Any better DAC then dCS Scarlatti?


I heard about new DACs on the market better than Scarlatti.
StahlTek Vekian and GTE Audio.
Someone compared them with Scarlatti?
Any other DAC compared with dcs?
murataltuev
As for the noise floor. It doesn't disturb at all!
It is completely separated from the instruments and music in general!
May be it is because I have really great phono preamp!
Hi murataltuev,

I approached these things too although with different products to you. I use the PS audio PPP regenerator which is powered from its own circuit and wired with VD power cables (I hear the Purepower is very good).

I have a few different isolation devices. but all the equipment is suspended by SSC pucks and sit on various platforms. I found these helped the DCS DAC. Maybe not night and day but worth having. I have my system in a tight space these days which makes some platforms unusable for me.

In the end I got rid of my DCS Transport. I found the computer (Mac with Amarra) to give better sound and flexibility. Although sometimes I miss the odd SACD. (I never had the Scarlatti transport BTW). CD is dead.

Personally I found the fuses in the DCS to be unlistenable. More so than the isolation. I changed these to gold fuses which really made the presentation sweeter and organic sounding. Especially in the highs. The firewire cable is another one too.

I would be very surprised if you had the same noise floor in your DCS as your TT. I dont know which speakers you use, but quite low sensitivity? 86-90db/watt? Try the same equipment of high sensitivity and you will have a shock! Just the difference in noise between the Elgar plus DAC output to the Scarlatti DAC output was unmistakable.

I am not sure that by just changing one DAC for another leaving the chain as was means that the other DAC is better or worse. Maybe it just means it compliments that way of being isolated better? Who knows? This is where things get very difficult, with taste and music choices also impacting on opinions.

I would like to hear the GTE. My complaint is how much value it is, regardless of how good it is. To me none of the internal parts can add up to that kind of money. Even if the boards and casing were solid gold... The Scarlatti is bad enough! Remember they will all be door stops in 5 years unlike your TT probably! Digital is moving very quickly.
Metralla, this photo is also from my system.
I use this feets everywhere. On the photo is Gryphon Colosseum amp!
Changes in sound was DRAMATIC!
I have 33pcs:)
Chadeffect, what fuses you use?
Highs are most problem of dCS. They are not dynamic!
Too soft. I don't have this problem with TT.
May be mine even too bright.
GTE is totally impressive DAC!
You'll be shocked by it's performace after dCS!