Cortes

Maybe, but IMO is more useful a data point than an opinion.

you neither.

I compared half a year ago a Mutec MC3+usb with a Gustard U16 with a cheap DAC (SML SU-8 v2), headphones SR007mkII and amp Stax SRM 727mkII. All feed through a vaio Z laptop, I used different combinations of BNC cables (cheap from Amazon), expensive Toslink (Wireworld), expensive AES (Wireworld) and couple of USB cables (generic and accoustic revive). Basically I found no meaningful difference, I was not able to distinguish the Gustard from the Mutec.

Take a serious look at the Audiobyte Hydra VOX/ZAP, which is cutting edge technology from the guy of Rockna.

It's full of beautiful capacitors. What happens when one of them fails?. Who repairs it?. It needs to be shipped to Singapour for repair?. I checked Denafrips page, not a single phone/address. What happens if VinishAudio stops business?.

Then some cheap Singxer can do the same.

I struggle to understand the logic of this loop. TP rules the clocks of the Gaia to improve the signal Gaia provides to TP. So what's the need of Gaia if TP can do better?.

I own the cheap SMSL SU-8 V2, just out of curiosity, judging only as a DAC (no features or preamp), is the ADI-2 Pro FS R an upgrade or differences are tiny?.

Outside the US/UK pond, I love Marga Gomez https://tidal.com/browse/artist/5108840 and Susan Wong https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3713368

@OE33, the ingeneering looks really impressive, as looking at a Ferrary, and also the features. But, if one closes the eyes, do you have any proof ( some style of double blind test) that an average listenner is able to discern the $26k T+A from a good $1k o $500 DAC?.

who cares on sound, puting RME and Schiit in the same line is kind of a joke. One of these companies has even sold products without proper grounding. Guess what?.

@Miska, did you compare different inputs?. I ask because recently I purchase a micro umik-1 and tested my Wadia 121 DAC using a Gustard U16 digital interface. Results: performance was different in every input.

RME is as great choice. A pro company with tested engineering and zero Hi-Fi vodoo.

to save you some time: most of decrapfiers decrapify nothing, or just add crap. Look at audiosciencereview . the best I'm aware of is the sotm ultra usb, but the thing + power supply costs as your DAC, and just to gain a bit. I wouldn't put my money into that. If your DAC needs an usb decrapfier probably is because is very old or is faulty. Mytek DAC+ is neither of that. As for the streamers, if you don't need them, a PC is impossible to beat as for sofware options and upsampling capability. Continuing with your thread title. Most of the audiophile hardware is crap. Imagine what can be the band-aids for that crap. Your washing machine, your tv, your remote control, your shaver, your coffee grinder cost much less and will keep working much longer than most of audiophile hardwere. Why pay for that?.

There is new version of the ADI-2 DAC at half price. Probably an ideal option if not usb and the extra features required: https://www.thomann.de/gb/rme_adi_2_fs.htm Thomann will sell it in two months.