I think everybody in here have been aware of that all along. But the keyword is 'feel'. Personally I'd just like to know whether people actually hear a difference in R2R DACs, or whether it's simply something they would like to believe. And if there was a difference to be heard (which I doubt), I'd like to know exactly what is heard, and how to replicate it in a simpler and more efficient way. That's the science part of things.
Absolutely. But it doesn't really coincide with the huge price tags we see on some gear. If sound signature was actually the driving force behind the industry, then all gear would be cheap and priced roughly the same. There would be no need for anything other than simple and cheap engineering aimed at coloring the sound.
The only (technical) justification for a massive price tag, is if something difficult has been achieved. And if that thing is not complete inaudibly of anything but the intended signal, then what is it? It's not difficult to design a piece of gear that sounds different.
Excellent post!
Let’s take your questions in order;
I think Feel is the right word hear, because it taps right into the emotion of listening to music. When it’s good I get into it feeling wise.
But, and here is to your second question about hearing a difference, when I a/b’d the Denafrips dac with the ESS 9018, under Norma listening conditions in my living room, I could not tell them apart to ANY SIGNIFICANT SCIENTIFIC CERTAINCY.
It’s as simple as that, they both sounded very good, but there was nothing that stood out from either one that would distinguish one from the other.
When I first got the Denafrips as I was breaking it in, I DID think I heard things in the soundstage of songs that I’ve never heard before. Feelings again probably, but later on, when I did do the comparison with the Audiolab, and didn’t really hear any difference, I had to chalk it down to the human factor. But in the end I flipped the Denafrips not because it’s a bad dac, it’s not, but it didn’t elevate the fidelity over the 9018, pure and simple.
Point three, specifically pertaining to the Denafrips line of dac’s.
You are right in your thinking, but here on audio science it’s a different vibe then say at the Steve Hoffman site, which I’m also an active member of. Totally different.
In the way that here, the community is focused, indeed on scientific info on this gear, and measurements are first and foremost to that, I get it now and my apologies for going out of the bounds so to speak interjecting emotional opinions in some of my posts. That’s what I do at the Hoffman site, so I’ll try and learn quicker the culture here.
Now the Denafrip, as a company has hit upon a segment of the audio community that is enthusiastic about r-2r ladder dac’s. Until 2 months ago I had no idea that this was even a “thing”.
They don’t have the same goal as this site is focused on. Their thing is to sell gear to a specific segment of the market and do it with the best gear they can come up with, their not concerned about a debate of whether or not ladder dac’s sound better than Sigma Delta dac’s.
They’ve dedicated themselves to this as a business and their doing a great job at it!
The Ares 2, which is their cheapest model, and the one I bought, is an OPPO like piece of gear in construction. Top tier all the way and very much in its price range. And it makes total BUSINESS sense to offer more models costing more and more, like the Terminator.
But it’s marketing genius what their doing! Coming up with a $4000.00 ladder dac that people are comparing to dac’s over $10000.00, and offering ladder “convers” to stick it in the face of their friends who indeed have that $10,000.00 dac.
............
And the hobby goes on. But this is what makes it fun for me, always learning and trying things out, because when I stop doing that.........it means death, and I’m not ready for that.
And for the member who sent me a bit of a snarky personal message asking me how high my hearing can go to, at the age of 61, I can still hear to around 10, maybe 11khz. Next time you want to make fun of, or challenge me in an un friendly way, have some balls and do it on the forum, don’t hide behind a personal message. Doing that just means your an arrogant BULLY.
And I will have none of that anymore.
Beave
