Sorry, there is no Ayon dealer in Hong Kong.
Totaldac is an excellent brand too but Lampizator is a bit warmer and I guess you may like the latter more according to your request on #138.
Best DACs comparison test result [[My Subjective Opinion]]
- Thread starter Esotar
- Start date
Totaldac is an excellent brand too but Lampizator is a bit warmer and I guess you may like the latter more according to your request on #138.
Sorry, there is no Ayon dealer in Hong Kong.
Totaldac is an excellent brand too but Lampizator is a bit warmer and I guess you may like the latter more according to your request on #138.
I was curious about total DAC (their bigger version) and the guy is quite approachable and nice, as opposed to Trinity. I am curious to know if anyone has tried his gigafilter USB cable, as you know the Trinity is using USB and when I tried to get the upgrade from Dietmer he ended up refusing to do it (i probably bought the only one in the UK and there is not distributor here, but he refused to quote me a direct price, only retail as if I was going through a shop).
Other than reviews, there’s someone selling one on Audiomart (sale pending) who might be worth asking. I get the sense from his write up that he preferred another cable.
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649542462-totaldac-d-1-gigafilter-usb-cable-15-m/
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649542462-totaldac-d-1-gigafilter-usb-cable-15-m/
Other than reviews, there’s someone selling one on Audiomart (sale pending) who might be worth asking. I get the sense from his write up that he preferred another cable.
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649542462-totaldac-d-1-gigafilter-usb-cable-15-m/
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649542462-totaldac-d-1-gigafilter-usb-cable-15-m/
Thank you I sent him a message (I am in the UK though). I usually check audiogon, do you prefer audiomart ? I happen to have some equipment to sell.
You mean Terminator movie???
My camcorder is too cheap model, so sound is very bad.
But I posted it with Formula xHD.
Here~!
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...e-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-53#post-590372
I follow Hi Fi Shark, which agglomerates ads from many audio classifieds worldwide. You can save searches and even get emails every morning when one of those gets new listing.
I use Audiomart, Audio Asylum, head-fi and Audio Circle primarily, and occasionally eBay (high fees). I tend to save Agon for special need occasions, especially as their fees have gone way up (btw, you don’t have to use their PP payment system if the other party agrees - good to know for PP f/f payments w/o fees; the seller justs has to mark the item as paid). I have done international purchases and sales (lighter gear with the latter) with those mentioned above. And as the other reply mentioned, there are more country and region specific sites in Europe and Asia.
Agree on the Callisto fantastic USB cable.
Hello Esotar,
I’m one of the few people who disliked the Terminator and thought it worse than T+A DAC8DSD but that could have been a mismatch with my SGM2015.
I’d be interested in your thoughts/ranking of the Formula XHD Rev2 as I believe it’s a huge upgrade over standard XHD and would probably gain another 10 points on your list.
All just for fun.
Blue58
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If you want the best interface to a dac, use Ethernet. If you do that, only a couple dacs are in this arena. Also, if you use the ps audio ds dac, make sure you are using the latest firmware (WINDOM) and you tune the settings that produce the best sound. Windom was a nice boost in SQ for me. As for settings, I keep the dac output around 85 with attenuation off, then my preamp will be around 11-12 setting for volume
Highstream brought up Ayon and i have their cd5s as well as ps audio’s direct stream and pwt feeding lamm pre and amps to marten birds - the ayon has a Skylla dac within I believe and provides a more vigorous leading dynamic edge to sounds giving more attack and weight and presence to percussion so I preferred it for rock and lively jazz while the direct stream was more detailed and spacious and preferred for more contemplative nearfield listening in my setup. Anyway Windom is a big step up for the direct stream imo and once my Ayon gets back from the shop it will be interesting to compare them again.
I should update to say that I picked up a Lampi Atlantic dac used last August and had it upgraded to the current TRP model. With some tube rolling and adding a Supratek preamp, I've become a happy camper.
Adding to that, I've just this day been experimenting with AV Audioservice EVP isolation feet (block style)) under ATC SCM19A active floorstanders. Norm Varney, developer of the EVPs, argues that the place to start and greatest effect is under speakers. A half-baked comparison with Gaia III's, which I've been using for several months, sounded promising, so I'm going to pull the Gaia's and see how the EVP do in their place. The Gaia are more convenient than blocks, being as they are screwed into the speakers. I actually hope it comes out at least even, but I'll go with the better sound. I already have EVP's under one piece of the preamp and an Oppo 203, easily bettering Iso-Pucks in vibration sensitive locations. After the speakers, they go against Marigo mystery feet under the Lampi dac and the preamp's PSU. The EVP's are relatively inexpensive as isolation goes -- the 2" ones are $45/piece before current discount (and more for previous customers). And no, I have no stake in AV Audioservice.
Adding to that, I've just this day been experimenting with AV Audioservice EVP isolation feet (block style)) under ATC SCM19A active floorstanders. Norm Varney, developer of the EVPs, argues that the place to start and greatest effect is under speakers. A half-baked comparison with Gaia III's, which I've been using for several months, sounded promising, so I'm going to pull the Gaia's and see how the EVP do in their place. The Gaia are more convenient than blocks, being as they are screwed into the speakers. I actually hope it comes out at least even, but I'll go with the better sound. I already have EVP's under one piece of the preamp and an Oppo 203, easily bettering Iso-Pucks in vibration sensitive locations. After the speakers, they go against Marigo mystery feet under the Lampi dac and the preamp's PSU. The EVP's are relatively inexpensive as isolation goes -- the 2" ones are $45/piece before current discount (and more for previous customers). And no, I have no stake in AV Audioservice.
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Congrats Highstream - Lampi’s are high on my list of interest. The ps audio direct stream w/ newest firmware “windom” really expanded and clarified the sonic picture in my setup and I see in this thread there are many many others of r2r and delta sigma camps that garner much more praise and attention. So anyway I have the itch to push the dac in my system but am stymied by analysis paralysis. Would love to do in home auditions of some of the favorites in this thread. Did PS audio’s direct stream‘s new firmware close the gap with some of the aforementioned reference level dacs or should I scratch that itch? Also any love out there for esoteric k’s and if so where might their dac fit in style and in the opinion hierarchy?
I was surprised when I saw how far down the comparison list the Direcstream was. Windom update helped in some ways, and a good preamp also does -- I used a PrimaLuna Dialogue with it while awaiting the Supratek -- but most everyone else has been improving too. The TRP with some tube rolling is a substantial step up, and obviously there are others that are even better. The most important thing is to find a sound that you like and enjoy living with, and of course fits your budget.
As a follow up about the EVPs, they are a clear step up in clarity, smoothness, articulation and presence from the Gaia III's. A good example is that with the EVPs I can hear every note of fast piano runs, something the Gaias smudged. Extended across the music spectrum that’s a big deal. The bad news, however, is that the sound with the EVPs is dryer than warmer/liquid and the tonal pitch raised a bit, like there is processing.
Edit/update. With system synergy, changing one thing can throw off the balance just as well as fix it. While I await other warmer rectifiers, I remembered that I had a a barely burned in 596 that got put aside when the base adapter broke. So just to see what might happen, I put it in the preamp’s PSU and all of a sudden there’s warmth again and Johnny Hartman is sounding like the sonorous baritone he was, instead of a leaky tenor. So I’d say there’s more than hope for the EVPs, one of the great bargains in audio. To be fair to the Gaia IIIs, Isoacoustics now tells me that they are not so hot when the speaker is within 10% of their upper weight range, which the IIIs are, and are really at their best on hardwood floors, at least w/o their optional carpet spikes. Now they tell me...
As a follow up about the EVPs, they are a clear step up in clarity, smoothness, articulation and presence from the Gaia III's. A good example is that with the EVPs I can hear every note of fast piano runs, something the Gaias smudged. Extended across the music spectrum that’s a big deal. The bad news, however, is that the sound with the EVPs is dryer than warmer/liquid and the tonal pitch raised a bit, like there is processing.
Edit/update. With system synergy, changing one thing can throw off the balance just as well as fix it. While I await other warmer rectifiers, I remembered that I had a a barely burned in 596 that got put aside when the base adapter broke. So just to see what might happen, I put it in the preamp’s PSU and all of a sudden there’s warmth again and Johnny Hartman is sounding like the sonorous baritone he was, instead of a leaky tenor. So I’d say there’s more than hope for the EVPs, one of the great bargains in audio. To be fair to the Gaia IIIs, Isoacoustics now tells me that they are not so hot when the speaker is within 10% of their upper weight range, which the IIIs are, and are really at their best on hardwood floors, at least w/o their optional carpet spikes. Now they tell me...
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