HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

@savvypaul You can use an external dac, it's the streamer section that is supposed to be very good.

@savvypaul You have enough experience in hifi to know you cannot put the blame entirely on a dac chip, it's the implementation as well.

I was very hesitant of ESS Sabre DACs until I tried the models from Sabaj which sound fantastic to me. But it is a question of implementation and they can be adjusted to taste with the inbuilt PCM filters.

antonio66 wrote: ↑Thu May 18, 2023 12:12 pm @savvypaul You have enough experience in hifi to know you cannot put the blame entirely on a dac chip, it's the implementation as well.

I heard 4 different DACs with ESS chips. They were all poor implementations, then. That's my experience.

The bottom line is that what works for you, works for you.

I was in town today and had a bit ot time to kill so I browsed through some hifi magazines in Smiths. What struck me is that dedicated DACs seem to have gone out of fashion. EverythingI came across seemed to incorporate a streamer often with a pre amp or integrated amps. The inclusion of phono inputs and Bluetooth is also common. There seems to be a trend for less boxes and in this respect NVA is swimming against the tide. This might not be a bad thing as I am sure that there are many like me who appreciate the sound quality benefits of different boxes for different functions connected by quality cables. I might me going with the flow in discarding the physical media, but when it comes to components and horses for courses I am still a traditionalist.

Just ordered, hopefully delivery mid June: https://www.futeko.com/products/DC003.php

antonio66 wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 12:05 pm Just ordered, hopefully delivery mid June: https://www.futeko.com/products/DC003.php

Nice, Antonio.

Enjoy!

Vinshine have released another firmware update for the Denafrips Ares II, further improvements to SQ to make it sound even more 'analogue'.

Will give it a go later this week ....

Fretless wrote: ↑Tue Jul 11, 2023 9:47 am Vinshine have released another firmware update for the Denafrips Ares II, further improvements to SQ to make it sound even more 'analogue'.

Will give it a go later this week ....

I need to upgrade the firmware on my Ares II 12th Anniversary Edition as well. Perhaps over the weekend.

Schiit have released a CD transport 'Urd' that is also a multi-functional USB/SPDIF converter and hub.



https://www.schiit.com/products/urd



Features 2 extra USB input sockets and output via USB, coax or AES/EBU.