$2000 Dac

YOU CAN LAUGH, I encourage you to do so – laughter is good for us. However, I cannot pretend that I do not hear what I hear: Acoustic Revive’s spike pads change the sound. I am familiar with this effect, as I have been using the company’s RIQ-5010 quartz discs for years. And yet, every time I have the opportunity to hear something new like this, I wonder how much we still don’t know and how much can be improved in sound. Even if we previously thought that everything was OK with it.

That is why placing the QSB-3810 under the feet of the Garlubidor Divinity DAC changed what came out of the speakers. It improved the sound, let’s add. It became denser and more resolving. I listened and listened, put discs in and took them out, and each time I got the same result – denser, warmer, lower. And at the same time, more resolving. As if there were more sounds “there”

This is in-reference to me to planning to also purchase (3) StackAudio AUVA equipment isolator pads. This is encouraging that the Divinity Dac just may respond to those in a good way.also. Yep, thank you indeed.

from what I understand the Gungnir clicks between songs. Wouldn't that be a distraction during listening? Do the dacs you guys speak of provide sound quality to hook up to hifi? I am using a Lamm 2.1 deluxe pre with a VTL st150 tube amp and Vandersteen II rev3 speakers. I guess the difficult thing for me to accept is using an 1800 dac in a system that might require something better. Not that my gear is the best but I'd hate to purchase a dac and know right away it's the weakest link in my chain. Thanks for all your help.

@dpm2340 I agree that the Gungnir is a good choice within your budget, but yes, with your system and ears, you could find it the weakest link.

@tyray  I think you’ll like the Divinity dac. I picked up one from Tweek Geek when Garlubidor was having their holiday sale and got a silver with remote for $1750 shipped. I’ve had a 2017 Lampizator Atlantic with tube rectifier ( WE 274b ) for the last nine years and wanted to get a solid state dac and stay with the r2r design. The Divinity is every bit as good and then some as the Atlantic. The separation of instruments and deep soundstage are just wonderful. Beautiful vocals and detail retrieval on certain songs reveal I was missing some information with the Atlantic.

i have my Divinity on a Star Sound ( Now Live Vibe ) Apprentice platform with a Hijiri Nagomi power cable. I haven’t heard any of the Denafrips dacs or others like Gustard or Holo so I can’t comment on how they compare but with the Divinity I find myself listening for long sessions and just feel wrapped up in the music. I’m very happy with my decision. Good luck with your audio pursuit.

Thanks @t_ramey,

I know about dacs that use tubes and the Lampizator brand were ones I came to admire a lot. And what I’ve learned is it can be a costly proposition especially if you have tubes in other parts of your rig like the phono preamplifier and your preamplifier. Not to mention the fact that each piece of gear will have any number of multiple tubes. So I made the decision when I next upgrade my dac it won’t have tubes. And then I found out about R2R dacs. I see we’re on some of on the same pages. Cool stuff here.

i have my Divinity on a Star Sound ( Now Live Vibe ) Apprentice platform with a Hijiri Nagomi power cable. I haven’t heard any of the Denafrips dacs or others like Gustard or Holo so I can’t comment on how they compare but with the Divinity I find myself listening for long sessions and just feel wrapped up in the music. I’m very happy with my decision. Good luck with your audio pursuit.

I also have a full loom of Hijiri HCI interconnects and Hijiri HCS speaker cable too which has had a profound impact on my rigs sound.