Currently I use a Dac1 into Naim pre-amp, power amp and Shahinian Arc speakers.
The difference between the Dac1 and the SB2 analogue outputs is easy to discern on my system, the Dac1 is crystal clear, needle sharp, punchy and the detail and precision is exceptional (I can see how people may think it is thin though). The SB2 DAC is slightly mushy and pedestrian (dull?) in comparison. However, I am not at all happy with the set up when I compare it to using my Naim CDX CD player. Although the difference in sound quality is not immediately identifiable with tests (although the Dac1 has a certain thinness), it becomes pretty obvious after a while that most music (and I have catholic tastes) played via the CDX is more involving than that played via the Dac1. The Dac1 seems cold and and clinical, whereas the CDX just sort of keeps your attention and draws you in.... and encourages me to listen longer (I am talking about intense, dark room, lie back listening). The sound it produces has an unquantifiable warmth and atractiveness (I hate the Pace, Rythym and Timing bit too but you find with Naim that the term is unavoidable). This may be something to do with the Dac1 being an oversampling dac... I don't know as, as you have found, it is difficult to try out dacs. I've tried the Dac1 without my Naim pre-amp but found it a little harsh and unsettling so went back to my Naim pre-amp. I must work out a way to try out a good quality non-oversampling Dac.... I have tried an old Arcam but it was pretty much like the SB Dac... not detailed or precise enough fo my tastes. I use co-ax, with a linear PSU. Just my 2p's worth MC -- ModelCitizen ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ModelCitizen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=446 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=23871 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
