Hi-End DACs

[narad]

Since we're all presumably music guys, I'm curious about people's experiences with high-end audio stuff. Specifically, I've been thinking about upgrading my DAC, and I have always kind of had an eye out for the Chord Dave. A lot of people dislike the design, but it kind of clicked with me, and it used to be that people really talked about it like the king of DAC.

But ... it's ludicrously expensive. I guess it varies, but we're talking about $10k. This is both a pro and con, because with inflation, and my inability from Japan to invest in anything, I kind of don't want to just be sitting on a pile of depreciating money. And so I'm a little bit open to ludicrously expensive things that maybe 5 years down the road are significantly even more expensive.

And I guess the other issue is that most people reviewing these units or even caring about that segment of the market are ultimately boring people with objectively bad taste in music. Would this be a useful investment for more SSO-esque genres of music?

I currently use Woo Audio WA7s as a combination DAC and headphone preamp. That was a pretty big step up, and when I use them with IEMs, I get some really amazing sounds. When I use headphones, it's still a notch up above what I was using years ago, but I'm not going to rave about it being lifechanging either.

 

[Shask]

You can't invest in Japan? They have a stock market... weird.

 

[Kosthrash]

Sorry if it's not applicable, but doesn't the Eventide H9000 have better DAC's? And i's still cheaper...

 

[crushingpetal]

Here are my 2 cents: "audiophile" anything is almost always overpriced. If you want a great DAC, buy an Apogee Symphony I/O and keep the other 5k for killer headphones. The Symphony comes will an awesome headphone preamp.

The people recording the music you're listening to probably recorded using a Symphony or a Burl DAC.

 

[AltecGreen]

Since we're all presumably music guys, I'm curious about people's experiences with high-end audio stuff. Specifically, I've been thinking about upgrading my DAC, and I have always kind of had an eye out for the Chord Dave. A lot of people dislike the design, but it kind of clicked with me, and it used to be that people really talked about it like the king of DAC.

But ... it's ludicrously expensive. I guess it varies, but we're talking about $10k. This is both a pro and con, because with inflation, and my inability from Japan to invest in anything, I kind of don't want to just be sitting on a pile of depreciating money. And so I'm a little bit open to ludicrously expensive things that maybe 5 years down the road are significantly even more expensive.

And I guess the other issue is that most people reviewing these units or even caring about that segment of the market are ultimately boring people with objectively bad taste in music. Would this be a useful investment for more SSO-esque genres of music?

I currently use Woo Audio WA7s as a combination DAC and headphone preamp. That was a pretty big step up, and when I use them with IEMs, I get some really amazing sounds. When I use headphones, it's still a notch up above what I was using years ago, but I'm not going to rave about it being lifechanging either.

I usually audition that class of gear. For digital it is a tough call. Something better and cheaper always comes along. Are you listening to hi-res files like DSD or using schemes like MQA?

I can't imagine Chord products being super cheap in Japan. (relative terms) Although the Dave is relatively cheap in the grand world of high end audio.


For a point of reference, I run a full Shindo system.

 

[Kosthrash]

Imho there "should" be a budget analogy, if you intend to spend 10k on dac, how much do your speakers cost? ( The most important piece in the high-end audio chain)

I wound invest in speakers first.

 

[Randy]

Sort of 2-3 discussions going on here simultaneously

As far as the legitimacy of how much is spent on high-end audio, that's a matter of what you're chasing (similar to guitar gear, I guess but more on that later). If we're talking exclusively about the quality of the listening experience, I think you hit the ceiling in how much you gain vs how much you invest pretty fast. You're limited by the quality of the recordings, and also the detail of your hearing relative to the arrangement. I think with a $10k+ stereo, you're talking about listening equipment that's potentially more robust than what was used to produce the music in some cases. I always like to take into account how the artist intended the listener to experience the music.

As a new collectable hobby, I think it's legit and reasonable. Reminds me of the old band days where the drummer and [whoever bought the PA system] had the biggest initial investment in the band, but probably hit the ceiling on practical upgrades before the guitarist or bass player. As a guitarist, you transition from "better" to "different" (and then degrees of better, again) potentially into infinity. But you kinda get a PA that's suitable and stop.

I'd imagine there's not a ton to be gained from *that* many different DAC and speaker combos on the high end, besides trying to measure dicks with other collectors. So realistically you could spend your $10k to $20k on listening equipment and not have to put much more in it afterward.

As far as the practicality of high end audio as an investment or the idea of investing in "things", I'm 100% in favor of it. Even if the value doesn't appreciate the same way paper investments do, I like having physical stuff that realistically won't devalue to zero, that I can sell for gobs of cash on short notice or easily convert to something else. YMMV

 

[l1ll1]

Best mixture of reliabilty, long term investment and reasonable price is everything RME for AD/DA... and when it comes to HP amps I really enjoy SPLs stuff, incl. the crossfeed function.

 

[brector]

I am of the opinion that investing in HIFI is not something I would do. I find in a few years, I can get the equipment for about 50% of original price. ANYTHING digital is going to depreciate pretty quick.

For what to spend, I tried to spend the same on each piece of equipment. But as others have said, your speakers are the MOST important part. Here is how it *typically* goes as far as what is the most important: 1) speakers, 2) power amp, 3) preamp, 4) DAC, 5) streamer

And for a DAC, do you prefer "chip" based or ladder types?

 

[will_shred]

Best mixture of reliabilty, long term investment and reasonable price is everything RME for AD/DA... and when it comes to HP amps I really enjoy SPLs stuff, incl. the crossfeed function.

I second this, RME makes the best converters money can buy. They are expensive but not "audiophile" dummy overpriced. Check out the ADI 2/4 Pro.