Why do I always like a source with Burr Brown DAC?


I have always been pretty finicky about picking up the source component. Like most audiophiles I ask for everything from detail, dynamics, transparency, PRAT etc..but most importantly I look for accurate tonality. It is pretty surprising that while many CD players try to sound like analog and many others try to sound nice and romantic....basically there are many CDPs designed and aimed to sound nice to the ears, however most of them try to achieve it by trying to sound rich, sometimes rolled off, sometimes too warm etc. Very few retain the tonality intact and almost every time I notice them instantly and develop a liking for them pretty soon. Interestingly almost every time I have liked a source for its accurate tonality it has turned out that it contains one or the other version of Burr Brown DACs. I dont know what they do but somehow they always sound "right" tonally. I know a DAC contains many other stages which can affect the sound but as a non-techie all I can do is relate to this as a pattern.

I would like to know from you guys, if any of you have any opinion on Burr Brown DACs Vs other DACs ?

There is also this debate on Multibit Vs Delta-Sigma DACs which I would like to understand.
pani

Showing 4 responses by pani

Exactly Muralman1, what DAC chips are you referring to when you say they can do everything ?

Coming to your assessment that I like BB because they use oversampling and filtering...well I have only heard one NOS DAC based CDP/DAC in my life and it was Philips TD1541 based Marantz CD94. Yes, I liked it but it is not my reference at all. All the other sources I have heard had OS dacs like Wolfson, BB, Crystal, AKM, K2 (JVC). Out of many implementations of these the only players which always sounded right in terms of tones always had BB chips. That is why I am intrigued.

Sgr, your idea is nice, can we have a list of DACs and their typical sonic attributes ?
Jax2, could you please mention which are the two DACs you use with 1704 chips ?
The CDPs that I have heard with BB chips are Bluenote Stibbert, Ayon CD2s, Audio Space (forgot the model number), Assemblage (Sonic Frontier), AMR CD77 (TD1541A) and a few more which I will have to recollect.

The typical delta sigma based CDPs I have encountered are the Rega, Arcam, Accuphase, Lampizator Level4 (AKM chip), Chord 64, Higher end Denon, Marantz SA11s1.
Isnt Analog Device AD1865 also a multibit DAC ?

Alex, when I say I like the Burr Brown sound, I did not mean I liked only the 1704/1702 multibit DACs, I also like the 173X and 179X based DACs and CDPs. Typically Burr Brown has a tonality and that is what I always found most accurate...I agree there could be issues with Dynamic Range, Extension and other such specs but tonally they are so correct.