Sample test D A Converters - RME - Audio GD - Metrum - Audiolab - IFI 

Indeed, but I'll add that this essentially applies to all components. It's unfortunate that the excuse of "you can't really get the entire audible picture with just a simple recording in order to make decisions about equipment" has dominated HiFi on RU-vid. In reality it's a pathetic excuse to either be lazy, have little faith in products in comparisons which translates to fear of losing financial sponsorship etc., or they just simply don't know how to record something that results in quality and acceptably accurate representation of the components. Regardless, it's pretty ignorant to put it nicely. Great comment 👍🏻

That's what I hear

Great dac!

@@TheAlphaAudio the RME is about 1000 Euros and for me it really sounds great. What DAC would you recommend as an upgrade? Shouldnt be more than 2000 Euros

@@Vikings_FAN_05 I like Atoll dacs as well. Very fluid en nice handeling of treble.

@@Vikings_FAN_05 In that price range its more about preference than upgrade, a Chord Qutest will give you a different presentation, more intangibles. Other popular options are Denafrips Ares II or Pontus II, Merason Frerot, ...

Welcome. Differences are pretty small indeed.

The differences are actually small. Smaller than I suspected. It's mostly in S's and stage.

@@TheAlphaAudio With the SteadyClock FS in the RME, do you think the Mutec MC-3+ is redundant? Thanks again and keep up the great work!!!

@@TheAlphaAudio which dac in this group and what dac that you ever heard at any price would you say had the least amount of S and the most smooth highs ? ty ty

@@phillipmorris9847 Audiolab is pretty smooth overall. DCS and MSB are the best I know in smoothness and purity.

Verschillen zijn ook ontzettend klein. Als je gaat letten op het hoog en de S-klanken ga je het merken. En ook in lucht en imaging. Maar dat is vrij lastig op te vangen. Echter: ik heb een dag heen en weer zitten schakelen en het is bijzonder lastig. RME en Audio GD was het grootste verschil.

verschillen zijn klein, vind de audiolab wat donkerder klinken, audio Gd lijkt iets frisser, rest ligt heel kort bij elkaar. Mocht het kunnen zou ik de metrum en audio gd eens uitproberen, het zal natuurlijk afhangen van de rest van uw set. Grtz Phil

We can do that.

@@TheAlphaAudio Can you please have the RME in the test? I feel like it won this comparison!

@@TheAlphaAudio 😁

@@TheAlphaAudio Would be great if you can still do it ;)

@@TheAlphaAudio hz

well true no sybilants in case of r2r, others seem to be sounding not natural headache guaranteed after a while

Both are Grimm TPM.

Hahahaha... :-)

hahaha... just a bit biased: definitely sounds best with my adi-2 pro fs😉

I was thinking the same. The mutec delivers a very nice and clean signal. That makes the life of these dacs more easy. A decent power supply on the RME made a huge difference.

I thought the R1 stood out as well, but not for lacking refinement. It has the most open, three dimensional sound stage and the deepest bass with more texture. But if you prefer a more focused sound, it's oversampling modes will give that to you. I know, I own one. I use it for headphones with a Master 19 and I'm very happy with it. However, when I take this stack and plug it into my amp and speakers in the living room, I actually feel like the sound stage is too forward. It's nice for pure music, very three dimensional and puts the band right in the middle of the room. But if I want to watch TV or a movie, that sound stage feels disconnected from the screen. I wish I could keep the same depth, but just push the whole thing back. Any tips? EDIT: I think the video said the R1 was runing NOS, but someone pointed out it's in 8x OS mode and they are correct. Putting it in NOS may diffuse the sound slightly, but it makes the sound stage that much more spacious and tube like. At least on headphones, I've come to prefer NOS.

I dont know anymore. I think NOS

On the video we see O84 which is oversampling - enabled, mode - times 8, input n 4. What we don’t know is if the tda simulation is enabled (makes sound more lean back, relaxing, less defined, and brings interesing dynamics.

Good question.

Not sure anymore. I guess minimum phase.

Wonder what speakers/amp/DAC setup you have (in relating to "it lacks propulsion in your system". Thanks!

@@quattr03 Was listening to Tidal hifi on my mobile/headphones..

It gets more 'oemf' with the Pavane.

I have the RME and the Metrum. I don‘t know if it is my system or the DAC but I really got tired of the RME. On my system the sound stage was very flat, I missed liveliness in the music. I recently bought the Metrum, this immediately felt right for me. My RME now sits on my desktop and drives my desktop-speakers (I know, a little bit of a waste …)

Ik hoop dat je ook andere methoden hebt om te luisteren. Pak een goede hoofdtelefoon en laat je verrassen. De micrfoons en opnameketen staat letterlijk vermeld in het begin van de video.

You are almost correct DG(ovarall best) RME(too clean highs) and IFI(more body) is the top players

the audiolab was the worst performer....the vocals dissapears

For me: RME with a nice power supply.

@@TheAlphaAudio Thanks, so I'm not completely deaf, yet! 😄

@@TheAlphaAudio Do you mind telling us, which exact model RME your guys using? Thanks. 🙂

@@JoroIrl ADI-2fs

@@JoroIrl :-)

Depends on your taste...

@@TheAlphaAudioand on the selected filter

@@Cool-ng5rh true

We testen ook goedkopere spullen.

That is impressive!

@@TheAlphaAudio Cheers, I'm a bit of freak I guess 😜 I'd really love to hear the Metrum Pavane one of these days, the Onyx looks like it may be a really good cheaper option.

@@MusicLover-01 well... You got good ears! Check out the Sonnet Morpheus. It's made by the same Guy as Metrum Gear. Sonnet is basically an improved Metrum.

@@TheAlphaAudio Thanks bud, Sonnet looks like an awesome option, will check it out more closely. Amazing how the mainstream RU-vidrs aren't covering this great gear...

@@TheAlphaAudio can you please test the Wattson Madison, this is a DAC, streamer, preamp with Leedh volume control all in one

I agreed. The worst, without any doubt is Audio GD R1. RME and Metrum are the best.

Ok... Not even between the AudioGD and RME?

@@TheAlphaAudio Sound the same to me, except maybe the ladder DAC sounds a little different but I can’t be sure. I guess my hearing is a bit crap. Or maybe very crap 😟

To bad, or maybe, lucky you

False. It lacks the fullness to any given note or sound that makes something actually sound coherent and life-like as a result of excessive feedback and smeared time domain artifacts. This is the very reason THD measurements are perhaps the most worthless audio "measurement" that has ever been used as a standard as opposed to IMD or complex multi-tone standards. The ONLY one that sounded like it was on the playing field of truly natural was the Metrum DAC. The Audio GD was pleasant but was warm and "closed-in" sounding which is not real life whereas the Metrum, in comparison, sounded like a blanket had been removed and perhaps could he be described as neutral with warm harmonic undertones (natural) and open with solid dynamic capability. R2R and NOS or multibit sound better with anything under a few grand than a comparable delta sigma dac mostly due to my original statement.

No... but the differences are very small indeed.

@@TheAlphaAudio not really. A blindtest would show that there's no difference. Speakers and room acoustics are way more important

@@RC-qc2nz You can't tell for sure, because you where not in the listening room. It would be wise to not speak in absolutes. Your opinion is solely based on listening to a sound sample in compressed form from a RU-vid channel trough your own system in your own home. The only certainty you have is that you can not tell the difference in these circumstances. People in the listening room might be able to pick up these small differences.

@@andymill8552 i know what you mean but I did many blindtest and double blindtests and there's no difference between many dacs. Like I said the difference is the room the loudspeakers and the positioning.

Yes can't hear any serious difference.