around $750.

                                                                             Jim

[konut]

The BDA-1 will positively transform your digital sources. You will be very pleasantly surprised at how much better your Adcom and AE will sound. The Mac and B&W will present this very well.

[Stu Pitt]

so, at the end of the day, folks, if you could get the Bryston BDA-1 for somewhere fairly south of MSRP, does that represent a good/great value and a tribute/credit to the equipment i've already sunk several $ into?

The BDA-1 is worth every penny of its MSRP.  Its a great value IMO.  Even better if it can be had at a discount.

[mmetts]

Well, I spent some time with my local Bryston dealer in his living room tonight in the shadow of some enormous speakers (can't recall the brand) with flaming plasma tweeters and huge horns that looked like they belonged on a steam ship.  crazy. 

meanwhile, I’ve read some of the stuff out there on the Bryston BDA-1 and it sounds pretty compelling taking price and features into consideration. 

I’d love to audition these various units like some suggest but that doesn't seem all that practical (to me) given my impatience and the way equipment is dealt around here (San Francisco Bay Area).  I've had contact with 3 dealers for various reasons in the past few months and none of them have anything hanging around in boxes -- at least nothing I’m after.  And some have nothing at all except $100,000+ floor models and not even a store to boot!

@Hogg, thanks regarding the MHDT Labs stuff.  those look a little too short on features for me.

@roscoeiii, thanks in an ideal world, i'd do as you suggest.  I'm more likely to pick something after a lot of research and live with it.  I’ll look at the Neko, though.

[mmetts]

This morning, I ordered a Bryston BDA-1.  It supposed to ship Tuesday from the factory.  I'll report back to the group on my impressions.  Many thanks to all.  If I get a chance, this weekend, I'll collate all the impressions I've collected from people and draw my decision tree.  Cheers, Mike

[NekoAudio]

I’d love to audition these various units like some suggest but that doesn't seem all that practical (to me) given my impatience and the way equipment is dealt around here (San Francisco Bay Area).  I've had contact with 3 dealers for various reasons in the past few months and none of them have anything hanging around in boxes -- at least nothing I’m after.  And some have nothing at all except $100,000+ floor models and not even a store to boot!

It can be difficult to make arrangements with a shop or dealer if they don't already have a working relationship with you. But if you're looking for something specific, your best bet is to look at the manufacturer's web site first to locate the closest dealer that is carrying what you want to check out.

Unless by hanging around in boxes you mean extra units? Many dealers don't carry a bunch of stock, but instead order units once a customer has decided what they want.

[bixby]

From what you described, I think you are on the right track.  You want good redbook reproduction only for now but want the dac to be around 3 years or more. 

I have two Benchmark DAC1s and I use one with my Apple TV.  Does extremely good at rejecting whatever jitter is present from the ATV.  And it sounds great with 16/44 which is all you will get out of the Airport Express if I am not mistaken.

Other good choices are the PS Audio DLIII and perhaps the Wyred 4 Sound.  Have not heard the W4S but if the signature is like the DLIII but updated it should be great.

My thought would be to save some $ now and get really good reproduction with your CD and Airport then when you go Music server jump on the latest Asynchronous USB Dac (or whatever the latest and greatest is) for about double what you spend today.

Oh, and don't get too caught up in the below $750 or so DACs like the DAC Magic, they will usually disappoint someone who has equipment like you do.  Usually all the fanboys raving about this class have no where near the level of equipment that would really expose DAC differences that readily.

Thoughts?

[rs350z]

Don't listen to some guy that indicates don't listen to certain dacs, he doesn't know what he is talking about! Listen to a number of dacs that's possible. You have a nice system and there are quite a few dacs that would allow you to get great sounding music from your AE, I know, I have been doing it for years. The limiting factor is the AE device. Since it only outputs 44khz, you need to take that into consideration when buying a dac. I have since replaced my AE with an apple tv (higher kHz output capabilty) then replaced that with a local Mac mini in my audio room running pure music software.
I have an all classe based system and I haven't used my classe well respected cd player in a year or longer.
I have owned a few dacs including recently some $3500 audio research and Manley dacs. Right now, I'm using the music hall dac25.2 with it's up sampling capabilities and tube output. Good review on this dac and if you modify it and do some tube rolling it will be much better. The other dacs I liked at ces and rmaf are the newer audio research, Cary, and ayre pieces. They accept the higher signals that pure music generates and their USB inputs are comparable to the digital inputs, which most dacs today don't provide.
I have owned macintosh equipment in the past and I would stay away from a cooler sounding dac like the benchmark, it would take away that Mac sound you want.
   

[Stu Pitt]

Oh, and don't get too caught up in the below $750 or so DACs like the DAC Magic, they will usually disappoint someone who has equipment like you do.  Usually all the fanboys raving about this class have no where near the level of equipment that would really expose DAC differences that readily.

Thoughts?

Very true regarding don't get caught up in the hype.  The budget DACs are quite good for the money, but don't hold any weight against a upscale models.  I have a Theta Cobalt 307 (made around '96) that blew the doors off a V-DAC and a DACMagic.  Just because they use the latest and greatest (supposedly) chips, doesn't mean the guts of the things like power supplies and output stages are any good.  The Cobalt 307 cost me $200 3 years ago.  I've seen them listed for $150 - $300 depending on condition and how many are listed.  It doesn't have too many inputs and no USB, but what comes out of it is what's most important.