2. digital
  3. 132453-95535

Is my Cal Audio Sigma II too old?

It seems like I have had my Cal Audio Sigma II DACs for 12 years or more. Is this too old? Have DACs come that much further since it was made? I always liked the warmth of this tube based DAC and currently have a Telefunken smooth plate in it and still enjoy the sound. Regardless of its age, it still sounds less harsh than the DAC built into the Sonos Connect I use for my digital listening. This is connected to a NAS drive with redbook cd flac files. I don’t really have the 2 grand at the moment for a Benchmark 3 or a Mytek Brooklyn but I’m not sure I need or want all that additional functionality. I just use it to decode the digital signal. Would a more modest DAC outshine this older unit?

The rest of the system consists of a McIntosh C712 preamp, McIntosh MC2102 tubed power amp and Magnepan 1.7i speakers.
128x128mzm6bb

Showing 3 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I so wish someone offered a reasonably priced basic tube preamp with nice tone controls.
Again Schiit's your schiit. 
While you get the Bitfrost tryout the Loki some here say it's a very good  tone control: http://www.schiit.com/products/loki

And a simple pre the Mani http://www.schiit.com/products/saga

Or for more versatility pre the Freya,  http://www.schiit.com/products/freya 

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
mzm6bb
I’m actually thinking the Schitt Bifrost MultiDac

Still very good for pcm "redbook cd flac files" if you can’t stretch to the Yaggdrasil.

Schiit make very good stuff at great prices, without "glitzing" them up with expensive chassis and charging a fortune for something that doesn’t improve the sound.

Remember Mike Moffat owner of Schiit, used to be head designer for Theta Digital when they were on top of digital replay, so he should know his Schiit.

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
The dac chip in the Cal Audio Sigma II is an old Cirrus Logic Delta Sigma, in my opinion not worth hanging on to.
If you play pcm "redbook cd flac files" as you said, then you should go with a R2R Multibit type dac, look at the Schiit Yaggdrasil.
http://www.schiit.com/products/yggdrasil
Cheers George
More to discover