Tron Atlantic dac disrupts both Audiophile and The Audiophile’s Wife.
We had the opportunity to listen to the Tron Atlantic dac in our home last week. I currently own a Mojo Audio Evo dac upgraded to what was esentially the Pro level. In 2021 it retailed for $12,000. We love the Mojo dac as it simply sounds so beautiful and un-digital if you will.
The Tron Atlantic is really not very well known and rarely gets any mention on the audio forums. This is the main reason I wanted to post on the Tron. If you are looking for a DAC that delivers “end game” sonics, then this dac should be on your list. They sell for $11-$17,000 depending on the version. We listened to the top GT model.
We have heard some fantastic dacs in our home selling for $5500-$14,000 and the Tron just moved us more. Let me say this fellow Agoners and I say this after some considerable thought. This single piece of audio gear elevated the realism and emotional beauty of music to a higher level than any other “rectangular box” we have placed in our system. It connected us to our music in a new and special way.
The inner detail and nuance of this dac is quite extraordinary. I really don’t want to use audiophile terms to communicate what the “sound” is like. They just don’t get at the truth of the experience well or completely enough. My wife was moved to tears listening to Heldinnenleben play Por Una Cabeza on their Die Kolophonistinnen recording. I have not seen music influence her like this before. A first. No matter what we played, the music moved and engaged us more deeply.
This dac is priced beyond what many of us can or will spend. This includes myself at this particular point in time. However, for those of you with the budget and in the market for a truly special dac, you are now aware of this wonderful music maker. I was also auditioning another dac priced within my budget that my dealer suggested vs. the Mojo. In the end, I felt that dac was simply a lateral move vs. my Mojo Dac. I was not expecting the Tron Atlantic to disrupt our home music experience so overwhelmingly. I really thought no dac could do that vs. my throughly enjoyable Mojo. Oh well, I was wrong.
I cannot tell you how this dac stacks up against the more known audiophile brands selling for $20,000-$30,000. Brands like MSB, Lampizator etc…I just don’t have that level of first hand experience. I do know the builder set out to make this dac for himself only. Why? Because he had yet to hear any dac that moved him like SOTA analog.
Here is a link to the Tron website: https://tron-electric.co.uk/
Here is a link to the Tron dealer I know (Colin): https://gestalt.audio/
@grannyring (Bill) I have considerable respect and admiration for both Tron Audio and Aries Cerat components. Two very different designer/builders but both have demonstrated they surely know what they are doing. The Atlantic and Helene DACs are near polar opposite in approach, yet I have zero doubt that both are extraordinary performers. You and your wife have made an excellent purchasing decision and will enjoy the Atlantic Signature for years. Bill and I say this knowing how much you love to change things in your audio system after awhile. 🙂 Charles |
Agree, The one thing that puzzles me about the Aries Cerat Helene (Which I find very interesting along with the Tron DAC) is why they chose a 10 volt output. I am no audio engineer for certain, but just seems unnecessarily a high output. Gain surplus would be a large issue potentially in many systems. Charles |
So true! 😊 Congratulations to you Bill. Charles |
In countless audio forum threads where DACs are discussed,the overwhelming emphasis is focused on the "chips" employed. I genuinely believe that the analog output stage and the power supply are more influential in determining the DAC sound quality. So it doesn't surprise me that Graham Tricker improvement gradients of his Atlantic DAC involve additional attention to his power supplies. It seems no matter what the audio component may be, to make it sound better, improve the quality of the power supply. Charles |
Hi Bill, Yes I ventured to the Tron Audio website after reading your listening impression comments yesterday. But the information was vague. Having heard their amplifiers and line stage I have no doubt that the DAC sounds as you attest to. I was hoping to learn more about what parts/design changes that seperate the Deluxe-Reference-Signature models. Power supply and analog output stage make much more of a difference in sound quality than is often appreciated. So I’m not at all surprised that is where Graham T. wisely focused his attention for improvement and upgrading. I wonder what I/V conversation approach he chose. It requires an excellent ear to do what he is able to accomplish. Charles |
I don't see what a tube amplifier would have to do with this scenario. Bill is describing attributes that are specifically due to the quality level of this DAC. Even a high quality tube amplifier will be limited by the DAC 's performance upstream in the signal path. Bill's detailed listening impressions tell me it is the very high sound quality of the Tron Atlantic itself that's so musically unique and impactful. The best tube amplifiers can't do this with a mediocre DAC thrown in front of it. This is why those who focus heavily on the particular chips used or believe that "bits are simply bits" are quite far off base. So much more involved in making a truly good sounding DAC. Bill do you know what are the power supply and analogue output stage upgrades that distinguish between the 3 different levels of the Tron Atlantic? Charles |
Hi Bill , Thanks for posting your listening impressions. I wasn’t aware that they offered a DAC. I was introduced to Tron Audio amplification about 10 years ago via High Water Sound rooms at audio shows. Proprietor Jeffrey "always" has superb sounding system set ups and often used Tron amplifiers . I’ve heard their 211 and 300b SETs and both are divine sounding. If the Tron DAC is cut from similar cloth (And I’m sure this is the case) then you and your wife’s emotional response and engagement comes as no surprise. Some audio components have that very special ability to simply sound natural and provide a powerful sense of realism and emotion. Charles |
