Reasonably priced DACs with WM8741
- Thread starter grubyhalo
- Start date
spirovious
Well-Known Member
grubyhalo
New Member
Thanks for the interesting link. Any 1st hand experiences?
strategy
New Member
shipping price is a lot. consider the shipping price first.
audio GD DACs are quite good. ( the flagship ref-7 , is highly praised on head-fi )
esantosh and brendon have the audioGD compass, DAC/amp(headphone )
you can PM them about the build quality.
audio GD DACs are quite good. ( the flagship ref-7 , is highly praised on head-fi )
esantosh and brendon have the audioGD compass, DAC/amp(headphone )
you can PM them about the build quality.
iaudio
Well-Known Member
Jai, afaik you have a few other dacs too. Could you tell us more why you like this one? And also which other dacs you considered during the purchase and why you settled on this one?
TIA
TIA
Thats a difficult one to answer. The main DACs that I have used in my system are:
1. Valab NOS DAC
2. Musical Fidelity V-DAC
3. 4x Wolfson WM8740 based ebay DAC
4. Audio GD Dac19 DSP
Besides this, I have a Goldenote Stibbert CD player, a Marantz CD6000 OSE and also a NAD C515BEE.
The Musical Fidelity was replaced in my system by the Valab (which was somewhat warm sounding and had more natural timbre). The Valab was replaced by the Wolfson DAC. The Wolfson lost the warmth and was a shade less natural sounding as the Valab. However, it was a leap up in resolution, imaging and dynamics. The Wolfson was the only one of the three that I flet was a significant upgrade over the Marantz. All the DACs were used with either a DVD player or Marantz CD6000 OSE or the Nad CD player as transport.
My next step up from the Wolfson was the Goldenote Stibbert. Compared to this, the Wolfson as well as the other CD players were a big step down. As a result, I stopped using all of them. The Audio GD was picked up initially for use with a pc in a headphone setup. However, I did compare it to the Stibbert. Whilst it is clearly inferior (particularly in resolution, soundstaging and the midrange), the Stibbert did not render it unlistenable. Whilst I have not compared it head to head with the Wolfson DAC (which developed a problem), the performance relative to the Stibbert suggests it is clearly superior. It is good enough that I use it as the source in my main system while my Stibbert has been lent out. This is something I could no longer do with the Wolfson DAC after getting the Goldenote. To me, the Audio GD represents the best of the Valab and the Wolfson DACs: resolution, imaging, dynamics etc while retaining a natural timbre. It does not have the extra warmth that the Valab had.
Sorry for the long post. Hope this helps.
1. Valab NOS DAC
2. Musical Fidelity V-DAC
3. 4x Wolfson WM8740 based ebay DAC
4. Audio GD Dac19 DSP
Besides this, I have a Goldenote Stibbert CD player, a Marantz CD6000 OSE and also a NAD C515BEE.
The Musical Fidelity was replaced in my system by the Valab (which was somewhat warm sounding and had more natural timbre). The Valab was replaced by the Wolfson DAC. The Wolfson lost the warmth and was a shade less natural sounding as the Valab. However, it was a leap up in resolution, imaging and dynamics. The Wolfson was the only one of the three that I flet was a significant upgrade over the Marantz. All the DACs were used with either a DVD player or Marantz CD6000 OSE or the Nad CD player as transport.
My next step up from the Wolfson was the Goldenote Stibbert. Compared to this, the Wolfson as well as the other CD players were a big step down. As a result, I stopped using all of them. The Audio GD was picked up initially for use with a pc in a headphone setup. However, I did compare it to the Stibbert. Whilst it is clearly inferior (particularly in resolution, soundstaging and the midrange), the Stibbert did not render it unlistenable. Whilst I have not compared it head to head with the Wolfson DAC (which developed a problem), the performance relative to the Stibbert suggests it is clearly superior. It is good enough that I use it as the source in my main system while my Stibbert has been lent out. This is something I could no longer do with the Wolfson DAC after getting the Goldenote. To me, the Audio GD represents the best of the Valab and the Wolfson DACs: resolution, imaging, dynamics etc while retaining a natural timbre. It does not have the extra warmth that the Valab had.
Sorry for the long post. Hope this helps.
esanthosh
Well-Known Member
Shipping would be around $60 + Paypal Fees of about 3.5% or so... I posted the quotes I got somewhere in HFV. Don't remember where.
Edit: Found it - http://www.hifivision.com/cd-players/11009-audio-gd-dac19-2.html#post162682
No! Brendon and haraakiri have the Compass and Sparrow DACs respectively. I only have Audio-GD Sun HDAM in my Maverick D1 as Opamp.
Last edited:
strategy
New Member
grubyhalo
New Member
strat, jai and esanthosh, thanks for all your input guys, appreciate it!
grubyhalo
New Member
Buffalos are all the rage but it takes more than just the $300 DAC module to get a functional DAC. Add the OP stage, PS, MUX, etc and you're looking at an outlay of around $1000. Ofcourse, it's supposedly worth it by all accounts...
Robert Bose
Member
Dear Sir
I have Audio GD NFB5 based on WM8741
I replaced the DAC I/V opamp from 2134 to Dual OPA 627
The Sound is very suprising for such a low cost Item
High resolution without being strident
I recently upgraded from this, and gave this to my friend to try,
he is using it with Co Axial input from Pioneer DVD player into
80 W HK 2 channel amp into Wharfedale speakers , the sound is
amazing, I could not believe a bottom of the line DAC could sound
so good, Go for Audio GD it is real value for Money
I have Audio GD NFB5 based on WM8741
I replaced the DAC I/V opamp from 2134 to Dual OPA 627
The Sound is very suprising for such a low cost Item
High resolution without being strident
I recently upgraded from this, and gave this to my friend to try,
he is using it with Co Axial input from Pioneer DVD player into
80 W HK 2 channel amp into Wharfedale speakers , the sound is
amazing, I could not believe a bottom of the line DAC could sound
so good, Go for Audio GD it is real value for Money
grubyhalo
New Member
Thank you for your vote, I will keep it in mind. I've also managed to get myself a Twisted Pear Buffalo II kit that I may build sometime in the future...
Order now for just ₹19,990.00
Similar threads
