DAC around INR 100k

[iaudio]

Doesn't ARN have Prism sound?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ranjeetrain]

I don't know Prism site lists someone else. They have two representatives, both in Mumbai.

 

[sidvee]

Trying, trying, trying... for a quote of some of the Prism Audio DACs!!

Prism Orpheus is available from Spatial Computer - US, for $4500. It is advertised on their web site. Not sure if they will ship to India though.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[sidvee]

I don't know Prism site lists someone else. They have two representatives, both in Mumbai.

Yes I do not believe ARN deals with Prism.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[ranjeetrain]

Prism Orpheus is available from Spatial Computer - US, for $4500. It is advertised on their web site. Not sure if they will ship to India though.
Cheers,
Sid

I didn't know about/check the Spatial Computer site. But at 4.5k it seems to be a bit of stretch for me ATM. Let's see how does it go. As of now, I am working with an open mind. Of course, I am also open to other usual suspects; Wadia / Meridian / Weiss / Wired4Sound / PS Audio. It will be nice if people who have used these stuff can shed some light on these. These are all acclaimed manufacturers with very worthy products. Would be nice to hear about experiences with those.

Oh btw, I was doing the homework and figured Orpheus is a true blue pro equipment, with a lot more functionality than I need. I do have computers with FireWire interface but I don't want to become dependent on FireWire. I'd rather stick to USB which is under constant development. I am just thinking aloud. Even with USB 2 I already get the bandwidth for most of what I listen to. Any higher res media I will down sample with straight division and it will play just fine. And imagine the day they make USB 3 DACs. USB3 is order of the magnitude faster than FireWire. That will seal the deal for USB forever. Just thinking out aloud.

I have asked for quotes of Orpheus as well as less expensive ones.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thad, as of now I will use a computer as a transport...

But good point you asked. I need something that can use at least three means of connectivity. (1) USB, (2) Digital in (3) Direct Network input would be a bonus (4) Analog input will be a super bonus. First two are mandatory as of now.

You mean "digital" as in coax/optical, as well as digital USB?

When you say "analogue in," do you mean analogue-in as in record-on-the-pc, ie an ADC as well as a DAC? That means it isn't a DAC any longer, but a sound card --- or sound interface, as I think is the more appropriate term when it is independent to the PC.

If you mean analogue-in as in getting passed to the analogue out, I would have said they don't exist until quite recently --- but now they certainly do. Combination DAC/Headphone-amps have been around a while, I think they are spawning DAC/Pre-amps now. A few days ago, I came across one that not only had an analogue-in, but even a phono pre-amp. And a DAC.

... EDIT: This Thing.

As far as I have seen, the DAC improve on the sound signature of the digital inputs connected to them.
So if the digital source is inferior, so will the DAC sound too.

Should that have been a "doesn't improve," as in GIGO?

I know its digital and it should not affect sound all that BUT IT DOES. I think I will die without knowing the reason!

I think the reason is very simple: It's only digital viewed from one end: viewed from the other, it is analogue hyeah:

As much as I hate to admit this, it is very recently that I have been able to conclusively conclude that transport does make a difference...

Whilst most of the things that people, and marketing departments, like to claim about digital sound going wrong, are, at best, theoretical, still, stuff can go wrong.

Please sign up here to avail a chance to win a Prism Audio Lyra 1 free!

Oh heck, I was going to win that. Now you've told everybody, I haven't a chance! :lol:

 

[soulforged]

Names that come to my mind...

Wyred4Sound (this seems to be the current cult favorite everywhere these days. Malvai has one...)
MHDT Havana (read a lot of good things about this...NOS though)
47Labs Shigaraki (NOS again...can get 1st hand experience from brother Gobble here)
Grace Design m903
Wavelength
Lampizator
Wiess Minerva (Bhagwan had one on sale some time back)

 

[ranjeetrain]

You mean "digital" as in coax/optical, as well as digital USB?

When you say "analogue in," do you mean analogue-in as in record-on-the-pc, ie an ADC as well as a DAC? That means it isn't a DAC any longer, but a sound card --- or sound interface, as I think is the more appropriate term when it is independent to the PC.

If you mean analogue-in as in getting passed to the analogue out, I would have said they don't exist until quite recently --- but now they certainly do. Combination DAC/Headphone-amps have been around a while, I think they are spawning DAC/Pre-amps now. A few days ago, I came across one that not only had an analogue-in, but even a phono pre-amp. And a DAC.

... EDIT: This Thing.

Sorry, I should have been more clear Here are the two mandatory interfaces I need.

(1) USB - This should be in Client mode. Transmission can be synchronous or asynchronous. Though I prefer that the DAC control the transmission. This will allow me to hook any computing device (at least theoretically) to the DAC. I prefer it to have a 24/96 bandwidth.

(2) Digital in - These should accept PCM data. I prefer that it has Coaxial and TOSLink ports. I wish these can take upto 32/192 data.

Here is my wish list for extras:

(3) RJ45 - This is truely a wishful thinking. I don't think any serious DAC will have it, but I wish, that, the DAC have a RJ45 port, allowing me to hook it directly to my NAS. In that case the DAC would also act as a network client over any of the popular protocols.

(4) Analogue in - Basically I am asking it to be a preamp as well. If this were the case, I will eliminate the preamp from the equation completely. I love equipments but hate wires.

(5) I didn't mention this earlier, but now I come to think of it and I wish it to also be remotely controllable (which in all probabilities it will, if it fulfills the above criteria #4). Something like a capable Wadia machine, you know what I mean. Prism is too much of Pro like. But then, I am keeping my mind open to everything at this moment.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

My thing doesn't have the SPDIF. This one does I don't know anything about Alpha Design Labs. Anyone?

 

[ranjeetrain]

Good find! But music direct has much cooler deals.

I had found a smoking hot deal a few days ago. The deal was snapped within an hour or two after I saw it. It was a much highly rated component and pricing was just too sweet to let go.

BTW, same question. Any one tried those Alpha Design Labs DACs?

A DAC must only be evaluated on the basis of actual listening. I find more impressive Chinese brand DACs with better spec much cheaper. Tempted to buy them. But who has the time for so much experiment with no brand gear, specifically if the money involved in not insignificant.

 

[reignofchaos]

+1. I heard the Prism Orpheus in FM Sameer's system. IMO, in direct comparison to the DAC in his Ayon CD2, the Prism was superior in the fact that it was able to create the most analog like presentation. I am planning to test the same with my setup and if it betters the DAC in my Ayon Cd2s, I will plan to get a Orpheus as well.

Cheers,
Sid

The reason I suggested the Lyra was because prism claims it has the same analog circuitry as the Orpheus, only fewer in number. For pure audio playback, the 8in/8out of the orpheus is serious overkill and the lyra should be good enough. Of course like you, I've only heard the orpheus and I'm extrapolating that the performance of the lyra will be similar.

Cheers!

Good find! But music direct has much cooler deals.

I had found a smoking hot deal a few days ago. The deal was snapped within an hour or two after I saw it. It was a much highly rated component and pricing was just too sweet to let go.

BTW, same question. Any one tried those Alpha Design Labs DACs?

A DAC must only be evaluated on the basis of actual listening. I find more impressive Chinese brand DACs with better spec much cheaper. Tempted to buy them. But who has the time for so much experiment with no brand gear, specifically if the money involved in not insignificant.

The Berkeley Alpha has serious fan following. I'm sure it'll be very good. Computer Audiophile has some really glowing reviews about the alpha dac and the usb-spdif interface. However if you include both, the price is astronomical.

As for 99% of chinese dacs or chinese audio equipment in general, the less said about their reliability, the better. There are a few notable exceptions though - such as line magnetic.

 

[sidvee]

A DAC must only be evaluated on the basis of actual listening. .

Well said - I have been through 10 dacs and unless one listens critically for an exteneded audition - it is hard to evalute the merits.

Of course like you, I've only heard the orpheus and I'm extrapolating that the performance of the lyra will be similar.

Yes ROC, I concur, but it is hard to listen to the Lyra without buying it in India, so I might end up with the orpheus. Secondly I want to make sure the Ayon CD2s internal DAC is bettered (which IMO is a pretty big task). If not the Orpheus, I plan to upgrade to the Ayon Skylla or maybe even the CD5s, just to have transport and dac in one chassis.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[ranjeetrain]

Prism Orpheus is available from Spatial Computer - US, for $4500. It is advertised on their web site. Not sure if they will ship to India though.
Cheers,
Sid

These guys are weird.

I sent them an email. It went through the whole chain. Asia-pacific sales team, then Australia sales team and so on. First contact got an immediate reply back. Second mail came back pretty fast too. From there on, it just becamn e a sales guy's follow up. He kept asking me about my "requirement" and also told me that I need to take a dip in the holy Ganges at Haridwar every morning if I were to buy a Orpheus Limited Edition (that they will make only 25 and each of them will be signed by their CEO).

Guys in India, please take this opportunity to own the extraordinary Orpheus Limited Edition. There is no Ganges in my vicinity, so I shall pass

Oh btw, they still haven't got back to me with the prices

 

[odyssey]

I am not sure I follow what exactly happened but if you need help in contacting the folks at Spatial Computer, I would be happy to do that, just send me an email. If you can afford to buy the orpheus then instead, do the following - take the Lyra instead and the spatial package, your entire system will go up many notches, the spatial is unbelievable in what it does to your system.

cheers

 

[ranjeetrain]

I am not sure I follow what exactly happened but if you need help in contacting the folks at Spatial Computer, I would be happy to do that, just send me an email. If you can afford to buy the orpheus then instead, do the following - take the Lyra instead and the spatial package, your entire system will go up many notches, the spatial is unbelievable in what it does to your system.

cheers

Sridhar, I am pretty sure I don't have the budget for Orpheus right now. I'd rather put more money in Speakers. Besides, Orpheus seems like an overkill to me. I was looking at Lyra which seems to have tech trickle downs of Orpheus (according to their site). I'd be happy with them. I don't need multiple channels of AD in real time, so no Orpheus for me.

I'll email you.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

If you can afford to buy the orpheus then instead, do the following - take the Lyra instead and the spatial package, your entire system will go up many notches, the spatial is unbelievable in what it does to your system.

The Lyra is USB: The Orpheus is Firewire.

The Lyra incorporates quite a lot of functionality for studio use: The Orpheus has more (Oh, and RIAA!).

Whilst it is true that reading about them is not the same as hearing them, if Prism are to be believed, the Orpheus is not going to give a much better sound than the Lyra, eitheer DAC or ADC. They say, about the Lyra...

No-compromise, full Prism Sound audio quality
Lyra makes no compromises on audio quality. It is the result of years of research and development into digital audio conversion and extensive dialogue with Prism Sound's customers.

The Lyra design brief was: Prism Sound quality at an even more accessible price point. Lyra has the same no-compromise analogue front and back ends as its brother Orpheus, with the same fully-balanced-throughout architecture and the same isolation barriers protecting the analogue from digital and computer interference.

I feel that, the decision between Lyra and Orpheus (finance allowing), in reality, comes down to this: How much do we want to play "Studio?"

In the past, I have wanted to play studios so much that I even have a [very small] mixer. OK, so, at one time I even plugged a mic or two into it but I have never done anything that could not, technically, be done with an on-board sound card --- I just had more knobs to twiddle to achieve it. The mixer now acts as an over-the top switch between tape and TT input to my sound card, and my three (gadget freak? Guilty!) microphones sit in the cupboard.

Am I over this, despite the fact that I never do anything more "studio" than digitising an LP? No way! give me the budget, and I'd spend it with Prism, or RME. Although I now have to ask the dreaded question does it work with Linux? I have not at all lost my fascination for this sort of kit or my belief that the semi-pro/pro suppliers can be expected to give us equipment with transparent sound.

However, I have got sensible enough to realise that all those wonderful ports for mics and instruments and ...stuff are, unused, just entry points for dust, and wasted resource so far as our capital spend is concerned. The ideal for me, is something that just does 2-in/2-out stereo sound, in and out both analogue and digital. A headphone socket is nice. I don't mind if it has midi (who knows, one day I might plug in a keyboard), but I am never going to output multiple digital channels to a digital recording machine, and I'm not likely to plug in mics (and hey, I've got a mixer I can plug them into). This (Echo Audiofire2, now discontinued) currently does that for me, at a fraction of the price, and, doubtless, not quite the same quality, as the stuff we are talking about here.

So, according to me (based on browsing, not listening) the Lyra is overkill, but I'd still love to gaze at one on my desk; the Orpheus, until one has band members to invite round, is over-the-top overkill.

 

[ranjeetrain]

The Lyra is USB: The Orpheus is Firewire.

The Lyra incorporates quite a lot of functionality for studio use: The Orpheus has more (Oh, and RIAA!).

Whilst it is true that reading about them is not the same as hearing them, if Prism are to be believed, the Orpheus is not going to give a much better sound than the Lyra, eitheer DAC or ADC. They say, about the Lyra...


I feel that, the decision between Lyra and Orpheus (finance allowing), in reality, comes down to this: How much do we want to play "Studio?"

Orpheus is a full studio product. Their sales rep asked me which workstation do I use when I sent him my sales query

Lyra makes every sense to me. It is everything I need, and not much I don't. Wallet permitting...

Oh, btw, I did have studio equipments in past. A guitar cube, a keyboard, mic and sundry items. But those things were looong time back.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Lyra makes every sense to me. It is everything I need, and not much I don't. Wallet permitting..

It's a pity you are not in Chennai. I could come round and... touch it

Oh well, I'll have to make do with your photos and write up! hyeah:

 

[ranjeetrain]

It's a pity you are not in Chennai. I could come round and... touch it

Oh well, I'll have to make do with your photos and write up! hyeah:

Orpheus [92:11] Thou shalt route thy Lyra though Chennai!

 

[ranjeetrain]

Names that come to my mind...

Wyred4Sound (this seems to be the current cult favorite everywhere these days. Malvai has one...)
MHDT Havana (read a lot of good things about this...NOS though)
47Labs Shigaraki (NOS again...can get 1st hand experience from brother Gobble here)
Grace Design m903
Wavelength
Lampizator
Wiess Minerva (Bhagwan had one on sale some time back)

I am sure many FMs have digital systems with high end DACs. But the thread hasn't caught up with them yet. Looking forward to get responses from those FMs.

Best idea of a DACs performance can be had only from someone who has owned it for a long time. It takes a bit of time for someone to understand the strengths and weakness of a DAC. Specially across genres.

Wyred4Sound is undoubtedly one of the most talked about. Specially after a good review from 6moons its recognition shot up sharply. So is the case with Lampizator. A lot of noise about Lampazitor. Not sure if that is all just talks or there is substance in them.

Weiss is one of the contenders in my mind as well. They do have a reputation for making good sounding DACs.