Sonic.build Sonic DAC Review
December 2, 2016 Comments Off on Sonic.build Sonic DAC Review
” Let’s not beat around the bush; the ELAC is a better-sounding player. Tone colors are more varied and vibrant, strings pluck more brightly, voices sound richer and fuller, and the space of the recording is much more believable, open, and tactile. By comparison, the Sonic DAC bunches things up, darkens things down, and subtle details are glossed over. The Discovery takes that sense of sameness I heard with the Sonic DAC and adds a rainbow (I know, but that’s the way I hear it). If build quality is important to you, the ELAC is about a hundred times nicer. More or less.”
Nagra Classic DAC Review
October 30, 2016 Comments Off on Nagra Classic DAC Review
” Nagra Classic DAC is almost identical to the bigger, more costlier Nagra HD DAC. DAC’s boards are identical, with the difference in analog stage, where Classic DAC is in absence of tube and comes with a bit more simplified output stage. Classic DAC also looses the volume control and dedicated headphone circuit/output.”
PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream Junior Digital-to-Analog Converter- Review
October 11, 2016 Comments Off on PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream Junior Digital-to-Analog Converter- Review
” This chant was composed by the 13th-century German abbess and mystic Hildegard von Bingen, and the DSJ was sublime in its ability to preserve the acoustic of St. Jude and the grandeur of the music in this beautiful recording, and helped deliver the composer’s intent: to connect the listener with something higher. Again, the DSJ was notable for what it didn’t do, moving aside to let the music pass through unadulterated. Could the DSJ make me forget that I was listening to music in the comfort of my home rather than in an English church? Of course not — but it was still commendable for making it easier for me to imagine myself being there through its ability to convey detail and space in a natural, believable way.”
Mytek Brooklyn DAC $1,995 – Review
October 10, 2016 Comments Off on Mytek Brooklyn DAC $1,995 – Review
” The Brooklyn DAC drove the AudioQuest NightHawks to lovely levels of musicality. This combo actually worked really, really well as it imparted a full, rich, and musically sound sound. Of course which headphones will respond equally well, or better, or worse, is up to you and your cans. That being said, I see no technical reason for unhappiness.”
AURALiC ARIES MINI and Lightning DS Review
October 9, 2016 Comments Off on AURALiC ARIES MINI and Lightning DS Review
Switching to Keb Mo’s self titled album, it’s a bit easier to hear where the MINI is far better than other systems of similar ilk and where it doesn’t match up to its more advanced brethren, the original ARIES and ARIES LE. Compared to the Sonos Connect the MINI sounds like a breath of fresh air, with real body to the music and a naturalness that makes the Connect just sound skewed. Moving from the 16/44.1 version of this album to the DSD version brings a different sound altogether, that can’t be compared apples to apples with other devices because they don’t support DSD. Nonetheless, the MINI is a best in class component”
Bryston BDA-3 DAC Review
September 21, 2016 Comments Off on Bryston BDA-3 DAC Review
“Now for something a bit different, Metallica. I recent attended the Metallica show here in Minneapolis at US Bank stadium. It was one of the best shows I’ve seen, although it sounded less than stellar. My renewed enthusiasm for Metallica forced me to find the best sounding copy of the album … And Justice For All. It’s my favorite Metallica album, right in between the band’s early thrash metal and the heavily-produced pop metal year”
AudioQuest DragonFly Red and DragonFly Black Review
September 12, 2016 Comments Off on AudioQuest DragonFly Red and DragonFly Black Review
“Narrowing things down to Red v. Black, the most notable sonic differences I heard were when the DragonFlys were compared using my main system (Ayre AX-5 Twenty/DeVore Fidelity gibbon X). In this system context, the Black sounds fatter and more akin to a big ball of sonic happiness as compared the Red’s more refined and better defined sound image. The Red also improves on the Black in terms of the subtleties that music contains: cymbal hits, piano trails, and a more dramatic dynamic range. To my ears, I’d bet on Red when coupling a DragonFly with a highly resolving system.”
Schiit $2,299 Yggdrasil DAC; $1,699 Ragnarok Amplifier Review
September 8, 2016 Comments Off on Schiit $2,299 Yggdrasil DAC; $1,699 Ragnarok Amplifier Review
“Now for the most important part, the sound. The Yggdrasil’s tonality is quite outstanding. It takes the basic characteristics of the Gungnir Multibit (Gumby) and adds a finer layer of resolution, richer visceral bass and extends the treble. Contrary to many other DACs in this category which sound overly-analytical and shrill in nature, the Yggdrasil tastefully infuses detail with a natural organic-like quality that is evocative of vinyl. However, unlike a vinyl set-up, the Yggdrasil offers greater levels of detail and resolution that masterfully portray subtle auditory cues and nuances to give a complete and more involving experience. Next to the Yggdrasil, the Gungnir Multibit illuminates a lesser fraction of these micro-details at the expense of a warmer and more liquidesque tone. ”
totaldac d1-integral-headphone music server/DAC Review
August 31, 2016 Comments Off on totaldac d1-integral-headphone music server/DAC Review
“If I screw on my reviewer’s cap real tight, squeezing out mostly all of the fun involved in listening to music, I’d say that the d1-integral does not have as fine a grip on bass as its more expensive siblings or even the recently reviewed Moon by Simaudio Nēo 280D MiND. While I remain very impressed with the Nēo 280D, it does not reach as deeply into music’s richness and nuance as the totalac. On a personal note, my heart and mind still have me craving either the d1-tube-mk2 or the d1-dual DAC, a craving which can only be filled if/when my bank account becomes fuller.”
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.