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Reference DACS: An overall perspective

There has been many threads the last few months regarding the sonic signature of some of the highest regarded reference DACS (Dcs,Meitner,Ensemble,Audio Note,Zanden,Reimyo,Accustic Arts) here on the GON. I have been very fortunate to audtion many of these wonderful pieces in my home or friend's systems. I wanted to share, in a systematic way, my impressions/opinions with you GON members for a two reasons: 1)That my experiences might be helpful to fellow members interested in audtioning these DACS. 2)Starting an interesting discussion regarding the different "sonic flavors" of these reference digital front ends. I totally agree with the statement, "if you have not heard it you don't have an opinion". Therefore, I have no comments regarding DACS from Weiss,Goldmund,Audio Aero and Burmester because I have never had the pleasure of audtioning them. I would love to hear from members who have and share their experiences with us. My overall impression is that these DACS(Dcs,Meitner,Ensemble,Audio Note,Zanden,Reimyo,Accustic Arts) can be grouped into two molar categories regarding their overall sonic signature. By the way, all of them can throw a large/deep soundstage with excellent layering in the acoustic space with "air" around individual players on that stage. However, than they start to part company into two major categories. Category #1) These DACS "flavors" revolve around pristine clarity, fine sharp details,speed,very extended top/bottom frequencies,and great PRAT. These DACS never sound "etched" or "in your face" but are more "upfront" then "layed back" in their presentation. The DACS, to my ear's, that go into this bracket are Dcs,Ensemble,Meitner. My personnal favorite in this group is the Ensemble, which I owned for two years. These DACS remind me of the sonic signature of speakers such as Wilson,Thiel,Dynaudio, Focal/JM Labs. Category #2) These DACS "flavors" revolve around a "musical/organic" sense, natural timbres,and an easy flowing liquidity. Their "less forward" presentation my give the impression of less detail, but I think in this case its an illusion fostered by their more relaxed/organic manner. The DACS, to my ear's, that go into this bracket are Audio Note,Zanden,Reimyo,Accustic Arts. I did find that the tube DACS did not have the top/bottom frequency extenstion and PRAT of the SS DACS in this bracket. For me, the Accustic Arts DAC1-MK3 gave me the best of both categories, therefore it is now the resident DAC in my system. These DACS remind me of the sonic signature of speakers such as Magnepan,Von Schweikert,Sonus Faber. Well, it's all just my opinion regarding these digital pieces, but I hope this post was at least informative/somewhat interesting and would lend itself to other GON members sharing their impressions, not about what DAC is the "BEST" in the world, but your personnal taste and synergy with your system.
teajay

Showing 4 responses by gliderguider

gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
Teajay,

Nice essay, and I have to say it agrees with my experience with DACs in general - I haven't had a lot of exposure to the heavy-hitting reference class, beyond my own Audio Note and a friend's Wadia 861.

What Audio Note DACs you listened to? The reason I wonder is because of your comments regarding frequency extension from tubed DACs. While my judgement is constrained by lack of adequate comparisons, I certainly don't feel that my 4.1x Balanced Signature is lacking in those departments.

One has to be cautious when judging top end extension of course, because a top end that's free (or at least freer) of artifacts will sound less extended. And as always, system synergy will play a role, especially in judging bass quality and extension.
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
Exlibris, it sounds like you're a candidate for a higher-level Audio Note DAC. They have all the good stuff you like about the sound of your MSB, but with sophistication. They are real music-lover's DACs. The really good ones (3.1x and 4.1x families) won't save you much money, though.

Since getting mine just over two years ago I've lost any urge to go DAC hunting. I've just ordered one of their new CDT Three transports to feed it, and it looks like I'll be musically content for a long time.
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
I think Audio Note has gotten short shrift in this thread, so I thought I'd report that the combination of their new CDT Three transport, the 4.1x Balanced Signature DAC I mentioned earlier, plus a Stealth Varidig Sextet recently purchased from Exlibris is making stunning music chez moi.

My experiences lately have reinforced the notion that it's essential to treat the transport/interconnect/DAC as a system. Making judgements on "the DAC" in isolation seems very difficult. Each of the changes, first of the transport and then of the interconnect, changed the sound of the front end so dramatically that I am now at a loss as to what the sonic contribution of the DAC itself actually is. I do know that the front end is generating more music than I ever thought possible from redbook.
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
Sorry, I was just being flippant with the "short shrift" comment.

I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago that illustrates just how much of a part our mental wiring plays in setting our preferences for "Type I" or "Type II" sound. I had the opportunity for a reasonably thorough audition of a Meitner CDSD/DCC2 in a system I otherwise know very well and like very much. I found I just couldn't get past the clinical nature of the sound, even on SACDs. All night it failed to draw me in, and I spent the evening sitting there relentlessly analyzing and wishing I was elsewhere. Obviously it was a sheer relief to return home to my AN gear.

Experiences like that make me want to ask for a definition of terms when someone uses the word "reference", because it appears to me that there are two very different, and possibly even incompatible value systems at work here. The "Type I and Type II" distinction hints at this, but I wonder if there isn't something deeper going on in our brains to cause some of us defend so fiercely sound that others find fundamentally lacking.
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