T+A DAC 200 Burn-in

@sealegs 

Good to know that you completed the evaluation and are able to make a decision. Just because a DAC suits my system and my listening preference, does not mean it will suit in your system and your preference.

I hope you are able to find something that will match with your expectations. In any case do keep us posted. You should try the Holo Audio May. I have heard great things about it. I am super happy with the T+A. The only other DAC/player that currently interests me is the Wadax Studio Player - for which I have to sell a kidney. So, not going to happen.

@audphile1 ​​@milpai 

Just as I was about to box up the T+A DAC200, it occurred to me that (as audphile1 suggested) I had not examine the T+A’s  capabilities as a preamp.  The heart of my system for the past 30+ years has been a Rowland Coherence One Series Two preamp feeding Conrad Johnson Premier 12 monoblock amps.  So, I tried one last experiment, pulled the Rowland out of the signal path, and ran the T+A DAC200 directly into the CJs as both DAC and preamp.  The improvement was surprising.  The upper midrange was now properly balanced against the other frequencies being delivered.  I listened for 3 hours last night and was quite impressed.  I can’t say that the low frequency performance improved to become comparable with the Krell.  But I still may be able to play with that through the RELs.  I’ll still need to listen a bit more broadly but this may be a winner.  

My next concern will be feeding analog signals from my Linn LP12.  While the T+A does not have a phono stage, it has Analog In RCAs.   I am hoping that the Rowland will still serve as a good phono preamp using its Tape Out RCAs.  It has always sounded great with low output moving coils.  More work ahead; this is like having a job.  

Again, I really appreciate having you guys as a sounding board.  I’m old enough that I no longer have friends who are audio equipment hobbyists.  

@sealegs this is where the listening to differences really becomes important. The transparency of a dac direct to amp(s) usually makes a very positive first impression. Taking time with this configuration is critical. What a good active preamp does for the system is it kind of lays everything out for you within the soundstage. The transparency and tone could be different as well depending on a quality of the preamp. What to watch out for in addition to tonal qualities, is the layering a d space in the soundstage. Again, take your time with this configuration. This is critical and at times not immediately obvious. 

@sealegs 

There are a few others on this forum who use the T+A DAC200 directly into their amplifiers. Checkout @benzman system.

One thing I did not want to bring up earlier, lest you think of me as a DAC 200 fanboy was this:

Through the DAC200, I get the same low frequency thump in just about everything I play.

I am not sure if this is the DAC's problem. If this was so, quite many people here and other forums would have complained about it. In fact, in my system, after replacing my Parasound amplifier with a Accuphase amplifier the tone and harmonics are so nicely reproduced by the DAC+amp combination, that it is becoming very difficult for me to end my listening sessions. 

The only guess I can make is that your DAC and preamp are 30+ year old and match each other very well, the way T+A is not matching the preamp. I am wondering how the low frequency sounds, now that you are using the T+A as a preamp.

@milpai 

Through the DAC200, I get the same low frequency thump in just about everything I play.

I found this comment odd as well

I am not sure if this is the DAC's problem. If this was so, quite many people here and other forums would have complained about it. 

It certainly didn't happen in my system either, but I was thinking he is not used to a tight bass, rather the looser woolier variety (?)

The only guess I can make is that your DAC and preamp are 30+ year old and match each other very well, the way T+A is not matching the preamp. I am wondering how the low frequency sounds, now that you are using the T+A as a preamp.

Totally agree, was thinking the same thing about that whole synergy concept. Or could it be an impedance mismatch between the DAC and the preamp? I haven't heard of this, usually one hears about this with a pre and the amp. Maybe the high output of the DAC had the old preamp in too low a range? 

@audphile1 alluded to this above also: 

there’s always a ripple effect.

But @sealegs explained an unwillingness to make significant changes

 Of course, the faults/issues may well lie in the rest of my stereo system.  But I am not looking to get back into that race.

But you did take the DAC 200 for a test drive for a reason. Decisions, decisions! 

And keep in mind if that is the first time the pre amp circuit has been engaged it will improve with use, just like the DAC guts.