I've been considering the Reuss. I'm curious what, specifically, you'd hope to improve by moving up to the DAC1MK ll.
Six DAC Comparison
I am in the middle of comparing the sound of six different DACs in my system. I own them all (I know weird) but one of them is still within a trial/return timeframe.
Not to share specific comparisons today, but a couple of observations so far are that first, they all definitely sound different from each other. On one hand, they all sound pretty good and play what is fed to them without significant flaws but on the other hand there are definite sonic differences that make it easy to understand how a person might like the sound of some of them while not liking others.
Second, raises the observation that most of them must be doing something to shape the sound in the manner the designer intended since one of the DACs, a Benchmark DAC3 HGA, was described by John Atkinson of Stereophile as providing "state-of-the-art measured performance." In the review, JA closed the measurements section by writing, "All I can say is "Wow!" I have also owned the Tambaqui (not in my current comparison), which also measured well ("The Mola Mola Tambaqui offers state-of-the-digital-art measured performance." - JA). The Benchmark reminds me sonically of the Tambaqui, both of which are excellent sounding DACs.
My point is that if the Benchmark is providing "state-of-the-art measured performance," then one could reasonably presume that the other five DACs, which sound different from the Benchmark, do not share similar ’state-of-the-art" measurements and are doing something to subtly or not so subtly alter the sound. Whether a person likes what they hear is a different issue.
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@wig -Thanks for the cable list. I have never tried Grover Huffman cables of any type but I know many like them and believe they offer a good performance to price ratio. I have not gone too far down the road of digital cables but I have tried a few USB cables including Curious, Triode Wire Labs, Totaldac, and Network Acoustics Muon. Of those, the Totaldac seems more organic sounding while the NA Muon seems more incisive and detailed sounding but without any shrillness or fatiguing qualities. I am using TWL's AES/EBU cable and that seems to work/sound fine. Sonore wants me to try their USB cable but I have made more traction upgrading components rather than cables so I sort of stay middle of the road wrt digital cable choices. @cdc - I wouldn't say "last 2 or 5% in sound quality" as I believe these DACs have a larger sonic impact than that, and much more than the difference in servers. I have had several pretty good servers and none of them made a discernable sonic difference, although I did hear a big improvement in moving to the Sonore Signature Rendu SE streamer. That discussion gets messy because when you say "server" many believe you are talking about a server/streamer combination. The thing about DACs is they do sound quite different from each other and while one may not generally be significantly "better" than another, they definitely sound significantly different from each other. Most people seem to have a type of sound they like, and will choose a DAC that matches that type of sound and avoid DACs that provide a different type of sound. @bgross - There seems to be a small jam pile of DACs at around $4K. I had not heard of the Canor from Slovakia, which uses dual ESS Sabre chips and four tubes, but it has received several very positive reviews for how it sounds. Maybe somebody else with access should do a comparison of all the $4K DACs on the market. |
Thank you for your thorough and comprehensive evaluations on those Dacs; I’m sure it will be a big help for those looking at those price points. Wig Merason Dac1 MKII/ Pro Ject RS2T CD Transport user 😊 Top 3 digital cables that I have heard and some nearly $2K but the ones listed below are at $500 and below: 1. DIY Furutech das 4.1 with Furutech AES/EBU NCF 2. Grover Huffman Pharaoh Copper 3. Grover Huffman Pharaoh + Silver |
@mitch2 boy, you are super thorough with your reporting. Thank you for spending so much time on this. In my instance, I listened to a couple of the listed DACs when upgrading from my Line Magnetic and I didn't really feel there was a significant enough upgrade (especially for what some of these cost) to the LMs presentation until I demoed the Canor 2.10. I mentioned before that I have rare exotic tubes in the LM, which is really great, and also recently purchased Amperex Gold Pin 6922s to go in the Canor's output stage and although I haven't had a lot of time to listen to the new tubes and or run through all its filters, I am more than happy with this Canor component. Just rounded all the bases for me and at $4K is a pretty solid value. Just my experience. |
Sort of. The Mojo DACs and Aero are all R-2R DACs while the Merason is a hybrid Delta-Sigma, so there are fundamental differences in the conversion that are not surprisingly audible, IMO. The differences in the sound between the Mojos and Aero may be more related to power supply differences and output stage implementation. Yes, I do like the sound of the 3x more expensive Mojos better than the Aero - no shame there. |
@soix - Not planning a big reveal at the end, but maybe a couple of comparison comments. I will mostly let the write-ups stand on their own. Regarding the Merason and LTA Aero, they are both DACs but otherwise somewhat apples and oranges. The Aero’s strengths are about drive and leading edge excitement while the Merason seems to be more about dense tone and fluidity. They both do a good job of playing music, and neither leaves anything out, but I would envision buyers would have quite different sonic priorities which would result in their selecting only one of those two DACs, but not both. Sonically, my preferences fall sort of in between the two but closer to the Merason than to the Aero. |
@mitch2 - Another great review, Mitch. Thank you. I own the Merason Dac1 Mkii but am curious about the universe of dacs out there. The share the sentiment that the Merason Dac, at least in my system, has almost an ephemeral quality. I’m not sure how much the other components in my systems play into that, but music is consistently smooth. At moments, I would like a little more “bite”, but I’m not complaining! |
MERASON DAC1 MKII Merason DAC1 MkII Reviews
Merason DAC1 MkII I expected great things from the Merason DAC1 MkII based on the positive published reviews I read, which all commended the thoughtful design choices, fanatical attention to detail, and excellent sound quality based on the DAC1’s tone, bass, drive, and refinement. So, I was a little surprised when I first connected it and heard…nothing special. It was a good thing that I kept listening. It has not been very often that my first impression about audio gear is so off-base. Not that the Merason did anything wrong when I first heard it, because it didn’t, but rather what I was hearing didn’t seem to engage me to the same level after listening to my Mojo Audio DACs and the LTA Aero. However, after the Merason DAC had been powered up for a week or so, and after I moved it to a location in my rack where I could connect a better digital coax input cable (Oyaide 5N silver DB510 vs. Canare L-4.5CHD by BJC), it sounded much better than what I first remembered. The final touch was when I replaced the Totaldac filtered USB cable I was using between my Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical and my Singxer SU-6 DDC with a Network Acoustics Muon USB cable, which seemed to increase incisiveness. The design and construction of the Merason DAC1 MkII is explained in more detail in the reviews linked above, as well as on Merason’s website, which describe the galvanic isolation, dual DAC converter modules, Class A buffering technology, fully balanced circuitry, and special attention to the 12 power supplies used in the DAC1. These features and more demonstrate the fastidious Swiss engineering that has gone into the Merason DAC1 MkII. The Merason DAC1 MkII uses two Burr-Brown PCM1794A chips, which are hybrid DAC chips in that they use both R-2R and Delta-Sigma conversion topologies. I found the following quote about the PCM1794A chip, "Segmented PCM1794 is described as having 'true' multibit DAC for the most significant bits, while a multi-level delta sigma modulator for lower bits.” So, how did all of this Swiss engineering translate to music? On my test tracks, and on other selections from Tidal’s and Qobuz’s streaming libraries, the Merason DAC1 MkII has been incredibly engaging to listen to. Clarity is very good as is the tonal quality. Bass is full, plump, deep, and powerful. Detail is also good but the strong suit of the Merason seems to be the wonderful tonal qualities and presence of the middle frequencies down into the bass. Both female and male vocals were handled in a manner that placed them as a main feature, underpinned by warm, full, deep bass lines and augmented by whatever other instruments were playing. However, unlike some equipment that seems to thrust the mids/vocals forward in the soundstage, the Merason kept everything in its place, and provided the effect of enveloping the listener in sound. As other reviewers have discussed in their own words, I also perceived high frequencies to typically play a bit of a supporting role as opposed to being part of the main attraction. This may account for what some have discussed as the “refined” sound of the Merason DAC1 MkII. Attack seems to be harmonically a bit lower in priority than decay, sustain, and release. As a result, the Merason is easy to listen to and never fatiguing although one trade-off may be a slight touch of smoothing-out of some rough edges, and not quite as “raw” a sound on music or vocals that are intended to sound “gritty”. To my ears, the effects described above are subtle and are not a detraction, especially given all of the other positive attributes the Merason exhibits. Some may simply say the Merason sounds “smoother.” Interestingly, when listening to the Merason, I do not perceive any loss of high frequencies or details but, as others have mentioned, the result is subtle and might be described as a sound we more commonly associate with vinyl records than digital sources. I was ok with this since the opposite usually leads to listening fatigue. I suggest reading the High Fidelity review, which I thought was well-written and accurate as to the salient features and sound of the Merason DAC1 MkII. The reviewer, Wojciech Pacula, described the DAC 1 as having, “perfectly balanced proportions, with an internally complex, refined sound. The latter is slightly lowered, with strong support in the mid-bass and in the breakthrough with the midrange. The treble, on the other hand, is selective, resolving, but also dense and more ‘loose’ than ‘biting.’" He goes on to conclude, “It's a dynamic, energetic presentation with a clear sonic signature in which richness and density are the most important features.” I agree that richness and (tonal) density are stand-out features of the Merason DAC1 MkII. Those are desirable attributes in my sonic world, which may be why I found the Merason DAC1 MkII engaging to listen to, although some listeners may wish for a more incisive type presentation. Not every DAC is going to engage every listener on every parameter to the same degree. On track after track, the Merason DAC1 MkII captured the organic beauty of vocal presentations and provided a rich, engaging delivery through my system. From Chris Cornell on “Songbook,” to James Taylor on “Steamroller Blues,” to Dominique Fils-Aime’ on “Birds,” to Sara Bareilles on “Gravity,” and more, the vocals were tonally dense and musical. Even the rock selections were presented with force, weight, and believability. The Merason never faltered, distorted, or became congested regardless of the material or the volume I played it at. Of course, there are trade-offs. To my ears, the Merason DAC1 MkII sounds a touch smoother and less “organic/natural” than what I hear when I play music through my Mojo Audio R-2R DACs. Going back and forth between the Merason and Mojo’s Mystique EVO Pro, I hear more granularity and front/back dimension through the Mojo Audio DAC, resulting in a sound that is slightly more incisive and could maybe be described as more “exciting,” while the Merason is perhaps slightly smoother and more focused on tonal density. What I hear may simply be the difference between listening to a DAC using (hybrid) Delta-Sigma conversion processes vs. DACs using R-2R conversion. Delta-Sigma conversion involves interpolation, noise shaping, and error correction to approximate the waveform, and is a process that can result in a smoother, idealized sound. In the end, these differences I have described do not make listening through the Merason any less engaging, just a bit different from what I am used to. This is a good example of how there is no one path to achieving a sonically gratifying result. The design choices Merason made have resulted in a DAC that is very enjoyable to listen to, even if it sounds a bit different from my other DACs. I am sitting here with Gov’t Mule’s version of Cortez the Killer blasting out of the speakers and it makes no difference to me that the Merason and Mojo Audio DACs sound a bit different from each other, all I can think of is how much I like listening to Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule.
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@brbrock - This review of the Mystique EVO shows a good image of the insides of the full-sized chassis that was used through the EVO Pro model and changed to the narrower but longer extruded chassis first used for the Mystique X. You should be able to gauge the size of the chokes from the image showing five of them in the full-sized chassis. |
@rja -Take a look at this review of the Mystique Y DAC, where Ken Redmond asks the same question you just asked, and received this answer:
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@fuzzbutt17 @mitch2 How large is the power transformer and chokes on the Mystique DAC's. I can't tell from the pics. On other DAC's they may have several transformers but usually look smaller. |
@sns - Widely variable from as little as about 20 minutes to maybe 3 hours, with most being like a half-hour to 2 hours, sometimes listening intently and taking notes, other times reading or working on my computer. For these comparisons, I have kept a small notebook handy to record impressions as they occur. |
@mitch2 How long are your listening sessions with any one particular dac? Sometimes certain aspects of sound quality don't become clear to me with only short listening sessions. Longer sessions may expose very subtle anomalies of all kinds leading to a more analytical response and/or listener fatigue. |
This has been interesting in realizing how important it is to match SPLs (sound pressure levels) when comparing audio equipment. It is fine to listen and evaluate a unit on its own merits at various volume levels, but when directly comparing two or more units I have realized it is important to match the volume levels, or SPLs for the most meaningful comparison. Fortunately, my system has a buffer/preamp set-up with a numerical display of volume level so that once I use the Decibel X app to determine/estimate which VC settings produce the same SPL for the units being compared, I can easily switch between the units and select the appropriate volume level. This has been a bit eye-opening, not only because of how different the settings are for different equipment to achieve the same SPL, but more about how the sonic differences sometimes become less when SPLs are matched. Finally, it is also interesting to hear how different equipment may have a different optimal SPL for music playback in that some equipment seems to handle low-level listening better than other equipment and some equipment does better at the higher SPLs. |
@devinplombier the post by @classicrockfan. RIF. |
What’s the problem with naming the USA DAC that presumably was in your system and cost 10 times the cost and underperformed the SMSL?/// Because I know the person who owns the company and don't want to hurt his business. ///Also, you made the general statement that they outperform 10x more expensive USA and UK DACS, so what are all of those other DACs that you presumably compared the SMSL and Gustard directly to? /// Tried a stupidly expensive UK made DAC in my system found it very disappointed. that was owned by one of my associates. ///specifically how did they sound/perform better? /// Clarity, huge sound stage, deep tight bass, bluetooth convenience, etc.. |
@mitch2 - Another great review, Mitch. Looking forward to your comparative thoughts on the Merason DAC1 Mkii next. |
@no_regrets I thought of that at time I made post. Problem is I'm still in process of evaluating 006, burning in dac along with adjusting my perspectives and perceptions will take some time. Also, I'd expect @mitch2 has his hands full with dacs already on hand, I could never attempt that large a task, two dacs is a handful for me. However, a loan could be a consideration somewhere down the road if I feel the need to provide 006 with more exposure.
Issue is Musetec really misses the boat on marketing their products. Look at what Laiv does with their Harmony dac, multiple youtube videos and professional reviews within months of release which leads to relatively large number of sales. Denafrips another brand that understands how to market to the west. |
@mitch2 Absolutely agree with the notion that we need some time to adjust our perceptions when evaluating new equipment coming into system. I've often been incorrect in initial perspectives or judgements in this regard, longer term evaluation has long been my gold standard for decisions on which equipment stays.
I've long thought having multiple reference audio systems would be nirvana, each would present a unique presentation for whatever mood you were in. No doubt I'd be implementing delta sigma, R2R and FPGA dacs in these systems. |
@classicrockfan What’s the problem with naming the USA DAC that presumably was in your system and cost 10 times the cost and underperformed the SMSL? Also, you made the general statement that they outperform 10x more expensive USA and UK DACS, so what are all of those other DACs that you presumably compared the SMSL and Gustard directly to and specifically how did they sound/perform better? If you want people to seriously consider your recommendation provide specifics to support the contention |
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"""Curious do you have the SMSL and/or Gustard in your system? Also, which specific 10X more expensive DACs have you had in your system; and in what respects the 2 aforementioned outperformed each of the 10X more expensive ones?""" Yes I had the both performed almost identical but sold the Gustard and kept the SMSL for a couple of practical reasons. And yes I had an expensive DAC made in USA and sold it because it was totally outperformed by the much cheaper Chinese DAC in terms of sound quality and convenience but don't want to disclose the company name/brand. |
Hi @facten I’m not @classicrockfan but I have a similar experience. I had in my system Chord Qutest for many years. This May I bought an SMSL DO300EX built on the AKM 4499 chip. This DAC looks like a toy relatively to Hi End DAC but it sounds better in every way than Chord Qutest that cost 3 times more.SMSL noticeably more resolving, play sophisticated music, less congestion and sounds much less clinical and "digital". It also has 6 DSP filter modes. One of them "super slow" is actually NOS (not oversampling) mode like in some 2R2 DACs. The "super slow" mode is my favorite in this DAC. It sounds most analogue and natural without digital glare. Look at this: https://www.power-and-beyond.com/pcb-manufacturing-these-are-the-biggest-players-a-c38499760ae9053b34d796adf3d0746f/ Where is most PCB manufacturing today? SMSL is a mass market producer. It uses the latest PCB and switching power supply technologies that China has today. The same technologies used for high speed communication. Western audiophile garage companies can’t compete with SMSL in PCB design. OK, they can use better quality capacitors and other parts, heavy aluminium chassis. But all this increases the final cost of the product and in result you pay in number times more. Why western DAC built on the same AKM4499 chip with solid state output buffer have an order of magnitude worse distortions? Do these distortions make sound better? |
@sns Just a thought…. Seeing as how you would really like to have his opinion on how it sounds directly compared with the others in his collection of dacs, maybe you would consider sending your to him so that he could conduct the review for you 👍 Just a thought. Best wishes, Don |
@sns - Regarding the Musetec MH-DA006, I like the appearance and there are design aspects of that DAC that look very interesting. Also, I could input I2S out of the Singxer DDC. I do keep hearing how the $4K'ish price range is getting jam-packed with good sounding digital. Adding a Musetec MH-DA006 would certainly be interesting at the $4K price point since I believe I plan to add a Mojo Audio Mystique Y to the comparisons, which is also $4K (although Benjamin at Mojo Audio sold one of his demos and needs to fill orders before I can get one). However, I am not going to buy any more DACs for awhile, and I probably wouldn't buy a DAC at the $4K price point, but if there were another way to get my hands on a Musetec for an audition (somewhere between two weeks and a month), I would certainly consider it. |
That is really the thing. In the old days, before PETA and SPCA (with which I volunteer), we used to say, "there is more than one way to skin a cat". The point is, none of these DACs presents the same sound, at least in my room. However they will each have their proponents and detractors. I have moved my comparison listening on to the Merason DAC1 MkII and, as sort of a preview, I had really hoped it was going to be something special. When I first hooked it up my impression was, "really, this is the DAC that is winning awards?" However, after completing my time with the LTA Aero and Benchmark DAC3 and removing those from my system, I have really spent some time listening to the Merason and I also reinstalled the Mystique X NCZ so I could compare them. There is a reason some manufacturers say a product needs to burn in, and it may have less to do with the components "burning in" and more to do with the listener becoming acclimated with something new. A shorter way to say this is that the Merason is a really nice sounding DAC, but it does sound a bit different from the other DACs here. I suspect what I am hearing may be the difference between really good R-2R DACs and a DAC with a really good delta-sigma type sound. However, I haven't had a delta-sigma DAC here since the Ayre QB-9 DSD years ago, and the Merason sounds way better than my recollection of the Ayre. Also, I am not sure it is correct to call the Merason a (fully) delta-sigma DAC since, the PCM1794A chip is considered a hybrid. I have been looking into what this means and found this:
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@mitch2 It would be greatly informative and appreciated if you could somehow procure a Musetec MH-DA006 for comparative review. I know you're aware of it and admiring of the technology. Problem is so many unaware of it. I recently purchased and compared to my previous reference, Musetec 005, also recently purchased Laiv Harmony. So, in my comparisons of these three dacs I found 006 simply plays on a different level, a level of resolution/transparency the others can't compete with. In my mind this plays at a level of Mola Mola Tambaqui which I will procure in due time.
In any case, would be informative as how this much technology at this relatively ridiculous low price would compare to dacs you have on hand. I'd suggest with a fairly high degree of certainty the 006 would do quite well. Now, I would add, perhaps this exact presentation may not be everyone's cup of tea, being I own the Harmony and very much appreciate the unique R2R NOS presentation. |
@markmuse - I wouldn’t rule out the Aero based on my impressions, which were mostly positive. Also, remember there is a 14-day trial period. I will try and get my hands on a Mystique Y, which would help provide a bit of contrast at the $4K price point. The other ones I would like to hear and haven’t are the Holo May KTE and Terminator 15th, but I am not buying more DACs. BTW, starting with the Merason comparisons, I have been using the Decibel X app to match SPLs the best I can. I realized these DACs all have different output voltages and different presentation styles so getting the SPLs close for comparisons will be helpful. |
@stuartk I wouldn’t rule it out based upon that. It’s something I enjoy fussing with. Read the reviews. They are based on the stock tubes. And it is unlikely you will ever have to replace the tubes. |
Thanks, guys. I can’t see buying a dac if I need to procure expensive/hard-to-find tubes in order to be satisfied with its sonics. And no; I can’t say for certain I wouldn’t like the Aero with stock tubes but given my tastes and what I’ve read here so far, I’m not tempted. You ask such uncomfortable questions! ;o)
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@stuartk There's also some on e-bay....you need a matched pair to avoid potential gain imbalances. And yes, they have become quite expensive. |
@classicrockfan "Must include the SMSL SUX and Gustard A26... these $1000 Chinese made DACs totally outperform 10X more expensive DACs made in USA or UK" Curious do you have the SMSL and/or Gustard in your system? Also, which specific 10X more expensive DACs have you had in your system; and in what respects the 2 aforementioned outperformed each of the 10X more expensive ones? |
@stuartk Brent Jessie has some. Not inexpensive though. |
@markmuse I'll be receiving the Aero soon as well, and am looking forward to hearing how it compares to the DSD Mk2. |
