Monoprice Liquid Spark DAC by Alex Cavalli Review

[0%_Audiophile]

Can't imagine many rushing to help you with you showing such an attitude.

Maybe because there is no asking for help! Just friendly reminder do not give advice if you do not understand and out of topic.

 

[Lpd2]

I think the 'golden sample' idea only has to do with binned silicon in chip manufacturing. Not sure there is any version of that with power bricks or even dacs. As far as getting this unit for 220v, I believe you only need a plug adapter for your country - easy and cheap.

 

[sydneybird11]

Excellent performance, great price. I too wish they would have released this last year, more importantly, I wish they would hurry up with their AK4999 dac. That is the one that I want.

Why do you want the AK4499 chip (was AK4999 a typo)? Are you expecting a different sound versus the AK4493. Or are you being sarcastic? I'm a DAC newbie.

 

[sydneybird11]

I use my LG V series phone for the vast majority of listening these days.
While I understand that this DAC is generally for laptops, phones without decent DAC's and other such connections, out of curiosity does anyone think that there would be audible differences between an LG phone with the "quad" DAC and this little unit?

I have an LG V20 and a V40. Have you figured out how to get digital out from the usb? I wanted to compare the LG DAC to the LS DAC but I can't figure out how to get digital out.

 

[Labjr]

Why do you want the AK4499 chip (was AK4999 a typo)? Are you expecting a different sound versus the AK4493. Or are you being sarcastic? I'm a DAC newbie.

Better S/N and THD+N.

 

[Veri]

Excellent performance, great price. I too wish they would have released this last year, more importantly, I wish they would hurry up with their AK4999 dac. That is the one that I want.

I wonder if that one was already in manufacturing or now cancelled altogether. There's hardly any AK4499 stock now since the factory burned down.

 

[sydneybird11]

haha I laughed when I saw this post. I purchased this dac this week and the first thing I noticed is the thickness of the metal has a similar feeling to an empty soda can. Sounds great though.

Where do you get your soda cans? I can't deform the case by squeezing it at all. Pretty solid to me.

 

[sydneybird11]

Better S/N and TH+N.

Would those improvements be audible? If so, in what way? Thanks

 

[Labjr]

Would those improvements be audible? If so, in what way? Thanks

That's debatable.

 

[musiclover]

Better S/N and THD+N.

That depends heavily on the implemantation, doesn't it? I'm no expert and was wondering myself what differences there are between DAC chips, besides the S/N snd THD figures. Let's say a AK4493 is implemented in a DAC in a way that it outputs let's say a SINAD of 100 dB and an AK4497 is implenented in another DAC also to output 100 dB: can it still sound different because of whatever reasons? Or will it sound the same because the chips only differ in those figures?

 

[musiclover]

Would those improvements be audible? If so, in what way? Thanks

I'm under 30 and I don't have any problems with my hearing. I can't hear a difference between the Khadas Tone Board (SINAD of 110 dB) and the Drop SDAC Balanced (SINAD of 102 dB). Maybe my ears are not 'audiophile' enough but judging from that I can say anything above 102 dB is overkill (at least for me).

 

[Labjr]

That depends heavily on the implemantation, doesn't it? I'm no expert and was wondering myself what differences there are between DAC chips, besides the S/N snd THD figures. Let's say a AK4493 is implemented in a DAC in a way that it outputs let's say a SINAD of 100 dB and an AK4497 is implenented in another DAC also to output 100 dB: can it still sound different because of whatever reasons? Or will it sound the same because the chips only differ in those figures?

Well, everything being equal sans the DAC chip, we're probably beyond the point of audible differences. However, I'm sure everyone would run out and buy a new model with 3db of improvement.

 

[Lupin]

It's clear that DAC chips with their numbers sell, not the actual implementation which is so much more important. DAC xxx uses the AK4497 so it is automatically better than a DAC with the AK4493 chip... If it only was that simple...

 

[Wavez]

So is the general consensus that this is currently the budget dac to get as long as it has the features you need?

 

[infinitesymphony]

So is the general consensus that this is currently the budget dac to get as long as it has the features you need?

This, Topping D10s, Topping E30, Loxjie D30. Just depends what you want.

 

[Veri]

So is the general consensus that this is currently the budget dac to get as long as it has the features you need?

It's definitely a very good one.

 

[Lpd2]

So is the general consensus that this is currently the budget dac to get as long as it has the features you need?

Happy with mine after one months use.

 

[Acerun]

The performance is there, as are the looks, however I'm really not a fan of the wall wart power supply for a DAC.
There are so many transparent desktop DACs now right around that 100$ price point, it's really just a question of feature and design preferences.

I'm exploring that concept with Gishelli...

 

[magicscreen]

Z reviews Liquid Spark DAC
It is not perfectly linear.
Every sound feels like covered in a half inch salty crusty creamy butter.

Cannot we measure this non-linearity? Cannot we measure this creamsicle-like thing? Cannot we measure and determine the exact recipe for this?
What is the truth?

 

[Veri]

Z reviews Liquid Spark DAC
It is not perfectly linear.
Every sound feels like covered in a half inch salty crusty creamy butter.

Cannot we measure this non-linearity? Cannot we measure this creamsicle-like thing? Cannot we measure and determine the exact recipe for this?
What is the truth?

Zeos opens the package, Liquid Spark DAC by Alex Cavalli and he instantly hears things like 'warm' and 'buttery'. Basic placebo due to listening with zero controls. (zeos controls, heh).