2. digital
  3. 1402016467

DAC significantly better than a w4s DAC2-DSDse?

I recently purchased a w4s DAC2-DSDse that sounds great in my system (dunlavy sc-v, pass xp20, pass xa100.5's fed by FLAC files from a "bit-perfect" Linux server).

I need another dac for a second system. Is there a < $8K dac that clearly sounds better than the DSDse or should I just get a second one?

Thanks!
dddrrreee
dragon1952
181 posts
 
Ha ha....what else is new :^P
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I haven't heard the PS Audio DS DAC in person yet but my friend has heard it and he's raving quite a fair bit :)

This is against the Mytek DSD, the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB II, the Meitner MA-1 among others.
aplhifi
515 posts
 
You will sell your preamp with this DAC. It beats it.

Maybe beats this one too DSD-S?

:-)

Best Wishes,
Alex Peychev
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
I heard lots of DSD at the Newport Beach show last week. We compared the same track, 44.1 PCM versus DSD. Namely track 1 from Kind of Blue. Sorry, but my PCM beat it.

My comment was specifically about my volume control technology. Beats 99% of preamps out there.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
dddrrreee OP
38 posts
 
Re: no pre-amp. Steve N: How do you handle volume control? Do you throw away bits to lower volume or do you attenuate the analog signal? Has anyone done an A/B of your DAC against a good pre at low listening levels?

I initially bought the w4s to use w/o a pre, but it discards bits to lower the volume. Music (to my ear) sounded better at quiet listening with the pass. But no guarantees it wasn't the placebo effect.
More to discover