Anyone have experience with the new ELAC DDP-2?

Similar experience here. On par with high end separates at many times its cost.
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I'll be showing the DDP-2 Preamp-DAC at Axpona April 12-14 feeding a pair of Bob Carver Crimson 350 Mono Blocks. Room 1215

Just over a week with the DDP-2. 

The DAC is really really good. Tons of space between instruments which makes it easy to pick up nuances previously unnoticed in songs. Not as much midrange punch and warmth as I would like but the neutrality across the range is really nice. 

I plugged in some headphones today (Sennheiser HD650) and it’s fairly disappointing. Compared to the headphone amp on the Parasound, the ELAC is thin and veiled. To get the Senns to sound as well rounded as on the Parasound, I have to crank it to uncomfortable levels. Where the Parasound imaged sounds as though they were coming from the inside of my forehead, it’s like everything is behind my head and through a blanket. Hopefully, it’s just that the headphone amp part has not gotten any attention and needs some break in as well.

Rickallen,

I'm sorry to hear the headphone amp is inferior.  

In my experience the software controlling the streaming functions is very important.  For streaming, a remote control is inadequate.  A smartphone or tablet app is essential and a quick review on Google Play shows the apps for most of the streamers out there are buggy.  I have a Marantz streamer and its phone app is not ready for prime time.  Instead I use Bubble-Upnp (free) to stream high resolution files from my network, the Spotify app (requires Spotify subscription) to cast its playback to my streamer and either the Marantz app or XiiaLive (free, but works with Bubble-Upnp) to cast internet radio.  That's a separate app for each streaming source instead of the single Marantz app that unsuccessfully combines the sources.

So, are you using a phone app to control the streaming functions?  Which one?  Does it stream from your network without stopping or worse, locking up?  Have you solved your network streaming problem yet?  How is the analog section of the preamp?  Do you have a turntable and a phono preamp?

I really appreciate the information you've posted so far.

The headphone amp has thankfully gotten a bit better since I’ve left headphones on it for a few days to break in if it needs that. Picking up the headphones again, I found it had improved and sounded more fleshed out. So there’s hope. 

On streaming from services, I’m using Spotify connect and it’s worked very well with the DDP-2. No playback issues, no dropouts, no noise, no problems. 

There are zero instructions for how to get my flac files to stream to it and it and the web interface is barebones. You can only rename the device on the network and login to the WiFi. That’s it. So for streaming on your own network or for non-Roon browsing and playing your files, it offers no solution. 

For that alone, because of the amount of files I have, I may be returning it so I can get a better and more cohesive streaming solution with a Bluesound Node and a different less costly DAC. 

Hi Rick, 

Just came across this thread. In the most recent update, we added DLNA support. We did not officially announce it yet since we are still tweaking it a bit. You should be able to use apps like MConnect (For content on your phone as well as Tidal/Quobuz) and Jriver for your laptop to playback files stored on your PC through the DDP-2. I forwarded this thread to Peter so I am sure he will add some comments. We are working on updating the manual to reflect the most recent updates. 

Peter is traveling at the moment, however, I am guessing he will respond soon.

Chris Walker
ELAC