Hey - Which DAC beats which DAC? The MK2 beats the dCS?
Whatās nice about the dCS settings are you can do them all from the app. No getting up a thousand times to make a change, sit down, listen, get up, make a changeā¦rinse and repeat.
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I can run the mk2 directly into my BHK250 into my 93db per watt B&W 800 matrix and not have any noise to speak of. The BHK has 30.5db of gain. Do you know the gain of your class D amp? I also wonder if the fact that your amp is class D somehow is interacting with the low level noise coming from the mk2. The mk2 is quieter than the mk1 directly into the amp.
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It seems that also Pass Labs are coming in black soon:
hard times ahead!
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The black will cost more, but that black does look awesome
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Just a short question, jkrichards. Are you saying, Rossini is beating MK2 by a large margin of settings? Well, o.k. But what about sound difference, texture, naturalness and so on? Iām looking very much forward to hearing from you. Honestly canāt wait for your impressions on the discrepancy ā¦
Gain on an NAD C298 (Purifi):
Fixed Gain mode: 28.6 dB
Variable Gain mode: 8.5 dB - 28.5 dB
Gain on an NAD C268 (N-Core)
Fixed Gain mode: 25 dB
Variable Gain mode: 14.5 dB - 34.5 dB
Both amps have 20dB variable attenuator knobs. But I switch between sources. So is easier for me simply to run -20dB Rothwell attenuators on the outputs from the DS MK2.
Maybe I can solve this for myself with a different amp. I am thinking about borrowing a Benchmark AHB2 to test.
But the situation is problematic in general for recommending the DS MK2 to others. I know many Canadians (family and friends). NAD is popular with folks I know who are not crazy Apex-buying audiophiles, but who still like decent sound.
I also posted a while ago that I heard hiss with my Mk2 directly to the Theta Dreadnaught 3 two channel power amplifier driving a pair of Horning Hybrid Eufrodites but it is dead quiet with other dacs. I also listened with the Pass Labs XP-20 preamplifier in between and the noise is lower but lost some dynamics.
I tried to order the Rothwell -20dB attenuators from Britaudio in Arizona but I was told that they are out of stock and I donāt know how long will it take if I order directly from Rothwell.
Does anyone know if there are settings for filter choices?
and/or you do them from its heavy rock solid remote controlā¦
ā¦which in case someone wants to rob you of yer dCS is sturdy enough for use as defense weaponā¦ 
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Noā¦ The dCS has more settings and is much easier to change via an app. As far as soundā¦ They are very close. The dCS has the edge on higher resolution files and the noise floor is near 0. To me the MK2 sounds just as good or at least very close on low resolution streaming (44.1). I had some friends over and they could not tell the difference between the two when streaming. I feel they are similar in sound signature. Iām still messing with all the settings in the dCS. Itās still early in listening sessions so I might change my impressions later.
As far as build and measurements. Itās not even close. dCS wins hands down however Iām not convinced itās worth the extra $$$ unless you have to have one of the very best DACās and cost is no issue.
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There are no filter choices on the mk2 Directstream DAC.
Hello jkrichards,
thank you very much indeed for your reply. Promising for MK2 owners, that dCS Rossini is not completely outperforming MK2 in sound quality ā¦
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what did @vkennedy61 find?
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ā¦ Dark days ahead.
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I never had the opportunity to listen to a MK2 with Jeffās new nickel transformers installed so I canāt comment.
However, a stock MK2 compared to a Rossini with a Master Clock in my opinion, thereās no doubt the Rossini is better in every way. Results in your system may vary.
The Apex widens the gap considerably.
I am not sure what you expect. The Rossini Apex is $32,800 USD. The Master Clock is $10,850.
Only in a fever dream could you have an expectation that the MK2 would equal or surpass what dCS has accomplished. Sure the MK2 is good, itās very good, but not this good.
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The one constant in my life
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Streamer and head phone amp some of the difference?
Im pretty sure a streamer only!