Paradisea Dac

I can see how Jax2 felt the highs were unbearable. I am a sucker for high resolution on my electrostats and found that the highs were tamable when I found the correct power cord and conditioner (running springs/cardas to jpd digital pc)- avoiding silver interconnects helped too. What really set it in stone was when I added some bybee gg speaker tails. Laugh if you want, but those things turned that high end glare into pinpoint resolution with plenty of space around the notes and more importantly micro dynamic resolution with lovely decay (nice PRaT). Prior to the bybee's I could have agreed with Jax2 and was on the fence.

I replaced my 3500 Wavelength Cosecant with the Paradisea + and could not be happier. The Paradisea is much funner to listen to. Month since owning it I'm am still thrilled and amazed by how good it sounds. I also picked up a Constantine and it is also great sounding. I tried a couple of WE 396 tubes and far prefer the sound of the stock tube that shipped with it. I feel like this DAC is the DEAL OF THE CENTURY. I've owned a lot of digital over the years, players that retailed upwards of 10k and this is my favorite sounding digital so far.

I run mine from a Mac Mini via USB and run Apple Lossless on my rips. Also I have found that the quality of the USB cord makes a difference.

On the Paradisea - I agree it is very responsive to tube changes. I like the WE 396 as it rounds out the sound in a nice way. I think I prefer the Bendix tube (can't recall the number) for a bit more resolution and detail though. Thanks for the added input, 4est. Yes, were I able to tame the high end I think I would have liked the Benchmark far more than I did. Glad to hear it can be done - obviously many folks like that DAC including many industry reviewers who are highly respected. So I'm just adding my experience as one more bit of info in your search. If you are a detail freak it may be worth getting the Benchmark and tweaking it to your liking. I think Steve at Empirical is doing mods to that DAC and is a fan of the stock DAC. Different strokes for different folks. I really do like the Paradisea and agree that it is a great bargain. A friend and fellow A'gon member who I respect recently has strongly recommended to me I check out the April Music DAC too. Many good things about the TADAC here as well. Plenty to choose from in that price range.

Marco

Are all of you speaking of the Paradisea or the Paradisea + ?

Consider also the Constantine - the Paradesia with SS output. It is, frankly, hard to beat at almost *any* price. I currently own one and a Wavelength Cosecant - the Cosecant is better, but the MHDT unit is very close and just amazingly good.

I don't mean to offend anyone, but it always amazes me to find people that prefer the Benchmark over any of these NOS DACs - the Benchmark is so thin, analytical, and artificial in comparison. To me.