W4S or Rega Dac - Opinions Wanted

Thanks everyone, I think I have my answer.
Face, you’re the one that convinced me to pull the trigger on the w4s amp. One of my best purchases for price and performance. Anyone looking to part with their a dac-1 with upgraded caps, drop me a line.

Anyone who states the W4S DAC1 or DAC2 is bright or analytical has issues elsewhere in their rig.>>>

Face, we tried the W4S II Dac against the Rega DAC and EE Minimax Plus (SS mode) and the W4S sounded brighter and more analytical than either of them, with the EE being the most forgiving at the top end. My system is a pretty huge leap from "bright" sounding. My father, who's 71, doesn't find it bright enough!

Rob

I have a question for rega dac owners. do you use the usb--spdif converter, or a toslink connection for streaming from your computer? Which brands do you prefer?

Hi Rob

Interesting that our conclusions are different being that we both have Merlin speakers. I use a different amplifier than you, a Berning zh270 wide bandwidth and would think it might reveal more readily any inherent brightness or rolled off characteristic for that matter. I wouldn't call the EE Plus bright by any stretch in the upper frequencies but I wouldn't call it forgiving either. Actually it is in this area where the Plus excels but not any more than the W4S. Having both on hand I would say they are more alike than different in the upper frequencies. It is the overall tonal character and balance that is different and most apparent, fwiw.

Tubegroover...hi!

I have not heard that amp, though I have heard good things about it. As specified I'm using the latest version of the Manley Stingray (Type II) with stock tubes.
I also have listened to these DAC's on a friend's system using ARC power with Vandersteen 5a's. The 5a's helped me appreciated how wonderful the far smaller Merlin speakers are, but getting down to the DACs:

After listening to these units I am VERY much in the camp that they sound mostly the same. The differences are very small and only a nut would not be able to become involved in the music with any of them. In fact I'd say that I any experienced audiophile could tune the system appropriately around the DAC and no one could tell. My ultimate preference for the Rega DAC would never have been discovered without insanely detailed and direct comparisons where we STRAINED to hear small differences. So how important is my preference in terms of real-world audio quality?

While I found the Rega superior to the W4S II or EE in soundstage ability I should point out that this was anything close to a big difference and other aspects of the other DACs were compelling.

I'll be upgrading to Merlin VSM's long before I worry about another DAC!

Cheers,

Rob