Quality of various DACs in Marantz SR7013, Oppo UDP-203, and NAD C 658.

jmegas

jmegas

Audiophyte
I am just starting to get interested in music streaming. I currently own a Marantz SR7013 with a DAC chipset: Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) AK4458VN DAC; and an OPPO® Digital UDP-203 with a DAC Chipset: “Velvet Sound™” 32-bit premium (I don't know the model number of the chip.) digital-to-analog converters also from AKM [Asahi Kasei Microdevices] of Japan.

I am thinking of adding a NAD C 658 BluOS streamer with a DAC Chipset: ESS ES9028Q2M Sabre 32-Bit DAC.

I know that the DAC is the most important element in the equation but how do I know which DAC is better--and by how much--from another? I would assume the Marantz SR7013 has a pretty good DAC in it at that price point, but I don't know how good? Do AV receivers generally come with pretty good DACs at their price-point?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
With the fire in the AKM factory last year they’ve changed to another DAC manufacturer. If you buy a new Marantz today is not using an AKM chip, unless old stock.
 
jmegas

jmegas

Audiophyte
Thank you! Do you have any idea which AKM chip the OPPO UDP-203 uses? I was wondering whether these manufactures all use the same chips?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Oppo exited that market years ago, sadly, so that model is no longer produced. As for chipset used you’ll have to Google for it.

How a manufacturer implements a DAC is just as important as the chipset itself. There are many examples of using a top of the line DAC chipset in a product with less than mediocre results. The result is a far higher price with nothing to show for it.
 
jmegas

jmegas

Audiophyte
I found out that the OPPO UDP-203 and the Marantz SR7013 *both* use the *same* Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) AK4458VN DAC chip. Therefore, I am trying to figure out whether *any* of the current streamers use a significantly higher quality DAC than the ones I already have.
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
I found out that the OPPO UDP-203 and the Marantz SR7013 *both* use the *same* Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) AK4458VN DAC chip. Therefore, I am trying to figure out whether *any* of the current streamers use a significantly higher quality DAC than the ones I already have.
As I wrote it depends more on just the DAC chipset used, and how you intend to connect your streamer.

Here is a review of the SR-7015 with the same DAC chipset, but does not have a good implementation and could have been better. How audible it is is another matter.


The OPPO UDP-203 has a better implementation, but if you use it only as a transport (connect with HDMI) it is not used and does not matter. In this case you use the DAC functionality in the Marantz.

 
cpp

cpp

Audioholic Ninja
As I wrote it depends more on just the DAC chipset used, and how you intend to connect your streamer.

Here is a review of the SR-7015 with the same DAC chipset, but does not have a good implementation and could have been better. How audible it is is another matter.


The OPPO UDP-203 has a better implementation, but if you use it only as a transport (connect with HDMI) it is not used and does not matter. In this case you use the DAC functionality in the Marantz.

Agree its all about the implementation of the chip with the rest of the components in the DAC, AVR, CD Player or Streamer etc.. .
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
I've streamed Apple Music and iTunes to an OPPO-205 DAC, a Marantz NR1200 DAC, Airport Express DAC, and a Parasound P6 DAC. It all sounds the same; but since the OPPO-205 does not manage bass from sources connected to its usb B input, and the Marantz has no usb input at rear as needed, I mostly use the Parasound to enjoy Lossless and Hi-Res streams from Apple Music these days.
 
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