The Best DAC Award 2020 !

[North_Sky]

 

[3125b]

Calls it "the best" but doesn't measure. Changing the caps on that thing will be a nightmare

 

[Lattiboy]

Man, there is something about that guy and that channel that I just cannot stand. Gutenberg is a weirdly charismatic guy, Darko is entertaing, Thomas is endearing, ect. I don’t particularly take anything they say seriously, but there’s a personality there.

This guy has the driven psychosis and production values of an Instagram influencer and the all the charm of the DMV. Just joyless product worship and pretending there are significant differences between boutique audiophile nonsense.

Sorry if this is hugely negative, I’m just so tired of all these YouTube guys.

 

[peanuts]

agreed. can stand this guy. he also recommends audiophile ethernet cables and breaking in amplifiers.

hope he doesnt use a NOS mode
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...i-usb-r2r-dac-review.11166/page-8#post-318588

 

[North_Sky]

Calls it "the best" but doesn't measure. Changing the caps on that thing will be a nightmare

That's where Amir comes in ... measurements.

 

[North_Sky]

Man, there is something about that guy and that channel that I just cannot stand. Gutenberg is a weirdly charismatic guy, Darko is entertaing, Thomas is endearing, ect. I don’t particularly take anything they say seriously, but there’s a personality there.

This guy has the driven psychosis and production values of an Instagram influencer and the all the charm of the DMV. Just joyless product worship and pretending there are significant differences between boutique audiophile nonsense.

Sorry if this is hugely negative, I’m just so tired of all these YouTube guys.

You got that right; you just described in few words the truth vision on that guy's video channel.

 

[North_Sky]

agreed. can stand this guy. he also recommends audiophile ethernet cables and breaking in amplifiers.

He's simply a young audio amateur, in search of a higher audio knowledge.
Not an influencer, an easily influencable.

 

[3125b]

But what's the point of a "hand-feel" video, especially about a DAC? There's just nothing to it exept how well it converts digital to analog signals.

EDIT: Spec is 92dB SINAD, 120dB SNR, 2.2/4.4Vrms, 625/1250ohms output impedance. Costs 2000$ or so.

 

[North_Sky]

With this pandemic going on and all the bad news following we need some fun audio DAC entertainment...that's all.

* I like what you've just said about replacing the caps.

 

[Killingbeans]

The most depressing thing is, that the "not crazy expensive" statement actually makes sense in the light of overall craziness.

Tells a lot about what people mostly pay for, when they acquire products like these.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

But what's the point of a "hand-feel" video, especially about a DAC? There's just nothing to it exept how well it converts digital to analog signals.

EDIT: Spec is 92dB SINAD, 120dB SNR, 2.2/4.4Vrms, 625/1250ohms output impedance. Costs 2000$ or so.

Not having watched that, and knowing very little except Guttenberg also worships the brand, I'll bet it's multibit.

 

[3125b]

It‘s R2R of course, usually but not necessarily a recipe for disaster. I bet its got no reconstruction filter (Edit: checked the specs, and indeed, it doesn‘t), however if it meets its spec, it will probably sound about right (with high input impedance amps). Point is, for 2k$, there is so much better stuff out there.

 

[MissMarplesexbomb]

It‘s R2R of course, usually but not necessarily a recipe for disaster. I bet its got no reconstruction filter (Edit: checked the specs, and indeed, it doesn‘t), however if it meets its spec, it will probably sound about right (with high input impedance amps). Point is, for 2k$, there is so much better stuff out there.

What would you buy ?

 

[MissMarplesexbomb]

agreed. can stand this guy. he also recommends audiophile ethernet cables and breaking in amplifiers.

hope he doesnt use a NOS mode
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...i-usb-r2r-dac-review.11166/page-8#post-318588

The only time Ethernet cables sound different is when you throw them against a wall.

Willing to bet I'd like the sound of this Dac all the same.

 

[preload]

I lost interest at 00:28 and started skipping around looking for a closeup of those capacitors but couldn't find them, so I gave up and wrote this instead.

 

[watchnerd]

Man, there is something about that guy and that channel that I just cannot stand. Gutenberg is a weirdly charismatic guy, Darko is entertaing, Thomas is endearing, ect. I don’t particularly take anything they say seriously, but there’s a personality there.

This guy has the driven psychosis and production values of an Instagram influencer and the all the charm of the DMV. Just joyless product worship and pretending there are significant differences between boutique audiophile nonsense.

Sorry if this is hugely negative, I’m just so tired of all these YouTube guys.

Worse than all that...

His choice of reel to reel is a crappy one.

If you're going to play the "I'm an analog baller" game and pontificate on how it sounds, don't be a poseur.

1/4 track deck at 7.5 IPS, GTFO.

Get a real deck.

 

[3125b]

What would you buy ?

For home entertainment I like the Okto with streamer option, for desktop use maybe a RME. They're each around 1000$ - so I could get both

 

[NDC]

It's easy to pile on - but hey, at least he went to the effort of trying to blind A/B test this DAC. That's more than most 'reviewers' or 'influencers' would do. That said he didn't mention level matching (I skipped through it) so that might be a problem. I think it's easy to be harsh (and perhaps deservedly so if he's spruiking audio-ethernet cables etc) but it seems like a decent amount of effort went into the video and the production quality is pretty great.

 

[watchnerd]

the production quality is pretty great.

He has good lighting, on par with fitness influencers.

 

[NDC]

He has good lighting, on par with fitness influencers.

It's surprising how hard it is to get lighting nailed... just ask my colleagues on Zoom calls.

"Are you in the basement Tommy?"