Difference Between DAC Types

I feel like I should contribute my own experience to the conversation, since it’s so different than what I’m seeing on this thread so far. I’ve been listening to both Sigma Delta and R2R DACs for something like twenty years now. When I listen, I keep track of my reactions to the music I’m listening to. What I’m looking for are goosebumps, aural thrills (eargasm, if you will) and the ability to go into a kind of meditative state that I can get to when listening. Obviously, I don’t have these experiences when listening to every song, or in every listening session, but over time I’ve had enough experience with my DACs that I can see clear patterns with them.

What I’ve found is that I have these experiences with R2R DACs, and I either don’t have these experiences with Sigma Delta DACs, or I have them very little. This has been consistent with multiple DACs of each type, and is independent of the quality of the implementation. I’ve had Sigma Delta DACs that ’sound’ relaxed and natural, but the effects on me are not the same as an R2R DAC even if it isn’t as well implemented.

I’m not entirely sure why it happens this way for me, but I suspect the sound of R2R DACs allows my body to relax in a way that I don’t experience with Sigma Delta DACs. Please note that I cannot detect which DACs have this quality from a quick listening session, or from trying to assess how natural or analog they sound. I’ve had Sigma Delta DACs that score very well in those terms, but after extended listening they just don’t bring the same experiences.

I’m mostly intrigued by some of the online reviews for small company DACs like Border Patrol and Mhdt Labs where it’s said they can compete with much more expensive DACs.

My musical tastes are all over the board but maybe 50% rock (not hard) – folk - reggae etc. amplified music, the other made up mostly of acoustic folk, vocals, jazz and whatever else is in my library. I’d hate to move to R2R and find that female vocals are greatly improved, but at the expense of electric guitars, etc.

I've had the MHDT Lab Pagoda in my system for about a year now and I've found it to be quite extraordinary with all types of music. It sounds very natural compared to my Chord Qute EX, which sounds much more forward (and not in a good way). Everyone's taste is different, of course, and my preference leans heavily toward R2R NOS. I'd say give one a try. If you don't like what you hear you should be able to sell it without incurring too much loss considering R2R DAC's are all the rage. Speaking of MHDT Lab, the Orchid has had some interest here as of late. Lots of fans of those old TDA1541 chips. Good luck with your search.

How about using a digital amp, which then would place the digital to analog conversion on your speaker? 😄

Thanks for the recent input folks. Very helpful.

So it seems at least with some the idea of differences has been validated.

R2R sound like old school because they are.

Sigma-delta 1 bit sound more digital like ( more accurate )

Both have weaknesses. Digital conversion to analog is along two dimensions where errors can occur - amplitude and time.

R2R suffers from differential non linearity in the amplitude (bit levels) as well as susceptibility to jitter particularly at 44.1KHz.  1 bit Sigma Delta suffers from jitter (differential non-linearity in timing) but is highly linear in amplitude.

There are solutions.

1 bit Sigma Delta operating at 4xDSD is less likely to have much in the way of audible jitter (timing non-linearity) as the operating frequency and noise shaping is way outside the audible band.

Upsampling can help with an R2R DAC by “randomizing” amplitude non-linearity.

Latest Sabre DACs use 6 bit Sigma Delta DAC with a mathematical randomizer to help eliminate non-linearity. These latest DACs are a hybrid between traditional, R2R 16 bit DACs and 1 bit Sigma Delta - they have both great amplitude linearity and low jitter (timing issues).