Article: My Quest for a new DAC, Part 2 - Ayre QX-8

[austinpop]

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[rickca]

Since my Innuos Zenith Mk II SE server has a second USB output port, I conducted a simple experiment, where I compared the sound quality with a direct USB connection (from SE to DAC) vs. my full USB chain, in both cases using Lush USB cable(s).

 

I thought the second (backup) USB output on the SE wasn't supposed to have the same sound quality as the one marked DAC.

[austinpop]

5 minutes ago, rickca said:

Since my Innuos Zenith Mk II SE server has a second USB output port, I conducted a simple experiment, where I compared the sound quality with a direct USB connection (from SE to DAC) vs. my full USB chain, in both cases using Lush USB cable(s).

 

I thought the second (backup) USB output on the SE wasn't supposed to have the same sound quality as the one marked DAC.

 

In practice, I found no noticeable difference in SQ between the 2 ports. The second port proved invaluable as a way to burn in DACs awaiting review!

 

I did double check the finding (direct USB vs USB chain) with the primary USB port as well, and the same result holds. I will correct the article to avoid confusion.

[Ron Scubadiver]

Seems like a lot of money for a DAC with the 9038Q2M chip.  

[firedog]

31 minutes ago, Ron Scubadiver said:

Seems like a lot of money for a DAC with the 9038Q2M chip.  

 

Seems like judging a DAC by it’s chip is not a very insightful way to judge a DAC. 

[Jud]

First, very nicely done.  I'm pleased that you were able to listen with speakers, since at least for me, what I'd conceive of as soundstage is very different with speakers than with headphones.

 

I was also very interested in what you had to say about power supplies, since I am curious how much of a DAC's goodness comes from digital software (filter choice), digital hardware, and analog hardware (including power supply).

[Ralf11]

Enjoyed your listening impressions

 

did not know you liked trad. jaz (don't call it Dixieland) - check out Vaughn's next time you visit NoLa, and Kermit Ruffins CDs while stuck in the hill country...

[Account Closed]

Very well done review. I really enjoyed it.  Wow, "Jazz at the Pawnshop", that really takes me back to yesteryear. That has to be one of the best analog jazz albums ever made. If you ever get the chance to hear an original pressing that is still in good shape on a really good system, please do it.

 

Thanks

[austinpop]

3 hours ago, firedog said:

 

Seems like judging a DAC by it’s chip is not a very insightful way to judge a DAC. 

 

3 hours ago, Jud said:

am curious how much of a DAC's goodness comes from digital software (filter choice), digital hardware, and analog hardware (including power supply).

 

Indeed. If there's one thing I've learned about what aspects of DAC design contribute to SQ , it's that everything matters. 

[Ron Scubadiver]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

 

Seems like judging a DAC by it’s chip is not a very insightful way to judge a DAC. 

I am judging it by it's price.  It's not my money.  Anyone around here is free to throw as much money at GAS as they like.

[Jud]

3 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

 

Indeed. If there's one thing I've learned about what aspects of DAC design contribute to SQ , it's that everything matters. 

 

The reason I'm interested is I'm one of those fellows who's taken up "knitting."    I have thoughts at some point of putting together a DSC1 or 2 (or whatever else might be available at the time) and feeding it software-converted DSD.  So I'm interested in which parts and accessory equipment might best repay in sound the $$ expended on them.

[audiophile65]

7 hours ago, firedog said:

 

Seems like judging a DAC by it’s chip is not a very insightful way to judge a DAC. 

Agreed! A DAC, especially a good one, is not just a DAC chip. It is the special marriage of the DAC chip with all of the innards (power supplies, capacitors, regulators, both the analog and digital stages.......), coupled with painstaking engineering prowess, that makes a DAC -- well, a gooooood DAC!

[austinpop]

29 minutes ago, Jud said:

 

The reason I'm interested is I'm one of those fellows who's taken up "knitting."    I have thoughts at some point of putting together a DSC1 or 2 (or whatever else might be available at the time) and feeding it software-converted DSD.  So I'm interested in which parts and accessory equipment might best repay in sound the $$ expended on them.

 

I wish I could tell you. From where I sit, designing and producing truly great DACs is still an art. What made Charley Hansen's creations sound so good? No doubt, there is solid engineering that underpins their sound quality, but there is the je ne sais quoi intangible that seems to distinguish the creative designer.

 

I know there are people here on CA who would confidently claim they themselves do sais quoi, but I haven't heard their creations.

[Jud]

1 minute ago, austinpop said:

I wish I could tell you.

 

You already have.  I just accumulate impressions continually, and have added your remarks to a long list agreeing power supplies are critical.

[Summit]

19 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

 

Indeed. If there's one thing I've learned about what aspects of DAC design contribute to SQ , it's that everything matters. 

 

I tried one black and one silver DAC of the same model and couldn’t hear any difference ?

[austinpop]

1 minute ago, Summit said:

 

I tried one black and one silver DAC of the same model and couldn’t hear any difference ?

 

??‍♂️

[GeneZ]

"His Yggy unit does not have the new Gen 5 USB stage, nor the new Analog 2 upgrade. Last he checked, he was #98 on the upgrade queue!"

 

I believe that makes for an unfair evaluation....  All the new Yggys anyone would buy will automatically have those upgrades stock.  The  upgrades make for an audible difference and improvement.  I had both upgrades done.

[Reggy]

Reviewer wasted $300 X N on usb cable(S). I would suggest monoprice, to save that much and have the exact same experience.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030301&p_id=5437&seq=1&format=2

 

[austinpop]

2 hours ago, GeneZ said:

"His Yggy unit does not have the new Gen 5 USB stage, nor the new Analog 2 upgrade. Last he checked, he was #98 on the upgrade queue!"

 

I believe that makes for an unfair evaluation....  All the new Yggys anyone would buy will automatically have those upgrades stock.  The  upgrades make for an audible difference and improvement.  I had both upgrades done.

 

I didn't have access to an upgraded Yggy - much as I would have liked to! There's nothing I could do about that. You work with what you have.

 

Remember - the focus of this article was not the Yggy. This article was about the Ayre, and the only purpose of all the comparisons was to place the QX-8's characteristics in relation to as many other DACs as I could muster. I personally like to read reviews that compare the item under review with others, even at different price ranges. So I write mine in the same spirit.

[hlkaye]

I've enjoyed your first 2 dac reviews very much and look forward to future installments.  I too have and enjoy the Ayre Codex but plan on upgrading in the near future to dacs under $5k.  Might you be including the Lindemann Musicbook 10 or one of its other configurations?

[austinpop]

3 hours ago, hlkaye said:

I've enjoyed your first 2 dac reviews very much and look forward to future installments.  I too have and enjoy the Ayre Codex but plan on upgrading in the near future to dacs under $5k.  Might you be including the Lindemann Musicbook 10 or one of its other configurations?

 

Thanks.

 

That DAC is not on my radar. I have a couple more DACs in the pipeline, and then will see where I stand. Fun as this is, I can't cover everything!

[audiobomber]

15 hours ago, austinpop said:

I can't cover everything!

No doubt. Hopefully though you will include the Benchmark DAC3? I ask because the DAC3 truly is a... benchmark. Including it will allow a more thorough ranking of the others in your series. 

 

Thanks for making the effort to include a speaker-based system. Would it be possible to test DAC's that have volume control like the Mytek or Benchmark in your friend's system with preamp bypassed? That can make quite a difference in SQ, for better or worse. My next DAC will definitely have this capability.

[austinpop]

2 hours ago, audiobomber said:

No doubt. Hopefully though you will include the Benchmark DAC3? I ask because the DAC3 truly is a... benchmark. Including it will allow a more thorough ranking of the others in your series. 

 

You don't have to sell me on Benchmark - I used to own, and enjoyed, a DAC1 HDR! Since there are so many good DACs out there, I've narrowed the field in the exact way anyone would that is considering upgrading their system. As you can see from my articles, I am particularly concerned about the size and quality of the power supplies, which is why I have focused on DACs that either enable external DC PSUs, or have much heftier built-in linear PSUs. 

 

2 hours ago, audiobomber said:

Thanks for making the effort to include a speaker-based system. Would it be possible to test DAC's that have volume control like the Mytek or Benchmark in your friend's system with preamp bypassed? That can make quite a difference in SQ, for better or worse. My next DAC will definitely have this capability.

 

I can't promise this, but will take it under advisement.

[Forehaven]

Rajiv, are you going to check out the Holo Spring?

[austinpop]

45 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

Rajiv, are you going to check out the Holo Spring?

 

No, for reasons explained here:

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/43498-article-my-quest-for-a-new-dac-introduction-to-the-series/?do=findComment&comment=826244