Are all R2R dacs slow and soft?

I've tried a few.
Border Patrol, Sonnet, MHDT, Mojo, and a few others I can't recall.
They all seem to have a slow, soft rolled off sound that lacked detail. The Mojo being the exception, but was still on the softer side.

I'm now interested hearing the LTA Aero and the May Audio Spring.
If anyone is familiar with these 2, is it more of the same, or do either one of these stand out from the rest of the crowd?

The reason I'm looking around is I have a PS Audio DirectStream MK2 with the Airlens, and it's very nice and super detailed, but on some recordings, it can be pretty unforgiving and bright. I'm looking to take the edge of without the sound turning soft and mushy, and lacking detail.

traudio12-30-2025 3:58pm

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mclinnguy Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,084 posts 12-31-2025 at 02:48pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I have ordered the items that audphile1 suggested. While you are waiting for those to show up, take those absorbers on the side walls and try them behind your head on the back wall, where you have the diffusers. Or get 2 friends to hold the sofa up 3 feet while you listen. The first option may be easier. It looks like they are toed-in quite a bit, crossing in front of the listening postion, but it might be the picture? You have experimented with toe- in I assume?
foggyus91 Details Discussions Posts This discussion 612 posts 12-31-2025 at 02:48pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Short answer No! Hope you can figure it out.
traudio OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 184 posts 12-31-2025 at 02:59pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @mclinnguy "Perhaps the Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI cable is defective?" I doubt it. Bought it brand new. "And were these "soft and mushy" other DAC's demoed connected with the same Cinnamon cable?" No, the other DACs were USB only and I had the OptcalRendu at the time, so this was pre Cinnamon. @mechtronic I'll try to keep a list as I run into them.
audphile1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 7,948 posts 12-31-2025 at 03:00pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @danmar123 good question. I can answer based on my experience - when I added that trendnet switch I did it because I wanted to split the output of my router/mesh node into two branches - one that would feed the streaming card in my DAC and one that would feed my Roon Nucleus One. I was hoping that the trendnet will not degrade the sound quality because my older D-Link switch made the sound quality considerably worse. What I got with the Trendnet was actually a surprising benefit - quieter background, smoother sonics and improved tone. So in OP’s setup, if he hears positive impact from the configuration I recommended he can just get better Ethernet cables and feed both the AirLens and his SGC server a cleaner signal for even more improvement.
audioman58 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 4,621 posts 12-31-2025 at 03:02pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete In the hybrid dac I have it is not I have 8 BURR BROWN CONVERTERS THAT ROUGHLY 30% is R2R THE REST DELTA SIGMA ,WITH MOSFETS MERASON DAC1 MK 2 is a great dac and under $10k. A true Best Buy and has great fast tuneful Bass, as well as a warmer very natural sound that is fast as the music is in real life !!