another thread on DACS/players...thoughts please


Looking to upgrade my digital front end...now PS Audio Perfect wave d/t...it sounds pretty good on the transport mode using I2S; but the DAC alone on my Qsonix server falls a bit short.
Units I'd like to consider:
Ayon CD-5S; tubed dac integrated preamp and transport
Accoustic Arts DAC mark IV
Weiss DAC 202; but none of my connections are Firewire; which is how many feels it sounds best
dCs Puccinni
Playback Design
Berkeley alpha
I'd like to try to eliminate my preamp; if the dac can run directly into amp with volume control. Only sources are transport; Qsonix digital music server; and Directv and Oppo 95 for combined home theater...no analog...amps are Bryston 28sst's...so this list is a mix of tubed dacs and ss...
Looking for something close to SOTA while keeping budget more upper real world of around $10-12k...presently using Purist audio aes digital cable
Thanks for chiming in; and enjoy the holiday weekend..

I'd like to hear from folks who have gone through this exercise before me; to learn from their evaluation process. I do have the Ayon piece being shipped for their two week in home audition; not arrived yet..
mribob
Eric,
Make sure you break in the Gold/Voltikus. It's a PITA but it come into its own at 500 hrs and sounds its best over 700 hours. anything less than 300 you;'ll want to return it. Let the flames begin.
Ted
I have it on 3 week trial so I will burn in for about 300 hours before serious listening. While on the subject, do I need to connect the DAC/Pre to a poweramp and if so does it need to be turned on? I would think without a downstream load there is no current - just voltage, so I do need to play music for burn in. Am i wrong?
Connect the DAC to an amp or preamp, but no need to turn on. If just breaking in (i.e no music to listen to) then I run a series of break-in tones via XLO or Ayre or whatever demo test disc you might have.