DAC to the Future

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Fretless
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

George Hincapie wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 2:01 am
Is the pricing the same as US direct?
Actually I believe be that it is quite a lot cheaper to order from this EU supplier.

https://www.audiohobby.eu/en/

Fast international shipping via UPS.

Don't know if there's a distributor in the UK, though.

:whistle:
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George Hincapie (Tue Apr 11, 2023 8:50 am)

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Fretless
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

Image

:banana-rock:
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George Hincapie (Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:07 am)

Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by George Hincapie »

Very nice! Enjoy!

I had a look at the Air Matrix Cryo. Nice sleeve on them, but I get the sense there's no real difference between that and yours, despite the cost.
Headphone Amplification
Linear Tube Audio MZ3

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HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)

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Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

George Hincapie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:10 am Very nice! Enjoy!

I had a look at the Air Matrix Cryo. Nice sleeve on them, but I get the sense there's no real difference between that and yours, despite the cost.
You could be right there. The Revelation with solid silver cores is probably a serious step up from the Air Matrix though
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George Hincapie (Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:52 pm)

Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

Estonia to The Netherlands in 48 hours from placing my order - now that's service!

Fitted the Air Matrix XLR yesterday evening after choir rehearsals (Dvorak's Mass in D) to have an initial listen.

Again that ease and openness that is characteristic for DH Labs cables, but now with an added sureness and solidity that the XLR balanced connection has over the RCA link.

More music later on. :ugeek:
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George Hincapie (Thu Apr 13, 2023 1:08 pm)

Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by George Hincapie »

Fretless wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:04 am
George Hincapie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:10 am Very nice! Enjoy!

I had a look at the Air Matrix Cryo. Nice sleeve on them, but I get the sense there's no real difference between that and yours, despite the cost.
You could be right there. The Revelation with solid silver cores is probably a serious step up from the Air Matrix though
The Revelation does look nice. About the limit of what I'd spend on a cable too.
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Fretless (Thu Apr 13, 2023 1:51 pm)
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

The MQA company is in financial problems and could be going under.

As a result, Tidal are moving away from MQA encoding of their hi-res files and going back to FLAC.

... and there is me having just got an MQA-capable DAC.

:snooty:
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George Hincapie (Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:19 pm)

Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by CN211276 »

I am not sure if Tidal are pulling away as a result. The collapse of MQA could be the result of Tidal deciding to pull the plug. MQA has not caught on as they hoped and the subscription being around twice the price of Qobuz high res has not helped.
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Fretless (Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:10 am)
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Latteman »

Shame if it disappears as I really like Tidal & MQA; I’m using ifi stream & ifi dac.
I agree the monthly cost is a factor- I have HiFi+ family and it’s a lot😭
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Fretless (Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:10 am)
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by George Hincapie »

Fretless wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:37 am The MQA company is in financial problems and could be going under.

As a result, Tidal are moving away from MQA encoding of their hi-res files and going back to FLAC.

... and there is me having just got an MQA-capable DAC.

:snooty:
Tidal are keeping their existing MQA content, just not adding to it. Your DAC is fine.
These users thanked the author George Hincapie for the post (total 2):
Latteman (Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:42 pm) • Fretless (Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:47 pm)
Headphone Amplification
Linear Tube Audio MZ3

Headphones
HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)

Digital
Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0

Cables
Forza Audio Works • Blue Jeans • DH Labs • Periapt

Power
Farad • Tomanek

Sources
Roon • Tidal • Qobuz
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