Hello everyone, sorry this took so long. I had a problem with the first 1.1 unit that I received (which turned out to be a cold solder joint). The upgrade took one week and the repair of the cold solder joint a little less than a week (back and forth). Customer service at Bel Canto was both positive and timely. I was not that impressed with the second unit that I received (in regard to how it compared to my original 1.0 version) - But Don't Stop Reading Now. We had also assumed that since I had run the first unit 250+ hours that following the repair of the cold solder joint that the unit would not need to be broken in again. Well, this was not the case as at the 200 hour point the unit has opened up sound wise to what I now feel "is" an upgrade to the original 1.0 version. When I first received the unit (not broken in a second time) I found the sound to be somewhat recessed in the mids with less harmonic detail than the 1.0 version. The receding midrange made the high frequencies sound tipped up and unnatural to me (again compared to the 1.0 version). Bass was about the same (though a little tighter) and the sound stage was not as wide nor as deep as the 1.0 (again the recessed midrange). OK, this was then, but in the past 40-50 hours (I am at approx. 200-225 hours of play now) the midrange and sound stage finally opened up and bloomed (hope this is a good word for it, it got bigger and fuller). The sound is no longer on the thin side and in contrast the high frequencies no longer sound out of balance, though they are a bit more extended over the original version. The bass response is much improved on the 1.1 as it is not only tighter, but it is deeper as well, which is apparent on "Contate Domino," a new reference and pipe organ CD that I now use, (thanks Charlie). The harmonic information (that had me hooked on the 1.0 version) is back on voices, strings and brass percussive, but overall the sound is not quite as warm as the 1.0 version. It is however more dynamic and perhaps the added dynamics just gives the impression that there is less warmth as the presentation is still very smooth and natural sounding (again what originally attracted me to the BC DAC). Sensing less warmth could also be because of the high frequencies sounding more extended on the 1.1 version, in any case I do not find this a fault, but felt that I should mention it and once again the unit is very smooth and analog like. The overall sound also has a bit more air (which I call reverb) than the 1.0 and does not congest at all that I can tell on complex material given that I listen at moderate levels due to the power limitations of my system. Speaking of the system, it can be viewed in the "Virtual Systems" area and is listed under "SET Hide Away System." All in all the 1.1 version is enough of an improvement to keep me sedated until SACD and the other striving formats run their course.
