'Entry Level' DAC Comparison - Results

[Devlon]

AsSiMiLaTeD did you ever get your review finished on the Audio GD NFB 3?

[Devlon]

[QUOTE=heiney9;1783248]I love the Keces DA-151. It's just a very "correct" sounding dac. Dead neutral, great soundstage, great bass, smooth, open and my favorite description is "effortless". The music just flows naturally. It edged out the Audio GD NFB-3 in just about every area.

Attention to design details and high quality parts sets this above all in it's price class and many that punch higher. It's a superb sounding USB dac. Surprised the hell out of me and continues to everytime I listen.

H9, read with a lot of interest your post about the Keces DAC. After researching the reviews I decided to buy one. But where? I am unable to find anywhere on the net where to go to purchase these. Any suggestions?

[heiney9]

I love the Keces DA-151. It's just a very "correct" sounding dac. Dead neutral, great soundstage, great bass, smooth, open and my favorite description is "effortless". The music just flows naturally. It edged out the Audio GD NFB-3 in just about every area.

Attention to design details and high quality parts sets this above all in it's price class and many that punch higher. It's a superb sounding USB dac. Surprised the hell out of me and continues to everytime I listen.

H9, read with a lot of interest your post about the Keces DAC. After researching the reviews I decided to buy one. But where? I am unable to find anywhere on the net where to go to purchase these. Any suggestions?

It seems David Keces no longer offers those products at this time. I guess used is the only choice right now. Maybe send him and email through the website.

H9

[tonyb]

Well well....looky what the cat dragged in. Where ya been bro ? Those circus midgets have you all tied up ?

[ViperZ]

Nice to see the results on Oppo 83SE. But now the BDP-105 is out with its newest and best DACs...

[tot_acelasi]

@AsSiMLaTeD Can you explain more the differences from Bifrost and Peachtree ? I have Bifrost now and I like very much the detail from sound, but it is a bit bright and I want more bas. Can be Peachtree a good choice ? Or should I try the Schiit Gungir ?

[Lost240]

Great write up! I love the Peachtree Audio Dac it

[11tsteve]

anyone notice a burn-in difference with the Peachtree, or was it pretty remarkable right out of the box? I have a decently burned in Bifrost and a Dac-it with not too many hours on it, and at the moment, though there are some improvements spatially and in the low end with the Peachtree, I have to say the Bifrost is definitely more musical as they are right now.

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

If you're hearing the Bifrost as more musical then something is amiss. I could see someone liking it better because it has slightly more sparkle on the high end, but I find it much more forward sounding and a little thin compared to the warmer more musical sound of the Peachtree.

Unless of course by musical you mean forward sounding, but musical is generally described as a warmer less analytical sound.

[11tsteve]

it has changed some over the week i have been listening, but no, i pretty much meant what i described. musical is not what i am hearing from the Peachtree, though its better now...

before it started improving....one example of what i mean. the Dac-it sounds just a bit "hot" to me... such as the leading edge of "S" in vocals are overly pronounced, and cymbals sizzle a bit too much. the Bifrost in general, is much more laid back.

again, this was through phones, Polk 11T's, and Infinity RSb. if we were talking a huge difference in accuracy, i would say perhaps the Peachtree were exposing weaknesses in my system. but we are talking musicality, so my expectation was for the Peachtree to perhaps warm up the somewhat lean sound of the Acurus RL11. i did not expect the opposite.
my next step is to try a new cable and get away from this Tributaries TOSLINK...

[11tsteve]

forgot to ask... what are the possibilities for something else being amiss?