This would be my choice to anyone within driving distance of it
Super DAC, and excellent analogue pre also. I’d buy it, but a friend of mine will sell me his at some stage, so I’m holding off.
Thanks for advice so far.
Listening again last night I’m in no rush to add a DAC. I’m actually liking what the A6 does.
Likely add a DAC one day but no rush to do it at the moment.
I need to get to know it better first.
Thanks again for the advice.
Maybe have a dac bakeoff at a later stage Tim
2 Likes
Good shout
I’m due to organise a Bake off
3 Likes
I’ve been a staunch “bits are bits” person in the past, and while this is certainly true, bits are bits, 100%, but the A part of DAC has a role to play here. Different output stages, some driven off the DAC chip itself, some using discrete components, or class A output stages etc. their relationship to how they load the input of onward components has a solid influence.
All dacs that drive the output straight from the chip, do ultimately sound much the same to me. But there are many ways to skin a cat, and all DAC boxes do not sound the same. Albeit it’s rarely night and day!
1 Like
I have also recently bought an Eversolo A6 - General operation is brilliant but I have to say that the DAC in it is not for me, in my current system anyway.
I have upgraded to a £60 Douk Audio decoder powered by USB volts.
1 Like
Cheaper modern DACs are at least pleasant to listen to and are great for easy listening/background. Keep your eye out for any Gustard R26 DACs that may start coming on to the market since the release of the more upmarket R30. Any of the 26 series (X, A, and R) will be better than the cheaper DACs. The Holo Audio Cyan 2 is also worth considering.
1 Like
There’s a cheap r26 on pinkish at the moment
1 Like
Yeah I bought an A8 but struggled with it. Nice analogue preamp and good functionality, but I thought it sounded thin and lightweight via digital sources.
1 Like
I’d be nervous about buying any of the ‘streaming’ versions from Auralic at the moment.
If you buy a new one, reset the device or want to transfer ownership you need to activate and register it with the Auralic servers.
Unfortunately these are now offline.
The vega has always sounded better to me with an external streamer and it being used purely as a dac / pre, so none of that really concerns me. I use my FIIO sr11 via usb
I’ve got a Chord Qutest on loan which, in the brief period I’ve been listening, has impressed me so far, preferring it to the Naim nd5xs2 and Cambridge audio. Might be a bit forward on some stuff so better keep listening…..
£1200 new and from £700ish on Ebay
3 Likes
This wouldn’t be a bad choice, the AD1865 is a great DAC
1 Like