FWIW I havent actualy heard Yggy on forge at all. My Yggy is at work and my forge is a home use amplifier only (facilities would flip at exposed tubes and I dont want to have to explain it). My main amps currently are my brand new (to me) Cavalli Liquid Crimson and bakoon 13R
That is very very good to know. Browsing around whats best it also looks like totaldac has some places in socal (one in LA and one in SD) that have some form of totaldac system so I may hit them up to see whats up there once my AIC arrives. If I cant find anything that satisfies me outside of that I may just take the jump on the mojo.
I feel quite the same. That lack of bite tends to lead me to find most chord stuff fairly unengaging tbh.
Ive got a spring 3 on the way so ill get to try it for a propper frame of refrence but softness seems to be an issue a lot of people have with it (somewhat resolved by upsampling I think, but not complately if I understand right). That said, I think DNA amps are faily laid back as well (but also havent heard one) so it may just be a double down on a trait you dont like. Ill be quite currious to finaly hear spring 3 tbh.
Any chance you would mind giving a brief impression of the MA-1 v2 and the QX-5 Twenty? Doesnt seem to be a ton of comparitive info out there on these two
Hm, so the meitner is more neutral smooth whereas the ayre is a bit more neutral forward slightly more analytical in it’s presentation. Right away the meitner does a lot better with dsd than the ayre does. I have more limited demo of both those dacs (more time with the ma-1 v2 though) but I think the ayre is pretty technically capable but not as natural and organic as the ma-1 v2, the ayre seems more artificial in it’s presentation and has a tendency to push things to far at times. Ayre has sharper imaging but meitner has better stage size and organicness. Ayre better resolution by a slight bit. Ayre better macrodynamics but worse micro, timbre better on meitner, meitner has better tonal density and weighting, speed and separation wise ayre better, and admittedly I don’t remember that much more. But similar performance league
My overall preference does lean toward the ma-1 v2 though, I think it’s more refined and better in the intangibles that I care about more, but I can def see the appeal of the ayre
So I just found out that Aries Cerat does a dac below the kissandra called the Helene. Anyone know if its worth a look? Seems like it would be scooting in under my price range if normal dealer discounts apply.
Forgot to ask. How to the two stack up in terms of tactility/livliness? Do they compete with the comparable SW1X/totaldac/etc options?
Fwiw the spring I think will benefit a lot from the usb cable you use as it has the same module as in the may. When I upgraded mine it doesn’t sound as soft as before but that being said, I’m not sure how soft it is compared to other dacs in the same range…
Sent a forum friend Mon’s link.
Because he was keen on the Sonnet.
A short time later he changed his mind and found the Rockna Wavelight on Headfi.
He paired it with the Euforia AE and is thrilled and has made another leap forward if not two.
Before that he used the Chord Outtest.
And still happy after two weeks.
The part probably has to go really hard on tube amps again.
I think that it could be time I try another. I’m using a Shunyata Venom currently but wondering if its tilting me too smooth or too much bass (can’t believe I said that - too much bass) I’ll have to go did through the cable guide again take a look. Though I am not sure I am ready to drop a kilo buck yet so perhaps I’m good. @M0N you have an idea what I’m struggling with any suggestions in the $500-600 range? Or am I better off just getting an Ultra-Rendu first then sorting out a cable?
Yes it is a bassy and smoother cable for sure, good, but can tilt some systems too much
Do you have a general idea of what sort of signature you are after within the change? Going ultra rendu is also a reasonable option, although it’s not going to change the nature of your current cable
Hmmmmm, around 300 bucks, I personally like the triode wire labs discrete usb, that’s a warmer more organic leaning cable but not as bassy and not as smoothed over as the shunyata, you should see a bit of a technical bump as well. In the 500 ish range, I personally like the curious evolved usb for something that’s more technical focused and somewhat balanced although slightly pushed forward upper mids and treble which I don’t think will be an issue with a spring on nos (although the holo stuff does have some grain in the upper mids so that could potentially exaggerate that). Something more in line with your shunyata but more capable and less bassy and more balanced would be danacable trustream usb, that’s also pretty great. Around that price you could likely pick up a sablon that sounds like it might match what you are looking for, @Veritas could comment more on that.
You actually could likely swing a used FTA at that price point if you could find one, but used usb cables are very hit or miss on what’s actually available.
FTA callisto but yeah that’s reaching 1k. But can’t say I regret it tbh. If you can swing it, I’d go for it. It will tilt it to be more engaging overall so if you’re looking for something more relaxing (which I don’t think you are) then I’d skip the callisto. It’s got some bass I’ll tell you that, but it’s very natural and not overbearing.
Damn it!!! Now this is all I’m going to be looking for when I listen tonight.
I probably won’t pick it up since I don’t have any other hi-end dac. lol
This - resonates with me now that you have said it. This is something I hear occasionally but was not putting it on the DAC - everything but the DAC - headphones, amps… Interesting indeed.
Well there goes that thought - I was going to ask should I just quit playing and go for the May.
I seem like I am fickle perhaps I am. But 've spent the afternoon through now on using the Spring 3 + Ferrums and really admiring it for how it is so much not in the same league as that silly BF2 is - and then kicking myself wondering what it is that I like about the BF2 - what’s the difference and what other DACs out there might blend better. More important which one would I have the best luck in a direct hit first crack and not have to be going through the DAC hunt again in 6mos.
It’s a smaller issue, but enough to where it irked me on the may in comparison to some other dacs, also think it prevented me from getting some organicness as well. Not sure, but it’s there and it’s sometimes noticable. I don’t think deal breaker, but it would be nice if it didn’t have it lol
It’s an endless cycle, a loop really lol. After owning a ton of dacs in the past and also recently having all those in for the pt2 dac shootout, there’s so many flavors with pros and cons to each, mostly all worthwhile in their own right (although, I did make sure to avoid the stuff that probably wasn’t worthwhile from the start). It really will come down to finding what best synergizes with your setup, and also really what you want out of it. Not even getting into all the digital frontend options for said dacs
I used to have a Sablon USB, but FTA really slapped it around left and right. It was a nice cable, but I didn’t really hear immediately noticeable upgraded sound until the FTA. I’d personally save for it.
