ARCAM rDAC

I'm with you - Arcam gear has always sounded pretty balanced to me. They are a large company with great R&D. I do not expect them to release a poor product even if it is aimed at the budget end of life.

Nope - not my system. That I do know.

I too am a burn in sceptic. But is something that I regularly observe... Even Charlie Hansen talks of burn in with his QB9. He is unsure why but supposes it may be the particular resin used on the pcb....go figure.

I don't turn digital gear off - it is always on. No warming up to deal with.

I have to say that initially it sounded a lot better than it currently does - see my earlier impressions and the thread I started at CA.

You are quite correct - I'm only reporting what I hear - the good and and the bad.

Disclaimer: these are just my personal musings and accordingly you should attribute no weight to my views beyond the usual internet tittle tattle.

And you are quite correct I may well have a faulty unit. As I privately imported it from the UK warranty is out of the question - I'm not that enamoured with it to be bothered sending it back. If it doesn't improve in the bin it goes.

I'm more interested in other rDac owners telling me if they have had a similar experience. If they have not then it is an issue unique to me and most likely a fault in the unit. If they have then I know it is not a unique issue.

Mate - pop out and buy one - they are cheap as chips. If you hear nothing but sweet sounds then I know it's my unit.

Best Wishes
Andrew

No need for the disclaimer IMO. Everyone's honest observations should be taken at face value. Too many people get too worked up about things. I'm going to hear an rDAC when my dealer gets one in. $479 is cheap, but not throw away cheap to my wallet.

Unless that's the way it's supposed to sound, maybe something came loose internally on it's way over here?

I've never known Arcam to make a crap product, like you said. Their stuff isn't the be all, end all but it's always been great for the money. It would be a real shame if it changed.

Not to start a race war, but did you know the rDAC is made in China? I think their other rSeries stuff and a few other things are made there too. Hate to say it, but maybe their strict quality control failed?

I'm still interested in it. I'm more interested in a Rega DAC. Finally saw something official from a dealer in the UK about it. They have a picture and a tech sheet. I'd rather spend $1k on the DAC I've been waiting for than half that for a DAC that's something I'd settle for.

My Rega dealer is the Arcam dealer I spoke of earlier.

Oh I nearly always type disclaimers...I hope it makes people realise it is just my (rather faulty) middle aged ears at work and not to take it all too seriously.

And in fairness it is opening up quite alot the last 25 hrs or so. I wouldn't say it is entirely resolved but certainly alot of the unpleasantness has passed.

You have minded me I must pop the hood and have a look underneath. I don't even know what op amps are in it.

Lots of great dacs out there. I reckon the Lavry Da10/11 takes alot of beating at $800-900 second hand.

The rDac is beginning to settle nicely and produce some good sound with strings. I am listening to Sinfonia Concertante in B Minor KV 364, Violin Concertos, The 5 - Kremer, Harmoncourt as I type and the ease and fluidity I spoke of earlier is present. Violin appears timbre accurate and without distortion. Orchestra is still a little confused - but I don't expect that to go away anytime soon.

This is a good dac for the money. Let's hope it continues to develop and the burn in issue (if that is what it was) I reported is nothing of note.

I'll be following your updates. Gonna wait till its available here, and also wait for the Rega DAC when (if) it comes out. I like my Apollo too much to not wait out a Rega DAC that's supposedly a month or two away.