Gregm- I wish I had a case of these to give to my friends! But I do not- sorry :o)
Timo- The unit retails for $9995(I know I had to include that when making the review but I don't know where it got placed). It has multiple inputs:
• AES/EBU (2 connectors and 1 connector)
• SPDIF (Coax)
• Optical TOSLink
• PCM over optical ST glass (AES formatted)
• RAW DSD
• SDIF-3 (DSD)
• EMM OptiLink
There are digital outputs.
Dolphin-
1. That is a very hard question to answer, I am a form over function sort of person. That being said this piece is fairly small(its actually smaller then the Philips SACD1000 on all measurements) but it feels quite dense. The face plate is a high quality brushed aluminum panel, its not the quality of a Rowland front plate(but then again what is!). The rest of the chassis is rigid, sturdy and finished in an anti-reflective black paint or poweder coating. The display is unique(as the picture shows)the numeric LCD display is for the volume, the LED's are actually buttons as well. When you change settings or switch inputs the corresponding LED/button will light up. Built like a tank- sure, solid feel- absolutely, does it look like it belongs in a jewelry store- not quite.
2. The only testing I have tried was with a placette passive line stage and the results were inconclusive due to me not having enough interconnects to make a fair comparison. So far I am hearing more body, texture and dynamics then I have from any digital source and transparency is also the finest I have listened to. There may be a benefit to using an external high quality preamp, but I don't feel that there is a reason to even think about at this time.
3. Its been so long since I have listened to the DAC6e/switchman combo that I could not answer that with any accuracy. I can tell you the "magic" that I heard from the multichannel combo is here- which is better?? I could not tell you. The DCC2 makes a much cleaner looking and simpler system, by both components and accessories needed and the compact size of the DCC2.
Frankg- I would love to have a remote! At this time the remotes are not ready yet, so I don't have one, major bummer. I am told they should be ready in a month or so. I am glad I have the unit and am not waiting for a remote to be produced- it keeps me fit getting up to change the volume!
Mejames- The volume control works very good- while going up and down at certain levels I get a barely audible tick coming through the speakers- the placette passives are the same way. Its not enough of a problem to even bother me, the same thing also happens when tracking up or down on a cd, I am told it is the clocks relinking with one another. Again this is a minimal tick and it doesn't always do it. The volume ranges from 00-99(99 being the highest) I have listened as high as 35 and it was around 90dB with my 84dB speakers! It has plenty of gain available that's for sure! The magnepan speakers I am using are not known for there low level resolution and even at 05 I have audible high quality sound. I typically listen in the mid to high twenties.
Fmpnd- I know its nothing special but its gotta hold me over till you return my Bose system! :^)
Sbank- You must have me confused with someone else, I have never had an analog rig. I have thought about it many times, but I am to young for LP's- I just can't get into it like a lot of you guys do.
Timo- The unit retails for $9995(I know I had to include that when making the review but I don't know where it got placed). It has multiple inputs:
• AES/EBU (2 connectors and 1 connector)
• SPDIF (Coax)
• Optical TOSLink
• PCM over optical ST glass (AES formatted)
• RAW DSD
• SDIF-3 (DSD)
• EMM OptiLink
There are digital outputs.
Dolphin-
1. That is a very hard question to answer, I am a form over function sort of person. That being said this piece is fairly small(its actually smaller then the Philips SACD1000 on all measurements) but it feels quite dense. The face plate is a high quality brushed aluminum panel, its not the quality of a Rowland front plate(but then again what is!). The rest of the chassis is rigid, sturdy and finished in an anti-reflective black paint or poweder coating. The display is unique(as the picture shows)the numeric LCD display is for the volume, the LED's are actually buttons as well. When you change settings or switch inputs the corresponding LED/button will light up. Built like a tank- sure, solid feel- absolutely, does it look like it belongs in a jewelry store- not quite.
2. The only testing I have tried was with a placette passive line stage and the results were inconclusive due to me not having enough interconnects to make a fair comparison. So far I am hearing more body, texture and dynamics then I have from any digital source and transparency is also the finest I have listened to. There may be a benefit to using an external high quality preamp, but I don't feel that there is a reason to even think about at this time.
3. Its been so long since I have listened to the DAC6e/switchman combo that I could not answer that with any accuracy. I can tell you the "magic" that I heard from the multichannel combo is here- which is better?? I could not tell you. The DCC2 makes a much cleaner looking and simpler system, by both components and accessories needed and the compact size of the DCC2.
Frankg- I would love to have a remote! At this time the remotes are not ready yet, so I don't have one, major bummer. I am told they should be ready in a month or so. I am glad I have the unit and am not waiting for a remote to be produced- it keeps me fit getting up to change the volume!
Mejames- The volume control works very good- while going up and down at certain levels I get a barely audible tick coming through the speakers- the placette passives are the same way. Its not enough of a problem to even bother me, the same thing also happens when tracking up or down on a cd, I am told it is the clocks relinking with one another. Again this is a minimal tick and it doesn't always do it. The volume ranges from 00-99(99 being the highest) I have listened as high as 35 and it was around 90dB with my 84dB speakers! It has plenty of gain available that's for sure! The magnepan speakers I am using are not known for there low level resolution and even at 05 I have audible high quality sound. I typically listen in the mid to high twenties.
Fmpnd- I know its nothing special but its gotta hold me over till you return my Bose system! :^)
Sbank- You must have me confused with someone else, I have never had an analog rig. I have thought about it many times, but I am to young for LP's- I just can't get into it like a lot of you guys do.