Dacs Again

[Heckyman]

I've changed the power supply on a number of streamers and this has always been a far bigger improvement than lossy/lossless wifi/wired etc. or even the DAC chips involved. And this applies equally to both pure transport use, or using with a streamer's internal DAC. No surprise to me that the Wiim sound was disappointing.

 

[JezmondTutu]

@shoniss, probably good advice but would you deem a Bluesound Node to also be transparent when used as a digital transport since, sadly, to my ears, it's not.

Modified it’s on another level. However if buying new, I think you’d be wanting to look at more expensive streamers as the price of the Node + mods is going to be £1500+ if you get it re-clocked too.

I’ve a Wiim Mini paired to AVI ADM9T’s, it sounds great even on Spotify. Well I think so anyway as does a friend who now wants to switch out his Naim Muso!

 

[hifilover1979]

No idea; all I know is that the sound through the Wiim connected to my SMSL DAC wasn't great at all...

It's gone back

Ethernet isn't an option; the VM Superhub is in modem mode and both connections used for Hive & Deco mesh etc

TBH it was another box in the mix that's really not needed; my M2 Mac Mini into the SMSL is more than enough

Sometimes things are made too complicated; all I want is good sounding; so can't be arsed with the connecting/disconnecting of this, that & the other

The Wiim wasn't right; it's gone

 

[Del monaco]

I feel fortunate to own the Squeezebox Touch as it is a very good transport.

 

[Dave H.]

@shoniss, probably good advice but would you deem a Bluesound Node to also be transparent when used as a digital transport since, sadly, to my ears, it's not.

Oh bum.

I'm vaguely, in a long range, half hearted kind of way, looking for a streaming transport that's a bit more stable and easy to use. The discussions of the Wiim and Bluesound models I've read at ASR gave me hope that they'd be entirely transparent, whilst having used a NAD with built in Bluesound tech I thought the UI was decent.

However I've found differences between digital transports before and am not an ASR fundamentalist, so was a little wary that the claims of transparency might be too good to be true, the Wiim especially. I could probably find a way to try them out for myself, but reading a post like this from someone I believe to be genuine (if perhaps not, as I'm sure the measurists would want to point out, infallible), pushes things significantly towards 'CBA' territory.

 

[Lurch]

@Dave***t
Don't give up on the Wiim Pro, buy it via Amazon and it's an easy return.
I have a Pro here used in 2nd system and think its a stonking little thing and suspect it was the Use of Airplay that buggered the SQ.
To me the Pro is easily as good as the Node2 I used to have (now sold and superceded by a ZenITH mk3) it is very flexible with a great App (as good as BluOS) and punches well above its price used as a streaming transport. Not used the built in DAC as feed it via optical into a DacMagic Plus with LPS, and am thinking of getting a 2nd one for my headphone rig inplace of a CCA + FiiO Taishan.
I use the Chromecast facility for RP as it only has the non-interactive streams natively, It will also access the SSD in my ZenITH so I can play my own rips.

 

[eevo1969]

I've changed the power supply on a number of streamers and this has always been a far bigger improvement than lossy/lossless wifi/wired etc. or even the DAC chips involved. And this applies equally to both pure transport use, or using with a streamer's internal DAC. No surprise to me that the Wiim sound was disappointing.

I added a Teddy Pardo PS on a USBridge Signature and a Digione signature that was being used with a allo Shanti prior and was surprised by the improvement the TP unit made for the good. Really should have kept it but got little to no use.

 

[Alex S]

Oh bum.

I'm vaguely, in a long range, half hearted kind of way, looking for a streaming transport that's a bit more stable and easy to use. The discussions of the Wiim and Bluesound models I've read at ASR gave me hope that they'd be entirely transparent, whilst having used a NAD with built in Bluesound tech I thought the UI was decent.

However I've found differences between digital transports before and am not an ASR fundamentalist, so was a little wary that the claims of transparency might be too good to be true, the Wiim especially. I could probably find a way to try them out for myself, but reading a post like this from someone I believe to be genuine (if perhaps not, as I'm sure the measurists would want to point out, infallible), pushes things significantly towards 'CBA' territory.

I think the Eversolo is the likeliest best bet at present but I'm sticking with the MacBook.

 

[Muttley2]

I just got the Topping D90le. It sounds great and not ridiculously expensive. I don't stream but of the media transports I have, server, CD, HDD I can't tell the difference into the same DAC. The quality of the recording seems more evident. I wasn't willing to spend thousands on something I couldn't hear beforehand so took a punt on the D90le thanks to reviews and you tube. I'm not entirely convinced that spending more would bring a much greater benefit apart from being some kind of expensive tone control.

 

[Funk]

I just got the Topping D90le. It sounds great and not ridiculously expensive. I don't stream but of the media transports I have, server, CD, HDD I can't tell the difference into the same DAC. The quality of the recording seems more evident. I wasn't willing to spend thousands on something I couldn't hear beforehand so took a punt on the D90le thanks to reviews and you tube. I'm not entirely convinced that spending more would bring a much greater benefit apart from being some kind of expensive tone control.

I have a D90SE bought in 2021 and it's a fantastic bit of kit. I would've bought the D90LE without the MQA crap but it came out after I bought the D90SE and I was looking to upgrade from my M-DAC...

The D90SE is partnered with an A90 bought from fellow fisher aud33ed which I use with my HD600s - very handy that I can use the D90SE's balanced outputs into the A90 and the unbalanced ones into my amp.

 

[the caretaker]

No idea; all I know is that the sound through the Wiim connected to my SMSL DAC wasn't great at all...

It's gone back

Ethernet isn't an option; the VM Superhub is in modem mode and both connections used for Hive & Deco mesh etc

TBH it was another box in the mix that's really not needed; my M2 Mac Mini into the SMSL is more than enough

Sometimes things are made too complicated; all I want is good sounding; so can't be arsed with the connecting/disconnecting of this, that & the other

The Wiim wasn't right; it's gone

My little Wiim is brilliant..it tends to show the shortcomings in the DACs rather than in itself.
The only downside is the optical connector could be better!

 

[Brown Bottle]

I just got the Topping D90le. It sounds great and not ridiculously expensive. I don't stream but of the media transports I have, server, CD, HDD I can't tell the difference into the same DAC. The quality of the recording seems more evident. I wasn't willing to spend thousands on something I couldn't hear beforehand so took a punt on the D90le thanks to reviews and you tube. I'm not entirely convinced that spending more would bring a much greater benefit apart from being some kind of expensive tone control.

Do you use the Topping instead of the DAC in your Atoll amp?

Cheers BB

 

[the caretaker]

I have a few DACs..and the best DAC I have is in the Musical fidelity HTP, I have no idea what it is or what kHz it's outputting? Last night I hooked up my quad cdp2 via my Schiit eitr converter and played my little Wiim through it..fab! These old DACs take some beating in my opinion..

 

[hifilover1979]

My little Wiim is brilliant..it tends to show the shortcomings in the DACs rather than in itself.
The only downside is the optical connector could be better!

It'll work for some folk; not for others

It didn't work for me; it's that simple

 

[Muttley2]

Do you use the Topping instead of the DAC in your Atoll amp?

Cheers BB

I am but I haven't done a comparison between the 2 yet. The D90 seems more detailed, expansive and airy. The DAC in the Atoll is probably as good as my old Teddy DAC I just fancied trying something different after recently demoing a CD player with a different DAC inside.

 

[Alex S]

I haven’t bothered on the D70 Pro Sabre since I really don’t see the point but has anyone played with the valve or transistor settings on their Topping?

 

[Brown Bottle]

I am but I haven't done a comparison between the 2 yet. The D90 seems more detailed, expansive and airy. The DAC in the Atoll is probably as good as my old Teddy DAC I just fancied trying something different after recently demoing a CD player with a different DAC inside.

Cheers Muttley, look forward to your findings. My current amp has a DAC inside and I had my eye on the Atoll for my replacement short list. I may end up going seperate Amp and DAC.

Cheers BB

 

[Muttley2]

The Atoll amp is amazing with or without the Dac. The IN300 has a great soundstage and separation and the Dac inside is very good but there is a compromise on cost. Using the D90 as well gets the best out of both.

 

[Space is the Place]

I'm still enjoying my very old Dacmagic 1.
I have had a newer Dacmagic Azur in the system the last week and noticed that i just loose interest in listening, the old dac is just full of life and colour compared, maybe it's the added distortion. Its an old John Westlake design. I Did try the MKII version of it thinking it would be better, it was about half the weight compared to the original and all the magic had gone.
There's life in these old dacs yet, ive also got a DPA little bit three from the same year, which isnt a bad dac either, but it not a patch on the Dacmagic one.

 

[Alex S]

I've decided you need either something really good and expensive or two dacs - an ASR top of the league jobby and a nice R2R. Rather like I decided a while ago that I need two systems - active monitors and valves/efficient speakers. I switch between them as the mood takes me, and, to totally contradict what I just said, they actually sound very similar.