Looking for a DAC... Older Lampizator vs Ayon?

[SeagoatLeo]

hey Leo.....was just messing with ya on a particularly bad day. My attitude about high end audio these days is that companies are now building $38,000 DACs, etc, only because they can and they know someone (like me?) might buy them. I've spent well over 6-figures (times 3x!!!) on my system, yet there are days when I'm still researching how to incrementally improve certain sonic characteristics that I've focused my attention to. The music already sounds great so what is the point? Furthermore, so much of what we focus on can NEVER be fixed because a large percentage of the sonic problems we hear are the result of unavoidable mis-matches between the gear used in the recording, mixing, and mastering processes, and the gear we assemble in our homes (regardless of brands and prices we may spend). This is the rabbit hole dilemma.....

I am very happy listening to my permanent collection and selecting from my new arrivals (1100 Japanese mostly jazz lps, 7500+ classical CDs and 8,000 mixed LPs) of 61,100 CDs/LPs/78s. I am thrilled that I can hear nuances heretofore unheard, dynamics and tonal colors of voices and instruments more akin to live performances (I have recorded 150 to 200 orchestral/chamber/choral music for performers and myself which include major venues, composer recording archivist, mastering engineer for the Zeisl centennial 2005, etc). I love music and really appreciate my collection more everyday. So it's not SOTA. It's really good though. My speakers were SOTA in 2016 though. My friends and acquaintances are famous and second tier mastering engineers. My best friends are all into various types of music performing and listening. Our hobby is no different than so many others. We get hands on use of it more frequently than mere collectors and other hobbyists

 

[SeagoatLeo]

I happen to have a pair of mint condition DACs for sale which are beautifully engineered/designed, the COS Engineering D1v and D2v. The Poseidon eliminated the need for these two as it has a superior pre-amp as well. 40% off new price the very low use D1v and 60% off the new price 500 hour use D2v. Original boxes, etc. I don't know how they sound versus the Ayon Kronos and Lampizator Big 7 but are very solid units and much prettier.

 

[jymc2]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely look into this device.

Well here ya go ephemera. Totally opposite conclusions. I am currently running an Ayon CD-Tii transport with an Ayon Kronos. I have it connected 2 ways with high quality Cardas digital cables: 1) AES/EBU connection and 2) triple BNC (DSD L & R and Word Clock). The sound is highly detailed to my liking...however, the Kronos (+ Ayon transport) is significantly less edgy and analytical than the Esoteric K-01 xd se, Mark Levinson 519, and a dCS Bartok which I lived with for several months at a time in my system. The Ayon set-up is more 'analog like' than any of the digital systems noted above.
And there's the rub! Any particular piece of gear, and especially sources, will depend on how well they match up and synergize with the downstream components, from preamp to amps and to speakers (and cabling will also play a role). My TAD CR1 speakers were forward in emphasizing the sonic qualities of the Esoteric, Levinson and dCS. These playback components are not bad by any stretch....they simply did not match up well with my TADs, while I imagine they might play beautifully with Sonus Faber's higher end models.

 

[SeagoatLeo]

Well here ya go ephemera. Totally opposite conclusions. I am currently running an Ayon CD-Tii transport with an Ayon Kronos. I have it connected 2 ways with high quality Cardas digital cables: 1) AES/EBU connection and 2) triple BNC (DSD L & R and Word Clock). The sound is highly detailed to my liking...however, the Kronos (+ Ayon transport) is significantly less edgy and analytical than the Esoteric K-01 xd se, Mark Levinson 519, and a dCS Bartok which I lived with for several months at a time in my system. The Ayon set-up is more 'analog like' than any of the digital systems noted above.
And there's the rub! Any particular piece of gear, and especially sources, will depend on how well they match up and synergize with the downstream components, from preamp to amps and to speakers (and cabling will also play a role). My TAD CR1 speakers were forward in emphasizing the sonic qualities of the Esoteric, Levinson and dCS. These playback components are not bad by any stretch....they simply did not match up well with my TADs, while I imagine they might play beautifully with Sonus Faber's higher end models.

I've heard Esoteric digital components several times and find them less involving, with less body to the sound. You are correct. I heard Esoteric on high resolution speakers and maybe the Sonus Fabers would be a good match; otherwise I just don't like Esoteric. I considered the Ayon prior to buying my Lampizator Poseidon and Westminster Labs Quest 2. I heard the Ayon $10K CD player once and it sounded comparable in analog comparable sound to my former tube based CD player the EAR Acute but better. Same with my other equipment. I don't like edgy or analytical; hence, Von Schweikert speakers, WL amps and pre-amp, Dynavector cartridge (flat and without a rising high end as so many cartridges). I haven't played with a word clock yet.