What external DAC to improve the Ultra?

[DamagedGoods]

Many listeners don’t know what to expect to hear because they listen to hundreds if not thousands songs. Now, if you like me who listen on 5 musics everyday for several decades can definitely tell what have changed.

You’ve limited your listening to five songs for several decades? Now that’s a dedicated audiophile. I personally value music higher than audio.

 

[DamagedGoods]

The difference is if you listen to your equipment with music or listen to music with your equipment.

If you value music over equipment then you buy any transparent DAC out there and be done with it. And if you want to enhance your listening experience you can follow my steps. Put 50% of your budget and time on your room.

 

[Wiimer]

You’ve limited your listening to five songs for several decades? Now that’s a dedicated audiophile. I personally value music higher than audio.

He (she) only loves things he can truly love.
It's like wearing favourite pair of shoes for decades. Or like loving one partner forever. (Actually, there are five...)

Maybe

 

[hgo58]

If you value music over equipment then you buy any transparent DAC out there and be done with it. And if you want to enhance your listening experience you can follow my steps. Put 50% of your budget and time on your room.

I have but not in the common way. My external DACs are in my speakers. Going digital all the way to the speakers (optical output from WiiM Ultra). The floor standing speakers have the DSP/DAC and analog parts perfectly tuned to the physical drives and cabinet. The room is big and muted.

It got the sound I need and it is better than most of the setups I have heard in test rooms at retailers.

 

[DamagedGoods]

I have but not in the common way. My external DACs are in my speakers. Going digital all the way to the speakers (optical output from WiiM Ultra). The floor standing speakers have the DSP/DAC and analog parts perfectly tuned to the physical drives and cabinet. The room is big and muted.

It got the sound I need and it is better than most of the setups I have heard in test rooms at retailers.

Sound like you’ve done what you’re supposed to! Whenever I change speakers next time, I want to try active speakers. I’ve been eying Buchardt for a few years now. But that will have to wait until the kids occupy the basement and I have to move my primary setup to the living room.

 

[DamagedGoods]

He (she) only loves things he can truly love.
It's like wearing favourite pair of shoes for decades. Or like loving one partner forever. (Actually, there are five...)

Maybe

Or like wearing the same five pairs of underpants for decades. Why change a winning concept, right?

 

[guy48065]

If you value music over equipment then you buy any transparent DAC out there and be done with it.

I can only say if you don't PURSUE excellence you'll never achieve it.

Yes of course speakers and room treatment make a larger contribution to the overall experience--but the smaller things ARE audible and do make a difference.

 

[Smartplug]

I can only say if you don't PURSUE excellence you'll never achieve it.

Yes of course speakers and room treatment make a larger contribution to the overall experience--but the smaller things ARE audible and do make a difference.

I would not put too much attention on dacs as the measurements from even entry are transparent and ruler flat response. If anything, you gain minimal investment in return. I would go higher level brand speakers of your choice and room treatment. Other option go higher quality room correction like Dirac which even untrained ear would tell in an instantaneous. If anyone claim they dac sound better it’s just their dac coloring the sound. Smsl has some its dac with sound color of your choice.

 

[DamagedGoods]

I can only say if you don't PURSUE excellence you'll never achieve it.

Yes of course speakers and room treatment make a larger contribution to the overall experience--but the smaller things ARE audible and do make a difference.

And how many people obsessing over DAC’s have focused on room treatment and speakers first? Or something as basic as speaker placement? More often than not I see something like:

“I’ve just bought a WiiM Ultra and Edifier speakers that I tucked into the corners of my crazily asymmetric room with bare concrete walls and not even a rug on the stone floor. Now which external DAC should I buy to get a night and day difference?”

My main point was that the small nuances of a DAC upgrade can’t be heard in the vast majority of all (shitty) setups I’ve seen. Very few people with meticulous setups and very expensive gear would be able to spot the differences in an ABX test either, as long as the DAC’s are transparent and doesn’t color the sound on purpose.

 

[Smartplug]

Or like wearing the same five pairs of underpants for decades. Why change a winning concept, right?

Haha, its just me even new album get release here and there I don’t find liking them. John Lennon image which I listen since it was released.

 

[Smartplug]

When you hear a gear or speakers on their showroom they often sound great but when you buy them set them up on your room you don’t get the wow factor like you heard on show room. Why? Room accoustics can make even the most expensive gear in known universe to sound poor till you fix the room. If that’s not possible room correction would help.

 

[slartibartfast]

Haha, its just me even new album get release here and there I don’t find liking them. John Lennon image which I listen since it was released.

You should try Plastic Ono Band

 

[guy48065]

And how many people obsessing over DAC’s have focused on room treatment and speakers first? Or something as basic as speaker placement? More often than not I see something like:

“I’ve just bought a WiiM Ultra and Edifier speakers that I tucked into the corners of my crazily asymmetric room with bare concrete walls and not even a rug on the stone floor. Now which external DAC should I buy to get a night and day difference?”

My main point was that the small nuances of a DAC upgrade can’t be heard in the vast majority of all (shitty) setups I’ve seen. Very few people with meticulous setups and very expensive gear would be able to spot the differences in an ABX test either, as long as the DAC’s are transparent and doesn’t color the sound on purpose.

And all to often I read blanket statements that amplifier class/speaker wire/interconnects/preamplifiers... All measure perfect and don't make ANY difference. It's simply not true.