In Reply to: Delta-Sigma vs. R2R posted by scriabin on February 12, 2024 at 09:31:57:
"So, after this long write-up is D/S inferior to R2R?"No. You cannot come to that conclusion because R2R, ESS chip, AKM chip, BB chip, Analog Devices, Cirrus Logic, etc., are only one piece of the finished product. The all important analog stage and PSU have to be taken into consideration and how the DAC is 'voiced' by the manufacturer.
That being said I was less than impressed with two R2R DACs I had in my system. I've also had a few ESS DACs. Some were excellent and others 'thin' as you described. But that goes for AKM based DACs too (I've had more than one). Which brings me back to my original comment that you have to take the entire product into consideration including the all important analog stage and manufacturer 'voicing'.
BAT are known to be more lush to dark. In comparison other brands like Benchmark will be more 'neutral' but compared to BAT might sound 'thin' or 'lean' to some. In my experience PS Audio tends to 'voice' their products a little more on the full-bodied and robust side w/o being over the top.
Pick your poison but don't base it solely on the D/S DAC chip brand or R2R technology.
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Follow Ups
- RE: Delta-Sigma vs. R2R - AbeCollins 02/12/2410:01:28 02/12/24 (29)
- Voicing shmoicing - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 11:04:16 02/12/24 (28)
- Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - AbeCollins 12:10:08 02/12/24 (27)
- R2R is not just discrete! - morricab 06:55:57 02/14/24 (4)
- Not all but many are discrete - RE: R2R is not just discrete! - AbeCollins 12:42:38 02/15/24 (3)
- RE: Not all but many are discrete - RE: R2R is not just discrete! - morricab 07:10:24 02/16/24 (2)
- RE: Not all but many are discrete - RE: R2R is not just discrete! - AbeCollins 13:37:58 02/16/24 (1)
- RE: Not all but many are discrete - RE: R2R is not just discrete! - morricab 13:20:21 02/18/24 (0)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 15:34:51 02/12/24 (20)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - morricab 06:59:09 02/14/24 (0)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - E-Stat 13:21:28 02/13/24 (16)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - morricab 07:04:35 02/14/24 (0)
- More an audiophile laundry list than insight - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 16:41:52 02/13/24 (14)
- For the past fifty years - E-Stat 06:32:38 02/14/24 (13)
- A stiff PSU is a good goal but there are no linear circuits that are not also 'corrected' in some way (nt) - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 09:46:50 02/14/24 (12)
- Hence the use of the term "minimum" - E-Stat 13:28:59 02/14/24 (11)
- Feedback conundrum - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 16:29:31 02/14/24 (10)
- Hence the use of the term "applied" - E-Stat 06:21:15 02/15/24 (0)
- RE: Feedback - Part 4 - tketcham 04:35:09 02/15/24 (7)
- A nice summary and exemplary non-guruship - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 11:45:33 02/15/24 (0)
- RE: Feedback - Part 4 - Story 06:09:53 02/15/24 (5)
- RE: Feedback - Part 4 - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 11:56:24 02/15/24 (4)
- RE: Feedback - Part 4 - morricab 07:24:38 02/16/24 (3)
- Sort of-ish - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 14:52:23 02/16/24 (2)
- RE: Sort of-ish - morricab 13:14:23 02/18/24 (1)
- RE: Sort of-ish - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 00:01:37 02/19/24 (0)
- RE: Feedback conundrum - AbeCollins 22:25:53 02/14/24 (0)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - AbeCollins 20:12:37 02/12/24 (1)
- RE: Most manufacturers don't talk about it but voicing is real..... - morricab 07:07:55 02/14/24 (0)
- +1! nt - chocolate_lover 13:14:39 02/12/24 (0)