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Help: Anthem STR dac vs Bryston BDA-1 and others - sounds the same to me

I wanted to go ahead and throw this out there, I know there will be differing opinions but here’s my experience THUS FAR... I cannot hear one shred of difference between the internal DAC of my Anthem STR preamp vs my Bryston BDA-1. Are you surprised?

I’ve listened back and forth on two sets of speakers and test tracks via Qubuz with Roon - speakers are Klipschorns and KEF Reference 5.
I know the Bryston is older so perhaps that has something to do with it. OR, do we often overemphasize what we THINK we hear when we say a DAC sounds so much better than another?
I no longer have the Lumin T2 but I think I remember it sounding better but now I can’t be sure of what I was hearing. I do believe in hearing bias but I would expect to hear something more drastic.. Or are my ears just shot? I don’t think so - but who knows.
Is the DAC in the Anthem just that spectacular?

I’m asking because I’m thinking about adding a Denafrips Potus for fun.
Anyone else have the Anthem and think its DAC is on par with other reasonably priced external dacs?


dtximages
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Unless I'm missing something. A DAC is a programed chip or series of chips?. SO who ever is doing the programming is the artful sort or NOT.

I say the better DAC is programmed by a great musician that happens to be a "CODE WRITER". NOT a code writer that is NOT a musician by any definition.

That "DAC" is also coupled with a front end and final components. It could be a very cheap "POP on, POP off" unit that blows tweeters, or a Krell with pure class a, before and after the DAC chips, with foil resistors and all 1% or better matching and of course a perfect power supply.

A DAC is not just a DAC. THOUGH I agree a lot can be said about "Who's programming what, NEXT"? The Programmer or the Musician?

Regards
jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 
A DAC is NOT a computer! Hence NO programming! 
erik_squires
15,685 posts
 
Hey, the STR is a pretty advanced preamp.  Are you sure you are using analog pass through? If not, you could be using it's DAC no matter what. :)
dtximages OP
350 posts
 
@erik_squires  great question and yes, "Convert Analog" is turned off on the RCA 1 input coming from the dac. 

I'll do some more playing, but just surprised they sound literally identical thus far.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,850 posts
 
Many good DACs tend to sound pretty similar. It just means DAC technology is fairly mature now and  they are all doing a good job which is a good thing for buyers.
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