Chord DAC64

OK, I caved in and bought one There was a MkII (updated version with power switch and dual BNC inputs for 192kHz inputs) on eBay which I just couldn't resist. At £1370 I reckon it was a bargain

So, thanks to everyone for all the advice I got on upgrading my digital source (https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?threadid=220) and sorry that I ignored most of it

I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't go out and listen to all that wonderful kit but constantly travelling back and forth from Lisbon to London it would have taken me forever and in the end I'd already heard the DAC64 and loved it so when a cheap one came up I just had to get it. I guess I could still audition all that kit at home, with the added advantage of being able to compare it to the DAC64 and I could always sell the DAC64 for pretty much what I bought it for if I found something that beat it but somehow I don't think that's going to happen :MILD:

I posted a short review of the DAC64 over on GH when I first had a chance to listen to one at home and unfortunately that's now disappeared into the ether and I can't really remember what I said

Suffice it to say I'm blown away. It really does sound utterly brilliant. I can't say it sounds better than everything else I auditioned, because I didn't audition anything else but it sounds a hell of a lot better than my Tag DAC20 and is up there with the best sounds I've ever heard.

The outstanding attributes are music, music and, ahem, MUSIC! So much life and energy there it's incredible. Some people have said it sounds like analogue. Since I've never heard an analogue setup that I remotely thought was any good I can't comment but if good analogue sounds like the DAC64 then it must be pretty good All the usual suspects (imaging, soundstage, detail, clarity, bass extension and tightness, clear treble etc) are there in spades and way better than anything I'd heard before on my system but it's really the way it communicates the music that makes it so special. I LOVE it!

Now all I need is to find a decent s/h Teac VRDS transport before timpy sees it and I'll be sorted.

btw, as an interesting aside, I have some digital cables from Tone to test and I'd played around with them a bit using the DAC20 and couldn't really hear a huge difference over my existing LAT DI-20 balanced. On the DAC64 though, Tone's (and timpy's I guess) Liberator balanced was miles better More on that in a separate thread though...

Michael.

 

Good stuff Michael, another satisfied user of kit designed by Rob Watts (ex dpa) :banana:

when the sad day arrives and my current dac dies, the dac 64 is one of the things on the shortlist for audition. I need to hear it in my system though to check whether the upper frequency hardness which I have detected on previous listens is a problem for me.

How do you find the buffer? is it easy to get used to? are you on the max setting?

Cheers,

Robbo

 

Indeed - a Robert Watts masterpiece...he very modestly called the special digital filter it uses the "Watts Transient Alignment or WTA filter"

I certainly don't hear any upper frequency hardness with my DAC64 and didn't with the other example (an earlier model without the power switch etc) I heard in my system. TBH I thought that was just one of WMs myths

I've certainly never heard it mentioned in any reviews or on other forums (eg AudioAsylum where most people love it to bits). The only reference to a similar thing I've seen is the Stereophile review but that was on an early model which had a fault. The fixed model they then went on to review properly didn't have any similar issues.

The buffer takes a bit of getting used to. I've only tried it on the max. (4 seconds) setting so far. It's slightly odd when you stop a CD or change tracks and it doesn't happen right away. I can even eject the CD and it still plays on for another 4 seconds It's not really an issue though, especially not when it sounds so good

Michael.

 

The hifi news review mentions the hardness as well. If you have got a well balanced (ie not bright) system it may not be a problem though.

 

Is that review online? If not, which edition was it in? Could only find HFC, Stereophile and HF+ online.

At any rate, I don't find it bright or hard in my system

Michael.

 

Its on the chord website. well at least it was the last time I looked. They still loved it though

 

Cheers - I found it now :shame:

Michael.

 

Michael,

I have just been over to the chord website and it looks like you are going to have to spend some more money on the new matching transport! it looks tasty.

http://195.40.133.90/website/main-newsupdate.htm

 

I knew they had one in the works...didn't know it was official yet though. Damn - it does look tasty. Will have to audition one of those of course....

Michael

 

looks like a toploader as well

 

Tut Tut Micheal, you should know better, However I'm not the only only person to notice it
Along with cables can't make any difference because of the FIFIO buffer. but thats for another day
Glad your enjoying it, now you can start to discover all your cd's again

 

Hi Michael,

Welcome to Chord Dac64 owners club.

You will start to enjoy your cd collection more from now on.

I must admit that buffer got me me for a few weeks. You would put a cd in & wonder why it wasn't playing then eject it only to hear it start as the cd draw pops out. Spooky!

I have stated before that I don't suffer from this hardness. At a bake off at Julian's, there seem to be some. I put this down to those Neat speaker with the metal dome tweeters. We didn't suffer from this at the Bake off at Chris's place. I do think certain system may show this up.

The transport looks interesting but I hear it wouldn't be cheap. (£3000 +). I look forward to having a listen.

All you need is a Fopp to open nearby & you will be laughing.

SCIDB

 

Dean, now at the time both of you would have been using Valve amps possibly? and those nice scanspeak 9500/9900 tweeters?
The Chord Tranny is going to be a lot more than £3k BTW and is about 8 months late already so I believe they do a Dac 64/pre in one box now DSC 1600e? £6k.
Have you heard the Discrete yet Dean?. I feel you should check it out

 

Hi Tony,

Yes the valve amp maybe a factor but it is a interesting point. I have spoken to a few Chord Dac owners & the hardness is something that hasn't been mentioned. All these were solid state owners. Everyones system is different & has many variables, so hardness can occur.

Yes, I did hear that the transport was not cheap but I can't remember the cost. Well I will try & have a listen as there will be interest from a number of customers at my dealers.

As for the Chord Dac In Pre amp box, I have never been over keen on Chord amps. But it's an interesting idea.

The Audio Synthesis Dax Discrete, yes I have heard. It's a quality piece of kit. The version I played with had the built pre amp. This came with a rather sexy remote control.

When I got it, I thought it had analogue inputs like most pre amps but it didn't. I was going to put the Chord Dac into it & use the Discrete directly into my Power amp.

The pre amp on the Discrete is a passive but my power amp responds well to passives. What I did was to set the Discrete output to max then plug the unit into my pre amp. I used both my SJS Electoacoustic Model One & a Modded NVA passive.

First thing I noticed was that the output on the Chord is greater than the Discrete. But this was a minor problem. As for the sound quality, I would say it's another top sounding dac.

The Discrete has a number of switchable filters which alter the sound. It was surprising the difference it could make.

Did I think it was better than the Chord Dac64? Yes & no. I did think that some people would prefer the Discrete to the Chord & vice versa. The Discrete was a Dac that I could listen to all day. I do make me dig out many cds. It offers excellent top to bottom clarity & detail. It does drag you into the music. It doesn't have the ultimate drive & dynamics of the Chord but that not to say it a slouch in that department.

I tried the Discrete directly into the Border Patrol & this produced a big jump in sound quality. The passive section is a corker. It was like taking a veil off the sould quality. It's a shame it didn't have any analogue inputs. I'm going to look into the pre amp side further.

This version of the Discrete cost around £4000. A version without the built in preamp cost around £3000. So it is worth having a look if you are in the market for a Chord alterative.


SCIDB

 

Deans thanks for the reply, that's my point, The 64, has the wow factor no quibble, but for day in day out, I couldn't live it with.
I personaly think a quality pre-amp is needed with the Chord to , bring out and thame the beast.
Running direct gives the dymamics and the attack, but with out the Grain or grit that Can go along with the chain.
Interesting, the MKII with it's 192Khz inputs should prove some what less 'all out' I feel.
Still Feel you should check out the MSB Platunium Link though.
Cheers Tone

 

Interesting, I've just received an offer I couldn't refuse for my Parasound DAC. It's pretty good ia maybe a little err.. sterile. But one thing that emerged at Chris's bake-off was the laid back nature of my Audions. I was wondering whether a DAC64 would be a good match in that respect but have also been recommended to try an MSB link DAC, again, as I understand it a DAC with some drive. I'd probably need to go to the Gold level but for nearly the price over here I could get a Platinum from Audiogon. Also the Platinum has a 110/230v switch so not the usual problem there. Was wondering how good the Platinum is.

 

The platumium IMHO is a must buy (if I didn't have the ability to 'Fart about with stuff) I'd buy one now, and remeber free pre-amp too plus the awesome 133.3 upsample rate trust me it's a douseee Having played with one for a while, it's a quality piece of kit, but really does deserve some quality gear to go with it, but thourly recommended. WM
Jeff, the on A/G you could have to your door, inc vat/shipping and import tax for a mere £2050/£2100 serious bargin mate, well worth a punt, but get in quick.

 

Dean, how have you dealt with the fact that the DAC64's analog outputs (both single ended and balanced) are phase inverted?

I've just switched around the leads on my speakers and TBH it's hard to say if there's a real difference. I'll have to play some more.

I'm tempted to switch the leads back because when I'm watching DVDs my fronts will be out of phase with my rears (and the centre). I suppose I could always phase invert them aswell...

I do wonder why Chord made the outputs phase inverted

Michael.

 

Mike, lots of manufactures do produce Dac's with phase shifters (The wadia and MSB all with quite a few other), mine is adjustable on the remote, I feel it was some thing to do with early digital recordings and how they were 'fettled', so you can adjust the phase setting to suite the recording, it 'appears' to make little or no difference the vast majority of todays recordings Tone

 

Wasn't "love over gold " digitally inverted in the mastering ? as an example.