The most accurate DAC? (with respect to measurements)

[VintageFlanker]

Which DAC on the market provides the most accurate audio quality?

As far as audibility is concerned, I think we've reached a period when vast majority of DACs you can buy nowadays are 100% transparent to the listener.

From a technical standpoint only, and beyond anything human can hear, Topping D90SE, Gustard X18, Mola Mola Tambaqui and Okto Research DAC8 are the most accurate DACs measured so far. (Not considering only SINAD at 1Khz)...

If you are reading this, please ask them to send you unit to measure and review.

Why don't you ask yourself?

Surely, at this price point, perfection should be expected.

"Surely"? I don't think so...

If price = performance, then there would be no point for ASR or any objective analysis.

 

[newaudioguy77]

Jinx!

So

I'm passing no judgement at all. But even if it's the best performing dac in the world it can only be a hair better than the infinitely cheaper Topping D90, so what's the point? And that's the best case result. Worst case for the company is its simply "good".

Okay, so you're against the high price point of this product.

Let me give you an example.

A Chevy coupe with 650 hp will cost you less than a Ferrari Enzo. But to call the Ferrari "pointless" would be wrong.

Perhaps the driving dynamics, overall handling, styling, quality of interior/engine is objectively better. Just because a product is significantly more expensive, that doesn't make it a bad product.

 

[newaudioguy77]

Is it rational to expect it to perform well when there’s no specification given by the company related to the conversion quality? Everything on the product page is just fluff.

You want an indipendent like @Amir to test it but even the manufacturer does not supply any test results.

If you are suggesting that everything on the product page is "fluff" then why not have Amir prove that point for you?

Go ahead, ask him. He will reach out to them. I'd love to hear what TAD says, and also what the results are after measurements are completed.

 

[Jimbob54]

So

Okay, so you're against the high price point of this product.

Let me give you an example.

A Chevy coupe with 650 hp will cost you less than a Ferrari Enzo. But to call the Ferrari "pointless" would be wrong.

Perhaps the driving dynamics, overall handling, styling, quality of interior/engine is objectively better. Just because a product is significantly more expensive, that doesn't make it a bad product.

I'm against nothing but no dac in the world is worth multi £000 for its audio properties. It might have bling and status value to prospective owners.

I'm not sure you are here in good faith.

 

[voodooless]

Perhaps the driving dynamics, overall handling, styling, quality of interior/engine is objectively better.

A 130 euro DAC is already audibly fully transparent. What would a 12K DAC bring to the table other than a nice enclosure?

 

[sarumbear]

If you are suggesting that everything on the product page is "fluff" then why not have Amir prove that point for you?

Go ahead, ask him. He will reach out to them. I'd love to hear what TAD says, and also what the results are after measurements are completed.

why would I do that? It’s the manufacturer who is asking my money, they are the one to prove that’s it’s worth it.

You are not in that relationship.

 

[newaudioguy77]

As far as audibility is concerned, I think we've reached a period when vast majority of DACs you can buy nowadays are 100% transparent to the listener.

From a technical standpoint only, and beyond anything human can hear, Topping D90SE, Gustard X18, Mola Mola Tambaqui and Okto Research DAC8 are the most accurate DACs measured so far. (Not considering only SINAD at 1Khz)...

Why don't you ask yourself?

"Surely"? I don't think so...

If price = performance, then there would be no point for ASR or any objective analysis.

I am not in a position to review this product. I don't have audio analyzers or the knowledge to understand measurements. So, if those products you suggest are better or worse than the DA1000TX, it would be great to know. No matter what the result is, I'm down to take it honestly at face value.

 

[Leiker535]

How can you be sure of this?

Without trying the product for yourself or having an unbiased reviewer like Amir check it out?

Passing judgement on something before ever having an experience with it. That does not seem rational.

It's because all well designed DACs are already audibly transparent from a objective/measurement standppoint. Kllingbeans hitted at the SINAD "fetish" because the top contenders are already over 20-15db below the absolute transparency threshold for human hearing. This company, while clamining these things without showing measurements is catering to an abstract selling point, and thus sending a unit to amirm may tarnish their claims from a objective perspective, because even if they get a "good" or "excellent" result, there will be much cheaper offerings available at the same bracket. And if they don't even hit those marks, then it's just embarassing.

 

[newaudioguy77]

A 130 euro DAC is already audibly fully transparent. What would a 12K DAC bring to the table other than a nice enclosure?

Okay, but that is your opinion.

You can't make any objective statements about a product without trying it first or viewing measurements.

 

[paddycrow]

I'm against nothing but no dac in the world is worth multi £000 for its audio properties. It might have bling and status value to prospective owners.

I'm not sure you are here in good faith.

I think you hit the nail on the head. My troll detectors are pinging...

 

[sarumbear]

Okay, but that is your opinion.

You can't make any objective statements about a product without trying it first or viewing measurements.

I think you need to check the meaning of objective. You are confusing it with subjective, which is an opinion.

 

[dc655321]

The weight was on the product page.

Weight

16.5 kg

(36.4 lbs.)

It's heavy but maybe there are reasons for that. Time will tell. Until we can get a reputable reviewer like Amir to take a look, I won't pass any personal judgements.

Thanks for the correction.

That’s even more comically absurd.
I’m sure there are reasons for the weight too, just none that are important to function.

 

[newaudioguy77]

It's because all well designed DACs are already audibly transparent from a objective/measurement standppoint. Kllingbeans hitted at the SINAD "fetish" because the top contenders are already over 20-15db below the absolute transparency threshold for human hearing. This company, while clamining these things without showing measurements is catering to an abstract selling point, and thus sending a unit to amirm may tarnish their claims from a objective perspective, because even if they get a "good" or "excellent" result, there will be much cheaper offerings available at the same bracket. And if they don't even hit those marks, then it's just embarassing.

Okay so you can tell the future, right?

Or you are suggesting what will most likely happen if it gets sent in to Amir for measurements?

If that is truly the case, then why doesn't he reach out? If he does and they say yes, he gets a chance to measure the unit.

Then we can start having objective conversations about a DA1000TX.

 

[newaudioguy77]

Thanks for the correction.

That’s even more comically absurd.
I’m sure there are reasons for the weight too, just none that are important to function.

I can't wait to see measurements of the DA1000TX.

 

[newaudioguy77]

Thanks for the correction.

That’s even more comically absurd.
I’m sure there are reasons for the weight too, just none that are important to function.

I can't wait to see measurements of the DA1000TX

 

[paddycrow]

Okay so you can tell the future, right?

Or you are suggesting what will most likely happen if it gets sent in to Amir for measurements?

If that is truly the case, then why doesn't he reach out? If he does and they say yes, he gets a chance to measure the unit.

Then we can start having objective conversations about a DA1000TX.

I only see one person here interested in this piece of equipment. It's the one trying to get other people to do his homework.

 

[Leiker535]

Okay so you can tell the future, right?

Or you are suggesting what will most likely happen if it gets sent in to Amir for measurements?

If that is truly the case, then why doesn't he reach out? If he does and they say yes, he gets a chance to measure the unit.

Then we can start having objective conversations about a DA1000TX.

I'm saying it isn't very worth it for boutique companies to cater around the measurement race. There are some exceptions like Holo, Mola Mola and Chord, but they are all known for their subjective appeal to people who believe DACs do have a sound signature (i.e, it's not the measurements that's their main selling point).

In other words, while it'd be nice to have a review of this, I don't see how it'd outperform the other DACs already mentioned here sonically, and I say that in relation to your search for a DAC (I'm not saying there is no more benefit to measure new/other products).

 

[voodooless]

You can't make any objective statements about a product without trying it first or viewing measurements.

I don’t have to. Products multiple times less expensive are objectively already as perfect as needed. I can just dismiss this thing outright because of price.

People that buy this, don’t buy it for the objective performance.

 

[newaudioguy77]

It just looks so...cool. And the story told on the product page seems convincing enough. Surely, you guys have audio gear that you think is basically perfect.

But what if you're wrong? What if the DA1000TX measures better than any of the DACs featured on this site? I'm obviously not a troll, instead most of you guys are trolling me.

What surprised me is that so few of you are not even slightly open-minded. It's almost like you guys have an emotional attachment to the best measuring gear featured on this site. Everything else to you guys is poison, it seems.

And speaking of guts, I know Amir has the guts because he's reviewed a lot of products and been totally straightforward and honest about them. I think he should contact TAD to see if a unit can be sent in to ASR for measurement..

Can we please keep this discussion respectful? I am not saying anything negative about products that you guys like.

 

[paddycrow]

Time to stop feeding the troll...