Author Topic: Shootout Win  (Read 18229 times)

Offline bhobba

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Shootout Win
« on: September 05, 2010, 02:39:47 PM »
Hi Guys.

Some of you may have heard - but this DAC won the shootout at Mikes.  Rather than repeat what has been said on SNA check it out there:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/showthread.php/26992-DAC-Shootout/page4

Thanks
Bill

3bm

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2010, 03:47:52 PM »
Geez it sounds like there was some really solid DAC's there on the day and quite an eye opener

Huge well done to Steven for coming home with the win and very well deserved.


Offline treblid

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2010, 03:48:19 PM »
Hi Guys.

Some of you may have heard - but this DAC won the shootout at Mikes.  Rather than repeat what has been said on SNA check it out there:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/showthread.php/26992-DAC-Shootout/page4

You guys stay until that late.. :p Is that a record for the longest GTG?


crazikid

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2010, 05:39:26 PM »
WOW.. who would have thought..  :P

Offline Jehuty

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2010, 06:13:29 PM »
WOW.. who would have thought..  :P

Lol... yeah who would have thought!  ;D
Not all that matters can be measured, not all that can be measured matters.

Offline kajak12

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2010, 06:39:45 PM »
WOW.. who would have thought..  :P
killer lives on  ;D i am speechless and totally suprised by the outcome.
still discovering the link between electronics and audio reproduction.so much to learn and so little time

Offline bhobba

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2010, 07:17:13 PM »
You guys stay until that late.. :p Is that a record for the longest GTG?

It started winding down quite a bit earlier but the die hards like me held out until about 3.30am then I drove home and posted a few comments before I hit the bed about 5.30 or so.  Slept until 11.30 and started posting further comments till about 3.30 pm then got some lunch down at Sizzlers like I usually do.  Still a bit pooped but winding down now.  Great day but not something you want to do all the time.

Thanks
Bill
« Last Edit: September 06, 2010, 02:34:45 AM by bhobba »

Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2010, 07:25:54 PM »
I think the killerdac forum deserves a full write up.   Crazikid, any chance you can give us your story of how the day/night went down?   We've already read Bills comments over on SNA.
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.

3bm

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2010, 01:25:31 AM »
Thanks very much for your continued commentary throughout and after the event too Bill. Was very well measured and a thoroughly enjoyable read.




Offline bhobba

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #9 on: September 06, 2010, 03:14:46 AM »
Thanks very much for your continued commentary throughout and after the event too Bill. Was very well measured and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thanks mate.  I tried to tell it like I saw it.  This can cause a bit of a problem sometimes. A few issues such as my use of 'analytical' to describe the killer.  Of course its not but was the best word I could come up with to differentiate it from the PDX which is extremely non analytical.  Of greater concern is some comments I made abut Hugh's NAKSA over on his forum.  That was actually an interesting amp and I liked it a lot.  The designer Hugh thought it was valve like but to my ears it was not.  It was simply crystal clear to me, and had an an ethereal quality I enjoyed.  To me it had a unique quality different from both transistor and valves which is reflected in the fact it had a unique topology.  Quite a few guys came to me while it was playing to say how much they liked it as well.  However when Mike powered up those Mac's one guy said - Wow - and people thought it better - from a bit better like me to quite a bit bitter like the Wow guy.  It was unfair in that it was not level matched and certainly those Mac's look impressive and considering the result a fairer comparison is almost certainly called for.  But when I posted it - well that went down like a lead balloon.  It generated a few lengthy posts trying explain what was going on.  But really I shouldn't have expected otherwise - the moment you say something negative about one of those small guys it gets scary really quickly.  After all word of mouth is all they got.  I understand it but really if you aren't truthful guys who were there will know, word will get out and what you say won't count for much.  Anyway in the end Hugh and I are fine and there will be plenty of other opportunity's to get to the bottom of this amp.

Thanks
Bill    
« Last Edit: September 07, 2010, 10:09:09 AM by bhobba »

tuyen

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #10 on: September 06, 2010, 03:09:46 PM »
Honestly I am not that suprised by the outcome.

Bring on the dCS stack, MSB, zanden, audionote dac5 signature, WEISS, etc etc.   I still think the killer will take them on easily.  Note that these dacs are all over $10K-50K rrp.


Offline bhobba

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #11 on: September 06, 2010, 05:12:34 PM »
Honestly I am not that suprised by the outcome. Bring on the dCS stack, MSB, zanden, audionote dac5 signature, WEISS, etc etc.   I still think the killer will take them on easily.  Note that these dacs are all over $10K-50K rrp.

And we will mate, we will.  This will start with the Tranquility which will be heading over to you guys in the west.  I have just had a chat with Mike and purchased a PDX.  After checking both DAC's out up here both will be off to Sydney then maybe via Melbourne etc off to Perth for you guys.  Haven't decided whether to send them both at the same time or separately.  Personally I would prefer separately but am open to suggestions.

Thanks
Bill

3bm

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2010, 06:59:49 PM »
Hi Oval,

I think Tuyen was more saying that the KillerDAC needs to be reviewed against something like the ones listed.

tuyen

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2010, 07:03:25 PM »
Yep, that's what I meant. :)

Offline kajak12

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2010, 07:46:23 PM »
Hi Oval,

I think Tuyen was more saying that the KillerDAC needs to be reviewed against something like the ones listed.
Ok now I get it. I once heard my dac back to back against a modified Meridian .The owner of the Meridian was swapping between the to dacs without us knowing which on was being played .There wasn't much in it at and I even had the value caps in the dac 4uf Swiss oils instead of the 2.2uf .The only thnig I feltthe meridian had over the 1541 was in that very top end extension .

Cheers

i had a zanden over my house against the killer,the zenden is a very good dac but the killer had more beauty and body and soul.and this is before i modded my killer even more
still discovering the link between electronics and audio reproduction.so much to learn and so little time

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2010, 08:46:49 PM »
Geez it sounds like there was some really solid DAC's there on the day and quite an eye opener

Huge well done to Steven for coming home with the win and very well deserved.


Of all the DACs at mikes shootout on saturday only two made real music, The killerdac and mikes (Monarchy NM24 - Craig Connor mods) The rest where HIFI some better than others. the next day (sunday) Craig Connor arrived with his own ultra moded (Monarchy NM24) to compare againt the killer DAC. That is something craig can tell you his thoughts. I make them for people who love music and most of those people until that time used mainly vinyl. If you love analogue sound with the beauty timber heart and soul left intact and hate digitals artificial HIFI sound. you will love these DACs. They sound nothing like digital. When set up properly you will actually think the sound of the music is real. I can make a great sounding cheaper dac that is similar to the full on killerdac, in that you solder on the modern premium parts yourself, as you can afford them, and the other 1930-60 vintage parts can be found on the net, and you install them yourself and you will then end up with a Killer DAC. There is no mark 1 then 2 -3 so on, when i improve them i tell you for free. They are truely magical if you have the system that will let that happen, and you have the talent in tuning the rest of your system to make that happen. This is a hobby for me and i only do it for fellow music lovers (not HIFI Wankers) so you have to wait if you want one because i have to source some hard to find (1920-60s) parts. I like Mikes great new Speakers, more on that soon.

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2010, 09:04:25 PM »
Honestly I am not that suprised by the outcome.

Bring on the dCS stack, MSB, zanden, audionote dac5 signature, WEISS, etc etc.   I still think the killer will take them on easily.  Note that these dacs are all over $10K-50K rrp.


Hi Tuyen
What do you fill the difference's were between Stevens dac and the AN dac5 & dCS 4 stack system .Having played the saxophone for a number of years I found the dCS nailed sound of it .

Cheers
I have heard all these dacs. The best was the DCS 4. It was great for the first 10 minutes, but soon showed itself as just  great HIFI, not like real music (no valves) but still very good, but a little expensive for me, do you guys what me to buy you one each, have your credit cards ready 

Offline lenehanaudio

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2010, 10:38:50 PM »
Hi Oval,

I think Tuyen was more saying that the KillerDAC needs to be reviewed against something like the ones listed.
Ok now I get it. I once heard my dac back to back against a modified Meridian .The owner of the Meridian was swapping between the to dacs without us knowing which on was being played .There wasn't much in it at and I even had the value caps in the dac 4uf Swiss oils instead of the 2.2uf .The only thnig I feltthe meridian had over the 1541 was in that very top end extension .

Cheers

Ahh we meet again Oval56      Yup got ya there ! I must say the 1541a single and double crowns are extraordinarily musical in the mids ! and lets all admit this right now !! the mids are where it all happens. The killerdac won the shootout ! BUT ! in the bottom and the top , not so.
The top and bottom are only bonuses ! and so it came to pass ! THE  KILLER has prevailed . I wonder if stevenvalve considers any other dacs as worthy of hypertuning ?                  Mike Lenehan      LenehanAudio   

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #18 on: September 19, 2010, 03:26:01 AM »
Hi Oval,

I think Tuyen was more saying that the KillerDAC needs to be reviewed against something like the ones listed.
Ok now I get it. I once heard my dac back to back against a modified Meridian .The owner of the Meridian was swapping between the to dacs without us knowing which on was being played .There wasn't much in it at and I even had the value caps in the dac 4uf Swiss oils instead of the 2.2uf .The only thnig I feltthe meridian had over the 1541 was in that very top end extension .

Cheers

Ahh we meet again Oval56      Yup got ya there ! I must say the 1541a single and double crowns are extraordinarily musical in the mids ! and lets all admit this right now !! the mids are where it all happens. The killerdac won the shootout ! BUT ! in the bottom and the top , not so.
The top and bottom are only bonuses ! and so it came to pass ! THE  KILLER has prevailed . I wonder if stevenvalve considers any other dacs as worthy of hypertuning ?                  Mike Lenehan      LenehanAudio   
Mike. I like the burr brown K chips. I had an all battery powered dac with burr brown chip sets and that was a killer too. Why do you think the TDA1541A Chips are famous,  because they are Great Great Great sounding, are there any other famous chips, NO.

Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Shootout Win
« Reply #19 on: September 19, 2010, 07:57:24 AM »
One day, I might have learned just enough to assemble my own dac,  using a 24/192 chip (I like BB's, am listening to a PCM1793 now).    It may never sound as good as a TDA killer,   but,  the journey would be fun.
 
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.