A DAC with a tube output is like putting maple or chocolate syrup on a vanilla ice cream cone! Euphonic yes, accurate no!
Next best exponential DAC quality level?
I recently did a shoot out of three DACs using my Hint6 + routing each of the other DACs to analog input on the Hint6:
(1) Hint6: ESS Sabre32 -- Integrated
(2) SMSL M500: ES9038PRO D/A ~$400
(3) Khadas ToneBoard(v1): ESS ES9038Q2M - ~$99
I played the same song passages on Amazon Music and was able to cycle through each Hint6 input corresponding to each DAC.
The result? Very small difference in terms of rendering. Maybe a more open sound stage with better overall balance using the Hint6 DAC. The Khadas was more bass / midrange pronounced w/ a more narrow soundstage. However, I wouldn't suggest that any were head-and-shoulders "better" over the others. In fact, they were all pretty decent with only small nuances (certainly not worth the price differences.
I decided to keep the Khadas for my small headphone listening area.
But it got me thinking - how much would one have to spend to realize an exponential difference in quality? Is the Khadas that good, or is DAC technology differences more nuanced than I originally thought (meaning, we're paying 10x for only 5% better).
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I currently have access to four DACs in my home -- I own 3 and have the fourth one as a loaner courtesy of a wonderful friend. DAC 1 -- Bluesound Node 2i (owned for more about 2 years) DAC 2 -- Audio Mirror Tubadour III (non-SE version; owned for 1.5 years) DAC 3 -- Luxman DA-06 (owned for 1.5 years) DAC 4 -- T+A DAC 200 (loaner) Please don’t listen to anyone who says there’s no difference in sound quality. There is absolutely a vast difference between DACs at different price points. The higher end DACs give you a wider soundstage, more air around instruments, better tone and timber, and most importantly a significantly darker background (compared to lower priced DACs) that results in a more detailed resolution. The better DACs also provide a sense of ease where the music just flows like liquid. The problem is that most of the ’it all sounds the same’ crowd is too busy reading graphs and charts, and never bother to actually listen to some of the better DACs in the market. I can tell you that the differences I mentioned are not subtle at all. You will immediately hear the differences provided the rest of your gear is up to the task. |
I didn't say there's no difference in sound quality. I said once a DAC has reached a certain point they will basically sound the same. For instance a MHTD Pagoda injects enough distortion to have a sound signature. The problem with the DACs all sound different crowd is they have never controlled for bias or level matched properly. I have listened to a lot of DACs , some fairly cheap, some expensive and one thing I've learned over the years is price does not necessarily equal performance. |
@arafiq I also have the Hint 6 and am using it's DAC- the ESS Sabre32. I am still fairly new to higher end audio and I am going to dedicate myself to digital. I am streaming Qobuz hardwired through a Bluesound Node 2i. My speakers are Dali Opticon 8. I prefer the Parasounds DAC much more than the BS Node DAC by a wide margin. No matter how much I read I have been unable to decipher what makes one DAC better than another. I understand the concept of things that cost more generally tend to do so because they are better but in the case of DACs what are the metrics? What am I looking for spec wise? Specs matter more to me than name. Also out of the DACs you named and are using which do you prefer? |
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