DACs that better compensate for noise

[wineandmusic]

That's a little out of context... They can sound different if they are either poorly engineered or designed to do so. The Chord's measure very well...transparent in fact...so they don't fall in that category.

I didn't get that from what he said. Do you think that solderdude believes that all dacs sound exactly alike unless they are poorly engineered or designed to sound different? I would like to see him state that verbatim.

 

[Jimbob54]

i dont know who are jazz fans here, but I love fourplay. Their recordings sound like they are on a different level than most jazz recordings...more lively , even for a wav file. Have a listen to a track of theirs. This is a "similar" feeling I get when i stream native dsd...not something you can really put your finger on...it just feels more lively...i think it may be "dynamics" but unsure?

That easily has to be the worst band name I've heard in years. From four industry vets too.

Well, worst since some friends of mine settled on Horseclock................

 

[wineandmusic]

And some of us may find it humorus that you believe your sighted listening tests are remotely valid.

and that is ok by me...i really am unbiased and don't really care.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Qutest and chords in general seem to use different technology than most, and my guess that would sound the most different compared to other dacs

I have an original Chord Hugo, bought before I realised it wasn't necessary to spend this much on a portable.
About 10 years ago I did a level matched comparison between DACs of some reputation, the dearest being the Linn Klimax DS the least expensive was about 1/10 of its price.
My Goldmund DAC only decoded up to 16/48 and I was seeing files I couldn't play so I was looking to replace it with something "high res"
I had expected considerable difference, my test was to see if the SQ improvement of the expensive ones was worth the money.
I thought I heard differences, but they were tiny, anyway and when comparing "blind", my daughter doing the switching, I could not reliably tell which was playing, so any difference was negligible.

This was listening on a high end system I was very familiar with having been using it for 15 years.

 

[Jimbob54]

I didn't get that from what he said. Do you think that solderdude believes that all dacs sound exactly alike unless they are poorly engineered or designed to sound different? I would like to see him state that verbatim.

Swap "sound exactly alike" for "not audibly different" or "audibly transparent" and I think you wouldnt be accused of misrepresenting him or other folks here that have done the legwork (I'm just a passenger) .

EDIT- the key point is - measure differently , not sound different. The ASR DAC chart zones are simply quartiles of SINAD measurements rather than any qualitative assessment of sound quality.

 

[A Surfer]

I have an original Chord Hugo, bought before I realised it wasn't necessary to spend this much on a portable.
About 10 years ago I did a level matched comparison between DACs of some reputation, the dearest being the Linn Klimax DS the least expensive was about 1/10 of its price.
My Goldmund DAC only decoded up to 16/48 and I was seeing files I couldn't play so I was looking to replace it with something "high res"
I had expected considerable difference, my test was to see if the SQ improvement of the expensive ones was worth the money.
I thought I heard differences, but they were tiny, anyway and when comparing "blind", my daughter doing the switching, I could not reliably tell which was playing, so any difference was negligible.

This was listening on a high end system I was very familiar with having been using it for 15 years.

Don't start sounding open minded, those who believe that pouring money into a system makes it better will come for you with pitch forks and torches.

 

[A Surfer]

and that is ok by me...i really am unbiased and don't really care.

That is clearly an untrue statement.

 

[wineandmusic]

I have an original Chord Hugo, bought before I realised it wasn't necessary to spend this much on a portable.
About 10 years ago I did a level matched comparison between DACs of some reputation, the dearest being the Linn Klimax DS the least expensive was about 1/10 of its price.
My Goldmund DAC only decoded up to 16/48 and I was seeing files I couldn't play so I was looking to replace it with something "high res"
I had expected considerable difference, my test was to see if the SQ improvement of the expensive ones was worth the money.
I thought I heard differences, but they were tiny, anyway and when comparing "blind", my daughter doing the switching, I could not reliably tell which was playing, so any difference was negligible.

This was listening on a high end system I was very familiar with having been using it for 15 years.

So is the HUGO what you still use today?

 

[A Surfer]

It is a shame that your mind is closed. As a great bumper sticker once told me, Your mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open. I am again going to take an educated stab at things, you have enough disposable income that you can and have invested in these "golden ear" solutions, but because a part of you doesn't really believe that your investment garnered you the benefit that you hoped would be so clear you came seeking reassurance that there was science behind these esoteric solutions.

 

[wineandmusic]

That is clearly an untrue statement.

you are a funny guy....you think it is untrue that i don't care what you think, or that it is untrue that I am unbiased?
As i have stated, I will spend more time trying to consider the possibility that there is no difference whether streaming dsd or playing out my windows USB. I certainly hope that I will not be able to identify differences...so it doesn't get much less biased than that.

 

[Frank Dernie]

So is the HUGO what you still use today?

No, it is in a box somewhere in my study. I used it in one of my systems for a while but stopped when I bought a JOB INTegrated for that system which has a built in DAC.
If it wasn't such a pita selling stuff I would have!

 

[wineandmusic]

No, it is in a box somewhere in my study. I used it in one of my systems for a while but stopped when I bought a JOB INTegrated for that system which has a built in DAC.
If it wasn't such a pita selling stuff I would have!

send it to me...i will send you a self addressed box (smile)..i will even send it back. I would love to save myself the money of trying a qutest.

 

[A Surfer]

I was on the Hugo 2 loaner tour myself and while it sounded just fine, it didn't magically transform my musical experience no matter how much Rob Watts was able to talk about the mystical power that swirled among the many taps.

 

[BDWoody]

I didn't get that from what he said. Do you think that solderdude believes that all dacs sound exactly alike unless they are poorly engineered or designed to sound different? I would like to see him state that verbatim.

I'll certainly let @solderdude speak for himself...but I'd venture something very close to that.

 

[wineandmusic]

Swap "sound exactly alike" for "not audibly different"

whats the difference?

 

[Willem]

I think we just have a troll.

 

[Jimbob54]

whats the difference?

Wiggle room. And some individuals hearing thresholds.

 

[SIY]

I think we just have a troll.

 

[Jimbob54]

View attachment 68862

Its Sunday afternoon (UK time) - that is DAC troll time , its true.

 

[wineandmusic]

I think we just have a troll.

depends on your definition....i am certainly not a "groupie", but i actually do find it refreshing to find people exist on the total opposite of the spectrum where people on the "other site" seem to believe that everything matters even to the point of building $3K computers to squeeze supposed "wow" moments. To be honest, i have a hard time believing either side, and believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle but much closer to this side than the other side. I will "never" start using the word "we" though like seems so popular here..... At least the other side has cleaned up their act a lot regarding mature responses.