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https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Upgrades and what it can do to a person... https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1324149246 Message started by Matchstikman on 12/17/11 at 19:14:06 |
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Title: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Matchstikman on 12/17/11 at 19:14:06 I come on this website and see some mighty fine stuff. I've had my eye on the ZDAC for a bit because I want to start up a digital library but haven't gotten around to it. For the most part I own more than a few Decware products and I dare say that none of them are even available for sale any longer, but they sound great and I am lucky, I have ears of tin. However, I can tell the difference between solid state and tubes. That is for sure. But I can't readily tell the difference between this tube and that tube and I can't tell the difference that much between this tube amp and that tube amp. So, I stay where I am. In the last few years I jumped off the upgrade wagon which can take control of a person like nobody's business. I am where I am right now and I dare say I am good with it. Mostly, I have worked on room control which has been beneficial to the music and I have concentrated on the music more than what plays the music. For some time I have thought about a new CDP but haven't pulled the trigger because I don't think that may be the way to go any longer which is why I desire the ZDAC. How about you guys? How is the upgrade addiction going? |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Donnie on 12/18/11 at 00:12:05 Matchstickman, I'm thinking about upgrading my DAC from a ZDAC. We might be able to work something out here. Of course my ZDAC is broken at the moment, I really need to send it back to the Mother Ship to get it fixed before it's warrenty runs out. But then I will need to figure out what to get to replace it. Any ideas out there? I guess I need to come up with some kind of budget for the next DAC. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Dave Evans on 12/18/11 at 13:03:18 As silly as it sounds I still use an old Maranz CD52SE 11 and it sound great to my ears, I have read many times about guys taking a sideways step and spending loads to do it, I have recently changed all the tubes in my SE84c and it sounds great but then again it also did before the change, i'm not one for upgrading much but I do feel a SUT for my AT33PTG would give an improvement to my vinyl replay, but I would like to hear one at home first, I have been on that "upgrade wagon" and wasted large amounts of money but thats a thing of the past. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Lon on 12/18/11 at 15:20:07 Donnie, have you looked into Wyred for Sound DACs? A friend of mine has one (I've never heard it, he's in Chicago now ans I haven't gotten to visit him yet) and he's really impressed and happy. I have to say that reviews I've read have been intriguing. As for upgrades, I do okay for a while, then get the bug. Now I don't have money to spend as I did before and I'm hoping I can stay away from the bug. I'm VERY happy with both of my systems and it should be easy to stand pat. My last upgrade, moving to the very expensive PS Audio PerfectWave Transport and PerfectWave DAC has been such a flexible option that I am still discovering all I can do with it. There are five different digital filters to play with, there are all the different unpsampling modes (and the option I use most, NON-oversampling mode), and there is the subtle and not so subtle differences that can be explored by using the DAC full out into the amp and varying volume at the amp, or vice versa, and shades in between. Remote volume and switching is also a very satisfying aspect of this and one that has me feeling as if I have the convenience of a mass market set up while getting all the wonderful sound possible from the Decware amp and speakers. SHOULD keep me from upgrading for some time to come. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Matchstikman on 12/19/11 at 01:18:43 Donnie, what is your story with the ZDAC? Why are you upgrading? What is better and what is the price point? |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Donnie on 12/20/11 at 00:47:28 Matchstik, My ZDAC has been a up and down deal. When it works it is wonderful. The bad thing is that it has worked less than 3 weeks total since I got it last May. I sent it back once, got it fixed and it ran about another week. Right now I'm stuck between the thought of returning it to be fixed or shooting it full of holes. I once had it sitting at the hot end of my shooting range, but $875 is a lot of money just blow up. So now it sits on my desk taunting me. I've went as far as printing out a return form, but I haven't sent it back yet. As far as a new one, I don't know yet. How much I'll spend? However much as I think a DAC is worth at the time, somewhere between $400 and $5000. I figure that $1200 or there abouts should be a pretty good price point, but if my bank account is charged up at that moment, who knows what I would spend! I really do love how my ZDAC sounds and functions, but I can't be sure that my problems aren't self inflicted, the same problem twice sounds like I'm doing something wrong. Who knows? So I might send it up and get it fixed then sell it, or shoot it for New Years Eve. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Matchstikman on 12/20/11 at 01:33:58 Wow. You are making me re-think the ZDAC. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Donnie on 12/20/11 at 02:21:58 I still figure it is something I'm doing wrong. It just doesn't like to lock on to my equipment. It sounds wonderful when the stars are aligned. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Rivieraranch on 12/20/11 at 02:24:44 I suppose anything can turn into an obsession. However, in the end, the DECWARE equipment is worth money on the resale market, as are vacuum tubes and other miscellaneous items. It is not like going to the race track or into a casino. Constant upgrading can take over your life, in a certain respect. If you neglect relationships with others and things in general you might get into trouble. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Lon on 12/26/11 at 16:54:26 You're right RR, it's not like we don't have something to show for our money, AS WELL AS so many hours of enjoyment and discovery. I've decided a lot of my "upgraditis" was because I had killer killer amp and speakers and there was no disguising my front end could have been better. Since I've upgraded my front end, I've found my "upgraditis" is at least in remission for a while. . . . :) |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Zenfire on 12/27/11 at 11:38:10 I've been reading up on all the mods possible for the NOS DAC Mhdt Havana, which I just bought used with oil caps mod, and WE 396a tube, and Bendix 2c51 tube to roll, and will be putting into my Decware system in a day or two. Reviews are major positive for it, and here is link mid-thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/310441/mhdt-havana-dac/855 Now I see Mhdt has added in a balanced version of Havana, and added an upgraded version (or a version for higher bit rate lovers) called the Stockholm in the last month, first review is here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/573996/mdht-stockholm-new-dac-w-asynch-usb-input/45 I would love a ZDAC, so if you decide to sell, and Steve can guarantee me a fix or 2 if it keeps crashing, I may take a risk on it -- or someone else with a ZDAC for sale is reading this, let me know. Happy New Year All! Z |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Pale Rider on 12/27/11 at 17:38:44 Lon quipped: Quote:
Yesterday, I put together some nice new barstools my wife got me for Christmas. Well made, and I enjoy the "some assembly required" thing, especially since I can listen to my system while doing so. As I did the final rotational tightening of bolts—you know, tighten one bolt, and then move in a pattern, because each tightened bolt produces a little looseness elsewhere—I was reminded of the "upgrade merry-go-round." Lon is right, the Decware equipment is exceptionally revealing, and in my system, when I do a direct comparison of the same file read on my Oppo player versus my PerfectWave DAC, you can hear the difference. The Oppo incorporates a remarkable DAC for its price, but it's no PWDAC. And the Ultra & Torii combo is quite revealing of those differences, not unkindly, but quite clearly. I went on a bit of a "tube bender" over the holidays, and it will be interesting to see what comes out of the new NOS tubes I bought. The good news is that my wallet is DOA, and so my upgradeitis is also temporarily in remission. |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Lon on 12/27/11 at 19:53:58 I really like that analogy of tightening a pattern of bolts. Quite apt! |
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Title: Re: Upgrades and what it can do to a person... Post by Pale Rider on 12/28/11 at 17:06:19 Heh, we'll see if I may have overtightened my own bolts when the Siemens-Halske tubes arrive. |
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