Msb dacs why not alot of postings

“There’s basically no point in paying a premium IMO.”

I chuckle every time someone shows up here advocating value proposition of DAC’s without any A/B comparison. As @thyname pointed out, there is always a better value but to knock a product unless you have a direct experience with, it just goes to show one’s ignorance and arrogance (no offense).

While I have not heard MSB discrete or Premier, I did own Rockna Signature Balanced ($16K). It was no match to my current reference EMM DA2 ($25K). Once I heard DA2, I could no longer listen to Rockna Signature in my system. To me, that next level of musical bliss rendered by DA2 defines the hard to beat value proposition.

“I’ll ruminate on it while driving my 911 Carrera S”

Try not to crash it 😂

https://youtu.be/9xIBJRXRw44

@sbonamo,

Thank you for the clarification. I can only hope LinQ surpasses my current reference, Aurender N10 :-)

@cal3713, 

You bet. I've sent an email to my dealer and let's see how soon I can have one for comparison. 

@djones51,

The argument or one’s opinion of what is ‘better’ is quite subjective and open to a endless debate, IMHO.

@thyname,

One thing I really appreciate about MSB DAC’s is their modular approach. Maybe someday I get an opportunity to audition a MSB DAC in my system :-)

nyaudio98,

Good call. The proof is in the listening. In the end what really matters is your ears. Please post your feedback afterwards.

And to the measurement crowd; frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn :-)

@sbonamo,

I have been eyeing the LinQ server for a while. Can you operate LinQ by its proprietary app or you must subscribe to Roon to operate the LinQ? 

@thyname

It’s best to ignore the double blind and measurements clowns 😂

@facten,

Appreciate your feedback. 

@nitewulf,

My post was in response to your ‘value proposition’ comment. I am under no obligation to convince you how good my hearing is or what I’ve heard. You obviously can’t read nor have the ability to appreciate a highly resolved audio system thus dismissing as vintage and ‘colored’. I made a simple statement based on what’ve heard without any hyperbole or exaggeration. Key here is ‘what I’ve heard and compared’.

You on the other hand, were quick to dismiss MSB (old design, your words not mine) and touting Rockna, Mola Mola and Holo Audio based on accolades, reviews and measurements. Trust me, I know your ‘kind’ who gets excited about new products but don’t quite have the chops to hear or compare the actual component in your system.

As far I am concerned, I trust my ears and my system more than just rely on measurements. Measurements are useful tools for engineers and designers to "prove" their designs are better. Music is too complex and random to be analyzed with just numbers, test tones are too simple and predictable.
Peace!

“My point is....could they consistently tell which one they were listening to. Could anyone tell the least expensive MSB from the most expensive?”

djones51,

Why should anyone be subjected to constant testing what they were listening to once it’s determined that DAC X is better than DAC Y?

You remind me of one of the poster, he once wrote,

“Lets run an experiment. You have to be blindfolded and sitting in your listening position. Have a friend or your wife plug and unplug the unit. All he or she can say is "OK" when they make a change. You say "on" or "off" after every "OK" That person keeps a record of your responses by writing down R for right and W for wrong. Record 50 responses then determine the percentage of right and wrong answers. Let us know the results.”

For a while you had us all believing in you that you actually come here for the education 😂

@cleeds,

I couldn’t agree with you anymore. But it appears the hobbyist here are under constant scrutiny from the measurement crowd demanding proof.

djones51,

For some folks, the ’better’ defines as minimum cost necessary to achieve audibly neutral sound (to their ears atleast) when playing back the music. They tend to rely heavily on price of admission, reviews, accolades and measurements are the bases of their primary selection criteria.

For others, their interest in reproducing recording’s faithful to the source where other aspects of DAC’s performance are more relevant in determining what means ’better’. The discernible differences in DAC's come from well designed power supplies, properly routed with separate analogue and digital paths, well laid out PCBs, accurate and stable clock, jitter reduction, high quality analogue op-amps, well designed analogue filters, aesthetics (why not) and these are the bits where meticulous implementation of one DAC over another determines why DAC X is better than DAC Y.

Once you are open to appreciate the fundamental differences in the implementation of MSB or EMM Labs DAC’s, you are less likely to question their superiority over the competition.