Audiophilepure

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“For comparisons, I planned to use the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ ($2195) and dCS Rossini DAC/Clock ($31,499 total plus three additional cables). While the Brooklyn DAC+ contains a headphone amp, which I compared to the DS-10’s, it does not accept Ethernet—for that, you need the Brooklyn Bridge streaming DAC ($2995), which I do not have here. Hence all comparisons between these two units were performed using the USB input on the two DACs. I also connected them to the MBL N11 preamp ($14,600) and attempted to answer the questions: (a) Does this preamp noticeably improve the sound of the DS-10, and (b) does its addition make more or less difference to the sound of the DS-10 than it does to the far more expensive dCS Rossini DAC/Clock combo? I also compared the DS-10/PSU-10 EVO to the Rossini DAC/Clock, both with and without the N11 preamp in the chain.”

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“The traditional digital brightness and thinness that people associate with streaming begins to go away here. Interestingly, the more components you build into the AURALiC G2 stack, the more those criticisms of streaming became outdated and unfair. The graunch of guitars in the Puscifer track showed this in stark relief; the tone of the track takes on a truly malevolent disposition here, something it rarely does through Tidal.

Is there a downside? Sonically, I don’t think so. However, to get the best from the SIRIUS G2 does involve some fairly complex app-wrangling, matching the upsampler to your DAC’s performance and if you get technofear, terms like ‘Parallelize Sigma-Delta Modulator’ might send chills along your heatsinks. Everything is explained in multiple places, however, but you might feel the need to hand setting up over to an expert. That being said, it’s not complexity for its own sake, but digital matchmaking… almost like Tinder for DACs. ”

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“Turning to wolfgang.com’s vast selection of rare live gigs, I selected Warren Zevon in 1982 in Boston, for his rousing ‘Werewolves Of London’ at 48kHz. It proved massive in scale and sounding as it should: as if played via FM radio. Switching on Fidelia, I listened to the EVO 100 at 192kHz with a download of BB King’s ‘Sneakin’ Around’, a mono session of dubious sonic merit but musically a gem. I played it against the original LP, The Great BB King [United Records 728] and it was a dead ringer. I want an EVO 100.”

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“The DACs are four UltraAnalog 20-bit types, made of discrete and monolithic components encapsulated in a potted module, in a balanced configuration (left +, left –, right +, right –). The SDR-2000 Pro is unique among UltraAnalog-based processors in that the current-to-voltage (I/V) converters and sample-and-hold circuits are not incorporated into the potted DAC module. Instead, UltraAnalog makes a custom version exclusively for Spectral that allows Spectral to build discrete current-to-voltage and sample-and-hold circuits. The capacitors in the sample-and-hold circuit are the result of Keith’s years of searching for the ideal capacitor for this ultra-critical application. The I/V is an ultra-fast-slewing, direct-coupled, FET-based circuit that reportedly achieves fast settling time and low energy storage. According to Keith, this section of a digital processor is critical to sound quality.”

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“The Brooklyn Bridge is truly a jack of many a trade, and will suit, well, anyone looking for a compact do-it-all DAC plus pre-amp plus headphone amp. It even makes a good stab at vinyl when set to MM mode. For the most part it was tested as an audiophile stereo DAC though, and here it has mastered its trade. There are even sweeter sounding DACs if you have another £1,000 or so in your budget, but for under £3,000 it is very hard to better. And if streaming isn’t your bag or you already have that covered, the Brooklyn DAC+ is still available at around £800 less.”

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“We now have 2 coaxial inputs instead of one, with the second one being a BNC connector. For those with upsampling devices or streamers such as Cayin’s iDAP-6 or the Chord Hugo M Scaler, this will be a handy additional input.

Not least with the M Scaler’s excellent switchable upsampling which is capable of delivering a maximum 352kHz rate to the iDAC-6 MK2 from a 16BIT/44.1kHz source file using a single BNC connection. With the BNC coaxial via the iDAP-6, for example, you can also decode up to 24BIT/192kHz and DSD64 (DoP only), much like its RCA coaxial counterpart.”

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“I was also impressed by the DAC 9’s build quality. It was apparently designed to last a lifetime and could become a legacy product. There are a lot of serious Audio Research fans out there and I can see why after my time with the DAC 9. It will hold its value like all other Audio Research components before and after.

The unit was packed up and shipped back some time ago. I still remember the performance of the DAC 9 like it was yesterday. This is one of the few components I have reviewed that I think about often because of how great it was. The tube analog stage doesn’t put a halo on the sound but it did make everything that passed through there sound like authentic music. I am not sure if you can offer higher praise for a DAC!”