Cereal Killer
432
Agreed, a modular preamp with top draw modules would be right where the market is ATM.
DACs with integrated pre amp
- Thread starter innaspeaker
- Start date
Teddy Ray
pfm Member
wouldn't go that far...but it is nice
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
Not just the SQ Teddy the Lynx is so versatile.
KR Keith.
KR Keith.
John R Leddy
pfm Member
What about the Classe CP-800? Doubt I'll ever own one but it looks nice
Charlie,
What do you think of the quality of the volume control on your W4S DAC-2?
Surely the DAC-2 should be on innaspeaker's shortlist? Always fancied one myself.
Coda II
getting there slowly
only seen it mentioned by Patrick Miller, but Sugden appear to be working on something along these lines
John R Leddy
pfm Member
It's so blindingly obvious to simply add a DAC to a pre-amp, rather than the other way around, you'd be forgiven for thinking manufacturers are immitating the previous circa 1990 outboard DAC fad. I suspect, with similar results, the current range of DACs will follow suit and end up as landfill as well. Not to worry though, they'll more than likely just end up poisoning some isolated Chinese villager, rather than being a blot on your local landscape. Hmm... Remembers, in the early '80s Tom Sharpe had me uncontrollably laughing out loud, with tears running down my cheeks, in front of my fellow commuters on the tube. Knowing smiles from other readers, and scowls of disapproval from those who suspected I was on something.
Whilst the T+A E-Serie Music Player Balanced doesn't fulfill Tony's ambitions, I think it's an interesting crossover product:
http://www.taelektroakustik.de/index.php?id=64&L=1
http://taelektroakustik.de/fileadmin/pdf/testberichte/Hifi_News_Review_MusicPlayer.pdf
The W4S mPre will be a bit special, too: combining the £1800 STP-SE preamp with the new USB 2.0 async 24/196 USB DAC based on the DAC2, but squished into their new baby chassis and less than £1000.
Three digital inputs / three analog inputs: XLR + RCA.
Very much a preamp with a DAC attached (ie, analog-domain attenuation) rather than a DAC with integral attenuation.
Three digital inputs / three analog inputs: XLR + RCA.
Very much a preamp with a DAC attached (ie, analog-domain attenuation) rather than a DAC with integral attenuation.
johnfromnorwich
even my wife noticed the dif..
Well the Lynx will do the job and is a very nice and very flexible ADC/DAC(x3) but the analogue volume only modulates the monitor out and phones out DACs. Personally I've yet to hear a difference between the Line Out and Monitor out but they claim 3dB improvement in s/n the case of the Line Out due to one being dual stereo DACs run as dual mono. It's meant as a mastering tool, so I guess these things matter.
John R Leddy
pfm Member
Wyred 4 Sound mPRE Stereo Pre-amplifier with Built-in DAC
http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p/74030/117839/803982
Mark,
Will it be using 6922s or 6H30s?
Wyred 4 Sound mPRE Stereo Pre-amplifier with Built-in DAC
http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p/74030/117839/803982
Mark,
Will it be using 6922s or 6H30s?
All solid state. Their new Micro range is a return to the W4S USP: killer spec, cheaper than you think. Temporarily the MicroPRE might be their best sounding DAC - too soon to say: we won't see stock until December.
Another undervalued variation on the 'Pre + DAC' theme is the new £1500 Burson Conductor, which takes their best preamp (three single-ended inputs) and weds it to a new 24/192 async Sabre DAC implementation with an additional SPDIF input.
The pre stage in Burson's Soloist headphone amp is as good as I've heard under £2K: the boys know analog. The digital section in the Conductor will benefit from a superb power section, and looks like a big step up from their first generation converters. Again, we'll have to wait and see: it's so new that our first stock is en-route only this week. Based on the Soloist, though, I'm excited.
The pre stage in Burson's Soloist headphone amp is as good as I've heard under £2K: the boys know analog. The digital section in the Conductor will benefit from a superb power section, and looks like a big step up from their first generation converters. Again, we'll have to wait and see: it's so new that our first stock is en-route only this week. Based on the Soloist, though, I'm excited.
John R Leddy
pfm Member
We field comments on the old W4S models that range from 'purposeful' to 'boxy' to 'hospital chic'. In the flesh, the new Micro models are appealingly chunky and bijou while retaining that essential “we spent the money on the inside” look.
Actually, when taking one apart (or even handling one), you are struck by how well screwed together they are. They've just opted for a no-frills aesthetic that fits their USP. With different results, so does Sonicweld . . .
Actually, when taking one apart (or even handling one), you are struck by how well screwed together they are. They've just opted for a no-frills aesthetic that fits their USP. With different results, so does Sonicweld . . .
innaspeaker
New Member
Thanks guys, some great suggestions here and so many to consider!
I'm a little lost now, as many of these are hard to demo. Also, partnering adds further complexity.
Does anyone know how well, say, the Teddy Dac VC and Monoblocks would compare to a Supernait / Superuniti? Both a similar price, both small and simple.
I'm a little lost now, as many of these are hard to demo. Also, partnering adds further complexity.
Does anyone know how well, say, the Teddy Dac VC and Monoblocks would compare to a Supernait / Superuniti? Both a similar price, both small and simple.
You might try contacting Audiocom to borrow a Teddy DAC. We have Burson Conductors, Audiolab MDAC, NAD M51, Wyred 4 Sound and Wadia DAC/preamps available for free home loan singly or together.
Did the Wadia 121 get a mention? Similar deal to the W4S DAC2, but a bit cheaper and adding a headphone amplifier. Variable voltage output makes it a bit smarter at matching power amplification.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
Item, are you not doing the RedWine stuff? Although personally I'm sorted for a dac now, the Isabella and Isabellina always looked interesting to me.