Audiolab MDAC + vs Luxman DA-250

Wharfedale EVO 4.4 Floorstanding Speakers
SachinChavan said:
Vivek, this might not be directly addressing your query (and Rikhav is very ably guiding you there), are you sure about streaming as the input for serious listening on that kind of investment in amplifier and speakers? Intuitively I feel you‘d eventually move onto a carefully curated collection of CDs, or better still, LPs. Streaming can be higher resolution, but misses the organic character, a property that can only be felt, not explained.

Though at a lesser budget point than yours, I started similarly three years ago. And its been a hugely educative as well as belief-changing journey since then. When I started, I was insistent upon new equipment from reputed brands. I‘ve since come to realise the power of vintage equipment when I heard my Cambridge CXC transport + CXN (streamer DAC) getting trashed by the sound from an old vintage (TD1541A based) CD player I acquired at less than 10% cost of the above combine. Also, for any serious listening I can only think of CDs, though I continue to explore newer music (new to me, not necessarily contemporary) through the feature-rich streamer. (I am convinced LPs would be better, but keeping that for phase 2 of the journey few years down the line)

Further, the sound improvements I could get through continually experimenting with speaker placements, exploring different ICs and cables, and equipment isolations have been eye openers. Also important learning has been the discovery of the kind of sound signature I like and don’t like.

What I am saying is that there’s going to be a lot of learning - about sound, about equipment and about your own self as you go along. That’s the beauty of this hobby in a way. And looking at how studiously and conscientiously you are going about your decision making, I can see that happening with you too.

Another important learning has been that the wise members of this forum provide far better advice than dealers ever can. And it’s not just the advice, but constantly reading various threads, discussing individually with them, and so on, that helps you greatly shape your own knowledge and understanding. You have to be able to filter out personal sound/equipment biases though.

So, while I can understand your state of mind: “let me get the best possible rig and then sit back and enjoy my music for years, if not decades”, seeing your personality disposition from your threads, you’d start enjoying the ever-new explorations, findings, learnings and paradigm shifts that constitute the audiophile journey as much as discovering and enjoying your favourite music.

I hope this post doesn’t irk or disconcert you. At least it’s not meant to. Enjoy the journey! There’s perhaps no destination.
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Hi Sachin

I agree to the fact that disc media quality is superior to streaming. I have experienced this my self. Now why I am inclined more towards streaming is some one suggested me on Klipsch forum, that before buying anything, first try to find out the music I like, is available in what kind of format and media. CD/SACD/Blu-Ray etc and then decide on if I need a universal player/disc player or a streamer.

The music I listen to is not that latest so all the technology used now days is missing from those early recordings of 70s or early 80s. Moreover I am very picky about music and mostly do not like all the tracks in a album. My online collection is very scattered. Other inclination towards streaming is flexibility and ease of use, economical as well (investing in a disc player and buying discs etc).

Initially still it is there though, I had clear vision to buy a SACD player from Luxman and use its inbuilt dac for other digital inputs and stream through laptop. But that's too expensive for me at this moment so kind of I have dropped the idea. LPs/Vinyl, yes that could be a distant reality.

My current aim is to get going sooner the possible so picking up minimum number of components.

There is nothing wrong in going for used stuff and I am thinking in this direction as well at least cables I can go with used ones.

And yes I still need to learn and learn a lot, may be its gonna take a while.

Thanks for your inputs and I hope to keep listening from all the experienced members.
 
And if you want the so called "organic", NOS, pleasing sound that will probably get you ~90% there try the ~$450 (price has gone up a lot) DAC3 (https://audio.starting-point-systems.com) available on eBay. It's a fantastic product and probably sonically comparable to the Sparkler Audio DAC that Prem recommended, for a quarter of the cost.
 
Sparkler Audio dac is around USD 800. If you buy direct from Sparkler Audio Japan it’s cheaper. About 3 years back it was sub USD 400 direct from Japan
 
prem said:
Sparkler Audio dac is around USD 800. If you buy direct from Sparkler Audio Japan it’s cheaper. About 3 years back it was sub USD 400 direct from Japan
Click to expand...
I don't know why prices have gone up so much in the past few years. I guess popularity does that.
 
I guess there can be only two reasons. One it’s got good reviews. So price has gone up. Two, sale has probably gone down with so many competing brands, so price has gone up to account for lower sale. In my understanding in most cases it’s reason two.
 
as of May 2019 - i was on a DAC trip and sparker audio quoted JPY 59000 + about JPY 4000 for packing and postage etc...

regards
 
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