We’ll wind up with five people submitting five BF2.
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I honestly think the under 300 range would be more interesting to explore, not because there are really any interesting dacs under 300, but it would be more entertaining to try and find a good either used option in that range, or deal with what’s out there new. Might make for some more interesting picks from the limitations. Either would force more creative picks, or cause people to give up and just pick something that works lol
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Now that’s a challenge! A $300 dollar used DAC from 2002 or a $300 dollar DAC from 2022? GO!
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Agreed, though I suspect if you were looking for the best possible sound quality in that range, the answers probably a vintage CD player, with a few exceptions most of those hold no value, though even that might be an interesting comparison with modern DAC’s, though the use case is a bit different.
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That’s exactly what I was thinking lol, a cd player would be the best value considering how cheap some of them get now. You could try and modify it with a usb interface or coax in if you knew how as well
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I’d be happy to read and contribute to a piece about different complete systems in budget X for purpose Y, like what you think would the best combination of DAC, amp, HP (and maybe source?) for under $2500 used/new if you listen to primary classical…
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Sounds like it would be a cool group article. Basically ask members “what would you put together with 2500?” and gather the responses?
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This gives me so much ptsd thinking about the headphone equivalent and every YouTube having a video comparing the 1k headphones, clear, Arya, hd800s. I can imagine already the Bifrost W Ares comparison.
Headphones(.)com YouTube channel released another one recently, I could have sworn they already released 3 versions of the same video.
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Yeah something like that. Can be different budget(s) or music genres or system characteristics, up to the group
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No just catching up on this thread, commented before reading it all. Im a few days back still.
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Uhh…yes, vintage DAC comparison… I’m all in 
I’d have… Pioneer PD93 (PCM63 20bit at its best), Abbas DAC 3.2SE (coming in Dec) with TDA1541A.
I’m pretty sure Fernando would loan very, very interesting ones
I wish his shop where in Germany… https://skyfiaudio.com/
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Perhaps it’s just me, but I think the entire dac would have to be vintage, I wouldn’t count people like abbas because they are still newly made designs and products, I’d want to get units that are vintage entirely, not using just one vintage component. Since it’s really the implementation that matters in the end
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As a sonic frontiers fan, I would love to see your thoughts on the SFD-2 against other vintage dacs and perhaps some modern ones
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I feel like wadia and sonic frontiers dacs were really what defined my taste in dacs today lol, I do really want to get them in for nostalgia sake, but who knows lol
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Wadia gang gang
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Then next question if you go vintage is are you willing to entertain modded units like the sfd2 with the new usb implimentatiom
Ok firstly we’re talking like this will happen, I don’t know if it will, and if it does, it’s going to be awhile lol
Secondly, if it’s a vintage unit I’d prefer it stock but as long as the mod could be bypassable then it would be fine
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Wait is there a SFD2 modded for USB?
Yah. Its one of the main mods done. And entierly new digital front end
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The ole “i forgot i had these, then i found them in a drawer.”
:Spit take:
Ahh shoot, sorry I was behind and and still catching up. I made the comment in jest, not even realising the pt. 3 article was out… But now that you committed… Not for you but putting it out in the general ether, I would love to see a good DAP rundown. Old and new, hiby, ibasso, fiio, LP, que, lotoo, cowon, etc etc. But 100% in reality i dont think that helps many people, or any people even have experienced so many daps or had/will have them on hand at once.
So to seperate the more joke comments from the slightly more serious ones. If it was something addressed in the article please dont hesitate to say so, ive been reading through during downtime at work but it will be a while until i finish. I am a little stuck in the flux.
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Tube decisions: Was this just what you had on hand what you thought would be best given past experiences? Did any of dacs that you didnt test a stock option on, come with the stock tubes? And yes, I am with you, i rather have 1 definitive tube set and reduce rolling and just get to it.
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Being a little novel, favorite music track for each chain?
And as people have said here, I love these and appreciate the time and work in all these. These are tiers i may never reach but there are references and insight that do trickle down. I feel for many things over $2k, every review out there kind of just gloats about a piece and rarely do i get a feel for what it actually sounds like. But accept it or not, you really do have a way of describing things that sines the light in the right direction. From pt.1 your description of the Mojo really captured what i was looking for, and maybe i dont have an evo, but i have been very very happy with the v2xa. I can rant more, and probably will in another thread, but it is very nice to have a guy (and this group) that has the knowledge, and experience abundantly being shared, but also will meme about how silly some things are.
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