Aqua xHD v Rockna WD SE Balanced

To me the xHD is much quieter, blacker, with a wider soundstage and better overall  grip. But It’s darker and more opaque as well and has WAY more bass.  Yggy is more open and airy. When it comes to imaging Yggy places you closer or brings everything more forward depending on your perspective. So far I liken this observation to comparing a 16x9 flatpanel (Yggy) to a 2.35:1 curved anamorphic (xHD). With Yggy everything is pretty well centered and uniform top to bottom while the xHD although having a wider sound stage seems shorter in scale top to bottom and recessed the middle. It’s really great with large format classical/orchestral although doesn’t seem to really image as well or keep pace with small ensemble jazz and rock which is where Yggy tends to shine in my system. Being a musician I liken it to the xHD being tube rectified with the Yggy being solid state. 

Just my my own subjective observations. Thanks for all the comments thus far! 

With any luck I’ll have the Rockna by next weekend :)

@wpruett,

Did you end up buying the fully Balanced Rockna? Are you located in US?

I was fortunate enough to compare this DAC in my system. Rockna has a weightier, substantial, focused and more frontal in-room soundstage than any other DAC (including AQUA xHD). It will play your recordings with utmost faithfulness and detail.

Yes getting in the fully balanced Rockna signature edition. If it’s my fav it’s not going back. LOL.

I would straight up stay away from both and either get a Metrum Pavane or an MSB Analog. Aqua is overpriced for a rolled off dac, Rockna...not sure but why bother?

Here is our take as an Aqua dealer, Aqua makes the most upgrabable digital products on the market.

If you look at a Lascala or a Formula, vs any other dac, you will see 7-8 individual circuit boards the entire unit is completely upgradable for both hardware and software most of the competition is on two-three boards.

We know of no other company whose products are completely modular and fully upgradable so if you are looking for a long term solution to non-obsolence the Aqua product is by and far in a class by itself in terms of long term satisfaction there is really nothing else in this class which is 100% both hardware and software upgradable.

Rokna does seem like an excellent unit the issue with Rockna is will they offer upgrades and stay current and how easy is it to upgrade their units and will they offer this?

There are some exciting new updates coming in the Forumla for 2019 which will again elevate the performance of the Formula, yet again.

We have a late 2017-2018 Forumula and it is fantastically musical when used with an Innuous Statement this will be one of the best sounding combinations you can get we found that the Formula is very sensitive to footers and power cords we put a set of Critical Mass Center Stage footers under the Formula and we were like wow the difference was amazing and adding a good power cord again elevated the performance yet again.

So with the Aqua how was were you using it? Which usb cable? What sever?

The Aqua is a fantastic dac and is one of the best choices for a top notch system however it requires a ton of break in 300-500 hours, if the sample you heard did not have that kind of playng time and you were using the dac on its stock footers you didn’t hear the Aqua.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ