Gryphon Kalliope or Nagra HD

[isquirrel]

Wanting to upgrade my DAC, I am considering these two as they have local support (I live in Australia) has anyone heard these?

[CKKeung]

Wanting to upgrade my DAC, I am considering these two as they have local support (I live in Australia) has anyone heard these?

 

Would you also consider CH Precision and Lampizator?

Both are as good and have official dealers in Australia too.

Sales Network

Contact, Dealer, Bank

[One and a half]

Both are fine DACs for sure. Apart from what your listening preferences are from one over the other, let's put a few comparisons on the table on the numbers.

 

The Nagra has an Amaerno (hope i spelled that right) USB front end, capable of any PCM 358.2fs to DSD128. The real DAC stage is a design from Andreas Koch, it has the FPGA and the character of the Playback designs DACs. The output stage features a tube and Nagra's own end stage. 6 moons has a lengthy write up on this DAC.

 

The Kalliope is based on the Sabre 9018 DAC. Nothing wrong with that really, but it's the line in the sand. An FPGA can be upgraded with new algorithms to suit codecs that aren't yet invented. The 9018's are configured in a differential stage which also some merit.

 

Both Dacs are priced in the same ballpark, I'd give the Nagra the nudge on paper, which always can be trumped by a listening evaluation.

[bmichels]

Yes at this price you need to give them à listening test.

 

I Will go soon to Bruxelles to listen to the HD DAC that my dealer ( finaly) received. I will also test it's internal headphone amp. I Will post m'y impressions here.

 

I also have Lampizator iin my radar.

[isquirrel]

Both are fine DACs for sure. Apart from what your listening preferences are from one over the other, let's put a few comparisons on the table on the numbers.

 

The Nagra has an Amaerno (hope i spelled that right) USB front end, capable of any PCM 358.2fs to DSD128. The real DAC stage is a design from Andreas Koch, it has the FPGA and the character of the Playback designs DACs. The output stage features a tube and Nagra's own end stage. 6 moons has a lengthy write up on this DAC.

 

The Kalliope is based on the Sabre 9018 DAC. Nothing wrong with that really, but it's the line in the sand. An FPGA can be upgraded with new algorithms to suit codecs that aren't yet invented. The 9018's are configured in a differential stage which also some merit.

 

Both Dacs are priced in the same ballpark, I'd give the Nagra the nudge on paper, which always can be trumped by a listening evaluation.

 

My sentiments too, on paper. I have been trying out some high end DAC's recently and that's bought me to ask the question of myself and others what is the best method, FPGA or more traditional off the shelf chips.

The conclusion I have come to is I am no expert on DAC chips however I'm not sure how you can determine how a chip sounds in isolation without having it converted back into analogue.

 

And I would imagine that what actually determines the sound quality is how the DAC is executed and not just the individual components and chips used. You could have a good chip sound average in a DAC unless the rest of the DAC is executed properly.

The only valid test for me is listening to it and letting my ears and heart decide.

I am currently trying out the Chord DX1000 which has the same DAC as the QBD76 and comparing it to my Hugo. I have a Gryphon Kalliope arriving next week for a trial, I hear that has one of the best if not the best implementation of the Sabre 9018.