Your DAC with NVA cables and amps

[r100]

I use a DAC which is feed by a 16/41kHz stream as source. Most material is 256kbits. Only rarely, do I have material of higher quality. The output goes into an NVA amp via NVA cables and from there to the loudspeakers, also over NVA cables. The sound with the RegaDAC has been very open, precise, detailed with great fast bass and generally a really satisfying experience. That is why out of the three DAC's I have been able to use on the system, it is my reference DAC at the moment.

I have swapped the Rega for the Bushmaster and it is currently burning-in.

As things change quite rapidly in the digital world it would be nice to hear other's experience with DAC's in general

My limited experience with DAC's so far is as follows (notes are totally subjective)

- RegaDAC (4.5/5, like: very open, fast bass, optical out; dislike: front panel switches)
- Maverick D2 (4/5, like: inexpensive, not as detailed as the Rega but ok for long listening sessions)
- Bushmaster TC-7530 (still burning-in. My impressions are very variable at the moment. I cannot figure out if I like it or not. But I think it is getting better over time)

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Of the ones I have heard this is my fav - and it has a tiger on the top :D

http://www.asus.com/Sound_Cards_and_Dig ... sence_One/

[terrybooth]

I have an earlier Bushmaster (Caiman, gatorised), which I bought to experiment with outboard DAC with the TFS.
Maybe I needed to try a different USB cable, but the Asus Xonar Essence soundcard in the TFS sounds far better to me.

[wallace]

I have had a V-Dac,iBasso,Keces before i got my Bushmaster,which i prefer over the others.It has been powered up 24/7 for six months,but did seem to take at least a month to come on song.Not heard the Rega,must fight off the urge to get one. :? O no,looks like i've got to try an Asus as well,sod the pension....

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I heard an earlier Beresford which was better than my DACon I was using, I believe from memory the DAC board in the TFS is much better than that, and the better version of that board in the Asus Dac was better again by a good margin (direct comparison).

[terrybooth]

I heard an earlier Beresford which was better than my DACon I was using, I believe from memory the DAC board in the TFS is much better than that, and the better version of that board in the Asus Dac was better again by a good margin (direct comparison).

Was that using any 'special' (Jason experimental?) Usb cable or one that came with the DAC?

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I can't remember, Jason brought it down for me to listen to as the way we would go in sound if we made our own. I keep thinking about buying one and then I play the TFS and I feel I am not missing anything, it still gives me great pleasure so I haven't bought one. I find I am motivated to buy when I get disappointed with the music and the TFS still does it for me, and the extra box, extra power socket etc makes it a bit of a PITA.

[r100]

Not heard the Rega,must fight off the urge to get one

:D

[r100]

I find I am motivated to buy when I get disappointed with the music

I've just sold the RegaDAC and I'm hoping the BM will open up in the coming days / weeks. You are right, if it works don't change it ... and I think I shouldn't of swapped the DACs because the sound I was getting was perfect to my ears... but I just couldn't help experimenting. The only upside right now is that I sold the RDAC for the same price I bought it... But the sound with the BM is still lacking something at the moment.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Sell the Beresford and get the Asus if the Beresford is not right, the Asus does what NVA amps do so there is a synergy. Beresford has largely been the product of forum recs, and AoS has been the source for most of these, interestingly independent of Marco using one. So there has been a campaign of shilling with strong momentum and clever regular upgrades, but that doesn't mean the product is not good. I haven't heard the latest version.