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.
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Some prefer the older DAC's, though I think most prefer newer digital technology. I agree the DAC in the Sonos is poor, and I also use mine with an outboard DAC

A newer DAC will deliver more detail and better imaging/focus.

However, the jitter from the Sonos is something that should be addressed first.  If you don't have a low jitter source, the DAC will not make that much of a difference.  Many use the Synchro-Mesh to reclock the Sonos digital outputs to lower the jitter.  Synchro-Mesh also provides galvanic isolation on input and output, so eliminates the ground loop from Sonos to DAC.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

I would dump the older dac AND the Sonos for a Oppo Sonica (problem solved). I would then get rid of that pre amp it is the weak link in your system. You have a very special amplifier a different  pre amp would make the most positive change in sound.


Matt M
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