Expensive Dacs. Are they worth it?

[CN211276]

I am bringing my less than £10 dac and £40 linear PSU

I would be interested in comparisons of more up market DACs,especially through NVA amps and Cubes.

[Fretless]

NOS / non-oversampling DACs like the Metrum Acoustics models really shine with an exceptionally 'natural' feel through NVA gear.

[CN211276]

I have read a lot of good things about the Metrum and also the Chord 2Qute which reportedly out performs the Hugo2 costing a lot more.

[Ithilstone]

Metrum Acoustics supposed to be really nice

I would love to try this one when R-2R is considered
http://soekris.eu/shop/dac_modules_cons ... ow_en.html

From vintage NOS DAC Arcam Delta Black Box sounds really good with NVA

Tried Mojo, Hugo and Hugo 2 also Dave ( all with headphones as a DAC and DAC/Amp) all good sounding gear but I know a lot of similar or even better sounding DACs for a fraction of price...

on top of that one Chord employee tried once convicted me that there is a musical difference in USB cable even make me try all of them from 100GBP to 3000GBP... well 3k for a USB cable says it all...

[CN211276]

The new Metrum one seems interesting. What cheaper DACs do you know of which are better than the Chord ones? Technology seems to be advancing leaps and bounds and quality is coming down in price.

[CN211276]

That new DAC seems interesting. What cheaper DACs do you know of which are better than the Chord ones? Technology seems to be advancing leaps and bounds and quality is coming down in price.

[Classicrock]

It wouldn't surprise me if the latest Beresford Caiman SEG comes close to Chord and other expensive DACs. Producing my best ever digital sound with the CXC. Can't see how they justify the pricing on some of these products.

[savvypaul]

It wouldn't surprise me if the latest Beresford Caiman SEG comes close to Chord and other expensive DACs. Producing my best ever digital sound with the CXC. Can't see how they justify the pricing on some of these products.

An interesting conversation for me as I've owned a Beresford (and iFi Micro and Schiit Bifrost) and currently own a Chord 2qute which I compared to a Metrum Musette and an Auralic Vega before buying. I didn't rate the Beresford at all, but at that time I was only using it to try to pep-up an old cd player rather than play the higher res files that I mostly listen to now. My system also looked very different to how it does now. I thought the Metrum did a lot of things very well but that the Chord is more resolving - more music, more emotion, clearer and more transparent. Be very interested to hear the latest Beresfords if they might seriously challenge the 2qute.

[savvypaul]

Metrum Acoustics supposed to be really nice

I would love to try this one when R-2R is considered
http://soekris.eu/shop/dac_modules_cons ... ow_en.html

From vintage NOS DAC Arcam Delta Black Box sounds really good with NVA

Tried Mojo, Hugo and Hugo 2 also Dave ( all with headphones as a DAC and DAC/Amp) all good sounding gear but I know a lot of similar or even better sounding DACs for a fraction of price...

on top of that one Chord employee tried once convicted me that there is a musical difference in USB cable even make me try all of them from 100GBP to 3000GBP... well 3k for a USB cable says it all...

The Chord Electronics 2qute designer states that the usb input is designed in a way that makes the choice of usb cable irrelevant.

The Chord Co. (cable manufacturer, separate to Chord Electronics) sell cables priced from amusing to hysterical...

[CN211276]

There seems to be a lot of conflicting information on the www about DACs and how much you need to spend. The sound from my Chord Mojo has come on leaps and bounds as I have added NVA components. I think it is a steal at the price because it is an excellent head phone amplifier as well. I am far from convinced that I would get a significant improvement by upgrading to a dedicated DAC without a headphone facility, retaining the Mojo for domestic head phone use.