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Review: Audio Mirror D-1 DA converter

Category: Digital

What a surprise is this new DAC by Audio Mirror!!! Audio Mirror makes vacuum tube pre and power amps, and recently came out with a solid state DAC. This is a non over-sampling DAC. I bought this on a hunch, because there are few web comments out about this new to the scene DAC. I was hoping for a DAC that would unify the virtues of an Ack! and a Nixon DAC. Over the past couple years, I've favored non over-sampling DACs, having had lengthy experience with a conrad-johnson Premier 9, Scott Nixon tube DAC+, and a couple Ack! dAck!. My experience finds that the non over-sampling DACs have a more coherent, cohesive sound, without any hyped harmonic detail. Other digital sources that I've spent lengthy time with have been an Ah Tjoeb99, Sony SACD-777es & Cary 308.

This DAC is one of those ear openers: I can't believe digital can sound this good.

First off, fresh out of the box, I heard unusually good bloom in the gradiations of musical emotion: relaxing music sooths, but surprises startle. Spacially, the stage is deep and tall with the very best instrumental placement I've heard. The electronic atmosphere seems quieter than the battery run Ack!; perhaps an electronic haze has cleared. The tonal color of wind intruments it clear and round and liquid, just right in weight, never thin or bloated. I can distinguish orchestra violin and viola, better than ever. Brass shines and shimmers with breath fluctuations (back to visual reality: the unit shines with a gold plateing). Voice is wet and fleshy. But it is the emotion of music, that this DAC allows, which most engages me.

Even after two days of use, I'm convinced. How wonderful will this DAC be when it mellows with age. Perhaps I'll buy a second for my living room system.

Associated gear
Sony DVP-s7700 transport
Gainclone amplifier
Jordan JX92s transmission line single driver speakers

Similar products
Ack! dAck!, Nixon Tube DAC+, conrad-johnson Premier 9.
128x128skyboy
royy
148 posts
 
This is also my brief review of the Audio Mirror D1. I'm not a very good reviewer so this is going to be short. I sold my Bel Canto DAC2 after comparing it side by side with the Audio Mirror DAC. The Audio Mirror to my ear sounds more organic more neutral, detail and stronger buttom end. I bought another one for my second system using a cheap Pioneer DV-578A-S universal player as a transport. Now I have a killer universal player for a mere $650 total. Before the Bel Canto, I was using Benchmark DAC(I bought it because of all the hype) but to my ear the Bel Canto DAC2 is better. At one time, I also used to have Esoteric DV-50 that I sold because I wasn't happy with it's redbook performance either. This is not another hype. Go get one and listen for yourself. I think there is a 5 day trial so you got nothing to loose. BTW. My main system consist of: Sony SCD-C2000ES changer use as a transport, Sonic Frontiers Line2 SE+, Gamut D-200 MK3 and Verity Audio Parsifal speakers.
skyboy's avatar
skyboy OP
19 posts
 
Finally, I do like all 3 of these DACs very much. Each have there own distinctive virtures. The Ack!'s virtues: with the battery supply, it seems that there is a bottomless well of power to draw from, crescendos never feel the least bit of strain; there is a sense of smoothness; it is agile to musical changes. The Nixon has a really glorious midrange in which voice and brass have an inner tube glow; when coupled with a tube amp, the Nixon really is unbelievable; it does not have a digital etched sound, and the coursness in the treble is like what I often hear with tube amps, and by coarseness (perhaps crassness?), I mean a lack of melodic insight in the treble of massed orchestral violins. The Ack! and Nixon seem to be polar opposites following the traditional debate of solid state vs. tube, head vs. heart, classical vs. romantic, Apollonian vs. Dionysian. The Audio Mirror seems to have unified the virtues of both.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Very interesting and inciteful findings.

I've been comparing the Ack! Dack! 2.0 with my long time Kora Hermes for the past month and it does seem to mirror your comparison of the Ack! 1.3 to the Scott Nixon Tube DAC. Where would you place the Audio Mirror in relation to them? Which has the largest presentation and soundstage? I ask because the Kora creates a much bigger soundfield in my system than the Ack!

Thanks!
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Nice review Skyboy...the Audio Mirror sounds like a very good Dac and even better that Royy backs this up. I've been looking for something that had some of the traits of the SN-Dac and Ack Dac in one package...this is an interestig new Dac.

Dave
wavz
1 posts
 
A friend brought over his CAL Alpha 18-bit tube (Telefunken tubes) DAC last night. I used my Sony CDP-77ES player as the transport. I was, in general, very impressed. There was a great smoothness, prehaps too smooth. The bass was strong but perhaps not as deep or awe inspiring. I'm still trying to sort this out. We were on a second bottle of great California wine at that point. My speakers are 16 ohm older P6M Lowthers, power amps are Atma-Sphere MA-1's (with reduced tube count so as not to kill the Lowthers), and the preamp a moderatley upgraded Audio Research SP-3A-1. While I like the Sony 77ES on its own merits, there is some rawness in the treble area that sometimes is appropriate and other times not. I was stunned by what a difference The CAL Alpha made in making an audio experience different. I'm wondering if my next move should be the Audio Mirror DAC and just forget trying to find a used CAL Alpha for $100 less.
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