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Dac from mid range to cost no object

As i understand it a DAC does either red book cd well or Sacd well.  If you pick one you loose quality on the other? Is that right? Is there a DAC that does both real well and what price range are we talking about?
Thank you for your info.

68pete
3 responses Add your response
wisnon
700 posts
 

I think you mean RBCD and DSD??


If so, you have Dacs like Lampi that have separate engines for DSD and PCM. In fact my Dac has 2 dsd engines and one PCM engine.

The Lampizator Atlantic has DSD256 and R2R ladder PCM for about $4,500 retail (single ended version). Not a single Dac chip Inside it.


SaCD needs to be ripped to the DSD64 file using an older PS3 ripper or any of 4 relatively cheap Blu-Ray players with the mediatech chip. Details over at Computeraudiophile forum.

mahler123
3,024 posts
 
DACs that do SACD are rare beasts.  I own the Bryston BDA 3 which has HDMI inputs.  One needs a transport that that can output DSD from the SACDs and I use an Oppo 105.  The transport should be figured in the cost.  The Bryston is good with Redbook and other digital sources but not as good as a slightly more expensive DAC that I own, the Mytek Manhatten.  Still, the Bryston may work for others who only want 1 DAC, particularly if you are upgrading from something more prosaic.  
  The Bryston costs $3500 new.  The Oppo's that output DSD from SACD around $500 and up
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