Focal Electra 1028 be vs Aria 948

[mtrot]

One of the things I got right in audio was spending my big bucks on the electronics. Normally people advise getting the best speakers you can. But I've always found that tends to get folks on the speaker carousel. You hear the biggest difference between speakers, but any decent speaker will really show off what you're pushing them with.

Whether or not class A is the way to go (been there, done that) I've never seen anybody sad they spent a king's ransom on their amp/preamp. But I've seen lots of speaker regret. I for one enjoyed not having to worry when looking for new speakers if they dipped down to 3ohms or not!

Listen to the birdie!

Yep, the front end is critical. Speakers are not going to transform a mediocre front end into great sound.

 

[AVUser001]

Photos...View attachment 35474View attachment 35474View attachment 35474View attachment 35475

Congrats! Very nice....

 

[KEW]

I'm being sorely tempted to pick up a set of Electra 1038 Be, but I want to first upgrade my DAC. My DAC has terrible measurments, according to ASR.

I was going to disagree with you that any modern DAC could come close to affecting sound as much as changiing speakers, but after reading Amir's review, I guess PS Audio has actually managed to produce an especially incompetent piece of rubbish (LOL - I sound like TLSGuy)!
After paying $1600 (MSRP) for it, I suspect most owners take for granted that it is an exceptionally high quality unit! I'd bet the DAC in an $80 Sony BD Player will easily outperform this unit!

 

[mtrot]

I was going to disagree with you that any modern DAC could come close to affecting sound as much as changiing speakers, but after reading Amir's review, I guess PS Audio has actually managed to produce an especially incompetent piece of trash (LOL - I sound like TLSGuy)!
After paying $1600 (MSRP) for it, I suspect most owners take for granted that it is an exceptionally high quality unit! I'd bet the DAC in an $80 Sony BD Player will easily outperform this unit!

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what to do, i.e., try a better DAC or get rid of both my DAC and power amp and go with a nice integrated amp. Whatever I get, it has to have home theater bypass.

I do feel like I hear some degree of mid-range distortion especially with music with multiple vocalists, especially female vocalists. Just a sort of "grainy" sound to it.

 

[AVUser001]

Yep, the front end is critical. Speakers are not going to transform a mediocre front end into great sound.

One of the things I got right in audio was spending my big bucks on the electronics. Normally people advise getting the best speakers you can. But I've always found that tends to get folks on the speaker carousel. You hear the biggest difference between speakers, but any decent speaker will really show off what you're pushing them with.

I firmly believe , the biggest impacts to SQ will come from , ( the order is not very important - they all have huge impacts)
1) Source material
2) Speakers
3) Room

Electronics ( DAC , Pre-Amp, Amp etc) are important , no doubt , but as long as they dont add or subtract to the signal ie be transparent and do what they are meant to do only and not introduce audible distortion/clipping( some call it coloration ) , then they have done their job perfectly and cant expect them to improve SQ beyond that ..be it a $500 well measuring DAC vs $5000 well measuring DAC.

You're right, if the front-end (including the source) is crappy - then the speaker cant fix that.

Expensive electronics doesnt guarantee sq either. ASR just posted how a low priced Denon AVR 3600 outperformed much more expensive AVRs.
Just in this thread, you posted how the $1700 PS Audio DAC - measured terribly and you were looking for upgrade!

I dont deny sometimes, you may need to spend more $ to get the build quality , reliability, local service & support , along with "transparent" quality (ie well measuring)..., but these days, there's quality electronics from companies like D&M, Yamaha, Monolith, miniDSP, Outlaw etc at different price points that can compete and in many cases outperform much more expensive gear. Then you have the mid-priced ones like Parasound, Anthem, Benchmark, Bryston, NAD, Arcam, Matrix Audio, Cambridge Audio etc ... Any of these , as long as they measure good is a good bet - doesnt have to break the bank!

IF we get all of these correct and the room acoustics is bad - all bets are off! all $$$ went into ditch!

 

[Hench4Life]

I completely agree the room is as vital a component as anything else. LOL, I'm digging the "cave" effect right now, but that'll wear thin real soon! The single biggest change in my audio path was a dedicated listening room, right down to the dedicated breaker just for the electronics. The entire room was separate from the rest of the house. Talk about a dark background!

What I'm finding (and dang, these speakers are amazing!) is that I recognize the sound of the BAT electronics. I know people that know better say amps all sound the same, but dang, it's like an old friend is back. Except, she cleaned up, worked out, learned to model and cook in France and then showed up at my doorstep!

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what to do, i.e., try a better DAC or get rid of both my DAC and power amp and go with a nice integrated amp. Whatever I get, it has to have home theater bypass.

I do feel like I hear some degree of mid-range distortion especially with music with multiple vocalists, especially female vocalists. Just a sort of "grainy" sound to it.

I think that's mildly shocking about the PS Audio DAC, well maybe not mildly shocking. I guess I should say it figures knowing Paul. Sometimes it seems like they throw $%¢# at the wall to see what sticks.

Right now I'm indecently happy with the Topping D70 for a "budget" DAC. I know it measured quite well at ASR, (thanks for the recommend Amir!) and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the build as well. I expected a tiny little flimsy unit, that's not what I got. I would have stuck out waiting for the new D90, if I wasn't going insane with cabin fever. There's an awful lot of compelling mid-range DACs that seem to pack a whallop for the price. Anyway, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Topping. 30% the price of the PS audio and this combo sounds far more analog than my OPPO ever did. I'll be really interested to see how the D90 measures up in the full review.

What I'm hearing now with some of my better recorded rips (again, my current library is limited) is mind boggling (I have a tiny mind!). I just listened to Casualties of Cool, and the amount of texture going on was crazy. I know it's cliche to say I heard things I never heard before, but dang. I heard things I never heard before. Little clicks, banjo plucks, typewriters, things just hang in the air. I could hear the spit in their mouths. So at least for the moment, the DAC should suffice! I'm pleased with that little investment to get me up and running.

I hope rightslot is as happy with his 1028's as I am, these speakers are a blast! I probably have a slight advantage in that mine are broken in.

 

[AVUser001]

What I'm finding (and dang, these speakers are amazing!) is that I recognize the sound of the BAT electronics. I know people that know better say amps all sound the same, but dang, it's like an old friend is back.

Frankly, thats a very loaded statement from people - doesnt hold good in all conditions, should be qualified, for that to be true.

To that , I like this answer from Bob Cordell

Do all SS amps sound the same?

No, because they all misbehave differently. However, well-designed SS amps operating well below clipping, that are not misbehaving, and which have high damping factor across the band, will tend to sound the same. Note that some very expensive SS amps do not meet the criteria of this caveat - sometimes as a result of misguided design decisions intended to "improve" the sound. A very expensive no-feedback SS amp may sound different because it has a low damping factor, which in turn will cause coloration when the varying impedance of a loudspeaker is being driven. Some people might mistake this coloration for "better", but is merely a departure from accuracy. Different SS amplifiers will often sound different if they are driven into clipping (which happens more often than some realize). Some amplifiers clip more gracefully than others. The same thing applies to amplifiers that include protection circuits. Some amplifiers in the 70's had protection circuits that could manufacture a violent spike when they engaged. Urban legend has it that they were sometimes called "tweeter-eaters". Finally, some (often high-end) amplifiers are designed with inadequate stability margin when driving capacitive loads, like some boutique speaker cables. Stability may have been sacrificed in a misguided attempt to make them somehow more transparent to high frequencies, for example. These will certainly sound different if they occasionally burst into oscillation.


Flipping the coin over, what does make an amp sound great?
Absence of any kind of misbehavior and graceful clipping, lots of power, high current capability, graceful or no protection circuits, absence of coloration (flat frequency response when driving actual speaker loads), and stability under capacitive loads. Added features making for good sound include good power supply reserve, good power supply line layout and very stable feedback. All of this is achievable with good solid engineering design, with attention to detail, but without resort to black magic. Some of it costs money, like a good power supply and large heat sinks that allow transistors to be well-biased and still run reasonably cool. More output transistors in the output stage costs more, but reduces the need for intrusive protection circuits.

I think that's mildly shocking about the PS Audio DAC, well maybe not mildly shocking. I guess I should say it figures knowing Paul. Sometimes it seems like they throw $%¢# at the wall to see what sticks.

I wasnt surprised ;-)

Right now I'm indecently happy with the Topping D70 for a "budget" DAC. I know it measured quite well at ASR, (thanks for the recommend Amir!) and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the build as well. I expected a tiny little flimsy unit, that's not what I got. I would have stuck out waiting for the new D90, if I wasn't going insane with cabin fever. There's an awful lot of compelling mid-range DACs that seem to pack a whallop for the price. Anyway, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Topping. 30% the price of the PS audio and this combo sounds far more analog than my OPPO ever did. I'll be really interested to see how the D90 measures up in the full review.

Topping , RME ADI-2 , MiniDSP SHD , Matrix Audio , Okto research ,Chord - all top notch dedicated DACs.
In the end , I ended up with MiniDSP SHD - for the reasons I had outlined in my thread on that earlier...A top measuring DAC, with Streamer, PreAmp , DIRAC Live room correction and ton of Input/Ouput. I was going back & forth between Topping, RME & MiniDSP..for my 2 channel setup ,in the end Dirac won out.

What I'm hearing now with some of my better recorded rips (again, my current library is limited) is mind boggling (I have a tiny mind!). I just listened to Casualties of Cool, and the amount of texture going on was crazy. I know it's cliche to say I heard things I never heard before, but dang. I heard things I never heard before. Little clicks, banjo plucks, typewriters, things just hang in the air. I could hear the spit in their mouths. So at least for the moment, the DAC should suffice! I'm pleased with that little investment to get me up and running.

Hey , thats your Focal doing that...not the DAC ;-)

 

[mtrot]

I completely agree the room is as vital a component as anything else. LOL, I'm digging the "cave" effect right now, but that'll wear thin real soon! The single biggest change in my audio path was a dedicated listening room, right down to the dedicated breaker just for the electronics. The entire room was separate from the rest of the house. Talk about a dark background!

What I'm finding (and dang, these speakers are amazing!) is that I recognize the sound of the BAT electronics. I know people that know better say amps all sound the same, but dang, it's like an old friend is back. Except, she cleaned up, worked out, learned to model and cook in France and then showed up at my doorstep!



I think that's mildly shocking about the PS Audio DAC, well maybe not mildly shocking. I guess I should say it figures knowing Paul. Sometimes it seems like they throw $%¢# at the wall to see what sticks.

Right now I'm indecently happy with the Topping D70 for a "budget" DAC. I know it measured quite well at ASR, (thanks for the recommend Amir!) and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the build as well. I expected a tiny little flimsy unit, that's not what I got. I would have stuck out waiting for the new D90, if I wasn't going insane with cabin fever. There's an awful lot of compelling mid-range DACs that seem to pack a whallop for the price. Anyway, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Topping. 30% the price of the PS audio and this combo sounds far more analog than my OPPO ever did. I'll be really interested to see how the D90 measures up in the full review.

What I'm hearing now with some of my better recorded rips (again, my current library is limited) is mind boggling (I have a tiny mind!). I just listened to Casualties of Cool, and the amount of texture going on was crazy. I know it's cliche to say I heard things I never heard before, but dang. I heard things I never heard before. Little clicks, banjo plucks, typewriters, things just hang in the air. I could hear the spit in their mouths. So at least for the moment, the DAC should suffice! I'm pleased with that little investment to get me up and running.

I hope rightslot is as happy with his 1028's as I am, these speakers are a blast! I probably have a slight advantage in that mine are broken in.

Yeah, if it even measured in the middle of the pack of DACs, I wouldn't worry about upgrading my DAC, and would rightly look at other factors to improve my sound quality. But not only does it measure abysmally in terms of SINAD(at 58) among DACs, it actually measures worse than all but one of the AVRs that have been tested over at ASR. Because of that, I feel I have to at least try out an actual high performing DAC to see if I can discern any difference. If I cannot discern any difference, then I can look at other factors.

 

[AVUser001]

Yeah, if it even measured in the middle of the pack of DACs, I wouldn't worry about upgrading my DAC, and would rightly look at other factors to improve my sound quality. But not only does it measure abysmally in terms of SINAD(at 58) among DACs, it actually measures worse than all but one of the AVRs that have been tested over at ASR. Because of that, I feel I have to at least try out an actual high performing DAC to see if I can discern any difference. If I cannot discern any difference, then I can look at other factors.

I briefly looked at the PS Audio DAC you mentioned - wow ..it measured close to the worst . The reported SINAD is far too low - audible distortion , no way around it. You're definitely better off , replacing it with something like Topping D90 or miniDSP or some of the SMSL ones that measure much much better and far cheaper.

Not sure what other capabilities you're looking for in the DAC ..streaming ? Preamp ? Volume control ? Input/Outputs ? Room correction ? Budget ? ...but you have plenty of better options. The same thread at ASR lists all those DACs - anything in the blue & green region will be much better than what you have - you just need to match your requirements with what those DACs offer and go from there ( & sell off your PS audio DAC)

 

[mtrot]

I briefly looked at the PS Audio DAC you mentioned - wow ..it measured close to the worst . The reported SINAD is far too low - audible distortion , no way around it. You're definitely better off , replacing it with something like Topping D90 or miniDSP or some of the SMSL ones that measure much much better and far cheaper.

Not sure what other capabilities you're looking for in the DAC ..streaming ? Preamp ? Volume control ? Input/Outputs ? Room correction ? Budget ? ...but you have plenty of better options. The same thread at ASR lists all those DACs - anything in the blue & green region will be much better than what you have - you just need to match your requirements with what those DACs offer and go from there ( & sell off your PS audio DAC)

Thanks for taking the time to review this. Since this DAC is part of my family room A/V system, I need some analog inputs and home theater bypass function. I'm thinking to order a Benchmark DAC3 on Monday, as it offers those features and also measures near the top of the list. Benchmark offers a 30 day trial, so I can send it back if it doesn't work out well for me.

 

[rightslot]

So far about an album side in I'm pretty impressed and they sound exactly as I'd imagined. That Focal voicing is so sweet! Of course, I can't get any furniture until the lockdown is over, although a big area rug for my living room arrived, so it'll probably come out here until the really big one shows up. Painting will be happening soon, so I can get the drapes up.

Now I've got to figure this whole streaming thing out - I'm thoroughly confused. At least I had a bunch or ripped CD's and ripped a few more, so that should keep me a little entertained. I'm sorry most of it is "driving" music. I'm playing Ambrosia Somewhere I've Never Traveled, and the Alan Parson's production is just nuts.View attachment 35484View attachment 35485

Wow, HIGH ceilings like me. How are the speakers handling that? Do you find that you're turning the volume up higher than you would in an older home with lower ceilings and WTW carpet? Much of mine is hardwood floor too. ??

 

[AVUser001]

Thanks for taking the time to review this. Since this DAC is part of my family room A/V system, I need some analog inputs and home theater bypass function. I'm thinking to order a Benchmark DAC3 on Monday, as it offers those features and also measures near the top of the list. Benchmark offers a 30 day trial, so I can send it back if it doesn't work out well for me.

Did you consider a switch such as this https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Audio-Balanced-Converter-Selector/dp/B07R1XCNHG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=nobsound+switch&qid=1587472109&sr=8-6
, instead of HT bypass ?

I dont have experience with such, as I maintain separate setups for 2 channel vs HT applications, but it the switch may have less noise..

Ofcourse with Benchmark DAC3, you get a top of the line DAC but were you considering this DAC, just for HT bypass ?

 

[mtrot]

Did you consider a switch such as this https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Audio-Balanced-Converter-Selector/dp/B07R1XCNHG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=nobsound+switch&qid=1587472109&sr=8-6
, instead of HT bypass ?

I dont have experience with such, as I maintain separate setups for 2 channel vs HT applications, but it the switch may have less noise..

Ofcourse with Benchmark DAC3, you get a top of the line DAC but were you considering this DAC, just for HT bypass ?

Thanks. The only XLR connection I have is from the PS Audio DAC/pre-amp to my power amp. So, I'm not sure how I would use that device.

As to the Benchmark, it also can drive my power amp directly, so it can also serve as a pre-amp like the PS Audio.

 

[AVUser001]

Thanks. The only XLR connection I have is from the PS Audio DAC/pre-amp to my power amp. So, I'm not sure how I would use that device.

As to the Benchmark, it also can drive my power amp directly, so it can also serve as a pre-amp like the PS Audio.

Certainly the Benchmark DAC can drive the amps directly - as is with many of the decent DACs that double up as Preamp , with sufficient o/p voltage. What is your amp and Voltage sensitivity?

Where I was going with that thinking was, you could get a much cheaper DAC/PreAmp combo that measures equally as good and has min 2v o/p and use an external switch. I ended up with a miniDSP SHD as DSP/DAC/PreAmp/Streamer combo , to drive my amp directly ..and has Dirac Live room correction, which was important to me..

There might be other switches that handle both XLR & RCA. Far cheaper soln that HT bypass in PreAmp.

Just some options.. But if you end up with Benchmark DAC3 - thats one industrial DAC/Preamp from a very reputed company with solid customer service - to my understanding and you'dnt be disappointed!

 

[mtrot]

Certainly the Benchmark DAC can drive the amps directly - as is with many of the decent DACs that double up as Preamp , with sufficient o/p voltage. What is your amp and Voltage sensitivity?

Where I was going with that thinking was, you could get a much cheaper DAC/PreAmp combo that measures equally as good and has min 2v o/p and use an external switch. I ended up with a miniDSP SHD as DSP/DAC/PreAmp/Streamer combo , to drive my amp directly ..and has Dirac Live room correction, which was important to me..

There might be other switches that handle both XLR & RCA. Far cheaper soln that HT bypass in PreAmp.

Just some options.. But if you end up with Benchmark DAC3 - thats one industrial DAC/Preamp from a very reputed company with solid customer service - to my understanding and you'dnt be disappointed!

Thanks again. The problem is that I'm not technically adept and I don't understand anything about putting together the stuff you are talking about. I just need a simple solution to replace my miserably measuring PS Audio unit. Benchmark offers a 30 day trial, so if I can't tell any audible improvement, I can send it back anyway.

One other option I'm considering is an Anthem STR pre-amp or STR integrated amp, either of which would allow me to connect my turntable directly, instead of how I currently have it connected to my AVR. I would think that the phono stage in either of those would be better than the phono stage in my AVR. This option would also allow me to go with a moving coil cartridge. With my AVR, I can only use a moving magnet cartridge. And the Anthem units also have the home theater bypass feature.

 

[Hench4Life]

Wow, HIGH ceilings like me. How are the speakers handling that? Do you find that you're turning the volume up higher than you would in an older home with lower ceilings and WTW carpet? Much of mine is hardwood floor too. ??

It's funny you mention this as that's what I anticipated. But no, I'm enjoying at whisper levels up to moderate. I'm shocked at how efficient these speakers seem to be. My moderate listening volume setting (15 on the readout) is the same I had in a dedicated 12x17ish room with an 11' ceiling running Thiel 2 2's. That room was basically inert (full carpet, all walls, floor, ceiling insulated), and the Thiels apparently less efficient.

Of course I'll be putting in furniture, drapes, rugs, artwork etc. to help tame the echo, it's a pretty lively room. No3's would have been too much. The reflections overall aren't as bad as I had first anticipated in this room, I suppose because the reflective surfaces are so far away! The soundstage is very high (I assume because of ceiling), deep and very holographic, but nowhere near as amazing as the Thiels in the old room. With some tweaking I think that'll be resolved.

I had originally intended to set up in my living room, which is approx 12W x 16L x 12H with one mostly open side. I figured between the 2 rooms, it would be the easiest to tame. But now I've got these in the family room, I can tell they'd be monstrous overkill in the living room. So, since the living room is wired for HT, I'll go ahead and put in a 7.2 in there!

I think the one thing that's really going to take getting used to is the slab floors. I'm so used to the floors being part of the sound it's kinda weird. Once I've settled on the location (considering reversing it) I'll start to play around with spikes, no spikes, maybe isoacoustic thingies?

 

[rightslot]

Hmmm. Reading all and talking to many different retailers {slanted views??}

Why? ‘cause I’m still not sure that I’m hearing the fidelity I can get for my $$$$.$$.

Interesting discussion today regarding Focal 1028be—what I have, B&W 702 s2 and Magnepan 1.7i. I was/still may be looking at the Magnepan. Previously had the MMG’s powered by just a receiver. Good but certainly not MAGICAL. Talked to Magnepan directly at that time and told even though it’s only the MMG’s they need power. The serious cars run on high octane. So? Well I didn’t have the Parasound A21 back then, now I do. The 1.7i may happen.

However, the person I spoke to toady stated that the Focal are more accurate. I was stunned. How can that be? Supposedly, the Magnepan while being very airy, definitely have a more colored sound. Wow. Really? I was shocked.

Now I’m not sure what way to go ‘cept that a good preamp with high level DAC will help more than new/different speakers. (Using the Denon 3808ci to steer and as a pre, may be hindering the Focal’s)

Although this hobby is never ending, I WOULD like to reach a holding point for about 5-6 yrs.

Thoughts?

 

[Hench4Life]

I owned Maggie MG3a's for a few years back in the late 80's - early 90's. I had serious amounts of juice going to them, eventually 2 Adcom GFA-555's running in mono. One thing I learned early on was not so much ultimate wattage but current. They need gobs of the stuff in reserve. Even the 2 Adcoms weren't enough (600w each bridged IIRC). I did eventually figure out that although the Adcom had watts out the wazoo and a decent amount of current, I was demoing the speakers with Spectral amps.

Maggies are one of those speakers that require total dedication for full enjoyment. That includes IMHO a dedicated room. I think they simply don't coexist well in a multi purpose environment. At the time, I was living in a 2 bedroom bungalow, with a combo living/dining. Large it was, but plaster walls, hardwood floors and not a lot of ability to add much more than drapes and area rugs. Positioning was what I could get away with. I actually wound up giving them away to a friend along with one of the Adcoms.

After extensive demonstrations at a variety of boutiques (ah, the good old days) I settled on Thiel 2 2's and never looked back. They absolutely trounced the Maggies in most departments. They weren't particularly efficient speakers either, but in terms of speed, dynamics, rhythm and glorious soundstage - they killed.

I'll admit the Maggies do some things like no other speaker can, but fall short on others. I'd certainly agree the Focal is a more "accurate" speaker than the Maggies, even if that's a rather broadstroke statement. I would have no qualms about putting Focal at the very top of production speakers.

IMO the Electra's are some of the nicest speakers Focal has ever made (that you don't need to take out a second mortgage for that is). I think the main reason for discontinuing was they're too expensive to continue producing domestically at the price range. Flax can be mass produced - well at least mass produced in terms of handmade the way Focal does it. It probably takes 2-3 fewer steps TBH.

I'd think your Parasound is enough amp to work with nearly any modern speaker you decide on. The Halo A21 was one of 2 finalists when I was choosing new amps. I'd think it would have no problem pushing Maggies depending of course on the room size/configuration.

As far as a preamp and DAC, I think those are really going to depend on the speaker you choose. I'm really familiar with the B+W's, having lived in proximity to some 804's for several years. TBH, I'd give the Electra Be's the nod over those in a heartbeat. The issues opportunities with the beamy pod tweeter and giant midrange have probably already been discussed elsewhere in great detail. In my case, I was amazed by the speakers until the initial dynamism wore off.

So can you hit a holding point for a few years? My Thiels got me 25 years, 15 for amp/pre (which I still love). The Kanta's have absolutely stunned me - I was in disbelief until the wee hours of the morning as I played record after record. They're incredibly musical, and if they're picky as far as setup (some have accused it as such) then I have an awful lot to look forward to! Don't sell your listening room short though, if you've not invested in it then you might very well find your next set of speakers still isn't doing it for you. In the years I've been doing this I've found the people swapping out speakers frequently are blaming the speakers, not the room for the poor performance.

 

[rightslot]

Well, I certainly hope I made the right decision. My patience got the better of me today/tonight, and I broke down and brought a Denafrips Ares II DAC. The purchase was quick, but the thinking prior had been long. (long for me anyway).

Purchased a pair of Focal 1028be 'bout three weeks ago. I knew about 3 days in that I needed more. The speakers, sure enough, filled the room OK, but there was/is a certain amount of compression (muddiness {too strong a word} ) And I know they could sound better. I talked to quite a few online and local. Most thought the weak link in my system is my receiver. Just happens to be a Denon, but that's not the point. It's a 2008 model and the internal DAC just isn't that strong. It seems to be the consensus.

So I've been on the reading campaign and YouTube watching 'till my eyes didn't respond to redeye relief drops or other more powerful optical drugs.

Wow! The electronic world. The more I read, the more I found. Most of your guys know this already, but you should protect your loved ones 'because it's obvious to me--DAC's are taking over the world. Seems it wasn't that long ago that only the real fat cats--$$$$$ could afford this resolving, opening up, not necessary, but oh so nice, accessory.

Now, with so much tech and so much--be honest--experimentation, the DAC world is much more affordable for us mere mortals.

I was stuck on some of the higher-level names until I fell upon a review/video for the Denafrips Ares II in fact I was almost at the final checkout for a AudioMirror Tubador. This also had good reviews. But my usual stop JUST BEFORE I hit the send button on my payment, I hold that web page and do a last-second check.

Of course, the net is full of stupendous reviews. YouTube is a highlight show. I know. However, the reviews on the Denafrips were/are off the charts. You really have to read between the lines, look hard for what is not said, and compare, compare, compare.

After a while, you begin to see the trees within the forest. And you funnel down to the more respected reviewers. Hard to ignore from some who you respect.

Ordered today. The company is stating back-ordered. It might be 4-weeks. We'll see. I'll check in when it hits my doorstep.

++Oh Yea, Incidentally, I remember the Thiels. The best imaging I had EVER HEARD.

 

[mtrot]

Well, I certainly hope I made the right decision. My patience got the better of me today/tonight, and I broke down and brought a Denafrips Ares II DAC. The purchase was quick, but the thinking prior had been long. (long for me anyway).

Purchased a pair of Focal 1028be 'bout three weeks ago. I knew about 3 days in that I needed more. The speakers, sure enough, filled the room OK, but there was/is a certain amount of compression (muddiness {too strong a word} ) And I know they could sound better. I talked to quite a few online and local. Most thought the weak link in my system is my receiver. Just happens to be a Denon, but that's not the point. It's a 2008 model and the internal DAC just isn't that strong. It seems to be the consensus.

So I've been on the reading campaign and YouTube watching 'till my eyes didn't respond to redeye relief drops or other more powerful optical drugs.

Wow! The electronic world. The more I read, the more I found. Most of your guys know this already, but you should protect your loved ones 'because it's obvious to me--DAC's are taking over the world. Seems it wasn't that long ago that only the real fat cats--$$$$$ could afford this resolving, opening up, not necessary, but oh so nice, accessory.

Now, with so much tech and so much--be honest--experimentation, the DAC world is much more affordable for us mere mortals.

I was stuck on some of the higher-level names until I fell upon a review/video for the Denafrips Ares II in fact I was almost at the final checkout for a AudioMirror Tubador. This also had good reviews. But my usual stop JUST BEFORE I hit the send button on my payment, I hold that web page and do a last-second check.

Of course, the net is full of stupendous reviews. YouTube is a highlight show. I know. However, the reviews on the Denafrips were/are off the charts. You really have to read between the lines, look hard for what is not said, and compare, compare, compare.

After a while, you begin to see the trees within the forest. And you funnel down to the more respected reviewers. Hard to ignore from some who you respect.

Ordered today. The company is stating back-ordered. It might be 4-weeks. We'll see. I'll check in when it hits my doorstep.

++Oh Yea, Incidentally, I remember the Thiels. The best imaging I had EVER HEARD.

Congrats and I hope you love the Aries II. Lots of rave user reviews. It is a completely different design than something like a Benchmark DAC. I think I'm going to try out a Benchmark DAC 3 HGC. They offer a free home trial, so if it does not better my current DAC, I can send it back.