Playback designs
- Thread starter sidvee
- Start date
ranjeetrain
New Member
Can't say much about them, except the designers of the product line are in some mega-buck business. I'd reckon they know their stuff. How about calling Sudeep/Sandeep patil of Audire and finding out some details?
square_wave
Well-Known Member
Thanks Square. The BADA is high on my list as well. Only problem, I do not think there is an Indian dealer so will have to pick up or import and virtually no chances of audition here, unless I do it on my trips over.
Cheers,
Sid
Since everybody is suggesting some mega bucks DAC, I will list mine
Concert fidelity dac-040. It retails for around $10K so should be around the Rs 6 lac ballmark.
I remember some comments saying the playback design was VFM and gave 80% of some more highly priced DACs.
Concert fidelity dac-040. It retails for around $10K so should be around the Rs 6 lac ballmark.
I remember some comments saying the playback design was VFM and gave 80% of some more highly priced DACs.
Thanks everybody for recommendations and feedback. At this time I am considering only DAC's available in India with Indian dealers. I will be attempting to audition these DAC's as well since I am spending a large amount so without Indian presence that will not be possible. If I do not find anything to my liking, I will then attempt to audition DAC's like Berkley Audio Design etc. on a trip to US later this year.
Cheers,
Sid
Cheers,
Sid
longshanks
Well-Known Member
I have read great user experiences with play back design digital sources but have never heard them in person, I guess i read in a thread that you already had listened to the prism Orpheus? like you say audition is the key and the Prism Orpheus is one of the best DAC money can buy.
Actually one user reported that for DSD playback there is no match out there for PBD, but for PCM he found the Ayon Skylla and some other DAc's superior. Majority of my playback is going to be PCM, so I have to keep this in mind when I do audition.
Cheers,
Sid
Cheers,
Sid
sidvee,
i have heard the PD 5 on a number of occasions. I really liked the DAC when it was available for about 4-5L INR until 6 months ago. At 7.5L I dunno...
great product nevertheless...
I believe a FM here wanting to sell his.... i dont know his hifivision monicker, but his name is Manjyot.
will try and connect you to him if you're keen on a pre-owned one at a sensible price.
i have heard the PD 5 on a number of occasions. I really liked the DAC when it was available for about 4-5L INR until 6 months ago. At 7.5L I dunno...
great product nevertheless...
I believe a FM here wanting to sell his.... i dont know his hifivision monicker, but his name is Manjyot.
will try and connect you to him if you're keen on a pre-owned one at a sensible price.
Hi Sidvee,
I have not heard the Playback Designs, but have heard a lot about it.
Among all the digital sources I have heard the best (in musical terms) are these:
1. TAD D-600 (undoubtedly the best)
2. Combak Reimyo CDT-777 + DAP 999EX (heard it only as a combo, outstanding!!)
3. Naim NDS
4. Audio Note DAC5 Signature
I have not heard the top line of Esoteric (P01/D01), Zanden, Einstein and some more. However having heard most of the other usual suspects (EMM Labs, AMR, ARC, Burmester, Esoteric K01 and the likes), the ones I have listed are absolute stand outs. They make music and they do it in a way where one feels lost within the musical experience. Some of these are very expensive while some are affordable but all of them belong to a class which is normally away from the usual suspects and most magazines never talk about these products, simply because if this is brought in the discussion all other products being reviewed in the article would have to be denigrated.
I have not heard the Playback Designs, but have heard a lot about it.
Among all the digital sources I have heard the best (in musical terms) are these:
1. TAD D-600 (undoubtedly the best)
2. Combak Reimyo CDT-777 + DAP 999EX (heard it only as a combo, outstanding!!)
3. Naim NDS
4. Audio Note DAC5 Signature
I have not heard the top line of Esoteric (P01/D01), Zanden, Einstein and some more. However having heard most of the other usual suspects (EMM Labs, AMR, ARC, Burmester, Esoteric K01 and the likes), the ones I have listed are absolute stand outs. They make music and they do it in a way where one feels lost within the musical experience. Some of these are very expensive while some are affordable but all of them belong to a class which is normally away from the usual suspects and most magazines never talk about these products, simply because if this is brought in the discussion all other products being reviewed in the article would have to be denigrated.
Thanks Dr. Bass,
So far the only higher end DAC that I have even a remote chance of auditioning in India is the PBD, so for now I am concentrating in that direction (BTW a trip to Adelphi in Singapore seems to be my only way out - at-least in the higher end of audio auditions, so I am considering that as well down the road). I am a little wary of blind buys - not only because of the cost, but also because I have become very sensitive to the way a DAC portrays the music. I am unable to tolerate very dry, clinical and somewhat etched sound of music that is displayed by some of the higher end DAc's, so I will make up my mind only after a live audition. In that respect, the Skylla would be the easiest as I am intimately aware of the Ayon sound and I really like it - it manages to sound detailed and warm at the same time. So for now I am hoping that my audition of the PBD will prove to be an ear opener. Of-course I am sure DSD will sound superb via the PBD, just like SACD sounds superior to Red book, but my concern is in 16bit 44.1khz rips, where the majority of my collection lies.
Cheers,
Sid
So far the only higher end DAC that I have even a remote chance of auditioning in India is the PBD, so for now I am concentrating in that direction (BTW a trip to Adelphi in Singapore seems to be my only way out - at-least in the higher end of audio auditions, so I am considering that as well down the road). I am a little wary of blind buys - not only because of the cost, but also because I have become very sensitive to the way a DAC portrays the music. I am unable to tolerate very dry, clinical and somewhat etched sound of music that is displayed by some of the higher end DAc's, so I will make up my mind only after a live audition. In that respect, the Skylla would be the easiest as I am intimately aware of the Ayon sound and I really like it - it manages to sound detailed and warm at the same time. So for now I am hoping that my audition of the PBD will prove to be an ear opener. Of-course I am sure DSD will sound superb via the PBD, just like SACD sounds superior to Red book, but my concern is in 16bit 44.1khz rips, where the majority of my collection lies.
Cheers,
Sid
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square_wave
Well-Known Member
Supporting an Indian design.
You should do a home demo of the Acoustic Portrait DAC too.
For people who value certain aspects of music reproduction, the AP dac sounds extremely good.
Overheard conversations in Bangalore audiophile circle from very reliable folks that they preferred the AP to some obscenely priced DAC. That DAC is discussed in this thread. Names can be touchy so I refrain. I have only compared it to Reimyo dap 777 and the Lampizator level 4.
You should do a home demo of the Acoustic Portrait DAC too.
For people who value certain aspects of music reproduction, the AP dac sounds extremely good.
Overheard conversations in Bangalore audiophile circle from very reliable folks that they preferred the AP to some obscenely priced DAC. That DAC is discussed in this thread. Names can be touchy so I refrain. I have only compared it to Reimyo dap 777 and the Lampizator level 4.
Thanks Square. When you mean home demo, do they send the DAC to a user's home for a demo and accept returns no questions asked, all without any upfront payment? That will be interesting, especially when they do not have a showroom in Hyderabad. So far ARN (and to some extent Audio people, though I never borrowed anything from them) is the only dealer who has extended me this courtesy so I return it by buying as much as I can from them.
Cheers,
Sid
Cheers,
Sid
@sidvee, if passing through Bangalore, you are welcome to drop by to listen to the Lampizator level 3. It may be of interest to you given this statement "- "I am unable to tolerate very dry, clinical and somewhat etched sound of music that is displayed by some of the higher end DAc's". My listening preferences are along similar lines.
Thank you for you kind offer Jai. Will take you up on it when I am in Bangalore.
Cheers,
Sid
A beautiful, well-constructed speaker with class-leading soundstage, imaging and bass that is fast, deep, and precise.
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