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Comparison of latest DAC chips

I own a Bluesound Node 2i which greatly improved sound after I added the Cat 6 cable.  I do not own a separate DAC but am told it would be the next step improvement.  I have done enough reading that it appears the two latest chips are the Sabre or ESS ES9038PRO and the AK4499.  The brands I have looked at are Sabaj d5($469) and a Topping D90($699).  I saw a great review on Audiocircle of the Sabaj D5 which is now a year old.  The Topping D90 is newer and I hear the build quality of the Topping as well as customer service are both better.   Other brands cost more and most don't use these new chips. 

Is there a difference in how these chips sound?  I would appreciate any comments. 
daledeee1
creditingkarma
102 posts
 
Sorry, but this is complete rubbish.

Some of the best dacs out there use ESS chips - Ayre, Brinkmann, Lumin, Mytek.

I've owned a "good" R2R dac - a Metrum Pavane - and the Ayre QX5, Mytek Manhattan II and Lumin X1 with their ESS chips walk all over it. And, yes, I've owned all of them.

The idea that R2R dacs have "unmatched bounce" or are more detailed is just ridiculous. The current generation of ESS chips are outstanding which is why they are used in many
very high end dacs
.
I am really sorry but I would have to say that you might be off on some points. I used to own a metrum onyx and then the Hugo TT2. The TT2 did sound better than the metrum. The metrum is a great dac. I have also hear the mytek and ayre that you were talking about. They are good but they are not some of the beat dacs out there by any means. The MSB line up are R2R based dacs and blow the mytek and ayre out of the water by a good margain.

I recently bought the dCS Bartok and imo it is head and shoulders above the dacs that you mention as well. It is not a traditional r2r but a version of on developed by dCS. They call it the ring dac which is fed by FPGAS. 
djones51
4,947 posts
 
I've  seen the same type of discussions over cartridges and tone arms etc.. in analog. I think the Topping with the AK4499 chip will work well for you. I liked their older chip the 4490  I had in an integrated amp  and I like the ESS 9028 Pro I had in a Benchmark DAC3B. If anything the AK chip has a more laid back presentation but to me it's  really hard to tell good measuring dacs apart. 
djones51
4,947 posts
 
The dCS Bartok is a great DAC. It measures well , has digital filters,   up samples is not NOS and costs $13,500. 
daledeee1's avatar
daledeee1 OP
677 posts
 
From what I read, the new AK chip addresses the laid back, dark, murky(whatever people call it)  It is more dynamic and open. 
djones51
4,947 posts
 
A lot depends on how the chip is implemented there are 6 filters on the 4499. I have read the Topping D90 is very transparent. 
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