DIGITAL SOURCE COMPONENTS

uyer's GUIDE to 

DIGITAL SOURCE 

COMPONENTS 

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go to: Contents | Feature | On The Horizon | DACs | CD Players | Music Servers | Integrated Amps with DACs | Portable | Our Top Picks 

Contents 

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Departments 

• From the Editor 

• Feature: Everything you need 

to know about portable and 

streaming audio. 

• On The Horizon 

DACs 

• AudioQuest DragonFly V1.2 

• Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS 

• Hegel SuperDAC 

• Resonessence Labs Herus 

• Arcam airDAC 

• Rotel RDD-1580 

• Musical Surroundings MYDAC II 

• Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 DSDse 

• Auralic Vega 

• MSB Technology Analog DAC 

• Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference 

• Light Harmonic Da Vinci 

• PS Audio DirectStream 

• Ayon Stealth 

2 Buyer's Guide to Digital Source Components 2014 www.theabsolutesound.com 

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CD Players 

• Moon Neo 260D 

• Aesthetix Romulus 

• Esoteric K-03 

• ModWright/Oppo 

• dCS Vivaldi 

• Oppo BDP-105 

Music Servers 

• Bluesound Ecosystem 

• Sony HAP-Z1ES 

• Naim NDS Network Player 

• Lumin A-1 

Integrated Amps 

with DACs 

• NAD D 3020 

• Hegel H80 

Portable 

• Astell&Kern AK240 

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buyer's GUIDE to 

DIGITAL SOURCE 

COMPONENTS 

publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Hannon 

editor-in-chief ........... Robert Harley 

executive editor ......... Jonathan Valin 

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and associate editor ..... Neil Gader 

editorial assistant and 

buyer's guide editor ..... Spencer Holbert 

creative director ........ Torquil Dewar 

art director ............. Shelley Lai 

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senior writers ........... Anthony H. Cordesman 

Wayne Garcia 

Robert E. Greene 

Jim Hannon 

Chris Martens 

Tom Martin 

Dick Olsher 

Andrew Quint 

Paul Seydor 

Steven Stone 

Alan Taffel 

reviewers & 

contributing writers ..... Duck Baker, Greg 

Cahill, Stephen Estep, 

Jacob Heilbrunn, 

Sherri Lehman, 

Ted Libbey, David 

McGee, Kirk Midtskog, 

Bill Milkowski, Derk 

Richardson, Jeff Wilson 

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FROM THE Editor 

Welcome to The Absolute Sound Buyer’s Guide to Digital Source Components. In this edition, we've compiled 

reviews of the best digital products we heard in 2014 in an easy-to-navigate PDF. Herein, you will find products 

that range from entry-level, portable USB DACs to reference-quality separates that take your system to a whole 

new sonic level. 

With the proliferation of high-res download sites and CD-quality streaming services such as TIDAL and Qobuz, 

digital source components have moved beyond the disc-and-transport era to become full-fledged, twenty-first 

century, computer-and-Internet-based music command centers. The Absolute Sound Buyer’s Guide to Digital 

Source Components keeps you abreast of the latest digital-playback technologies, identifies those products (of 

the hundreds on the market) that truly deserve to be on your short list, and lets you make informed decisions 

about your next high-end-audio purchase—whether you're just starting out, or are a computer-audio expert. 

In this Buyer’s Guide you will find familiar features such as On The Horizon, which provides you with a sneak 

preview of noteworthy upcoming digital gear, as well as Top Picks, which lets you easily sort through those 

components that offer the most bang for your buck—no matter what your budget. With 27 full-length reviews of 

some of the finest digital products currently available, you will surely find the one that best suits your needs. 

Also included in this Buyer’s Guide is a feature article on digital 

and portable audio aimed at helping those of you just starting 

out unravel the mysteries of high-end digital playback, both 

portable and component, locally stored and streaming. Many of 

the misconceptions about digital audio stem from the incorrect 

use or misunderstanding of terminology; this article will help 

dispel that confusion, and give you a clearer basis upon which to 

make buying decisions. 

In the end, all high-end audio is about your music, and 

reproducing it as enjoyably as possible within a given budget. 

Digital audio is here to stay, and we hope that this Buyer’s Guide 

will be just that—a guide to your next digital source component. 

Happy listening! 

Spencer Holbert 


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The 

Personal 

Audio 

Revolution 

Your Guide to Computer and Portable Digital 


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Since the late 1990s, digital music downloads and streaming services 

have gone from a somewhat illicit network of peer-to-peer file sharing— 

e.g. Napster, Limewire, Kazaa, and BitTorrent—to a multi-billion dollar 

industry. Today consumers have an abundance of choices when it comes to 

how they access music—from major players such as Apple, Google, Amazon, 

Microsoft, Sony, and Beats (now owned by Apple) to grassroots startups such 

as Spotify, Pandora, Rdio, and Slacker. 

The irony of the current state of the 

music industry is that, while sales of 

physical media are in major decline 

(aside from the resurgence in vinyl), 

more people are listening to more music 

than ever before in history. While digital 

downloads—starting with the infamous 

rise of Napster in the late 1990s—may 

have revolutionized the way we obtain 

music, streaming services like Spotify 

and Pandora have revolutionized the 

way we consume music. Pandora, the 

only publicly traded streaming service, 

delivers about 1.5 billion hours of music 

to its more than 70 million users—each 

month. 

If music software and file exchange have 

drastically changed in the last decade, 

so has the hardware associated with 

converting those files into analog signals. 

Once a device found only in laboratories 

and recording studios, the standalone 

digital-to-analog converter (DAC) has 

been miniaturized to the point where 

smartphones now have DAC chipsets that 

allow users to enjoy high-quality digital 

playback. 

But all this change and choice can be 

confusing, if not overwhelming, even for 

those familiar with portable audio devices 

and music streaming services. This guide 

will help you navigate personal audio 

(listening to music via your computer 

or portable device), music streaming 

services, and the hardware and software 

needed to maximize your listening 

experience. Whether you have been 

using portable devices and streaming 

services for years or are new to the 

world of streaming music, this guide has 

something for everyone. 

Getting Started 

Personal audio falls into two main categories: 

computer audio and portable audio. 

Both means of accessing music can be 

used in isolation, but your experience will 

be much more satisfying when portable 

and computer audio are used together. 

Let’s delve into computer audio first. 

Computer Audio 

Computer audio is simply the ability 

to play digital music using a computer. 

There are two main ways of playing music 

through your computer: 1) via locally 

stored digital audio files (whether ripped 

from a CD, stored on a flash drive, or 


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downloaded via the Internet and archived 

on a hard drive); and 2) via streaming digital 

music from the Internet. Both means of digital 

audio playback have their advantages and 

disadvantages. 

Locally Stored Digital Audio 

Locally stored digital audio files are managed 

on a computer using music-management software 

such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, 

Foobar2000, WinAmp, MediaMonkey, and 

JRiver Media Center. There are hundreds of 

Freeware and paid music-management software 

programs, but most readers who have 

purchased a computer will be familiar with 

iTunes and Windows Media Player. 

In addition to music, most digital files (including 

those on CDs) contain metadata—digital 

descriptions that allow computers to automatically 

acquire information about the artist, 

album, song titles, and album artwork. When 

you insert a CD into your computer’s CD- 

ROM drive, your music-management software 

saves all this digital data (including metadata) 

to your computer’s hard drive (a process 

called ripping), and can then automatically 

download additional metadata from the Internet 

using music catalog services such as Gracenote. 

All of this is automatic when you’re 

connected to the Internet. The playback procedure 

is simple: just select a song, and that 

pick will be played back through your built-in 

laptop speakers or external desktop speakers. 

This is the most rudimentary breakdown of locally 

stored computer-based audio, and most 

of you are already well acquainted with this 

process. 

The term MP3 has become a synonym for 

any type of digital audio file, but it is a misnomer. 

An MP3 is only one type of audio codec 

(the algorithm that encodes and decodes digital 

audio). In the early years of digital audio, 

lossy audio codecs (heavily compressed audio 

files that traded sound quality for smaller and 

easier-to-store files) were needed because of 

small hard-drive sizes and the additional expense 

of storing large numbers of digital files. 

Because large hard drives are now cheap and 

readily available, there is no need to use compressed 

files. Audio codecs for audiophiles to 

avoid are: MP3, WMA, AAC, and Ogg Vorbis, 

among others. (Understand that if you purchase 

music from the iTunes store, you are 

buying compressed music—about 320kbps, 

or roughly one-fifth the quality of a standard 

CD.) 

When importing or ripping CDs to your computer 

hard drive—no matter what type of computer 

you have or which music-management 

software you use—ensure that your import 

settings use a lossless audio codec such as 

FLAC, WAV, AIFF, or ALAC. Unfortunately, 

most music-management software defaults 

to encoding your CDs in a lossy audio format, 

so it is imperative to check your 

settings before importing. 

Playing music from your 

computer is straightforward 

until you get into highresolution 

audio. While there is 

no official definition for what 

constitutes high-res music, for 

the vast majority of people highresolution 

is a digital audio file 

with sample rates (frequency) higher than 

44.1kHz and word lengths greater than 16 bits 

(higher, that is, than 44.1kHz/16-bit Red Book 

CD quality). The most popular high-resolution 

audio formats are FLAC (Free Lossless Audio 

Codec), WAV, AIFF, ALAC, and lately Direct 

Stream Digital (DSD), which is Sony/Philips’ 

proprietary method for encoding SACDs. Since 

the vast majority of digital audio signals— 

including telephony and all Internet streaming 

services—are encoded using pulse-code 

modulation (PCM), we will limit our discussion 

to PCM-based digital audio. (For a complete 

breakdown of DSD, see Vade Forrester’s 

excellent guide, “The ABCs of DSD,” on-line or 

in Issue 238.) 

PCM-based files can be labeled as 44.1kHz/16- 

bit, 88kHz/24-bit, 96kHz/24-bit, 176kHz/24- 

bit, and 192kHz/24-bit, all of which indicate the 

sample rate (frequency) and word length (bitdepth) 

at which the analog signal was sampled 

(in intervals of one second). Digital audio can 

also be described bit-rates, such as 196kbps, 

256kbps, or 320kbps for lossy audio codecs 

such as MP3 and AAC. Bit-rate refers to the 

amount of digital information in each second 

of audio, expressed in bits. There are 8 bits 

in 1 byte, and it is important 

to differentiate between the 

two. Generally, data that are transmitted are 

referenced in kilobits per second (kbps) or 

megabits per second (mbps), while data that 

are stored are referenced in kilobytes (KB), 

megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB). Bitrate 

makes for a more shocking comparison 

when you evaluate lossy versus high-res files. 

For example, while most MP3s contain up 

to 320kbps of information, a 96kHz/24-bit 

digital audio file has a bit-rate of 4608kbps— 

over fourteen times more information per 

second. The more information contained in a 

sample, the better the sound quality, all other 

factors being equal. It is also important to 

remember that in digital audio, sample rate 

(frequency) has nothing to do with audible 

frequency, but rather refers to the number 

of times per second the analog waveform is 

sampled. Put another way, each sample is a 

tiny picture of the analog wave. If we have 

a 96kHz digital audio file, the analog audio 

signal was sampled 96,000 times per second. 

Many of the misconceptions about high-res 

audio stem from a misunderstanding of what 

these terms actually signify. Hopefully, this 

brief explanation will clarify things. 

If you are new to high-res music and digital 

downloads, I recommend downloading files 

in the FLAC format; not only is it a universal 

audio codec, but it also has great metadata 

capabilities, which means you will have album 

artwork and artist information. Currently, 

the majority of high-res audio is purchased 

and downloaded via on-line retailers such 

as HDtracks, Super HiRez, Sony, various 

smaller labels, and the PonoMusic Web site 

(which should be operational by the time 


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this article sees print). HDtracks is by far 

the most popular high-resolution retailer in 

the U.S., and offers a sizeable, though by no 

means exhaustive, catalog. Purchasing and 

downloading high-res files from HDtracks 

is easy, but there’s a catch: You will need to 

have music-management software capable of 

playing back high-res audio, plus an external 

DAC capable of converting high-res 

audio into analog signals. 

(See the sidebars for 

software and hardware 

recommendations.) 

While iTunes is an 

amazing music-management 

program, it lacks 

the capability to properly play high-res audio. 

Three excellent software programs can be purchased 

and downloaded to circumvent this 

problem: Amarra HiFi ($49), Audirvana Plus 

($79), and PureMusic 2 ($129). These Macbased 

programs retain iTunes’ excellent user 

interface, yet bypass its inferior audio processing. 

A highly recommended alternative to 

these iTunes add-ons is JRiver Media Center 

($50), which is used at many hi-fi shows, is 

Windows- and Mac-compatible, and is capable 

of playing not only PCM files, but DSD as 

well. The user interface (UI) is not as intuitive 

as that of iTunes, which can be frustrating for 

digital-audio newcomers, but if you’re already 

familiar with digital audio JRiver Media Center 

will be your best option. Depending on whether 

you’re a Mac or Windows user, you can also 

explore various Freeware software programs, 

such as MediaMonkey. Once you’re familiar 

with the programs’ general UI, you can start 

to explore useful tools such as Memory Buffering, 

which allows digital audio files to be played 

from your computer’s internal memory, rather 

than directly from the hard drive. 

So…we have our computer, our digital files, 

and our music-management software; now we 

need the hardware capable of playing highresolution 

audio files. Every digital 

audio device—including computers, 

portable digital audio players, and 

CD players—has a built-in digitalto-analog 

converter (in computers 

it is called a soundcard or audio interface). 

This is the device that converts the digital 

audio file into an analog waveform we can 

hear. Unfortunately, sound quality is generally 

an afterthought with most such devices, and 

therefore a high-quality external DAC is essential 

for the best sound quality. While there are 

dozens of excellent digital-to-analog converters 

(DACs), let’s use the AudioQuest DragonFly 

V2 ($149) as our example of a portable DAC, 

as almost all portable DACs, regardless of their 

performance capabilities, will operate in a way 

similar to the DragonFly. The Dragonfly plugs 

into your computer’s USB port. Once the DAC 

is plugged into your USB port, navigate to your 

computer’s Audio Preferences. I will use my 

MacBook Pro as an example, though Windows 

users will have a very similar experience setting 

up an external DAC. Under “System Preferences” 

select “Sound,” then select the “Output” 

tab, and click on “AudioQuest DragonFly.” 

Depending on your music-management software 

of choice, you will also need to verify that 

your external DAC is selected as the Master 

Clock. This applies to portable DACs, as well as 

the component DAC you might have at home. 

The benefit of an external DAC is that 

its only job is to convert digital audio 

files into analog, and possibly power a set 

of headphones. Instead of allowing your 

computer to convert digital audio files to an 

analog signal, an external DAC (generally a 

USB DAC) forces the computer to output raw 

data according to the external DAC’s timing. 

This is called Asynchronous USB mode, in 

which the external DAC acts as the digital 

clock. The DACs found in the vast majority of 

computers are of inferior quality, and most 

cannot convert high-res audio files into analog 

signals. This means that even if you purchased 

and played high-res music on your computer, 

the software is down-converting those files to 

44.1kHz/16-bit audio, and the internal DAC is 

then converting those lower-resolution data 

into an analog signal—a waste of money and 

sonic potential. 

Now that you have all the tools in place to 

not only play digital audio, but high-res audio 

as well, the choice is yours as to 

how you listen to your music. 

Since this is an article on 

personal audio, we’ll assume 

that you will use headphones 

or small desktop speakers. 

(See our Buyers’ Guide for good 

starting points.) 

Streaming Audio 

The alternative to purchasing 

music and storing it on your 

computer or Network Attached 

Storage drive (NAS) is to 

stream music via the Internet using a musicstreaming 

service such as Spotify, Pandora, 

Google Play, or Sony’s Music Unlimited. For 

a breakdown of the various services, see the 

sidebar. After testing the various services, 

my recommendation is to use Spotify, which 

offers higher-quality streaming than most of 

the others, has an incredible user interface 

and the ability to download music for offline 

listening, and tops everything off with a 

great mobile app that is available for iOS and 

Android smartphones. While the alternative 

services offer many of the features found 

in Spotify, none of them complete the user 

experience quite like Spotify does. 

Spotify is easy to use and offers millions 

of songs to instantly stream. Download the 

software to your computer, create a user 

account, and try the service free for 30 

days. Simple as that. One essential aspect to 

streaming audio via the Internet is to have a 

fast Internet connection. Download speeds 

of 3Mbps (megabits per second) or higher 

are recommended, though you may be able 

to stream with a minimum of 1.5Mbps. Most 

streaming services will compress music 

quality when connection speeds are too 

slow; streaming services in the U.S. currently 

only offer a max streaming 

quality of 320kbps (kilobits 

per second), or MP3-quality 

sound, and any further 

compression is anathema to 

our high-end goals. There 

are CD-quality-and-higher 

streaming services that will 

be available in the fall of 


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this year, such as TIDAL (known as WiMP in 

the U.K. and Europe) and Qobuz, but these 

services are still a ways off from receiving 

my recommendation. While streaming in CDquality 

has me very excited, I worry about the 

longevity of these services in the U.S. market. 

Will enough people subscribe to them to keep 

TIDAL and Qobuz streaming afloat Only time 

will tell; but until then Spotify is your best bet, 

and it's not going anywhere. 

Using the Spotify program is a music lover’s 

dream: Under the “Browse” section you can 

look through “Top Lists” that feature the charttopping 

hits of the day, lists based on genre, 

“Discovery” lists that feature new music, and 

more. Look under “Genres & Moods,” and you 

will find compiled playlists based on what type 

of music you want to hear. Moods include: 

Party, Focus, Dinner, Sleep, Chill, Romance, 

Classical, and much more. Select one of the 

Moods, and lists of sub-Moods will pop up, all 

with cover art. I selected the “Dinner” Mood, 

and then the “Country BBQ” sub-Mood, and 

instantly some rockin’ country music started 

playing, which mated perfectly with a Texas 

BBQ. When the music starts, album artwork, 

artist, and title are all displayed, as well as 

volume controls, and fast forward; if you’re 

not into the track played, simply skip forward. 

Spotify also has a really great “Discover” 

feature, which pulls data from the music 

stored on your computer and the songs you 

have listened to in order to recommend music. 

And this feature isn’t just a gimmick; it’s an 

extremely accurate way to discover new music 

based on your taste. I went to the Discover 

tab and the recommendations were spoton. 

Because I have Valerie June and Sharon 

Jones & The Dap-Kings on my computer, 

Spotify recommended Gary Clark Jr. (a local 

hero here in Austin, TX), Laura Mvula, Lee 

Fields & The Expressions, Junip, Alt-J, and 

Stevie Wonder—all great music. You could 

spend the rest of your life delving deeper and 

deeper into these Discover and Mood features 

and barely scratch the surface of the over 

20 million songs available (and Spotify adds 

almost 20,000 songs per day to this catalog). 

One of the best features of Spotify is 

its ability to download music for “Off-line 

Listening” when an Internet connection isn’t 

available. Simply create a playlist by dragging 

music you find into the playlist, then toggle the 

“Available Off-line” switch in the upper-right 

corner of the playlist. Now, even if you don’t 

have an Internet connection, you can listen to 

your favorite music. The catch is that you are 

limited to 3333 songs (an arbitrary number), 

and you must log in to your streaming account 

once every 30 days—Spotify’s attempt to 

ensure that you remain a paid subscriber. 

Streaming from a mobile device is also simple 

using Spotify, which we will discuss below. You 

can use unlimited devices to stream, though 

only one device may be used at any given time 

(again, Spotify’s way to ensure that multiple 

people aren’t streaming under the same 

username), and you can only download music 

for off-line listening to three devices. Still, for 

$9.99 per month, Spotify provides a rich user 

experience and all the music you can hope for 

in one lifetime. 

Because most streaming services only 

stream low-quality music, they aren’t meant 

for ultimate fidelity or critical listening. 

The point of streaming services is access to 

immense amounts of music, which gives you 

the ability to discover new music, to preassemble 

playlists that can stream music for 

a party or for any listening 

mood, and to listen at home 

or on the go. Music fans, 

rejoice! 

Portable Digital Audio 

What’s better than having 

access to thousands (or 

millions) of songs on your 

computer The ability to 

take all of that music with 

you. Portable digital audio 

has come a long way since 

the early MP3 players of the 

late 90s and early 2000s. 

Most people are familiar 

with portable digital audio 

players like the Apple iPod, but since highres 

downloads became available in 2009, 

there have been an increasing number of 

portable players capable of high-res playback. 

Paired with quality headphones, a high-res 

portable audio player can radically change 

your listening experience. High-quality audio 

can now be consumed at home, at the grocery 

store, while traveling, or in any setting in 

which you want to listen to music, all without 

being tethered to your home stereo. 

Most portable audio devices require a computer 

to transfer music to the device. To enjoy 

high-res audio, you will need to download music 

from a site like HDtracks, and then transfer 

that music to a portable player capable of highres 

audio. There are now dozens of portable 

audio devices that play high-res files. Three 

recommended ones are the FiiO X3 ($200), 

Pono Music Player ($399), and the Astell&Kern 

HTC One Harman/Kardon Edition 

The HTC One Harman/Kardon Edition is a complete rethinking of a 

smartphone’s audio playback capabilities. Not only is it a superb phone, 

based on the Android OS, it’s also backed by Harman International, a 

powerhouse of audio design. The HTC One Harman/Kardon is capable 

of playing high-res files up to 192kHz/24-bit, includes some pretty 

decent earbuds designed by H/K ($80 retail value), and is only $230 

when purchased with a two-year contract. Like the possibilities of 

streaming music to your cell phone The HTC One H/K comes with 

six months of free access to Spotify, which is loaded on the phone. 

The downside of the HTC One Harman/Kardon Edition is that the 

phone is only available through Sprint, but for audiophiles looking for 

a smartphone that can do anything and everything, including high-res 

music playback, the HTC One Harman/Kardon Edition is hard to beat. 


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Glossary of Terms 

Bit-rate: The number of bits of digital information 

contained in one second of a digital audio file. 

DAC: Digital-to-analog converter. 

GB: Gigabyte. 

High-Resolution Audio: Digital audio file with a 

sampling frequency and word length greater than 

44.1kHz/16-bit (CD quality). 

kbps: Kilobits per second. 

MB: Megabyte. 

Mbps: Megabits per second (there are 8 bits in 

one byte). 

NAS: Network attached storage; generally an 

external hard drive connected to a network via 

Ethernet. 

Sample rate: The number of times (frequency) 

an analog waveform is sampled each second 

expressed in kilohertz (kHz), e.g. 44.1kHz, 96kHz, 

192kHz. 

AK120 II ($1699), each of which offers various 

storage and sonic capabilities. There are also 

smartphones capable of high-res music playback, 

such as the HTC One (M8) Harman/Kardon 

Edition (see sidebar), which consolidate all 

of your portable devices into one sleek package. 

For those who have large CD collections and 

simply want the ability to carry all that music 

with them, the Apple iPod Classic is still the 

best option. For $249, you get 160GB storage 

capacity, a user-friendly interface, and 36 

hours of audio playback—far longer than most 

other portable audio devices. The downside to 

the iPod is that it is limited to 44.1kHz/16-bit 

PCM files. However, if you aren’t concerned 

about high-res audio, it will be the fastest and 

easiest way to take your music collection with 

you. 

If you want the ability to play high-res audio 

on the go, you will need a device that can 

play those types of digital audio files. Before 

you purchase a portable music device, make 

sure that it’s capable of at least 192kHz/24- 

bit audio playback, and that it has adequate 

storage capabilities for your needs. Remember, 

an uncompressed four-minute song at 

96kHz/24-bit quality will consume about 

140MB, which means that a portable audio 

device with 128GB of storage space can hold 

about 900 four-minute songs. Most portable 

devices will have enough internal storage 

capability to keep you rockin’ for many hours, 

if not days, but some require a microSD card 

(a small flash-based storage card) to expand 

their internal storage to 128GB. 

A great starter digital player is the FiiO X3. 

At $200, the X3 can play any high-res file, 

including DSD up to DSD64 (64 times the 

sample rate of a CD). Though limited to 8GB of 

internal memory, the X3 is capable of 128GB of 

storage capacity with an additional microSD 

card. For $399, Neil Young’s new Pono Music 

Player is compatible with all PCM files up to 

192kHz/24-bit, has 64GB of internal memory 

and an included 64GB microSD card for a total 

of 128GB of storage. Designed in conjunction 

with Ayre, manufacturer of high-end audio 

components, the Pono Music Player offers a 

great mix of sound quality, storage capability, 

and cool factor. 

If you’re searching for the ultimate in port- 

Streaming Services 

Spotify: $9.99/mo 

TOP RECOMMENDATION 

• 30-day free trial period. 

• Download and save music for use at any time, 

including syncing with iPods and portable music 

devices. 

• Audio quality is 320kbps for Premium subscribers 

in Ogg Vorbis format (don’t be fooled by 

the high-definition claims; it’s still compressed 

music). 

• Great user interface. 

• Mobile versions for most devices. 

• Great discovery feature based on similar interests. 

• Browsing based on 25 different main “moods,” 

including Dinner, Sleep, Jazz & Blues, Romance, 

Focus, Party, Classical, and more. 

• Sub-moods provide tailored playlists such as 

“Mixed Generation Party,” which are perfect for 

selecting the perfect playlist. 

Pandora $4.99/mo 

• Audio quality limited to 192kbps streaming. 

• Simple interface is better for those looking to 

discover new 

music only. 

• Very simple interface. 

• Users create “stations” that play similar songs 

to the user-selected artist, title, or genre for 

which they search. 

Beats: $9.99/mo 

• Free trial period (14 days). 

• Curates music recommendations based on the 

user adding weight to various genres and artists; 

recommendations are accurate. 

• Poor sound quality with overemphasized bass. 

• Hip, young interface; geared toward younger 

generations. 

• Streaming seems fast. 

Google Play: $9.99/mo 

• Google makes you create a Google Wallet account 

to sign up for the one-month trial of 

Google Play All Access Music. 

• Technical issues while using Mac Safari. 

TIDAL (WiMP): $19.99/mo 

• Compatible with many high-end brands' proprietary 

iOS/Android apps 

• Lossless streaming of CD-quality 

audio and HD music videos. 

• 25 million tracks available for 

on-line streaming. 

• iOS and Android apps. 

• Curated music editorials writ ten by professional 

reviewers 

and artists. 

Qobuz: $19.99/mo 

• Lossless streaming of CD-quality audio. 

• Music streaming limited to Qobuz catalog 

(which is mainly classical and jazz). 

• iOS and Android apps. 

• Available offline. 


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Desktop/Laptop Audio 

Software 

Recommended Playback Software 

iTunes (Free; Mac/Windows) 

Amarra Mac ($49.99; Mac) 

Audirvana Plus 2.0 ($74; Mac) 

Pure Music 2 ($129; Mac) 

JRiver Media Center ($49.99; Mac/Windows) and 

Media Center Remote ($10; iOS/Android) 

MediaMonkey (Free; Windows) 

ability and high-res audio playback, look no 

further than Astell&Kern. The AK120 II (among 

other models) supports all high-res PCM formats 

up to 192kHz/24-bit, DSD64, employs 

dual CS4398 DAC chipset, a fully balanced 

output stage, and even has wireless capabilities, 

which allows you to sync music from your 

network and stream music to other devices, all 

in high-res. With a storage capacity of 256GB 

(128GB internal memory plus a 128GB microSD 

card), the AK120 can hold lots of high-res music. 

At $1699, the AK120 II might be out of reach 

for some people, but it’s the perfect choice for 

the ultimate in portable high-res audio. 

Headphones, Headphone Amps, and Desktop 

Speakers 

Of course, there’s no point in investing money 

and time in DACs, software, and high-res audio 

files if you’re going to listen to music with 

those free earbuds you receive 

on international flights. An 

essential part of the personal 

and portable audio experience 

is a pair of high-quality headphones. Many 

would argue that quality headphones are the 

most important aspect of personal audio, but 

for our purposes we will consider headphones 

as an integral part of a larger whole—one more 

step toward great audio. 

The two main types of headphones are in-ear 

monitors—or earbuds, popularized by Apple— 

and over-ear headphones, which are the most 

common type of high-end headphones. (In my 

Recommended Products list on your right are 

two in-ear headphones and two over-ear headphones.) 

In-ear headphones are more sensitive 

(easier to drive and require less power) than 

their larger over-ear counterparts, and therefore 

are better suited for portable audio. Not 

only will they be easily powered by our recommended 

portable DACs and music players 

(all of which have a built-in headphone amp), 

but in-ear headphones are also ergonomically 

designed to form a seal inside your ear canal, 

which means that they will block out external 

noise while you’re on the go. This will provide 

better sound quality than open-back, over-ear 

headphone designs, which are better suited 

for listening in quiet environments. 

Recommended 

Portable 

Audio 

Products 

Recommended Amps and 

Headphones 

iFi iDAC/amp ($299) 

NuForce HA-200 headphone 

amp ($349) 

PSB M4U 2 headphones 

($399) 

HiFiMAN HE-500 headphones 

($699) 

Cardas EM5813 in-ear ($450) 

Westone ES5 in-ear ($950) 

Recommended Desktop 

Speakers 

Audioengine A5+ 

($399, 50Wpc) 

Audioengine A2+ 

($249, 15Wpc) 

Audience The One 

($999) 

Recommended Computer 

Playback Hardware 

Audioengine D3 

($189, Issue 241) 

Up to 96/24 

3.5mm headphone jack 

Audioquest Dragonfly v1.2 

($149, Issue 241) 

Up to 96/24 


Resonessence Herus ($199, 

Issue 245) 

Up to 192/24 

USB 2.0 Input 

1/4" headphone jack 

Cambridge DacMagic XS 

($350, Issue 245) 

Up to DSD128 

USB Input 


Hegel Super DAC 

($299, Issue 245) 

Micro USB input 


Recommended Portable 

Players 

iPod Classic 

Limited to 44/16 PCM 

160GB storage 

36-hour playback 

$249 

FiiO X3 

192/24, DSD64 


WM8740 DAC 

Line out and 3.5mm coax digital 

out 

DSD, APE, FLAC, ALAC, WAV 

8GB built-in memory 128GB 

Micro SD card expansion 

$200 

Pono 

Up to 192/24 PCM 

Available October 

128GB 


$399 

Astell&Kern AK120 II 

Up to DSD128; PCM up to 

192kHz/24-bit 

Dual CS4398 DACs 

128GB built-in memory; microSD 

128GB 

$1699 

HTC One Harman/Kardon Edition 

Supports up to 192kHz/24-bit 

$229.99 (with two-year contract) 


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A Brief History 

of Portable 

Digital Audio 

1976 – The Age of Digital 

Recording Begins 

First 16-bit digital recording in U.S. 

made at the Santa Fe Opera. 

1979 – IXI 

British Scientist Kane Kramer designs 

one of the earliest digital audio players. 

The prototype was capable of one 

hour of playback. Kramer was later 

hired by Apple Computer. 

1981 – Compact Disc 

Philips demonstrates the Compact 

Disc. 

1992 – MiniDisc 

Sony introduces the MiniDisc. 

1996 – First 24-bit/96k 

Experimental digital recordings are 

made at 96kHz/24-bit. 

1998 – The Audible Player 

Audible.com releases its Audible 

Player, designed for use with its proprietary 

digital audio book formats. 

Capable of two hours of playback, the 

Audible Player was the first production-volume 

portable digital audio 

player. 

1998 – Eiger MPMan 

In mid-1998, the EigerMan F10 and 

F20 (32MB and 64MB, respectively) 

launched in North America, and were 

capable of storing up to 12 songs. 

1998 – Diamond Rio PMP300 

Considered the first commercially 

successful digital audio player, the Rio 

PMP300 essentially spurred American 

investment in portable digital audio 

devices. Much of the Rio’s success 

was due to an RIAA lawsuit, which 

claimed that the Rio violated the 1992 

Audio Home Recording Act. 

June 1999 – Napster 

Napster is launched, and becomes 

the catalyst for the computer-audio 

revolution. 

1999 – Compaq Personal Jukebox 

Also known under the name Remote 

Solution, the PJB-100 Personal Jukebox 

had an initial capacity of 4.8GB. 

The Personal Jukebox was the first 

digital audio player to employ a 2.5" 

laptop hard drive. 

2000 – Creative NOMAD 

The NOMAD, which ran on AA batteries 

and looked akin to a portable CD 

player, was capable of 6GB. 

October 2001 – Apple iPod 

Apple Computer launches the firstgeneration 

iPod, “1000 songs in your 

pocket.” With a 5GB 1.8" hard drive 

and 2" display, the iPod revolutionized 

portable audio by popularizing digital 

audio. Initially disregarded as a small 

market for niche Apple users, the iPod 

has sold over 350 million units as of 

2012. 

2006 – Microsoft Zune 

Recognizing the market potential of 

digital portable music players, Microsoft 

launched Zune, which included 

music subscription services and a line 

of portable media players. In June 

2012, Microsoft discontinued all Zune 

services in favor of Xbox music and 

video services. 

2007 – Apple iPhone 

Though the first touchscreen phone 

was IMB’s Simon Personal Communicator, 

launched in 1994, the iPhone 

was the first multi-touch phone capable 

of playing not only audio, but 

video as well. As of March 2014, Apple 

has sold over 500 million units. 

October 2008 – HDtracks 

HDtracks begins to offer 88.2kHz/24- 

bit and 96kHz/24-bit FLAC downloads, 

paving the way for the highresolution 

digital audio revolution. 

Though in-ear headphones are 

practical for portable devices, 

offer great noise isolation, and are 

lighter in weight, the best sound 

quality will be had with an openback, 

over-ear headphone design. 

As aforementioned, open-back 

designs are open to the outside 

world and won’t be suitable for noisy 

environments; they are also heavier, 

and require more power to operate at 

their full potential. Despite their lessportable 

nature, over-ear headphones 

can provide a more realistic listening 

experience, with much better threedimensionality 

and soundstaging 

than most in-ear designs. 

The best headphone performance 

is realized with a separate headphone 

amplifier, particularly when driving 

headphones of low impedance or low 

sensitivity. Two high-quality headphone 

amps that won’t cost an arm 

and a leg are the NuForce HA-200 

and the iFi iDAC, which is actually a 

DAC and headphone amp in one small 

package. Both will provide more power 

for your larger headphones, which is 

needed for louder volumes and better 

sound quality. Driving headphones 

without enough power is like driving 

loudspeakers with a flea-weight amplifier; 

music just won’t sound loud 

enough to have any kind of emotional 

impact. 

If your personal audio revolution is 

taking place at home, an affordable 

option for high-quality music at 

your computer is a pair of desktop 

speakers. Probably the best value 

in high-end audio, the Audioengine 

A2+ powered desktop speakers are 

what I recommend to family and 

friends. Great three-dimensional 

soundstage capabilities, surprisinglylow 

bass extension, the inclusion 

of an amplifier (remember, these 

are powered speakers), and 3.5mm 

RCA and USB (44kHz/16-bit) inputs 

make the $249 A2+’s one heck of a 

bargain. If you need more power, and 

more bass extension, you can move 

up to the A5+ model, which offers 

50W per channel versus the A2+ 15W 

capability. Both models will give you 

everything you need to enjoy highquality 

music, right out of the box 

and without the need for separate 

amps and DACs. 


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go to: Contents | Feature | On The Horizon | DACs | CD Players | Music Servers 

| Integrated Amps with DACs | Portable | Our Top Picks 

ON THE HORIZON 

Hot New Products 

Coming Your Way 

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Celsus Sound Partner P1 

Celsus Sound, Inc. is a new company created by the founder of NuForce, Jason Lim. Its 

new Partner P1 is one of the most advanced and comprehensive portable high-res audio 

companions on the market. The P1 features a high-performance headphone amp with over 

115dB signal-to-noise ratio, plus a USB DAC utilizing the class-leading ES9018K2M DAC 

from ESS that can decode up to 128x DSD and 384kHz PCM audio. The Partner P1 also 

includes built-in WiFi networking capability, which allows the unit to be used as a media 

streamer with PCM files up to 24bit/192kHz. Equipped with two digital outputs (coaxial and 

TosLink SPDIF) and one 3.5mm analog output, the Partner P1 can connect to most external 

devices. It fully supports Windows, Mac, Android (*OTG), and iOS (*camera adapter). Ships 

November 1, 2014. 

Price: $695 

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AURALiC ARIES 

The AURALiC ARIES is a new network “bridge” that allows 

you to control, access, and stream all of your digital music 

to your DAC of preference. What this means is that you can 

stream any digital format—PCM up to 384kHz, DSD128, and 

DXD—to your DAC, and control everything via AURALiC’s 

Lightning DS App. With dual-band WiFi (2.4GHz and 5GHz 

for faster operation), Gigabit Ethernet, USB inputs, and USB, 

AES/EBU, Coax, and TOSLINK outputs, the AURALiC AERIES 

is the ultimate digital interface for the serious audiophile. 

The ARIES can easily replace your computer and allow you 

the freedom to finally stream all of your music—including 

TIDAL, Quboz, and WiMP music streaming services—to your 

reference DAC in native resolutions. 

Price: $999. auralic.com 

NuPrime DAC-10H and ST-10 

The NuPrime DAC-10H is the world’s first fully integrated digital 

headphone amplifier capable of PCM 384kHz and DSD256 

decoding. Its balanced headphone amplifier is capable of driving 

headphones in either balanced or single-ended configuration, and 

can be used with up to two dynamic headphones. With five digital 

and two analog stereo inputs, the DAC-10H is also a fully-featured 

DAC and preamp for any high-end audiophile system. It delivers 

pure natural sound, while also providing the widest support for 

the latest high-resolution music formats. The NuPrime ST-10 is 

a new Class-D stereo amplifier with an incredibly high switching 

frequency of 70kHz, which provides definitively smooth and 

detailed sound. 

Price: DAC-10H, $1795; ST-10 $1495. nuprimeaudio.com 

Cocktail Audio X30 

Professional video 

equipment manufacturer 

Novatron, Inc. has created 

Cocktail Audio, a new brand 

aimed at music lovers 

seeking modern musicsystem 

solutions. Cocktail 

Audio’s first model is the 

new X30. Like a Swiss 

Army knife, the X30 is a 

single-box solution that 

incorporates an integrated 

amplifier (with color display 

screen), a UPnP-compliant 

Network Streamer capable 

of decoding 24-bit/192kHz 

files at native resolution, 

and a music server that can 

store up to 4TB of music or 

other files. The X30 can rip 

your CDs or vinyl collection, 

drive headphones, be used 

as a preamplifier, play local 

FM radio stations, store 

photo images, and link to 

an external display device. 

A comprehensive browserbased 

app can be accessed 

on your computer, mobile 

phone, or tablet/iPad. 

Price: $1695. 

cocktailaudio.com 


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ON THE HORIZON 

Simaudio Moon MiND 180 

This Simaudio Moon MiND 180 

allows you to skip the computer 

and go straight to the music by 

managing all of your digital files 

with a single app. Instead of trying 

to search through your computer’s 

library, then switching to another 

device to stream high-quality 

music, the Simaudio Moon MiND 

180 can control all of your digital 

music in one place, and supports 

resolutions up to 192kHz/24-bit. 

The MiND 180 has no internal DAC, 

amp, or traditional preamp, so you 

will still need a component DAC 

with which the MiND 180 connects, 

but this little device makes 

controlling your digital music 

collection a breeze. App is currently 

compatible with iOS devices only, 

but an Android version is in the 

works. Price: $2000. 

simaudio.com 

ReQuest Audio The Beast 

With a name like The Beast, you 

would expect nothing less than 

something truly phenomenal. 

Using top-tier components from 

MSB Technology, The Beast 

combines beautiful design 

with state-of-the-art circuitry 

to create one of the most 

interesting, ultra-high-end music 

servers of the past few years. If 

you can afford the $40k entry 

fee, The Beast will surely ignite 

your thirst for music. 

Price: $40,000. requestaudio.com 

Reviewers agree... 

... about the SPDIF and HDMI outputs from the Baetis TM entry-level, 

all-format, 2-channel and multi-channel, audio and video media server, 

the Baetis Revolution II: 

"... this was the best I've heard 

my system sound to date." 

Kris Deering, SoundandVision.com, 

June 12, 2014 

"... the best digital sound I have 

ever heard in my system." 

Andrew Quint, The Absolute Sound, 

February 2014 

Introducing the 

Baetis Reference Media Server - 

the world's only 4-core media computer with a dedicated, 

galvanically isolated, and fully shielded AES/EBU output 

straight off the motherboard using no PCI card! 

Specifically designed for the world's very best DACs. 

You must hear the difference if you are a dealer or owner of 

a dCS ® , CH Precision ® , Berkeley Reference ® , EMM DAC2X ® , 

Esoteric D-02 ® , LightHarmonic ® , MSB Diamond ® , Audio 

Research Reference ® , or DAC of similar quality. 

β 

www.baetisaudio.com 


john@baetisaudio.com 

the absolute sound July/August 2014 3 

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Equipment reviews 

DACs 




AudioQuest DragonFly 

v1.2 USB DAC 

Better Sound for Less 


When I purchased the original version of AudioQuest’s DragonFly USB DAC 

in late 2012 for $249, little tears of joy streamed down my face. For years I 

had suffered from separation anxiety every time I unplugged my home DAC 

in order to travel or work on my laptop at a coffee shop. It seemed so unfair to have 

to choose between high-quality sound and portability, but my on-the-go life dictated 

that I leave great sound behind. The DragonFly was my little savior and gave me the 

freedom to move about without sacrificing sound quality. Lo and behold, the progeny 

of the original DragonFly has arrived, and version 1.2 sounds better than ever, and 

costs $100 less. 

I wanted to test the differences between 

the original DragonFly and version 1.2 with 

some mid-grade headphones that a lot of 

people can afford, so I paid a visit to Brian 

at Whetstone Audio in Austin (whetstoneaudio.com), 

who was kind enough to 

lend me a pair of Grado PS500s for the review. 

After breaking in the headphones and 

reacquainting myself with the original DragonFly, 

I fired up version 1.2 and played several 

tracks from the Audiogon Wake Up Your Ears 

Sampler, a 24-bit/96kHz album specifically designed 

for testing headphone capabilities. First 

up was CC Coletti’s “You Shook Me,” a bluesy 

rock song that really highlights her voice, harmonica, 

guitar work, and the reverby live sound 

of the smallish recording venue. The main difference 

between the old version and version 

1.2 that I noticed was the 1.2’s ability to extend 

the center soundstage ever so slightly, which 

pulled Coletti’s voice beyond my forehead. 

(With the original DragonFly, her voice danced 

just inside my head, which can be an odd sensation 

for many people.) There was also more of 

that “I’m listening in a real space” feeling. 

Then came “Cantaloupe Island” 

by Lenny White, et al. I focused on this 

version’s bass solo, which through the 

1.2 sounded a bit more lifelike and a 

little less like a low-frequency bumblebee. 

That’s a good thing, by the way. 

Next was “Wandering Eyes” by indierock’s 

Kopecky Family Band. With the 

original DragonFly I had always heard 

what I thought was Kelsey Kopecky 

shaking a tambourine; with the version 

1.2 plugged in I realized it wasn’t a tambourine 

at all, but a heavy metal chain 

which she drops on a floor tom. These kinds 

of micro-details started popping up across all 

the music I was listening to, and made listening 

through headphones all the more enjoyable. 

The improvements that version 1.2 of the 

Dragonfly USB DAC made aren’t extreme; if 

you’ve been using the older version, there 

won’t be any monumental shift in soundstage, 

dynamics, or transparency, but certain elements 

of music will become more focused—a 

subtle yet noticeable enhancement, in other 

words. Maybe these details poke their head up 

because, as AudioQuest states, “The circuitry 

between the DAC chip and the analog output 

stage has been refined to create a more direct 

signal path, leading to even greater transparency 

and immediacy.” Whatever the reason for 

the improvement, I like it, and so will the millions 

of laptop users who will benefit from using 

the DragonFly v1.2. 

You know what I like more than the sonic improvements 

The price: At $149, even the most 

cash-strapped of music lovers can afford this 

DAC. 

SPECS & PRICING 

Input: Up to 24-bit/96kHz 

USB transfer mode: 

Asynchronous (dual clock) 

Class 1 USB with Streamlength 

protocol 

Output: Analog audio mini-jack 

Maximum driver output: 125mW 

@ 32 ohms 

Price: $149 

AUDIOQUEST 

2621 White Rd. 

Irvine, CA 92614 

(949) 585-0111 

audioquest.com 

Comment on this article at www.theabsolutesound.com 


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Three Miniature 

Portable USB 

DACs 

Have DAC, Will Travel 

Steven Stone 

For audiophiles who travel a portable DAC has become one of those “must-have” 

travel accessories, right up there with a toothbrush and an unexpired credit 

card. The first generation of portable USB DACs was big and had limited highresolution 

capabilities in comparison to the current crop. But as technology marches 

forward, more capabilities and smaller footprints abound. I’ll look at three small 

USB DACs in this review—Cambridge Audio’s DacMagic XS, the Hegel Super, and the 

Resonessence Labs Herus. 

Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS 

About the size of a small box of wooden matches, 

the Cambridge DacMagic XS is one of the 

smallest and lightest portable DACs I’ve seen. 

It measures approximately 2 1/8" by 1 1/8" by 

3/8" and weighs under 4 ounces. On one end 

you’ll find a micro-USB input and on the other 

end a 3.5mm stereo output. The top of the Dac- 

Magic XS has its own analog volume control, 

which “fully bypasses the soundcard and volume 

control of your computer.” The two large 

buttons, plus and minus, are easy to locate and 

use even in dark or cramped spaces. Instead of 

plastic, the DacMagic XS is housed in a beveled 

brushed-aluminum case that should be capable 

of surviving a high level of abuse. The DacMagic 

XS has a small LED next to the headphone 

jack that glows purple or blue when the unit 

is operating properly and red when you try to 

boost the volume past its maximum level. 

Inside the Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS 

you’ll find an ESS 9023 24-bit DAC chip that 

supports PCM bit-rates up to 192/24 from a 

USB 2.0 input. Straight out of the box the Dac- 

Magic XS is set up as a USB 1.0 device, which 

will only support a maximum bit rate of 96/24. 

Switching over to USB 2.0 requires holding 

down both the + and – buttons for at least five 

seconds until the small light in the DacMagic 

XS flashes three times. Once in class 2.0 the 

DacMagic XS will remain a 2.0 device unless 

you switch it back. 

The most difficult part of using the DacMagic 

XS with a Mac computer is finding the right kind 

of connector to attach it to the Mac. The Dac- 

Magic comes with a six-inch cable, but if you 

need a longer one, which I suspect many prospective 

owners will, the DacMagic XS shares 

the same type of micro-USB connection as the 

Astell&Kern AK100, AK120, and AK240. A&K 

(and others) sell micro-USB cables on its site. 

After attaching the DacMagic XS to one of my 

Macs (I tried it with a MacPro desktop, MacPro 

portable, and a Mac Mini), the AMSCP (Audio 

Midi Setup Control Panel) on each Mac recognized 

the DacMagic XS immediately. Once the 

DacMagic XS was set for USB 2.0 operation the 

AMSCP showed that it was capable of handling 

up to 192/24 files. 

The only ergonomic quirk I experienced while 

using the DacMagic XS was that it was sensitive 

to static electrical shocks. All it took was a couple 

of strides across my office and back, then 

touching the DacMagic to generate enough of 

a static shock to disconnect the DacMagic from 

the USB buss—it would vanish from the list of 

DAC options in AMSCP. To correct the problem 

I needed to disconnect and reconnect the Dac- 

Magic XS from its USB connection, at which 

point it reappeared on the AMSCP DAC list and 

began playing as if nothing had happened. 

DacMagic XS’s Sonic Sorcery 

I’ve seen the question posed on multiple locations 

on the Web, “Are thumb-drive-sized DACs 

a real sonic upgrade or merely convenience 

devices for accessing higher-definition music 

files” In the case of the DacMagic XS the answer 

is clearly, “Both.” 

Since most prospective purchasers will want 

to use the DacMagic XS with headphones, I 

used a wide variety of different headphones 

and in-ear monitors with the DacMagic XS. 

With the most sensitive in-ears, such as the 

Westone ES-5 custom in-ear monitors (115dB 

sensitivity), the DacMagic XS did generate 


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EQUIPMENT review - Three Miniature Portable USB DACs 

some low-level hiss and background noise. With 

somewhat less sensitive in-ears, such as the 

Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors, the 

DacMagic XS was quiet enough that the music 

came from a virtually silent background. 

The DacMagic XS’s headphone amplifier section 

had adequate gain and power to drive the 

Audeze LCD-2 and Mr. Speakers Alpha Dog 

headphones to satisfying volume levels with 

good bass extension. I was quite impressed by 

the combination of the DacMagic XS and the 

Grado RS-1 headphones, which can be quirky 

with portable gear. The bass sounded especially 

potent in this combination. I also enjoyed the 

venerable AKG K701 headphones connected to 

the DacMagic XS. While offering more of a leftbrained 

rendition of music than that of the Grados, 

the AKGs connected to the DacMagic had 

well-controlled upper frequencies that still had 

air and extension. 

When connected to my desktop computeraudio 

system the DacMagic XS did a fine job 

of creating a believable three-dimensional 

soundstage that had all the weight, size, and 

imaging specificity of a “full-sized” DAC. When 

set to maximum output the DacMagic XS had 

enough gain to allow it be used like a fixed-output 

DAC into an analog preamp. While not quite 

as transparent and revealing as my reference 

DACs, including the April Music Eximus DP-1 or 

the latest version of the Wyred4Sound DAC2 

DSD SE, the DacMagic did pass enough musical 

information to be completely involving. I never 

felt during my time with the DacMagic that it 

was limiting fidelity to the point of “grayness,” 

which is the way some “entry-level” portable 

DACs sound. 

Although it doesn’t handle every audio format, 

and isn’t DSD-capable, the DacMagic XS 

delivers a lot of functionality and sonic goodness 

for under $200. For audiophiles looking 

for a road-warrior-worthy portable DAC that 

will be at home hooked up to any computer, 

portable or desktop, and successfully drive 

most headphones, the Cambridge Audio Dac- 

Magic XS DAC is a savvy and very affordable 

option. 


Hegel gave audio journalists a sneak peak at 

the Super portable DAC during the 2013 Rocky 

Mountain Audio Fest. I was immediately impressed 

by the Super’s solidity, both physically 

and sonically, and I looked forward to hearing 

the final consumer version. Flash forward six 

months and a Hegel Super DAC appeared at my 

doorstep. I’m happy to report the production 

version is just as solid as the pre-production 

version. Initially the Super was to be priced at 

$399, but the current “street price” is $299. 

Hegel made some very specific design decisions 

for the Super DAC. First, it is a USB 1.0 

device that needs no drivers with any computer. 

This makes it truly plug-and-play, but it also 

limits the Super DAC to a maximum sample/ 

bit rate of 96/24. For some audiophiles the Super’s 

lack of 192/24 and DSD support will make 

it a non-starter despite its sound quality. 

Hegel doesn’t supply much in the way of 

“under the hood” specifications, such as the 

DAC chip used, but according to its literature 

the Super does not have an asynchronous 

USB interface, which Hegel considers to be 

more marketing hype than actual technological 

advantage. Hegel’s published design goals 

for the Super were “to be extremely silent, to 

be able to have flat frequency response regardless 

of the headphone’s impedance, and 

to have sufficient power supply to drive even 

difficult headphones.” The Super does have 

some “trickle-down” technology derived from 

Hegel’s full-sized DACs including Hegel’s proprietary 

re-clocking techniques, and 

an output stage with an extremely low 

output impedance. 

Physically the Super is simple, yet 

impressive. Its chassis is milled out of 

a single piece of aluminum that measures 

approximately 3 5/16" by 1 10/16" 

by 3/4" and features an engraved XS 

Hegel logotype on the top and a satin 

brushed finish. One end of the Super 

has a micro-USB connection while the 

other has a mini-stereo/optical-digital 

mini-jack output. The Hegel Super is 

capable of serving as either a DAC or 

a USB-to-TosLink interface. “Legacy” 

DACs that lack a USB connection can 

be used in a computer audio system 

via the Super. But if you do use the Super 

as a USB convertor, it will still only 

support a maximum sample bit rate of 2.125" 

96/24. 

A Super Sound 

If you favor a headphone that needs 

some juice to sound its best, the Super 

could be a perfect traveling companion. 

But if your go-to traveling earphone 

is a high-sensitivity in-ear, the 

DAC 

Super isn’t the right DAC for you. 

I tried the Super with a variety of 

headphones, and even with the lowest sensitivity 

ones in my collection, The Audeze LCD-2s, 

I still needed over 15dB of attenuation (using 

iTunes/Amarra) to bring the volume down to a 

comfortable listening level. With the Westone 

ES-5 custom in-ear I used over 40dB of attenuation. 

That’s a lot of excess gain in the system. 

The headphone that I enjoyed the most cou- 


Cambridge Audio DacMagic 

Inputs: USB 1.0 and 2.0 

supported 

Outputs: 3.5mm stereo 

headphone jack 

Sample/bit rates supported: 

USB 1.0 Mode: 16/24-bit, 

44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 

96kHz; USB 2.0 Mode: 16/24- 

bit, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 

96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz 

Dimensions: 1.25" x 0.4375" x 

Weight: 3.5 oz 

Price: $199 

cambridgeaudio.com 

Hegel Music Systems Super 

Inputs: Micro-USB 1.0 mode 

Outputs: Mini-jack headphone 

and optical digital Toslink 

(mini-jack) 

USB interface: 24-bit/96kHz, 

plug & play via USB 1.0 protocol 

Dimensions: 1.6cm x 0.6cm x 

3.2cm 

Price: $299 

hegel.com 

Resonessence Labs Herus 

Inputs: USB 2.0 supported 

Outputs: 1/4" TRS stereo 

headphone jack 

Sample/bit rates supported: 

USB 2.0 Mode: 16/24-bit, 

44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 

96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 

352.8/24, DSD 64, DSD128 

Dimensions: 63.5mm x 31.7mm 

x 19mm 

Price: $350 

reseonessencelabs.com 



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pled to the Hegel Super was the Audeze LCD-2 

(Bamboo version). The Hegel was able to propel 

the LCD-2s in an authoritative manner that 

I usually hear only from larger, AC-powered 

desktop headphone amplifiers. Bass was tight, 

controlled, but still powerful. Also the lack or 

electronic “grain,” due in large part to the Super’s 

140dB S/N figure, contributed to the ease 

with which I could listen into any mix. 

If your primary use for a portable DAC is with 

a desktop system or powered speakers, the 

high output of the Super will be a good thing. 

Hooked up to my desktop the Super sounded 

more like a “big boy” DAC than a portable USB 

device. If you listen for “pace” you’ll appreciate 

the Super’s ability to drive a system forward 

with alacrity. 

In my desktop system the Super delivered 

a well-defined soundstage with precise lateral 

imaging. Depth was also clearly articulated, but 

with a hair less dimensionality than I’ve heard 

from my reference full-sized DACs such as the 

Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSD SE. Bass extension 

and power through the Super, however, was 

equal to the best DACs I’ve heard in my desktop 

system including the Wyred4Sound Dac. 

Although the Hegel Super does lack some 

features, such as DSD and 192/24 PCM capabilities, 

it makes up for it with its solid sound and 

ability to do double duty as a USB to TosLink 

convertor. Given the number of other portable 

DACs available at a similar price, the Hegel 

faces some tough competition. But for some 

prospective users, the Super’s powerful output 

and easy setup might be deciding factors in its 

favor. 


The Canadian-made Resonessence Labs Herus 

is the most expensive portable DAC in this survey 

at $350 street, but it is also the most flexible 

in sample- and bit-rate capabilities. This lipstick-sized 

DAC supports PCM up to 352.8/24 

as well as DSD64x, DSD 128x, and DXD files. So, 

regardless of how you like your high-resolution 

files, the Herus will play them. 

Machined out of a solid block of aluminum, 

the Herus measures 2.5" x 1.25" by 0.75" and 

weighs less than a pair of CD jewel cases. On 

one end you’ll find a full-sized USB B connection 

and at the other a full-sized 1/4" stereo 

connection. For those audiophiles who already 

have a premium USB cable, Herus’ use of a regular 

as opposed to mini- or micro-USB could be 

a major advantage over some other portable 

DACs. Also the full-sized instead of mini-stereo 

plug means that you can use headphones with 

a standard 1/4" plug without needing an adapter. 

The Herus puts out 2.4 volts from its headphone 

output at maximum output, giving it 

a slightly higher level than DACs set for the 

usual standard of 2 volts. Inside you’ll find an 

ESS 9010-2M DAC, configured using Resonessence 

Labs’ custom code and asynchronous 

algorithms that run in a generic Cypress USB 

interface chip. With its low 0.2 ohms output 

impedance the Herus should be able to handle 

any headphone from 32 ohms to 600 ohms 

with no issues. 

Like the Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS, the 

Herus has its own volume control. But unlike 

the Cambridge Audio DAC, which has an analog 

control, the Herus adjusts its volume via the 

ESS 9010-2M DAC’s internal 32-bit digital attenuation 

control. The Herus will also work as a 

DAC for your iPhone or iPad with the addition 

of an Apple Lightning-to-USB camera adapter 

to connect the iPhone or iPad to the Herus. 

Some Android devices are also supported, such 

as the Samsung Tab3. 

A DAC of All Trades 

During my time with the Herus I’ve thrown every 

file format in my music library at it with 

100% success and playability. The only ergonomic 

issue I’ve had with the Herus is that 

when I changed headphones the Herus reverted 

to full output level, which can be quite loud 

with high-sensitivity headphones. 

Resonessence includes the following warning 

on their main Herus info page, “Important— 

Please note: some (if not all) software on the 

PC, MAC, and Linux will, the first time Herus is 

connected, set the volume to 0dB. That is, to 

the highest volume level. This may be very loud 

in the headphones. On subsequent connections 

the music player application will recall the last 

volume setting, but we have seen instances 

where plugging into a different USB port again 

sets the volume back to 0dB. Consequently, we 

strongly recommend that you plug the Herus 

into any new port on your computer with the 

headphones unplugged, and set the volume to 

a reasonable level prior to plugging the headphones 

into Herus.” 

Occasionally when I switched headphones I 

didn’t get music; instead all I heard was noise— 

loud digital-sounding noise. The solution was 

to close down iTunes with Amarra Symphony 

and then reopen them and the problem disappeared. 

I soon developed a standard procedure 

with the Herus when I switched headphones— 

never put on the headphones until I made sure 

that music, rather than noise, was coming 

through the drivers. [Resonessence says that 

this problem arises only if the user swaps headphones 

while music is playing. If the music is 

paused, this problem won’t occur.—Ed.] 

I used the Herus with a wide variety of headphones. 

Only with the 115dB sensitive Westone 

ES5 custom in-ears did the Herus produce 

some low-level hiss and background noise. With 

the 112dB sensitivity Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference 

Monitors hiss was reduced to the point 

where it was almost inaudible. Combined with 

any headphones of less than 95dB sensitivity 

the Herus amplifier section was completely silent. 

Because the Herus does produce an output 

that is slightly higher than the industry standard, 

I was concerned whether its volume could 

be adjusted and attenuated so that it would 

work successfully with a wide variety of headphones. 

To get an idea of how much volume 

variation was needed with different earphones 

I made note of the comfortable volume settings 

for a wide variety of cans. The Westone ES5 

custom in-ears required the most attenuation, 

-40dB. In comparison, less sensitive earphones 

such as the Mr. Speakers Alpha Dog headphones 

needed only -15dB of attenuation. The 

most power-hungry headphones I had on hand, 

a Beyer-Dynamic DT990 600-ohm resistance 

earphone, required only -12dB of attenuation. 

The first time I heard the Herus in my hotel 

room at the 2013 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, 

driving my Audio-Technica ATH-W3000 ANV 


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headphones, I was transported back to the moment 

the recordings were made. The Herus 

produced a level of sound quality that rivaled 

any DSD DAC I’d heard, regardless of price. During 

the many hours I’ve used the Herus since 

RMAF it has continued to impress me with its 

transparency and ability to impose little in the 

way of additive colorations onto the music. 

I’ve been making DSD 128x recordings of live 

concerts since 2008, when I first started using 

the Korg MR-1000 DSD recorder, so I have plenty 

of DSD material in my music library. Whether 

the music is classical or acoustic folk, the 

Herus plays back my DSD files perfectly without 

a single odd noise, hesitation, or drop out. 

The Herus proved to be as adept with highresolution 

PCM files as it was with DSD. I usually 

make 192, 96, and 44.1 files from my DSD recordings 

using the Korg AudioGate application. 

Listening to the PCM files through the Herus I 

became aware of differences between the DSD 

and the PCM files. The DSD version sounded 

the best, followed closely by the 192/24 versions. 

Listening to the 96/24 versions compared 

to the DSD I was immediately noticed 

that the room sounds and trailing edges of the 

music were ever so slightly truncated compared 

to the 192/24 or DSD versions. 

Switching the Herus over to desktop audio 

duties I was, again, impressed by its overall 

sound quality. Using the Herus as a source for 

my desktop system merely required attaching 

a 1/4"-stereo-to-RCA stereo pair adapter and 

then connecting it to a preamp via a 1-meter 

analog cable. Imaging was as precise as the 

Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSD SE, as was depth 

recreation and low-level detail. When I set up a 

matched-level A/B with both the Wyred4Sound 

DAC-2 DSD and Herus connected to the Nuforce 

MCP-18 using my own DSD recordings I 

was hard-pressed to tell which DAC I was listening 

to; they sounded that similar to each other. 

Three DACs, Three Good Choices 

Of the three portable DACS I reviewed, all 

three offered good performance at entry-level 

prices. The $350 Resonessence Labs’ Herus 

does seem to be the most “future-proof” of the 

three with its support for DSD, PCM, and DXD 

files, so in the long run it could prove to be the 

best overall value. Audiophiles who prefer an 

analog volume control and the ability to adjust 

the volume from the DAC itself may gravitate 

toward the $199 Cambridge Audio DacMagic 

XS, which also supports USB 2.0 so it can play 

up to 192/24 files. If you have an older DAC 

that you still wish to enjoy with computer-audio 

sources, the $299 Hegel Super offers you 

the option of converting USB to TosLink so that 

you can use “legacy” DACs with your computer-audio 

system. And while the Super is limited 

by its USB 1.0 protocol allowing only a 96/24 

maximum sample/bit-rate, its dual functionality 

is a bonus that makes it a much better value 

than if it were only a DAC. 

Whichever of these three portable DAC options 

you choose, you will be rewarded by better 

sound and greater flexibility in headphone 

options due to their ability to drive headphones 

with more power than your computer or smartphone. 

Any one of them will add only a few 

ounces to your traveling kit, yet make the time 

in your hotel room or in a plane far more pleasurable. 

“The Remedy is a 

game changer” 

Jitter robs the emotion from your digital music. 

Add the $399 Remedy reclocker between your 

source and DAC and feel what you’ve been missing. 


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Arcam FMJ A19 

& airDAC 

Dynamic Duo 


Though integrated amplifiers have been around a long 

time, they are often mixed bags. Some models try to do 

too many things at once, losing focus on what we listen 

for first—sound quality. Whether you are looking to purchase 

your first real hi-fi component or an affordable option for 

a second system, the Arcam FMJ A19 integrated amplifier 

delivers real high-end sound quality, without the high-end price. 

Functionality and Sound 

Though the A19’s design is understated—downright minimalist, 

actually—don’t let its lackluster exterior fool you. 

The A19 borrows heavily from its bigger and more expensive 

siblings, with features like a toroidal transformer 

for its 50W Class AB output stage and the same volume 

control as top-tier FMJ models. With seven single-ended 

inputs, the A19 makes plenty of room for those with lots 

of sources—enough for two turntables, two DACs, a tuner, 

and your dad’s old tape deck. Even if you don’t need all of 

them today, those extra inputs may come in handy down 

the road. Because of the resurgence in vinyl, Arcam has 

upgraded the A19’s built-in phonostage to better reflect 

current listening preferences. The remote is a basic design, 

with the ability to control every feature except for a 

few user preferences that are adjusted via several buttoncombinations 

on the front panel. Despite some quirks that 

I will discuss later, overall this integrated offers everything 

you need for a mere $999. 

Now for the real meat—sound quality. Using components 

that I am very familiar with, I tried to determine exactly 

what the A19 does or does not bring to the listening room. 

After level-matching the A19, I was actually shocked to 

hear significant differences between the Arcam and several 

other integrateds of similar specifications. The A19 

is incredibly quiet compared to many components. Even 

when I turned the volume all the way up there was no audible 

hiss coming from the speakers; so you don’t need to 

worry about distortion and noise with this amp. I hate to be 

the one who brings up THD, because as we all know this is 

by no means a measure of sound quality, but the A19 has 

a harmonic distortion rating of 0.003% at eighty-percent 

power—and that’s low. 

Listening to Ludovico Einaudi’s “Experience” from In a 

Time Lapse (CD and vinyl), I heard a smooth high end that 

never sounded overly bright or grainy. The A19 was convincingly 

realistic on Einaudi’s piano, and when the violins— 

arguably the most difficult instrument to accurately reproduce—joined 

in with their unusually sonorous solemnity, I 

felt like I was listening to a genuine high-fidelity product 

(even though Arcam doesn’t like to be associated with a 

“hi-fi” sound). So far so good. 

I played the track several more times, then shifted my attention 

to the soundstage, which was on-par with what you 

would expect in this price range: generally wide, sufficiently 

detailed, with overall tight imaging (though somewhat 

misplaced locations compared to ultra-high-end systems). 

Soundstage depth was less deep compared to those more 

expensive systems, but nevertheless was plenty deep to 

satisfy all but the most demanding. What makes In a Time 

Lapse great for soundstage testing is that it was recorded 

in an Italian monastery with sound quality in mind, so it’s 

very easy to tell when something is amiss. On “Experience,” 

a harp placed behind and to the left of the piano is 

gently plucked amid the increasingly energetic violins. The 

Arcam A19 had sufficient resolving capabilities to allow 

the distant harp to be heard, though don’t expect extreme 

soundstage depth with this—or any—integrated in this price 

range. 

Maybe I’m being a little too tough on the A19’s lack of 

soundstage depth. After all, imaging was fairly tight and 

was for the most part reasonably well executed. No “I’m 

there!” moments occurred, but nothing was egregiously 

wrong—complex soundstages are a difficult thing to resolve 

on such a tight budget. Then another thing announced itself: 

the slightly tubby bass. Low-end damping ability was 

a little lacking with the 4-ohm Endeavor E3 floorstanders. 

Yet, when compared to similarly priced integrateds, lowend 

handling was equal to or slightly better, so no worries 

here. 

I don’t want you to give you the wrong impression of the 

A19 by pointing out these things—they are meant to give 

you a realistic idea of what a $999 integrated amp can 

accomplish. With regard to sound quality, $999 buys you 

a musical, involving presentation with above-price-point 

performance in imaging. At 50W into 8 ohms and 90W 


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EQUIPMENT review - Arcam FMJ A19 and airDAC 

into 4 ohms, the Arcam has plenty of power to 

rock out with most dynamic speakers, and its 

build-quality is solid. Really, it feels like a tank. 

Overall, the A19 is an integrated that I would 

want to own at this price point. In fact, a hi-fi 

newcomer friend of mine purchased it after a 

weekend of listening—that’s how much he liked 

it. Just know that “best-sound-ever” claims 

can’t be firmly rooted in the sub-$1500 category; 

this integrated will help hook you on 

high end, but it won’t be the end-all, which is 

exactly what you want when you’re starting 

out—something that’s so good you want even 

more. 

British Quirks 

The A19 has a few quirks that can be misconstrued 

as design flaws by those unfamiliar 

with the new British energy-consumption 

standards, so don’t panic if you come across 

them out of the box. I generally leave new 

components on 24/7 during the first week or 

so, but this proved problematic with the A19 

due to the integrated’s auto-shutoff function. 

The first time this happened to me, it took a 

little while to figure out what had gone awry. 

I went in my listening room to find the A19 in 

standby, and pressing the power button and 

volume controls on the remote didn’t seem 

to wake it up. I assumed the integrated just 

needed to be cycled, so I turned it off and back 

on, and had the same issue. It turns out that 

if you power off the unit via the front-panel 

power button, the A19 defaults to standby, 

supposedly in case of power outages. Finally, I 

turned the volume knob on the unit and presto—it 

came alive again. The solution is to press 

the “Aux” and “Balance” buttons simultaneously 

to adjust this feature, and disable autostandby 

altogether. 

Arcam airDAC 

Along with the Arcam FMJ A19, I also received 

Arcam’s latest foray into networked DACs, the 

Arcam airDAC ($699). I consider myself pretty 

computer-savvy, so I found setup was straightforward. 

But if you’ve never fiddled with a wired 

or wireless computer network in your house, 

the airDAC is going to throw some curveballs. 

The manual stated that it was possible to set 

up the airDAC wirelessly and provided an IP address 

to do so, yet I couldn’t connect without 

first using a direct-wired connection between 

my laptop and the DAC. Like I said, this is nothing 

new for people who have set up a home network, 

but if you have a desktop computer and 

no network, you will need to connect the computer 

and airDAC directly via Ethernet cable in 

order to adjust initial settings. 

After the airDAC was set up, it was pretty 

smooth sailing. Using the free Arcam Song- 

Book+ app for iPad, the airDAC found my RAID 

drive and other network-attached hard drives. 

The airDAC automatically indexed music from 

the hard drives, though it didn’t distinguish 

between hard-drive partitions and displayed 

duplicate songs—a minor detail. The app is extremely 

fast, though it is a “light” version and 

doesn’t display album artwork while scrolling 

through artist or album lists. 

The airDAC features four input methods: Tos- 

Link, digital coax, Network Attached Storage 

(NAS) management, and Apple AirPlay. The 

first three methods worked just fine, sounded 

great, and provided everything you would expect 

from a networked DAC in this price range. 

The airDAC was about ninety percent of the 

sound capability of standard (non-networked) 

component DACs of similar pricing, which was 

more than I expected. The Apple AirPlay feature 

was, well, underwhelming. It’s limited to 

16/48 (Apple’s fault, not Arcam’s), which is 

something I can live with, but there was a major 

delay between streaming from my laptop and 

the airDAC. When I hit Pause, almost three seconds 

went by before the song would 

pause. When I attempted to stream 

Netflix movies, the video and sound 

were so out of synch that I switched 

back to some Bluetooth speakers after 

only thirty seconds. This lag persisted 

even after I restarted both my 

computer and the airDAC and checked 

my settings. I have gigabit routers and 

switches in my network, and such lags 

have never been an issue with other 

devices. The point is, forget the Apple out 

AirPlay and stick with the other inputs. 

But the airDAC has one huge advantage 

over the competition: Music 

streaming from a NAS drive. With the 

airDAC, gone is the need to have a 

noisy computer or a finicky Mac Mini 

in your listening room. Simply transfer 

your music to an external NAS drive, 

plug it into the airDAC via Ethernet, 

and you’re done. For $699 plus a NAS 

drive (roughly $100–$200 depending 

on size), you get a music server and 

DAC that can be controlled from your 

smartphone or tablet, and that’s huge. 

The airDAC can build playlists from multiple 

drives, stream everything seamlessly and with 

great sound quality, and it’s a bargain. Unfortunately, 

the UPnP network streaming is limited 

to 96kHz/24-bit, but most people looking 

for an affordable music-server solution will 

be just fine with the airDAC’s capabilities. For 

those of you who have amassed an enormous 

number of digital music downloads, like I have, 

the airDAC will satisfy your music-management 

needs. 


Arcam FMJ A19 

Inputs: Six line-level RCA, one 

moving-magnet phono input, 

one 3.5mm 

Outputs: Record out, preamp 

Power: 50W into 8 ohms; 90W 

into 4 ohms 

S/N ratio: 105dB 

Frequency response: 20Hz– 

20kHz +/-0.2dB 

Dimensions: 17" x 11" x 3" 

Weight: 19 lbs. 

Price: $999 

Arcam airDAC 

Inputs: TosLink, digital coax, 

network UPnP (Ethernet), 

AirPlay 

Outputs: RCA, digital coax 

DAC chip: TI PCM5102 


20kHz +/-0.1dB 

S/N Ratio: 106dB 

Output level: 2.15V RMS 

Sample rate: Up to 96kHz/24- 

bit 

Dimensions: 7.5" x 4.75" x 1.75" 

Weight: 2.5 lbs. 

Price: $699 

ARCAM 

The West Wing 

Stirling House 

Waterbeach 

Cambridge CB25 9PB 

UK 

arcam.co.uk 



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Rotel RDD-1580 

Digital-to-Analog Converter 

Great Digital Made Affordable 


It’s an amazing time for computer-based audio. It wasn’t too long ago that DACs 

connected to a PC or Mac were limited to CD-quality resolution and relied heavily 

on upsampling or multiple conversions to match the capabilities of transports. 

What’s better than a computer that manages a seemingly unlimited number of highres 

songs at 192kHz/24-bit (or higher) Here’s what: the fact that you can now own 

an entire computer-based system at a fraction of the cost of components from just a 

couple years ago, without sacrificing sound quality. As with all facets of life there will 

always be über-expensive gear that can do it better, but the new $799 Rotel RDD- 

1580, with its myriad inputs and superb design, represents an affordable option that 

won’t become obsolete in a few years. Plus the RDD-1580 is more than just a checklist 

of features; it’s a true hi-fi component with gripping sonics that run with the best of 

’em without running you into debt. 

Back to Basics 

First and foremost, a DAC should have 

the ability to handle any digital input you 

could ever hope to use. There’s no point in 

purchasing one component for your transport, 

another for your computer, and then another 

for your iPod. The Rotel RDD-1580 has six 

inputs: two optical TosLink, two digital coax, 

one computer USB, and one iDevice USB on 

the front panel. It’s easy to scoff at that last 

one, because the front-panel USB input is 

limited to 48k/16, but it’s a great option when 

friends come over and want to play “that new 

song you just have to hear” without the hassle 

of ripping the music from their iPhone or iPad 

onto your computer. The front-panel USB input 

also doubles as a charger, which was superhelpful 

when my iPad—aka my computer-audio 

command center—ran out of juice. 

For high-res computer audio, I connected 

the RDD-1580 via USB and TosLink to my 

iMac with an external 12TB RAID NAS drive, 

selected the Rotel under outputs, then fired 

up iTunes with Amarra Hi-Fi. It’s nice that 

most Macs feature optical and multiple USB 

outputs, because that not only allows for easy 

A/B comparisons from the same source, it also 

allows for comparisons with multiple DACs. 

Like I said, it’s an amazing time for computerbased 

audio. 

Maybe I’m a bad reviewer for admitting this, 

but I no longer use a transport for SACDs—I 

rip all of my SACDs to my computer using a 

Playstation 3. Caveat: This requires an older 

firmware version that can read SACDs and 

convert them into an ISO file, then more 

software to convert the files into PCM that can 

be streamed to your DAC, all of which can be 

a little daunting for a newcomer to computerbased 

audio. If you have a large collection of 

SACDs, a transport is still the easiest option; 

but if you’re up to the challenge it can be fun— 

yet very time-consuming—to finally transfer 

those SACDs to your computer and break free 

of the physical constraints of changing discs. 

This topic probably warrants an entire article, 

but let’s get back to the DAC. 

Rotel has long been known for high-quality 

components at an affordable price, and 

the RDD-1580 is no exception. Unlike most 

DACs in the same price range, the RDD-1580 

features two Wolfson WM8740 converters— 

one for each channel—a Rotel-designed 

toroidal transformer, and slit-foil capacitors 

to supply the DAC with great power. If you’ve 

been following DAC technology for a while, 

you’ll know that sound quality is not just 

about the quality of the converters, but also 

the digital filters, output stage, and power 

supply; in this regard the “dual-mono” design 

of the RDD-1580 really shines. Unless you are 

getting into DSD, this DAC has everything you 

need to rule the digital world. Oh, and it has a 

remote! More on that in a bit (pun intended). 

Bits, Bytes, and the RDD-1580’s Sonic Capability 

If the world of digital audio were simply 

eight bits in a byte, any ol’ DAC would do. It’s 

the aggregate design that counts, not just 

the mathematical sum of its parts. When I 

listened to the RDD-1580, it was obvious that 

Rotel always had high-quality analog sound 

as its goal. Sound quality seems to be an 

afterthought for many sub-$1000 DACs that 

have the capability to handle 192/24 PCM 

signals; heck, there are $30 DACs that can 

do this. For those of you who remember the 

early mindset when turntables were simply 

something that spins a record, this will be a 

little déjà entendu. 

When testing DACs, my go-to music is always 

something from the Ultimae record label, 

purveyors of incredible ambient soundscapes 

from artists like Aes Dana, Solar Fields, Hol 

Baumann, and Carbon Based Lifeforms. This 

type of music is perfect because it’s not only 

great to listen to, but also pushes the limits of a 

system in a controlled manner that orchestral 

movements just can’t touch. Ambient music 

plays with soundstage width, depth, height, 

and extreme frequency response with 

lightning-fast speed. Such ambient music is 


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EQUIPMENT review - Rotel RDD-1580 

like a modern-day version of classical music 

in that it paints a landscape and takes you on 

a journey, except that the sound is phasey left 

and right, front to back, and top to bottom. 

What’s amazing about the RDD-1580 is that 

it took the massive amount of sound from 

Solar Fields’ Movements and translated it into 

a beautiful soundscape that was far wider and 

deeper than that of my comparison DAC, which 

retails for about the same price. On “Sol,” the 

first track of the album, the bass seemed to 

rip from the ground and leap into my chair, 

while simultaneously the high-frequency zipsand-zaps 

flew from beyond the outer edges 

of the speakers to land centerstage, dance 

in mid-air, then retreat well to the rear. With 

the comparison DAC the effect was “similar,” 

but the soundstage was truncated, never 

extending beyond the edges of the speakers, 

and had about half the depth. This was using 

the same USB cable, the same computer— 

same everything. For the same price, the RDD- 

1580 put the comparison DAC to shame, and 

was far more engaging in its ability to elicit a 

visceral response to the music. Several times 

during the track “Discovering” I caught myself 

clenching my fists and sliding toward the edge 

of my seat, all because the RDD-1580 made 

the music that much more gripping. 

I wanted to throw another variable into 

this aural showdown and choose an album 

that I have on vinyl and digital. If you haven’t 

heard Zero 7’s When It Falls, it’s an absolute 

must-own. This genre-bending album employs 

multiple “jazz” singers—both male and 

female—throws in violins, pianos, electric 

basses, and acoustic guitars, then interlaces 

everything with down-tempo ambient music 

to create an intoxicating sound. If you’ve 

seen the movie Garden State, or TV shows 

like Top Gear, CSI, or Smallville, then you’ve 

heard Zero 7. So I pulled out the vinyl version 

of When It Falls, threw it on an analog setup 

that cost the same as the RDD-1580, and A/B 

compared the digital to the vinyl. I’m going 

to get hate mail for saying this, but on the 

track “Somersault,” underrated jazz singer 

Sia Furler sounded much better than with the 

vinyl setup of similar cost, not to mention that 

the instruments were more distinctly defined 

within the soundstage. Even though I liked the 

“vinyl sound” more than the digital, it couldn’t 

compete with the RDD-1580’s imaging, lack 

of smear, and superb dynamics. Before this, 

if someone would have asked me, “For $800, 

should I go digital or vinyl” I would have said 

vinyl all day long. Yet, the RDD-1580 made me 

reconsider that question, and then ultimately 

decide in favor of it over an analog front end 

for the same price. Yes, I’m going on record 

and saying that if you have $800 and have 

to choose between vinyl and digital, buy the 

RDD-1580 first. 

But maybe that was just a fluke, eh Let’s 

try the same vinyl/digital comparison with 

James Blake’s “Retrograde” from his second 

album, Overgrown. This track features Blake’s 

incredible vocal range as he hums R&B-style 

up and down the octaves, backed by a simple 

beat and piano. Yet again, the RDD-1580 

easily beat out the other DAC and comparable 

analog front end. The RDD-1580’s soundstage 

was deeper, the piano was spatially separate 

from the vocals and the beat, and everything 

sounded tighter. I did the same test again with 

Portugal. The Man [sic], Neko Case, Wayne 

Shorter, Miles Davis, ZZ Top, and dozens more, 

and each time the RDD-1580 outperformed 

the “other DAC” and the analog setup. 

I wanted to do this same “triple comparison” 

in another system located in an entirely 

different room, so I went over to 

a fellow audiophile’s house and 

began the process all over again. I 

didn’t necessarily expect the same 

conclusions, but I was curious whether 

I simply preferred the sound of the 

RDD-1580 through my amp/speaker 

combination. Maybe the RDD-1580 

better complements my system, I 

thought. After three or four hours 

of A/B/C testing, it was abundantly 

clear that the RDD-1580 still sounded 

better than the alternatives in my 95kHz 

friend’s system. A couple days later, 

I received an e-mail from this friend, bit 

who had gone out and purchased 

the DAC for himself. If you are in the 

market for a DAC and have a max 

budget of $1000, you would be foolish 

not to audition the RDD-1580. 

Other Likes, and a Few Minor Dislikes 

Like I said earlier, the RDD-1580 comes with 

a remote, which when connected via USB 

controlled Play, Skip Forward, and Skip Back; 

obviously this didn’t work with the other 

inputs. But these controls were a little finicky: 

The Pause button didn’t work via USB, but if you 

hit the Play button again it would pause the 

track. I could skip forward and back with the 

respective buttons, but I couldn’t fast forward, 

nor was there any volume-control capability. I 

used the RDD-1580’s remote mainly because it 

was faster than unlocking my iPad, letting the 

Remote app sync, and then trying to control 

the computer. But ultimately I preferred using 

the iPad to control the computer, rather than 

Rotel’s remote. 


Inputs: Two digital coax; two 

optical TosLink; one PC-USB; 

one front-panel USB 

Output: RCA; XLR 

DAC: Dual Wolfson WM8740s 

Frequency response: 10Hz- 

S/PDIF LPCM: up to 192kHz/24- 

Rear-panel USB: Asynchronous, 

192kHz/24-bit 

Front-panel USB: Up to 

48kHz/16-bit 

Dimensions: 17" x 2 1/8" x 12 

1/2" 


Price: $799 

ROTEL OF AMERICA 

54 Concord St. 

North Reading, MA 01864 

(978) 664-3820 

rotel.com 



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EQUIPMENT review - Rotel RDD-1580 


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This next one might just be my personal 

preference, but the blue indicator light, which 

rings the circumference of the RDD-1580’s 

power button, stays illuminated whether the 

DAC is on or in standby mode. Several times I 

thought the DAC was on when it was actually 

in standby, and vice versa. The only way to 

tell if the DAC is actually on is to look at the 

small input indicator light, or the sample-rate 

indicator. Again, this isn’t a huge deal, though 

it is somewhat strange to not indicate on/ 

standby individually. 

Another thing that might throw a lot of 

people off is the fact that you need to manually 

switch between USB 1.0 and USB 2.0 modes 

by holding the PC-USB input button for five 

seconds (this is a one time thing). Windows 

users will need to install a supplied driver 

in order to utilize USB 2.0. For Mac users, 

this is already taken care of, but I couldn’t 

determine whether the switch from USB 1.0 

to 2.0 actually made a difference in my Mac 

setup, because the 192kHz indicator light was 

illuminated before I read the owner’s manual (I 

might have been overeager). 

I really like the RDD-1580’s sleek, slim 

design; the review sample I received came with 

the silver faceplate, which just so happens to 

match a lot of my other gear. Plus, the RDD- 

1580 ran surprisingly cool, which means that 

you could place a preamp on top of it without 

worries; this is most likely due to the fact that 

it only draws 25W when on, and less that 0.5W 

when in standby. 

Another really cool feature is that you can 

stream music via Bluetooth when the supplied 

Bluetooth adaptor is plugged in to the frontpanel 

USB input. The Bluetooth dongle is tiny 

and unobtrusive, and was a lot of fun to use 

when I worked on my laptop and wanted to 

stream music from my favorite listening chair. 

You can also stream music from smartphones 

and tablets, but I didn’t test out what would 

happen if multiple devices tried to connect via 

Bluetooth simultaneously, à la during a party 

where multiple people want to play phone DJ. 

Aside from these few minor things, the 

RDD-1580 was flawless, both in features and 

in sound quality. It is by far the best DAC that 

I’ve heard in this price range, and probably 

would beat out most DACs double or triple its 

price. Does it beat out a $10,000 DAC Sorry 

Rotel, but the big boys still win in overall sonics 

(not to mention DSD capability). But if you 

are looking for a DAC that costs even $2500, 

don’t overlook the RDD-1580. I definitely hope 

Rotel will let me hang on to this one a while 

longer. 

• Built in the USA 

• Custom footers with Sorbothane isolators 

• Power supply with internally shielded Plitron transformer 

• Ultra low noise discrete linear regulators 

• Custom output board with SPDIF (BNC 75 Ohm) and LVDS i2s (HDMI) 

• Ultra high quality SPDIF output 

• Output re-clocking totally isolated from the processor board 

• All signals re-clocked on the isolated board in an ultra low noise environment 

via low phase noise oscillators (Crystek CCHD Series) 

Because everything Matters... 

Sonore a company of Simple Design LLC 

is also the official USA distributor of SOtM. 

And local dealers for Audeze, Benchmark, Davone, Cardas, ex/D, 

Hegel, HD Plex, Lynx Studio Technology, Merrill Audio, MSB 

Technology, Weiss and Wyred4Sound. 

www.sonore.us 

email: sonoreal202@gmail.com 

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Musical Surroundings 

MYDAC II DAC 

Analog-Like 

Steven Stone 

Finding an excellent digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for under $1200 used to be 

an audiophile fantasy. But with advancements in DAC design and reductions in 

the price of the high-quality parts needed to make these designs a reality, the 

cost of entry into high-end digital sound has come down substantially. In Issue 228 

I looked at three excellent under-$1200 DACs: the Channel Islands Transient Mark II 

($699), the Lindemann USB-DAC 24/192 ($1100), and the NuForce DAC-100 ($1095). 

Now Musical Surroundings has an entry in the under-$1200 DAC competition, its new 

MYDAC II ($1199). The MYDAC II may be forgiven its less than totally original name 

because of the interesting technology under its hood. Does the MYDAC II’s unique and 

soon-to-be-patented digital technology make it a game-changer Let’s find out. 

MYDAC II Features 

From the outside the Musical Surroundings 

MYDAC II doesn’t look that special. Available 

in silver or black, the MYDAC weighs only 3.4 

pounds and measures 9 7/8" square and 2" 

high. The front panel is clean but certainly not 

deluxe, with a single pushbutton that selects 

one of three inputs—SPDIF, USB, or TosLink. The 

center of the front panel has three additional 

LEDs that indicate whether the sample rate is 

44, 96, or 192kHz. 

The MYDAC II’s rear panel has one pair of 

single-ended RCA analog outputs, TosLink, USB 

and SPDIF inputs, and a barrel connector for 

an outboard wall-wart power supply. The RCA 

outputs are fixed-level so you will need to use 

the MYDAC II with a preamp or an integrated 

amplifier with level controls. 

The MYDAC II supports sample and bit-rates 

as high as 192/24 through its SPDIF digital 

input. The TosLink input can support up to 

96/24, but its USB input can only handle up to 

48/16 files. To play higher sample and bit-rate 

files from USB sources via the MYDAC II will 

require an external USB-to-SPDIF converter 

such as the M2Tech hiFace, Human Audio Tabla, 

or Empirical Audio Off-Ramp. The MYDAC also 

has no provisions to support DSD or DXD, but 

that capability can be added to the MYDAC (or 

any other DAC) through the acquisition of a 

Schitt LOKI ($149) DSD-dedicated DAC. 

MYDAC II Patentable Technology 

So far, the MYDAC II seems like a fairly ordinary 

mid-priced DAC. Inside is where the MYDAC 

II differentiates itself from the competition. 

Designed by Michael Yee, who is best known 

for his analog and phono preamp products, the 

MYDAC II takes an idea from the analog world 

and adapts it to digital circuits. 

Michael Yee’s explanation of his new 

methodology makes it seem simple. “In a 

system with 16-bit ADCs and 16-bit DACs (CD 

audio), both ADCs and DACs have roughly the 

same contribution to quantization error. It is the 

high frequencies that need more resolution in 

a sixteen-bit system. If one were to emphasize 

the high frequencies in the digital domain 

(making the high frequencies represented by 

much bigger numbers), pass them through the 

DAC at a much higher resolution, then EQ them 

back down in the analog domain to make the 

system flat, the contribution to quantization 

error due to the DAC would be essentially 

zero.” Yes, you got that right; the MYDAC II 

uses equalization to improve the system’s 

overall resolution, especially in the mid and 

higher frequencies. 

According to Yee, “Our digital EQ is something 

akin to RIAA on LPs, though it starts at 40Hz 

and ends at 4kHz, rising at 6dB/octave. The 

boost at 4kHz is 40dB, where the curve ends. 

The analog de-emphasis looks very much like 

a phono preamp doing the exact complement 

to the digital EQ. The digital EQ is implemented 

in FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) in 

order to be an exact complement to the analog 

de-emphasis. This means that the higher 

frequency range is represented by numbers 

100 times bigger when going through the DAC 

and the DAC appears to be 100 times more 

accurate.” 

The MYDAC II employs a 24-bit DAC so that 

Yee’s design can support his EQ scheme. “For 

24-bit audio, the MYDAC II ‘throws away’ eight 

bits of resolution in the bass and gives them 

to the high frequencies via noise shaping. For 

16-bit audio, there is no reduction in resolution 

in the bass.” The patent on Yee’s new digital 

methodology, called MODR (Musically 

Optimized Digital Reconstruction), is currently 

pending. 

Besides being used in the MODR process, 

FPGAs are also used in the MYDAC II for all 

internal signal processing and timing. Musical 

Surroundings claims that FPGA remove 

“another jitter source.” The heart of the 

MYDAC II is a Texas Instruments TI PCM1798 

delta/sigma chip. Low distortion op-amps from 

TI are used in the MYDAC II’s output filter. This 

is the first time that Yee has used integrated 

op-amps in one of his designs, but they were 


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EQUIPMENT review - Musical Surroundings MYDAC II 

“a high-quality affordable implementation to 

introduce this new technology.” 

MYDAC II Sound 

With this new whizz-bang digital technology 

does the MYDAC II sound different from all other 

DACs Yes and no. At first listen the MYDAC 

II seems like many other good DACs—clean, 

dynamic, and harmonically well balanced, but 

further listening reveals its special sonic characteristics. 

Unlike many otherwise excellent 

DACs the MYDAC II sounds less “hard” without 

sounding mushy or soft. Details are every bit as 

clean and clear as through more conventional 

designs yet they lack that sometimes overly 

aggressive leading edge. 

The MYDAC II also excels at preserving 

inner detail and low-level information. On 

Andy Statman’s brilliant, recently released 

album Superstring Theory, the MYDAC II 

preserves the gutty texture and the upper 

harmonics of Statman’s Kimble mandolin as 

well as the trailing edges of Jim Whitney’s 

stand-up acoustic bass. On one particular tune, 

“French Press,” it’s easy to hear that Statman’s 

mandolin was being routed through a less than 

pristine preamp because of the MYDAC II’s 

excellent retention of inner detail. Like the 

late Glenn Gould, Statman “vocalizes” while he 

plays. His humming, although at extremely low 

levels, is easy to follow through the MYDAC II. 

Listening to my own live concert recordings 

through the MYDAC II, I was impressed by its 

ability to preserve and illuminate the sounds 

of the concert hall—not merely the sounds on 

stage, but also the peripheral sounds from offstage 

and in the audience. Instead of offering 

a “velvety black,” monolithic, and artificialsounding 

background, the MYDAC II preserved 

the room’s myriad low-level sonic cues so that 

the entire space seemed to “breathe” in a more 

realistic manner. 

Dynamic contrast and differentiation, especially 

during quiet passages, rank up there with 

the best I’ve heard, but only when using the 

MYDAC II’s best input which is certainly SPDIF. 

TosLink and USB don’t have the same dynamic 

acuity or jump factor as SPDIF. The USB input 

should be considered more of a “convenience 

input” than a primary source. If you plan to use 

the MYDAC primarily for USB, I strongly recommend 

acquiring an outboard USB-to-SPDIF 

converter. The difference in sound quality between 

the MYDAC II’s built-in USB solution and 

the Human Audio Tabla or Empirical Audio Off- 

Ramp is not subtle. The MYDAC II’s USB input 

sounds flat, gray, and dynamically constricted 

when compared to the same source routed 

through an outboard USB converter. After several 

days, during which I did quite a few A/B 

comparisons between the internal USB and external 

converters, I did all my subsequent listening 

using the MYDAC II’s SPDIF input. 

Since the frequency range, especially in 

the upper registers, is boosted and then 

returned to pre-boost levels by the MYDAC II, 

I was especially curious about any noticeable 

negative effects from this resolutionenhancement 

and noise-reduction scheme. I 

spent quite a bit of time during my listening 

sessions trying to hear any augmentation 

to the upper midrange and lower treble that 

could be attributed to the MODR circuitry. 

After many hours of listening to a wide variety 

of music at many different resolutions, I can 

state confidently that MODR had no noticeable 

additive sonic effects. Even on some of my 

ruder, upper-midrange-dominant mixes, such 

as the original release of the Clash’s London 

Calling, the MYDAC II didn’t add any steeliness 

or additional rasp to the sound. If anything 

the upper frequencies on more primitive 

recordings were slightly less harsh, but without 

any reduction in dynamic contrast. 

I hesitate to call the sound emanating from 

the MYDAC II “sweet,” since that implies a 

certain loss of upper-frequency incisiveness, 

a subtractive coloration that is not part of the 

MYDAC II sound. But the MYDAC II does have 

the ability to mitigate harshness and aggression 

in the upper midrange as no other DAC 

I’ve heard can. Some listeners would call this 

a “more analog-like” sound, but unlike some 

analog, which has a degree of built-in compression 

and limiting that mitigates excessively 

hard leading edges, the upper 

midrange transients aren’t blunted or 

reduced through the MYDAC II. They 

seem to have less odd-order distortion 

and sound more relaxed and natural. 

Could a MYDAC II Be In Your Future 

Nowadays audiophiles have more highquality 

digital-to-analog converters to 

choose from than ever before. Most, 

even those priced at the entry level, 

can deliver a level of sonic quality that 

was unavailable in any digital product, 

regardless of price, just a few short 

years ago. The Musical Surroundings 

MYDAC II offers a unique solution to the 

problem of accurate digital sound reproduction 

by augmenting its performance through 

mid- and upper-frequency equalization. The 

result is a DAC that sounds “less digital” and 

reproduces upper frequencies with less of a 

hard, amusical edge. 

The principal shortcoming of the MYDAC II 

is that its USB input is limited to 48/16 and 

can’t support any higher sample- or bit-rate. 

The USB input is also not nearly as good as the 

MYDAC II’s SPDIF input in overall sound quality. 

To hear the MYDAC II’s true sonic potential 

with computer-based music files you will need 

to add a high-quality USB-to-SPDIF converter. 

If you’re an analog-only audiophile who has 

listened to a lot of DACs but never heard one 

that sounds right to your ears, you may want 

to give the MYDAC II a try. It could be the DAC 

that makes it possible for you to enjoy digital 

for the first time. 


Inputs: Three digital (SPDIF up 

to 24-bit/192kHz, TosLink up 

to 24-bit/96kHz, 

USB up to 16-bit/48kHz) 


20kHz 

Output voltage: 4V 

Output impedance: 100 ohms 

Distortion: 0.02% 

Dimensions: 9 7/8" x 2" x 

9 7/8" 


Price: $1199 

Musical Surroundings 

5662 Shattuck Ave. 

Oakland, CA USA 94609 

(510) 547-5006 

musicalsurroundings.com 



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Awards 

Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 DSDse 

Upgradeable Excellence 

Steven Stone 


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In 2010 I reviewed the original version 

of the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2. Besides 

excellent sound and ergonomics 

the DAC-2’s features included 

upgradeablity. Over the years I’ve seen 

many products that were supposed 

to be upgradeable, but never fulfilled 

their promise of a longer, more useful 

lifespan. In 2014, four years after its 

initial release, the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 

is still going strong with three versions— 

the base model, a DSD model, and the 

DSDse. And if you purchased one of the 

original DAC-2s back in 2010, it can be 

upgraded to the latest, most advanced 

model for $1299. That’s kind of nice, 

don’t you think 

All the DAC-2s use the same chassis with 

the identical number of inputs, outputs, and 

hardware connections. The base-level DAC-2 

costs $1495 and supports PCM formats up to 

192/24 via USB or SPDIF. The DAC-2 DSD is 

only $100 more and adds asynchronous USB 

support for up to 384/32 PCM and 128X DSD. 

According to Wyred 4 Sound, the DAC-2 DSD 

also offers “improved audio quality through 

USB input” and “galvanic isolation,” which are 

two features not listed in the basic DAC-2’s 

feature set. Given what you get for the extra 

$100 upcharge, I can’t imagine why anyone 

would still buy the base model. 

Wyred 4 Sound’s top model is the DAC-2 DS- 

Dse. It costs $1050 more than the base model, 

which brings it to $2549. Added features 

include custom Vishay Z-foil resistors with a 

0.1% tolerance, a “Femto” clock that reportedly 

has just 82 femtoseconds of jitter, ultralow-noise 

discrete regulators that are over 

100x quieter than the regulators on the other 

two models, Schottkey diodes, premium-grade 

inductor coils, a rhodium-plated Furutech 

fuse, and improved galvanic isolation with a 

further refined USB interface. 

The review sample used throughout the review 

was the original 2010 DAC-2 upgraded 

twice by Wyred 4 Sound. First it was changed 

into a DAC-2 DSD then converted to current 

DAC-2 DSDse specifications. These upgrades 

are not something that a local dealer or enduser 

can do “in the field,” since they require 

firmware upgrades in addition to replacing 

circuit boards. But Wyred 4 Sound has a simple 

order form with complete instructions on 

its Web site to make the upgrade process as 

quick and painless as possible. Upgrades start 

at $495 to convert an original DAC-2 to a 

DAC-2 DSD. For an additional $125 the Femto 

clock option can also be included in that upgrade 

package. 

Tech Tour and Ergonomics 

The DAC-2 DSDse uses a 9018 ESS Sabre DAC 

at its heart, which is the same chip found in 

the base and DSD models. The “secret” to 

the DAC-2 DSDse’s superior measured performance 

and sound isn’t necessarily the chip, 

although the 9018 ESS Sabre is considered 

to be one of the top current options. No, the 

formula for better sound in the DAC-2 DSDse 

is all the other parts and design that surround 

the Sabre DAC. My recent experiences with 

the Antelope Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD with 

its external rubidium atomic clock reinforced 

my opinion that the clock is a critical element 

in a DAC’s overall sound. The new Femto-grade 

clock option in the DSDse lowers phase jitter 

by over 80% when compared with Wyred 4 

Sound’s original DAC-2 clock. 

The front panel of a DAC-2 is simplicity objectified. 

It has three centrally located pushbuttons 

arranged in a triangle. Above the 

buttons is a two-line OLED display. That’s it. 

On the back of the DAC-2 you will find an on/ 

off switch, two RCA coaxial SPDIF inputs, two 

TosLink inputs, one AES/EBU input, one I 2 S input 

(via HDMI), and one USB input. The DAC-2 

also has a pair of balanced XLR outputs, a pair 

of unbalanced RCA outputs, and a pair of “Bypass” 

analog inputs. 

The I 2 S digital input technology seems to be 

making something of a comeback these days. 

The DAC-2 DSDse’s inclusion of this input allows 

it to connect to I 2 S sources that also use 

an HDMI connector. PS Audio supports I 2 S 

output on its Perfect Wave Transport, as does 

Empirical Audio in its Off-Ramp USB converter. 

The primary disadvantage of using HDMI 

connection hardware is that a naive user could 

assume it’s a standard HDMI connection and 

wonder why the audio output from his HDMIenabled 

Blu-Ray or DVD player doesn’t work 

when plugged into the DAC-2’s “HDMI” input. 

Fortunately, if you do mistakenly plug an HDMI 

cable into the HDMI connector on the back of 

the DAC-2, nothing bad will happen except silence, 

which has a history of being golden. 

Setup and Daily Use 

The DAC-2 DSDse is capable of accepting up 

to a 384kHz/32-bit signal. It accomplishes 


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this via a proprietary asynchronous USB 

driver. If you’re a Windows user, you’re already 

familiar with drivers, as it seems that 

virtually every hardware device requires 

one to be installed prior to operation. Mac 

users don’t need to worry about downloading 

drivers. 

Most of the time the DAC-2 DSDse remained 

in my nearfield desktop-computer 

audio system (see equipment box for specific 

list of gear), but it also spent some 

time in my large room system. During the 

time I’ve had the DAC-2 DSDse in my systems 

it never malfunctioned, but I did have 

one issue with my MacPro desktop (ver 1.1 

running OS 10.6.7). Each time the computer 

woke up from an extended (more than twohour) 

sleep due to inactivity, the Mac would 

“see” the DAC-2 DSDse on the MIDI list of 

audio devices, but the DAC would not play. 

Any app that used sound would also not 

run successfully until either another audio 

device was selected or the computer was 

rebooted, at which point the DAC-2 DSDse 

was recognized and played without issues. 

The only ergonomic problem I experienced 

with the original version of the 

DAC-2 vanished on the DAC-2 DSDse—the 

acceptance angle for the remote control is 

now wider. Now I had to move the remote 

way off angle for the DAC-2 DSDse to not 

respond to its signal. With the original I was 

forced to lower the remote so it was nearly 

parallel with the faceplate before its commands 

were acted upon. 

Front-panel design has always come 

down to a battle between visual simplicity 

(fewer buttons and knobs) and the complexity 

of commands needed to make a 

system function with the fewest number 

of sub-menus. The DAC-2 DSDse has only 

three buttons, so you need to do a doublebutton-push 

boogie to get into the settings 

menu. To switch from volume control mode 

to input control mode you must push the 

“power” button, which in this case doesn’t 

power down the DAC-2 DSDse, but switches 

it between these two modes. Unfortunately 

I found it far too easy to be in the wrong 

mode and instead of adjusting the volume, 

I changed the input. My advice is to use the 

remote control whenever possible. 

Nestled in the set-up menu is something 

called “IIR bandwidth.” No, it’s not for adjusting 

the frequency of your remote control. 

Instead it means “infinite impulse response,” 

and it adjusts the low-pass filter’s 

cutoff frequency. DSD signals can contain 

large amounts of ultrasonic noise which 

can sometimes create problems with preamplifiers 

and amplifiers. The DAC-2 DSDse 

gives you a choice of three cutoff frequencies, 

50kHz, 60kHz, or 70kHz as well as 

a slope adjustment. The set-up menu also 

includes a three-level brightness control 

for the front-panel display and an option 

for the TosLink input to be either a fixed or 

variable output source. 

If you have an analog source that you 

want to use with the DAC-2 DSDse you have 

only one option—hook up an analog preamp 

to the DAC-2 DSDse’s HT bypass inputs or 

use a source with its own volume control. 

Unlike Wyred 4 Sound’s mPRE, which can 

accept analog sources and control their 

volume via its analog volume control, the 

DAC-2 DSDse has no A/D to convert analog 

to digital and, thus, no way to adjust 

the volume of an analog source. Only by 

completely bypassing all internal circuitry 

can you listen to an analog source through 

it. The HT bypass is a true bypass with the 

signal going directly from the input to the 

output of the DAC-2 DSDse. 

One product category that I think is severely 

under-populated is the stand-alone 

high-performance consumer analog-to-digital 

converter. The DAC-2 DSDse certainly 

isn’t the only DAC/Preamp I’ve experienced 

that lacks analog inputs. A companion A-to- 

D component would be a welcome addition 

to the Wyred 4 Sound product line; maybe 

Wyred could even include an I 2 S HDMI connection 

on it. 

The Sound of the DAC-2 DSDse 

When I reviewed three portable DACs in Issue 

245 I compared the Herus DAC, which 

received a Golden Ear Award, with the first 

version of the DAC-2 DSD (without the Femto 

clock upgrade or SE board, although I erroneously 

wrote DAC-2 DSDse). I found on 

DSD 64x sources that the Herus’ “imaging 

was as precise as the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 

DSD, as was depth recreation and low-level 

detail…I was hard-pressed to tell which DAC 

I was listening to; they sounded that similar 

to each other.” I conducted similar comparisons 

of the Herus and DAC-2 DSDse 

using the NuForce MCP-18 as a switch and 

level control. With the latest DAC-2 DSDse 


Typical THD+N: 20– 

Oppo BDP-103, SimAudio 

20kHz (A-weighted): 115dB 

Herus, PS Audio Perfect Wave 

Crosstalk: >98dB 

DSD DAC 

Noise: (A-weighted): < 7uV Amplifiers: April Music Eximus 

Noise: < 10uV 

S-1, Wyred 4 Sound mAMP, 

Balanced output level: 5.2V Accuphase P-300 

(14.2dB gain) 

Speakers: ATC SCM7 III, Role 

Unbalanced output level: 2.6V Audio Kayak, Aerial Acoustics 

(8.2dB gain) 

5B, Audience Clair Audient 1+1, 

Output Impedance: 100 ohms Velodyne DD+ 10 subwoofer 

Price: DAC-2 $1495, DAC-2DSD Cables and Accessories: 

$1599, DAC-2DSDse $2549 Wireworld USB cable, 

Synergistic Research 

WYRED 4 SOUND 

USB cable, AudioQuest 

4235 Traffic Way 

Carbon USB cables. PS 

Atascadero, CA 93422S Audio Quintet, AudioQuest 

(805) 466-9973 

Colorado interconnect, 

wyred4sound.com 

Cardas Clear interconnect, 

Black Cat speaker cable and 

Associated Equipment Interconnect, and Crystal 

Source Devices: MacPro Cable Piccolo interconnect, 

model 1.1 Intel Xeon 2.66 Audience Au24SE speaker 

GHz computer with 16 GB cable 

of memory with OS 10.6.7, 

running iTunes 10.6.3 and 

Amarra Symphony 3.1 music 

software, Pure Music 1.89 

music software, and Audirana 

Plus 1.5.12 music software, 



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I found that with DSD material the differences 

between the two DACs in matched level A/B 

comparisons were still so close that I could not 

reliably tell which was which. But with 44.1/16, 

streaming and MP3 sources I found the DAC-2 

DSDse was more cohesive, nuanced, and listenable 

overall, and I could reliably tell which 

DAC was which during matched-level A/B 

comparisons. What I found most interesting 

was that the kind of sonic improvements I 

heard were very similar to the improvements 

I heard while I was reviewing the Antelope Audio 

Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC when I switched 

from its internal clock to Antelope’s external 

“atomic” clock. While I certainly don’t have 

a wide enough sample set yet to make any 

sweeping generalizations, my own experience 

so far using different or better clocks with a 

DAC is that I’ve heard greater sonic improvements 

with the lower bit-rate and Red Book 

material than I did with DSD sources. 

Was it a shock going from the $13k Antelope 

Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD to the Wyred 4 

Sound DAC-2 DSDse No, it was not. And while 

I think the Antelope was a better performer 

on lower resolution, streaming, and Red Book 

material, the DAC-2 DSDse wasn’t far behind 

it, and on 64x and 128x DSD material I 

couldn’t hear any difference between the two. 

They both made it easy to listen into DSD mixes 

without having to strain. On PCM sources I 

preferred the more relaxed and organic way 

the Zodiac Platinum DSD presented music. In 

comparison the DAC-2 DSDse delivered just 

as much musical information, but on lower-res 

material that information was a bit more strident 

and less suave in overall presentation. If 

I had to listen to MP3s all day I’d prefer to do 

it through the Zodiac. 

During the review period I had an opportunity 

to listen to the new PS Audio Perfect 

Wave DSD DAC in my system and compare it 

to the DAC-2 DSDse. Once more the sonic differences 

between the two DACs were more 

pronounced on 44.1/16 and lower-resolution 

streaming sources than with DSD and higherres 

PCM. Like the Zodiac DAC the PS Audio 

DAC manages to upgrade all source material 

in a way that I haven’t experienced on older, 

earlier-generation DACs, except for the Meridian 

800 and 860 with their apodizing filters. 

I recently had an opportunity to record the 

superb Brazilian ensemble Choro Dos 3, (www. 

facebook.com/chorodas3) made up of three 

sisters and their father. The band’s orchestration 

is a seven-string guitar (which handles 

the bass lines and contrapuntal rhythms), 

flute, mandolin, and percussion (which is a 

single-miked tambourine). I recorded them 

during a live concert in a small church. The 

results went far beyond my sonic expectations 

and have become a very useful review 

tool. Their Choro music is rhythmically dense 

with multiple overlapping patterns. I record 

in 128x DSD and then made lower-resolution 

versions as needed—usually at 192/24, 96/24, 

and 44.1/16 sample rates. Through the DAC-2 

DSDse I could easily tell the difference between 

the 44.1 version and the original. Even 

the 96/24 files lacked a bit of decipherability 

when compared to the originals on the DAC- 

2 DSDse. But when I moved up to the 192/24 

files and compared them with the 128xDSD 

files I was hard-pressed to hear any differences 

in the overall presentation, including 

subtle micro-dynamics and low-level inner details. 

Also both the 192/24 and DSD versions 

had equal levels of decipherability through the 

DAC-2 DSDse. 

In the past I’ve often had to resort to an 

outboard USB converter, such as the Empirical 

Audio Off-Ramp 5, to pull the best performance 

out of a DAC/pre. I connected the 

Off-Ramp 5 to the DAC-2 DSDse via its I 2 S 

connections and compared it to the DAC-2 

DSDse’s built-in USB implementation. I found 

that in matched-level A/B comparisons I 

could not reliably hear differences on 44.1/16, 

96/24, or 192/24 material. Finally I’ve heard a 

mid-priced DAC that doesn’t require an additional 

device to optimize USB sources. 

Conclusion 

After living with the latest version of the DAC- 

2 DSDse for more than a month, and having 

had some version of the DAC-2 in my possession 

for the past four years, I would be remiss 

if I didn’t urge anyone who owns an original 

version of the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 to upgrade 

it to DAC-2 DSDse, or at the very least 

to the DAC-2 DSD with Femto clock. It’s the 

equivalent of jumping four years ahead in 

time, from what was a very good DAC with an 

okay USB implementation to an excellent DAC 

with a well above average USB implementation. 

Early adopters are usually the ones who suffer 

the most financially when purchasing components 

in a rapidly changing product category 

such as DAC/pre’s. Some consumers are 

lucky to get a year’s use from a DAC before 

the need for a newer, more capable one begins 

to manifest itself. And while there have been 

upgradable components such as NAD’s line of 

preamps with MDC modules, few manufacturers 

have been able to make a DAC that can be 

updated to be competitive four years after its 

initial release. Bravo Wyred 4 Sound for keeping 

your promises and making it possible for 

early adopters to remain at the leading edge 

of DAC technology. 

Wyred4Sound 

DAC-2 

Awards 

$1495 

The DAC-2 delivers high-quality digital 

to analog conversion; it is also a very wellthought-out 

preamplifier that can replace 

a separate preamp and DAC in an all-digital 

system. The DAC-2’s obvious value and 

reasonable price makes it an enticing control 

center for either a high-end near-field desktop, 

or two-channel room-based system, or even 

in a multichannel system via its pass-through 

option. All the circuit boards can be upgraded 

to allow for some degree of future-proofing. 

And Wyred4Sound recently offered an upgrade 

for the DAC-2 to a DSDSE version that offers 

DSD capability along with improved PCM 

performance. SS, 239 


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AURALiC Vega Digital 

Audio Processor 

High Performance, Reasonable Price 

Chris Martens 

AURALiC’s Vega Digital Audio Processor ($3499) is a powerful and versatile 

digital-to-analog converter that can also serve as a digital-input-only, 

balanced-output-capable preamplifier. Specifically, the Vega supports all PCM 

files from 44.1kHz/16-bit resolution to 384kHz/32-bit resolution, while covering all 

sampling rate/word-depth combinations in between. Moreover, the Vega is DXD- and 

DSD-compatible and can decode both DSD64 and DSD128 bitstreams via the DoP V1.1 

data-transmission protocol. In short, the Vega is an ambitious, premium-quality DAC/ 

preamp that aspires to top-tier performance. Does it reach this goal I think it does 

as I will explain in this review, but first let’s first take a look at AURALiC’s company 

background and at the Vega’s underlying technologies. 

As I mentioned in my review of the firm’s 

Taurus MkII balanced headphone amplifier, 

AURALiC is a Hong Kong-based high-end 

audio electronics company co-founded 

in 2008 by President and CEO Xuanqian 

Wang and his business partner Yuan Wang. 

Xuanqian Wang has had formal training as an 

electrical and audio recording engineer and 

is an accomplished classical pianist, while 

Yuan Wang has a background in sociology 

and management science. Both men share a 

passion for music and sound quality, having 

met (where else) at a musical event—the 

2008 Festival of Waldbühne Berlin. Not 

long thereafter, the men decided to launch 

AURALiC Ltd. 

More than many DACs in its price class, 

the Vega is chock-full of advanced technical 

features, yet it is also informed by Xuanqian 

Wang’s thoroughgoing familiarity with classic 

analog-audio circuit designs. In practice, this 

means the Vega is a modern-as-tomorrow 

DAC with stellar performance specifications, 

yet goes the extra mile not only to measure 

well but also to deliver sound that, first and 

foremost, holds true to the sound of live music. 

As I survey the Vega’s rich set of technical 

features it is important to bear in mind that 

this is more a “music first” design than it is a 

“technology über alles” product. 

As noted above, the Vega is a DXD- and 

DSD-compatible 384kHz/32-bit-capable DAC/ 

digital preamp. The Vega provides five digital 

audio inputs: one AES/EBU, one TosLink, one 

USB, and two coaxial SPDIF. The Vega provides 

single-ended and balanced analog outputs, 

with volume levels controlled by a 100- 

step digital controller said not to compress 

dynamic range. 

Digital audio processing is handled by 

AURALiC’s proprietary Sanctuary Audio 

Processor, which the company says is based 

on a “multi-core ARM9 architecture” and 

provides a prodigious 1000MIPS (millions of 

instructions per second) of data-crunching 

power. Unlike many competing DACs, the 

Vega upsamples all incoming PCM audio data 

to 1.5MHz/32-bit resolution prior to decoding. 

Further, the Vega provides six user-selectable 

digital-audio filter modes (four for PCM 

formats, two for DSD formats). The PCM filter 

modes each comprise four individual filters 

optimized for a specific group of sampling 

rates. One can choose Filter Mode 1, which 

offers the best performance measurements; 

Mode 2, which reduces group delay while 

imposing minimal amounts of treble 

attenuation; Mode 3, which minimizes preecho 

and ringing effects but with a somewhat 

higher degree of treble attenuation; or Mode 


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EQUIPMENT review - AURALiC Vega 

4, which applies minimum-phase type filters 

and is said to allow “no pre-echo effect at 

all” with “very small group delay to eliminate 

ringing.” 

Filter Modes 5 and 6 are designed 

specifically for use with DSD files, and address 

the problem of the very-high-frequency noise 

that DSD bitstreams can entail, providing 

strategically chosen levels of ultrasonic treble 

roll-off. The concept is to preserve the music 

intact while getting rid of ultrasonic noise that 

could potentially damage wide-bandwidth 

amplifiers or speakers. 

Significantly, the Vega permits users to 

switch between its various filter modes on the 

fly to compare their subtly different voicing 

characteristics and overall impact on the 

music. Xuanqian Wang wisely observes that 

one’s choice of filter mode might depend to 

a large extent on the recording quality of the 

material being played. Great recordings, he 

says, often sound best through Filter Mode 

1, while customer comments suggest that 

Filter Mode 4 is the best “general purpose” 

setting for a mix of audiophile-grade and more 

commonplace recordings. The important point 

is that the Vega allows users to fine-tune the 

DAC’s sonic persona to fit the musical material 

at hand. 

Another signature feature of the Vega 

is its Femto Master Clock, which yields a 

spectacularly low 0.082 picoseconds (or 82 

femtoseconds) of jitter—a figure few DACs at 

any price can match. The Vega provides three 

master-clock control settings: the default 

“AUTO” setting, which maintains “a balance 

between lock-in ability and jitter performance,” 

plus “FINE” and “EXACT” settings (available 

only after the Vega has warmed up for an 

hour), which “force the (clock controller’s) 

PLL bandwidth into a very narrow range to 

maximize jitter performance.” Not all digital 

sources are precise enough to use the FINE or 

EXACT settings, but Xuanqian Wang notes that 

with the EXACT settings in play he sometimes 

hears “a significant improvement, compared 

to the AUTO setting, for certain sound tracks, 

such as well-recorded classical piano solo.” 

As expected, the Vega is compatible with 

both Macs and PCs and with most popular 

music-playback software. The Vega autoinstalls 

in Mac environments, but requires 

installation of an included Windows driver 

when used in PC-based systems. AURALiC 

does feel that music-software packages have 

a big impact on the DAC’s sound and for this 

reason supplies a free copy of its recommended 

JPLAY software with the Vega. Accordingly, 

I used JPLAY software in conjunction with 

jRiver Media Center 19 music-management 

software in a PC-based system for my review 

listening. 

The Vega’s analog outputs are driven by a 

pair of AURALiC’s signature ORFEO Class A 

output modules, whose design was inspired by 

the circuitry of the classic Neve 8078 analog 

recording console and whose sound is said 

to “share the same warm and natural sound 

of (the) Neve 8078.” Perhaps as a result, the 

Vega claims vanishingly low THD and noise 

(just 0.00015%). Part of the performance 

equation, naturally, involves not only having 

high-performance analog output modules, 

but also addressing noise issues wherever 

possible. To this end, AURALiC constructs 

the Vega’s chassis of a highly EMI-resistant 

metal-alloy called AFN402 and coats the 

chassis’ interior surfaces with a multi-layer 

electro-mechanical damping material called 

Alire, which is used in most other AURALiC 

components. 

The Vega sports an easy-to-read OLED 

front-panel display that shows the input 

selected, the format and data rates of 

whatever digital audio input has 

been selected, and the volume level 

(on a scale of 0–100) to which the 

processor is set. By design, the Vega 

can be operated from its faceplate 

or from an included remote control. 

The control menu offers options for 

adjusting absolute polarity and left/ 

right channel balance, or selecting 

preferred filter models. Users can also 

control the OLED display itself, turning 

illumination up, down, or off (for zero 

visual distractions at all). Overall, the 

Vega is an ergonomic delight, though 

it is sufficiently complex that it pays 

to read the manual to understand the 

scope of the control options at hand. 

If the foregoing technical 

description seems promising, then 

please know that the sound of the 

Vega is fully as good as, if not better 

than, the description might lead you 

to expect. Frankly, I’ve been around 

the world of computer audio for years, 

but I never felt a keen desire to make 

a dedicated high-performance DAC 

a permanent part of my reference 

system until I heard the Vega in action. Up 

to this point, most of the computer-audio/ 

DAC-based systems I have auditioned seemed 

to me to fall short of the sound quality I was 

used to hearing from top-tier disc players. I 

also found that those DAC-based systems that 

were sonically satisfying tended more often 

than not to be astronomically priced. 

In contrast, what makes the Vega so 

captivating to my way of thinking is that it is 


Type: Digital-to-analogconverter/digital 

preamplifier 

Digital inputs: One AES/EBU, 

two coaxial, one TosLink, 

and one USB 2.0 buffered by 

ActiveUSB 

Analog outputs: One stereo 

single-ended (via RCA jacks), 

one balanced (via XLR 

connectors) 


20kHz, +/-0.1dB 

THD+N:


EQUIPMENT review - AURALiC Vega 

reasonably priced yet consistently supplies a 

rich panoply of audiophile virtues, while also 

demonstrating an uncanny ability to keep its 

focus on the musical whole. In short, the Vega 

represents the intersection of good value, great 

(and forward-looking) technology, plus terrific 

musicality—a compelling combination indeed. 

If you asked me to cite several specific 

qualities that characterize the sound of the 

Vega, two that come instantly to mind would 

be transparency and resolution—effortless, 

elegant, and unforced openness and detail 

that sound more like the real thing than like 

hi-fi artifacts. On the track “Embraceable 

You” from The Larry Coryell Organ Trio’s 

Impressions [Chesky] the Vega lets you 

listen deeply into the voices of each of the 

instruments at play and so to savor the round, 

ripe tone of Coryell’s guitar, the reedy and 

breathy voice of the organ, and the delicacy 

of the drum kit’s contributions, the cymbal 

work in particular. Moreover, the Vega shows 

you the worth of high-res files, helping you to 

appreciate how much fuller and more complete 

they make the music sound. The beauty of 

the Vega’s presentation is that the additional 

layers of detail it provides are delivered in 

a relaxed and lifelike manner; additional 

music information is simply there—whole and 

complete without unwarranted spotlighting 

or pyrotechnics, so that the music is free to 

breathe and flow. 

Other qualities that typify the sound of the 

Vega are its dramatic and at times explosive 

dynamics, which likewise unfold in a naturally 

expansive way. As with musical details, the 

dynamic qualities you hear seem to flow more 

from the music than from the equipment. 

Consequently, the music seems energized and 

illuminated from within, much as it does when 

heard live. To hear what I mean, try listening 

to Silvestre Revueltas’ Sensamayà as captured 

on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Live 

recording [CSO Resound]. This exotic-sounding 

piece is full of lithe twists and turns as it 

progresses from one dynamic highlight to the 

next, with tension building as the composition 

unfolds. I’ve heard this piece through many 

digital source components, but none made 

Sensemayà sound as powerful or expressive as 

the Vega did; nor could any convey the tsunamilike 

force of the composition’s final crescendo 

as effectively as the Vega. 

Finally, I was struck on multiple occasions 

by the Vega’s unfailing musicality, which 

I sometimes—tongue-in-cheek—called the 

“Neve factor.” Neve recording consoles are 

known for pulling off a difficult but highly 

rewarding tightrope act of sorts; on the one 

hand, they deliver exceedingly high levels of 

transparency, clarity, and timbral purity, while 

on the other hand they preserve a naturally 

warm, organic, and lifelike sound. I think it is 

significant that Xuanqian Wang has chosen the 

classic Neve sound as his sonic model for the 

Vega and that the Vega strives (successfully) 

to strike a similar sonic balance. As a result, 

the Vega’s sound is every bit as revealing, 

crisply defined, and informative as any 

“analytical” DAC would be, but without the 

drawbacks (sterility, a vaguely “mechanical” 

quality) that analytical products usually entail. 

Rather than dissecting or deconstructing the 

music, then, the Vega simply reveals musical 

textures, timbres, tonal colors, and dynamics, 

and then gets out of the way. 

I compared the Vega to my primary digital reference, 

Rega’s superb Isis CD player/DAC, and 

found the Vega’s sound competitive, though 

somewhat different. I had a slight preference 

for the Rega’s sound on 44.1/16 material owing 

to the Rega’s somewhat more coherent upper 

midrange and treble presentation, though in 

truth the contest was very, very close. But a 

key point is that the Vega is less than half the 

price of the Rega and is capable of exploring 

high-res PCM and DSD files, which the Rega is 

not. In particular, listening to DSD files through 

the Vega proved revelatory, because DSD files 

as rendered by the Vega seemed to do a much 

better job than standard-resolution PCM files 

in enabling the presentation to sound more 

three-dimensional and realistic. 

Although I’m not ready to part with my topshelf 

Rega Isis CD player just yet, the Vega is 

the first sensibly-price DAC I’ve heard that I 

could readily embrace as one of my primary 

digital source components. For less than 

$3500, the Vega takes discerning audiophiles 

and music lovers very far up the high-end 

audio performance ladder, providing them 

with a versatile and technically advanced 

digital playback solution they will not soon 

outgrow. 


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MSB Technology Analog DAC 

Just Like an LP 

Vade Forrester 

Analog DAC What the heck is that Doesn’t the “D” in DAC stand for digital 

Yes, but what do all DACs try their best to sound like Right: analog. 

Manufacturer MSB Technology went all-out to assure its new DAC sounded as 

much as possible like the fabled analog source. When I auditioned MSB’s top-of-theline 

DAC IV, I thought it was possibly the best source I had heard, analog or digital. But 

its lofty price might have spooked some audiophiles. I appreciate it when technological 

developments advance the state of the art in playback quality, even if they carry high 

price tags. That’s because the technology used in high-priced gear often trickles down 

to equipment within my financial means. That’s what’s happened with the Analog DAC, 

which MSB bills as “The Most Technologically Advanced DAC in the World!” And even 

though the price couldn’t be described as low, it’s a lot lower than MSB’s DAC IV. 

So what makes the Analog DAC special For 

one thing, its physical construction is unique. 

Instead of building a typical chassis—you 

know, a metal box to house the electronic 

components—MSB has made the Analog DAC 

modular. It’s basically a machined aircraftgrade 

aluminum slab under which are attached 

removable input modules that give the Analog 

DAC its functionality. You start off with a basic 

unit with one input module (your choice) and 

a basic power supply for $6995, then add 

additional modules to suit your needs. Want 

another digital input $995. Want a steppedattenuator 

volume control, with 78 1dB steps 

$995. The volume control is one option that’s 

not modular, since it requires a hole in the top 

of the chassis for the volume control knob. It’s 

$995. Want a better power supply than the 

stock unit (which is a very respectable linear 

model) $2995. Want a different color than 

the stock matte-white or matte-black That’s 

$700 for satin black, $350 for custom colors (I 

think a red one would be neat; black and silver 

are boring). And there are quite a few other 

options like remote control, iPad control, Wi- 

Fi, and so forth. The review unit ($6995) had a 

volume control ($995), a USB input (included 

in the base price), a SPDIF input ($995), 

and an Inter-IC Sound (I 2 S) input ($995). An 

aluminum remote control was also included, 

which is an $85 option; so if I add up all the 

options correctly, the total price of the review 

unit was $10,065. See the MSB Web site at for 

a complete list of options and prices. 

The different input modules connect to an 

internal I 2 S buss. If a need for a new input 

develops (maybe USB 3.0), a module for that 

will be developed and can be installed with a 

screwdriver. After it’s installed, it becomes 

totally plug and play. The I 2 S buss connects 

to the DAC module, which is not an off-theshelf 

chip; rather, it’s a 384kHz discreteladder 

DAC constructed from extremely 

precise resistors. The firmware that controls 

the internal operation of the DAC is easily 

upgraded (see the Setting Up section below). 

That makes it easy and fast to make changes. 

The firmware-update files are in WAV format, 

making firmware changes just like playing a 

song. That’s very clever. The Analog DAC’s 

output impedance through the RCA outputs is 

53 ohms without a volume control; 38 ohms 

with the control. That’s low enough to drive 

any amplifier or cable. 

MSB Technology uses its precision “Femto 

Clock” technology to minimize jitter, and 

includes a large internal memory where you 

can set filters, upsamplers, and other DSP 

instructions. This is not an off-the-shelf DAC 

design using conventional parts and circuits. 

The Analog DAC’s optional power supply 

has exactly the same form as the DAC, and is 

usually pictured with the DAC stacked on top 

of it. The stock power supply is a linear power 

unit with two transformers. 

The Analog DAC can play Direct Stream 

Digital (DSD) files in their native format 

without converting the files to PCM. These are 

the files used to make SACDs. DACs capable of 

playing DSD files in their native format may be 

the hot item in the hi-fi industry right now. We 

speak of DSD sampling rates as “DSD64” and 

“DSD128,” where the numbers “64” and “128” 

denote multiples of CD’s 44.1kHz sampling 

rate. DSD recordings created as masters for 

SACDs are DSD64, but it’s possible to record 


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EQUIPMENT review - MSB Technology Analog DAC 

DSDs at twice that rate. The Analog DAC 

plays both DSD64 and DSD128 recordings. 

And as I was pleasantly surprised to learn, 

it plays DSD files through both USB and 

SPDIF inputs. The capability to play DSD was 

added by a firmware update—no hardware 

changes were necessary. The Analog DAC 

also plays PCM files up to 384kHz/32-bits. 

That allows it to play the 352.8/24 Digital 

eXtreme Definition (DXD) files used for highresolution 

mastering by several recording 

companies. A few companies now sell DXD 

files, should you want to hear super-highresolution 

recordings. Be sure your music 

player can handle them before you pull the 

switch to download DXD files. 

A Windows driver came on a CD, and can 

also be downloaded from the MSB Web 

site. Also on the CD were some set-up 

instructions. A manual can be downloaded 

from the MSB Technology web site. 

Setting Up 

I used a WireWorld Platinum Starlight USB 

cable to connect my laptop server to the 

Analog DAC. MSB Technology advised that 

since the internal circuit of the Analog DAC 

was unbalanced, the unbalanced connectors 

should sound better, so that’s what I opted 

for. If you have the volume control installed, 

the Analog DAC is designed to be used as 

your system controller in lieu of a preamp, 

so it should be connected directly to the 

power amplifier’s inputs and the very fine 

volume control operated by the MSB remote 

control. Since my Berning ZH-230 amplifier 

has unbalanced inputs only, the unbalanced 

connection from the Analog DAC was ideal. 

If you have other analog sources, such as 

a phono preamp, you can plug it into the 

Analog DAC’s analog inputs and select it 

from the MSB remote. I must say it would 

seem a little weird to plug a phono preamp 

into a DAC, but, hey, welcome to the digital 

age. I connected my tuner to the analog 

input just to see if it worked. It did, and I 

could select the tuner using the remote 

control. 

I discovered the Analog DAC was sensitive 

to the cables used to connect it to the 

power amplifier. A Clarity Cable Organic 

interconnect sounded a bit bright and lean— 

not the way it usually sounds in my system. 

Purist Audio Design Venustas interconnects 

sounded a bit fatter with more bass, but the 

best sound I found came when I used High 

Fidelity Cables’ CT-1 interconnects. Operating 

via magnetic conduction instead of normal 

voltage conduction, the High Fidelity Cables 

interconnects are probably the best I’ve 

heard to date. I don’t really understand how 

they work, but their sonic advantages are 

audible. With them, the Analog DAC sounded 

more balanced, with deeper bass. 

When I used an Audience powerChord e 

power cord, the Wattgate IEC connector 

that plugged into the power supply almost 

completely blocked the on/off switch, so 

to turn the Analog DAC on and off, I had to 

plug/unplug the power cable. Wattgate IEC 

connectors are pretty average in size for 

aftermarket connectors, so I would expect 

the same problem with other aftermarket 

power cords. The molded IEC power 

connector that comes with the power cord 

included with most components wouldn’t 

have this problem. 

I placed the Analog DAC on a middle 

shelf on my Billy Bags equipment rack and 

adjusted the cone feet until the DAC was 

perfectly stable. There wasn’t room on a 

single shelf for both the power supply and 

DAC, so I placed the power supply, which 

is about the size of a hardback novel, two 

shelves above the DAC. That’s about as 

far as the connecting power cord would 

reach. The Analog DAC has a huge display, 

the largest I’ve ever seen in a DAC, and 

it shows both the volume control setting 

and the input source; however, since it’s 

only visible from the top, it can’t be seen if 

you’re sitting across the room, unless the 

Analog DAC is on a low shelf in your rack. 

To use my Windows-based laptop server, 

I had to install a driver so Windows 7 would 

play Class 2 USB Audio, which enabled 

playback of high-resolution PCM and DSD 

input. After checking to be sure it was the 

current version, I installed the driver that 

was on the included CD. Installation was 

straightforward, i.e., not tricky. 

The Analog DAC manual recommends 

Foobar 2000 as a music-server program, 

and included a file on the CD describing 

how to set up Foobar 2000 to work with 

the Analog DAC. I view this type of help as 

essential; DACs are seldom plug and play, 

and each computer-based music server 

has to be set to use a particular DAC. Most 

have different settings which need some 

tweaking to sound best. My preferred 


Inputs: One digital input msbtech.com 

included in base price, 

additional inputs optional; one Reference Equipment 

analog input on RCA jacks Speakers: Affirm Audio 

Sample rates supported: PCM- Lumination speakers 

44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k, 176.4k, Amplifiers: Berning ZH-230 

192k, 352.8k, 384k up to 32 stereo amplifier 

bits; DSD at 2.82M and 5.64M Preamplifier: Audio Research 

(DSD64 and DSD128) 

LS27 linestage 

Line output level: 2.62V RMS, Digital sources: Hewlett Packard 

balanced or unbalanced output dv7-3188cl laptop computer 

Output impedance: 53 ohms running 64-bit Windows 7 

without volume control, 38 Home Premium and J. River 

ohms with volume control Media Center version 19; 

(unbalanced); 106 ohms Auraliti PK100 music player; 

without volume control, 76 Audio Research DAC8 

ohms with volume control Interconnects: High Fidelity 

(balanced) 

Cables CT-1 

Dimensions: DAC, 17.63" x 1.5" Speaker cables: Clarity Cables 

x 12.5" plus connectors; power Organic 

supply, 6.7" x 2.25" x 8.9" Power cords: Purist Audio 

Weight: DAC, 12 lbs.; power Design Venustas, Blue Marble 

supply, 7 lbs. 

Audio Blue Lightning, Clarity 

Price: $6995, $10,065 as Cables Vortex, Audience 

reviewed 

powerChord e 

Digital: Wireworld Platinum 

Manufacturer Information Starlight USB cable, Gold 

MSB Technology 

Starlight 6 SPDIF cable, and 

Corporation 

Gold Starlight 5 AES/EBU 

625 Main Street 

cable 

Watsonville, CA 95076 Power conditioner and 

(831) 662-2800 

distribution: IsoTek EVO3 Sirius 



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software, J. River Media Center 19, was simple 

to set up—after I figured out what all the 

settings meant. 

MSB Technology’s position on burn-in is 

ambiguous. It begins by asking if burn-in is real 

or just a period of familiarization; then it says 

feedback (whose) recommends 100 hours’ 

burn-in, then it says customers recommend 

one month burn-in. Come on—it either needs 

burn-in or it doesn’t; and it should be possible 

to specify a length of time. I burned in the 

review unit for about 300 hours. 

Thanks to a recent software update, my 

Auraliti file player now plays DSD as well as 

PCM, and, somewhat unusually, plays DSD64 

through both SPDIF and USB outputs. DSD128 

is played through the USB output only; 

apparently, DSD128 exceeds SPDIF’s limits. 

When I plugged the Auraliti into the Analog 

DAC’s inputs, it worked without a hitch, 

providing plug-and-play DSD sound. I could 

get used to that! 

During the review period, I received 

another software update, this time from MSB 

Technology. The firmware update took the 

form of a WAV file, and all that was necessary 

to apply the update was to play the WAV 

file. If the update doesn’t “take,” an audible 

message tells you so. How cool is that I first 

tried playing the WAV file with iTunes, and 

heard the failure message. Then I tried it with 

J. River Media Center, and this time, there 

was no error message. When I restarted the 

Analog DAC, the correct firmware version 

was displayed. Most manufacturers don’t ever 

update their firmware, and I don’t know of any 

that makes it this easy. 

Sound 

While the Analog DAC’s most advanced 

feature is its ability to play DSD files, it’s 

just as important to assess how well it plays 

PCM files, even those ripped from CD. After 

all, what makes up most of your collection 

So I enjoyed playing a wide variety of music 

through the Analog DAC. 

In a word, the Analog DAC was detailed. 

I don’t mean it was analytical, just that it 

revealed a ton of information about the music 

played through it. Since I had it on hand when 

writing the article about DSD downloads 

published in the previous issue, I used it to 

sample DSD files from various download sites. 

Unsurprisingly, the Analog DAC showed that 

not all DSD files are created equal; some were 

glorious, while some, well…not so much. 

Dynamics were finely delineated when the 

music called for it. They weren’t amped up, 

as may be the case with some components, 

but were fast enough to enhance the sense of 

musical flow. On Jordi Savall’s La Folia 1490- 

1701 (ripped from Alia Vox AFA 98050) the 

track “Folia Rodrigo Martinez” is a dynamic 

minefield, requiring the audio system to play 

at continuously varying levels of loudness. 

Some components artificially divide the 

sound into discrete steps, but the Analog DAC 

showed the loudness changed continuously. 

The Analog DAC reproduced the bass drum, 

which descends into the mid-30Hz range, with 

extension and detail. Power and slam were 

good overall. The amount of detail revealed 

in this information-dense recording was 

amazing; it was not even slightly etched or 

bright, but very natural-sounding. I’ve never 

heard a component extract this much detail 

from the recording—a recurring theme in my 

listening notes. 

On Alex de Grassi’s album Blue Coast Special 

Event 19 (DSD64/DFF, Blue Coast Records), 

the cut “Shenandoah” exhibited exceptionally 

detailed guitar sound, with an unusual drone 

effect I had never heard before. But the 

picture of de Grassi’s guitar revealed it to be a 

very unusual design, so maybe that explained 

the sound. The Analog DAC really showed how 

realistic a recording of solo guitar engineer 

Cookie Marenco had captured. 

Piano recordings were spectacular. On 

Thomas Günther’s performance of Schubert’s 

Piano Sonata in A minor (DSD64/DSF, Cybele 

Records), the Analog DAC reproduced the 

piano’s complete harmonic structure with a 

combination of delicacy and explosive power 

rarely heard on recordings. The sense of the 

hammers striking the piano’s strings was 

captured superbly. It’s odd that I noticed this 

particular detail on several piano recordings. 

Other finer details of Günther’s performance 

were strikingly realistic, too. I’d never mistake 

the recording for a real piano, but it’s getting 

closer to the real thing. Isn’t that what the 

hobby is about 

Rebecca Pigeon’s “Spanish Harlem” from 

her album The Raven has been an audio fave 

since it first appeared on LP. Remastered as a 

176.4/24 FLAC album by Bob Katz for Chesky 

Records, it was eerily realistic through the 

Analog DAC. Pigeon’s voice, in particular, had 

a “reach-out-and-touch-it” quality, creating 

the illusion of someone standing in front of 

me singing. Instrumental accompaniment was 

equally detailed, especially the stand-up bass. 

The Tallis Scholars’ Miserere was their 

signature album, and on Gimmell Record’s 

96/24 FLAC download of Allegri’s Miserere 

& Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli, the 

Analog DAC showed off its ability to throw 

a large soundstage. The “Miserere” piece is 

an a cappella work which has a small choral 

group at the front of the soundstage and a 

smaller solo group some distance behind it 

in the large church where the recording was 

made. The Analog DAC showed the separation 

between the main group and the solo group 

clearly, while making the words sung by the 

distant solo group unusually distinct. 

DSD vs PCM 

The 2L company offers several sample files 

in both DXD and DSD format. The company 

records its masters in DXD, performs whatever 

editing is necessary in that format, and then 

converts them to DSD. I expected that the 

original DXD files would sound better than 

the converted DSD files, but to my surprise, 

I slightly preferred the DSD-sourced files. 

On Beethoven’s Sonata No. 32, the piano 

sound was more full-bodied and detailed. 

Once again, DSD portrayed the sound of the 

piano’s hammers hitting the strings much 

more realistically than the DXD version. On 

the Allegro movement from Mozart’s Violin 

Concerto in D Major, DSD string sound was 

richer and less mechanical, i.e., less digital. 

On a vocal selection, Vivaldi’s “Recitative 

and Aria” from Cantata RV 679, “Che giova 

il sospirar, povero core,” my impression was 

similar to the one I had with the Mozart 


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concerto—the soprano sounded more like a 

person singing than a recording of a person 

singing. The differences weren’t night and day, 

but they established DSD as more analog-like. 

That doesn’t mean DXD files sounded bad; 

they sounded good before DSD files came 

along, and still sound good. What’s important 

for this review is that the Analog DAC made it 

easy to distinguish between the DXD and DSD 

versions of a recording, illustrating the MSB’s 

transparency. 

Comparison 

My Audio Research DAC8 doesn’t play DSD 

files, but it’s what I have on hand, so I’ll limit 

my comparison to PCM files. After all, the vast 

majority of my collection of downloaded and 

ripped music files are PCM, so that’s not much 

of a limitation. The $4995 DAC8 is a singlechassis 

unit which looks very conventional 

compared to the Analog DAC. 

On “Folia Rodrigo Martinez,” the Audio 

Research displayed its hallmark bass, the most 

powerful I’ve heard from any DAC. I’ve started 

to wonder if it’s not actually too powerful, as 

peculiar as that concept may seem to some 

audiophiles. Tonally, the Audio Research is 

similar to the Analog DAC, although the latter 

captures more details of the performance. 

“Spanish Harlem” was a close match, but 

the Analog DAC’s superior detail retrieval 

made Rebecca Pigeon sound just a smidgen 

more lifelike. 

The “Miserere” track sounded a bit different 

on the two DACs. The Analog DAC’s extra 

detail made the distant solo group more 

understandable, which had the effect of 

making them sound closer to the main group 

in front. The Analog DAC was squeaky clean, 

whereas the Audio Research sounded a little 

more smeared. 

Bottom line 

So does the Analog DAC sound like, well, an 

analog DAC Maybe it does, if you can find an 

analog source as free from noise and distortion 

as the Analog DAC and if your idea of a quality 

analog source excludes any coloration from 

tubes or solid-state gain stages. If you want a 

flexible, top-notch DAC capable of playing any 

digital source currently available, in a unique, 

strikingly-designed package that can function 

as a line source as well as a DAC, the Analog 

DAC may be just your ticket. It’s expensive, 

but its sound quality and functionality are 

hard to beat at the price. And its ability to 

replace an expensive linestage, connecting 

cables, and power cord can save you a bundle, 

reducing your overall system price and 

increasing the amount of free shelf space on 

your equipment rack. Viewed from that angle, 

maybe the Analog DAC isn’t as expensive as it 

first looked. 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 


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Reference, 

Indeed 

Berkeley Audio Design Alpha 

DAC Reference Series 

Robert Harley 

Photography by Dennis Burnett 

To understand Berkeley Audio Design’s ambitious new Alpha DAC Reference, 

you need to know something about the company behind it. In its six years of 

existence Berkeley had produced just two products: the $4995 Alpha DAC and 

the $1895 Alpha USB, a USB-to-SPDIF converter. The hugely successful Alpha DAC 

established a new level of performance for digital products at anywhere near its price. 

I lived for several years with an Alpha DAC in front of some stellar electronics and 

loudspeakers, yet never felt it was the weak link in the chain despite its modest price 

relative to the rest of the system. Similarly, the Alpha USB was light years ahead of 

any other USB-to-SPDIF converter I’d heard. Given Berkeley’s track record, I’d always 

wondered what this company could do if it aimed higher than the $5000 price point. 

The answer has arrived in the new $16,000 

Alpha DAC Reference Series, a vastly more 

ambitious effort than the venerable Alpha. 

Some potential purchasers will look at the 

Reference’s lack of a USB input or its omission 

of DSD decoding, and consider the unit a nonstarter. 

That would be shortsighted. Both a 

USB input and integral DSD compatibility were 

omitted by design, which speaks volumes 

about the ethos of Berkeley founders Michael 

Ritter and Michael “Pflash” Pflaumer. Their 

approach could be summed up as “no sonic 

compromises.” If including a USB input in the 

same chassis as the DAC circuitry shaved off 

even a sliver of sound quality, it was ruled out. 

If performing DSD-to-PCM conversion brought 

performance down a notch, the decision was 

the same. Berkeley Audio, more than any other 

company I’ve encountered, is engineering and 

performance driven. A USB input and DSD 

decoding could easily have been included 

for marketing purposes, but that approach 

wouldn’t have accorded with Ritter and 

Pflaumer’s fundamental values. 

The Alpha Reference is considerably more 

upscale in look and feel than the original 

Alpha. Although the Reference shares the 

Alpha’s front-panel display and controls, 

the Reference’s chassis is milled from a 

solid aluminum block, giving this 30-pound 

component a solid, brick-like feel. Front-panel 

switching includes input selection (two SPDIF, 

one AES/EBU, one TosLink), volume control, 

absolute-polarity inversion, filter choice, a 

button to change the display (volume, input 

sampling frequency, filter type, left/right 

gain), and a display dimmer. All these controls 

are duplicated on the handsome remote, along 

with a mute button and a balance control. 

LEDs indicate when the unit is locked to a 

source and if the input signal has been HDCDencoded. 

The “Lock” LED glows amber when 

the Reference has established initial lock 

with the source, and then changes to green 

when the Reference locks to the source with a 

second, higher-precision clock. The Reference 

can drive a power amplifier directly with no 

need for a preamplifier in the signal path. 

Both SPDIF inputs are on BNC jacks, not 

the typical RCAs. This is another example of 

Berkeley’s “no sonic compromise” approach. 

BNC connectors are not only the correct 

impedance (75 ohms); they also form a much 

more secure mechanical connection between 

jack and plug. Berkeley recommends AES/ 

EBU; it has ten times the voltage compared 

with SPDIF (5V vs. 0.5V), which reportedly 

confers a slight advantage in timing precision. 

Balanced analog output is on XLR jacks, 

unbalanced on RCAs. 

Although you can’t input DSD into the Alpha 

Reference, you can play DSD files by converting 

them to PCM in a Mac or Windows computer 

running the software playback engine JRiver 

Media Center. Buying an Alpha Reference gets 

you a license to JRiver. The rationale behind 

this approach is described in detail in the 

accompanying interview with Michael Ritter. If 

you want to drive the Reference with a USB 

output, you’ll need Berkeley’s Alpha USB. 

Removing the heavy top panel and looking 

inside the chassis conjured up the image of a 

bank vault. The chassis’ solid aluminum block 

has been milled out to create three separate 

isolated chambers—one for the power supply, 

one for the front-panel display and control 


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EQUIPMENT review - Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series 

electronics, and one for the DAC, DSP, 

and analog output stages. This design 

confers several advantages, including 

isolation from outside noise and 

vibration, isolation between subsystems, 

and temperature stability. 

I enjoyed using the Reference on 

a daily basis. The front-panel layout, 

labeling, and display, and the remote 

control are sensible and well thought 

out. The circuit design is similar in many 

ways to the original Alpha DAC, but 

implemented with new parts and build 

techniques impossible in a $5000 DAC. 

After listening to the Alpha Reference 

and considering its design, I realized that 

this must be one of the most cleverly 

engineered products I’ve reviewed. By 

that I mean that every dollar of the parts 

budget was laser-focused on optimizing 

performance, with nothing wasted on 

superfluities. The Alpha Reference also 

upended several of my biases about 

what it takes to create a state-of-the-art 

DAC. As you’ll see, the Alpha Reference 

sounds spectacular, and yet it realizes 

this unprecedented sound quality with 

what looks like a fairly conventional 

power supply (no outboard box filled with 

dozens of stages of cascaded discrete 

regulation), an off-the-shelf DAC chip 

(from Analog Devices), and an op-amp 

output stage. What you don’t see are 

the extraordinary parts and the design 

techniques that have been applied 

to the subsystems that really matter, 

particularly the clocking and the handcalibration 

of the analog filter. Berkeley 

has figured out exactly where to spend 

its parts budget—and where not to. 

Listening 

The playback system in which I evaluated 

the Alpha Reference is as good as it gets, 

in my experience. All the components are 

extraordinarily transparent, resolving, 

and dynamic, with these qualities in 

abundance over a very wide band. It 

turned out, however, that rather than 

the playback system telling me how 

the Alpha Reference sounded, this DAC 

revealed to me, for the first time, the 

playback system’s full capabilities. 

The highest praise that reviewers 

can heap on a DAC is to describe it as 

“analog-like.” The Alpha Reference 

is certainly “analog-like,” but not in 

the way that term has been used in 

the past. This accolade has described 

a DAC with a slightly softish treble, 

good space and bloom for digital, and 

an overall presentation that favors 

ease over resolution. The Alpha 

Reference transcends such comparison, 

overturning the idea that digital can 

merely aspire to mimic analog’s best 

qualities. Rather, the Alpha Reference 

stakes out entirely new territory with 

a presentation all its own that sounds 

like neither analog nor digital, but 

rather like microphone feeds. The 

Alpha Reference is the first DAC in my 

experience to cross a threshold in which 

digital reproduction is no longer judged 

by how far it falls short of the analog 

benchmark. Make no mistake; the Alpha 

Reference is a watershed event in digital 

audio’s long journey out of the Dark 

Ages. It’s not just a little better than 

the best out there—it is significantly 

superior in every sonic criterion as well 

as in the musical involvement those 

sonic qualities engender. It’s safe to 

say that no one has heard digital audio 

sound like this before. 

The Reference’s “un-digital” sound 

isn’t achieved by masking digital 

shortcomings or by mitigating them 

with an overly smooth sound or by 

adding a bit of artificial bloom. Rather, 

the Reference presents a startling— 

and I mean startling—sense of tangible 

instruments existing in what is easily 

the most spacious and dimensional 

soundstage I’ve heard from digital media, 

from the best high-res files to older CDs. 

This vividness of timbre and image flows 

directly from the Reference’s crystalline 

transparency. The Reference reveals 

that all previous DACs imposed a layer 

of opacity between source and listener, 

which diluted the sense of immediacy 

and realism. Hearing familiar recordings 

through the Reference is like taking 

several steps forward through the chain 

right to the microphone feed. As good 

as some digital has become, it has never 

quite engendered that same frisson of 

realism that comes so easily to analog— 

until the Reference. 

This sense of hearing nothing between 


Input sampling rate: 32kHz-192kHz Preamplifier: Constellation Audio 

Input word length: 24-bit 

Virgo II 

Inputs: AES/EBU, SPDIF on BNC (x2), Power amplifiers: Soulution 701 

TosLink 

monoblocks 

Outputs: Balanced on XLR jacks, Analog: Basis Inspiration turntable, 

unbalanced on RCA jacks 

Air Tight PC-1 Supreme cartridge 

Output level: 6.15Vrms at 0dBFS Phonostage: Simaudio 810LP 

(balanced); 3.25Vrms at 0dBFS Interconnects: MIT Oracle MA- 

(unbalanced) 

X, Transparent Reference XL, 

Digital volume control and balance: AudioQuest WEL Signature 

0.1dB steps, 0.05dB L/R balance, Loudspeaker cables: MIT Oracle MA-X 

60dB range 

SHD 

Remote control: Volume, balance, Digital cables: Wireworld Platinum 

input selection, absolute polarity Starlight, AudioQuest Eagle Eye 

reversal 

(BNC), AudioQuest Wild (AES/EBU) 

Digital filter: Custom, user selectable AC power: Four dedicated AC lines, 

THD+N:



you and the instruments is heightened by the 

Reference’s unprecedented timbral truth. The 

slightly grayish patina overlaying tone colors, 

the shaving off of fine micro-details that dilute 

vividness, and the homogenization of images 

we’ve become inured to in digital are completely 

absent. The Reference has an uncanny 

ability to reveal much more information about 

how a sound was created, and consequently to 

produce a more lifelike impression of the real 

thing. I was struck by this quality while listening 

to Skip, Hop, and Wobble, a wonderful acoustic 

trio album by Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, 

and Edgar Myer. Although I’ve heard this 

standard-issue CD on countless systems over 

the years, hearing it through the Alpha Reference 

was revelatory. The picking of the guitar 

and dobro, the way each note bursts forth for 

an instant, the resonant instrument bodies, the 

fine texture in the dobro’s unique timbre, and 

the sounds of fingers on the strings all came 

together to create a more convincing illusion 

of hearing the instruments themselves rather 

than recreations of them. 

As you’d expect from this description, the 

Reference’s reproduction of the human voice 

is startling in its naturalness. Jane Monheit’s 

gorgeous voice on the 96/24 version of Come 

Dream With Me has a palpability and immediacy 

that are downright eerie. The close miking and 

minimal reverb on her voice make the illusion 

of someone singing between the loudspeakers 

that much more credible. Although this file can 

sound wonderful through other great DACs, it 

never quite crossed that threshold into making 

me believe, if just for a few moments during 

the unaccompanied passages, that someone 

was actually standing in my listening room. The 

difference in the electrical waveforms output 

by the various DACs under consideration must 

be miniscule, but the musical effect is anything 

but. The Reference allows the music to create 

a sense of intimacy between listener and artist 

in a way that I’ve never before experienced 

from digital. 

A large measure of the Alpha Reference’s 

sense of realism comes also from the extraordinary 

spatial presentation. The Alpha Reference’s 

soundstaging, dimensionality, and depth 

aren’t merely spectacular “for digital”; they 

are spectacular, period. Instrumental images 

are tightly focused, but in a way different from 

other digital that has rendered a “sculptured” 

presentation. Rather, the image outlines are 

clearly delineated from the air around them 

in exactly the same way that real instruments 

sound in an acoustic space. There is no artificial 

edge to the outlines despite the tight focus. 

The way the sound expands around the image 

with each note—what Jonathan Valin calls 

“action”—is totally natural and lifelike. The spatial 

rendering is also extraordinary in the layering 

and bloom, with instruments positioned 

along the depth axis in a continuum rather 

than in discrete steps. I’ve described other 

DACs as exhibiting this depth-along-a-continuum 

phenomenon, but the Alpha Reference is 

clearly in a different league. The see-through 

transparency I mentioned previously combines 

with this spatial resolution to present even the 

lowest-level sounds at the rear of the hall with 

sensational vividness and clarity. I also enjoyed 

the manner in which the Alpha Reference “dehomogenizes” 

familiar music, presenting a collection 

of individual instruments, each distinct 

in tone color and space. The Reference is revelatory 

in the way it allows me to easily shift 

my attention between instruments or sections, 

and thereby to hear more of the composer’s intent. 

I found myself experiencing familiar music 

from a different perspective as more and more 

musical information was unwoven by the Alpha 

Reference. 

To hear all of these qualities at their zenith 

in a single musical example, look no further 

than Dick Hyman and the Swing All Stars at 

176.4kHz/24-bit on the Reference Recordings 

HRx sampler disc. The distinct tone colors of 

the brass and woodwinds are richly portrayed, 

even during the unison phrases. The hi-hat 

“lights up” the acoustic in a completely 

natural way. The sense of transparent space 

is palpable. The piece includes an extended 

passage in which Frank Weiss plays a beautiful 

sax line that weaves in, around, and counter 

to the melody played by the brass and winds. 

The Alpha Reference, more than any digital 

I’ve heard, presents this playful counterpoint 

in all its glory—totally natural and unforced. I 

defy even the most diehard analog enthusiast 

to listen to this track through the Reference 

and detect the slightest trace of the flaws that 

have traditionally been assumed to be partand-parcel 

of digital audio. 

For all the Reference’s vividness and 

resolution, it has a completely non-aggressive, 

almost laid-back character. This may seem like 

a contradiction, but the Reference’s lack of 

edge and glare allowed it to sound immediate 

yet relaxed—just like live music. The rapidfire 

flamenco guitars on Paco de Lucia’s Live 

in America are beautifully delineated with 

tremendous transient speed yet without the 

etch that makes you want to turn the music 

down. Orchestral crescendos at high playback 

levels don’t create that sense of physical 

tension or “cringe factor” as your ears prepare 

for the glare. In fact, the Reference allows you 

to listen at louder levels, for longer sessions, 

without fatigue because of this smoothness 

and liquidity. 

It almost goes without saying that the Alpha 

Reference’s resolution is simply stunning. This 

DAC reaches down into the finest micro-details 

of timbre, transients, spatial cues, inflection, 

and dynamic shading. Everything is right 

there, laid out in a completely natural way 

that doesn’t call attention to itself as detail. 

The treble is ultra-smooth, silky, and richly 

resolved. Even compared with other digital 

that could be considered as having a smooth 

treble, the Reference is lacking the metallic 

bite that has plagued digital audio since its 

inception. This combination of rich detailing, 

massive resolution, and timbral liquidity in the 

top end is simply unprecedented. 

The way in which the Reference portrayed 

dynamics is also unlike any other digital 

playback. Instrumental attacks jump to life 

with stunning speed and immediacy, much like 

one hears from a horn loudspeaker. Listen, for 

example, to the brass entrance in The Firebird, 

again from the HRx sampler, which will nearly 

lift you out of your seat. This quality just 

increases the Reference’s vivid realism, but 

again, without the slightest trace of etch or 

artificial edge. 

As if this embarrassment of riches weren’t 


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Set-Up Notes 

The Alpha Reference’s balanced output fed a Constellation Audio 

Virgo II preamp throughout my listening sessions. Although I 

tried driving the Soulution 701 amplifiers directly from the Alpha 

Reference, the DAC’s highish output level combined with the 

Soulution’s high input sensitivity to require several tens of dBs of 

(digital-domain) attenuation in the Alpha Reference. Nonetheless, 

the Constellation Virgo II was more than up to the challenge, fully 

revealing the Reference’s transparency, resolution, and dynamics. 

I listened to the Alpha Reference fed by SPDIF from the 

extraordinary dCS Vivaldi transport via an AudioQuest Eagle Eye 

BNC cable (both units have BNC connectors), as well as from a 

MacBook Pro running Pure Music. Berkeley’s Alpha USB converted 

the Mac’s USB output (via a 1.5 meter Wireworld Platinum Starlight 

USB cable) to AES/EBU. The AES/EBU output was connected to 

the Alpha Reference through a 1.5 meter run of AudioQuest Wild 

digital cable. Analog output was balanced on MIT Oracle MA-X 

interconnects. 

For comparisons with other DACs, I evaluated those DACs’ sound 

when fed through their USB input as well as with the AES/EBU 

output from the Berkeley Alpha USB. This enabled me to isolate the 

sound of the DAC itself from its USB implementation. Incidentally, if 

you own a USB DAC, adding the Berkeley Alpha USB to bypass your 

DAC’s USB input is likely to be a significant performance upgrade. 

I set the Reference’s output level at 59 on the display, or 1dB of 

attenuation from full-scale. The digital filter apparently operates 

better when processing less than full-scale signals. Although the 

Reference offers several filter choices, the default filter is by far the 

best sounding. 

In comparisons with other DACs I was careful not to use HDCDencoded 

titles, which would give the Reference an unfair advantage 

because of its HDCD decoding. The Reference sat on four Stillpoints 

Ultra 5 isolation devices, which in turn were bolted into the Stillpoints 

grid within the Stillpoints rack. At this level of performance, every 

change in isolation is easily audible, and sonically significant. 

enough, the Alpha Reference’s bass 

reproduction is in a league of its own. 

Believe me, no one has ever heard bass 

like this from digital. For starters, the 

overall bass balance is weighty, warm, 

and rich, but without the caveats that 

typically accompany those descriptors. 

“Warm” and “rich” often describe a 

softish bottom end that is pleasant, 

but that lacks dynamic agility and pitch 

definition. The Alpha Reference’s fullbodied 

bottom end not only provides 

a solid tonal foundation, it is also 

exquisitely textured and nuanced. The 

sound of plucked acoustic bass, for 

example, is infused with rich microtexture 

and micro-dynamic details that, 

frankly, other digital simply smears. The 

attack of the string, the resonant body 

of the instrument, and the decay are 

all beautifully delineated in a way that 

sounds more like the instrument and 

less like a facsimile. I was surprised by 

how much more fine detail in the bottom 

end the Reference revealed. Despite the 

filigreed rendering, the bottom end has 

tremendous power and speed. 

This synergy of muscular authority, 

resolution of textural detail, and dynamic 

agility is sensational on a wide range of 

music. Orchestral music is big and fullbodied 

in a way that you rarely hear 

from reproduced music. The “oomph” 

in the midbass, richness and density 

of tone color, and that thrilling visceral 

involvement you hear from live music 

are abundant through the Reference. The 

sense of rhythmic propulsion on rock, 

blues, and some jazz is nothing short 

of addicting. The track “Trans-Island 

Skyway” from the 96/24 version of Donald 

Fagan’s Kamakiriad has an unusual meter 

that gives it a powerful propulsive groove. 

The Reference better resolved this track’s 

amazing bottom-end dynamics, and not 

just in pure impact but also in the lack of 

smearing of the closely spaced kick-drum 

attacks. The Reference takes this track up 

several notches in that powerful ability of 

music to involve your entire body. 

Perhaps not coincidentally, all the 

components in my current playback 

system share the specific quality of 

muscularity in the power range. The 

Magico Q7s, with their dual 12" woofers 

and 10" mid/woofer in a totally inert 

sealed enclosure, the mighty Soulution 

701 monoblocks with their unprecedented 

bottom-end impact and resolution, and 

the MIT Oracle MA-X, known for its richly 

textured bass and midbass, teamed up 

to produce what is in my experience 

the most expressive presentation of 

what the British call pace and timing of 

any audio system I’ve heard. The Alpha 

Reference at the front end of these costno-object 

components revealed qualities 

in those components that had previously 

not been fully exploited. 

I found myself astonished that these 

characteristics are apparent not just 

in super-high-resolution audiophile 

spectaculars, but across a wide range of 

music in my digital library. Standard CDs 

of my favorite recordings that I’d thought 

sounded hard, flat, and relatively low 

in resolution were “unwoven” by the 

Reference to reveal a rich panorama 

of musicality. That’s a significant 

observation because it reveals that 

our CD libraries contain buried musical 

expression that can be released by 

improvements in digital-to-analog 

conversion technology. 

Conclusion 

The Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference 

Series is not only the absolute state of 

the art in digital-to-analog conversion, 

it also goes far beyond even this 

superlative to redefine what’s possible 


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in digital playback. This is a landmark product 

in that it crosses a threshold of sound quality 

and musical expressiveness that renders moot 

the idea that digital can only aspire to mimic 

analog rather than offer its own set of virtues. 

I won’t reiterate the Alpha Reference’s 

merits, but can guarantee that you’ve never 

heard digital audio sound like this. This is a 

product that you have to hear for yourself 

to believe just how far digital has traveled. 

I’m also heartened by the Reference’s price. 

Although not inexpensive, $16,000 for the 

unquestioned state of the art in digital 

playback makes it seem like a bargain. 

On a personal level, I can’t tell you how 

thrilled I am to experience an entirely new 

and unexpected level of musical involvement 

from my library of standard-resolution CDs 

and files. After one particularly rewarding 

session, I reflected on how Berkeley Audio 

Design epitomizes the highest ideals of highend 

audio. 

Ritter and Pflaumer toiled for years, 

researching the finest minutia of design 

details that affect sound quality to create a 

product that has allowed me to experience 

a deeper level of musical involvement and 

appreciation. Their single-minded pursuit of 

performance above all else exemplifies the 

ethos behind the landmark breakthroughs in 

the history of high-end audio. 

And breakthrough the Alpha Reference 

is. I’m confident in saying that the Alpha 

Reference will be remembered decades from 

now as a turning point in digital audio sound 

quality. 

Michael Ritter Discusses the 

Alpha Reference’s Design 

Robert Harley: Berkeley Audio Design has been in 

business for six years, yet you’ve introduced just 

two products before the Alpha Reference. Many 

other companies would have offered a range of 

products, including inexpensive portable USB DACs. 

Why have you taken this approach 

Michael Ritter Well, we’re a reasonably atypical 

company. We’re in business to be in business 

partly, but it really was a passion that led us 

to even start the company. The work we did at 

Pacific Microsonics [the company that invented 

HDCD and built the professional analog-todigital 

converters and HDCD encoders used in 

mastering studios] was as close to a pure R&D 

effort as you’ll find in audio, where the company’s 

sole effort was directed at sound quality. The 

concept of HDCD was to create technologies 

that provided a much higher resolution signal 

in a standard Red Book recording that could be 

played back on any CD player. Obviously, to do 

that you need to start with a high-resolution 

recording, so we developed professional 

high-res A-to-D’s, encoders, and D-to-A’s that 

operated at 176.4kHz. We spent many millions 

of dollars and had the best test equipment 

available, including some built in-house. And we 

had excellent first-generation Keith Johnson 

analog mastertapes as reference source 

material. But the final design optimization was 

done in the field using Keith Johnson’s live mike 

feeds since reproducing them represented the 

ultimate test of fidelity. These weren’t mike 

feeds of a guy sitting in a room with a guitar, 

but of large choral groups and orchestras. 

Just tremendously big and difficult material to 

reproduce. We had a process where we could 

compare the mike feed to the entire A-to-D 

and D-to-A chain. We could hear instantly if we 

were listening to the mike feed or conventional 

digital or even 30ips analog tape, but at the 

end of the development process for the Pacific 

Microsonics Model Two sometimes we would 

confuse the A-D-A chain with the mike feed. 

That was a big emotional experience that I 

never thought would be possible. 

You know the story of how Pacific Microsonics 

was bought by Microsoft, who didn’t do much 

with it. So Michael Pflaumer and I [Michael 

Pflaumer is the co-inventor of HDCD with 

Keith Johnson, and wrote the HDCD encoding 

and decoding DSP code—he also designed the 

clocking for the Pacific Microsonics Model 

One and Two] realized that it just seemed 

wrong to have arrived at this potential for 

audio reproduction and let it disappear. We 

had some brilliant engineering expertise so 

we concentrated on building products with the 

best possible audio quality. 

Going back to what you said about 

introducing only a few products, we didn’t want 

to introduce products that offered only an 

incremental improvement, or feel compelled to 

change models for marketing reasons. 

RH: Is the Alpha Reference a ground-up design 

effort or is it based on the original Alpha DAC 

MR Much of the technology we had already 

developed for the Alpha DAC Series 2, such 

as the data receiver and the digital filter, was 

pretty darn optimal. We knew there were areas 

we could do things better with certain parts, but 

those parts didn’t exist. There were also areas 

where the implementation could be improved. 

The Alpha DAC Series 2 was the platform we 

started with. 

RH: Why does the Alpha Reference lack a USB 

input 

MR There may be a time when it makes sense 

for us to introduce a lower-cost DAC with a 

USB input, but when you’re shooting for the 

ultimate in performance, which is what we did 

with the Reference Series, not to mention the 

Alpha DAC before it, you absolutely don’t want 

to connect the DAC directly to the computer or 

router. They have large amounts of electrical 

noise, and that noise gets injected into the 

DAC’s ground, or the noise is capacitively 

coupled through the input. A separate isolation/ 

reclocking device [a USB-to-SPDIF converter] 

for computer-audio playback is essential if 

you’re going for the state of the art. 

RH: Tell me about the DAC in the Reference and 

how it is clocked. 


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MR It’s a highly optimized delta-sigma DAC, 

a topology we’ve used before. The DAC chip 

does nothing but D-to-A conversion; no other 

processing, no filtering, no DSD conversion. 

When you add other processing on the same 

piece of silicon while you’re doing D-to-A 

conversion, it degrades performance. 

The environment in which the DAC chip 

operates, and how it is clocked, is unique in the 

Reference. We use a clock with extremely low 

time-domain noise. We worked with a number 

of vendors before we found one that could 

deliver a part that met our requirements. The 

actual conversion clock in the Reference is 

very, very expensive but it’s pretty stupendous. 

We’re talking around 30 decibels superior to 

the competition. We’re using really expensive 

analyzers like the Agilent to characterize each 

clock, but the clock has such low phase noise 

that when we measure it we’re looking at the 

analyzer’s performance as much as the clock’s. 

We think of maintaining the clock’s 

performance as similar to maintaining a 

vacuum, meaning that everything in the 

environment around the clock—the signal path, 

the power supply, the digital input stream, 

the temperature variations—is trying to get 

in and degrade the clock’s performance. It’s 

very difficult to maintain the clock’s extreme 

integrity, which is why we devoted so much 

design effort and circuitry to isolating the 

clock. The clock’s ultimate performance has to 

arrive at the DAC chip or it’s wasted. The clock 

is quite close to the DAC and goes through 

impedance-controlled lines. The circuit board’s 

dielectric characteristics are absolutely the 

state of the art—a ceramic 

aerospace material. It costs an 

arm and a leg, but it’s worth it. 

The board material also pays 

dividends in the analog output 

section. 

It’s a big effort to A, have 

a phenomenal clock and B, 

isolate it from junk coming 

in and C, deliver it to where 

the payoff is at the DAC 

chip in pristine form. I don’t 

understand those designs 

where the clock is some 

distance from the converter, 

or worse, in a separate 

enclosure so that the clock 

has to go through drivers, 

connectors, and cables. 

There’s just no way that you 

can maintain the ultimate 

performance of a clock 

when it goes through a longdistance 

transmission system 

like that. The more advanced and extreme the 

clock’s performance, the more difficult it is to 

maintain that performance at the DAC chip. 

You’ll have seen that when an input signal is 

present the front panel “Lock” light comes on 

amber and you can hear audio and it sounds 

fine. But then when the high-precision clock 

engages and the green LED illuminates, the 

precision clock is operating in isolation. That’s 

when the magic really happens. 

It’s amazing what you hear when you pay this 

much attention to the clock—things you might 

not anticipate, such as bass performance. 

"We think of maintaining the clock’s performance 

as similar to maintaining a vacuum, meaning that 

everything in the environment around the clock is 

trying to get in and degrade the clock’s performance." 

We’ve done a lot of work in this area since 

the late 1990s when we developed the Pacific 

Microsonics converters. 

RH: Let’s talk about the decision to offer DSD 

compatibility in software rather than building it into 

the Alpha Reference’s hardware. 

MR I have to confess that was the one feature 

that tested me a bit, for a number of reasons. 

By including DSD compatibility in the Alpha 

Reference we could advertise it as DSDcompatible 

without any complex explanations. 

We could have run DoP [DoP stands for “DSD 

over PCM,” a DSD interface standard] into the 

Alpha Reference and the front panel would 

say “DSD” and you’d hear DSD. It’s extremely 

inexpensive to implement—it approaches zero 

cost. 

But while that would have made a good 

marketing story, it would have compromised the 

Alpha Reference’s performance. If I’m hewing 

to my highest purpose as a manufacturer, it’s 

to give customers the most musical, satisfying 

experience I can. And that’s in direct conflict 

with the DoP approach, because you’re doing 


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the conversion from DSD to the multibit 

signal that drives the DAC within the 

DAC chip or adjacent to it. Virtually all 

manufacturers use DACs with multi-bit 

architecture. There are a few exceptions, 

but they are about 0.001 percent of all 

the converters out there. Almost every 

DAC that calls itself DSD-compatible, or 

even “native” DSD, is converting the DSD 

bitstream to multi-bit just before the 

D-to-A conversion. 

Most DAC chips, including the one that 

we use, have a DSD input. Processing in the 

DAC chip converts it to multi-bit, but that’s 

the worst possible approach because you’re 

doing that processing and the digital-toanalog 

conversion simultaneously on the 

same piece of silicon. A step up from that 

is to do the multi-bit conversion with your 

own code in a separate DSP processor 

chip. And we could easily have done that. 

We have a lot of DSP processing power 

in the Reference Series—it would have 

been trivial. But then you’ve got the extra 

overhead of processing going on all the 

time in a chip that’s contiguous to the 

DAC. And remember, we’re being hypervigilant 

about the environment in which 

the DAC chip is operating in the Reference 

Series, because the intrinsic performance 

coming out of it, the way we operate it with 

those clocks and with everything else, is 

phenomenal. That processing noise would 

degrade that performance. 

So, those are the two solutions for 

getting a front-panel DSD light to come 

on and make a DAC “DSD-compatible.” 

We could have rationalized including DSD 

in that way, but Pflash [Michael “Pflash” 

Pflaumer] and I both agreed that our sense 

of integrity required us to follow the path 

of providing the best possible audio quality 

for both DSD and PCM. 

Fortunately, there’s another way to 

provide DSD reproduction that doesn’t 

compromise performance, and that’s to do 

the DSD-to-multi-bit conversion outside of 

the DAC. Because virtually all DSD sources 

that feed external DAC’s are computers, 

we can do the conversion in software in 

the computer. We did a fair amount of 

research on it and considered writing our 

own software, but we found a product that 

did the math right, and that’s JRiver Media 

Center for Mac or PC. 

For the tweaky types, you can optimize 

the low-pass filtering for DSD conversion in 

JRiver depending on the spectrum of the 

supersonic noise, which varies between 

recordings. The resulting upconverted 

176.4kHz/24-bit PCM format has sufficient 

resolution in the frequency and time 

domains to contain everything that’s in 

the DSD signal, including supersonic noise 

if you want it there. You can play the DSD 

files on your computer and have JRiver 

perform the conversion on the fly. Or you 

can convert the DSD file to PCM ahead of 

time and then just play the PCM file. That 

shouldn’t make a sonic difference in theory, 

but it does in practice. The processing 

overhead to perform that conversion 

in real-time makes it slightly less good 

sounding compared with converting ahead 

of time. The computer then isn’t doing any 

processing, just outputting data pulled 

from memory. From a technical and audio 

quality point of view that’s the best way 

to reproduce DSD recordings if you have 

a multi-bit DAC architecture. You’re not 

only performing the conversion outside of 

the DAC box; you’re also performing the 

conversion outside of the time domain 

as well. By the way, including a license to 

JRiver with the Alpha Reference is vastly 

more expensive for us than implementing 

DoP. 

RH: There’s also the potential of upgrading 

the DSD- to-PCM conversion algorithm with a 

software update, something you can’t do if the 

conversion is performed inside the DAC. 

MR That’s exactly right. 

RH: Tell me about the Alpha Reference’s 

physical construction and how that affects the 

sound. 

MR The physical design of the Reference is 

all about minimizing noise and time-domain 

noise. As you’ve seen, it’s a very solid device 

physically, and the main reason for that 

is isolation and stability. The mechanical 

mass reduces microphonic effects as well 

as temperature gradients. Once it fully 

warms up, which takes about 12 hours, it 

will stabilize at that temperature, which is 

important. 

The top cover is over a centimeter thick 

and each circuit board is in its own isolated 

The Importance of Clocking 

With so much discussion in this interview about the importance 

of a DAC’s clock, I thought I’d offer a generic and 

simplified primer on what a DAC’s clock does and why it’s 

important. 

In a typical multi-bit DAC, the DAC converts the 24-bit 

audio samples (called “words”) at the DAC chip’s input to 

an analog current at the output. The DAC chip performs 

this feat 352,800 times per second in a typical 8x oversampling 

DAC (352.8kHz is 8x the CD’s sampling rate of 

44.1kHz). The “word clock,” a square wave with a frequency 

of 352.8kHz, tells the DAC when to convert each of 

those binary-encoded audio samples to an analog output. 

Each leading edge of that square wave triggers the DAC to 

perform the conversion of one audio sample to an analog 

current, and it does this 352,800 times per second. 

If those clock pulses aren’t perfectly uniform in time— 

the definition of jitter—the reconstructed analog waveform 

will be distorted. Specifically, timing variations in the clock 

become amplitude variations in the analog waveform. The 

converted sample’s amplitude may be correct, but if it’s 

shifted in time from where it should be, amplitude errors 

are introduced in the analog waveform. The right sample 

at the wrong time is the wrong sample. 

It turns out that humans are exquisitely sensitive to 

the most miniscule timing variations, probably because 

the type of distortion jitter introduces never occurs in 

nature. Moreover, evolution has finely honed our hearing 

mechanism for instantly identifying a sound’s location and 

determining what is creating the sound. It is these very 

characteristics—spatial cues and timbral recognition—that 

are obscured by jitter. Given that our survival depended on 

correctly identifying the “what and where” of a sound, it’s 

not so surprising that we are so attuned to any mechanism 

that confuses these aural cues. Robert Harley 


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chamber to reduce noise coupling. We have 

very tight RF shielding, and the top panel is 

machined to within a couple thousandths of 

an inch so that it forms a tight shield around 

the components inside. Everything about the 

design provides a quiet and stable environment 

for the DAC. 

RH: Tell me about the hand-calibration process. 

If we tried to rush any aspect of the 

manufacturing or alignment process it would 

be just like putting a junk part in the device. 

Every aspect has to be done with full integrity 

or it’s a wasted effort. We can build only two 

Alpha References per day. 

RH: That’s pretty limited production capability. 

tIdAL – The first music service that combines the 

best High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition 

music videos and expertly Curated Editorial. 

MR [Laughs] It’s really not the best kind of 

product to make if you want to make millions of 

them and go to the bank. But once again, this is 

a hyper-precise device and the manufacturing 

process takes a couple of weeks. After testing 

we burn in each unit for seven days, 24 hours 

a day, with a digital input signal and loads on 

the analog outputs. Then it’s taken to another 

location where it’s tested and thermally 

stabilized for another day. Then we do the 

final alignment process which involves both 

measurement and listening. I didn’t mention 

it before, but the digital filter is our own 

propriety design with very precise performance 

parameters. To preserve that performance we 

model the analog output filter as a precision 

cascaded part of the overall digital/analog 

filter system. It’s the analog filter that we handadjust 

to the tolerances we require—1/100th of 

1 percent. To be able to make adjustments with 

that precision we use the very best trimmers 

available with precious-metal wipers and 

operate them over a very limited range. These 

devices are not normally used commercially— 

they’re mil-spec. But for precision, stability, 

and repeatability, we had to use them. It’s an 

iterative process of measuring and listening 

that takes three hours per unit. 

MR It is pretty limited production. If the whole 

world falls in love with this product, we could 

increase production with a parallel production 

path, but this is not trivial because of the 

final alignment. We have a brilliant, degreed 

engineer with well over $100,000 worth of 

test equipment and about $100,000 worth 

of playback components performing the 

alignment. If we wanted to have another final 

alignment station operating in parallel, we 

couldn’t just hire somebody and have them 

align it by measurement. 

The important thing is that it has to be right. 

We don’t ship it until it’s fully optimized. From an 

integrity point of view, we’re giving the customer 

the performance he’s paying for. And it’s also 

self-interest; our success is based on our audio 

quality and we’re not going to do anything to 

jeopardize that. 

sounds. perfect. 

48 Buyer's Guide to Digital Source Components 2014 

available on all systems 

www.theabsolutesound.com 

tidalhifi.com 

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Light Harmonic Da 

Vinci Digital-to-Analog 

Converter 

The Vitruvian DAC 

Scot Hull 

I 

first met Light Harmonic’s chief designer Larry Ho in Atlanta at the AXPONA show, 

back in 2011. Of all the nifty bits I ran across that day, a few stood out, but the most 

striking was clearly his Darth Vader DAC. 

Maybe it didn’t really look like Darth Vader. 

Maybe it just evoked the Dark Lord of the 

Sith. But you take my point—it was a striking 

design. 

He laughed at me when I mentioned Lord 

Vader, and quickly pointed out why his brandnew 

DAC, which he was calling Da Vinci and 

not Darth Vader (for copyright reasons 

probably), had that angular chic: I was looking 

at two distinct chassis, stacked in such a 

way that they could save space, eliminate 

the extra circuitry and external cabling that 

a separate chassis required, and still reap all 

the benefits that physical separation grants. 

All I heard was “it rotates,” and I think I spent 

far too many minutes slowly pivoting the 

chassis top, which houses all the delicate 

conversion circuitry, back and forth over the 

power supply that sits in the lower box. You’ll 

forgive me (and hopefully Larry will too) when 

I tell you that you really ought to try this out 

at the next audio show. It’s a remarkable bit 

of machining, and the slip-snick as the top 

rotates is a bit akin to fondling the bezel of a 

Rolex. Slip-snick. Slip-snick. Slip-snick…I think 

I might have hypnotized myself a little bit 

there. Anyway, the Da Vinci definitely made an 

impression but it would be another two years 

before I got the chance to get up-close and 

personal. 

Just so you know, the Da Vinci will play 

all of the standard, run-of-the-mill lossy and 

lossless computer audio files like WAV, FLAC, 

and AIFF at all the standard sampling rates, 

including 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 

176.4kHz, and 192kHz, across all inputs, which 

include a single USB-B interface, as well as 

AES/EBU and SPDIF. In a bit of foreshadowing, 

it’s the USB input that gets a bit of a bonus— 

the sampling there can also accept 352.8kHz 

and 384kHz files. And that, my friends, is 

pretty cool. 

At $20,000, the Da Vinci sits at the bottom 

of the ladder of Light Harmonic’s scale. 

Sort of (we’ll get back to that). One level up 

sits the DaVinci Dual DAC, an externallyidentical 

box that adds the ability to decode 

DSD and double-DSD files along a completely 

separated and isolated path, which is the only 

way that the Light Harmonic team felt that 

DSD could be implemented without seriously 

compromising the sound. Two DACs, two 

paths, one chassis, $31,000. And at the very 

top of the heap The just-announced Sire DAC, 

at $120,000, will compete with the very best 

on offer, and represents Light Harmonic’s fullout, 

no-holds-barred assault on the high end. 

An intimidating ladder, I’ll admit it. 

But for those of you prone to skipping ahead, 

let me completely spoil the surprise. The Da 

Vinci DAC is the best all-around performer I’ve 

yet heard. It isn’t inexpensive and its looks 

will raise eyebrows, but the sound it’s capable 

of weaving is the most comprehensively 

compelling I’ve yet heard out of my home 

system. Full stop. Done. 

Listening to Da Vinci 

So, let’s be different and start squarely in the 

middle, with this: What do you listen for when 

auditioning a DAC 

Me, I tend to look for a couple of things. 

Maybe not first on the list, but somewhere near 

might be whether there’s a sense of depth. A 

lack here covers a variety of sins—clarity and 

detail, for examples. When I’m truly happy with 


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EQUIPMENT review - Light Harmonic Da Vinci 

a DAC, it’s usually due to the sense that I 

can hear “more deeply” into a recording. 

Playback that’s two-dimensional, with 

a soundstage that’s abbreviated in any 

number of ways, is fairly common, and 

leaves me feeling like I’m peering through 

a window. This is something that’s easy 

to get used to rather quickly, but a 

component can make that view more or 

less immersive, more or less immediate. 

This is where I start thinking about “veils” 

and whether or not they’ve been added or 

removed. Now, once in a great while, so 

many of these obstructions get removed 

that the hyperbolic in me tends to reach for 

something overblown. Like, say, imagining 

that the system has suddenly taken a 

sledgehammer to the window, removing 

it entirely, and providing something more 

direct in the way of a personal experience. 

Sometimes, hyperbole is really the only 

way to get across the fact that something 

is different. Really different. I guess it 

won’t come as a shock that I’m going to 

paint the Da Vinci as one of those things. 

Take an excellent recording, like the 

shockingly clean Stockfish release 

of Chris Jones’ Roadhouses and 

Automobiles. I use the title track not 

for the music anymore because, quite 

frankly, I’ve played it so many times it 

makes my skin crawl, but instead for 

some of the sonic trickery embedded 

in the mix. To wit, there be bugs. Played 

back on a resolving system, you can quite 

distinctly hear crickets in the opening 

and closing sequences on the first track. 

I have no idea why, but they’re there. I’ve 

heard this odd bit of detail through many 

systems (and not heard it through more), 

and I’ve used it for a while now as a firstlevel 

barometer of how well a system can 

resolve detail in the soundstage. So, I 

ask: “Does the [insert component here] 

pass ‘The Cricket Test’” 

With the Da Vinci, I found myself seated 

on my front porch at dusk, with the little 

buggers just swarming the soundstage. 

Interesting bit It wasn’t just the opener 

that was infested—it was the entire track. 

Every transition. Every change-up. Somebody 

clearly needed to call an exterminator. 

You can imagine me leaning abruptly 

forward in my listening chair, a studied 

look of snobbish boredom suddenly broken 

by a creased frown, darting eyes, and 

a stabbing jab at the replay button on the 

remote. That. Was. New. Cool! 

Or rather, it wasn’t. That sort of thing is 

always there; it’s just whether or not you 

can get to it. Noise is a tricky thing, a great 

mask, but it’s also one of those things—like 

that window—that’s really only obvious 

when it’s gone. Now, “black backgrounds” 

are about as cliché as you can get in 

high-end audio, and talking about them 

without sounding like a random-phrase 

generator that habitually spits out the 

word “inky” is apparently quite difficult. 

It’s hard to know what the term actually 

means, especially out of context—silence 

is silence, after all. Which made the 

surprise visit from Inky Blackerstein 

and his Complete Ensemble of Deep- 

Space Emptiness such an unexpected 

and completely revelatory treat. 

Apparently, I’d never been formally 

introduced, but be assured that he’s 

quite a fine fellow to have over for a 

listening session. Anyway, what all this 

meant was a spill from The Cornucopia 

of 3-D Information pretty much all over 

my listening room. 

Todd Garfinkle’s excellent MA Recordings 

label, for example, is a marvelous 

way to explore these kinds of experiences. 

Todd is a “recording artist”—that 

is, he creates recordings in a downright 

artistic way. The idea of capturing music 

in “living spaces” is probably not new 

or unique, but it most definitely is unusual. 

La Segunda is the second outing 

for Sera Una Nocha, an eclectic group 

of musicians pulled together by Todd 

and his partner to play some equally 

eclectic music. This particular recording 

was made in a small monastery in 

the Argentinean countryside with only 

a pair of omnidirectional microphones, 

and the venue is the cradle that holds 

the haunting and delicate work. Played 

back at 24-bit resolution and 176kHz 

sampling, the sound is wildly open and 

airy. Playback shows the players clearly 

arrayed in a semicircle around the microphones, 

and the specificity of their 

placement is utterly transparent. Interestingly, 

Todd told me that the percussionists 

were actually sitting behind the 

mics; translation into my two-channel 

system places them behind the vocal- 


Converter type: R-2R architecture Light Harmonic, LLC 

with patent-pending 3-layer buffer 3050 Fite Circle, Suite 112 

Output levels: 2.05V unbalanced; 4.1V Sacramento, CA 95827 

balanced 

(888) 842-5988 

Digital inputs: One asynchronous USB 

2.0 interface on standard USB-B Associated Equipment 

connectors (will accept up to 32-bit TIDAL Audio Contriva Diacera 

PCM at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, SE loudspeakers; Soulution 530 

352.8, 384K S/s); one asynchronous integrated amplifier; Vitus Audio 

AES/EBU on XLR connector (will RS-100 stereo amplifier; Vitus Audio 

accept up to 24-bit PCM at 44.1, RD-100 DAC/preamplifier; Pass 

48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz); one Laboratories XA-100.5 monoblock 

asynchronous SPDIF on one RCA amplifiers; Pass Laboratories XP-30 

phono connectors (will accept up to preamplifier; Berkeley Audio Design 

24-bit PCM at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, Alpha DAC and Alpha USB converter; 

176.4, 192kHz) 

Purist Audio Design’s Corvus Line 

Balanced outputs: One stereo pair on cables and interconnects; Shunyata 

XLR connector 

Hydra Triton power conditioner; 

Unbalanced outputs: One stereo pair isolation products from Symposium 

on RCA connector 

AV; DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 

THD +N (unweighted): Better than loudspeakers; BorderPatrol S10 EXD 

0.0018% 

SET stereo amplifier; BorderPatrol 

Residual noise (unweighted): Better Control Unit EXD preamplifier; 

than –115dB @ 20Hz–20kHz 

Auralic VEGA DAC; signal cables 

Residual noise (A-weighted): Better from MG Audio Design; power cables 

than –125dB @ 20Hz–20kHz 

from Triode Wire Labs; Silver Circle 

Crosstalk: -142dBFS @ 10kHz Tchaik 6 power conditioner; isolation 

Dimensions: 18.5" x 7.87" x 18.5" products from Symposium AV; 


MacBook Pro used as a media server, 

Price: $20,000 

configured with Audirvana; media files 

on external FireWire 800 hard drive 



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ist. It’s a fascinating effect and is especially 

clear with the Da Vinci, and another something I 

hadn’t noticed before. Again, neat. 

Okay, after detail and depth, I tend to look 

for bass “authority.” For whatever reason, my 

experience with high-res-capable DACs has 

been dominated by a sense of litheness in 

the presentation. It’s as if the tonal balance 

is anchored a bit high. A great deal of listener 

attention gets focused on sonic aspects like 

“air” and “detail,” which is generally a rather 

pleasing effect, but doesn’t necessarily mean 

baby’s got back. So, I reached for another track 

from Chris Jones’ Roadhouses and Automobiles. 

“No Sanctuary Here” enjoyed a year or two as 

the Most Overplayed Song At An Audio Show, 

due in no small part to the ominousness of the 

bass track. It is, in a word, Big. Like, that’sa-thunderstorm-and-we’re-never-going-toreach-shelter-in-time 

Big. Played back on big 

speakers in a big room it’ll shake the walls and 

everything between, which is probably why it 

was so popular—it’ll stop show traffic out in 

the hallway, for sure. Anyway, I’ve found that 

many supposedly full-range loudspeakers don’t 

handle the track with equal aplomb, so I like 

to use it when Looking For Mr. Big Bass. What 

I’m listening for is a deep, satisfying sense of 

harmonic rightness, of pitch definition, of… 

okay, you know what I really want It’s fear, 

plain and simple. If the sound doesn’t make 

me dive for the floor screeching “holy crap,” 

it isn’t right. It’s also not enough to sketch 

that tone, I want speed, precision, and decay, 

but perhaps most importantly, I want fullness 

and continuity, and they are rare. So, assuming 

the speakers can go there, the question is, will 

this DAC Thelma-and-Louise me right off the 

cliff and into an audio abyss, or will there be 

some kind of last second slide just short of 

the danger zone The Berkeley Audio Alpha 

DAC does this zone particularly well, and quite 

frankly, it was the reason I bought it. The Da 

Vinci also gets this particular aspect “right,” 

but with a slightly different take. Namely, 

there’s the sense that there’s nothing to catch 

you as you dive off the background into forever. 

Thank you, Inky. 

Tracking bass speed and PRAT took me to 

Jem’s Finally Woken and “Come On Closer.” A 

sexy track, this, where the bass line is frontand-center 

and climbs and dives throughout 

the tune. Another one for testing the limits 

of a loudspeaker or setup, it’s a matter of 

continuity and roundness to the notes as 

they drop like cannonballs onto a suddenly 

trampoline-like soundstage. With the backdrop 

the Da Vinci knitted out of the void, tracking 

the bass was an athletic exercise, arresting 

and explosive and altogether addicting. 

Reference Recordings has a reputation 

for great recordings, and the Minnesota 

Orchestra’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s 

Symphonic Dances is dynamic and complex 

in just the right way to short-sheet a digital 

converter. I’ve heard this piece quite a lot 

in 24-bit/176kHz high-resolution PCM; it’s 

included on the HRx Sampler that’s available 

from Reference Recordings that came with 

the Berkeley DAC. The piece begins softly; the 

temptation will be to crank it up early, which 

makes the crescendos even more entertaining, 

the sudden climbs so stark and unexpected 

that my dog fled in a mixture of terror and 

outrage and led to another argument with my 

wife over “proper listening levels” and whether 

or not I’d be allowed to have the remote 

back. Whoops. But the Deep Space Da Vinci’s 

backdrop sets a really involving stage and 

tensions mounted swiftly as the woodwinds 

and strings began to struggle with each other, 

battling for supremacy, instead of battling for 

audibility. And even with the lightning crash of 

cymbals and the thunderbolt of the timpani, 

you had depth, placement, and delineation. 

This is the most coherent rendition I’ve heard 

of this piece, and played back at appropriate 

volume (i.e., loud), even a diehard classical 

skeptic (that would be me) was thrilled. 

Note to self: Play demos when the kids are 

in school not when they’re in bed. 

There are those who would call the Da Vinci 

“very analog.” I’m not sure I’m one of them, as 

Great Big Bass on a vinyl system is even more 

problematic than it is for a DAC. So, no, the Da 

Vinci is not analog-like. It’s better than that. 

But, that said, there’s an ease to the sound 

that is entirely non-fatiguing. Not to say that 

it’s in any way treble-challenged, but tracks do 

not tend to go brittle when bad—bad recordings 

stay that way, which is to say, Adele’s 21 still 

sounds horribly compressed, even with the 

Da Vinci’s Duet Engine sorting it out (more 

below). But what I mean is that it doesn’t 

sound worse. Some DACs, when fed crap, tend 

to either smooth out the hard edges or use 

them as an excuse to start swinging bags of 

broken glass at your ears. The Da Vinci does 

neither—compression sounds like what it is, 

which is “a horrible tragedy.” Here, vinyl tends 

to do better, as whatever travesties usually 

visited on a recording destined for silver discs 

and/or iTunes tend to not be visited on the 

vinyl version. 

Again and again, I was tempted and taunted 

about the volume—a little voice kept saying, 

“Maybe you should turn it up.” My wife loved 

that part. Ahem. But the grain-free view on 

the music was as transparent as I’ve been able 

to achieve at home, and that view was fully 

as three-dimensional as the source material 

allowed. I can’t be faulted for throwing myself 

headfirst into such waters, now can I Volume 

restrictions be damned! Ha HA! 

Tonally, I found the Da Vinci to have a 

balanced presentation as no particular part 

of the sonic tapestry stands out. The bass is 

exemplary, and there is no tonal shift upward 

or downward that would mark the designer 

as overly celebrating some favored portion 

of the audio band. On the whole, the DAC’s 

presentation is unremarkably excellent and 

nothing feels out of place; it’s all of a piece. 

Organic. Which makes isolating its signature 

something of a nightmare, but there it is. 

I’d say that it was, in a word, musical, but I’m 

pretty sure that’s another one of those damned 

clichés, so let’s just settle on “awesome.” 

Technical Bits 

This DAC is almost annoyingly stuffed full of 

audio wizardry, but one thing you won’t find is 

any digital upsampling or oversampling. Why 

not Well, it’s simple: Light Harmonic couldn’t 

get that kind of design to come close enough 

to the sound of an analog front end. Bitperfect 

protection and preservation led the 

company to a shunt-regulated resistor-ladder 


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architecture, but the secret sauce might well 

be the patent-pending three-layer buffering 

system that feeds the bits into the converting 

architecture in the most jitter-free manner 

possible. Aiding this are three clocks, one for 

44.1kHz (and multiples) and one for 48kHz 

(and multiples), and also one 13MHz clock 

dedicated to the USB input. 

With 64-bits in the volume-control 

architecture, the inevitable degradation that 

bit-tossing will introduce is reserved for far 

lower on “the dial”—and I put that in quotes 

because while adjusting volume is simple, 

getting to the volume control isn’t. Since the 

remote that comes with the Da Vinci has no 

volume buttons, you’re going to need a second 

one—for the computer. That is, the volume is 

modified entirely and only from the computer 

that’s attached to the Da Vinci; it’s your player’s 

software that sends the attenuation signal to 

the DAC (assuming your software supports 

volume control, but most iTunes add-ons like 

Audirvana do), and the DAC then handles the 

actual volume level. 

A couple of other things: the Da Vinci does 

two things worth calling out. First is the least 

significant bit (LSB) correction. Without 

getting overly technical, it’s this modification 

to the attenuation algorithms that allows 

the digital volume control to achieve an 

unexpectedly high level of performance. 

I’ll say more about this in a moment, but at 

the risk of sidelining the review in favor of 

a treatise on the Promises and Pitfalls of 

Digital Attenuation, it’s good to know the LH 

team is aware of the fact that “simple” isn’t 

necessarily “better” in this sphere. 

Speaking of digital manipulation, there’s 

the Duet Engine. The Web site describes this 

as a way to improve on the sound of “regular 

resolution” CD-quality audio files without 

upsampling or oversampling. Um, yeah. I had 

to ask about this. What happens is “timealigned 

analog interpolation”; with parallel 

output modules, Light Harmonic is able to take 

the signals from each and perform operations 

on them that yield a more accurate result. 

Since there are two modules, this in effect 

doubles the sample rate. Clever. In practice, 

I found that the improvement was subtle but 

pleasing, with an unusual transparency that 

was surprisingly non-fatiguing. 

And that’s the digital bits. 

Now, if I had to categorize what it was that 

worries me most about DACs in general, it has 

nothing to do with the actual conversion. Sure, 

there are good and better ways to do that, 

and acceptable-to-bad ways of feeding those 

chipsets. My feeling is that these problems 

tend to be pretty well understood. Where 

most DAC designers tend to take naps is on 

the analog output. Here’s another place where 

the Da Vinci steps up. 

The design is a zero-feedback architecture 

and if this sounds like an amplifier, then I 

probably won’t put you off when I say that 

the design is fully dual-mono, fully balanced, 

using JFETs with an output buffer, and there 

are no op-amps anywhere. The Da Vinci has 

both single-ended/RCA and balanced/XLR 

outputs, with 2.05V output on the SE outs 

and double that on the balanced. More specs: 

With better than -125dB residual noise across 

the audible band and -142dB of crosstalk, 

the whole Blackety-Blackblack and the Great 

Empty Nothing make sense. 

Then there are three beefy R-core 

transformers. It’s an unusual design choice, 

but with separated windings it’s also one that 

minimizes noise. And there are 40 different 

regulators deployed across the architecture, 

from the input all the way down to the DAC 

chipset itself, including regulators for both the 

USB input and the individual clocks. 

Worth Noting 

Did I mention that the Da Vinci has an odd 

shape That’s called understatement. Anyway, 

the look of this DAC is going to be polarizing. 

It’s not ugly by any means, but with the angles 

and softly glowing racing stripe that traces 

across the edge of the top chassis, well, it’s… 

eclectic. That look is a long, expensive way 

to go to make a Sci-Fi reference, but as I 

mentioned, the design choice has a purpose. 

The housing is actually two distinct chassis, 

one mounted directly on top of each other, and 

coupled with a rotating hinge. Yes, a hinge. The 

top “box,” when ready for use, will sit at a 45° 

angle to the lower one. I suppose this could be 

another reference to the where the name Da 

Vinci came from. The Vitruvian Man is that line 

drawing by Da Vinci of the longhaired naked 

man superimposed over himself showing two 

different arm and leg positions while drawn 

inside a square and a circle (makes sense, but 

I still prefer the image of Vader’s meditation 

chamber). Everything has a purpose, an optimal 

shape, is part of a well-conceived plan. 

While technologically something of a 

marvel, the design choice means that getting 

to the cable inputs/outputs is a problem—I had 

to lift the chassis up to get at that tiny rearmounted 

panel, and once exposed, it’s clear 

that the cables are a bit crowded in there. 

Tilting a 60-pound chassis around with your 

fingertips is going to be problematic, so do 

yourself a favor and give yourself some room 

before having at it, or better still, connect 

everything before getting it settled into your 

rack. 

A note about the footers: There aren’t any 

attached, but there are two sets that came 

with my unit that you can rest the narrow 

bottom of the DAC on. I started out with none, 

simply resting the flat bottom directly on my 

rack’s platform, but fiddling clearly showed 

that there’s a positive difference with the feet 

instead of without. Pick one of the two supplied, 

or, as the Light Harmonic team suggests, find 

an aftermarket set that tickles your fancy. 

About the USB cable. There isn’t one that 

ships with the DAC, but you’re obviously going 

to need one to use that input. I’m going to 

wave my hands at the “how can a USB cable 

make a difference” argument and simply state 

that it does and that the optional LightSpeed 

USB cable that Light Harmonic offers is the 

best I’ve heard. No, the differences are not 

huge, but this one is reliably good and fullfrequency. 

There are two versions, one with the 

“client-side” connectors (USB-A) separated 

(power from signal) and one with them joined. 

I tried them both, and for my setup I found the 

separated-connector version to be preferable, 

though the difference was extremely subtle. 

The Da Vinci has several digital inputs, 

USB, SPDIF and AES/EBU. I tried all three— 


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especially that AES connector, as that’s what 

I use with my Berkeley Alpha DAC by way of 

the truly excellent Alpha USB-to AES/EBU 

converter. I’ve used that converter with every 

DAC that allows me to do so, and without 

fail, its addition dramatically improves the 

performance of every DAC I’ve attached it to. 

Tighter bass, airier highs, cleaner detail—the 

gains are almost always across the board. 

Well, that was true until I used the Berkeley 

converter with the Da Vinci. Very clearly, the 

Da Vinci is to be used with the USB input. Yes, 

you can use whatever input you like, but the 

USB input is different. It uses the now-standard 

asynchronous mode, courtesy of the XMOS 

receiver chipset, and all the extra-special 

buffering and filtering is done on that interface, 

so bypassing it in favor of a “legacy” input is 

going to be a mistake, in my opinion. Better 

still, the on-board volume control options are 

restricted to the USB input, so if you have any 

curiosity at all about running this DAC directly 

into your amps, you’re stuck with the USB input 

anyway. It should be obvious, but as a safety 

precaution let me note that if you do set this up 

to run amp-direct from any signal sourced from 

the other inputs, the resulting volume will be at 

full scale (i.e., insanely loud). 

Another curiosity has more to do with form 

driving function: Given that the shape just 

has to be this particular shape to meet the 

design goal of a non-resonant chassis that 

minimizes internal reflections also means that 

the readout/display is cocked upwards at a 

45-degree angle, and unfortunately, it’s not 

a fancy-shmancy highly-visible OLED display 

like you’d find on the Auralic Vega. If the 

DAC sits on the top of your three-shelf rack in 

order to show its sexy self off, you’re not going 

to be able to read the display from anything 

resembling a listening position. I solved this 

quite straightforwardly by placing the Da Vinci 

on the lowest shelf I had, and ta da! Done. This 

also gave me the side benefit of being able 

to use the included remote. Not that I really 

needed the remote. It doesn’t actually control 

the volume; other than muting, it’s really only 

for engaging features, and once you’ve set 

them you can pretty much put the remote back 

in the hulking Pelican crate everything came in. 

Last bit on the amp-direct thing. I used the 

DAC in quite a few different setups, including 

without a preamp into both a single-ended tube 

amplifier from BorderPatrol and into balanced 

solid-state amplifiers from Vitus Audio, Pass 

Labs, and others. In general my systems tend 

to sound more transparent with no preamplifier, 

but I’m going to hesitate before universally 

and unequivocally calling that “better.” To be 

fair, I suppose it depends entirely on the preamplifier. 

I found that the DAC-only sound tended 

to be more open, with a larger soundstage and 

higher level of detail retrieval, than what I could 

manage with an external passive preamplifier, 

but with a very high-quality active preamp, the 

presentation could be more robust and muscular, 

with little degradation in the soundstage 

(and, perhaps, an even more extended, precise 

one). Where things got really interesting was 

in the evening, when unrestricted dynamics 

invoked wrath. Here, the Da Vinci-as-preamp 

excelled—detail, dynamics, and soundstage all 

maintained their characteristically high levels 

of performance even as I accommodated the 

schedules of my Little People, and did so well 

past the points I was able to achieve with my 

other two DAC references. 

What I’m hinting at is that the amp-direct 

thing is most definitely worth exploring. If 

you’re like me and have an analog source that 

you have absolutely no intention of foregoing, 

then this is all moot, but if you’re looking to 

simplify with an all-digital setup (and assuming 

that the amplifier has enough gain), chances 

are that the Da Vinci, with a rather low 12 ohms 

output impedance and a 2- or 4-volt output, 

will likely not only drive your system fully and 

expertly, but could revolutionize it entirely. 

A Question of Value 

In a world of wildly escalating pricing and 

irrelevancy to anything resembling the 

“common consumer,” another $20,000 product 

isn’t terribly exciting. The problem with all this, 

as I see it, is a belief that audiophiles are only 

interested if products are at or beyond a certain 

price point, and titillating anecdotes aside, this 

is just crazy talk and may well be the leading 

cause of the decline of the industry as a whole. 

On the other hand, the high-end-audio industry 

is also the only one I know of that routinely 

prices and sells design concepts as if they were 

regular products. It’s as if Ford’s latest thinking 

about the future of automobiles, a design it 

called “Concept Future” and showed at the 

Detroit Auto Show, suddenly got a sticker price 

and an order queue. These cars aren’t meant to 

be daily-drivers (or even driven, in many cases), 

they’re just ideas that the company tests out 

to see what reaction they evoke. But in highend 

audio, that’s exactly what happens with 

the “concept” components—they’re priced and 

positioned for sale, if only to the super-highroller. 

Of course, there’s little to no expectation 

that these concepts will move a ton of volume, 

but as test-beds of nifty engineering or shiny 

design ideas, they’re superb. 

Case in point is what Light Harmonic has done 

with the Da Vinci. This DAC wasn’t conceived of 

as a built-to-a-price-point product. It was commercialized 

(eventually) in that it is currently 

priced in such a way as to make profit for the 

company, but it really started as Larry Ho’s 

statement of vision. The finished result told him 

many things about what a DAC platform can do, 

and that education led him to the 100-timesless-expensive 

Geek Out USB dongle—a soonto-be-released 

DXD/double-DSD-capable headphone 

DAC/amplifier. It also told him things that 

his original design could not do, and that is leading 

to the 6-times more expensive Sire DAC. 

The best a reviewer can hope for is to 

measure a product against his own references, 

for one, and to measure the product against 

the designer’s goals, for another. For me, 

the Da Vinci is clearly, unambiguously, and 

obviously superior to my personal references. 

At the risk of putting words in Larry’s mouth, I 

can still recall the giddy grin he wore the first 

time I met him, way back. He’s so obviously 

proud of what he’s put together that seeing 

his concepts made so stunningly, menacingly 

real has got to be a win. Of course, now that 

the Sire has been announced, I do wonder 

what it is he thinks he can do to top Da Vinci. 

Anyway, if you want to take that as a 

measure of value, then so be it. But I won’t ever 

be able to tell you if the Da Vinci is “worth it” 


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without a tediously detailed reference to my 

own, very personal calculus, and even if I could 

articulate that for you, the chances of it being 

meaningfully comprehended are slim. All I can 

offer is this: The Da Vinci DAC is an outstanding 

performer and I absolutely loved using it. When 

it left, it caused physical pain and a significant 

period of psychological withdrawal. I am still 

unhappy it is not here. And adding insult to 

injury, the Lotto Fairy is still not taking my calls. 

Twenty-thousand dollars is a ton of dough. 

And that is for a product that has already been 

leapfrogged by the industry. DSD, like it or lump 

it, is the latest and stickiest buzzword, and any 

DAC that doesn’t support it requires significant 

justification. The Da Vinci does not support 

DSD and will not. Which may be a problem. Of 

course, it may not be, and I know that many of 

my colleagues are adamant that the format is 

as irrelevant as SACD was—and for exactly the 

same reasons. Me I’m agnostic. I have several 

hundred DSD albums, but admittedly I’m weird. 

If you do not see yourself as ever needing or 

wanting to explore that format, then awesome. 

The Da Vinci, then, occupies that rarest of 

the rare when it comes to high-end audio—the 

Exit Ramp. It may be that there is better, or 

more refined, or whatever, when it comes to 

digital-to-analog conversion, but I’m really 

not sure I’d bother as beyond this point on 

the price/performance curve jumps become 

so incremental that value becomes an entirely 

alien notion. For me, the Da Vinci marks 

new territory and is my new high-water mark 

for what can be done, at least with non-DSD 

source material. In short, I’ve never heard better. 

Very highly recommended. 

Q&A With Light Harmonic 

Designer, Larry Ho 

SH: I like to think that designers are always chasing 

some kind of “formative sound”—something that 

shaped their preferences and guided the products 

they created and influenced. What was your 

“formative sound” 

LH I am a long-time vinyl and SET amp lover, 

which may “bias” my sound preferences 

somewhat. There are a few influential factors 

that I focus upon when I design or listen 

to designs by others, and some of those 

factors have a direct contribution to Light 

Harmonic’s “house sound.” First of all, I tried 

not to use the most-commonly used digital 

conversion or filter circuits, because I believe 

they are one of the major factors leading to 

listening fatigue and harsh high-frequency 

sound. Also, I believe in the formula “timing 

perfect x bit perfect = perfect digital music 

playback.” To control the best timing, reduce 

jitter, and maintain the bit perfection from 

the beginning to the end of playback chain 

is a hard and challenging process. When we 

approach that ideal state, I think almost 

everybody would agree that the music is 

more natural and vivid. 

How did you get into high-end audio That is, how 

did it become a career and more than an interest or 

hobby And what were you doing before that 

LH I’m a serial entrepreneur. I started my first 

Internet eCommerce company at age 22, then 

an on-line music-streaming company in 2005. 

As a hobby (which turned first into an 

obsession, and then, a business) I’ve designed 

my own circuits and firmware/software 


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related to high-end audio for the last 15 

years. In 2008, while working with Intel on 

a potential high-definition PC-audio project, 

my team demonstrated the highest sampling 

rate USB2 audio-to-SDPIF converter at CES 

2009 (it’s 24/192k). Then in 2010, I decided to 

form an expert team dedicated to ultra-highperformance 

digital playback. 

Is this your first venture in audio’s high end 

LH Yes! 

Tell me how the Da Vinci DAC came about What 

got the ball rolling 

LH After we finished the 192k SPDIF converter 

in 2009, I wanted to listen to high-definition 

audio directly, rather than convert it into a 

SPDIF interface. Going through the SPDIF 

interface, the signal is more vulnerable to 

jitter. It came down to the question, “Where 

can I find a good 192k/24 DAC” At that time, 

even the most advanced DACs on the market 

could only do 96k. After some research, I 

found one professor’s article that said that, 

in his calculation, if we need to duplicate 

100% of the music information from studio 

mastertape (or vinyl), we need to have at least 

a 550k sampling rate or more. The next day 

I thought, “Why not challenge myself to see 

how high digital audio could go” Then I called 

in one of my good friends from Germany; I 

worked on the digital part, he worked on the 

analog part. Finally, we designed the power 

supply together. 

At the end of 2010, after testing for more 

than 12 months, I decide to raise the bar and 

make the first 384k/32-bit DAC, and call it the 

Da Vinci DAC. Beta launched at AXPONA in 

Atlanta, on Leonardo Da Vinci’s birthday, April 

15, 2011. 

Can you discuss the importance of the power supply 

(regulation, filtration, delivery, etc.) in your design 

LH This is a major topic. After much trial 

and error, I’ve concluded the following: (a) 

the power supply chain is within the music 

signal path—it’s a part of the whole, and can 

not be separated; (b) shunt regulation always 

conducts current and has tremendously fast 

transient response, so generally, though not 

so “green,” the sound is better. 

We at Light Harmonic believe that multiple, 

local, in-place, in-time regulators, plus 

massive filtration is the best way to do it. In 

the end, our Da Vinci Dual DAC has more than 

55 regulators! The only drawback is that it 

runs hot, almost like a Class A amp. 

I think everyone is familiar with jitter—and why it’s 

bad for digital audio. How do you address it in your 

design Can you talk about the three-layer buffer 

and how that’s implemented What clocks are you 

using in the design 

LH Jitter is the enemy of perfect timing. One 

important thing to remember is that the digital 

clock signal is “analog!” Timing is analog! 

So how to fight jitter is not simply a 0 and 1 

thing. Our patent-pending 3L (three-layer) 

buffer-design ensures the best results in the 

audio industry. It needs 10+ technical pages to 

describe in detail, but in summary we use the 

first layer (L1) to deal with computer-speed 

fluctuation—which there is a 100% chance will 

happen. The third layer (L3) couples with core 

DAC conversion and core clocks. We add the 

intermediate layer (L2) to further reduce the 

coupling between L1 and L3, so that each layer 

can run at its optimal speed and size. And yes, 

these buffers are elastic. 

Also, beside the 3L buffer, we have three 

dedicated clocks inside the Da Vinci. Because 

we don’t use a PLL, we dedicate one clock 

to the USB interface. One best clock for 

44.1k/88.2k~352.8k. One best clock for 

48k/96k~384k. One thing needs to be 

emphasized: There is no integer multiple of 

44.1k and 48k-based frequencies; therefore, 

the best solution is to have two dedicated 

clocks for audio. 

Why is NOS (non-oversampling) important Why 

does avoiding it matter so much 

LH Although a lot of “old-school” digital 

designers still don’t agree, a lot of music lovers 

and audiophiles have already discovered the 

benefit of NOS. Even the use of slow-slope 

digital filters will make music better. Why 

There are many good reasons. The most 

important one should be: Non-over-sampling 

won’t destroy the bit-perfect presentation. 

Also, if no digital filter is used, it won’t create 

the post-ring or pre-ring, which will “blur” the 

perception of phase and sound image position. 

Ask around. There is no benefit to 

oversampling music with an original native 

sampling rate of more than 96k. 

So our solution is simple: Don’t do 

oversampling or upsampling and digital 

filtration at all. If users really want it for lowresolution 

music (e.g. 44.1k or 48k), then they 

can use the best software player to do that in 

the computer. 

Can you talk about the chassis design Why that 

shape 

LH Clarification: We never thought about 

anything related to Darth Vader, Star Trek, 

or Star Wars, although I’m a big fan of these 

films. One thing we truly did want to simulate 

was the “stealth fighter.” The benefit There 

is little direct-reflection soundwave surface 

and less vibration, resulting in a clearer 

soundstage. 

The chassis is definitely distinctive, but some might 

say that the cost of the DAC is derived in large part 

from that design. Couldn’t it have been done much 

cheaper in a simpler box, or even two boxes 

LH Da Vinci is our first product, and cost was 

really not our priority in the beginning. But I 

got tons of feedback that we should use the 

“easier” approach. I think we could take an 

easier route someday, in another product. 

But we would keep our philosophy there: 

Less direct sound-reflection surface, and a 

futuristic look. 

One word about using two boxes: The noise 


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shielding in two boxes is not easy to implement, 

if you want the best. So Da Vinci’s innovative 

design is “two boxes in one chassis.” And 

the additional benefit is the upper “box” can 

rotate if you want. 

The DSD option adds significantly to the cost of the 

DAC, but recent discussions from other designers 

have indicated that including DSD at all means a 

series of compromises. How have you addressed the 

challenges of adding DSD to the Dual DAC 

LH DSD in many ways is 100% the opposite of 

PCM encoding/decoding. But DSD has its potential. 

Just listen to it, and you will know. It’s not a 

compromise—at least, not when it’s played back 

through our Dual DAC. Sometimes, I’d dare to 

say, it seems more like vinyl. 

The beautiful thing about our Dual DAC is 

you can have the best of two worlds. But the 

ugly fact is, we needed to add a completely 

new decoding engine, new power supply, new 

analog stage, new everything. The only thing 

shared are the chassis, OLED screen, and USB 

front end. Nothing else. 

The funny thing is if anyone wants to buy 

a “DSD-only” DAC, I can customize one for 

him in few days. Just pull the PCM engine 

and related power/analog board out. Then it’s 

done. 

As far as I know, we are the only people in 

this industry to use this extremist approach— 

but it’s vitally necessary to achieve the best 

from both PCM and DSD. 

The DAC seems to work best via USB. In fact, there 

are many features (like volume control) that are 

only available via that interface. So, why include 

others And why not design-in an on-DAC volume 

control knob or button 

LH AES/EBU and SPDIF have their legacy 

value. The first prototype of Da Vinci had a 

USB interface only. Then soon after that, we 

added the best AES/EBU and SPDIF approach. 

Some of our customers say they drive the Da 

Vinci through the SPDIF input. They still don’t 

use their computer that much. 

Why no vacuum tubes 

LH Well… you never know. I designed tube 

gear for myself, a long time ago. 

The challenge of a tube DAC is we need to get 

very good tubes at the start, so the S/N ratio 

and dynamic range won’t be compromised. 

Now I am a serious tube collector, and I just 

got a bunch of what may be the best signal 

tube ever produced, the Telefunken C3g. If I 

really have some good free time next year, 

maybe… 


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PS Audio PerfectWave 

DirectStream DAC 

Not Just Another DAC 

Vade Forrester 

In 2012, a group of Direct Stream Digital (DSD) enthusiasts within the audio 

industry (led by dCS) released the DSD-over-PCM (DoP) standard, providing a way 

to “trick” traditional PCM audio circuits into playing native DSD files on suitablyequipped 

servers and DACs without first converting them to PCM. Today, few new 

DACs dare venture into the marketplace without DSD capability. Designing a DSD DAC 

has become almost routine; just order up some DAC chips capable of handling DoP 

inputs and use them in standard digital and analog circuits. 

There is, however, always someone who wants 

to toss conventional practices over the side 

and start from scratch. In the case of PS 

Audio’s new DirectStream DAC, the original 

thinker is a computer scientist/audiophile 

named Ted Smith. A strong admirer of DSD 

recordings, Ted felt that the ideal DAC should 

work entirely in the DSD domain, so he set out 

to build a DAC which was entirely DSD-based. 

Of course, it had to accept PCM files; there 

are too many of those (e. g., CDs) to ignore, 

but they would be internally converted to DSD 

upon input. On his own, Ted took seven years 

to design a working example of his DSD DAC. 

Almost by chance, his design came to the 

attention of PS Audio’s CEO Paul McGowan, 

who liked what he heard (a lot), ultimately 

resulting in the subject of this review. 

What’s so great about DSD anyhow Here 

are some of the advantages PS Audio cites for 

DSD playback: 

• DSD is simple to convert to analog: just run 

it through a low-pass filter. It doesn’t need 

a brick-wall filter like PCM, which can affect 

the sound. The DirectStream DAC uses a 

24dB-per-octave low-pass filter, the same 

as you’ll find in many loudspeaker crossover 

networks. [In theory, a DSD bitstream can be 

converted to analog with a single capacitor.— 

RH] 

• DSD is inherently linear; it’s hard to build 

a PCM DAC that always takes the samesized 

step in the output for any possible 

unit increment of the representative PCM 

voltage value. 

• DSD soft clips when overdriven, more like 

magnetic tape. 

• All bits in a DSD stream have the same 

weight; a single-bit error anywhere is barely 

measurable, let alone audible. 

PS Audio describes the DirectStream DAC’s 

circuit as follows: All incoming data, PCM and 

DSD, are upsampled to 30 bits running at ten 

times the standard DSD rate and then back 

down again to double DSD for noise-shaping. 

The ten-times DSD sampling rate was the 

lowest common rate attainable through 

integer upsampling of 176.4 and 192kHz PCM 

files. An internal volume control maintains 

complete precision. Except for the sigma-delta 

modulation process itself there is no rounding; 

a full 50 bits are used. Consequently, there is 

no degradation from using the digital volume 

control. After the volume control, the signal is 

converted to DSD and downsampled to doublespeed 

DSD (often referred to as DSD128). The 

double-speed DSD rate allows the low-pass 

filter to begin rolling off at 80kHz. A higher 

output rate would would have increased jitter. 

There is no conventional analog output stage. 

The output of the DSD engine is fed directly 

into high-speed, high-voltage, high-current 

symmetrical video amplifiers and from there 

into the passive output filter. Rather than use 

an active output section, a balanced wideband 

transformer (which is part of the low-pass 

filter) drives either balanced or unbalanced 

interconnect cables. The output impedance is 

100 ohms (unbalanced)/200 ohms (balanced), 

which should drive any reasonable load. 

Off-the-shelf DAC chips can’t perform the 

functions described above, so Ted used a Xilinx 

Spartan 6 field-programmable gate array 

(FPGA) chip instead. An FPGA is a computer 

chip that’s a blank slate; you can program 

it to do whatever you want, and that’s what 

Ted did. A single master clock is used, but it’s 

unrelated to the input sampling rate. 

I don’t usually spend this much space 

describing the design and functions of gear 

I review, but since the DirectStream DAC is 

such an innovative design I thought it would 

be worthwhile; if you’re interested in learning 

more about it, I highly recommend a visit to 

PS Audio’s Web site. Suffice it to say that Ted 

Smith has completely rethought how a DAC 

should operate and has designed a unique and 

innovative DAC. 

The $5995 DirectStream DAC replaces PS 

Audio’s PerfectWave DAC. The two DACs are 


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EQUIPMENT review - PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC 

virtually identical, and that’s not an accident; 

PS Audio has a program for updating existing 

PerfectWave DACs by converting them to 

DirectStream DACs. One of the options for 

doing that involves gutting the PerfectWave 

DAC and replacing it with the DirectStream 

DAC’s interior parts. Apparently that’s easy 

enough that an owner can do it, but since 

some owners won’t feel inclined to take on 

that project, PS Audio has other options for 

updating the PerfectWave DAC. See the PS 

Audio Web site for details and pricing. 

Like the PerfectWave DAC, a DirectStream 

DAC is a black or silver-gray box that measures 

17" x 4" x 14" and weighs 19 pounds. Its finegrained 

metallic chassis has rounded corners, 

a color touchscreen towards the right end of 

the front panel, and a high-density fiberboard 

top panel finished in piano-gloss black. Its 

elegant and refined styling would look right 

at home alongside the fanciest components. 

In a nutshell, I’d describe its looks as classy. 

A plastic remote control is included. Some 

manufacturers provide remote controls hewn 

from ingots of solid metal, but the first time 

you drop one of those on your coffee table 

(or your foot), you’ll really appreciate a light 

plastic remote—don’t ask me how I know this. 

The PerfectWave Media Bridge, an optional 

expansion card that plugs into the PerfectWave 

DAC and enables you to connect it to a 

network, also works with the DirectStream 

DAC. The PerfectWave Transport, an advanced 

optical drive in an enclosure stylistically and 

dimensionally identical to the DirectStream 

DAC, is still available and makes a natural 

match with the DirectStream DAC. In other 

words, PS Audio has bent over backwards to 

protect the investment its customers have 

made in other PS Audio equipment. 

Like the PerfectWave DAC, the new 

DirectStream DAC provides a wide variety 

of digital inputs: SPDIF on coaxial RCA 

and TosLink inputs, USB, AES/EBU on an 

XLR connector, and two I 2 S inputs on HDMI 

connectors. Although HDMI connectors are 

used for I 2 S inputs, these inputs don’t carry 

HDMI video signals. Interestingly, while all the 

inputs will accept DoP-encoded signals, the 

I 2 S inputs will accept raw DSD signals direct, 

without DoP encoding. One raw DSD source 

is PS Audio’s NuWave Phono Converter, 

which combines a phono preamp with a highresolution 

PCM and DSD analog-to-digital 

recorder. 

The color touchscreen on the front of the 

DirectStream DAC allows you to control 

most of its functions, duplicating the remote 

control; however, the remote control operates 

other items PS Audio manufactures, like 

the PerfectWave Transport, so it has a lot 

of buttons unrelated to the DAC. If, like me, 

you’re suffering from remote control overload, 

it’s quite convenient to be able to control all 

your PS Audio gear with a single remote. 

Starting at the left end of the rear panel, 

there’s the IEC input for AC power and the on/ 

off switch. To the right, towards the bottom 

of the panel, is the horizontal slot for the 

PerfectWave Bridge expansion card and 

an opening for an SD memory card. About 

halfway across, the rear panel is divided into 

two sections: input and output. The bottom 

section is the output section, where the XLR 

and RCA output jacks are located. In the top 

section, you’ll find the input jacks. 

Setting Up and Using the DirectStream DAC 

Although the DirectStream DAC can drive an 

amplifier directly, PS Audio recommends you 

not use both output jacks simultaneously. 

Because I use a subwoofer with my main 

speakers, I plugged the DAC’s output into 

my Audio Research SP20 preamp, which 

will drive my main speakers and 

subwoofer. Digital sources plugged 

into the DirectStream DAC included 

my HP laptop computer running 

Windows 7 and J. River Media Center 

19, an Auraliti PK100 PCM and DSD 

File Player with its optional linear 

power supply, and a Meridian 500 CD 

transport. Hold on, a transport Isn’t 

that kind of Stone Age Well, I still use as DAC 

a transport to play CDs inappropriate 

to rip, like those borrowed from my 

local library or from visitors. I also had 

the use of a PS Audio NuWave Phono 

Converter (reviewed by Anthony 24 bits 

Cordesman in Issue 241), which when 

connected to the DirectStream DAC 

via the I 2 S connection, passes raw 

DSD formatted music converted 

from an LP. Music files used by both 

J. River and the Auraliti were stored 

on a NetGear ReadyNAS networkattached 

storage drive connected by 

an Ethernet cable through my home 

router to either server. The HP laptop 

was connected to the DirectStream 

DAC by Wireworld Platinum Starlight 

USB and AudioQuest Diamond USB cables (not 

at the same time), the Auraliti server used a 

Wireworld Gold Starlight 6 SPDIF cable, while 

the Meridian transport used a Wireworld Gold 

Starlight 5 AES/EBU cable. PS Audio includes 

a heavy-duty power cord, but a better cord 

should produce better sound, so I used an 

Audience Power Chord e cord. Clarity Cables 

Organic balanced interconnects connected the 

DirectStream DAC to my preamp. The manual 


Converter type: Field 

Programmable Gate Array 

custom-programmed to serve 

Sample rate (PCM): 44.1kHz, 

48.0kHz, 88.2kHz, 96.0kHz, 

176.4kHz, 192kHz 

Word length (PCM): 16, 18, 20, 

Data rate (DSD): Standard 

(2.8MHz) or Double (5.6MHz) 

DSD on PCM on all inputs as 

well as raw DSD on I2S inputs 

Synchronous upsampling, all 

inputs: 28.224MHz 

Analog conversion method: 

Delta-Sigma, double-rate DSD 

Output levels: “Low” 

setting, 140mV RMS 

unbalanced/280mV RMS 

balanced; “High” setting, 1.4V 

RMS unbalanced/2.8V RMS 

Digital inputs: I2S(2), coax, 

XLR, TosLink, USB, Network 

Bridge slot 

Balanced outputs: One stereo 

pair on XLR connector 

Unbalanced outputs: One 

stereo pair on RCA connector 



Price: $5995; $3995 with 

trade-in of PerfectWave DAC 

PS AUDIO 

4826 Sterling Drive 

Boulder, Colorado 80301 

(720) 406-8946 

psaudio.com 



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recommended plugging the DirectStream 

DAC into one of PS Audio’s Power Plant power 

centers, but lacking one of those, I plugged it 

into an Audience aR6-T power conditioner. 

It was easy to install the driver software 

necessary for the DirectStream DAC to work 

with Windows. However, as with any driver 

installation, a few basic computer skills are 

required: extracting files from a ZIP file and 

running the SETUP.EXE file. Once the driver 

was installed, I had to adjust the settings on 

my music server program J. River, so it would 

use the new driver. That too, was simple—if 

you’re comfortable with J. River. My Auraliti 

server, being a Linux computer, didn’t require 

a driver for USB, and no drivers are required 

for SPDIF connections. 

PS Audio suggested breaking in the 

DirectStream DAC for two weeks. That’s a 

good starting point, but actually, the DAC 

continued to break in for two months, running 

almost 24/7. I noticed that the highs, which 

were initially a little edgy, became smoother 

and sweeter, the bass more extended, and the 

overall sound more spacious. If you audition a 

DirectStream DAC, be sure it’s well broken-in. 

Sound 

PS Audio claims the DirectStream DAC 

“uncovers all the missing information hiding 

in your digital audio media for all these years.” 

That’s a pretty tall claim; is it for real, or just 

hype I’ll let my listening buddy Carl answer 

that. When he entered the listening room 

where the DirectStream DAC was playing, he 

stopped, listened intently, and said, “That’s a 

lot of detail!” And that was before I introduced 

him to the DAC. Carl is pretty familiar with my 

system and room, so the fact that he noticed 

the increased detail before I even pointed out 

the DAC is a genuine testament to the validity 

of PS Audio’s claim. 

I had wondered if the additional information 

the DirectStream DAC claims to retrieve from 

a digital recording would be easy to hear, or 

would be subtle low-level information that 

I’d have to strain to discern. Well, the answer 

was: both. The first thing I noticed about the 

DirectStream DAC’s sonic characteristics was 

its ability to capture a sense of space. Even 

recordings that had seemed a bit flat had some 

air around them, and those with already welldefined 

soundstages had those soundstages 

more precisely defined, with more information 

about the recording venue. 

The DirectStream DAC also captured more 

mechanical detail, more information about the 

physical process of playing back music. That 

includes a variety of things, for example, the 

noises a guitar makes when it’s playing music. 

And I could hear more clearly how a vocalist 

articulated words and phrases. In addition 

to the physical details, the DirecStream 

DAC captured a ton of harmonic detail that 

made instruments and voices seem more 

realistic, instead of cardboard imitations 

of instruments. If the recording contained 

lots of harmonic details, I could hear those 

reproduced in accurate proportions. Indeed, 

after the DAC was broken in, I’d describe its 

sound as sweet and relaxed, so there’s no 

need to worry that you’ll hear unpleasant 

threadbare sound. But wait, there’s more: 

The DirectStream DAC also captured lots of 

information about dynamic contrasts—both 

macrodynamic and microdynamic. Finally, if 

the recording permitted, the DirectStream 

DAC put all the musical information into 

context, so it was easy to hear how the all those 

parameters—detail, harmonics, dynamics, and 

space—related to each other to portray a 

coherent musical event. It didn’t just tell you 

how a violin sounded; it also told you how it 

sounded relative to the rest of the orchestra. 

The DAC was able to organize the information 

it retrieved to make its presentation more like 

a musical performance. 

Does this sound like more insane reviewer 

ravings I can certainly see how it might, so 

let me cite a few musical examples that led 

me to these conclusions. I made an effort 

to listen to old favorite recordings ripped 

from CDs, as well as newer high-resolution 

releases. I queued up Chris Jones’ “God Moves 

on the Water” from his CD Roadhouses and 

Automobiles [Stockfish] ripped to an AIFF file. 

The first thing I noticed was the subterranean 

bass this track is noted for, presented with 

lots of detail and power. Then I observed that 

I heard more extraneous guitar sounds. Guitar 

harmonics were abundant. Jones’ gravelly 

voice seemed unusually well fleshed-out 

harmonically. A visiting audiophile (not Carl) 

remarked that this track sounded like a highresolution 

recording—not a bad start for a 

listening session. 

Another demonstration of how much 

information the DirectStream DAC could 

retrieve came when I queued up the cut “Folia 

Rodrigo Martinez” from Jordi Savall’s CD La 

Folia 1490-1701 [Alia Vox] ripped to an AIFF 

file. The percussion instruments are quite 

vivid when played loudly, but often tend to 

fade into a background noise when played 

quietly. Or at least that’s what I used to think; 

the DirectStream DAC raised them above 

the noise level and made them audible at 

all times. The clack of the wood blocks was 

clearly audible throughout the entire piece, 

as was the clatter of the castanets. The 

DirectStream DAC also generated a wider, 

more stable soundstage than I usually hear 

from this piece. The dynamic level is constantly 

changing, and the DirectStream DAC made it 

clear how band leader/viola da gamba player 

Savall was driving those changes. There was 

unusually precise placement of instruments 

in the soundstage, as well. The Direct Stream 

DAC gave my subwoofer a good workout as it 

delivered a deep extension of the bass drum, 

with lots of power and impact I could feel as 

well as hear. 

The Tallis Scholars’ recording Allegri’s 

Miserere & Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli 

[Gimell] was recorded in a spacious church. 

On the cut “Miserere,” a main choral group 

is up front in the soundstage, while a small 

solo group is further back in the room. A 

good system makes it obvious that the two 

groups are spatially separate, and decent 

DACs will give the impression of how far they 

are apart. The DirectStream DAC revealed not 

only that, but also gave a spatial picture of 

the recording venue. Likewise, while singers 

in the main choral group weren’t exactly 

pinpointed, due to reverberation, their relative 

location was well-defined, as were their 

vocal characteristics. The vocalists weren’t 


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portrayed as a homogeneous blob, as they 

sometimes are with other DACs. 

I think there’s an unwritten rule that 

reviewers have to mention at least one female 

vocal performance in every review. So up next 

was Rebecca Pigeon’s audiophile fave “Spanish 

Harlem,” from her album The Raven. I had 

two recorded versions of the cut, an 88.2/24 

FLAC and a 176.4/24 FLAC which had been 

remastered by Bob Katz. The DirectStream 

DAC made the differences between the two 

recordings easy to distinguish—the 176.4kHz 

recording sounded less mechanical and edgy, 

making Pigeon’s voice quite human-sounding. 

I felt like I could hear how she vocalized each 

word. 

Okay, we’ve established that the 

DirectStream DAC plays CDs and PCM 

material quite well, but does it do as well on 

DSD recordings To find out, I switched to a 

DSD recording: Alex de Grassi’s album Special 

Event 19 [Blue Coast Records]. Playing the 

cut “St. James Infirmary,” the DirectStream 

DAC captured more detail about guitar than 

I thought was possible. Starting with initial 

transients, the DAC reproduced the pluck of 

the strings sharply but with the resolution that 

told me when each string had been plucked. 

In the sustain part of the note, each note 

displayed its full harmonic characteristics, 

and then decayed off into silence, quivering in 

space for several seconds. The DAC caught de 

Grassi’s phrasing perfectly, giving the piece a 

bluesy tinge. While each note was individually 

captured in textbook fashion, they all blended 

together to form an organic musical whole, 

a song with a touch of swing. I don’t think 

I’ve ever heard a better rendition of 

someone playing a guitar. I’ve never heard 

a DSD DAC play the cut with such abundant 

musical detail, either. 

To see if the DirectStream DAC would fall 

apart playing a recording of a full orchestra, I 

queued up Michael Tilson Thomas conducting 

the San Francisco Symphony in Mahler’s 

Third Symphony [SFS Media/Downloads 

NOW!]. The SFS Media DSD recordings of 

the Mahler symphonies may well be the 

most realistic orchestral recordings I’ve ever 

heard. The result: rich, accurate harmonics, 

well-defined spatial environment, dynamic 

changes ranging from barely perceptible 

to hammering blows that threatened my 

speakers’ well-being—and the breathtaking 

performance didn’t hurt, either. Instruments 

sounded spookily realistic and were scaled 

to create a believable impression of a large 

symphony orchestra. The DirectStream DAC 

played the recording effortlessly; the passive 

output stage never sounded strained or 

congested. After we’d listened to the Mahler 

Third, another audiophile buddy commented: 

“It really doesn’t sound digital anymore.” He’s 

never said that about any other DAC 

The above impressions were derived using 

a preamp between the DirectStream DAC and 

my power amp and subwoofer, for reasons 

I’ve explained. But I wanted to test PS Audio’s 

claim that the DirectStream DAC will drive 

amplifiers directly, so I disconnected my 

subwoofer and used the DirectStream DAC to 

drive the power amplifier only. As I expected, 

the direct-drive mode yielded a slightly 

cleaner, more delicate sound, with even more 

spaciousness. Of course, absent a subwoofer, 

bass didn’t extend as deeply. But if you only 

have one power amplifier to drive, I’d go with 

the direct-drive connection. 

Comparison 

My Audio Research DAC8 is a PCM-only DAC, 

so I could only compare it to the DirectStream 

DAC using PCM files. It’s still in Audio 

Research’s product line, selling for $4995, not 

far from the price of the DirectStream DAC. I 

acquired the DAC8 back in 2010, but although 

I’ve reviewed several excellent-sounding 

DACs, I haven’t yet been motivated to 

replace it. Or have I 

On “Folia Rodrigo Martinez,” instrumental 

detail was less distinct, and the percussion instruments 

tended to blend together in the background 

a bit. However, the dynamic contrasts 

and shifts which are so important to this performance 

were as forceful as with the Direct- 

Stream DAC. Instruments were well fleshed out 

harmonically, although they sounded just a tiny 

bit raw compared to the DirectStream DAC. As 

is usual, bass was very extended and powerful, 

one of the characteristics the DAC8 is known 

for. The DirectStream DAC’s bass power and 

extension seemed every bit as powerful as the 

Audio Research DAC8. No other DAC has ever 

achieved that. 

The “Miserere” cut sounded very spacious, 

but the details of the soundstage, the 

reverberant space, seemed a bit less distinct 

than through the DirectStream DAC. The tenor 

soloist in the main choral group sounded a bit 

grainier than through the DirectStream DAC. 

The DAC8’s rendition was still well-defined 

and enjoyable, but the DirectStream DAC’s 

version was better focused and smoother by 

a tiny margin. 


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Rebecca Pigeon sounded very good 

through both DACs. In “Spanish Harlem,” 

the differences between the 88.2kHz and 

176.4kHz versions were still discernible, 

but a bit easier to recognize through the 

DirectStream DAC. 

Audio Research’s DAC8 is obviously blessed 

with a very good analog section; however, the 

DirectStream DAC’s passive output section 

was a bit more refined—something I wasn’t 

expecting. 

Bottom Line 

In this review, I’ve explored the performance 

of the DirectStream DAC and compared it to 

another DAC of roughly similar price. Now it’s 

time to answer three important questions: 1) 

Does the DirectStream DAC live up to its claim 

of revealing hitherto hidden details in your CDs; 

2) if the answer to the first question is yes, 

how much of an improvement in sound does 

the DirectStream DAC make; and 3) is it worth 

its price Answer No. 1: Based on my listening 

sessions, I’d have to say that the DirectStream 

DAC does indeed retrieve more information 

from my recordings, from CD to the highestresolution 

recordings, than I had heard from 

other DACs. Answer No. 2: The differences in 

sound were perceptible, and contrary to my 

expectations, not really subtle. The effect of a lot 

of previously unheard information being added 

to previously audible information was often 

surprising. On the other hand, I wasn’t surprised 

to learn that extracting more information from 

a recording is not always the same as making 

the recording sound better. Several times 

during the review period, I discovered that 

sometimes the DirectStream DAC made some 

recordings sound more obviously mediocre. As 

an audiophile, I suppose that’s good; but as a 

music lover, sometimes less detail may actually 

be a benefit. An unexpected advantage, though, 

was that I learned that quite a few CDs and 

rips sounded better than I realized; so for wellrecorded 

material, it elevated the playback 

quality quite noticeably. I guess that’s all you 

could reasonably expect. Now for the hardest 

question—answer No. 3: This answer depends to 

some extent on personal preference. Although 

my memory of other DACs has faded with time, 

I can’t remember any DAC that impressed 

me as much with its overall sound quality 

as the DirectStream DAC. So my answer to 

third answer would be yes. Of course, your 

mileage may vary. Obviously, any purchasing 

recommendation must take into account your 

financial situation. A price of $5995 is pretty 

substantial, but I don’t know of another DAC at 

or below that price that sounds as good. 

Whether you’re a rabid DSD fan, or have 

strong convictions that PCM is the only way 

to go, PS Audio’s goal for the DirectStream 

DAC was to make both types of recordings 

sound as good as possible. My personal take 

is that it substantially realizes that goal. 

I highly recommend putting the PS Audio 

DirectStream DAC on your must-audition list 

if you’re considering purchasing a DAC in its 

price range—or even if you’re willing to spend 

more, even a lot more. It’s easily the best DAC 

I’ve heard in my system, making digitallyrecorded 

music sound better than I’ve ever 

heard it. 

Bravo, Ted and Paul. 

tIdAL – The first music service that combines the 

best High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition 

music videos and expertly Curated Editorial. 

sounds. perfect. 

61 Buyer's Guide to Digital Source Components 2014 

available on all systems 

www.theabsolutesound.com 

tidalhifi.com 

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Let’s start by taking a peak at the analog 

side of this DAC/pre. The massive aluminum 

chassis hides several vacuum tubes which 

are allowed to “breath” through a number of 

small grilles in the top plate and sides. Ayon 

is a firm believer in tube technology, and in 

particular triodes, for reasons that have to 

do with inherent linearity under minimal- or 

zero-feedback conditions, benign distortion 

and overload characteristics, and capacity 

for simple circuitry. The analog output stage 

is amplified in balanced fashion to allow for 

both RCA and XLR analog outputs. Each 

signal leg consists of a Russian 6H30 dual 

triode, connected in parallel, and operated 

Ayon Stealth 

DAC/Preamplifier 

Long-Term Satisfaction 

Dick Olsher 

What’s in a model name Well, sometimes not much at all when it’s merely an 

arbitrary numerical designation and a potential source of confusion for my 

slightly dyslexic mind. On the other hand, Ayon’s choice of model name strikes 

me as perfectly befitting a DAC, implying an unobtrusive delivery of the musical message 

by a digital device. The Stealth does just that by following a road less traveled. To 

be clear, the Stealth is more than just a DAC. Think line-level preamp offering two linelevel 

inputs, an electronic volume control, as well as a world-class DAC. 

as a pure, no-feedback, Class A voltage 

amplifier. That’s as purist as it gets, and Ayon 

is proud of the fact that there are only five 

components in each 6H30 signal path. This 

is a great-sounding tube, but if and when it 

fails, replacement as I discovered is a tedious 

task. Several weeks into the review process, 

one of the left channel 6H30s went bad. To 

remove the top panel requires loosening ten 

Allen-head screws through access holes in the 

bottom panel. As compensation, you get to 

ogle the beautiful hand-assembled internals. 

All filament supplies are DC, and voltage 

levels are regulated. There is also an automatic 

tube soft-start during each turn-on cycle. 

Voltage gain can be toggled on the back 

panel between low-gain (2.5V) and high-gain 

(5V) settings. The power supply features two 

power transformers and a choke-coupled filter 

bank. I was surprised to learn that the Stealth 

is tube rectified. A quartet of Chinese 6Z4 rectifier 

tubes is connected as a bridge rectifier. 

This is not the cheapest scheme to implement, 

and the question that comes to mind is why 

tube rectifiers in a digital device The answer, 

according to Ayon, is because this approach 

sounds more dynamic than any other means 

of rectification. That alone should inform you 

about Ayon’s commitment to the best technical 

solutions irrespective of cost. 

A Cirrus Logic CS8416 192kHz receiver chip 

decodes incoming PCM digital data from the 

coaxial, BNC, TosLink, I 2 S, and AES/EBU inputs. 

An XMOS asynchronous USB input accommodates 

up to 24/192kHz PCM data. Indicators on 

the right side of the display show the incoming 

PCM frequency rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, or 

192kHz. Incoming SPDIF data can be upsampled 

to 24/192kHz. This feature can be “switched” 

on and off on the remote control. All samplerate 

conversion is performed by a Burr-Brown 

SRC4193 asynchronous sample-rate converter 

timed by an external crystal clock oscillator operating 

at 24.575MHz. DSD inputs include two 

BNC (DSD-L and DSD-R) digital inputs and one 

BNC for word clock. In addition, the Stealth is 

also outfitted with one optional I 2 S DSD-over- 

PCM (DoP) digital input. I’m not that sophisticated 

a digital user. Hence, the scope of the review 

was limited to PCM data inputs, either PCM digital 

out from a Sony XA-5400ES SACD player or 

USB input from my MacBook Pro computer running 

Amarra V2.6 software. 

The DAC chipset is the highly regarded 

ESS Sabre ES9018, a 32-bit audio DAC that 

features ultra-low distortion levels, a timedomain 

jitter eliminator, and integrated DSP 

functions. Customizable filter characteristics 

allow for user-programmable filters with 

custom roll-off slopes. The Filter button on 

the remote allows selection of either Filter 1 

(slow roll-off) or Filter 2 (fast roll-off). Filter 1 

is said to sound a bit smoother than Filter 2, 

which is characterized by Ayon as being a bit 

more analytical. I suspect that your ultimate 

preference would be system-dependent; 

however in the context of the ENIGMAcoustics 

Mythology M1 loudspeaker, I had a clear 

preference for Filter 2. I found it to be simply 

more resolving of microdynamic nuances 

and more incisive spatially. Filter 1 did sound 

smoother but at the cost of homogenizing 

spatial outlines and dissipating some dynamic 

tension. I also had a clear preference for 

upsampling 44.1kHz PCM data to 24/192kHz. 

Taken together, the resulting presentation was 

not only more spacious and better focused, 

but also dug a bit more deeply into the mix and 

retrieved more ambient information. It’s easy 

enough to click these buttons on the remote 

and experiment in real time to determine what 

sounds best in your system. 

The volume control is based on the 

Texas Instruments (Burr-Brown Division) 

PGA2320 IC, a digitally controlled analog 

volume control designed specifically for 

professional and high-end consumer-audio 

applications. Internal operational amplifier 

stages are used to generate an attenuation/ 

gain range of -95.5dB to 31.5dB. According to 

Ayon, this control is strictly used for analog 


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EQUIPMENT review - Ayon Stealth 

signal attenuation with all of the gain being 

developed in the tube linestage. Thus, the 

display volume range is from 0 (max volume) 

to -60 (minimum volume) in 1dB steps. There 

is also a built-in balance function accessible 

from the remote that allows left-right channel 

attenuation in 1dB steps up to a total of 6dB. 

I’ve run the Stealth directly into a power amp 

and have found its volume control to exhibit 

low coloration levels. I love its functionality; 

nevertheless, the question of how the 

PGA2320 compares to a conventional resistive 

potentiometer deserved an answer. It turns 

out that the Stealth’s volume control can be 

bypassed by switching over to Fixed Volume 

mode on the remote control, in which case the 

audio signal goes directly to the analog output 

stage. I connected the Stealth to the PrimaLuna 

DiaLogue Premium line preamplifier with 

its conventional Alps Blue Velvet motorized 

conductive-plastic potentiometer. I was then 

able to switch between Fixed and Variable 

volume modes on the Stealth and at equal 

volume levels try to discern any sonic difference 

with the PGA2320 in and out of the signal path. 

Although not necessarily a definite test, I did 

prefer listening with the Stealth in Fixed (2.5V) 

volume mode. There were improvements in 

spatial presentation (depth perspective and 

image outline separation). Additionally, the 

treble range was a bit purer sounding. These 

results suggest that the Stealth’s volume 

control does introduce a slight solid-state sonic 

signature. 

It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in 

the company of a superb DAC, one that was free 

from annoying digital artifacts and that could 

flesh out tone colors with startling realism. One 

of the hardest things for a DAC to get right is violin 

overtones, especially on recordings that are 

less than perfect. Many DACs don’t react well to 

recording hot spots adding spurious grain, hash, 

and even sizzle to the reproduction. Not a pleasant 

phenomenon and one that had soured me on 

digital sound for many years. By contrast, the 

Stealth sailed right through recordings that had 

given me trouble in the past. Solo violin’s upper 

range was reproduced with proper levels of 

sheen and textural purity. The sound of massed 

strings, and in particular that of violins, the 

most numerous orchestral string instruments, 

represents another difficult challenge for any 

digital device, and one in which most CD players 

have scored poorly. The sound of massed violins 

should be layered and the spatial impression 

ought to float like a feather within the confines 

of the soundstage with plenty of tonal warmth 

and textural purity. And in these respects, the 

Stealth was able to put a smile on my face. Its 

performance at the frequency extremes bettered 

that of all previous DACs I’ve lived with, 

including the EAR-Yoshino DACute I reviewed 

in Issue 238. Treble transients were exquisitely 

refined and bass lines left nothing to be desired, 

being well defined and pitch-perfect. 

The Stealth wasn’t just about tonal color fidelity 

and textural refinement. It lit a fire under 

the soundstage. Musical lines boogied with passion 

and drama. The dynamic range from loud 

to very loud was reproduced without hesitation 

or compression. A recording’s ambient information 

was readily discernible, as was low-level detail 

often fuzzed over by lesser DACs. I’m fussy 

about soprano voice and like to discern vibrato 

to the point of being able to count the number of 

pitch modulations per second. Not many divas 

out there can hit the ideal of seven cycles per 

second. With the Stealth in your system you’ll be 

able to resolve this sort of detail. 

After auditioning numerous DACs over the 

years I have come to realize that a large slice 

of the sonic difference between individual 

units could be ascribed to the analog stage, 

and specifically tube versus solidstate 

designs. A tubed output stage 

appeared to present the soundstage 

more dimensionally. No matter how 

sophisticated the digital circuitry 

was, when mated to an op-amp 

buffer or gain stage, image outlines 

pancaked and depth perspective took 

a hit. And then there was the matter 

of textural grain. That’s the stuff that 

my auditory system generally finds 

to be indigestible. Some solid-state 

buffers had achieved a respectable 

level of smoothness, but it usually 

came at the cost of dynamic sterility. 

It seems to me that the best approach 

to defanging a DAC is to introduce 

tubes into the mix as early as possible. 

And that’s exactly what Ayon has 

done with the Stealth. It is perhaps a 

tad richer harmonically than the real 

thing, but it is far removed tonally 

from the sort of romantic, overly lush 

presentation that has been dubbed 

“vintage tube sound.” The Stealth is 

about tonal accuracy, but what you 

think of it will depend greatly on the 

associated amplifier and speakers. 

Mate it with reference-caliber gear and it will 

walk the line of neutrality. 

In the pursuit of digital playback perfection, 

the Stealth ranks in the DAC elite. It’s all about 

the music and the Stealth delivers a superb 

musical experience. You could do a lot worse at 

a higher price point, but I doubt that you would 

do any better at its asking price. It’s a DAC that 

I could happily live with for years to come. 


Inputs: One each coax SPDIF, 

BNC SPDIF, AES/EBU, USB, 

I 2 S, TosLink; three BNC jacks 

for DSD 

Outputs: Unbalanced on RCA 

jacks, balanced on XLR jacks 

Output impedance: 300 ohms 

(balanced or unbalanced) 

Total harmonic distortion: 

< 0.002% at 1kHz 

Power consumption: 55W 

Dimensions: 48 x 11 x 40cm 

Weight: 16 kg 

Price: $10,600 

AYON AUDIO USA 

8390 E. Via De Ventura, 

F110-194 

Scottsdale, AZ 85258 

(888) 593-8477 

ayonaudiousa.com 

Associated Equipment 

ENIGMAcoustics Mythology M1 

and Basszilla Platinum Edition 

Mk2 loudspeakers; Lamm 

Audio M1.2 Reference and 

Carver Cherry 180 monoblock 

amplifiers, PrimaLuna 

Dialogue Premium line 

preamplifier; FMS Nexus-2, 

Wire World, and Kimber KCAG 

interconnects; Acoustic Zen 

Hologram speaker cable; 

Sound Application power line 

conditioners 



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CD Players 



Innovative Personal Audio Products 

Perfect for High Resolution Digital 

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HA-1 Headphone Amp / DAC / Pre-amp 

BDP-105 / 105D Universal Player 

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(650) 961 - 1118 

@oppodigital


MOON Neo 260D 

Transport/DAC 

By Any Other Name 

Neil Gader 

Whatever you do, don’t go calling the Neo 260D from Simaudio just another 

CD player. That’d be like comparing Usain Bolt to a Sunday morning jogger 

or describing a McLaren P1 as just another road car. In today’s audio climes, 

“player” implies a certain single-format finality. The Neo 260D is more than that, or 

at least it can be. As the “Neo” moniker implies, Simaudio has revisited this venerable 

and vulnerable segment and given it a swift and timely reboot. What this means is 

that for few extra bucks above the cost of the standard 260D player you can buy the 

MOON Neo 260D, which comes equipped with a four-input high-resolution DAC section 

that effectively transforms the unit into a transport/DAC and opens up a whole new 

world of digital connectivity. Unless you’re planning to keep your head firmly buried in 

the sand for the next few years, you really need to consider the all-in-one flexibility the 

Neo affords. Soon after you’ll thank yourself for having had so much foresight. 

Under the hood the Neo 260D puts a lot of 

distance between it and its predecessor. It 

borrows much of its technology and smooth 

good looks from the more exotic and costlier 

650D in the Evolution Series. The large frontpanel 

display is highly readable from rational 

distances and the pushbuttons engage cleanly. 

The disc tray operates without any lag. 

I’ve got to hand it to Simaudio. I’ve reviewed 

this company’s gear for years, and I have 

never failed to be impressed by the high 

quality of its products’ construction. The 

Neo’s chassis is top-notch—geared to minimize 

external vibrations. Its oversized power 

supply offers 13 stages of voltage regulation 

(five for the transport and eight for the DAC). 

Its proprietary CD drive system is mounted 

on Simaudio’s now-familiar M-Quattro, gelbased, 

4-point floating suspension for 

vibration damping. While the Neo 260D’s 

isolation was good, it was not up to the level of 

Simaudio flagship players, as I could induce an 

occasional track-skip by moderately tapping 

my equipment rack. 

The optional DAC section uses a 32- 

bit asynchronous converter with four rearpanel 

digital inputs (dual SPDIF, TosLink, 

and USB). There is no provision for a USB 

thumbdrive, however. Galvanic isolation of 

the USB input has been implemented to 

eliminate all ground current. As a result, 

there is zero electrical connection between 

the USB device and the Neo 260D, a feature 

that preserves the accuracy of the audio 

signal. Of course, key features you’d expect 

in a MOON Neo Series product are included, 

such as a SimLink controller port for twoway 

communications with other compatible 

MOON components, plus RS232 and IR ports 

for custom-installation environments. Finally, 

the Neo 260D is available in three different 

finishes—black (standard), as well as a special 

order all-silver or two-tone (black and silver). 

Simaudio’s CRM-2 remote control completes 

the package. In a nod to economizing on power 

usage, the remote automatically goes into 

standby mode in about twenty minutes, but 

this feature can be bypassed by holding down 

the program button for a couple seconds—a 

thoughtful touch. 

Given digital inputs galore I immediately put 

them to good use. Apple TV found a home in 

the optical input. The USB was engaged for 

streaming from my MacBook Pro (iTunes/ 

Pure Music). And since I was experimenting 

with some new SPDIF cables, I used a Musical 

Fidelity USB/SPDIF converter. 

Red Book PCM circa 2014 is a mature 

format. Anyone who’s been paying attention 

over the last few years knows that standard 

44.1kHz/16-bit discs can sound astoundingly 

good. The CD has quietly benefited from 

a steady diet of improvements that have 

manifested themselves at every stage of the 

recording chain. When you add to that the 

fact that MOON playback has always been one 

of the grown-ups in the room, you get rocksolid 

dynamics, sprinter-like transients, a low 

noise floor, and true-to-life tonality. Just a few 

bars of Valentina Lisitsa’s fiery performance 

of Liszt’s Totentanz [Naxos] provide ample 

evidence that the Neo 260D comes equipped 

to reproduce a concert grand piano and a 

bravura performance. From jackhammer 

bottom-octave excursions to searing treble 

arpeggios brimming with swirling harmonics, 


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EQUIPMENT review - MOON Neo 260D 

the MOON brings its A-game. And it also brings 

its sensitive side, as I discovered listening to 

the delicate exchanges between Charlie Haden 

and Pat Metheny during their insightful duet 

rendition of “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” 

from Beyond the Missouri Sky [Verve]. 

Vocals, such as Kasey Chamber’s sexy 

“Pony,” possessed an airy palpability that 

captured the intimacy and humor of the 

performance. And, as I listened to Holly 

Cole’s cover of “I Can See Clearly” I had to 

conclude that the Neo 260D reproduces bass 

information with an uncanny balance of pitch 

and control. It’s very specific in the way it 

conveys timbre—the tone and skin sound of 

a drumhead and the resonant character and 

decay of an acoustic bass. Plus it has an instinct 

for connecting images across an unbroken 

soundstage—a trait it more fully exhibits in 

high resolution. Cole’s vocal was smooth and 

extended, and though a bit cooler and dryer 

than I’ve heard—not atypical for digital in this 

range—her voice never veered into peakiness. 

The piano solo midway through the track was 

reproduced with much (although not all) of the 

player’s touch intact. However, the Neo 260D 

is a little less persuasive at drawing the eye 

onto the stage and into the dimensional space 

of a fine acoustic recording. For example, 

during the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with 

Heifetz and Reiner/Chicago [XRCD] the sense 

of instrumental interplay and continuous 

air and spaciousness between players was 

reduced due to the MOON’s slightly more 

arid character. And on occasion I felt that the 

Neo 260D missed some of the more tactile 

aspects of music reproduction—something 

I could best describe as a certain fleshiness 

that the best recordings deliver, the sense 

of the complete performer materializing in 

space, fully physicalized and inhabiting the 

listening room. It’s a beguiling impression that 

I have attained with significantly pricier rigs 

from the likes of dCS and MBL, to name two. 

Nonetheless the Neo 260D acquits itself more 

than satisfactorily. So no surprises here. The 

Neo 260D exemplifies the lion’s share of what 

I’ve come to expect from Simaudio: musical, 

uncolored, and rock-steady. Standardresolution 

44.1kHz/16-bit performance is 

uniformly very-good-to-excellent. 

With high-resolution material, however, the 

Neo shows a whole new level of refinement. 

The 176.4kHz/24-bit HRx recording of 

Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances [Reference 

Recordings] is like a sonic elixir for microdynamics 

and air. Rather than appearing 

as uncorrelated segments on an ill-formed 

soundstage, images immediately register as 

elements of a fully realized acoustic venue— 

parts of a fluid whole. The major difference 

as compared with standard-resolution CD 

is the added complexity of soundstage and 

dimension. No longer the relatively flat 

canvas of Red Book, high-resolution material 

almost seems to reinflate the stage. The 

micro-dynamic amplitude differences among 

instruments create a more convincing 

CD transport with optional 

four-input DAC 

Digital inputs (with optional 

DAC): USB, TosLink, SPDIF (2) 

Analog output (with optional 

DAC): Balanced and single- 

representation of the distances between 

players within the symphony orchestra. 

There’s a more focused sense of layering, 

beginning downstage with the first violins and 

moving gradually all the way upstage to the 

back of the percussion section. As a result 

the Minnesota Symphony comes alive 

as a complex, multi-voiced entity 

breathing a continuous reverberant 

energy throughout the hall. The 

difference in the final analysis is that 

you feel more like an actual audience 

member than a mere listening-room 

observer. And that’s really the point, 

isn’t it 

The Neo 260D continues a tradition 

of fine Simaudio CD players. Its 

naturalistic and musical sonic 

performance is mated with resilient ended 

build-quality and ergonomics. As a 

transport, or with the highly recommended 

DAC option, the Neo 260D won’t lead you 

wrong. Fully equipped, it opens up an entire 

world of digital resolution that will preserve 

your investment for years to come. Dollar for 

dollar, a splendid component. 


Digital output: S/PDIF and 

AES/EBU 

Dimensions: 16.9" x 3.4" x 13.1" 


Price: $2000 (DAC option, 

$1000) 



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Aesthetix Romulus 

CD Player/DAC 

Giant-Killer 

Robert Harley 

California-based Aesthetix has carved out an enviable niche producing veryhigh-performance 

products that, while not budget-priced, nonetheless offer 

extraordinary value. The company’s Calypso linestage, Rhea phonostage, Janus 

full-function preamplifier, and Atlas power amplifiers pack a lot of innovation, superb 

build- and parts-quality, and great sound into the upper-end, though not stratospheric, 

price category. (Aesthetix does, however, offer two mega-priced, ultra-tweaky 

products, the Io Eclipse phonostage and Callisto Eclipse linestage.) 

Aesthetix has now complemented its more 

affordable line with the addition of the 

Romulus CD player/DAC. In keeping with the 

company’s signature technology, the Romulus 

features a tubed output stage. In addition 

to spinning CDs, the Romulus can accept a 

digital input in a variety of formats including 

USB. For those of you who have dispensed 

with CD, Aesthetix’s Pandora DAC is identical 

to the Romulus sans disc transport. 

Technical Description 

The $7000 Romulus has a fixed output level 

for use with preamplifiers. For an additional 

$1000 the Romulus includes a variable output 

for driving a power amplifier directly. The 

large front-panel display doubles as a volume 

control—push the right side to increase the 

volume and the left side to decrease. The circuit 

that realizes this variable output exemplifies 

Aesthetix’s innovation and commitment to 

sound quality. Rather than simply attenuate 

the signal in the digital domain and accept 

the resolution loss (every 6dB of digitaldomain 

attenuation is equivalent to throwing 

away one bit of resolution), Aesthetix has 

combined analog and digital attenuation in 

a novel circuit. Decreasing the output level 

attenuates the signal in the digital domain 

just as in other DACs with a variable output. 

But when you reach 6dB of attenuation, a 

relay engages resistors that replace the 6dB 

of digital-domain attenuation with 6dB of 

analog-domain attenuation, resetting the 

digital-domain level to full scale. Voîlà!— 

variable output without any meaningful loss 

of resolution at any output level. In practice, 

this transition from digital-domain to analogdomain 

attenuation is transparent to the 

user, save for a relay click when every 6dB 

threshold is crossed. The volume steps are 

1dB, which is a little coarser than what is found 

in most DACs, but I didn’t find it a problem. 

The variable output circuit is, incidentally, 

housed on a board that plugs in vertically to 

the horizontal motherboard. 

The Romulus incorporates other interesting 

design techniques, including a SPDIF receiver 

and clocking circuit based on a fixed-crystal 

clock. Most SPDIF input receivers are built 

around a VCXO (voltage-controlled crystal 

oscillator), whose output frequency can be 

adjusted by an external voltage. By “pulling” 

the clock frequency slightly the DAC can lock 

to the incoming clock rate. A VCXO, however, 

isn’t quite as precise as a fixed-frequency 

crystal. Aesthetix solves this problem by using 

a fixed-frequency crystal and running the data 

through a memory buffer. Presumably the 

buffer is large enough to “fill up” sufficiently 

before outputting the data so that the buffer 

doesn’t run empty if the Romulus clock is 

faster than the incoming clock, or conversely 

so that the buffer doesn’t overflow if the 

Romulus clock is slower than the incoming 

clock. In practice, there’s no time lag between 

pressing “Play” and hearing music, suggesting 

that a larger buffer isn’t required. 

The SPDIF inputs are galvanically isolated 

so that ground noise on source components 

doesn’t get into the Romulus. They can accept 

datastreams up to 192kHz/24-bit. The input 

circuits are housed on removable boards 

to allow future upgrades as new interfaces 

become available. The same crystals used in 

the SPDIF input receiver are also used in the 


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EQUIPMENT review - Aesthetix Romulus 

USB input circuit. It goes without saying 

that the USB input is asynchronous, meaning 

that the Romulus serves as the master 

clock to which the USB source must lock. 

Other digital inputs include TosLink optical 

and AES/EBU. 

The 8x oversampling digital filter 

software is written in-house by Aesthetix, 

and runs on a Motorola DSP56362. 

Creating a custom filter is considerably 

more expensive and time-consuming than 

buying an off-the-shelf filter chip (or using 

the filter built into most DACs these days), 

but allows the designer to employ more 

sophisticated filtering techniques, and to 

tailor the filter’s sound to the context of 

the entire product. The digital filter has a 

large effect on the product’s sound, which 

is why many DACs that use the same filter/ 

DAC chip sound quite similar. 

The filter’s differential outputs (+ and 

–, or the datastream and the datastream 

inverted) are converted to analog by 

a Burr-Brown PCM 1792 chip operated 

differentially. With four DACs in one 

package, the PCM 1792 can process the L+, 

L-, R+, and R- separately. The downstream 

signal path—current-to-voltage converter, 

gain stage, and output buffer—is also 

balanced all the way to the XLR jacks. 

This is the right way to create a balanced 

analog output signal. The less expensive, 

but more common, alternative is to convert 

the digital signal to analog with one DAC 

and one analog signal path per channel, 

and then create a “balanced” signal with 

a phase-splitter just before the XLR jacks. 

Not only does this latter technique add 

an additional active stage to the balanced 

signal path, but it also doesn’t realize the 

benefit of differential DACs. One of these 

benefits is that any noise or distortion 

common to both DACs will cancel when the 

balanced signal is eventually summed, not 

to mention the increase in signal-to-noise 

ratio. 

The output stage comprises a 12AX7 gain 

stage followed by a 6DJ8 output buffer. 

The circuit has zero global feedback. Tuberollers 

can supply their favorite 12AX7s and 

6DJ8s, but I evaluated the Romulus with 

the stock tubes. 

The power supply is large and elaborate, 

with multiple regulated stages for powering 

different subsections. Even the analog, 

digital, and clocking sections of the 

PCM1792 DAC are fed from independently 

regulated supplies, each with cascaded 

discrete regulation stages. “Discrete” 

regulation means that the voltage 

regulators that maintain a constant DC 

supply voltage to the circuit are built 

from separate transistors (along with the 

peripheral parts that make them work). 

Discrete regulation is contrasted with IC 

regulation in which the regulator is simply 

an inexpensive three-pin integrated circuit. 

“Cascaded” means that the output of a 

voltage regulator feeds the input of another 

regulator, further purifying the DC that 

powers the audio circuit. Cascaded discrete 

regulation is expensive and consumes 

circuit-board real estate, which is why it’s 

usually only found in mega-priced products. 

The input section, along with the 

Motorola DSP chip on which the filter 

runs, is powered by a separate power 

transformer and multiple independently 

regulated power-supply stages. The frontpanel 

display and control section are also 

powered from a dedicated transformer. The 

12AX7 in the gain stage, as well as the 6DJ8 

output buffer, is fed from multiple supplies, 

including regulated heater supplies. 

It’s impossible to overstate the power 

supply’s sophistication, particularly 

considering the Romulus’ $7000 price; 

such implementations are usually reserved 

for cost-no-object products. I suspect that 

this approach to the power supply, if not 

to the circuits themselves, was derived 

from the development work on Aesthetix’s 

flagship Io and Callisto. Having designed 

the best possible products without regard 

to price, designer Jim White knows exactly 

what effect power-supply topologies and 

parts-quality has on the sound, and is able 

to make the most intelligent trade-offs. 

Incidentally, White spent many years at 

Theta Digital before founding Aesthetix. 

I should mention that the Romulus is 

available in a “Signature” edition that 

features the identical circuit, but with 

upgraded passive components and isolation 

feet. The upgraded components include the 

same expensive capacitors found in the Io 

and Callisto. When I compared Aesthetix’s 

Rhea phonostage to the Rhea Signature 

(whose only difference was passive partsquality) 

a few years ago I heard a substantial 

improvement in the Signature version. The 


Inputs: USB, AES/EBU, SPDIF Tight PC-1 Supreme cartridge; 

coaxial, TosLink 

Simaudio Moon 810LP 

Outputs: Balanced on XLR phonostage 

jacks, unbalanced on RCA Digital source: dCS Vivaldi 

jacks 

Transport, MacBook Pro 

USB input: Up to 192kHz/24- running iTunes and Pure Music 

bit 

AC Conditioning and Cords: 

Tube complement: 12AX7 (x1), Shunyata Triton and Talos, 

6DJ8 (x1) 

Audience aR6TS conditioners; 

Dimensions: 17.875" x 4.25" x Echole Obsession Signature 

18.125" 

and Omnia, Shunyata Zitron 

Weight: 30 lbs. (net) 

Anaconda and Audience Au24 

Price: $8000 with variable AC cords 

output ($7000 fixed-level) Cables: Echole Omnia 

interconnects; MIT MA-X SHD 

AESTHETIX AUDIO 

loudspeaker cables; MIT MA- 

CORPORATION 

X2 interconnects; AudioQuest 

5220 Gabbert Road 

Wild AES/EBU, AudioQuest 

Moorpark, CA 93021 

Diamond USB 

(805) 529-9901 

Equipment Racks: Stillpoints 

ESS, Critical Mass Systems 

Associated Components amplifier stands 

Loudspeakers: Magico Q7 Acoustics: ASC 16" Full-Round 

Preamplifier: Constellation Tube Traps, 10" Tower Traps 

Audio Virgo 2, Absolare Accessories: Stillpoints Ultra 2 

Passion 

and Ultra 5; Audio Desk Vinyl 

Power Amplifiers: Constellation Cleaner; Mobile Fidelity record 

Audio Centaur monoblocks, brush, cleaning fluid, stylus 

Absolare Passion 845 cleaner 

Analog Source: Basis 

Inspiration turntable with 

Basis Vector 4 tonearm, Air 



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EQUIPMENT review - Aesthetix Romulus 

Signature edition costs $10,000 with fixedlevel 

outputs, and $11,000 with variable-level 

outputs. 

Listening 

From the first CD, the Romulus impressed 

with its big, open, and expansive sound. It’s 

interesting how source components can allow 

a pair of loudspeakers to disappear into the 

soundstage—or not. Playing a CD that has 

captured a tremendous sense of space such 

as Dick Hyman’s Swing is Here on Reference 

Recordings made it immediately apparent 

that the Romulus didn’t suffer from the 

common CD ailments of congealing images 

and sounding bright without top-octave air. 

In fact, the Romulus was among the most 

open and airy digital products I’ve heard—at 

any price. The soundstage had wonderful 

dimensionality and depth, coupled with a 

sense of being “illuminated from within,” 

a wonderfully evocative phrase coined by 

Jonathan Valin to describe the classic Audio 

Research sound. Instruments toward the rear 

of the soundstage were presented with their 

tonal colors and spatial qualities fully realized, 

rather than blending indistinctly into the 

foreground. 

Although the Romulus had tremendous 

bloom and air, it would be a mistake to interpret 

this as an artifact of a tubed output 

stage. On the contrary, image focus was tight 

and well defined, and the overall perspective 

was just a bit on the immediate and incisive 

side—not characteristics of a “tubey” sound. 

Nothing in the presentation suggested that 

I was listening to tubes, except the lack of a 

metallic, brittle character in the treble. The 

contrast between the up-front midrange presentation 

and the ability to see way back into 

the hall produced a soundstage of remarkable 

depth. The musical benefit was an ability to 

easily follow individual instrumental lines, no 

matter how complex the music or how subtle 

those lines—one of analog’s great strengths, 

incidentally. 

The bass was remarkably rich, full, and 

weighty, yet still maintained a sense of speed 

and precision. The Romulus’ big bottom end 

served as the anchor for the rest of the presentation, 

beautifully conveying everything 

from the dense textures of orchestral doublebasses 

to the purring of a Fender Precision. 

Again, the Romulus didn’t sound like a tubed 

unit in its bottom-end impact, dynamic agility, 

and articulation. The midbass had a meaty 

quality that did wonders for an orchestra’s 

power range and some bass-guitar playing. On 

the title track from Donald Fagan’s Morph the 

Cat in 96kHz/24-bit the Romulus had tremendous 

low-end grip and power that conveyed 

the track’s visceral physicality. The Romulus 

is the antithesis of thin, threadbare, lean, or 

bleached. 

The more I listened to the Romulus the 

more I enjoyed it musically, and the more I 

admired its sonic achievement. That statement 

may sound like a tautology, but some 

products can sound stunning sonically but fail 

to connect musically. The classic example is 

the super-high-resolution, dead-quiet, lightning-fast 

component that lays bare every last 

detail in a recording yet fails to engage the 

heart. It’s like a musician who shows off his 

astounding technical chops but has nothing 

to say. In digital products, this often results 

from a kind of mechanical quality that doesn’t 

really convince your brain that you’re hearing 

musical instruments rather than a collection 

of sounds. Such a product may hit many of 

the audiophile buttons, but there’s something 

not quite right—the presentation is built on an 

artificial foundation. The Romulus’ great appeal 

is that it avoids this pitfall completely. It 

sounds extremely “organic” and natural, without 

a hint of synthetic patina, particularly in 

the treble. 

I’m glad that the review sample had the variable-output 

option installed, because driving 

a power amplifier directly revealed just how 

great this player is. The dynamic expression 

widened, the bass was fuller and went deeper, 

and transparency increased. It was comforting 

to know that no matter what the playback 

level (i.e., the amount of attenuation in the 

Romulus) I wasn’t losing resolution. 

Fronting a world-class reference system 

of Constellation Centaur monoblocks driving 

Magico Q7 loudspeakers via MIT’s Oracle 

MA-X interconnect and MA-X SHD loudspeaker 

cables, the Romulus acquitted itself nicely under 

this ultra-high-resolution “microscope.” 

In fact, this system’s resolving power only 

emphasized what a terrific-sounding player 

the Romulus is; a lesser player’s flaws would 

have been that much more evident. Moreover, 

I compared the Romulus directly to what 

is unquestionably the state of the art in digital 

playback, the dCS Vivaldi. Of course, the 

Romulus was not the Vivaldi’s equal, but let’s 

just say that my opinion of the Romulus went 

up another few notches after this comparison 

when I reflected on the fact that the Vivaldi 

DAC and transport cost nearly ten times more 

than the Romulus. 

Driving the Romulus through its USB port 

with a MacBook Pro running iTunes and Pure 

Music revealed the USB implementation to 

be excellent, although I preferred the sound 

of CDs played in the Romulus’ transport 

compared to rips of those CDs. The bass was 

fuller and better controlled, the midrange and 

treble smoother, and the soundstage more 

expansive. Remember, however, that the USB 

cable and the computer setup are significant 

variables when using a computer source. 

Conclusion 

The Romulus is another home run for Aesthetix, 

combining innovative circuit design, premiumquality 

parts and construction, and first-rate 

sound. This player was never anything less 

than musically communicative and immensely 

enjoyable, even in the context of a cost-noobject 

system. The Romulus is a flat-out 

bargain at its price, and invites comparison 

with much more expensive players. In fact, I’d 

call the Romulus a giant-killer, offering one 

of the highest price-to-performance ratios in 

digital playback today. 


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Esoteric K-03 

CD/SACD Player/DAC 

Brilliant Concept, Great Sound 

Alan Taffel 

The Esoteric K-03 is not your usual CD/SACD player. Its designers have 

innovatively combined a highly refined CD/SACD transport and a full-function 

DAC within the same luscious chassis. Although on the surface that doesn’t 

seem so unusual, consider that very few digital players even bother to include an 

input for external devices like PCs, music servers, and cable boxes. Many is the time 

I wished I could plug one or more of those sources into a CD or universal player that I 

knew had a great internal DAC. Recently, more designers have incorporated the digital 

input feature into their players. But even those models generally offer only one such 

input, and that interface is virtually never USB. 

In contrast, the K-03 is a real DAC. There are 

three digital inputs—coax, TosLink, and USB— 

as well as filter and oversampling options, just 

like an outboard unit. There is even an input 

for an external word clock. You won’t see that 

on many other digital players. Nor is the USB 

input an afterthought; it offers asynchronous 

clocking via one of multiple drivers, and 

supports the highest bit rates. The benefit of 

Esoteric’s approach is compelling: Owners get 

the inherent sonic advantages of having the 

transport and DAC in one box, along with the 

versatility and multi-source support normally 

available only from stand-alone DACs. 

This benefit also carries over to the K-01, 

the K-03’s big brother. Although I begged 

for the $22,500 flagship, with its quad 

power supplies, magnesium disc clamp, and 

sixteen(!) DACs, a sample could not be made 

available in time for this issue. I was forced to 

“settle” instead for the penultimate $13,000 

K-03. This model makes do with just two 

power supplies, a Duraluminum clamp, and 

a paltry eight DACs. Specifically, the K-03 

employs eight 32-bit AKM DACs (four per 

channel). The two units do not share identical 

transports, either, but they do have the same 

new clock and discrete, fully balanced analog 

modules. 

Besides being a hybrid player/DAC, the 

K-03 is also unusual in that it requires a 

great deal of configuration before it can—or 

should—be used. Most digital players are plugand-play, 

but if you do that with this one you 

will not experience anything like its ultimate 

sound. Unfortunately, setup is no small task. 

First, one must endure a break-in period 

that amounts to over a month of continuous 

play. The second complication is due to those 

aforementioned upsampling, filter, and driver 

options. There are four upconversion choices, 

three USB drivers, and five filter settings. If 

that isn’t enough, the settings interact with 

each other, thus requiring a listen to every 

combination in order to find the best—a rather 

daunting proposition. 

And it needn’t be, because it turns out quite 

a few of these options are clearly inferior and 

could have been omitted without sacrifice. 

Why they were included is a puzzle. If you are 

curious about my adventures in Optionland, 

they are recounted in the sidebar, “A Surfeit 

of Settings.” If not, I can still save you a 

lot of trial and error by telling you that the 

“S_DLY1” “apodising” filter is the best, the 

choice between 2x and 4x upsampling is 

a matter of personal preference (although 

either one stomps the other options), and 

the asynchronous “HS_2” USB driver is the 

only one worth considering. I should also note 

that none of these is among the unit’s default 

settings, which are invariably the worst in 

their respective category. Another puzzle. 

Thankfully, configuration needs to be done 

only once. The K-03 may not be plug-and-play, 

but at least it’s set-and-forget. And once set, 

any lingering consternation begins melting 

away. From a functional standpoint, the 

Esoteric has the silky-smooth operation, the 

weighty remote, and the rock-solid reliability 

one would expect in this price range. There 

are thoughtful touches, too, like the way the 

menu takes you to the parameter you last 

changed. 

The K-03 has quite a few operating modes, 

and most—but not all—of them deliver 


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EQUIPMENT review - Esoteric K-03 

reference-quality sound. Surprisingly, 

the least impressive (which is not to say 

unimpressive) mode is CD playback. I’ll explain 

why this is so surprising later on, but for now 

let me describe the sound. First the good 

news. With CDs, the K-03 sounds beautiful, 

delivers exceptional detail and spatial depth, 

and is tonally ravishing. On the other hand, it 

is missing the ultimate resolution, openness, 

and freedom from digital edginess that 

makes today’s reference gear so relaxing and 

engaging. 

For an illustration, listen to “Bydlo” from 

the Colin Davis rendition of Pictures at an 

Exhibition [Philips]. Although this is not a 

stellar recording overall, the track is a good 

test of timing and resolution. With respect 

to the former, the low strings that open the 

track should maintain a lumbering pace but 

should never plod. Through the K-03, plod 

they do. As for resolution, listen to the snare 

drum that enters at about 1:30 into the track. 

Through my reference player—a combination 

Goldmund Mimesis 36 transport and the dCS 

Debussy DAC—the snare drum’s “papery” 

quality is quite distinct. On the Esoteric, that 

quality is missing, as are other subtleties 

such as the hall acoustics that surround and 

firmly place the solo horn’s position at the 

rear of the stage. 

Of course, my reference rig is significantly 

more expensive than the K-03. Heck, the 

dCS all by itself costs nearly as much 

as the Esoteric player/DAC combo. My 

disappointment with the latter’s CD sound 

is not so much because it does not equal the 

reference gear, but because it does not equal 

its own performance in other modes. So now 

that I have CD out of the way, let me turn to 

those. 

First and definitely foremost is SACD 

playback. Simply stated, the K-03 is the best 

SACD player I have heard—not by a mile, by a 

marathon. When playing my standard SACD 

torture test, Stravinsky’s Suite from L’Histoire 

du Soldat [Pentatone], the Esoteric imbues 

both strings and horns with a heretofore 

unheard burnished quality that amps up the 

disc’s already astonishing realism. The K-03 

brings out—but never exaggerates—every 

detail. Nor is there a trace of edginess, and 

music has tremendous drive. As good as this 

hybrid disc’s CD layer sounds through my 

reference system, the K-03’s SACD rendition 

simply annihilates it. 

This difference is not simply due to the 

higher inherent resolution and analoglike 

nature of the SACD format. I played, 

for example, the “Out of the Woods” track 

from Nickel Creek’s eponymous first album 

through the estimable Marantz UD9004 

universal player. The Marantz ably captures 

the liquidity that differentiates SACD from 

CD, but the UD9004 does not come close to 

matching the scale and sonic clarity of the 

K-03. 

I was in for another treat when I connected 

my CD transport to the Esoteric’s coax input. 

Oh my, the K-03 is one sweet DAC. As with 

SACD playback, rhythms are unflagging, 

details emerge clearly and naturally, and 

listener fatigue is non-existent. Dynamics 

are superb, as well. All of these factors raise 

the emotional quotient mightily. Indeed, as a 

Outputs: Stereo balanced 

analog, stereo balanced single- 

pure DAC, the Esoteric is very much in dCS 

territory. It can’t quite match the latter’s 

sublime effortlessness and bass definition, 

but the Esoteric feels more open and light on 

its feet. 

By now it should be apparent that playing 

CDs through the K-03’s DAC via an external 

transport yields results that are distinctly 

superior to the all-in-one mode. Take 

“Bydlo,” for example. Using an external 

transport, those previously missing hall 

acoustics reappear. Further, the external 

transport wrings out all the music’s 

drama, while the internal transport 

is emotionally circumspect. On a raft 

of material the K-03’s DAC always 

proved more detailed and neutral— 

and therefore more enjoyable—when 

driven externally. 

This should not be the case. Selfcontained 

players at this level ended 

almost always sound better than an 

outboard transport, no matter how 

good, driving their DAC. The benefits 

of eliminating an S/PDIF connection 

and having a single master clock 13 1/4" 

are nearly insurmountable. That 

the Esoteric does not follow this 

pattern is particularly puzzling. The 

only explanation I can see is that 

the K-03’s internal transport, for 

all its pedigree, is holding back the 

unit’s CD sound. Obviously, though, 

this comment does not apply to that 

same transport playing SACDs. 

Back to the K-03 as a DAC, there 

is still USB to discuss. Here, again, 

Esoteric offers options. Three drivers are 

available. The first will load automatically 

when you connect the K-03 to a computer, 

while the other two must be downloaded from 

Esoteric’s Web site. As already mentioned, I 

experienced the best results with “HS_2,” 

the only driver that supports asynchronous 

clocking. However, all three drivers sounded 

significantly better when supplemented with 

ASIO, which bypasses any and all OS detritus, 

so I highly recommend you download the free 

ASIO4ALL for your media player of choice 


Other connections: Coax, 

TosLink, and USB digital inputs; 

word clock input 

Dimensions: 17 1/4" x 6 3/8" x 


Price: $13,000 

TEAC America, Inc. 

7733 Telegraph Road 

Montebello, CA 90640 

esoteric.teac.com 

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT 

Goldmund Mimesis 36 CD 

Transport 

Bryston BDA-1 DAC and BCD-1 

CD player 

dCS Debussy DAC 

Goldmund Studietto turntable 

Graham 2.2 tonearm 

Clearaudio Insider Gold 

cartridge 

Goldmund Mimesis 22 

Preamplifier 

Goldmund Mimesis 8 Power 

Amplifier 

Metaphor 1 Speakers 

Empirical Design cables and 

power cords 

Goldmund cones 



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EQUIPMENT review - Esoteric K-03 

(sorry, Mac users). Using ASIO has the 

added benefit of enabling the K-03 to 

automatically adapt to sample and 

bit rates, relieving you from manually 

setting those in the OS to match each 

source file you play—a major pain. 

Once everything is set, the magic 

begins. I listened to the new 96/24 

version of Tom Petty’s “Refugee,” 

downloadable from HDtracks, and 

the sound was stunningly open, clear, 

and revealing. From the same source 

I downloaded a high-res file of Keith 

Jarrett’s Köln Concert and found it to be 

equally engaging. The real achievement 

of the K-03’s USB is that it seems to 

have banished entirely the artificiality 

that has plagued this interface. USB is a 

fast-evolving format, which is fortunate 

since it started out sounding so bad. 

Now, even though I proclaimed the dCS 

Debussy the best USB I had ever heard 

only a few months ago, I am bound to 

say that the Esoteric is even better. 

Lastly, the K-03 can serve as a 

linestage. Like many recent digital 

players and DACs, the K-03 has a builtin 

volume control and can directly 

drive a power amplifier, obviating the 

need for a separate linestage so long 

as all sources are digital. In this mode, 

the K-03’s performance is largely 

dependent on the choice of music. 

Digital volume controls always cause a 

loss of resolution when they are turned 

down, and so pop/rock recordings, with 

their high mastering levels prompting 

a volume reduction, fare poorly. But 

classical music, which does not have 

hyped levels and so can be played with 

higher volume settings, sounded nearly 

identical to my reference linestage—an 

extraordinary accomplishment. 

In sum, the Esoteric K-03 is a brilliant 

concept, and delivers in nearly every 

category. Though its builders went 

overboard on configuration options, the 

rest of the design is unassailable, as is 

its sonic performance in all but one area. 

CD playback is good, and disappoints 

primarily compared to the K-03’s SACD, 

DAC, and USB performance, all of which 

are of reference caliber. I would urge 

you to give the Esoteric a listen, to hear 

just how good these can be. 

A SURFEIT OF SETTINGS 

Of the five filter settings, “None” is the inexplicable default. In this mode, the K-03 sounds airless and sickly, and dynamics 

are voting in absentia. “FIR1,” a fairly standard filter with a variable frequency cutoff, is much better, with a breath of air and a 

modicum of timbral resolution. Unfortunately, FIR1’s dynamics are so exaggerated that on accented notes I felt like I was being 

jabbed in the eyes. Moving along to “FIR2,” which is the same as FIR1 but with a fixed 80Hz cutoff, the sound takes on softer 

leading edges and dynamics are more manageable, though accents remain off-putting. 

With “S_DLY1” we move into “apodising” filters and the difference is stark. The entire presentation is less in-your-face, and 

there is more air. Dynamics finally settle down into a natural stance, and a reduction in midrange bloat makes it easier to hear 

things like individual violin strings. Meanwhile, though “S_DLY2” is also an “apodising” filter, it seems to ring plenty. Moreover, 

this option doesn’t do much (though it does a little) to alleviate the issues I found with the FIR filters. FIR2 and S_DLY2 sound 

better or worse depending on the upsampling setting, but at their best neither compares with S_DLY1, the only option that really 

sounds “right.” 

As with filters, “None” is the default upsampling setting. And as with filters that is a shame, for this setting is characterized 

by sluggish rhythms, coarse dynamics, and uninformative timbres. Switching to “2X Upsampling” reveals what a poor decision 

it would be to leave the K-03’s upsampling disabled. Here, rhythms snap into place and for the first time are unconfused. Also 

for the first time, instruments and dynamics can, when the music calls for it, display a degree of delicacy. “4X Upsampling” 

adds freer (but not exaggerated) dynamics and greater rhythmic swing, though this setting is not quite as clean-sounding as 

2X. 

“Upsampling to DSD” is an option for which I had high hopes. Selecting it, I was struck by how completely different it sounded 

compared to every other setting. On orchestral material, I almost felt as if I were listening to a different string section—one with 

a markedly darker sound. That’s not necessarily wrong (who knows how the real strings sounded), but the DSD setting was 

also noisier than—and not nearly as well-sorted dynamically as—the 2X or 4X options. As a result, in this mode certain pieces of 

music, like the second movement of the Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony, lose much of their mystery and subtlety. I therefore 

recommend choosing between 2X and 4X upsampling, either of which is a valid choice that will be determined by personal 

preference. 

The standard USB driver, dubbed “Normal,” is not bad, but it suppresses depth and transparency. Adding ASIO reaps a 

marked improvement in both areas. Drums and vocals emerge as if from behind a scrim, dynamics flourish, and there is much 

more detail with no downside. Nonetheless, the “HS_1” driver is worlds better, and better still with ASIO. HS_1, though, betrays 

the synthetic string sound I hear from so much USB. “HS_2” is clearly the best of the lot, being more spacious and having 

better bass definition. Here, for the first time, ASIO does not make a night and day difference, though it does supply betterbehaved 

rhythms and is generally airier. 

As discussed in the main piece, ASIO would be recommended even if it made no sonic difference, because it gives the K-03 

the ability to dynamically adapt to the incoming source’s sample and bit rate. This is a feature no computer audiophile should 

be without. Its absence means either manually changing sample rates all the time, or leaving them set to the highest the OS will 

support, and suffering the harmful sonic effects of asynchronous upsampling. 


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Modwright-Oppo BDP-105 

with “Truth” Modifications 

Hot Rod! 

Jim Hannon 

The Modwright “Truth” modifications to Oppo’s BDP-105 player were brought 

to my attention by Infinity co-founder Arnie Nudell when I interviewed him for 

The Absolute Sound’s Illustrated History of High-End Audio. I asked Arnie which 

current products most impressed him, and he named two: the marvelous Constellation 

Audio Reference Series amplifiers, and the surprising Modwright-Oppo BDP-105. Since 

I regard Arnie as one of the greatest of all high-end speaker designers—having owned 

many of his stellar creations including the Infinity RS1, RS-1B, and Beta—his opinion 

carried a lot of weight. What was most intriguing was Arnie’s contention that this set of 

Modwright modifications vaulted the Oppo to a reference level. He claimed, “With the 

right program material it does as good a job as anything conveying the musicality and 

emotion of a live concert.” 

I had to hear for myself what these modifications 

could do to enhance the performance of 

the already well-regarded Oppo BDP-105. In 

my experience, incorporating tubes in digital 

front-ends can certainly lead to better sound. 

Long ago, I purchased a California Audio Labs 

Icon II because its tubed analog output stage 

made those bits sound more natural to my 

ears compared to other moderately priced 

digital players of the day. Admittedly, many 

costly digital front ends have left me somewhat 

uninvolved, particularly with SACDs, 

whereas others that sound great are either 

far beyond my budget, such as the remarkable 

dCS Vivaldi, or are no longer available. Could 

the relatively affordable ($2495) Modwright 

“Truth” upgrade to the Oppo BDP-105 be the 

solution to my “digital dilemma” and enable 

me to get more enjoyment from the latest 

high-resolution digital media 

In my experience, modifying stock products 

to improve performance can be a slippery 

slope. One assumes that since most products 

are designed to a price point, they can be 

improved, at a minimum, by replacing select 

components with higher-quality, more 

costly ones. However, there are several risks 

involved. First, the manufacturer’s warranty 

is voided. Second, more costly parts do not 

always ensure better sound. Product designers 

spend a lot of time and effort listening to 

their products to carefully voice them, and 

monkeying around with the original design 

can destroy this delicate balance. Third, there 

is the issue of workmanship and reliability. 

Whereas the stock units typically undergo 

rigorous testing, too many modified units do 

not. Fourth, when you go to sell a modified 

product, you generally recover only a small 

fraction of the cost of the upgrade. Fifth, you 

often take your chances on a modified unit 

without being able to audition it and without 

the support of your local dealer. If you don’t 

like the results, you’re stuck. Last, once you 

start down the modification pathway, where 

do you stop, particularly with tubed-based 

modifications Besides several additional 

Modwright options to the basic “Truth” 

modifications—including the Bybee Music 

Rail and Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX upgrades, 

which were not added—one can also spend a lot 

of time “tube rolling” to find the perfect sonic 

match. I did upgrade the Modwright-supplied 

Electro-Harmonic 6SN7EH driver tubes with 

some wonderful Sophia Electric 6SN7 tubes, 

as well as swapping the Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier 

tube in the external power supply for a taller 

and wider Philips 5R4GYS, recommended 

by tube-maven Kevin Deal. (Note: This latter 

change requires a top plate with a hole, which 

can be supplied by Modwright.) Both these 

tube replacements move the Modwirght-Oppo 

closer to the sound of a live performance with 

gains in openness, inner detail, image depth, 

truth of timbre, and dynamic explosiveness. 

The key questions for me were: Would the 

Modwright “Truth” modifications to the Oppo 

BDP-105 be worth it, and what has Modwright 

done to help minimize the associated risks 

The Stock Oppo BDP-105 

Modwright starts with Oppo’s highly 

successful, award-winning BDP-105 universal 

player as its digital platform—TAS’ 2013 

Disc Player of the Year that was reviewed 

quite favorably by CM in Issue 232. He was 


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EQUIPMENT review - Modwright-Oppo BDP-105 with “Truth” Modifications 

impressed by its “clean, clear, and detailed” 

presentation,” commenting that “it is far more 

revealing than it has any right to be for the 

money.” I concur and would add that with highresolution 

sources this player is surprisingly 

good. However, during extensive listening 

sessions, I always knew I was listening to a 

digital source. 

Modwright’s Dan Wright selected this Oppo 

because “it is universal, state of the art, 

reliable, and lends itself well to significant 

improvement by way of our modifications.” 

(The modifications are the same for Oppo’s 

new BDP-105D “Darbee” edition that offers 

4k video and a DSD input.) Fortunately, I was 

able to borrow a stock BDP-105 from Oppo’s 

CTO, Jason Liao, for comparison. My listening 

observations mirrored CM’s for the most part. I 

appreciated the Oppo’s remarkable clarity and 

fine detail resolution; however, I thought that 

the stock unit was somewhat lean-sounding in 

the upper midrange when reproducing massed 

strings, a limitation I hear on most digital 

front-ends. This limitation has kept me from 

enjoying digital music as much as I do analog, 

and typically leads to aural fatigue during my 

extensive listening sessions. 

Jason also volunteered to measure both 

units using his test software at the Oppo 

offices near my house. As I expected, the 

stock Oppo measured better than the 

Modwright on all distortion parameters, but as 

most audiophiles know, test results do not tell 

the whole story. Indeed, according to Jason, 

the higher level of second-order harmonic 

distortion of the Modwright is something Oppo 

is trying to design into some of its products to 

help them sound richer and more natural. 

The Modwright “Truth” Modifications 

The Modwright “Truth” modifications to 

the Oppo BDP-105 are quite extensive and 

include a total redesign and replacement of 

the single-ended and balanced output stages 

with Modwright’s tube analog output stage. 

The most noticeable physical differences are: 

the inclusion of two 6SN7 driver tubes rising 

above the top plate of the Modwright-Oppo; 

a separate external power supply with one 

5AR4 rectifier tube and two 13EM7 voltageregulator 

tubes; and a Modwright “Truth” 

umbilical cord connecting the power supply 

to the main unit. The Modwright-Oppo also 

includes upgraded Cardas RCA connectors 

(for stereo outs), a Furutech cryo-teated IEC, 

upgraded resistors in the signal path, cryotreated 

solid-cord silver wire for the signal 

path, and damping mods for the chassis and 

transport. As mentioned, the external supply 

can accommodate taller, larger-diameter 

tubes with the new top plate from Modwright. 

The digital stage is not touched by 

Modwright, except that the “Truth” 

modifications improve the existing supplies 

that power the digital circuitry. Modwright’s 

Dan Wright said that Oppo’s stock clock “is 

excellent and unique,” and its DAC (employing 

two ESS Sabre ES9018 chips) “is exceptional.” 

He added that because they could not improve 

upon the clock or the DAC, Modwright left 

them alone. My review unit did not include 

any other optional Modwright modifications, 

but in addition to “tube-rolling,” I did add 

the outstanding Shunyata Alpha digital 

power cord, which significantly increased the 

transparency and improved the naturalness 

of the timbre of both the Modwright and the 

stock Oppo. 

While I hesitate to recommend any unit you 

cannot audition beforehand, Modwright takes 

the risk out of owning its modified Oppo BPD- 

105. Although the factory warranty is voided, 

Modwright offers a one-year warranty of its 

own and offers to service the unit should it fail 

in a way that would otherwise be covered by 

the factory warranty, for cost of parts 

alone. Because the Oppo is so reliable, 

this is “very seldom necessary,” 

according to Dan. Even Oppo’s Jason 

Liao praised the workmanship of 

the Modwright modifications as 

“exceptional.” One rarely hears this 

kind of praise about any modification 

from the manufacturer of the original 

equipment. 

Listening Comparisons 

The sonic comparisons among the 

stock Oppo, the Modwright-modified 

Oppo, and my turntable system were 

illuminating. As both digital units 

required extensive break-in, I did 

not conduct my listening tests until 

after both had time to fully settle 

down. I was able to switch between 

them on several discs, using all the 

same ancillary components. Since 

the upgraded tubes in the Modwright 

and the addition of Shunyata’s Alpha 

Digital power cable to the stock 

and the modified Oppo units moved 

me closer to the illusion of hearing a live 

performance in my listening room, I used both 

for my extensive sonic comparisons. 

With the glorious Reference Recordings CD 

of the Rutter Requiem, the stock Oppo sounded 

surprisingly good for such a modestly priced 

component, with appealing clarity and bass 

extension. However, I noticed some sibilance 

and stridency in the voices, particularly on 

dynamic peaks. Switching to the Modwright- 

Oppo, the voices and instruments bloomed, 


Price: $2495 (for Modwright 

“Truth” modifications alone) 

Price of stock Oppo BDP-105 

(user supplied): $1199 

MODWRIGHT INSTRUMENTS, 

INC. 

21919 NE 399th Street 

Amboy, WA 98601 

(360) 247-6688 

modwright.com 

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT 

Merrill-Williams R.E.A.L 101 

turntable with Tri-planer U-II 

and Ortofon MC Cadenza 

Black and Kiseki Purple 

Heart Sapphire cartridges; 

Esoteric SA-50 and Oppo 

BDP-105 digital players; MFA 

Venusian (Frankland modified), 

PrimaLuna Dialogue Three, 

and Constellation Audio 

Virgo II preamps; PrimaLuna 

DiaLogue HP monoblocks 

and Constellation Audio 

Centaur amplifiers; Magnepan 

3.7i and Quad ESL-57 (PK 

modified) loudspeakers; 

Silver Circle Audio TCHAIK6 

power conditioner; Shunyata 

Research Alpha digital power 

cable, Nordost Valhalla 

interconnects and power 

cords, AudioQuest Niagara 

interconnects and Metro 

speaker cables, etc. 



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EQUIPMENT review - Modwright-Oppo BDP-105 with “Truth” Modifications 

and I found myself immediately more 

immersed in the music. There was still very 

good clarity and detail, but now without 

any of the digital stridency. The soundstage 

seemed to take on an added dimension, too, 

with layered depth separating the performers 

in the chorus and a really good sense of the 

hall. Voices sounded richer in tonal color and 

music just flowed with more natural ease. In 

short, the Modwright-Oppo opened the door 

more deeply into the music, and I found myself 

listening to the entire piece rather than a few 

sample tracks. 

On the higher-res SACD of Reference 

Recordings’ Exotic Dances from the Opera, 

percussion on the stock Oppo had appealing 

transient quickness and “snap.” Soundstaging 

was also good, particularly in width. Turning 

to the Modwright-Oppo, the decay of the 

cymbals and triangles sounded more natural, 

woodwinds had more body, and there was 

greater separation among the performers on 

stage. The sonic gap between the Modwright- 

Oppo and my turntable system was surprisingly 

narrow, and both left the stock Oppo 

in the dust. Admittedly, I preferred 

the enhanced bloom, air, soundstage 

depth, and more natural timbre of the 

vinyl to the Modwright-Oppo, but bass 

articulation, impact, and extension 

were comparable. 

On Reference Recording’s brilliant 

HRx DVD-R of Rachmaninoff’s 

Symphonic Dances (recorded at 

176.4kHz/24), the stock Oppo 

displayed more of its remarkable 

bass power and extension, dynamic 

explosiveness, and clarity. Although massed 

strings had realistic shimmer and woodwinds 

sounded good, they were reproduced with 

some digital artifacts (edge), which detracted 

from the illusion of a live performance. Moving 

to the Modwright-Oppo, woodwinds had more 

body, and strings were more natural—verging 

on the lush. The timbre was more harmonically 

fleshed out, the instruments had more air, and 

the music breathed as it does in the concert 

hall. Yes, there was more warmth, but no 

syrupy or caramel tube coloration here, and 

the enhanced tonal richness didn’t come at 

the expense of transient speed, inner detail, 

or dynamic explosiveness. Moving to vinyl, the 

differences in clarity and inner detail between 

it and the Modwright-Oppo were too close 

to call. However, with vinyl the sound was a 

bit more open, particularly in the highs, with 

slightly more delicacy and hall ambience, as 

well as more body and richness. However, 

I had to give a slight nod to the Modwright- 

Oppo in bass power and articulation, and its 

lower noise floor was more appealing. 

As expected, the sound of both the stock Oppo 

and Modwright improved fairly dramatically as 

the resolution of the digital media increased 

(on good recordings). Arnie provided me 

with a 2.8MHz DSD recording (converted to 

24/176 PCM) of Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 in 

E minor from the San Francisco Symphony. 

The strengths of each unit increased and 

their shortcomings were less in evidence. 

For example, the sound on the Modwright- 

Oppo was stunning in balanced mode with 

see-through transparency, a deep, wide, and 

precise soundstage, fleshed-out timbre with no 

sense of digital artifacts in the pure harmonic 

overtones, and explosive dynamics with deep 

bass extension. The fine detail has a delicacy 

that is mesmerizing, perhaps lacking only 

the last bit of air one hears with top-notch 

analog sources, albeit with the benefit of a 

lower noise floor. Regrettably, in this instance, 

I did not have the vinyl for comparison, but I 

must concur with Arnie that on this recording, 

the Modwright-Oppo certainly conveys the 

musicality and emotion of a live concert! 

One of my audio buddies and a frequent 

listener to my system said that he thought 

that I was playing my turntable when the 

Modwright-Oppo was in the system. I must 

admit that there were times when I was so lost 

in the music that I had to look up to see which 

source was playing. That is very high praise 

and has never happened to me before with a 

digital source in my home. 

Conclusion 

So are the Modwright “Truth” modifications to 

Oppo’s BDP-105 player worth the cost and the 

risk The answer to that question is a resounding, 

“Yes!” The build-quality is exemplary and 

the sonics are exceptional. It is the first digital 

player I have had in my listening room that 

didn’t make me want to go back to my analog 

rig right away, and that’s because it sounds so 

much like analog in many respects, without giving 

up the bass extension and control, clarity, 

fine detail resolution and retrieval, and convenience 

that can make digital so attractive. 

With outstanding sonics that can make you 

forget you’re listening to digital, and 

its remarkable flexibility and compatibility 

when playing discs from a player 

or a computer-audio setup, I suspect 

this is one universal player that you’ll 

be hanging on to for a long time. While 

I’m unwilling to abandon my analog rig, 

I can see why others, like Arnie, have 

chosen to do take this path, particularly 

when one feeds the Modwright- 

Oppo first-rate, high-resolution source 

material. The Modwright Oppo is now 

my digital reference. 


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dCS Vivaldi Digital 

Playback System 

Ne Plus Ultra 

Robert Harley 

There are few companies in high-end 

audio that can be considered unique. 

By that I mean a company that creates 

technologies unlike those of any other brand, 

and designs products that are fundamentally 

different from the innumerable “me-too” 

components that flood the market. 

Take the important job of digital-to-analog 

conversion, for example. Virtually all DAC 

manufacturers buy from the same menu of 

available chips and configure them in slightly 

different variations of the same theme. Some 

are more successful than others in creating 

good-sounding products, but none builds a 

digital-to-analog converter from the ground 

up with technologies invented entirely inhouse. 

An exception to this rule is the British 

company Data Conversion Systems (dCS). 

Every key element in every product it 

manufactures is designed and built by dCS 

using proprietary technologies. You won’t 

find an off-the-shelf DAC chip, digital filter, 

or input receiver in a dCS product. What you 

will find are circuits, techniques, software, and 

engineering unlike that of any other product. 

The ultimate expression of dCS’ unique 

approach is embodied in the new Vivaldi, 

the most advanced and ambitious digitalplayback 

system yet created. This $108,496 

four-box tour de force takes dCS’ proprietary 

technologies to their ultimate realization. It is 

impossible to overstate the Vivaldi’s technical 

sophistication—or its revelatory musical 

presentation. dCS has wrapped all of this 

advanced technology in stunningly bold and 

elegant metalwork that is as unique as the 

circuits inside. 

Overview 

Describing the Vivaldi, its capabilities, and 

how it functions is quite a challenge. This is 

by far the most complex, technical, intricate, 

and feature-laden product I’ve ever reviewed. 

I’ll give you a brief overview here, with more 

technical detail in the sidebars. 

The complete Vivaldi system is a four-box 

design, but not all four boxes are required. 

Those four units are the Vivaldi Transport 

($39,999), Vivaldi DAC ($34,999), Vivaldi 

Digital-to-Digital Upsampler ($19,999), and 

Vivaldi Master Clock ($13,499). You could, for 

example, buy just the Vivaldi DAC and drive it 

with a computer source (it has a USB input) or 

connect your CD player (if the CD player offers 

a digital output). A big step up is the Vivaldi 


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EQUIPMENT review - dCS Vivaldi Digital Playback System 

Transport and DAC combination; when used 

together the two units offer unique features 

including upsampling in the transport and the 

ability to transmit encrypted high-resolution 

audio (DSD or upsampled PCM) from the 

Transport to the DAC. In fact, a Vivaldi 

Transport and Vivaldi DAC will get you much 

of the way toward the sonic performance 

described later in the review. In addition to 

reading CDs, the Transport is compatible with 

SACD. 

The Vivaldi Upsampler converts any common 

sampling frequency to any other sampling 

frequency, each user-selectable. Moreover, 

the Upsampler adds network capability, 

allowing you to integrate the Vivaldi with a 

music server, control the system via an iPad/ 

iPhone/iTouch, and play music directly from a 

USB stick. The Vivaldi Clock simply serves as 

a high-precision master-timing reference to 

which all the other units are locked. 

Each unit is housed in a gorgeous chassis 

featuring a three-dimensional sculpted front 

panel. Raised flowing lines grace the front 

panels like gentle waves. My review sample was 

silver, but black is also available. A full-color 

display toward the left side of each front panel 

shows, under normal use, the operating status 

(input selected, sampling frequency, whether 

the unit is locked to the Master Clock, etc.). 

But when you put one of the units into menu 

mode the display shows a myriad of details 

for setting up and configuring the component. 

The menu structure is so extensive that dCS 

provides a plastic-coated map in addition to 

the owner’s manual. 

Connecting and configuring a Vivaldi is 

best left to your dealer; a typical setup 

requires 12 digital cables, and that’s without 

adding networking capabilities. The four units 

that make up the Vivaldi have collectively 

a mind-bending 56 rear-panel connectors. 

Moreover, the settings on each unit need to be 

optimized for the best sound. These include 

the upsampling options, whether the clock is 

dithered, and which of the six digital filters 

is selected, to name just a few of the many, 

many settings that are required to make the 

system work and realize its sonic potential. 

Once the system is set up and has settled in, 

however, operation is quite simple. The DAC 

remembers the filter chosen for each input 

and sampling rate, for example, so there’s 

no need to adjust these settings (although 

you may want to change filters for different 

recordings—more on this later). The only 

button you’ll probably need to press on a daily 

basis is the DAC’s input selector to switch 

between CD and SACD from the transport, 

or the Upsampler’s input-select button to 

play music from a server. You can select DAC 

and upsampler inputs from the full-featured 

remote (supplied with the DAC). This hefty 

and well-designed unit controls transport 

functions, adjusts the DAC’s output level, 

selects the DAC filter, fine-tunes the left-right 

balance, and changes the upsampler’s output 

sampling rate, among other functions. 

I received a very early production model 

that had a couple of minor glitches, but a 

software update (easy to do from a CD or 

USB stick) fixed them. Interfacing the Vivaldi 

with a music server via a wireless network 

was considerably more challenging. My setup 


Vivaldi Transport CD/SACD transport 

Outputs: Dual AES/EBU with DXD or proprietary dCS 

encrypted DSD, AES/EBU, SPDIF (one RCA, one BNC), 

SDIF-2, word-clock in, word-clock out 

Dimensions: 17.5" x 7.8" x 17.2" 


Price: $39,999 

Vivaldi DAC 

Inputs: Four AES/EBU (each can be used independently 

or as dual pairs to accept DSD or DXD); three SPDIF (two 

RCA, one BNC); SDIF-2; three USB Type B; word clock 

Outputs: One stereo pair balanced on XLR jacks, one 

stereo pair unbalanced on RCA jacks 

Output level: Variable (maximum of 2V or 6V output user 

selectable) 

Digital filter: Selectable, six for PCM and four for DSD 

Dimensions: 17.5" x 6" x 17.2" 

Weight: 35.7 lbs 

Price: $34,999 

Vivaldi Digital-to-Digital Upsampler 

Inputs: Network (RJ45), USB (Type B connector), USB 

(Type A connector), AES/EBU, SPDIF (two RCA, one BNC, 

one TosLink), SDIF-2 

Outputs: Two ES/EBU (can operate independently or as a 

dual pair to carry high-res PCM or dCS-encrypted DSD) 

Dimensions: 17.5" x 6" x 17.2" 


Price: $19,999 

Vivaldi Master Clock 

Outputs: Two groups of four independently buffered 

outputs on BNC connectors 

Clock frequencies: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 176.4, 192kHz 

Dimensions: 17.5" x 6" x 17.2" 


Price: $13,499 

Associated Components 

Digital Sources: MacBook Pro; AVA Media Zara Premium 

ripping server, Pure Music and Audivana playback software 

Analog Source: Basis Inspiration turntable with Basis 

Vector 4 tonearm, Air Tight PC-1 Supreme cartridge; 

Simaudio Moon 810LP phonostage 

Preamplifiers: Rowland Corus, Constellation Perseus, 

Absolare Passion 

Power Amplifiers: Rowland 725, Lamm ML2.2, 

Constellation Centaur monoblocks, Absolare Passion 845 

AC Conditioning and Cords: Shunyata Triton and Talos, 

Audience aR6TS conditioners; Shunyata Zitron Anaconda 

and Audience Au24 AC cords 

Cables: Shunyata Anaconda interconnects and 

loudspeaker cables; MIT MA-X2 and MA-C interconnects, 

MIT MA-X SHD loudspeaker cables; AudioQuest WEL 

Signature interconnects, Transparent XL Reference 

interconnects; AudioQuest Diamond USB and WireWorld 

Platinum Starlight USB 

Equipment Racks: Stillpoints, Critical Mass Systems 

amplifier stands 

Isolation: Stillpoints Ultra SS and Ultra5 

Acoustics: ASC 16" Full-Round Tube Traps, 10" Tower Traps 

Accessories: VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine; Mobile 

Fidelity record brush, cleaning fluid, stylus cleaner 



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included a wireless router and an AVA Media 

Zara Premium ripping server connected to the 

Upsampler via an Ethernet cable. Downloading 

dCS’ iPad app from the Apple store allowed 

me to browse music on the server, choose 

music for playback, and assemble playlists. 

Although this sounds simple, it took many 

frustrating hours of troubleshooting to get 

the whole thing working. My experience might 

not be typical, particularly as dCS continues 

to improve its software. 

Listening 

The Vivaldi is built like no other digital source, 

and it sounds like no other digital source. 

Although there are obvious similarities 

between dCS’ Puccini CD/SACD player 

and the Vivaldi, this new cost-no-object 

implementation of the company’s best 

technologies vaults the sound quality into the 

stratosphere. The Puccini is the only other dCS 

product with which I’m familiar; many of you 

will want to know how the Vivaldi compares 

with dCS’ former flagship, the Scarlatti. I 

asked our reviewer Jacob Heilbrunn, who 

owned a Scarlatti for many years (and bought 

the Vivaldi after hearing it) to make that 

comparison (see sidebar). 

One of the key characteristics of any dCS 

product is the sheer density of information it 

conveys. By that I mean not just resolution of 

fine detail, but the impression that the fabric 

of the music is intricately woven from the 

finest silk. By contrast, other digital sounds 

somewhat less “continuous” in texture, as 

though, to expand on the cloth analogy, it 

were woven from coarser, less tightly woven 

threads. With the Vivaldi, instrumental 

timbres have a richness and saturation that 

more convincingly create the illusion of 

hearing the instrument itself and not a digital 

reconstruction of it. This increased density of 

tone color and impression that the sound is 

organic and continuous—unique among digital 

playback systems in my experience—goes a 

long way toward narrowing the gap between 

digital and analog. The Vivaldi renders 

timbres with a vividness and immediacy that 

are startling, even from CD and 44.1kHz/16- 

bit files. What the Vivaldi does better than 

any other digital source I’ve heard is to 

make a piano sound more “piano-like” and 

a sax more “sax-like.” I could have chosen 

any two instruments for this example—the 

Vivaldi simply portrays every instrument 

more realistically and less synthetically. 

Part of this quality is due to the increased 

density of texture and tone color mentioned, 

but also to the lack of a mechanical tincture 

that makes digitally reproduced timbre sound 

slightly unnatural. When at the front end of 

a chain that includes the ultra-transparent 

Constellation electronics, MIT interconnects 

and cable, and Magico Q7 loudspeakers (along 

with state-of-the-art power conditioning 

and vibration isolation), the Vivaldi offers an 

absolutely gorgeous and lifelike portrayal of 

instrumental textures. 

There’s another reason why instruments 

and voices sound so “there” with the Vivaldi, 

and that’s the system’s tremendous clarity 

and transparency. The old cliché “veils were 

lifted” could have been coined to describe the 

Vivaldi’s startling sense of nothing between 

you and the music. Frankly, the Vivaldi makes 

other digital sound somewhat thick and opaque. 

This clarity and crystalline transparency 

not only increases the impression of timbral 

vividness and immediacy, it also contributes to 

the Vivaldi’s astonishing spatial presentation. 

This transparency isn’t just between you and 

the lead instruments; it extends to the far 

reaches of the soundstage. The ability to see 

deep into the hall and hear instruments at the 

back of the stage sound just as vivid and alive 

as instruments at the front is unprecedented 

in my experience. 

Think all digital sounds flat and lacking in 

dimensionality Listen to the Vivaldi and you’ll 

hear just how much space, air, depth, and bloom 

is encoded in your music library just waiting 

to be liberated. I’ve repeatedly been amazed 

over the years to discover greater spatial 

fidelity and musicality from familiar discs 

after hearing those discs through better and 

better components, but never to the degree 

of the dCS. The Vivaldi represents a huge 

leap forward in rendering digitally reproduced 

music with dimensionality, depth, and a sense 

of transparent space between instrumental 

images. Listen to the first track on the amazing 

Playing With Fire from Reference Recordings. 

The wall behind the loudspeakers completely 

disappears; the low brass sounds as though 

it’s twenty feet behind the loudspeaker plane. 

Not only does the Vivaldi recreate depth, 

but there’s an organic continuousness to the 

presentation of depth along a continuum. 

I can vividly hear the placement of each 

instrument in the soundstage. Not only is 

the soundstage deep, it’s also expansive, in 

the sense of top-octave air riding “over” the 

music. I’m not referring so much to musical 

information in the top octave, but rather to 

the impression of a lid being taken off the top 

of the soundstage, with a resultant openingup 

of the presentation. The impression of air 

around cymbals, for example, makes them 

more vivid and alive than a rendering that 

presents just the instrument itself. The latter 

sounds flat and lifeless, paradoxically being 

simultaneously bright yet lacking in treble 

extension. The Vivaldi’s top-octave air and 

soundstage openness are unlike any other 

digital I’ve heard, and much closer to a great 

analog front end. 

The Vivaldi’s soundstaging pays tremendous 

dividends in the ability to hear individual 

musical lines and shift focus between 

instruments no matter how complex the 

music. The presentation is the antithesis of 

homogenized, thick, congested, and confused. 

This clarity of instrumental lines was 

apparent, and musically significant, on even 

small-scale music like the acoustic guitar and 

violin duet “Northern Lights” from the Dixie 

Dregs’ Freefall, where the interplay between 

instruments suddenly became clearer, and the 

musicians’ intent more palpable. Listen also to 

Joe Pass’ comping during the muted trumpet 

solo in “Contractor’s Blues” from the XRCD 

of Count Basie’s 88 Basie Street through 

the Vivaldi and any other digital playback 

device. The dCS conveys every nuance of 

his expression and in doing so, restores the 

energy, the unbridled swing, and sense of 

contemporaneous music-making that other 

digital sources dilute. 


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I would characterize the Vivaldi’s treble 

balance as leaning toward the incisive rather 

than the relaxed. I’m generally intolerant of a 

bright or forward treble—it’s a deal-breaker in 

my book. Yet the Vivaldi manages to present 

a full measure of treble information with no 

sense of forwardness or aggression. That’s 

partly because the treble is so well integrated 

with the rest of the spectrum, is finely 

woven in texture as described earlier, and is 

presented in its proper spatial perspective 

within the soundstage. Bright digital sources 

force the treble forward and make it sound 

like a separate component riding on top of the 

music. The Vivaldi’s treble is at once delicate 

and refined, yet full-bodied and unrestrained. 

Moreover, the top end is richly and finely 

detailed, particularly at very low levels. It 

is also extremely clean and free from glare, 

another factor that allows the Vivaldi to 

sound fully alive in the top end yet not cross 

the line into brightness. When thinking about 

the Vivaldi’s upper-midrange and treble I was 

reminded of Jonathan Valin’s wonderful phrase 

“illuminated from within,” which he first used 

to describe Audio Research electronics. That’s 

exactly how the Vivaldi sounded—infused with 

light and air. The treble resolution sounded 

completely natural, devoid of etch, grain, 

glare, and mechanical artifice. Nonetheless, I 

should mention that in my system I preferred 

the slightly softer-sounding DAC Filters 4 and 

5 rather than the brighter and “sharper” Filter 

1 (which dCS claims is technically “correct”). 

As you scroll through the filter choices, 

moving to higher numbered filters, the sound 

becomes increasingly more relaxed. Filter 5 

has no pre-ringing (the filter’s ringing energy 

is shifted so that it occurs after the transient 

rather than before and after the transient) 

and is useful when listening to hard-sounding 

44.1kHz/16-bit sources. This illustrates the 

utility of having multiple filters available at 

the press of a remote-control button. 

In the reproduction of bass—extension, 

weight, dynamics, articulation, pitch 

definition—the Vivaldi is simply in a class of 

its own. The bottom end is big and powerful, 

yet fast and delicate. The entire bass region 

has a clarity that, again, is unlike any other 

digital I’ve heard. This quality alone makes the 

Vivaldi revelatory—it conveys the texture, the 

body, and life of low brass, cello, acoustic and 

electric bass, piano, and kick drum. The Vivaldi 

doesn’t dilute the timbre, dynamics, power, 

weight, or clarity of bass-rich instruments. 

The thundering left-hand lines of Nojima Plays 

Liszt [Reference Recordings], for example, 

conveys the piano’s size, power, and authority, 

as well as Nojima’s commanding mastery of 

this music. I had the same goosebump-raising 

experience with this recording as when I 

stood a few feet from a 9' Steinway while 

pianist Fan Ya Lin performed with powerful 

ferocity at the last Rocky Mountain Audio 

Fest. These bass qualities combined with the 

transparency, bloom around image outlines, 

and textural finesse described earlier to 

create a more credible illusion of an acoustic 

bass in my listening room than any other 

digital I’ve heard—by a wide margin. Listen, for 

example, to Edgar Meyer’s superbly recorded 

instrument on the CD Hop, Skip & Wobble 

[Sugar Hill], a trio album with Jerry Douglas 

and Russ Barenberg. Rather than hearing a 

mere source of low-frequency sounds, I got an 

uncanny impression of the instrument's large 

wooden body resonating, and the attacks of 

each note expanding out into the room. 

The Vivaldi’s SACD performance was off-thecharts-great. 

Fabulous-sounding SACDs were 

sublime in their resolution, clarity, and lack 

of a “digital” signature. I recently discovered 

the Japanese label Eighty-Eights (distributed 

by Eastwind Imports). Judging from the first 

two discs I’ve heard from its catalog—The 

Great Jazz Trio (Hank Jones, John Pattitucci, 

and Jack DeJohnette) and Roy Haynes’ Love 

Letters—the label is recording great music 

in state-of-the-art sound. All the titles are 

recorded originally in DSD and released as 

hybrid SACDs. The disparity between CD 

and SACD was not as great as I’ve heard 

from other players, but not because of any 

limitation in the Vivaldi’s SACD performance. 

Rather, the Vivaldi’s ability to make CDs sound 

so great vaults their performance closer to 

SACD territory than I thought possible. In 

comparisons between SACD and the same 

titles in 96kHz/24-bit PCM played from the 

server I’d have to give the edge to the SACD 

format for its smoother, more lifelike treble 

and concomitant greater ease. The PCM file, 

by comparison, has a hint of hardness in the 

treble not present in SACD playback. Cymbals 

reproduced in the SACD format are more 

delicate, airier, and lack the slightly hard 

timbre of PCM. 

I was able to play native DSD files from a 

computer but didn’t have the equivalent 

SACDs to make comparisons. I was also 

unfamiliar with the limited selection of music 

available. I can, however, report that the sound 

was superb and that the Vivaldi played DSD 

files with no problems. 

High-resolution PCM files with which I’m 

very familiar were taken to another level by 

the Vivaldi. The low-level detail, spatial cues, 

and dimensionality of Exotic Dances for the 

Opera [Reference Recordings] at 176.4kHz/24- 

bit were stunningly portrayed. The Vivaldi 

revealed these spectacular recordings 

in all their glory. The qualities that make 

high-res better than standard-resolution— 

transparency, low-level detail, dimensionality— 

were fully realized via the Vivaldi’s stunning 

resolution, timbral fidelity, dynamics, bottomend 

weight and precision, and particularly, its 

tremendous dimensionality and sense that 

the soundstage is infused with air and light. 

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth 

spending the money for the Transport in this 

age of computer audio, my view is that the 

transport is essential for several reasons. 

First, the Transport will allow you to enjoy 

the large catalog of SACD titles. There 

are enough great SACDs to make it worth 

investing in hardware to access this format. 

Moreover, the Vivaldi represents the highest 

realization of the SACD format now and in the 

foreseeable future; I doubt that anyone will 

ever build a player that eclipses the Vivaldi. 

And when dCS inevitably discovers new 

techniques for extracting higher performance 

from the format, those techniques will likely 

be available via a software upgrade. Second, 

in comparisons between playing a CD in the 

transport and listening to a ripped file of that 


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CD I thought that the Transport had a small 

but noticeable sonic advantage. You wouldn’t 

think that reading data from an optical disc 

on the fly could be preferable to accessing a 

file from a hard drive, but to my ears the CD 

had a slightly greater sense of musical flow 

and involvement. It was hard to pin down to a 

specific sonic attribute, but the file sounded 

very slightly mechanical by contrast. The 

difference was small—less than that between 

USB or Ethernet cables, for example—so the 

disparity could have been my particular setup. 

You might also wonder what contributions 

the Upsampler and Master Clock make. 

The Upsampler gives you more options for 

upsampling (the Transport’s upsampling 

choices are limited), a networking capability, 

and an improvement in sound quality similar 

to that offered by the Master Clock. Adding 

either unit sharpens the soundstage focus, 

deepens the spatial presentation, increases 

dimensionality, resolves more fine detail, and 

renders timbres with greater realism. Even 

without the Upsampler and Clock, the Vivaldi 

Transport and DAC pair deliver the bestsounding 

digital I’ve ever experienced. The 

Upsampler and Clock just take what is already 

a spectacular presentation to an even higher 

level. Note that when listening to SACDs 

the Upsampler isn’t in the signal path; the 

Transport connects directly to the DAC via dual 

AES/EBU cables. 

The Vivaldi sounds in many ways like the 

Magico Q7 loudspeaker: ultra-transparent, 

ultra-realistic in its rendering of timbre, precise 

without being analytical, wide in bandwidth, 

tremendous in clarity and resolution, with a 

bass presentation that combines authority 

with definition. The Q7’s transparency and 

neutrality allowed me to fully hear the 

Vivaldi’s remarkable musical performance. 

The Vivaldi’s clarity and textural density gave 

me a new appreciation for the Q7’s resolving 

power and realism. 

After listening to the Vivaldi for a month 

with it connected with generic digital cables 

(AES/EBU and BNC-terminated clock cables), 

I replaced the signal and clock cables (one at 

a time) with AudioQuest digital cables (Wild 

AES/EBU and Eagle Eye BNC). It wasn’t a big 

surprise that the AudioQuest AES/EBU cables 

elevated the performance, but I didn’t expect 

replacing the cables carrying the clock would 

make such a difference. The sound with the 

Eagle Eye clock cables became more coherent, 

relaxed, and more musical. It wasn’t so much 

that the digital cables improved specific 

areas, but rather that the sound become 

more engaging and expressive. The Vivaldi is 

such a finely tuned instrument that it reveals 

everything, and at this level of quality, every 

improvement is significant. 

Conclusion 

After living with dCS’ Puccini CD player, and 

then learning about the Vivaldi’s technology, 

I had expected this new flagship to raise the 

bar in digital playback. I just didn’t expect that 

it would raise it so far above the current state 

of the art. The Vivaldi is in a class of its own 

in every category—technical sophistication, 

capabilities, and most importantly, sound 

quality. It was mind-blowing to hear wellworn 

references brought to life with such 

realism; I never thought that I would hear such 

dimensionality, clarity, and timbral fidelity, or 

experience such musical involvement, from 

standard-resolution digital. 

In addition to reference-class sound from 

CD, SACD, and high-resolution files sourced 

from a computer, the Vivaldi also sets the 

benchmark in functionality. There’s nothing 

the Vivaldi won’t do—PCM to DSD conversion, 

PCM to DXD, play DSD files, upsample any 

sample rate to any other rate, connect to 

a network for music-server integration, 

play files from a USB stick—the list goes on 

and on. Moreover, the Vivaldi’s hardware 

platform is overbuilt for the current software; 

new features and capabilities can be added 

with software updates without taxing the 

hardware’s capabilities. This state-of-the-art 

functionality, however, comes at a price: The 

Vivaldi is a highly complex and sophisticated 

instrument that asks much of the user in 

terms of selecting the operating parameters 

and monitoring the displays to be sure that 

the settings are optimized. In addition, I was 

not entirely satisfied by the music-server 

integration function. It was a challenge to 

set up, and the dCS iPad-control app is not 

as intuitive as, for example, the free Apple 

Remote app for iTunes. 

If you are in the fortunate position of being 

able to afford it, there’s no better sounding, 

more capable, more technologically advanced, 

or more future-proof digital source than the 

dCS Vivaldi. There’s simply nothing else like 

it. It is truly, and by a wide margin, the ne plus 

ultra of digital playback. 


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The Vivaldi's Technology 

The Vivaldi Transport is built around the massive AES/EBU connection, or better yet, with the SDIF-2 

Esoteric VRDS Neo disc mechanism. I attended a interface. Not to be confused with SPDIF, SDIF-2 is 

detailed technical presentation on this mechanism a three-cable interface developed for professional 

several years ago at Esoteric’s California office audio. The three cables carry, respectively, leftchannel 

audio, right-channel audio, and word clock. 

and can tell you that it’s built like no other discplayback 

system in the world. The 14-pound device This connection method, with the clock signal on a 

(conventional transports weigh a few ounces) is separate line, greatly reduces sonically degrading 

made from parts cut from solid-steel blocks. Most clock jitter. 

transports hold the disc at the center with a flimsy The Vivaldi DAC is highly flexible and capable, 

clamp; the VRDS Neo mechanism features a clamp able to convert digital data of any commonly found 

just bigger than a CD that is made from machined sampling frequency or signal format to analog. In a 

Duralumin. The disc is clamped from above via a solid typical configuration one pair of the DAC’s AES/EBU 

steel “bridge,” securely holding the disc as it is spun inputs is connected to the Transport for decoding 

and read. The laser pickup is mounted on a sturdy DSD, and another pair to the Upsampler’s outputs. 

sled and only allowed to move in three directions The latter is selected when listening to CDs played 

(horizontal, vertical, and circular) to reduce vibration in the transport, to an Apple device connected to 

and servo activity. The sled is mechanically isolated the Upsampler, or to network attached storage 

from the rest of the transport mechanism. Each under iPad control. The analog output is available 

mechanism is made by hand in Japan, and undergoes on independently-buffered balanced and unbalanced 

two days of quality-control testing. 

outputs, and is variable via a front-panel knob or up/ 

The Vivaldi Transport is unusual in that it can down buttons on the remote control. In a nice touch, 

upsample 44.1kHz/16-bit data read from a CD to a menu setting allows you to set the full-scale output 

DXD or to DSD. DXD (Digital eXtreme Definition) is level to 6V or 2V to match your power amplifier’s 

PCM data at 352.8kHz/24-bit. This format offers a input sensitivity and avoid large amounts of digitaldomain 

attenuation. A useful display indicates the 

data rate of 8.4672Mbs, considerably higher than 

DSD’s 2.8224 Mbs. DSD is Direct Stream Digital, the volume level. Of course, you can leave the volume at 

encoding method of SACD. The Vivaldi Transport maximum and adjust the level with your preamplifier. 

outputs DXD or DSD on dual AES/EBU jacks. When Six filters are offered for PCM decoding and four for 

outputting DSD, the data are encrypted with a DSD decoding. The PCM filters include one with no 

proprietary encryption scheme. To use the Vivaldi pre-ringing. The DSD filters vary only in the filters’ 

Transport’s upsampled DSD outputs, you’ll need to cutoff frequencies. Digital-to-analog conversion is 

connect it to the Vivaldi DAC (the DAC decrypts the performed by dCS’ famous Ring DAC, a novel and 

signal). For those of you who prefer no upconversion, ingenious solution to a fundamental problem in 

you can connect the transport to the DAC via a single digital-to-analog conversion (see sidebar). 

The Digital-to-Digital Upsampler fits between the 

Transport and DAC, upconverting audio from its native 

sampling rate to high-resolution PCM (up to 

192kHz/24-bit) or DXD (352.8kHz/24-bit). The Upsampler’s 

AES/EBU, RCA, and BNC connections can 

output PCM up to 192/24, with the dual AES/EBU 

jacks supporting DXD. It is also a digital hub with 

multiple inputs that can stream audio from a computer 

or a network-attached storage device such as 

a hard drive. The inputs include the network connection 

on an RJ45 jack, two asynchronous USB inputs 

(one Type A, one Type B), four SPDIF (two RCA, one 

BNC, one TosLink), and one SDIF-2. The Upsampler 

also supports the emerging DSD-over-USB protocol 

(which dCS developed and offered to everyone free as 

an open standard). This means that you can play DSD 

files from a server through the Vivaldi. The Upsampler 

also supports direct-digital playback from Apple devices, 

bypassing the Apple device’s internal DAC. The 

Type A USB input will play files stored on a USB stick, 

with navigation and music selection provided by the 

front-panel display. dCS 

offers an iPad app that 

allows you to browse and 

play your music library 

from a server or network 

attached storage device 

through the Upsampler. 

The Vivaldi Master 

Clock isn’t in the signal 

path, but instead sits 

outside it generating a 

reference clock to which 

the Transport, DAC, and 

Upsampler are locked. 

Without the Vivaldi Clock, 

the Transport, DAC, and 

Upsampler run on their own clocks (which are themselves 

high precision), but those clocks are not perfectly 

synchronized with each other. In addition, the 

Vivaldi Master Clock improves the clock precision by 

an order of magnitude, from +/-10 ppm to +/-1 ppm. 

The advantage to the Master Clock is that all the digital 

operations occurring in the various chassis are all 

locked to the same, higher-precision, reference. Note, 

however, that when using the Transport and DAC 

alone, the Transport will lock to the DAC via the SDIF- 

2 interface’s separate clock line. 

Each of the four chassis has a display window showing 

operating status, including which input is selected, 

the upsampling ratio, whether the unit is locked to 

the Master Clock, etc. It took some experience with 

the system before I understood fully how it operated. 

The menu system is so extensive that the Vivaldi is, 

as previously noted, supplied with a menu hierarchy 

map. The Vivialdi is without question the most sophisticated 

and complex piece of consumer-audio hardware 

I’ve ever used. With one network cable and one 

USB cable attached, a fully 

loaded Vivaldi requires 

14 cable connections—not 

counting the analog output 

cables. In addition, 

there are so many different 

combinations of settings 

that it’s easy to find 

yourself listening to one 

that is less than optimum. 

After a few weeks, however, 

I had it down to just 

selecting the input on the 

DAC or Upsampler and 

occasionally changing filters. 

RH 


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Technology: 

Scarlatti vs. 

Vivaldi 

The Vivaldi came to life as the result of dCS engineers 

asking, “What are the limitations of the Scarlatti” 

That four-box flagship was designed in 2007 as a 

cost-no-object project, and has stood the test of time. 

Still, six years is a long time in today’s world given 

changes in component parts, increasing options for 

accessing high-res music, as well as advances in 

dCS’ thinking and expertise. The decision was made 

to examine every aspect of the Scarlatti and create 

a new reference that would transcend Scarlatti. The 

Vivaldi is the result of that three-year development 

effort. 

For starters, the digital-signal processing platform 

in each of the four chassis was redesigned from the 

ground up to take advantage of new field-programmable 

gate arrays (FPGAs) and DSP chips. The new 

chips enabled dCS engineers to greatly increase the 

system’s maximum processing capacity, speed of data 

transfer, and overall performance. The Vivaldi hardware 

platform has 200 times the processing power of 

its predecessor. The additional power not only streamlines 

operations, but allows for future capabilities via 

software updates. In addition, some parts of the code 

that were previously in firmware are now in software, 

allowing easier upgrades. An example is the software 

that converts PCM or DSD data to the five-bit Ring 

DAC code; when dCS improves upon this algorithm 

you can load the new code via a CD update rather than 

replacing ROMs. The control-system circuit boards 


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are now eight-layer rather than four-layer. Eight-layer 

boards are quite rare in high-end audio products. 

One of the biggest differences between the 

Scarlatti and Vivaldi is the latter’s use of new singleelement 

latches in the Ring DAC (see sidebar). The 

Scarlatti employed 22 latch chips, each containing 

four individual latches. The Vivaldi’s 96 separate 

latches confer a significant advantage in that there’s 

no crosstalk between the latches as occurred when four 

latches were contained on a single chip. In addition, the 

new discrete latches offer higher performance. 

The analog output stage is all new. It is 6dB quieter 

and has 20dB greater channel separation than the 

Scarlatti (100dB vs. 120dB). The two halves of the 

balanced signal are also more closely matched 

in performance, as are the left and right channel 

characteristics. The analog board’s traces are routed 

by hand, not by an automated computer program. 

This allows the designer to optimize the layout and 

parts placement for the best performance. 

The user interface is also more intuitive and 

streamlined. Certain functions that the user once 

had to manually perform when switching inputs, for 

example, are now automatic. The Vivaldi’s greatly 

improved industrial design and cosmetics are readily 

apparent to anyone familiar with 

• Built in the USA 

• Custom footers with Sorbothane isolators 

• Power supply with internally shielded Plitron transformer 

• Ultra low noise discrete linear regulators 

• Custom output board with SPDIF (BNC 75 Ohm) and LVDS i2s (HDMI) 

• Ultra high quality SPDIF output 

• Output re-clocking totally isolated from the processor board 

• All signals re-clocked on the isolated board in an ultra low noise environment 

via low phase noise oscillators (Crystek CCHD Series) 

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The dCS Ring DAC 

The Ring DAC, invented by dCS in 1987, is places on the audio waveform. 

a brilliant solution to the challenge of converting 

digital data to an analog output greater the number of rungs on the lad- 

This problem becomes more acute the 

signal. To understand the Ring DAC, let’s der. In a 16-bit resistor-ladder DAC the 

first consider how conventional DACs work. value of the lowest resistor rung should be 

You can think of a multibit DAC as a ladder, 

with as many rungs on that ladder as est resistor rung. In a 24-bit converter the 

exactly 0.0000152 the value of the high- 

there are bits in a sample. A 24-bit DAC lowest resistor value should be precisely 

will have 24 “rungs,” each one a resistor 0.000000119209289550781 the value of 

that corresponds to each bit in the digital the highest resistor. It is obviously not possible 

to achieve anywhere near this level 

sample. The resistors are connected to a 

current source through a switch; the digital of precision in resistor manufacturing, and 

data representing the audio signal open or any deviation from the resistor ratios translates 

to amplitude errors in the analog out- 

close the switches to allow current to flow 

to the output or not. The currents of each put. 

rung are summed, with that summed value The now-defunct UltraAnalog company 

representing the audio signal’s amplitude. addressed this challenge by driving its 20- 

The resistor values are “binary weighted.” 

This means that each resistor lower the-shelf 16-bit DACs ganged together) with 

bit DACs (which were composed of two off- 

down on the rung must have double the resistance 

of the rung above it, and so forth, the DAC output at each code value, calcu- 

100,000 different digital codes, measuring 

corresponding to the binary progression lating the degree of error in each specific 

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and so on. Because each bit resistor, and then having technicians handsolder 

tiny precision metal-film resistors on 

in the digital code represents twice the 

value of the next lower bit, each resistor the ladder rungs to bring them closer to the 

must have a value exactly half that of the correct value. 

resistor on the rung below it. One problem A DAC technology that doesn’t rely on 

with these so-called “R-2R ladder” DACs is binary-weighted resistor ladders is the onebit 

DAC. This device converts a multi-bit 

that it’s impossible to make resistors with 

the precision required for perfect binary code into a single-bit data stream that has 

weighting. The result is that the tolerances two values, one and zero. Unlike a multibit 

in resistor values introduce amplitude errors 

in the analog output. Moreover, those is very high, but the one-bit DAC suffers 

DAC, the one-bit DAC’s amplitude precision 

amplitude errors will occur in the same from very high noise that must be “shaped” 

(shifted away from the audioband). Onebit 

DACs are also very susceptible to jitter. 

dCS’s solution is the Ring DAC, which 

can be considered a hybrid of the two approaches. 

It is based on a five-bit code that 

drives resistors of identical value. Because 

the resistors in dCS’ Ring DAC are all the 

same nominal value their actual values are 

very close to one another. The five-bit code 

has a much higher signal-to-noise ratio 

than a one-bit datastream and requires an 

order of magnitude less noise shaping. 

Digital signal processing first “maps” 

whatever datastream is coming in 

(192kHz/24-bit, or the 2.8224MHz 1-bit 

code of DSD, for examples) into a unique 

five-bit code. This five-bit code opens and 

closes latches connected to a current 

source that drives one of five resistors of 

identical value. Because these resistors can 

never have exactly the same resistance, 

the Ring DAC employs an array of resistors 

and randomly shifts the audio signal between 

resistors in the array. The Ring DAC 

gets its name from this “passing around” 

of the signal from one resistor in the array 

to another, as in a ring. The effect is to convert 

what would be amplitude errors in the 

analog output into a very small amount of 

random white noise. 

The Ring DAC is brilliant in concept, 

and achieves its highest realization in the 

Vivaldi. The commonality in sonic character 

between all dCS products—the density of information, 

the resolution of fine detail, the 

unique spatial qualities—are probably attributable 

in large part to the Ring DAC. RH 


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Inside the 

dCS Factory 

I visited dCS’ sparkling new factory last September 

to get the full technical briefing on the Vivaldi and to 

see first-hand how this extraordinary product is built. 

Last year dCS moved from an older building south of 

Cambridge to a brand new and very modern facility ten 

minutes north of the city. The new factory was builtout 

specifically for dCS to give the company greater 

efficiency of manufacturing. 

dCS was founded in 1990 to build high-precision 

electronics for military applications, including 

ultra-precise analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog 

converters. The company then began applying its 

technology to professional audio, where dCS earned 

a reputation for extraordinary sound quality. dCS 

introduced its first consumer product, the Elgar DAC, 

in 1997. Since then the focus has been on pushing the 

envelope in high-end digital-playback systems. The 

company has 17 employees, five of them in engineering. 

The two leading engineers have between them more 

than 40 years at dCS. When visiting a company 

I always note the ratio of engineers to sales and 

marketing personnel; it gives you an idea of whether 

the company is technology-driven or marketingdriven. 

dCS is most assuredly an engineering-led firm. 

The Vivaldi’s industrial designer, Ray Wing, gave 

me a fascinating in-depth look at the design process 

via 3-D drawings on his computer. dCS wanted a 

distinctive new look for the Vivaldi and it achieved that 

goal. The front panels have gentle three-dimensional 

waves that are elegant and visually interesting, but 

exceedingly time-consuming to machine. Creating one 

front panel for a Vivaldi component takes four hours of 

CNC machine time. 

As with all dCS products, the Vivaldi is softwareintensive. 

All the control systems, upsampling, 

digital filtering, input receiver, and the algorithm that 

converts PCM or DSD to the five-bit Ring DAC code 

are created in-house. The metal work and printedcircuit 

board stuffing are performed by local outside 

vendors, with assembly in dCS’ factory. Each board 

undergoes testing before assembly, and repeatedly 

during the build process. Some of these tests take 

four hours to complete on an automated test-jig. The 

critical clocks inside Vivaldi are individually calibrated 

by putting them in an oven for four days, varying the 

temperature, and monitoring the clock’s frequency 

drift with the changing oven temperature. A support 

circuit is individually calibrated for that particular 

clock’s characteristics based on the measured data. 

Each component of the Vivaldi system (Transport, 

DAC, Upsampler, Clock) is visually inspected by three 

different individuals before the unit is boxed—the 

test technician, the production manager, and either 

someone from marketing or the president of dCS 

himself. RH 

dCS' new factory 

The production shop. 

Inside the Vivaldi DAC 

The oven and clockmeasurement 

system. 

One of several testing stations. 


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Jacob Heilbrunn On the 

Scarlatti and Vivaldi 

Digital playback has long been the problem 

child of high-end audio. Suggest to a diehard 

vinyl lover that there might perhaps be some 

redeeming qualities about digital recordings 

and, more than likely, you will be met with a 

frozen or even pained smile. The implication 

is clear: For the true connoisseur seeking the 

audio truth and nothing but the truth, it is a 

foolish deviation, a trap and a snare, to listen 

to digital recordings. And for a number of 

years the disdain has not been wholly unjustified. 

Vinyl has always has had an inherent 

relaxation and warmth that digital can only 

envy from afar. And yet in recent years, the 

gap has been narrowing between the two formats. 

One company that has been at the forefront 

of that welcome development is dCS. 

A few years ago I sat up with a jolt when listening 

to the dCS Scarlatti playback system. 

There was a resolute quality to the bass and 

an abundance of detail that I had simply never 

heard before on digital. I bought it. Now dCS 

has upped the ante with its new Vivaldi system, 

which I first heard in New York at Ears 

Nova, where dCS introduced it to an American 

audience. Since then, I have had the opportunity 

to audition it in my own system. 

Actually, that’s baloney. I haven’t been 

auditioning the Vivaldi. I’ve been reveling in 

it. While the Scarlatti was an excellent performer, 

the Vivaldi visually and audibly surpasses 

it in several important respects. For 

one thing, its casework is more impressive 

than the Scarlatti's—heavier and more inert, 

rendering it less susceptible to vibrations. It 

also looks more attractive than the Scarlatti. 

But none of that would matter so much if 

the Vivaldi didn’t offer superior performance. 

The differences with the Scarlatti are instantly 

apparent. It seems to be even tighter in the 

nether regions than its predecessor—on Christian 

McBride’s sensational CD Conversations 

with Christian I was awestruck at the speed 

and energy of his bass. The notes seemed to 

fly into my room at warp speed. The Vivaldi 

also has more control and grip than the Scarlatti. 

It has more extended decays that seem 

to linger on into infinity. And it has a much 

more refined and extended treble. Slam and 

dynamics are second to none. I could keep 

going down the audio checklist, but it’s like 

breaking down a fine painting and discussing 

its individual attributes without recognizing 

its overall beauty. 

Which is to say that these sonic attributes 

result in the most significant aspect of the 

Vivaldi when contrasted with the Scarlatti. 

The Scarlatti was unable to efface the sense 

of a slightly aggressive treble region. Not so 

with the Vivaldi. Plunk a CD in the tray or 

stream a high-resolution file, and the music 

seems to simply appear out of the ether with 

a sense of utter relaxation. The Vivaldi has, 

by and large, banished the sense of electronic 

reproduction and it has a nuance and 

filigreed sound in the treble that the Scarlatti 

lacked. There is an addictive and sensuous 

quality to the sound that approaches what, 

for better or worse, is usually called analoglike. 

Mind you, I’m not saying that the Vivaldi 

is superior to the Continuum Caliburn I use 

or other top-flight ’tables. What I do mean to 

say, however, is that given the quality of the 

Vivaldi, I am perfectly happy listening to CDs 

and that I don’t find quarreling over the distinctions 

between the two formats particularly 

rewarding or edifying. 

The blunt fact is that digital playback is 

reaching new heights. There is a gentleness 

and absence of grain, particularly in the mids 

and highs, that place the Vivaldi on an entirely 

different plane from the Scarlatti. Listen to 

the Lorraine Hunt Lieberson on Handel’s Julius 

Caesar [Harmonia Mundi] and I defy you 

not to feel goosebumps at the pellucidity of 

the sound. 

To my mind, the Vivaldi represents a revolutionary 

advance in digital playback. Over 

the past several decades, dCS has steadily refined 

its digital products. Each generation has 

represented an improvement over the previous 

one. Now dCS has surpassed itself with 

the Vivaldi. Indeed, when listening to it, I was 

reminded of the immortal remark by Gilligan 

Island’s Thurston Howell III: “No one can pull 

the wool over my eyes. Cashmere maybe, but 

wool, never.” Friends, the Vivaldi will pull cashmere 

over your eyes. 


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Oppo BDP-105 Universal/ 

Blu-ray Player and DAC 

Gives “Flexible Flyer” A Whole New Meaning 

Chris Martens 

Awards 

In recent years Oppo Digital has followed a simple recipe for success: Just build 

universal disc players that offer greater versatility, more audiophile-friendly features, 

and more sensible pricing than the competition does, and then give them decisively 

better sound and picture quality than their peers. Naturally, this laudable goal is a lot 

easier to describe on paper than it is to achieve in the real world, but Oppo has made 

good on its promises, year after year and player after player, in the process earning a 

reputation as the nearly automatic “go-to” source for players that will satisfy discerning 

music (and movie) lovers on a budget. 

Historically, many of Oppo’s most popular players 

have sold for around $499. But with the 2011 

release of its BDP-95 universal/Blu-ray player 

($995), the firm began to explore a more upscale 

market. What set the BDP-95 apart was 

that it was not merely a “hot-rodded,” sonically 

tweaked version of a standard Oppo player; 

rather, it was a unique, dedicated high-end model 

with a distinctive configuration all its own. 

The award-winning BDP-95 sounded remarkably 

good both for its price and in a broader 

sense. Never a company to rest on its laurels, 

however, Oppo has recently announced the 

successor to the BDP-95; namely, the BDP-105 

($1199)—a player that promises to do everything 

its predecessor could do and then some. 

Like its predecessor, the BDP-105 can handle 

virtually any format of audio or video disc, 

including Blu-ray Video, Blu-ray 3D, DVD-Video, 

DVD-Audio, SACD, CD, HDCD, and more. 

But with the BDP-105 the universality theme 

doesn’t end with disc playback because the 

new player is also designed to serve both as 

a network-streaming player as a multi-input 

high-resolution DAC (complete with asynchronous 

USB). 

To really “get” what the BDP-105 is about, 

think of it not so much as a powerful multi-format 

disc player (although it is that and more), 

but rather as a multi-function digital media 

playback hub whose bag of trick includes, but is 

in no way limited to, disc playback. In practical 

terms, this means the BDP-105 neatly resolves 

debates about whether it is better to listen to 

discs, to stream content from the Internet, or 

to enjoying audio files stored on computers, 

because it can quite happily do all of the above. 

The BDP-105 comes housed in an all-new 

steel chassis said to be significantly more rigid 

than the chassis used in previous Oppo players 

(including the BDP-95), and it benefits from a 

fan-less architecture, meaning all internal components 

are convection-cooled (most previous 

Oppos required fan-cooling). Do such seemingly 

small detail changes like a more rigid chassis 

or a fan-free design make for meaningful sonic 

improvements My opinion, based on extensive 

comparisons between the BDP-105 and 95, is 

that they do. Specifically, the new player offers 

a noticeably more solid and “grounded” sound 

with quieter backgrounds, improved resolution 

of low-level transient and textural details, and 

superior three-dimensionality. 

Moving on, the BDP-105 uses a beefy toroidal 

power supply and provides both 7.1-channel 

analog audio outputs plus two separate sets of 


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Oppo BDP-105 

stereo analog outputs (one single-ended and 

the other fully balanced). Interestingly, the 

BDP-105 (like the BDP-95) features not one but 

rather costly 8-channel ESS Sabre32 Reference 

DACs, one to feed the 7.1-channel outputs 

and the other to feed the two sets of stereo 

outputs. ESS’s Sabre32 Reference DACs are 

used in some very pricey components, making 

it impressive that Oppo fits two of the devices 

into its sub-$1200 player. 

Another new touch is that the BDP-105 

provides a built-in headphone amp that runs 

straight off one of the player’s ESS Sabre32 

Reference DACs. While the headphone amp offers 

relatively modest output, it has the undeniable 

benefit of being fed directly from one of 

the Oppo’s ESS Sabre32 Reference DACs, so 

that it gives listeners an unusually pure, uncluttered, 

intimate, and up-close perspective 

on the music (precisely what you would want 

for monitoring applications, for example). I 

found the Oppo headphone amp had more than 

enough output to drive moderately sensitive 

headphones such as the HiFiMAN HE-400s 

or PSB M4U1s, though it might not have sufficient 

“oomph” for more power-hungry top-tier 

’phones (for instance, the HiFiMAN HE-6). 

While the original BDP-95 offered a reasonable 

range of Internet-content options and 

could play digital audio files from USB storage 

devices or eSATA drives, it was never set up to 

function as multi-input playback device or as 

a high-resolution audio DAC. The 105 changes 

all this by offering a greatly expanded range of 

general-purpose inputs, including two HDMI inputs 

(one that is faceplate-accessible and MHLcompatible) 

and three USB 2.0 ports (one that 

is faceplate-accessible). Moreover, the BDP-105 

also provides three dedicated DAC inputs: two 

S/PDIF inputs (one coaxial, one optical), plus 

one asynchronous USB input. Finally, to complete 

the connectivity picture the new player 

provides both Ethernet and Wi-Fi network connections 

implemented, respectively, through 

a rear panel-mounted RJ-45 connector and a 

handy USB Wi-Fi dongle. 

To take full advantage of these networkconnection 

options, the BDP-105 offers DLNA 

compatibility, complete with support for DMP 

(Digital Media Player) and DMR (Digital Media 

Renderer) protocols. In practice, this means 

the BDP-105 can access audio, picture, and 

video files stored on DLNA-compatible digital 

media servers (that is, personal computers or 

network-attached storage devices) that share 

a common network with the Oppo within your 

home. 

From this technical overview, you can see 

that the BDP-105 is an extraordinarily flexible 

source component, but for most audiophiles 

the key question is, and always will be, “How 

does it sound” Let’s focus on that question 

next. 

From the outset, the BDP-105 struck me as 

being a very high-resolution player—one that 

made child’s play of digging way down deep 

within recordings to retrieve small, essential 

pieces of musical information that helped convey 

a sense of realism. To hear what I mean, 

try the track “O Vazio” from the Jim Brock 

Ensemble on a sampler disc (in HDCD format) 

from Reference Recordings. Throughout this 

track the Oppo did a stunning job of rendering 

the distinctive attack and action of each of the 

instruments in the ensemble (accordion, bass, 

drum kit, guitar, trumpet, winds, and other more 

exotic percussion instruments), giving them a 

commanding sense of presence with precisely 

focused placement within a wide, deep, threedimensional 

soundstage. In particular, the 105 

showed terrific speed and agility on the leading 

edges of notes (especially on the drums), 

rendering them with the sort of clarity 

and impact that reminded me of the 

sound of far more costly players. 

Another song from “Jordan” from 

the Brock/Manakas Ensemble, contains 

a brief, quiet passage that reveals 

another important aspect of the 

BDP-105: namely, its impressive ability 

to maintain focus and resolution even 

when playing at very low levels. After 

the introduction of the song, which 

lasts about 35 seconds, the music RE 

comes to a dramatic pause that eventually 

is broken by the extremely faint 

sound of a cymbal (or small gong) 

gently introducing the rhythmic pulse 

that will supply a heartbeat for the 

rest of the song. At first, the cymbal 

is heard so softly that its sound barely 

rises above the noise floor, yet even 

so the Oppo gets the sound of the instrument 

right, preserving all the essential 

elements of attack, timbre, and 

decay. This uncanny ability to resolve 

very-low-level musical information 

enables listeners to here all the little 

interactions between instruments and 

the acoustic spaces in which they are 

playing. While the original BDP-95 did 

a fine job in this respect, I would say the BDP- 

105 sounds better still. 

The voicing of the BDP-105 is generally neutral, 

with taut, deep, and well-controlled bass, 

transparent mids, and revealing, extended highs 

(highs that can, however, expose mediocre recordings 

for what they are). Pleasing though the 

Oppo can be, some might find it a bit lean-sound- 


Disc types: BD-Video, Blu-ray 

3D, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, 

AVCHD, SACD, CD, HDCD, 

Kodak Picture CD, CD-R/RW, 

DVD-R/RW, DVD-R DL, BD-R/ 

Internal storage: 1GB 

Inputs: Three USB 2.0 inputs 

(one faceplate accessible), 

two HDMI inputs (one 

faceplate accessible and MHL 

compatible), three dedicated 

DAC inputs (one coaxial, one 

optical, and one asynchronous 

USB), one Ethernet port (RJ- 

45), one Wi-Fi port (via USB 

dongle) 

Outputs: One 7.1-channel 

analog audio output, two 

stereo analog audio outputs 

(one set balanced via XLRs, 

one set single-ended via 

RCA jacks), two digital audio 

outputs (one coaxial, one 

optical), two HDMI outputs 

(can be configured for video 

output on one port and audio 

output on the other), one 

headphone output 

DAC resolution: (USB Audio) 

2 channels @ 192k/24b PCM, 

(Coaxial/Optical) 2 channels @ 

96k/24b 


12.2" 


Price: $1199 

Oppo Digital, Inc. 

2629 Terminal Blvd., Suite B 

Mountain View, CA 94043 

(650) 961-1118 

oppodigital.com 



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Oppo BDP-105 

ing compared to the deliberately warmer-sounding 

offerings on the market. If you prefer components 

that give a voluptuous musical presentation 

then the Oppo might not be your cup of 

tea, but if sonic honesty and neutrality are your 

things you should get on very well with it. 

Let me expand on my voicing comments by 

pointing out that the BDP-105 needs a of runin 

time to sound its best (some say as much as 

200 hours or more). As playing time accumulates, 

traces of leanness and austerity gradually 

melt away, thus enabling the player to reveal 

a smoother, more full-bodied, and more forgiving 

sonic persona. 

If you buy the notion that some source components 

try for a softer, smoother, and thus 

ostensibly more “musical” presentation, while 

others aim for maximum musical information retrieval, 

then I would say the Oppo falls squarely 

in the information-retrieval camp (as do a great 

many other high-performance solid-state players). 

Thus, tonal colors are rendered vividly 

through the Oppo, but without any exaggeration 

or oversaturation, so that there is nothing 

artificially sweetened, enriched, or “glowing” 

about the 105’s sound. Instead, the Oppo is one 

of those rare “what you hear is what you get” 

sorts of players, whose primary mission is to tell 

you how your discs or digital music files actually 

sound, which in my book can be a beautiful 

thing. 

As a disc player, the BDP-105 is more than 

good enough to show in palpable ways that 

well-recorded SACDs really do sound better 

than their equivalent CDs (there’s greater 

smoothness and ease with SACDs, and simply 

more “there” there, so to speak). But as a 

DAC, the Oppo really comes into own, sounding 

much like it does when playing discs, but with 

subtly heightened levels of tonal saturation 

and warmth that make the music more engaging 

and intense. 

Are there caveats Apart from the extensive 

run-in requirements noted above, I can think of 

only a few. First, the BDP-105 is an inherently 

complex product that—at the end of the day—is 

simpler to navigate and control when it is connected 

to a display screen. Second, the player’s 

sound is so unashamedly refined and sophisticated 

that you may feel inspired (if not compelled) 

to use top-tier interconnect cables that 

will wind up costing more than the player does. 

But trust me on this one: The Oppo’s worth it. 

If ever a product deserved to be considered 

the Swiss Army knife of digital media playback, 

the BDP-105 is the one. Whether you choose 

it for multi-format disc playback, for networkstreaming 

capabilities, or to use as a DAC at 

the heart of a computer-audio system, the 

BDP-105 will consistently serve up levels of 

sonic refinement and sophistication the belie 

its modest price. Enthusiastically recommended. 

Disc Player 

of the Year 

Oppo BDP-105 

$1199 

The BDP-105 is more than just a disc player, 

though it will handle virtually any type of video 

and/or audio disc you’d care to name. In fact, 

depending upon your frame of reference, you 

might rightly consider it to be a powerful videoprocessing 

engine, a high-quality headphone 

amplifier, or a highly capable, multi-input highresolution 

DAC (complete with an asynchronous 

USB input). In addition to its versatility, the 

Oppo offers features geared specifically for 

audiophiles, including a beefy power supply, 

a fanless architecture for low noise, dual ESS 

Sabre32 reference DACs for ample decoding 

power and low jitter, separate multichannel 

analog outputs, and dedicated single-end and 

balanced stereo analog outputs. Clean, clear, 

and decidedly detail-oriented, the Oppo hews 

somewhat toward sonic leanness, but is far 

more revealing than it has any right to be for 

the money. (CM, 232) 


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Music Servers 


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Bluesound Audio 

Ecosystem 

So Long, Sonos! 


In the not so distant past, multi-zone audio systems were expensive, cumbersome, 

and time-consuming propositions that required a team of installers, the routing of 

cables through walls and attics, and a whole lot of patience. Add multi-zone rack 

preamps, multiple amps, multiple sources, multiple speakers, in-wall control panels, 

and hundreds of feet of wire, and installing a multi-zone audio system was akin to 

remodeling your house. Then a company called Sonos hit the boards in 2002, and 

since then multi-zone audio has become simpler and cheaper with each passing year. 

However, while the new wireless systems were easier to install and use, they were also 

limited to MP3 and CD-quality audio, and that quality was further limited by inferior 

parts and sonics. But what if you could combine the ease of wireless streaming, highres 

sound, and legendary audio components, all in one system Well, that’s exactly 

what Bluesound has accomplished, and the result is true high-end audio with twentyfirst-century 

connectivity. 

What’s Bluesound 

While Bluesound might be a new name in the hifi 

world, Lenbrook—the parent company of NAD, 

PSB, and now Bluesound—has a long history of 

designing high-performance components and 

speakers at affordable prices. At the heart of 

Bluesound are the design philosophies of Paul 

Barton, founder of PSB, and the engineers 

at NAD Electronics. With powerhouse audio 

companies backing Bluesound, the resulting 

line of products is spectacular. The Bluesound 

“ecosystem” consists of five components: The 

Node, the Powernode, the Vault, the Duo, and 

the Pulse. Because the Node and Powernode 

are essentially the same product, except that 

the Powernode has a built-in amplifier, the 

review samples I received included everything 

but the Node. 

Bluesound Vault 

The Bluesound Vault has been my new best 

friend for the past three months. The Vault is 

a music server, hard drive, and CD-ripper in 

one sleek box. The Vault sports 1TB of internal 

hard-drive storage, and ripping CDs to it is 

as easy as such things get. Insert the your 

CD into the front slot and give the Vault five 

minutes to rip; the Vault then automatically 

acquires album artwork and metadata, and 

ejects the CD when it’s done. If you have a 

large CD collection and want to finally store 

everything on a music server that’s affordable 

and functional, the Vault is far simpler to use 

than a computer-based system—and a whole 

lot cheaper. While the ripping process is slower 

than it is with a really fast computer drive, 

the fact that you don’t have to do anything 

besides insert CDs is a huge time-saver. 

But the power of the Vault isn’t simply its 

ability to rip CDs; the Vault also allows you to 

consolidate your digital music management 

in one sleek, easy-to-use system. I’ve had a 

computer-based music server in my home 

for years, so all of my CDs have long since 

been saved to Network Attached Storage 

devices (NAS drives). When I connected the 

Vault to my home network via Ethernet (the 

Vault requires Ethernet connection in order to 

deliver high-res music to all devices), it found 

my NAS drives, and after I selected “Re-index 

Music Collection” in the Bluesound iPad app 

the Vault went to work. The initial indexing 

took about 20 minutes for 10,000 songs, 

and when the process was finished I had full 

access to all my digital music—some of which 

was stored on the Vault, and some on multiple 

NAS drives. I now have the ability to search for 

music, create playlists, stream music to other 

Bluesound devices, output to an external DAC 

via the optical conmnector, and even stream 

to multiple devices simultaneously—all from 

the iPad app. 

The Vault has a built-in DAC capable of 

playing PCM audio files up to 192kHz/24-bit. 

While I found its analog output more than 

adequate for those just getting into highres 

audio, consumers with a component or 

reference DAC will want to use the optical 

output from the Vault to send music to their 

reference systems. 

The Vault goes way beyond locally stored 

digital audio, though. It also allows you to 

stream Internet radio via Rdio, Slacker, and 

TuneIn, as well as streaming music services 

like Qobuz, Deezer, Wimp (not yet available 

in the U.S.), and Spotify. While Internet radio 

isn’t high-res, it is still great to be able to 

stream NPR in the mornings, or use Spotify 


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EQUIPMENT review - Bluesound Audio Ecosystem 

to discover new music and create playlists, 

or stream radio to multiple devices—again, all 

from your smartphone and iPad. 

If having control of and access to all of your 

digital music—both locally stored and Internetstreamed—isn’t 

reason enough to own a Vault, 

then maybe the fact that this little box does 

everything while maintaining a low profile 

is. You can place the Vault anywhere in 

your home as long as it’s connected to your 

network via Ethernet, and if you want to use 

it in your reference system with a component 

DAC, the Vault is dead silent. Many NAS drives 

make noise when they spin up, and larger 

multi-drive systems like my Drobos have fans 

that can create unacceptable levels of noise 

for a listening room. The Vault never makes 

itself known, runs silent and generally cool, 

and is easily hidden away. There’s no need for 

a keyboard or monitor for initial setup, as with 

a Mac Mini, and the ability to stream highres 

audio and Internet services to multiple 

devices is killer. In all honesty, now that I’ve 

had the Vault in my home, I don’t think I can 

live without it. Finally, one device that does 

everything without blowing the budget! 

Bluesound Powernode 

Most people want the ability to play music 

in more than one room, but that generally 

means buying a complete second system with 

sources, cables, and all the accouterments 

of a stand-alone stereo system. Enter the 

Bluesound Powernode, an integrated amplifier 

and network-attached (wireless or Ethernet) 

music-management device. The Powernode 

has many of the same features as the Vault, 

without the CD drive and internal storage. 

Connect it to your home network, launch the 

Bluesound app, and the Powernode will find 

your NAS drives and index all of your digital 

music. Every Bluesound device is controlled 

using the same app, so the Vault and 

Powernode work in a symbiotic relationship 

(or individually) to provide you with music 

whenever and wherever you want. 

The Powernode is a “just add speakers” kind 

of system. With 150W into 8 ohms and 80W 

into 4 ohms, the NAD-designed DirectDigital 

amplifier has plenty of juice to really rock out. 

The Powernode also has an RCA subwooferout, 

so connecting a 2.1 system is a breeze. 

I connected the Powernode to the Bluesound 

Duo, which comprises a pair of bookshelf 

speakers and a high-quality 8" 280W 

subwoofer designed by none other than PSB. 

I set up the Powernode and Duo combo (you 

can use any speakers with the Powernode, 

not just the Duo) in several different rooms 

during the course of my audition, and it was 

simply amazing to just plug the Powernode 

in, connect the Duo, and then stream music 

via the Bluesound app. You can wirelessly 

control volume, listen to your favorite local 

or international radio stations, build playlists 

from the music stored on the Vault (or other 

NAS drives), stream Spotify, and do all of 

this with little to no work or bother. For 

parties, I streamed music via the Vault to my 

main system, to the Powernode, and to the 

Pulse (which I will discuss), and controlled 

everything wirelessly as I walked around the 

house. No running back and forth to adjust 

volume, change tracks, or even sources. You 

can even control multiple sources for each 

Powernode you install. Say you want jazz in 

the kitchen, blues on the back patio, and highres 

classical on your reference system. With 

the Bluesound Powernode, you can have an 

you need to add music to a room in one box. 

With the same great DirectDigital amplification 

as the Powernode, a 25-bit/844kHz DAC, a 

built-in high-end speaker, and the capability of 

wirelessly streaming high-res music from the 

independently managed music 

system in each and every room, or 

stream the same high-res music 

to all rooms simultaneously; the 

choice is yours. 


While the Powernode is a 

really great digital integrated 

amplifier, I would by no means call 

it a replacement for a reference 

BLUESOUND ECOSYSTEM 

Vault 

Storage capacity: 1TB internal 

streaming up to 192kHz/24-bit 

Amplification: Bi-amped 

DirectDigital 80Wpc 

system. When it comes to (infinitely expanded with NAS Frequency response: 45Hz–20kHz 

comparably priced alternatives, 

though, the Powernode blows 

drives) 

Formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, 



away the competition. Highquality 

ALAC, WAV, AIFF 

Price: $699 

amplification from NAD, 

wireless control and integration, 

and the ability to stream high-res 

audio in native 192kHz/24-bit will 

have you singing “So long Sonos!” 

At $699, the Powernode is one of 

the cheapest and fastest ways to 

have a high-res system anywhere 

you want—just plug it in! And if 

you already have a system and 

need a way to stream and manage 

digital music, just add the Node, 

which only costs $449. You get all 

of the features of the Powernode, 

minus the amplification. 

Bluesound Pulse 

The Bluesound Pulse isn’t just a 

DAC: PCM audio up to 192kHz/24- 

bit 

Inputs: Ethernet network 

Outputs: RCA, optical, Ethernet 



Price: $999 

Powernode 

Inputs: Wireless/Ethernet 

streaming up to 192kHz/24-bit 

Power: 50Wpc into 4 ohms 



Price: $699 

Pulse 

Inputs: Wireless/Ethernet 

Duo 2.1 Speaker System 

Frequency response: 36Hz–23kHz 

Powered sub: 280W peak, Class H 

MOSFET 

Weight: 24 lbs. (sub), 5 lbs. 

(speakers) 

Dimensions (sub): 9.5" x 15" x 14" 

Dimensions (speakers): 5" x 7" 

x 8" 

Price: $999 

BLUESOUND 

633 Granite Court 

Pickering, Ontario 

L1W 3K1 Canada 

(905) 831-6555 

bluesound.com 

“lifestyle” product; it’s everything 



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EQUIPMENT review - Bluesound Audio Ecosystem 

Vault or NAS drives, the Pulse sounds great 

for what it is. Are you going to be blown away 

by incredibly three-dimensional soundstages 

No. But the Pulse is an instant means of 

accessing and playing back high-quality 

music. During BBQs, I brought the Pulse to 

the backyard and everyone loved it. Stream all 

that high-res music from your network, create 

playlists, stream Internet radio or Spotify, all 

from the same great Bluesound app. 

Plug in the Pulse, connect to it via the 

Bluesound app, go through the painless setup 

process, and within five minutes you will 

be playing your favorite tunes. And if you 

need to move to another room, just unplug it 

and move it with you; the Pulse automatically 

reconnects to your home network once it’s 

plugged in again, and needs only 30 seconds 

or so to boot up. Again, you can “group” all of 

your Bluesound devices to play the same music 

in every room, or stream from multiple sources 

to have different music playing in each room. 

Bluesound Duo 

The Bluesound Duo 2.1 speaker system is 

another symbiotic piece of the Bluesound 

ecosystem. At $999, the Duo isn’t the cheapest 

option for the “just add speakers” Powernode, 

but what you get are high-quality transducers 

that work seamlessly with the NAD technology 

employed in the Powernode. As mentioned, 

the 280W powered subwoofer with 8" driver 

really fills out a room with added low end. 

(The system uses digital equalization with 

the DirectDigital amplification found in the 

Powernode to enhance the performance of any 

2.1 system.) 

I used the Powernode/Duo combo at my 

desk in a nearfield setup, and also in bedrooms 

and living rooms, and the sound quality was 

exceptional (which you would expect from 

a PSB-backed design). Especially in the 

nearfield setup, it was easy to achieve great 

soundstaging and imaging with the Duo, and 

the integration of the subwoofer was seamless 

using the Duo’s crossover, phase switches, and 

volume controls. 

One of my concerns with having all of these 

stereo components plugged in is energy 

consumption; however, the total standby 

power consumption of the subwoofer is only 

0.5W, which allows me to leave everything 

“on” without watching my electric meter 

whirring away. Again, the Duo isn’t for those 

looking for any ole cheapo speaker to play 

back music; these are high-quality, audiophilegrade 

speakers for your secondary system. 

The Bluesound Ecosystem: Final Thoughts 

Each of the Bluesound products works synergistically 

in a home ecosystem capable of wireless 

and Ethernet audio streaming, and all are 

controlled from a sleek tablet or smartphone 

app. When used in conjunction with a home network, 

audio can be streamed to each device using 

the same source or multiple sources. Each 

device’s volume and input can be controlled 

individually and wirelessly, or devices can be 

grouped together and controlled as one. Highres 

audio can be streamed to all devices in native 

resolution, and all of your digital music can 

be managed from the Bluesound app. Even if 

you already have NAS drives full of music, the 

Bluesound ecosystem will be able to manage 

everything from one spot. 

While the Bluesound 

ecosystem can be used 

without being hooked up 

to the ’Net, a high-speed 

Internet connection will 

transform it, allowing you 

to stream from Internet 

radio and music services like 

Spotify. In an all-wireless 

system, the Bluesound 

ecosystem can handle up 

to eight different devices— 

plenty for most people. But if 

you have a very large house, 

and want music streaming in 

every room—both inside and 

out—you can manage up to 

34 different devices when 

everything is connected via 

Ethernet to your home network. In essence, 

you can have a 34-zone audio system, capable 

of streaming from multiple sources. With such 

a large system, make sure you are using gigabit 

routers and switches, have an extremely fast 

Internet connection (50 megabits per second 

or faster), and are wiring with CAT6 Ethernet 

cables. The point is, though, that such a system 

would have cost an extremely large amount 

of money even ten years ago, and would be 

limited to CD-quality audio. With Bluesound, 

you can build a huge multi-zone/multi-source 

whole-house audio system that is easy to set 

up and easy to control, and has the ability to 

stream high-res audio, all for a fraction of the 

price (and hassle!) of professionally installed 

systems. Given that Bluesound is essentially a 

twenty-first-century combination of the best of 

NAD and PSB, you know you’re getting highquality 

products. 

I can’t stress strongly enough how amazing it 

is to be able to stream high-res music to all my 

rooms, and control everything from an incredibly 

intuitive smartphone and iPad app. I recently 

purchased a Victorian-style home built 

in 1910, and was worried about filling this beautiful 

104-year-old house with wires and marring 

it with holes in the walls and floors. Now, everything 

can be accomplished wirelessly, set up in 

an hour (not days), and I don’t have to do damage 

to my historic digs. I will be purchasing the 

review samples and a few additional Bluesound 

devices—that’s how much I like these products. 

Thank you Bluesound, and so long Sonos! 


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Sony HAP-Z1ES 

HDD Audio Player 

Game Changer 

Steven Stone 

As the flagship model for its “High Resolution Audio Initiative,” the new Sony 

HAP-Z1ES defines what Sony sees as the future of two-channel audio. It 

attempts to be easy for a naïve user to operate, yet capable of the highest 

audio quality. And while it’s relatively simple to make an audio product that is easy to 

use, very few ergonomically elegant mass-market audio devices also produce state-ofthe-art 

sonics. Conversely, there are quite a few state-of-the-art computer audio rigs 

that sound superb, but require at least a bachelor’s degree in electronics with a minor 

in computer sciences to set up and use. Bridging the gap between these two extremes 

is exactly what the Sony HAP-Z1ES is all about. 

The Grand Tour 

What is an HDD audio player In the case of the 

HAP-Z1ES, it is a local network-aware device 

that plays digital music files. It hooks up via Ethernet 

or Wi-Fi to your local network and the Internet. 

The HAP-Z1ES contains a 1TB hard drive 

for storing music files; it also has the ability to 

use external USB drives for additional storage. 

And what can the HAP-Z1ES store and play It 

supports virtually any format audio file, including: 

DSD (WSF and DSDIFF), WAV, AIFF, FLAC, 

ALAC, ATRAC, MP3, AAC, and WMA files. 

Since it is a local-network-aware device, any 

music file on any computer hard-drive in your 

home network can be imported into the HAP- 

Z1ES via a proprietary application program 

called “HAP Music Transfer.” The HAP Music 

Transfer app can run on almost every PC that 

supports 32-bit versions of Windows or Mac 

OS. Besides the initial transfer of music files, 

the HAP Music Transfer app can also automatically 

and periodically transfer any new music 

files on designated hard drives in your home 

network to your HAP-Z1ES player’s HD storage. 

Don’t look for SPDIF, USB, or AES/EBU digital 

inputs on the HAP-Z1ES player, or any digital 

outputs. The only hard-wired input is the 

aforementioned Ethernet connection, and the 

only outputs from the HAP-Z1ES player are 

analog. Located on the rear panel you’ll find 

a pair of balanced XLR and a pair of singleended 

RCA outputs. If you are in need of digital 

outputs to connect to your DAC or AV receiver, 

the HPA-Z1ES won’t help you. 

The front panel of the HAP-Z1ES is almost 

as Spartan as its rear panel. It has an on/off 

button on the extreme right, a large 3 7/8" by 

2 ¼" full-color display panel in the center, and 

four buttons and one large knob on the left 

side—the four buttons are menu, back, enter, 

and play. The HAP-Z1ES also comes with a 

small wand remote that supports basic functions 

including play, pause, jump forward, 

jump back, and select tracks for play. But 

most users will probably want to use Sony’s 

new dedicated app with the HAP-Z1ES. My review 

sample came with a Sony Xperia tablet 

that had the HAP app already installed. By the 

time you read this review Sony will have versions 

available for IOS and Android devices. I’ll 

tell you more about the app later in the review. 

While the outside of the HAP-Z1ES may be 

simple, its inside is full of new, sophisticated 

circuitry. For compressed music files Sony has 

developed DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement 

Engine) technology, which restores upper 

frequencies and the “tail” of waveforms that 

were truncated by lossy compression schemes. 

The HAP-Z1Es also includes Sony’s new “DSD 

Remastering Engine,” which according to 

Sony “combines a high-performance DSP 

(digital signal processing) and FPGA (fieldprogrammable 

gate array) to convert any 

signal (my emphasis) into DSD128 signals. 

It was designed based on the know-how 

garnered from Sony’s 8-times oversampling 

and Extended SBM (Super Bit Mapping) 

technology for professional recorders.” Yes, 

you read that right: the remastering engine 

can convert any and all PCM music files into 

DSD128 format, regardless of their original 

sample- or bit-rate. You can, if you wish, 

turn off the DSD Remastering engine via the 

main settings menu so the HAP-Z1ES will not 

convert PCM to DSD. 

Once a digital file has been converted into 

DSD128, the final step is to convert that 

DSD file into analog for playback. The HAP- 

Z1ES does this step with an analog FIR (finite 

impulse response) filter. Along with reducing 

the extreme high frequency noise inherent 

in DSD signals, the FIR filter system has 

independent right and left channels with four 

separate filters per channel. 

A low-phase-noise liquid-crystal oscillator 

handles internal digital timing in the HAP- 

Z1ES, which acts as the master clock for 

all digital signals. According to Sony’s 

measurements, the low-noise liquid-crystal 


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EQUIPMENT review - Sony HAP-Z1ES 

oscillator delivers 20–30dB lower noise than 

conventional clocks. 

The HAP-Z1ES has two separate largecapacity 

transformers, one for the analog 

power supply and one for the digital supply. 

Both receive a special vacuum impregnation 

pretreatment so all the winding coils are 

uniformly coated with varnish. By using 

separate transformers for analog and digital 

power supplies, the HAP-Z1ES achieves 

separation of analog and digital signals at the 

circuit board level. This reduces the adverse 

effects of digital noise to a minimum. 

Unlike many digital products, where the 

chassis is merely a big metal box, the HPS-Z1Es 

uses “Frame Beam Chassis” construction, 

which Sony has used on all its ES-level 

products in the past. The HP-Z1ES’s base is 

composed of two metal plates of different 

thicknesses that support the main chassis. 

There are two additional base plates under 

each power transformer. Along with these 

metal plates, Sony employs structural beams 

than run crosswise to reinforce the overall 

rigidity and improve resonance control. 

To further improve overall vibration 

control the HAP-Z1ES uses a new foot design 

that employs ribs combined with an offset 

connection that isolates sound pressure from 

external sources. Inside the HAP-Z1ES Sony 

uses special mounting methodologies—an 

example is the analog connection terminal, 

which is mounted separately on its own isolated 

board to minimize the effects of vibration. An 

internal cooling fan is mounted via a damping 

system to minimize any vibration it might 

generate. It is also specifically angled so that 

it can operate with maximum efficiency and 

minimum noise. 

Sony’s attention to detail on the HAP-Z1Es 

extends even to the main dial on the front 

panel. It is attached to an iron plate to prevent 

twisting or lateral movement. Although priced 

at only $1999, the HAP-Z1ES’ fit and finish 

certainly rivals preamps and network players 

costing a lot more. 

The Setup 

The original set-up plan was for a Sony 

technical expert to fly into Denver from San 

Diego and set up the HAP-Z1ES for me. An 

especially vigorous snowstorm curtailed his 

visit. He got as far as the outskirts of Boulder 

before he had to give up. Undaunted, I set up 

the HAP-Z1ES by myself without any outside 

technical assistance. I found that even an 

audiophile with limited computer savvy could 

install a HAP-Z1ES with little difficulty. 

After unpacking the HAP-Z1ES, I placed it 

on an equipment rack shelf and attached its 

analog outputs to my preamp and connected 

its Ethernet input to my home network via a 

100 feet of Cat 5 Ethernet cable. I could have 

used the HAP-Z1ES’ built-in Wi-Fi (I got a 

signal strength reading of 61 from the HAP- 

Z1ES’s built-in Wi-Fi signal strength meter), 

but I wanted to make sure the HAP-Z1Es was 

receiving the most robust signal I could supply. 

After connecting the HAP-Z1ES I turned 

it on and went to the “Network Settings” 

section of the main menu. There I selected 

“wired set-up” and “Auto” from the IP address 

page. After that, the HAP-Z1ES linked to my 

network and I saved the configuration. For 

users who like reassurance, the HAP-Z1ES 

lets you check and confirm that the settings 

are “OK” before closing the network settings 

pages. The procedure is much the same for 

wireless Wi-Fi, except you have a page that 

lets you select your access points. If you live 

in a Wi-Fi-intensive environment you can pick 

the correct Wi-Fi network and enter your 

password. Near the end of the review period 

I switched over to Wi-Fi access and had no 

issues with changes to the installation or 

impaired Internet performance. 

Once the HAP-Z1ES is connected to your 

home network, either via Ethernet cable or 

via Wi-Fi, you can transfer music files to its 

internal hard drive. Unlike many music servers 

that employ a closed system (see 

AHC’s review of the Olive player), 

the Sony HAP-Z1ES permits you 

to add, store, and backup your 

music files onto standard USB 

hard drives as well as its internal 

drive. Although created so those 

new to music servers can easily +/-3dB 

use it, the HAP-Z1ES can fit into 

a fairly complex computer music 

eco-system. Sony expects the 

average HAP-Z1ES owner already 

has a library or even multiple 

libraries of music. With the Sony 

HAP Music Transfer application 

owners can not only transfer 

current music files over to the 

HAP-Z1ES, but also periodically 

and automatically copy over any 

new music to their HAP-Z1ES. 

Initially I had some problems 

using the HAP Music Transfer application 

on my ancient Dell D620 laptop, which runs 

Windows XP. Even though I was running the 

last version of XP, the D620 did not recognize 

the HAP-Z1ES. After a couple of e-mails, Sony 

determined that the D620 was not running 

XP in the 32-bit mode that is needed for the 

program to run successfully. Any PC running 

a more current version of XP, Windows 7, or 

Windows 8 won’t have this issue. Since my 

ancient laptop proved to be better suited for 

doing firmware upgrades than running current 

software, I asked to see the Mac version of 

the HAP Music Transfer application. Sony 

then sent me a Beta copy of the Mac version 

which had just become available. It worked 


Frequency response: 2Hz–80kHz 

Dynamic range: 105dB or higher 

THD: 0.0015% or less 

HDD capacity: 1TB 

Supported playback formats: DSD 

(DSF, DSDIFF), LPCM (WAV, AIFF), 

FLAC, ALAC, ATRAC Advanced 

Lossless, ATRAC, MP3, AAC, 

WMA (2 channels) 

Outputs: Unbalanced 2.0V RMS 

(50k ohms); balanced 2.0V RMS 

(50k ohms), 600 ohms 

External ports: Type A USB for 

hard drive, IR Remote-Out jack 

for IR blaster 

Power consumption: 35W (on), 

0.3W (off), 2.8W (standby) 

Dimensions: 17" x 5 1/8" x 15 3/8" 


Price: $1999 

SONY ELECTRONICS INC. 

16530 Via Esprillo 

San Diego, CA 92127 

(858) 942-2400 

sony.com 



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flawlessly. 

When first used the HAP Music Transfer 

application has a default location for your 

Mac’s music library that may or may not be 

correct for your system. If you don’t keep your 

music on your primary drive you will have to 

change the app’s default location for your 

music folders. You must change the music 

library default or nothing will be transferred 

because the app won’t be able to find your 

music files. 

The HAP Music Transfer app supports 

multiple music folder locations. This means 

that if you and your family have separate 

music libraries on different computers in your 

home, as long as they are attached to your 

home network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, the HAP 

Music Transfer app can move them over to the 

HAP-Z1ES after you’ve selected and added 

them to the HAP Music Transfer’s music 

library folder list. 

Once your music folder locations have been 

entered into the HAP Music Transfer app, you 

can specify what kind of files you would like 

to transfer. The HAP-Z1ES supports 3GP, AA3, 

AIF, AIFF, DFF, DSF, FLA, FLAC, M4A, MP3, 

MP4, OMA, WAV, and WMA file types. And 

while you can transfer any and all of these 

formats over to the HAP-Z1ES, you might want 

to restrict its library to higher-quality lossless 

file formats. For users who’ve generated 

MP3 versions of their full-resolution files for 

their portable devices, being able to exclude 

MP3 files is a useful feature. By checking or 

unchecking the format boxes on the “Contents 

Settings” page of the HAP Music Transfer app, 

you can specify exactly which formats will be 

transferred. Once you’ve specified file types, 

pushing the “Start” button will initiate file 

transfers. My initial transfer involved 5697 

music files and required almost 20 hours to 

complete. You can expect the first transfer to 

take a while, which is why a wired Ethernet 

connection with its faster transfer rates is the 

best option. 

After all your music files are transferred 

to the HAP-Z1ES by the HAP Music Transfer 

app, the HAP-Z1ES connects to Gracenote’s 

database to acquire artwork for any files that 

may not have artwork. A majority of my music 

files already had artwork, but for some of 

my own recorded tracks the HAP-Z1ES found 

some interesting, if not entirely correct, art 

and attributions. On one particular track, 

which was a recording by my acoustic band, 

Knapweed, of the Bill Monroe/Peter Rowan 

song, “Walls of Time,” the song was incorrectly 

attributed to Emmylou Harris and the Nash 

Ramblers from their Live at the Ryman 

album. I was quite surprised when I selected 

it; instead of Emmylou’s superb vocals I heard 

my own pitiful croaking. 

If you select “auto update” from the HAP 

Music Transfer program’s options, during 

each launch it will immediately look for any 

new tracks in your designated music library 

locations and automatically transfer any new 

files onto the HAP-Z1ES. 

In addition to playing music from your 

music library, the HAP-Z1ES also has a builtin 

Internet radio tuner. Called the “V-Tuner,” 

this feature includes the ability to search for 

Internet radio stations by genre or location. It 

also lists the bit rate of each station so you 

can see exactly what quality level a station 

can deliver. I quickly found the local stations 

that I listen to regularly and designated them 

as “favorites” via a heart symbol icon, which 

added them to a special list that I could access 

more easily. 

Sony also added a special AI feature to 

the HAP-Z1ES called SenseMe channels. 

According to Sony, SenseMe channels is a 

function that analyzes and automatically 

categorizes music tracks according to their 

mood and tempo using the 12-tone analysis 

technology developed by Sony. SenseMe 

has twelve categories of music—morning, 

daytime, evening, midnight, energetic, relax, 

upbeat, mellow, lounge, emotional, dance, and 

extreme. These could be handy, especially 

if you’d like something a bit more selective 

than good old-fashioned shuffle mode. In my 

music library of almost 6000 songs, selecting 

“extreme” brought up 34 tracks. I guess I’m 

just not an extreme kinda guy. 

The HAP App and HAP-Z1ES Remote 

The HAP-Z1ES comes with a silver wandshaped 

remote control. It also has its own 

dedicated free downloadable app. The remote 

control duplicates all the buttons on the HAP- 

Z1ES front panel. It also adds jump forward, 

jump reverse, as well as mute and volume 

controls. Although the HAP-Z1ES has a fixed 

output level, both the volume and muting can 

be controlled by compatible Sony receivers 

and integrated amplifiers, or even assigned to 

products from other manufacturers, using the 

HAP-Z1ES’s “Amp Control Setting.” 

The HAP control application will be available 

for Android phones, iPhones, iPads, and Sony 

Xperia, and other Android tablets. At the 

time of the review, only the Android app had 

been finalized, so Sony included an Xperia 

tablet with the app installed on it. Once the 

app located the HAP-Z1ES on my network it 

worked flawlessly with no crashes or delayed 

responses. The app lets you choose music, 

make playlists, and find particular tracks in 

your music library. Among its extra features 

is a “new music” list that shows you the latest 

additions to your HAP-Z1ES’s music library 

and the most popular tracks called “favorites” 

(in case you really enjoy playing the same 

tracks over and over.) One nice, yet completely 

superfluous feature is that the background 

colors of the app change in response to the 

primary colors in the cover art of any currently 

playing track. 

Day-to-Day Use 

While I’m pretty sure there’s a computer in 

there somewhere, its lack of computer-based 

issues has made living with and using the 

HAP-Z1ES on a day-to-day basis a joy. I just 

turn it on and it works. Whether controlled 

from the front panel, the remote control, 

or the app, the HAP-Z1ES responded to 

commands quickly, and except in the case of 

hooking up with Internet radio stations via its 

V-Tuner, where it sometimes took as much as 

ten seconds for some stations to start to play, 

any music on the internal HD began playing 

almost instantly after being selected. 

While I didn’t find Sony’s SenseMe feature of 

particular value, I’m sure most users will find 

some use for it, if only to annoy significant 


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others by selecting “lounge.” One feature I did 

enjoy was the “Favorites” selection feature in 

the V-Tuner. I was able to assemble a very nice 

list of higher-bit-rate Internet radio stations 

in a short time by using V-Tuner’s search 

features. 

The Sound 

As someone who has felt that the best digital 

reproduction comes from files that have not 

had their native rate changed, reading that 

PCM files can be converted into DSD by the 

HAP-Z1ES raised some red flags. But after 

comparing the HAP-Z1ES’s DSD Remastering 

Engine’s rendition of PCM recordings with 

those same files played back at their native 

rate through the HAP-Z1ES, I can only conclude 

that whatever Sony is doing in the conversion 

process doesn’t appear to have any signature 

negative sonic effects. And while I wouldn’t 

go so far as to write that the Sony HAP-Z1ES 

does a better job of reproducing PCM than 

PCM-centric DACs or HD players, it certainly 

is on sonic par with the best I’ve heard. 

After an initial break-in period I did a number 

of A/B comparisons between the HAP-Z1ES and 

two streaming audio/computer based sources. 

The first source was a Sonos ZP100 feeding a 

Mytek Stereo192 DAC via a coaxial digital connection. 

The second source was a Mac Mini running 

Pure Music into the Mytek Stereo192 via 

its USB 2.0 connection. It took me several sessions 

of comparing these three systems before 

I could consistently recognize the HAP-Z1ES 

from the other sources in a blind A/B. The primary 

and telling difference was that the Mytek 

had slightly more energy in the upper midrange 

into the lower treble. In my system I felt the 

HAP-Z1ES was slightly more natural sounding 

with less edge. On Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar 

Peterson, Ella’s voice had more air through the 

MyTek, but it had a more natural and organic 

tonality through the HAP-Z1ES. 

In many respects the HAP-Z1ES and the 

Mytek DAC were very similar in their sonic 

presentations. Both recreated a soundstage 

with convincing three-dimensionality. Both 

also had the same level of dynamic contrast on 

the micro- and macro-levels. Bass extension 

was also a virtual dead heat with both quite 

capable of full low-frequency extension and 

subtle inner detail. 

Which sound is more neutral or preferable 

will very likely depend on the rest of your 

system. If your system is on the darker side of 

neutral, the Mytek’s extra bit of forwardness 

would match quite well, while the HAP-Z1ES 

could sound a bit subdued and perhaps even 

hooded. But if your system has any tendency 

toward brightness, the HAP-Z1Es will probably 

be better received than the Mytek. There’s 

also something quite seductive in the HAP- 

Z1ES’ midrange presentation that is hard to 

resist. 

The most difficult and least conclusive 

A/B test I performed during the review was 

comparing the DSD Remastering Engine’s DSD 

conversion of PCM files with those same files 

played back without the DSD Remastering 

Engine engaged. When switched back and 

forth there was a pause followed by about a 

two seconds of playback of the last snippet 

of music before the switchover. During that 

two seconds the sound was slightly different, 

seemingly warmer and rounder, but after that 

initial two seconds the sound reverted, and 

in blind A/Bs I could not tell whether I was 

listening to Remastering Engine or native 

output. I used both 16/44.1 and 24/96 PCM files 

for this test and didn’t hear any differences 

when I switched between DSD and PCM on 

standard Red Book or higher-definition digital 

files. 

During the A/B listening sessions I had 

ample opportunity to compare the HAP-Z1ES 

app with the “Remote” app for iTunes. I much 

preferred Sony’s App to Apple’s. The HAP app 

was easier to use and navigate. It also provided 

more information about tracks including the 

original sample and bit rates. 

One final aspect of the HAP-Z1ES’ 

performance that deserves attention is its 

prowess as an Internet radio tuner. It was 

easily the best-sounding Internet radio I’ve 

heard to-date from any device. And while I 

didn’t hear any changes when I switched in 

Sony’s DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement 

Engine) on my uncompressed music files, 

when it was activated for Internet radio the 

overall sound quality improved dramatically. 

For some prospective owners the HAP-Z1ES’ 

stellar Internet radio performance could be a 

primary reason for ownership. 

The High Value HAP-Z1ES 

In overall sonics and build-value for the dollar, 

the Sony HAP-Z1ES sets new standards. A Mac 

Mini with monitor, keyboard, mouse, and external 

drives attached to the MyTek Stereo192 DAC 

runs over $2500, and if you use better quality 

cables the price could go substantially higher. 

Even the Sonos ZP100/Mytek Stereo192 front 

end costs around $2300 when you include 

a NAS drive. For $1999 the Sony HAP-Z1ES 

supplies the computer, hard drive, DAC, and 

app to run it all. While this is a bit of a stretch, 

the HAP-Z1ES could be considered the iMac 

of HD music players—everything you need to 

acquire, store, and reproduce HD music files, 

regardless of format, in one carefully thought 

out and powerful box. 

For audiophiles and music lovers who 

want to listen to high-quality digital music 

files without the hassles of keeping another 

computer working optimally, the HAP-Z1ES 

is an attractively priced, yet fully featured 

option. It also doesn’t hurt that its control 

interfaces are easy to use and unintimidating 

even for non-techy users. 

Sonically, it’s difficult to fault the HAP- 

Z1ES. Its sound quality was such that it 

rivals comparably priced standalone DACs, 

yet delivers more functionality and won’t be 

made obsolete by the latest USB, FireWire, or 

Thunderbolt interfaces since it uses Ethernet 

and Wi-Fi as input connections. 

Throughout the review period as I put the 

HAP-Z1ES through its paces, I looked for 

reasons the player might be not be considered 

a true high-performance component and 

found none. If you plan to spend more than 

$2000 on any digital front end, whether it be 

an audio-computer, CD player, DAC, network 

player, or any other front end that uses digital 

files as a source, and you don’t audition a 

HAP-Z1ES, you are failing to consider what 

may well be the benchmark digital product of 

2014. 


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accounts for fully one third of Naim’s business 

these days. 

Naim NDS Network Player 

Tradition Meets The Modern World 

Robert Harley 

If you’d asked me ten years ago to name the audio manufacturers best able to adapt 

to the seismic shift in the way people access music today, Naim Audio wouldn’t 

have been on my list. If you asked me the same question today, Naim Audio would 

be near the top of the list, for adapt is exactly what this, the most traditional and 

venerable of British electronics manufacturers, has done. 

Rather than clinging to the past and fading into 

obscurity, Naim has seized the opportunities 

presented by the file-based music revolution 

and led the way with its wildly popular Uniti 

Series of network players. These “do-it-all” 

components combine an integrated amplifier, 

DAC, network streamer, and Internet radio 

in one chassis, not to mention the option of 

adding Naim’s UnitiServe ripping drive for 

full music-server capabilities. Unlike many 

similar “lifestyle” products, the Uniti Series 

also offers extraordinary, Naim-level sound 

quality. It’s not surprising that the Uniti Series 

Which brings us to the NDS, Naim’s flagship 

network player. This is a no-holds-barred 

product whose features, ease of use, and 

sound quality are geared toward the most 

discriminating listeners in Naim’s large 

and loyal customer base. It is designed to 

complement Naim’s reference-level amplifiers 

and preamplifiers by employing the company’s 

most advanced build techniques and digitalto-analog 

conversion technologies (see 

sidebar for the details). 

Naim has designed in the NDS a network 

player that can handle a wide variety of 

sources and, with the addition of some 

ancillary equipment, becomes a full-fledged, 

highly capable music server. The best news 

is that Naim has created for the NDS (and 

all Uniti Series products) a fabulous musicmanagement 

iPad app. To anticipate my 

conclusion, a fully configured NDS system 

offers an extremely compelling option for 

music lovers making the transition to filebased 

audio. 

Newcomers to computer audio are typically 

offered two macro-level options: a turnkey 

music server or a do-it-yourself PC- or Macbased 

system. TAS writer Steven Stone has, 

half-jokingly, written that the turnkey server 

is for the ultra-wealthy and the do-it-yourself 

server for the ultra-geeky. That sums up the 

situation perfectly. Turnkey systems don’t 

require any computer-audio expertise, but 

they often fall short in sound quality, are 

expensive, and are typically closed systems. 

By “closed” I mean that turnkey systems don’t 

allow you to expand the product’s capabilities 


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EQUIPMENT review - Naim NDS 

and, importantly, prevent you from moving 

your music library to another platform in 

the future—your music becomes a captive 

of a particular manufacturer’s software and 

hardware. The do-it-yourself server suffers 

from none of these shortcomings, but you 

must possess considerable computer skills 

(and patience) to assemble and configure such 

a system. Moreover, there are so many arcane 

hardware and software settings in PC-based 

servers that sound quality is often a crap 

shoot. Traditionally, do-it-yourself systems 

have also lacked the elegant user interface 

of turnkey systems, though that situation is 

being remedied via recent innovations in iPad 

apps. 

The NDS/UnitiServe combination offers 

the best of both worlds. Setting up an NDS 

is somewhat more involved than buying 

a turnkey server, but vastly simpler than 

building a computer-based system. But, 

unlike a turnkey server, the NDS is an “open” 

platform that allows easy hardware and 

software upgrades, and even the ability to 

transport your music library to another server 

platform in the future. I suspect, however, that 

most users won’t want to move to another 

server after experiencing Naim’s amazing 

music-management software and superb 

sound quality. The NDS also offers more ways 

of accessing music than either a turnkey or 

do-it-yourself server—and in a much simpler to 

operate package. 

The NDS and UnitiServe SSD 

You can opt for the NDS network player alone, 

which will play music from digital sources 


NDS Network Player 

iTouch 

Digital inputs: Three SPDIF (one each BNC, Dimensions: 17" x 3.4" x 12.4" 

RCA, TosLink), one front-panel USB Weight: 29.7 lbs. 

Network connection Ethernet, supports Price: $11,000 (requires one of three 

UPnP playback up to 192kHz/24-bit (WAV power supplies); $22,150 as tested 

and FLAC) 

Other inputs: Rear-panel USB mini-B (for 555PS DR Power Supply 

software updates only) 

Dimensions: 17" x 3.4" x 12.4" 

Digital outputs: SPDIF (on a BNC jack) Price: $9650 (plus $1500 for a pair of 

Analog outputs: Unbalanced on RCA, Burndy cables) 

unbalanced on DIN jack 

Other connectivity: Wi-Fi, remote input XPS DR Power Supply 

(3.5mm jack, RC5), remote output (2x Price: $5800 

3.5mm jack, RC5), CAT5E 

Power supply required: XP5 XS, XPS, or XP5 XS DR Power Supply 

555PS 

Price $2800 

Audio formats supported: Internet radio 

(Windows Media-formatted content, MP3, UnitiServe SSD 

MMS); Playlists (M3U, PLS), MP3, AAC (up CD Ripping Drive and UPnP Network 

Controller 

to 320kbs), M4A, ALAC, Windows Media 

formatted content-9 (up to 320kbs); WAV Outputs: SPDIF (75 ohm BNC and TosLink) 

and FLAC (up to 192kHz/24-bit via UPnP Audio formats supported: WAV, MP3, AAC, 

or USB only), AIFF, LPCM 16/24, Ogg AIFF, FLAC, WMA, Apple Lossless, Ogg 

Vorbis 

Vorbis 

Control: n-Stream App for iPad/iPhone/ Disc compatibility: CD, CD-R, CD-RW 

Dimensions: 8.15" x 3.43" x 12.36" Analog Source: Basis Inspiration turntable 

Price: $4000 (UnitiServe SSD); $3800 with Basis Vector 4 tonearm, Air Tight 

(UnitiServe HDD) 

PC-1 Supreme cartridge; Simaudio Moon 

810LP phonostage 

NAIM AUDIO 

AC Conditioning and Cords: Shunyata 

Southampton Road 

Triton and Talos, Audience aR6TS conditioners; 

Echole Obsession Signature and 

Salisbury, UK 

naimaudio.com 

Omnia, Shunyata Zitron Anaconda and 

Audience Au24 AC cords 

THE SOUND ORGANISATION (U.S. Cables: Echole Omnia interconnects; MIT 

Distributor) 

MA-X SHD loudspeaker cables; MIT MA-X2 

159 Leslie Street 

interconnects; AudioQuest Wild AES/EBU, 

Dallas, Texas 75207 

AudioQuest EagleEye BNC clock cables, 

(972) 234-0182 

AudioQuest Diamond USB, AudioQuest 

soundorg.com 

Ethernet 

Equipment Racks: Stillpoints ESS, Critical 

Associated Components 

Mass Systems amplifier stands 

Loudspeakers: Magico Q7 

Acoustics: ASC 16" Full-Round Tube Traps, 

Preamplifier: Constellation Audio Virgo 2, 10" Tower Traps 

Absolare Passion 

Accessories: Stillpoints Ultra 2 and Ultra 

Power Amplifiers: Constellation Audio 5, Audio Desk Vinyl Cleaner; Mobile Fidelity 

record brush, cleaning fluid, stylus 

Centaur monoblocks, Absolare Passion 

845 

cleaner 

Digital Source: dCS Vivaldi (Transport and 

DAC) 



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including any device with SPDIF. You can 

also access music via the integral Internet 

radio and its more than 17,000 stations. In 

addition, the NDS will play music from a USB 

stick, though it won’t accept USB output 

from a computer. The NDS’ functionality can 

be greatly expanded, however, by adding the 

UnitiServe, a CD ripper and universal plug 

’n’ play (UPnP) server. UPnP is a standard 

that allows devices to communicate with 

each other on a network. The UnitiServe 

will stream audio to any UPnP device on the 

network, including, for example, a Naim Uniti 

or UnitiQute in another room in the house. It 

will also scan the network for music stored 

anywhere (USB, NAS, for examples) and play 

those files in a wide range of formats (WAV, 

AIFF, FLAC, WMA—see Specs & Pricing for the 

full list) at resolutions up to 192kHz/24-bit. 

Naim offers two versions of the UnitiServe, 

the HDD and SSD. The HDD version incorporates 

a 2TB hard drive for music storage; the SSD 

has no storage and requires an external 

network-attached-storage (NAS) drive. The 

SSD version is a bit more complicated to set 

up, but offers slightly superior sound quality 

and greater flexibility. With an external NAS 

drive, capacity can be expanded, drives can be 

swapped, and your music library can easily be 

moved to another server platform. Note that 

if you opt for the UnitiServe SSD, you’ll need 

a NAS drive; a conventional USB drive won’t 

work. Unlike a simple USB drive, a NAS drive 

is a computer in its own right, incorporating an 

operating system and software that manages 

files on the disk and talks to other devices on 

the network. 

The NDS is a two-chassis affair; the audio 

circuitry is housed in one chassis and the 

power supply in the other. The $11,000 NDS 

must be used with one of three power-supply 

options, the XP5 ($2800), XPS ($5800), and 

the top-of-the-line 555PS ($11,150), which 

was included with the review sample. The 

555PS has two umbilical cords feeding DC 

to the NDS, while the XP5 and XPS supply 

DC through a single umbilical. It is possible 

to supply the NDS with dual 555PS supplies 

for even greater isolation of the analog and 

digital sections, although this option adds 

considerably to the cost. This emphasis on 

the power supply, and the ability to upgrade 

sound quality by changing the supply, is a 

longstanding Naim tradition. 

Although the circuitry inside the NDS and 

UnitiServe is highly sophisticated, the styling 

and chassis work hearken back to Naim’s 

classic products. The NDS offers a bank of 

push buttons for selecting the input and 

navigating the menu, which is displayed in a 

window next to the buttons. The UnitiServe’s 

front panel is equally minimalist, with only the 

Naim logo and a CD-loading slot. 

The products’ rear panels reveal their 

complexity and sophistication—they are 

packed with digital inputs and outputs, 

Ethernet jacks, a Wi-Fi antenna, and ports for 

a mouse and video monitor. 

Once the system is set up, most of your 

interaction with it will be via the n-Stream and 

n-Serve apps. These apps, free at the Apple 

store, provide control over the entire system. 

N-Serve controls the UnitiServe, and allows 

you to access and edit metadata, such as 

reclassifying a title’s genre. N-Stream is the 

music-management software that you use 

on a daily basis to browse your library, select 

music, and create playlists. In my view, a music 

server lives or dies by its user interface (after, 

of course, sound quality). The whole idea of a 

server is to make a large music library easily 

and quickly accessible. I’m happy to report that 

the n-Stream interface is outstanding. In fact, 

now that I’m accustomed to using n-Stream, I 

don’t want to use anything else. And if you’d 

like to play your music library from another 

room in the house, just add Naim’s UnitiQute 

or other Uniti Series products and access your 

library via the iPad interface. 

Listening 

Before evaluating the NDS’ sound quality I 

experimented with Ethernet cables to be sure 

that I was getting the NDS’ highest possible 

performance. I had never listened to differences 

in Ethernet cables in my own system and 

was interested in hearing their effect. I first 

listened to the system with the UnitiServe 

connected via a 30' generic Ethernet cable. 

(I located the UnitiServe in my office loft 

so that I could rip CDs while working.) After 

loading some music, I moved the UnitiServe 

to the equipment rack and connected it via 

a short generic Ethernet cable. I heard an 

improvement in spaciousness and resolution 

from this change. But it was replacing all the 

Ethernet cables with AudioQuest Forest that 

made the biggest difference. The soundstage 

widened and deepened, with more space 

between instruments. The sound had greater 

ease while simultaneously sounding more 

resolved. Bottom line: It’s worth investing in 

specialty Ethernet cables. 

When I first heard the NDS in my system I 

was immediately taken back to one of the 

most startling and memorable experiences 

I’ve had evaluating audio equipment. It was 

May of 1989 and I was working on the first 

review of my career. My assignment was to 

evaluate three inexpensive British integrated 

amplifiers, one of which was the Naim Nait 2. 

I had never heard a Naim product, but looked 

askance at this shoebox-shaped minimalist 

unit, which was twice as expensive as either 

of the competing integrated amps ($795) and 

offered half as much power (18Wpc). After 

two weeks of carefully comparing the other 

two units to each other (and to the system I 

owned at the time), I connected the Nait 2 and 

my world changed. The other two integrated 

amplifiers (not to mention the equipment I 

previously owned) were hi-fi. The Naim was 

music. It produced a profoundly different 

listening experience, one that engendered an 

engagement with the music, not the sound. 

That’s exactly the best way to describe the 

NDS—music rather than hi-fi. The NDS takes 

a decidedly different path toward musicality, 

one that eschews sonic fireworks in favor 

of musical communication. The NDS won’t 

strike you as vivid, present, detailed, or 

particularly dynamic on first listen—in fact 

it won’t strike you at all, which is the point. 

Instead the NDS offers an understated and 

relaxed presentation that seems to render 

moot the audiophile sonic-checklist approach 

to evaluating sound quality. 

But sit down with the NDS and your favorite 


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music, as I did, and something truly special 

happens—the music flows with a natural 

coherence and complete lack of electronic 

tincture. I found myself relaxing into the 

presentation and opening up more fully to 

the musical expressiveness. A presentation 

that sounds “spectacular” in a hi-fi way 

never really lets you sink into the listening 

chair and develop an intensity of connection 

with the music. There’s always a bit of arm’s 

length detachment that makes you more of 

an observer than a participant. The system’s 

performance is something you admire rather 

than enjoy. The NDS/UnitServe reverses that 

all-too-common paradigm, going right to the 

heart of what an audio system should do. 

Since this is a product review, I’ll dissect 

the sound and offer my view of why the NDS 

has this ability to fully engage me musically. 

First, the NDS has an utterly liquid and 

voluptuous rendering of instrumental timbre. 

It’s not slow and thick-sounding like classic 

tubed amplifiers. Rather, it achieves this 

timbral richness and realism by banishing 

electronic artifacts. Textures are completely— 

and I mean completely—devoid of etch, grain, 

excessive brightness on transients, and that 

metallic patina that so often overlays timbre. 

The lushness comes not from some sort of 

euphonic coloration, but from reducing the 

synthetic glaze that we’ve become inured to 

in reproduced music. 

Similarly, the treble tends toward ease, 

rather than realizing the last measure of 

extension. The top end isn’t as extended 

and open as the dCS Vivaldi, for example, 

but I never found myself wishing for more 

in that department. This slight trade-off in 

top-octave air is repaid many times over in 

the NDS’ stunningly beautiful reproduction 

of strings—especially violins. Solo violin and 

massed strings as heard in the concert hall 

have a completely natural ease and lack of 

etch that the NDS replicates in a way that is 

remarkably like the real thing. Listen to the 

Bach Violin Concerto No.1 (English Chamber 

Orchestra) from the HDtracks high-res 

sampler and you’ll hear an unforced liquidity, 

along with an emphasis on the instrument’s 

resonant body rather than the sheen of the 

strings. Cymbals are portrayed with a similar 

character, revealing the burnished “gonglike” 

component rather than sounding like the 

hissing of spray cans. In addition to fostering a 

relaxation, the Naim’s smoothness allows long 

listening sessions without fatigue. If you’ve 

listened to a DAC with different digital filters, 

there’s usually one that offers a slightly softer 

and smoother treble than the rest—that’s how 

the NDS sounds. I suspect that a large degree 

of the NDS’ character is due to the custom 

filter, a subsystem that has a great influence 

on a DAC’s sound. 

Another factor that contributes to the NDS’ 

musical ease is the way it presents dynamics, 

particularly transient leading edges. Acoustic 

guitar, percussion, the upper registers of 

piano, and cymbal strikes are fully present 

and alive, but don’t have a hyped leading edge. 

On the beautifully recorded acoustic-trio 

album (violin, guitar, bass) The Rite of Strings, 

Al DiMeola’s guitar had a full measure of life 

and dynamic attack, but the leading edges of 

hard-struck notes in the upper registers were 

devoid of the edge and hardness so often 

heard from digital. Don’t interpret this as a 

suggestion that the NDS doesn’t fully preserve 

the dynamic integrity of steep transients; the 

Naim is extremely dynamic, yet thankfully 

missing the synthetic leading-edge hype that 

gives an artificial impression of dynamics. 

The NDS’ portrayal of dynamics is different 

from other digital I’ve heard; rather than 

calling attention to transients, the NDS 

conveys the music’s underlying pulse and 

flow with a powerful physicality that must 

be experienced to be appreciated. A perfect 

example is the brand new Chick Corea album 

The Vigil and the track “Legacy” that closes 

the set. The tune is underpinned by the 

exuberant, pulsating bass-playing of the 

terrific young bassist Hadrien Feraud. The 

NDS conveys this piece’s rollercoaster of 

complex polyrhythms, driven by the amazing 

drumming of 22-year-old Marcus Gilmore (the 

great Roy Haynes’ grandson, incidentally), 

with a power and physical involvement that 

other digital sources dilute. 

The new high-res download of Kind of Blue 

from HDtracks (I selected 192kHz WAV) is 

stunningly great, and in my view the definitive 

digital version of this classic. On this file the 

NDS conjures up an eerily realistic impression 

of musicians in the studio, making the CD 

release sound like a pale imitation. The NDS 

is adept at portraying individual instruments 

as separate entities rather than as lessdifferentiated 

elements within a homogenized 

whole. As a result it is easy to shift focus among 

various instrumental lines, just as one does 

with live music. This isn’t to say the NDS has a 

huge and sculpted soundstage that spotlights 

each instrumental image; rather, this clarity of 

line is the result of an understated resolution 

that allows the music to unfold in a natural 

and “unspectacular” way. These impressions 

were consistent over a wide range of sources 

and resolutions, from ripped CDs to high-res 

downloads (88.2/24, 96/24, and 192/24). 

The NDS reminded me of the extraordinary 

BALabo BP-1 MK-II amplifier ($88,500) 

Jonathan Valin reviewed in Issue 201. Like 

the BAlabo, the NDS has a voluptuous sound 

which may not be the last word in treble 

extension or transparency, but which brings 

something else that is unique to the table—an 

ease and musicality, coupled with a powerful 

bottom-end grip, that produces a compelling 

intimacy with the music. 

The NDS and UnitiServe also gave me a 

valuable opportunity to compare USB to audio 

streamed via Ethernet, with high-res files 

and no other variables. I downloaded some 

high-res files from HDtracks (the HDtracks 

Sampler, Joni Mitchell’s Hejira, and Kind of 

Blue) and transferred them to the Synology 

NAS and to a USB stick. The files on the NAS 

were streamed via Ethernet by the UnitiServe 

to the NDS. The files on the USB stick were 

played directly by the NDS via the USB 

interface. Note that in this comparison there’s 

no USB cable, only the USB interface. As we 

all know, a cable can only degrade sound, not 

improve it. 

The USB was decidedly inferior to streaming 

over Ethernet in every way. I’ll start with 

the treble, the most noticeable area of 

divergence. Through USB, the upper midrange 


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and top end sound synthetic and mechanical 

by comparison. Listen to the gentle cymbal 

work that opens “So What” from Kind of 

Blue, or the tambourine in “Dance of the 

Tumblers” from Reference Recordings’ Exotic 

Dances from the Opera. In both cases, treblerange 

instruments via USB lacked the natural 

textures of Ethernet, sounding more like highfrequency 

noise and less like a stick striking 

metal on “So What” or like a tambourine’s zills 

chattering against each other on “Dance of the 

Tumblers.” The Ethernet revealed more about 

how the sound was created, and in doing so, 

created a greater sense of realism. Tonal colors 

were similarly affected, with the midrange 

sounding a bit glazed over through USB. I also 

heard a reduction in transparency and clarity 

through USB. Instrumental lines were easier to 

follow with the Ethernet streaming connection. 

Finally, the soundstage was a little congealed 

and “thicker” through USB. 

I suspect that these impressions would have 

been amplified with a USB cable in the system, 

but this experience points to the conclusion 

that USB is perhaps not the ideal interface 

for audio. I don’t know how well implemented 

Naim’s USB interface is, but given the level of 

execution of the rest of the system, I suspect 

that it is high. 

Conclusion 

With the NDS and UnitiServe SSD, Naim Audio 

has married its hard-won expertise in analog 

circuits with highly advanced digital decoding 

techniques, and then added extensive musicaccessing 

capabilities. To top it off, the system 

includes a wonderful user interface that is a joy 

to work with on a daily basis. It is impossible to 

overstate how brilliantly this machine achieves 

its goal of making a large array of music easily 

accessible to its user. 

The NDS/UnitiServe is the perfect solution 

for many music lovers who want to transition to 

computer-based audio without the limitations 

of turnkey music servers or the confusion of 

do-it-yourself systems. The only drawback 

for some listeners may be the lack of SACD 

compatibility. 

Fortunately, Naim has imbued this highly 

capable system with one of the best-sounding 

DAC sections I’ve heard in any product. The 

NDS is high in resolution but without hyped 

“detail,” voluptuous and rich in tone color 

without euphonic coloration, and musically 

vivid without being sonically vivid. The NDS 

also has a particularly powerful and appealing 

expression of music’s rhythmic flow. It’s the 

kind of sound that lets you become quickly and 

deeply immersed in the music, not the sound. 

The NDS/UnitiServe brings the power of 

computer-based audio to the company’s long 

legacy of building musically involving products. 

It’s a startling fusion of the old and the new. 

Having Your Cake and Eating it, Too - Overcoming 

the Metadata Limitations of WAV Files 

Naim has made it possible to enjoy the uncompromised sound quality of WAV files without WAV files’ 

metadata limitations. WAV files typically don’t offer the ability to store metadata—the information about the 

album, artists, and genre that allows you to search and find music. That’s why many computer-audio users 

select the FLAC format, which adds metadata as an integral part of the audio file. Unfortunately, FLAC 

doesn’t sound as good as WAV. Here’s why. 

A WAV file is an exact representation of the PCM datastream on CDs and high-resolution professional 

editing workstations. FLAC files are “losslessly” compressed so that they consume less disk space (it’s 

about a 2:1 reduction). The term “lossless” refers to the fact that the uncompressed datastream from 

a FLAC file is bit-for-bit identical to the WAV file that created it. This is contrasted with “lossy” coding 

systems such as MP3 that intentionally discard information to reduce the bit-rate. Claiming a sonic 

difference exists between two “identical” bitstreams may appear to be the height of audiophile lunacy, but 

there’s a rational explanation for why FLAC files sounds inferior: The file must be uncompressed on the fly 

during playback, a process that many computer-audio experts believe degrades fidelity. Note that a FLAC 

file may be converted to a WAV file, stored, and played back as WAV without compromise because there’s 

no decompression during playback. 

But back to Naim’s solution to the problem of the lack of metadata with WAV files. When you rip a CD 

to WAV with the UnitiServe, the UnitiServe downloads Internet metadata from All Music Guide (AMG) and 

appends a “sidecar” metadata file to the WAV file. Note that this metadata file structure is unique to Naim, 

and can be read only by other Naim products. If you rip a CD collection to a NAS drive with the UnitiServe 

and then move that NAS to a Mac server, for example, you won’t be able to access the metadata. 

Although Naim’s metadata scheme is a big plus, the real magic is in the linking of the NDS/UnitiServe 

to the Internet service Rovi. Rovi supplies a wealth of information about the album and artist, which is 

displayed on an iPad/iPhone/iTouch as pages that you “turn” just as you would a CD booklet. (The Rovi 

graphic interface in the n-Stream app was developed by Naim.) The additional information goes far beyond 

what you’d find in even the most generous liner notes, with up-to-the-minute listings of other titles by the 

artist, substantive reviews, artist bios, artist photos, background on the musical genre, and other data. 

There are also listings of similar artists, with live links to information about them and their albums. 

The lack of liner notes has been a major shortcoming of file-based music in my view, but Naim’s 

implementation of Rovi in its iPad app not only matches liner notes; it far exceeds them. The information 

is a treasure trove, one that encourages exploring other artists and music you may not have been aware 

of. Note that the Rovi-supplied information isn’t stored anywhere; it’s a real-time Internet connection run 

through the UnitiServe and presented via n-Serve. 


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Networking and CD Ripping 

Connecting and setting up a full NDS/UnitiServe system requires a few ancillary components and downloading 

two apps from the Apple store. Your Naim dealer will set up the system for you; my self-installation was atypical. 

Fortunately, I had expert help in Chris Morris of The Sound Organisation, Naim’s U.S. distributor, who guided me 

through the process (Chris trains Naim dealers). 

If you choose the UnitiServe SSD, which has no internal storage, you’ll need an external NAS drive. Chris 

suggested a NAS from a company called Synology. I bought the Synology DS213 dual-bay along with two 

Western Digital 2TB hard drives ($524 for the package). I configured the system as a RAID, meaning that 

the second drive is purely a back-up. The Synology is UPnP compatible. Incidentally, the UnitiServe’s UPnP 

implementation was written in-house by Naim. Naim also created its own CD-ripping software, something it calls 

the Naim CD Ripping Engine. 

The NDS, UnitiServe, and NAS must all be part of the same Internet-connected network. Although the NDS 

has Wi-Fi capability, Naim recommends a wired connection for both sound quality and reliability. The company 

has designed its Wi-Fi implementation so that if there’s any compromise in signal integrity, it simply mutes 

rather than allowing the sound to be degraded—it’s all or nothing. I discovered this myself; I got the NDS to join 

my wireless network, but it wouldn’t stream Internet radio. I then ran an Ethernet cable from my router to the 

equipment rack and added a gigabit switch (Netgear GS105, $45) so that I could add the UnitiServe and the NAS 

drive to the network. 

The next step is to download Naim’s n-Stream and n-Serve apps from the Apple store. This musicmanagement 

software allows you to control the entire system from an iPad or iPhone, as well as see and select 

music on devices attached to the network. A second app, called n-Serve, is purely for accessing the UnitiServe. 

N-Serve allows you to access your music library’s metadata and correct mistakes, or to reclassify the music 

genre, for example. 

The whole process looked a bit daunting at first, but it couldn’t have gone more smoothly. In fact, Chris Morris 

guided me through the entire installation—including configuring the NAS—from his hotel room while on the road, 

without the benefit of an owner’s manual or any hardware in front of him. 

The UnitiServe rips to WAV format unless you tell it to encode in FLAC. Just pop a CD into the UnitiServe’s 

slot and a few minutes later the CD appears as a title in your music library, complete with album art and 

metadata. I put the UnitiServe on my desk in the upstairs office/loft, and the rest of the system in the equipment 

racks downstairs in the music room. Because they were all on the same network, I could rip CDs conveniently 

while at my computer, storing the data on the Synology NAS downstairs. I subsequently moved the UnitiServe 

next to the NDS and Synology with short Ethernet cables from AudioQuest. 

When it’s all set up, the n-Stream app displays your entire music library on your iPad as one integral unit no 

matter where that music is stored—multiple NAS drives, USB, etc. I can’t say enough about the fabulous user 

interface and convenience of accessing your music library through the iPad app. 


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Visiting Naim’s Factory 

The building that houses Naim Audio speaks volumes 

about this storied company’s history and legacy. 

Located in the charming town of Salisbury about two 

hours southwest of London, the building itself reflects 

the company’s start-up roots, multiple expansions and 

add-ons over the past 41 years, and its present-day 

transition into a modern, high-technology design-andmanufacturing 

operation. Founded in 1972 at the site 

of the current factory, Naim simply added more and 

more factory and office space as the company grew. 

The juxtaposition of the quaint location and venerable 

original parts of the building with the modern factory 

sections housing a large and advanced R&D division 

was striking—and a parallel of the NDS itself. 

I was surprised by the number of products in Naim’s 

line and the manufacturing scale. You can see in an 

accompanying photo one of every product Naim 

currently makes (the Plexiglas covers are for show). 

The factory floor was bustling with activity, with a huge 

variety of products in various stages of construction. 

I was also greatly impressed by the large and modern 

R&D department, much of it devoted to software 

development. Despite Naim’s relatively large size and 

high production output, the focus is on quality. For 

example, I saw a test station that measures transistors 

for grouping into matched pairs in differential circuits. 

Another station shakes cables and power cords before 

testing to weed out any bad connections. 

In the factory’s listening room I heard in succession 

perhaps 15 different ascending “levels” of Naim 

gear, including integrated amplifiers, preamplifiers, 

power amplifies, and DACs. Some of these “levels” 

were power supply upgrades to the same product. 

Significantly, every single step up the Naim ladder 

produced a clear and well-defined improvement in 

sound. The power supply upgrades were particularly 

striking, in some cases sounding like a component 

upgrade. I got the impression that the designers, and 

critical listeners in the company who guide them, have 

precise control over every aspect of their products’ 

sound. 

One of every 

product in 

Naim's current 

line - with clear 

top panels for 

viewing. 

Transistors are 

measured and 

matched with 

high precision. 

A small portion 

of the factory 

production area. 

Naim's R&D lab. 

Blast from 

the past 


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Lumin A-1 Network Player 

New Kid 

Neil Gader 

I 

know that I don’t speak for everyone, but when I sit down to enjoy an evening of 

music I prefer to leave my entire workday behind. And that includes keeping my 

laptop as far from my listening room as possible. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful 

for my laptop in incalculable ways, but it’s still primarily a business tool, a reminder 

of looming deadlines and balancing my checkbook. Audio in contrast is pure pleasure. 

I suspect I’m not alone in this feeling either. Yet, computer media is playing a vastly 

stronger role in the high end than just a few years ago. The question arises then, in 

this age of computer media and digital downloads, how does one untether a bespoke 

audio system from the ubiquitous computer One option is a network player like the 

Lumin A-1. 

In the parlance of the day the $7200 Lumin 

A-1 Network Player is technically a “renderer/ 

DAC” not a player. It doesn’t have an optical 

drive or internal storage; rather, it plays back 

what it is being “served” from outside digital 

sources. (By the way, I think the industry needs 

a more user-friendly descriptor than renderer, 

which is just a bit too Black Ops creepy for 

me.) In any case, let’s define the digital 

environment that it’s designed to prosper in. 

In a nutshell, the A-1 pulls audio media from 

external sources like a USB stick, a USB hard 

drive, Lumin’s L-1 media server library, or 

ideally a network with a NAS and UPnP server. 

Its DAC then snaps into action and plays 

back a multitude of formats, including the 

current crop of high-resolution files up to and 

including 32-bit/384kHz DXD and standard 

DSD. Additionally it will enable PCM-to- 

DSD conversion. It does all this by operating 

wirelessly through its own controller software 

loaded to an iPad. 

So who is Lumin It’s a new brand to TAS’s 

pages, but its roots go back to Pixel Magic 

Systems Ltd, a Hong Kong firm whose core 

business is developing high-definition hometheater 

products with advanced software 

programming and design. More recently Pixel 

Magic has been a leading supplier of highdefinition 

digital TV products under the Magic 

TV brand. Lumin was formed by a group of Pixel 

Magic’s commercial engineers, who wanted to 

leverage the company’s video reputation into 

the nascent high-resolution-audio market. 

Its first product was the MediaBox, which 

played all type of media files and included 

an audiophile version, the MB200. In 2012 

Pixel Magic launched the Lumin Audiophile 

Network Music Player, a DSD-compatible 

audio streamer. 

The A-1 is actually Lumin’s mid-tier network 

player in an expanding lineup that now 

includes the entry-level D-1 (pricing TBD), the 

standard $5000 T-1, and the more advanced 

$12,500 S-1, which is equipped with, count ’em, 

four ESS Sabre DACs. Machined from a heavy 

block of solid aluminum, its gracefully curved 

faceplate houses only a lighted display. There 

are no buttons or knobs to clutter the clean 

lines. Internally, the vault-like chassis isolates 

crucial components and circuitry, but Lumin 

takes isolation one step further by extracting 

the dual toroidal power supply—a common 

source of noise—from the main chassis and 

putting it in its own external case. Digital-toanalog 

conversion in the T-1, A-1, and A-1Black 

is handled by Wolfson WM8741 DAC chips, 

one per channel. The internal layout is fully 

balanced, while the analog output connectors 

are coupled with dual Lundahl LL7401 output 

transformers. The back panel has inputs for 

Ethernet, two USB drives (thumb drive or 

external HD/SSD), HDMI and SPDIF outputs, 

plus unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR 

outputs. The Lumin PSU connects via a locking 

multi-pin plug. My only issue with the layout 

involves the overhang at the rear of the top 

panel. Meant to hide the cables, it creates a 

clean overall look, but it also makes it difficult 

to access back panel inputs if you’re reaching 

around from above, which is the normal 

approach if you don’t have the room to stand 

at the back of the equipment rack. 

Among the Lumin’s features are gapless 

playback, DSD and PCM upsampling options, 

and an ultrasonic filter for DSD playback. 


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EQUIPMENT review - Lumin A-1 

Radio aficionado that I am, I particularly 

relished getting my fix of classic rock and 

NPR via the A-1’s Internet Radio option. It’s 

accessed via the TuneIn.com website. Just 

open a free account, browse TuneIn’s radio 

list, and add some radio channels to an onlinecreated 

Favorites folder. Then return to the 

Lumin app, input your TuneIn sign-in info, and 

all the selected stations appear, complete 

with graphics. Pretty straightforward with 

often excellent sound quality depending on 

the station’s compression stream. 

The Lumin app is a sensitive and highly 

intuitive navigation interface. Its visuals 

are attractive and adjustable, plus it’s very 

responsive to the touch. It supports multiple 

servers and Lumin players, as well. Playlists 

are displayed on the left side of the screen, 

and drop-down menus allow users to choose 

inputs, typically between a NAS drive, the L-1 

and USB inputs. The user can also configure 

the “look” of the display to some degree, 

and engage filters. Album cover view can be 

easily resized with just a pinch of the display 

between thumb and forefinger. 

A couple minor gripes. The search box is too 

small and the input selection could be more 

easily accessible. Deleting a playlist while 

simultaneously listening to Internet Radio will 

lock the app, requiring a quick reset. Also the 

user needs to reboot the NAS after adding 

a new batch of music files. This is no biggie, 

but I’m told Lumin is working on the issue. I 

should add that the company appears to be 

keeping its pledge of upgrading the app when 

necessary—during the course of this review 

the app received a wireless upgrade one 

morning without a hiccup. 

Once up and running, the Lumin A-1 was 

pretty close to trouble-free in everyday use. 

Engage the Lumin app from an iPad touch 

screen, power on the Lumin with a quick 

swipe, and the NAS drive springs to life from 

sleep mode. Seconds later, a couple thousand 

files of music are available at the touch of a 

finger. And, wonder of wonders, except for 

moving files to the NAS my laptop is now out 

of the loop and out of the room! 

Sonically, smooth sailing describes the 

character of the A-1. From Red Book PCM to 

high-resolution PCM or DSD, music is more 

settled and continuous—a familiar trait that 

is consistent with being untethered from a 

spinning optical drive. Symphonies possess 

an enhanced fluidity across the soundstage, 

which goes a long way in enhancing 

dimensionality. Backgrounds are stunningly 

deep and silent on the Lumin, allowing the full 

range of ambient energy to emerge. A lowlevel 

image like the gently insistent concert 

harp that underscores one of the themes 

during The Wasps Overture is presented with 

virtually no veiling or smearing. Soundstage 

information, hall sound, various ambient cues 

stand out as if in greater relief. The stage 

expands with greater dimensionality. As I 

listened to Graham Nash’s “I’ll be There For 

You” the backing vocal harmonies were less 

etched and more smoothly integrated with the 

lead vocal, rather than bucking up against it. 

Holly Cole’s “I Can See Clearly” had a more 

rounded, less edgy quality, particularly as 

regards sibilance. 

The Lumin seems to settle music into a 

more relaxed state, as if all the tension that 

accompanies a digital recording is suddenly 

released, an effect that actually enlivens the 

performance. (“Tension” in this case stands 

in for a sense of dryness and constriction 

that often is part and parcel of the digital 

experience.) I noted this difference in varying 

degrees while listening to Jane Monheit’s 

“Waters of March” and Rosanne Cash’s “If I 

Were a Man.” Both are very good recordings in 

any format, but the A-1 has a warmer almost 

velvety texture without any vestige of digital 

rigidity. The sound acquires the compliancy 

of great analog—the give, the sonic elasticity. 

Bass timbre, like the standup that introduces 

Jen Chapin’s “It Don’t Mean Nothing,” has 

more character, air, and bloom. Bass guitar 

and drums have more individual personalities 

rather than just playing the role of robotic 

timekeepers. 

E-Luminating 

As many of us have already discovered, 

sonic nirvana is far from assured 

when entering the world of high 

resolution. High-res transfers alone 

won’t save a sub-standard recording. 

However, stalwarts like Reference 

Recording’s HRx discs—Stravinsky’s 

Rite of Spring and Rachmaninoff’s 

Symphonic Dances, for example— 

can be revelations with shocking 

dimensionality and orchestral layering. 

Over and above these traits, it’s the 

sheer liquidity of the upper octaves 

that distances these recordings from 

most others. This said, my most jawdropping 

moment came from the most unlikely 

of DSD music files, The Carpenters Greatest 

Hits. As I sat back and listened to the megahit 

“Close to You,” the clinical precision of this 

reverb-happy track was such that I felt like 

I was sliding into the chair of the recording 

engineer and feeling my fingers moving across 

the mixing board, with the power to isolate 

each musical element at will. From the carefully 

tuned drum fills to the spotless piano accents 

and layered vocal harmonies, nearly every 

song on this recording could be dissected into a 

collection of sound modules and analyzed. Had 

I not known better, I would have sworn I was 

listening to mastertapes. 

As the deadline for this article approached, I 

attended a concert with the Dallas Symphony 

at The Meyerson Symphony Center. The 

program of Haydn and Beethoven further 

clarified a general impression I was forming 


Supported formats: DSF (DSD), 

DIFF (DSD), DoP (DSD), 

PCM lossless: FLAC, Apple 

Lossless (ALAC), WAV, AIFF 

MP3, AAC (in M4A container). 

Supported sample rates: PCM, 

44.1kH–384kHz/16–32-bit; 

DSD 


2.4" 


Price: A-1 $7200; T-1 (same 

electronics w/ metal casing), 

$5000 

SOURCE SYSTEMS, LTD. 

San Clemente, CA. 92672 

(949) 369-7729 

sourcesystemsltd.com 

luminmusic.com 



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EQUIPMENT review - Lumin A-1 

of the Lumin A-1. It was an impression of 

resolution, soundstage integrity, and clean 

transient speed not unlike what I experienced 

with the dCS Puccini player (SACD-capable) of 

a few years ago. And, as I listened to young 

violinist Augustin Hadelich play the Beethoven 

Violin Concerto I recognized what I was hearing 

in the Lumin and dCS was more complicated 

than just a reduction of upper-octave edge 

or coarseness. In Hadelich’s hands the Strad 

that evening could, indeed, sound aggressive, 

even edgy, when prodded. The difference was 

that those transients were blazingly fast and 

didn’t overhang or blur the trailing harmonics. 

High-frequency distortions tend to brighten 

a component. It’s this lack of distortion that 

gives the Lumin its warmly weighted presence 

and overall neutrality. An equally significant 

“Ah, ha” moment occurred during the Haydn, 

when the harpsichord came in. Its delicate but 

steady presence was heard at a level so quiet 

as to suggest something subliminal. Yet rather 

than become submerged when the music 

welled up in intensity, it easily cut through the 

fabric of the orchestra. These instances were 

almost identical to my experiences with the 

Lumin and aforementioned dCS—the microevents 

in music, a harp or a harpsichord or 

even the dynamic progression of a steadily 

building drum pattern, are always revealed 

unsmeared and complete. 

The charms of the Lumin are pretty 

seductive even if at the end of most days I still 

prefer popping on a choice piece of vinyl. But 

that’s just me. The truth is I like the way the A-1 

factors into my current system like just another 

source component. I like the way it operates 

and performs with a level of musicality that 

makes me forget its computer roots. I like that 

I have about 1200 titles (and g-r-o-w-i-n-g) on 

the NAS. I’m even surprised that the ritual of 

selecting songs or symphonies at will from my 

iPad is far more satisfying than I’d assumed 

it would be. And finally, I love the fact that I 

can indulge my passion for music with not a 

computer in sight. Thank you Lumin, and hats 

off to the new kid on the block. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED 

To begin you’ll need a home network with Wi-Fi (pretty 

common today) and an iPad (Gen 2 or later, Retina displays 

welcome) to run the Lumin App for Apple computers. (Kinsky 

is suggested for non-Apple OS. And other tablets will work 

but with limited functionality. Lumin is currently developing 

Android versions.) To get up and running the typical 

configuration connects the Lumin and the NAS to a router 

using Ethernet cables (I use a Netgear GS605 and AudioQuest 

Cinnamon), and the Lumin to your preamp or integrated 

amplifier inputs. The Lumin power supply then connects to 

the Lumin. Once everything is switched on simply confirm 

that the UPnP media server (MinimServer) is operating on the 

NAS drive. (Lumin recommends Synology drives for their ease 

of installation, legible set-up instructions, and compatibility 

with MinimServer, a free download. No arguments here. I use 

Synology’s 1TB DiskStation, and it works like a charm.) The 

Lumin App will then automatically detect the media server 

and the Lumin player, and the music selection on the NAS 

drive will be displayed in the main Lumin App window. Once 

the Lumin A-1 is up and running, the only role the laptop plays 

is uploading music to the NAS. And even then it can be done 

wirelessly over the network. 

Network Challenged No Worries! 

For those not especially interested in getting their hands dirty in the world of NAS drives and home networking, 

Lumin recently debuted the L-1, Lumin’s own UPnP server with internal storage capacity of 2TB. It’s 

roughly the size of the Lumin power supply and also sheathed in aluminum. The L-1 was developed to be the 

simplest way to store music for a Lumin DAC—designed to take the sweat and angst that the novice might 

encounter setting up a NAS drive. It meets UPnP standards and requires zero configuration. Simply plug it 

into your computer, drag and drop your music, just as you would from a simple USB thumb drive, and then 

connect it to your network. Used in conjunction with the Lumin app, it can also unlock additional browsing 

features. Like the player, it serves up everything from DSD128 (5.6MHz) through high-res PCM to WAV, FLAC, 

Apple Lossless, and MP3. Price: $1200. 


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Integrated Amps with DACs 


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NAD 

D 3020 

Reinventing a Classic 

Neil Gader 

In NAD lore, “3020” are hallowed numerals. The long-ago integrated amplifier 

that bore that designation might have been a barebones affair, but it marked a 

departure from the budget norm when it first debuted in 1980. Built solidly, without 

extraneous signal-robbing bells and whistles, the 3020 offered musical truth in its 

tonal balance, lack of coloration, and dynamism in spite of its conservative 20Wpc 

specification. Music lovers responded en masse; more than one million 3020s have 

been sold—an astounding number for a high-end product. 

Now, the 3020 is back with a “D” prefix for 

clarification. A capital “D.” As compared 

with the all-analog original, the new D 3020 

is a digital animal designed primarily for 

computer/USB sources. Power output is a 

solid 30Wpc thanks to NAD’s ultra-compact 

Class D topology. True to NAD tradition the 

amp’s power rating is deceptive in that it 

can output bursts up to 100W (into 4 ohms) 

during dynamic peaks. In digital connectivity, 

it offers aptX Bluetooth music streaming—an 

efficient alternative to Wi-Fi—plus a USB input 

that plays back computer-based music in up 

to 24-bit/96kHz resolution, and operates in 

asynchronous mode to ensure low jitter. 

Nothing can prepare you for just how 

compact the D 3020 is when you first 

encounter it up close and personal. Truly a 

design for our times, it’s improbably small and 

portable with a vertical form factor that lends 

it the visual profile of a network router. And I 

hasten to add, portable enough to be drafted 

into service as a headphone amp. Note that 

where space requires, it can also be positioned 

horizontally. 

A top-panel touch control powers the D 

3020 on, and the vertical front panel of inputs 

and volume indicators blinks to life for a few 

seconds. The gradations of the large volume 

control are indicated in 20dB numerical steps, 

the display fading or intensifying as the user 

makes changes. The look is nifty but I didn’t 

get much of a sense of precision as I navigated 

up and down—only a rough idea of where the 

volume was actually set. 

The back panel hosts a trio of digital inputs 

which includes USB, SPDIF, and TosLink plus a 

subwoofer output and a single, lonely analog 

input. Additionally there’s a bass-equalization 

toggle and a multi-purpose auxiliary input that 

can be used either as a headphone jack from a 

MacBook Pro or, with the supplied TosLink miniadapter, 

as an extra optical input. In a nod toward 

energy efficiency, when the amp doesn’t 

sense a signal for about fifteen minutes it reverts 

back to a 0.5W standby mode. 

Operationally I’ve only got a couple of 

nitpicks. The lack of a mute button seems a 

weird oversight. Also the iPod-style IR remote is 

all flat-black, including the navigation buttons. 

The only way to see what you’re doing is to 

angle the remote so that it catches a glint of 

light to illuminate the markers. Most of us will 

memorize the six key buttons (on/off, volume 

+/-, and source select arrows), but really! 

Sourcing my hard-drive-based music 

collection via USB was a snap; however, I 

was more impressed by how easy it was to 

get Bluetooth (BT) up and running—an area 

where I’ve occasionally run into snags in the 

past. Here, I simply selected Bluetooth from 

my Mac’s System Preferences and made certain 

BT sharing was selected within the Sharing 

submenu. This made the D 3020 discoverable 

as a device. A simple click to connect and, 

after opening iTunes, I was instantly listening 

to one of my own “stations” on iTunes Radio. 

While the sonics of Bluetooth are more 

geared to convenience than to our inner 

audio connoisseur, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit 

that it sounded darn good—not as open and 

dynamically sophisticated as the high-res USB 

connection but far better than I remembered 

from previous BT experiences. 

Speaking of sonic performance, the D 3020 

for all its humble appearance is pure NAD. It’s 

firmly midrange-centered in its balance and 

never over-reaches in the sense of growing 

shrill on top or tubby on the bottom. Yes, it’s 

lighter in overall sound due to some bottomoctave 

attenuation, but the D3020 retains an 

essential presence, a midrange integrity, that 

sculpts the body of a performance and makes 

it live in the listening space. It also maintains 

a solid grip in the midbass, resolving Lee 

Sklar’s mellow bass lines with good pace and 

precision during James Taylor’s “Fire and 

Rain” [Warner]. Its response softens and loses 

definition only slightly when confronted with 

hard-charging electric bass pulses or the 


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EQUIPMENT review - NAD D 3020 

double-kick-drum rhythm figures flying off the 

feet of Metallica’s Lars Ulrich. 

Vocals tended to sound a bit dry at times, 

an issue that affected female singers a little 

more than male ones. But multiple vocal 

images were generally very good. For example, 

during Jackson Browne’s “Colors of the Sun” 

[Asylum] the D 3020 reproduced a significant 

amount of the detail and interplay between 

the vocals of Browne and Don Henley. 

While the specs and form factor of the D3020 

suggest that it is ideally suited for desktop 

duty, I wanted to throw a wrench in the gears 

by giving the NAD a real shake-down with a 

highly esteemed compact loudspeaker, the 

Franco Serblin Accordo, a two-way compact 

of impeccable craftsmanship and provenance, 

and one of the last speakers authored by 

Serblin, who passed on in 2013. At 87dB the 

Accordo’s a medium-sensitivity loudspeaker 

with midrange and top-end response that are 

truly world-class. The D3020 never hiccupped 

at the challenge. 

One of the liveliest recordings I have is the 

electrifying Jacques Loussier Trio playing The 

Best of Play Bach—a smile-inducing collection of 

jazz/classical bon-bons. The D 3020 handled the 

dynamics and harmonic and ambient density of 

this recording quite faithfully. There was some 

dynamic constriction and low-frequency pitch 

instability at moments, but overall performance 

from a sub-$1k 30Wpc amp has rarely been more 

impressive. And I admired the grip of this amp 

once again when confronted with the midbass 

tom-toms during Blood, Sweat & Tears’ “More 

and More” [Columbia]. Though piano timbre 

during “Sometimes in Winter” was a little cool, 

there was still a suggestion of the felt on the 

hammers damping the strings. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise I encountered 

during my listening sessions was the quality 

and smoothness of the amp’s top end. This 

was a region where the Accordo tweeter would 

easily expose deficiencies, but the D 3020 met 

the challenge. As I listened to pianist Janne 

Mertanen play the Chopin Nocturnes [Alba], 

transient speed and harmonic openness were 

truly enthralling. Although there was a little 

bit of a ceiling over the performance—at least 

compared with pricier, wider-band amps that 

operate with more dynamic headroom—the D 

3020 had little else to apologize for. 

Although I’m an infrequent headphone 

user, whenever I don my AKG K501 cans (still 

terrific after all these years) I am always 

impressed by the gorgeous midrange tonality 

and intimacy these 120-ohm ’phones produce. 

As a headphone amp, the D 3020 does its job 

noiselessly and is musically satisfying. The 

tonal characteristics that make it so appealing 

with conventional loudspeakers translate fully 

to the more intimate world of earspeakers. 

Frankly I haven’t ever appreciated headphone 

listening as much I did during the time I spent 

with the D 3020. 

If computer audio is your 

primary source for music, 

and Blue Tooth capability is a 

must, then the D 3020 makes a 

compelling argument. The other 

argument is, hello, its price 

tag of $499, making it by most 

standards a small miracle of 

packaging and portability, and 

with few exceptions a delight to 

use and listen to. Too small for Price: $499 

you NAD has you covered with a 

bigger cousin in the new D 7050—a streaming 

integrated with more power, advanced 

topologies, plus AirPlay wireless at $999. 

For many, however, the D 3020 will be just 

what the digital doctor ordered. Faithful to 

the original 3020 but totally dialed in to our 

times. 


Power output: 30Wpc into 8 ohms 

Inputs: Three digital (USB, SPDIF, 

TosLink); one analog 

Dimensions: 2.3" x 7.5" x 8.7" 


NAD Electronics Intl 

633 Granite Court 

Pickering, Ontario 

Canada, L1W 3K1 

(905) 831-6555 

nadelectronics.com 



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Hegel H80 Integrated 

Amplifier 


Kirk Midtskog 

Hegel Music Systems has been on a roll. Since my review of the H100 integrated 

amplifier in September 2010, the Norwegian company has released three DACs, 

a preamp, a headphone amp/DAC, a power amp, and two integrateds, as well 

as updating a power amp already in the line. Hegel strikes me as a company driven by 

original engineering aimed at offering the highest possible sound quality at reasonable 

prices. The company’s $15,000 H30 may raise some eyebrows on that score. It is 

worth noting, though, that given the H30’s high performance level, Editor-in-Chief 

Robert Harley said in his Issue 223 review, “The Hegel H30 is not just a great-sounding 

amplifier; it’s also a tremendous bargain.” Elsewhere in TAS, Associate Editor Neil 

Gader had some very nice things to say about the 250Wpc H300 integrated in Issue 

233. Hegel’s H200 integrated amp, which I reviewed in 2011, won Product of the Year, 

and the H300 received two Golden Ear Awards in 2013. Hegel has been busy indeed, 

and its efforts have been well received by consumers and the audio press. 

In general, Hegel products are user-friendly, 

offer good value, and hew toward understated 

cosmetics, as if to say, “We let the music 

do the talking.” The 75Wpc, solid-state H80 

integrated amplifier with onboard DAC is a 

case in point; it allows a lot more of the music 

to “do the talking” than I thought possible 

for $2000. On the nuts-and-bolts side, it 

has three analog inputs (one balanced, 

two unbalanced—one of which can be 

configured as a home-theater bypass), 

and five digital inputs (two coax, two 

optical—both types supporting 24/192— 

and one 24/96 USB. The small supplied 

plastic remote operates normal preamp 

functions and also includes buttons to skip, 

go back, play, and pause through the attached 

computer’s playlist—with most media players 

and only via the USB port. A much nicer metal 

remote is available as an upgrade for $180. I 

recommend it. 

In a way, the H80 is a perfectly ordinarylooking, 

average-sized, minimalist integrated 

amp. Closer inspection reveals a nicely 

finished product, weighing about 24 pounds 

with a gently curved, glass-blasted faceplate 

and control knobs—input and volume. In a 

departure from other Hegel integrateds, the 

H80’s power switch is located on the bottom 

of the chassis in the front left corner instead 

of in the center of the faceplate just below the 

display. This makes more room on the H80’s 

faceplate for a larger display which, by the 

way, can be easily read from across a fairly 

large listening room. 

The sound of the H80 is not ordinary at all, 

though. It delivers a nice measure of musical 

verve, accompanied by a lack of listener 

fatigue that one rarely encounters in $3000 

integrateds—let alone in one priced at $2000. 

Conversely, many integrated amps near its 

price with a low listener-fatigue factor too 

often also sound overly polite or reserved. 

The H80 is musically involving, well balanced, 

and surprisingly powerful for its power rating. 

While I realize that an amp’s nominal output 

figure doesn’t necessary tell the whole story 

when it comes to its ability to drive real-world 

speakers, I really wasn’t quite prepared for 

the sense of power the H80 can deliver—even 

while driving the 85dB-sensitivity, 4-ohm 

Dynaudio C1 II. In a word, it sounded more 

“commanding” than I expected. It imparted 

commendable bass extension and control, 

maintained its baseline tonal balance during 

difficult music passages, and served up plenty 

of rhythmic drive. Some of my sense of its 

outsized power delivery may be the result of a 

greater-than-1000 damping factor. (Damping 

factor represents a measure of an amplifier’s 

ability to control a connected woofer and is 

related to the amp’s output impedance.) When 

pushed beyond its output power envelope— 

and at fairly loud volume levels, mind you— 

the bass-heavy synth lines in Bjork’s Greatest 

Hits version of “All is Full of Love” [Elecktra] 

or the dense climaxes in various movements 

of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring [RR] could 

become grainy and unstable. Even so, the H80 

sounded considerably more composed than 

I had a right to expect from a 75Wpc, solidstate 

integrated amp. 

The overall tonal balance of the H80 is very 

similar to all the other Hegel amplifiers I have 

used in my own system: H100, H200, H300 

integrateds, and H30 power amp. That is to 

say, the H80 sounds neutral without glare, 

harshness, or graininess—unless, as already 

noted, the amp is pushed beyond its overachieving 

power limit. In general, Hegel amps 

have a marvelously clear and smooth quality 

but do not realize that smoothness by sounding 

rolled-off or veiled. The H80 is no exception. 

It sounds tonally even-handed and texturally 


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EQUIPMENT review - Hegel H80 

smooth while transmitting enough resolution 

to allow a wide selection of musical nuances 

to come through with their “essence” intact. 

Predictably, you will notice better resolution, 

refinement, power output, and soundstaging— 

especially the rendering of depth—as you 

move up the Hegel amplifier line. As such, 

the H80 still offers a commendable level of 

the company’s characteristic neutrality and 

smoothness at a relatively low price. 

I omitted the H100 in the above comparison 

because I no longer had one on hand, but 

I recall the H100 I reviewed in Issue 206 as 

sounding very smooth and beautiful but also 

noted some “reticence” in its delivery, as if 

it were a bit hampered in rhythmic timing. 

Happily, I can report the H80 is not at all 

reserved or reticent. In fact, I consider its 

agility and deftness of timing to be among its 

greatest strengths. The H80 is just plain fun 

to listen to. It ably communicates much of the 

natural liveliness in music and does so without 

any associated leanness or “presence region” 

emphasis, which wear poorly over time. For 

example, Alanis Morissette’s “That Particular 

time” on Under Rug Swept [Maverick] 

retained the recording’s forward emphasis 

of Morissette’s upper register but without 

veering into piercing territory, as some amps 

do. The forward momentum of the next cut “A 

Man” was also well served as drummer Gary 

Novak switches from hi-hat to ride cymbal 

at about the 3:24 mark. The clangy sheen of 

Novak’s ride cymbal came through but did not 

become strident. Essentially, what you forgo 

by opting for the H80 over a H200, H300, or 

one of Hegel’s pre/power combos amounts to 

some omissions of overall resolution, power 

reserves, and rendering of depth rather than 

intruding sins of commission like an unnatural 

tonal emphasis, a fatigue-inducing glare, or 

some other characteristic that registers as 

anti-musical. 

The H80 creates a soundstage of 

respectable width and depth for an amp of 

its power rating and price. In my setup, its 

listener perspective was roughly in the front 

section or mid-hall, and the soundstage 

started just behind the speakers and filled in 

rearward from there. I mentioned a perception 

of depth-foreshortening compared to Hegel’s 

more expensive offerings more to illustrate 

what you get when you move up the product 

line, rather than to draw attention to a 

shortcoming in the H80 per se. I consider the 

H80’s depth portrayal to be better than most 

other solid-state integrated amps in its price 

category. I believe it is unrealistic to expect 

truly fleshed-out depth presentation from a 

solid-state integrated amp that includes a 

DAC for $2000. 

Speaking of the DAC, it’s a really good 

performer. I compared it to Hegel’s standalone 

HD20 ($2000) and could not discern 

appreciable differences. The HD20 may have a 

bit more body and weight, but my impression 

could be influenced by cabling differences 

just as much has anything else. This is truly 

impressive performance from the H80’s DAC, 

apparently a scaled-down version of the DAC 

found in the H300 integrated amp reviewed by 

Neil Gader in Issue 233. I tried both the USB 

and SPDIF input on all three DAC sections 

(H80, H300, and HD20) and preferred SPDIF, 

in all cases, for its greater liquidity and clarity. 

The H80’s USB input supports 24/96 files and, 

as mentioned, allows the remote to control 

most media-player functions like play, skip, 

back, and pause. The two coax/SPDIF and 

two optical inputs support 24/192 resolution 

files but do not allow the remote to control 

any playlist functions. (I kept all playback set 

to 24/96 to maintain the same resolution as 

that of the USB port for my comparisons of 

USB vs. SPDIF). I didn’t try the optical inputs. 

Hegel DACs are about as easy to set up as they 

come; “plug and play” really does sum it up. 

My PC recognized whichever DAC I plugged 

into within a second or two, and I could then 

resume music playback for fairly quick sideby-side 

comparisons. 

Hegel has leveraged some new technology 

derived from its P20 preamp into the H80 

and employed a price-scaled implementation 

of Hegel’s patented SoundEngine technology 

in the power amp section. 

SoundEngine uses a feed-forward 

technique (instead of feedback) 

to reduced distortion as the 

signal passes from one amplifier 

stage to another, and, apparently, 

also greatly reduces crossover 

distortion (as the positive and 

negative halves of the signal 

switch over to each other). The 

isolated voltage input gain stage (24/96) 

and output current gain stage 

have their own power supplies, 

and Hegel uses a rigorous partssorting 

protocol to make sure 

complementary device pairs are 

closely matched. Chief designer Bent Holter 

told me at CES 2014 that Hegel is taking a 

relatively low profit margin on the H80 to 

keep the price at $2000. Judging by the H80’s 

build and sound (and Holter’s straightforward 

manner), I have no reason to doubt him. 

The H80 represents much of what is right 

in the high-end-audio scene. Those who 

are (sometimes justifiably) frustrated with 

escalating prices, take heart; the Hegel H80 

answers the call for high-performing audio kit 

at a very reasonable price. No, it does not have 

the seamless liquidity, high resolution, and 

fundamental solidity of the more expensive 

stuff, but it gets you enough of the high-end 

essence to be more than a great place to 

start. I hope more people will participate in 

the deeper enjoyment of music in their homes 

because products like the H80 make it more 

accessible. The H80 is the real deal...and a 

sweet deal, too. 


Power output: 75Wpc 

Inputs: Analog, two RCA, one XLR; 

digital, two SPDIF, two optical 

(both types 24/192), and one USB 

Outputs: One of the RCA inputs 

configurable as HT by-pass 

(power amp in), speaker terminals 


13.80" 


Price: $2000 (RC8 remote control 

upgrade, $180) 

HEGEL MUSIC SYSTEMS USA 

david.cohen@hegel.com 

(508) 405-0910 



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Portable 


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Astell&Kern AK240 


Steven Stone, Photography by Dennis Burnett 


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The consumer electronics industry has always evolved at a rapid rate, but the 

frantic pace of innovation, new product introductions, and price escalations in 

portable high-performance audio is now outdistancing anything I’ve witnessed 

before. Take Astell&Kern as an example. Two years ago there were no Astell&Kern 

products on the market, as A&K was merely a glint in corporate parent iRiver’s eye. 

One year ago I reviewed Astell&Kern’s first product, the AK100, which at the time 

was the most expensive portable player available. Now, the AK100II has replaced 

the AK100, and the AK100II is A&K’s entry-level offering. The new AK240 is A&K’s 

current flagship model. At over three times the price of the AK100II the AK240 

ranks as the most expensive portable player on the market. If you purchase one, and 

you lose it, you will have at least 2495 reasons to feel very, very sad. 

TechnicalTour & Ergonomics 

The AK240 crams an amazing amount of technology 

into its duraluminum chassis. The chassis 

itself begins as a 435-gram billet and goes 

through a twelve-step process that includes laser-engraving 

the finished enclosure. This level 

of attention to detail carries through to all aspects 

of the AK240’s design, including its shape. 

Two of the AK240’s four corners are cut off. At 

first I thought this might have been a sly nod to 

the TV series Battlestar Galactica (the new one, 

not the original) where all the papers have cut 

corners. But the cut-corner design is purely ergonomic—when 

you pick up an AK240 your pinky 

naturally wraps around one cut corner while 

your thumb rests on the other. The AK240 feels 

great in your hand with just enough heft to feel 

substantial without being overly heavy. 

Inside the AK240 A&K you will find not one, 

but two, Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chips, one 

for each channel. The AK240 supports PCM 

rates up to 352.8/24 and DSD up to 128x. It 

also supports all formats including FLAC, 

WAV, ALAC, AIFF, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, DFF 

and DSF files. 

The AK240 is not only a portable player, 

but also a USB DAC and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 

portable streaming device. What’s interesting 

about this dual-streaming feature is that 

unlike most streaming via Bluetooth, which 

goes from your smartphone or player to your 

home music system, the AK240 also streams 

from your home computer’s music library to 

the AK240. The idea, I assume, is that while 

you mop the floor or vacuum your bedroom 

you can be listening to anything in your main 


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music library via headphones, not merely 

what is in the AK240’s 256GB internal 

memory or removable micro-SD card (provided 

that the AK240 shares the same Wi- 

Fi network as your computer). 

The AK240 has a 3.32-inch AMOLED 

WVGA (800x480) touchscreen display 

that functions not only as a display that 

supports full-color graphics but also as a 

multifunction control surface. In addition 

to the screen’s controls the AK240 has a 

single pushbutton on top for wake-up and 

on/off, plus “forward,” “pause/play,” and 

“back” mini-buttons on the side opposite 

the volume control knob. The volume knob 

is large and more sculpted in shape than 

the AK100’s volume control. The case has 

protection on either side of the knob that 

reminds me of a Panerai wristwatch. 

I found the AK240’s volume control to 

be much twitchier than the AK100’s control. 

If you want to increase the volume 

rapidly on the AK100 you merely turn the 

knob quickly, but if you try to increase 

the volume on the AK240 the same way, 

the control often takes the volume down 

instead of up. Only a smooth, slow touch 

would consistently yield “up” when I wanted 

up. But down was never a problem. 

Unlike the original version of the AK100, 

which came with no case, the AK240 

comes with a custom-fitted leather case 

available in a variety of colors. I know that 

it is expensive because I bought one made 

by the same company for my AK100, and 

it set me back $80 for a much simpler design. 

When I used the AK240 as a portable 

player I inserted the same 32GB micro-SD 

cards into the AK240 that I created for the 

AK100. The AK240 can take a while to read 

a fully populated card. Some patience is required 

when you put in a new card because 

it will not play any of the files on the card 

until the card has been fully scanned. Unlike 

the original AK100, which has two SD card 

slots covered by a sliding click-lock door, 

the AK240, AK120, and AK100II all have a 

single SD card slot with no door. I understand 

that since the current series of A&K 

devices can accept a much larger card than 

the original AK100 the need for two slots 

isn’t as great, but having two slots and the 

sliding door was and is a nice feature on the 

AK100 which I miss on the AK240. 

There are many unique playback options 

in the AK240 and some can trip you up. If 

you select MQS or DSD instead of “All” from 

one of the AK240’s sub-directories, the 

AK240 will not show you anything (or play 

anything) but MQS or DSD files. When this 

happened the first time, after I had just finished 

using the AK240 in streaming mode, I 

thought I had “broken” another component 

under review (which occurs more than you 

would think), but after a couple of e-mails 

with A&K’s technicians we figured out I had 

somehow gotten into DSD mode. My bad. 

Like the AK100, the AK240 has builtin 

EQ features. But unlike the AK100 you 

can create and save your own EQ settings. 

If you wish, you can have a unique EQ setting 

for each headphone or music genre 

that you regularly use. Frequency points 

include 30, 60, 120, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 

8k, and 16kHz. I don’t recommend trying 

to set your EQ on a moving train or bus— 

the touch controls are quite sensitive, and 

it’s far too easy for a 0.5dB adjustment 

to turn into 5dB one if you aren’t careful 

where your fingers go. Also, if you listen 

primarily to DSD material you will be disappointed 

to discover that the EQ features 

are not active with DSD files. 

One ergonomic area where I found the 

AK240 to be glitch-free was firmware updates. 

The AK240 has built-in Wi-Fi. When 

Wi-Fi is turned on from AK240’s setting 

menu, it also activates the automatic detection 

of firmware updates. When A&K 

releases new firmware, the AK240 will 

let you know and give you the option of 

downloading it. (This sure beats having to 

download new firmware to the main directory 

of your device by USB connection 

from your computer for the firmware to 

begin the update process, as is necessary 

with the AK100.) 

You have several output options with 

the AK240. First and probably most-often 

used is the single-ended headphone 

output via the mini-stereo plug. For most 

headphones or DAC/pre applications this 

is the go-to connection. This mini-stereo 

input can also serve as a digital TosLink 

output, so you can use the AK240 as a 

USB-to-TosLink digital converter if the 

need arises. The TosLink output supports 

PCM up to 192/24, but will not pass 

a DSD signal, at least not yet. You never 

know what future firmware updates will 


Supported audio formats: WAV, Irvine, CA 92606 

FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE (949) 336-4540 

(Normal, High, Fast), 

astellnkern.com 

AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, Associated Equipment 

DSD64, DSD128 

Source Devices: MacPro model 1.1 

Sampling rates: 8kHz–192kHz Intel Xeon 2.66 GHz computer 

(8/16/24 bits per sample) 

with 16 GB of memory with OS 

Output level: Stereo unbalanced 10.6.7, running iTunes 10.6.3 and 

2.1V rms/ balanced 2.3V rms Amarra Symphony 3.1 music 

Output impedance: 1 ohm 

software, Pure Music 1.89 music 

DAC: Two Cirrus Logic CS4398 software, and Audirana Plus 1.5.12 

Decoding: Support up to 

music software 

24-bit/192kHz 

DACS: Astell&Kern AK100, Colorfly 

C4, Calyx Audio M, Oppo HA-1, 

Input: USB Micro-B input for charging 

& data transfer (PC & Mac) Wyred4Sound DAC-2DSDse 

Outputs: Phones (3.5mm); optical Amplifiers: April Music Eximus S-1, 

(3.5mm); balanced (2.5mm, only Wyred4Sound mAMP, Accuphase 

4-pole supported) 

P-300 

Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) Speakers: ATC SCM7 III, Role Audio 

Bluetooth: v4.0 

Kayak, Aerial Acoustics 5B, Audience 

Clair Audient 1+1, Velodyne 

External memory: micro-SD 

(128GB max) 

DD+ 10 subwoofer 

Supported OS: Windows XP, Cables and Accessories: Wireworld 

Windows 7/8 (32 & 64 bit); Mac USB cable, Synergistic Research 

OS X 10.7 

USB cable, AudioQuest Carbon 

Dimensions: 2.59" x 4.21" x 0.68" USB cables. PS Audio Quintet, AudioQuest 

Colorado interconnect, 

Weight: 6.5 oz. (185g) 

Price: $2495 

Cardas Clear interconnect, Black 

Cat speaker cable and Interconnect, 

and Crystal Cable Piccolo 

ASTELL&KERN/iRIVER INC. 

(U.S. Distributor) 

interconnect, Audience Au24SE 

39 Peters Canyon Road 

speaker cable 



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bring. The last output on the AK240 is the balanced 

analog output using the four-conductor 

2.5mm connector. It was included so you can 

drive some power-hungry headphones in balanced 

rather than single-ended mode. 

Day-to-Day Use 

When I received the AK240 initially I had some 

issues with streaming. Playing DSD, high-res, 

and Red Book WAV files was no problem, but 

the AIFF format was a no-go. The Version 1.15 

firmware update fixed that problem completely. 

With the current firmware in the AK240 

and the latest version of the streaming app on 

my main computer, the only issues I had were 

a result of signal-strength loss. Sometimes as 

I wandered around my house with the AK240 

in streaming mode the music would stop, but 

if I moved to an area with higher Wi-Fi signal 

strength the music would begin once more. 

The incidence of dropouts was not related to 

the density of the music file—dropouts with 

DSD files were no more frequent than with a 

44.1/16 file. 

Used as a DAC the AK240 had no problems 

decoding everything I threw at it. When I used 

Audirvana Plus as the playback app with the 

AK240, I had the option of either DCS or DoP 

[DSD over PCM, a method of transmitting DSD 

data) 1.0 over PCM, and both supported up to 

128X DSD with no down-conversion. I noticed 

only three potential issues when the A&K was 

used as a DAC. First, the AK240 gets hotter 

in DAC mode than it does when used as 

a portable player. I would recommend removing 

the leather case when it is in DAC mode to 

improve cooling. Second, the AK240’s volume 

control is inactive in DAC mode. If you need 

to attenuate the volume level, you must do so 

by some other means, such as the softwarecontrolled 

volume in your player app. (With 

high-sensitivity in-ear monitors, such as the 

Westone ES-5, the amount of attenuation required 

for comfortable listening can be rather 

severe, which may result in some loss of resolution 

due to extreme attenuation.) 

Third, when using Audirvana Plus with the 

unit in DAC mode I could “trick” the AK240 

into getting stuck in DSD mode. After playing 

a DSD file in Audirvana Plus and then closing 

the program and opening another playback 

app, such as iTunes or Amarra Symphony, I 

would only hear high-frequency noise, not music, 

when I tried to play a PCM file. To “re-set” 

the AK240 to play PCM files, I needed to reopen 

Audirvana Plus, play a PCM file, and then 

close Audirvana. After this, iTunes and other 

apps would play PCM files correctly again. 

The AK240 has a special 2.5mm balancedoutput 

connection, which is such a new 

scheme that few cable manufacturers have 

off-the-shelf adapters available for it. Like 

99% of those early-adopters who have an 

AK240, I had no adapters either. Given A&K’s 

usual level of attention to detail I was somewhat 

surprised that a balanced adapter wasn’t 

included as a standard accessory, but it was 

not. By the time you see this review some 

cable fabricators, including Double Helix and 

Moon Audio, will have custom-made adapters 

available. 

When used as a player via its single-ended 

headphone output the AK240 could be paired 

with a wide variety of headphones. Noise and 

low-level amplifier hiss weren’t a problem even 

with the most sensitive in-ears in my possession, 

the Westone ES-5s. On the other end of 

the efficiency spectrum, the AK240 had sufficient 

gain to drive a pair of Beyerdynamic 

DT-990 600-ohm headphones past satisfying 

levels into the spectrum of sound I call “really 

darn loud.” Easy-to-drive headphones such as 

the Oppo PM-1 sounded dynamically alive and 

were so well matched to the AK240’s output 

that I would question whether anyone really 

needs to use an accessory headphone amplifier 

with the AK240, at least with the vast majority 

of headphones. 

Obviously one of the AK240’s strengths is 

its flexibility and portability. But for owners 

of large music collections who want to access 

their entire collection on the go, the AK240 

remains inadequate, as do all portable music 

players. With 256GB in permanent storage 

plus one slot with a current maximum 

storage-capacity of 128GB, the AK240 has 

374GB maximum storage. Most mature music 

collections are substantially larger than this. 

To bring your entire collection on a trip or vacation 

would involve multiple mini-SD cards. 

Not only does each card take a while to be 

scanned when inserted, but also as you add 

more music to your main library you will need 

find some way to keep your portable music library 

on SD cards updated and current. This 

can be a lot of extra work and will also require 

a systematic way of doing the updating. It’s 

too bad that Astell&Kern doesn’t have a companion 

app for the AK240 which can find new 

music and move it onto your AK240’s spare 

internal storage or SD cards similar to the 

HAP music-transfer program that Sony developed 

for its HAP-Z1ES music player. 

Sound 

What does the AK240 sound like Like music 

should sound. When you’re not doing critical A/B 

comparisons with other players, it’s very easy to 

get lost in the music coming from the AK240. 

I’ve been making some recordings during the 

summer that provided me with a good deal of 

new high-resolution music for evaluating gear. 

Unlike in the recent past, when the only way I 

could listen to my DSD recordings was through 

PCM conversions, now I can listen to the files at 

their native rate anywhere. 

I loaded my latest recordings of Choro Dos 

3, Tarka, Matt Flinner Trio, and Bryan Sutton 

with Chris Eldridge into the AK240 via the 

Astell&Kern-supplied Android Transfer program 

for the Mac OS. It’s basically a drag-anddrop 

application that makes adding files to the 

AK240’s internal 256GB storage relatively 

easy. (The app had a habit of working for a 

while and then stopping mid-file, after which 

I needed to disconnect and reconnect the 

AK240 to USB to get the app to work properly 

again.) 

Once my high-resolution DSD files were 

loaded into the AK240’s internal storage I 

could compare them with the same files on my 

computer. The AK240’s sonics did not change 

one iota when it went from playing the files 

stored internally to files stored on the computer. 

Even though they’re identical bits, they 

had to travel very different paths to arrive at 

the AK240’s DAC chip. My inability to hear 

any differences between the two digital signal 


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paths shows that Astell&Kern’s USB interface 

is very good. Both had equal levels of information, 

musicality, and pace. 

Most of my latest recordings were made 

“in the field” in non-traditional performance 

spaces such as outdoors, in homes, and small 

public spaces. Invariably I must use in-ear 

monitors to listen while making the recordings. 

I used these same in-ear monitors with 

the AK240 during playback. And while I could 

not do any comparisons between the AK240 

and a live mike feed during the recording sessions, 

I do feel the AK240 did an excellent job 

of recreating exactly what I heard in the original 

session. All the subtle spatial cues on my 

recording of Bryan Sutton and Chris “Critter” 

Eldritch playing vintage Martin dreadnaughts 

in a tent, outdoors, at the RockyGrass Academy 

came through the AK240 with remarkable 

fidelity. I could hear the water cascading down 

the St. Vrain River fifty feet away, as well as 

children playing in the river far in the distance 

between songs. Also all the subtle tonal differences 

between Sutton’s 1942 rosewood-bodied 

D-28 and Eldridge’s 1937 mahogany-bodied 

D-18 were as obvious through the AK240 

as they were at the original recording session. 

During the review period I had several USBcapable 

DACs to crosscheck with the AK240. 

I wanted to compare the AK240 with the 

Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2DSDse, but since the 

DAC-2DSDse lacks an analog input I couldn’t 

merely hook up the AK240’s analog output 

to an analog input and then switch between 

USB DACs via the Apple MIDI control panel. 

However, I could do this very thing with the 

just-arrived Oppo HA-1 DAC/pre/headphoneamp. 

On high-resolution material (any files 

greater than 96/24) I couldn’t hear any differences 

between the two DACs, but on 44.1 and 

Internet MP3 radio streams I felt the AK240 

did have a very slight edge when it came to 

resolving low-level inner detail. 

At the time of this review I had five other 

portable players in-house for comparison—a 

160GB iPod classic, an iPhone, an Astell&Kern 

AK100, a Colorfly C4, and the Calyx M player. 

In sound quality the Apple iPod 160 was not 

competitive with any of the other players. The 

AK100 and Colorfly C4 were close but not 

quite equal to the sound quality of the AK240. 

Only the Calyx M matched the AK240’s sonics. 

Also all other players lacked the features 

found in the AK240. 

The AK100, which has been solid and completely 

glitch-free during the year I’ve had 

it, was as quiet and noise-free as the AK240 

with sensitive in-ears, such as the Westone 

ES-5s. The AK100 also drove high-impedance, 

low-sensitivity earphones, such as the Beyerdynamic 

DT-990 600-ohm version, as well 

as the AK240 did. But the AK240 plays 128X 

DSD in native format, which the AK100 can’t 

do. The AK240 has a “bigger” and slightly 

larger overall soundstage presentation than 

the AK100. And the AK240 also sounds more 

in control on dynamic peaks. 

The Colorfly C4, while limited in that it 

can’t play any DSD files, does have a powerful 

headphone amplifier that remained silent 

with high-sensitivity in-ears, while also having 

just enough juice to drive anything I tried 

with it, including the Audeze LCD-2 Bamboo 

headphones. I did find that on my own high- 


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res 192/24 recordings the Colorfly had 

barely enough output to play loudly with 

the Audeze. Given the radical disparity 

in looks between the Colorfly’s retrosteam-punk 

styling and the AK240’s 

sheer slickness, it’s hard to imagine that 

someone would be attracted to both 

physical designs equally. Sonically the 

differences between the AK240 and the 

Colorfly on 44.1/16 Red Book files were 

minor. Harmonically, the Colorfly had a 

bit of additive warmth compared to the 

AK240, but the AK240 remained more 

linear than the Colorfly, which became 

slightly “overcooked”-sounding when 

pushing inefficient headphones. 

The Calyx M ($999) proved to be the 

most sonically competitive with the 

AK240. Both produced excellent sound 

on anything I threw at them. The Calyx 

doesn’t have all the capabilities of the 

AK240—it’s “only” a portable player 

and a USB DAC, and its internal storage 

is just 60GB, but it also has a very 

refined interface and ergonomics. Although 

blessedly silent with sensitive 

in-ears, the Calyx M had barely enough 

gain on my own high-res recordings. I 

had to push the sliding side-mounted 

volume control all the way up to max to 

get enough output. But during A/B comparisons 

of 44.1/16 as well as high-res 

128x DSD music files, I couldn’t reliably 

tell one player from the other. Both the 

AK240 and Calyx M had an equal level 

of control and finesse. 

Final Thoughts 

I’ll admit I’ve been intentionally hard on 

the AK240, but given its place at the 

top of the price-hierarchy in portable 

players, potential owners would consider 

me remiss if I glossed over any of the 

ergonomic or performance areas where 

it might not be perfect. Of course, perfection 

is a difficult-to-obtain goal. After 

35 years of reviewing audio gear 

rarely has any audio component been 

“perfect,” but the AK240 comes far 

closer to that status than any portable 

player I’ve used so far. 

Whether the AK240 is the best player 

for you depends on whether you require 

any or all of its unique features. 

If you already have a high-quality USB 

DAC, streaming device, and smartphone 

that uses Bluetooth for streaming, 

some of the capabilities of the AK240 

will be redundant and perhaps the new 

Astell&Kern AK120 or AK100II would be 

better options. 

As I said at the start, the pace of new 

portable player introductions has been 

phenomenal. And if Astell&Kern and 

others continue releasing new players 

at this clip the AK240 will most certainly 

find itself challenged by something 

new in the near future. But right now, in 

Fall 2014, the Astell&Kern AK240 is the 

best-sounding, most fully featured portable 

player currently available. If you 

demand “the best” the AK240 should, 

inevitably, be at the top of your musthave 

list. 

Portable Audio Player 

of the Year 


$2495 

The AK240 is Astell&Kern’s current flagship. 

At over three times the price of A&K’s entry 

model, the AK100II, the AK240 ranks as the 

most expensive portable player on the market, 

but it manages to cram an amazing amount 

of technology into its duraluminum chassis. 

Anchored by a pair of Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC 

chips, the AK240 supports PCM rates up to 

192/24 and DSD up to 128x. The unit is not only 

a portable player, but also a USB DAC and Wi-Fi 

and Bluetooth portable streaming device. Is the 

AK240 the best player for you That depends 

on whether you require any or all of its unique 

features and capabilities. It certainly ranks 

as the best sounding and most transparent 

portable player SS has heard, and A&K’s 

regular firmware updates have added additional 

features since his review (such as more EQ 

options.) Although there are less expensive 

portable playera, such as A&K’s AK100II and 

AK120, if you want it all in one compact and 

beautifully made chassis, the AK240 is the 

player to own. (248) 


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2015 

High-End Audio 

Buyer’s Guide 

The Best CD/SACD PLAYERS, DACS, MUSIC SERVERS & 

PERIPHERAL PRODUCTS, PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS 


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2015 

High-End Audio 

Buyer’s Guide 

The Best CD/SACD PLAYERS, DACS, 

MUSIC SERVERS & PERIPHERAL 

PRODUCTS, PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS 

CD/SACD 

PLAYERS 

Rotel RCD-1570 

$999 

Long ago Rotel demonstrated that high-end sound need not come at a highend 

price. Exhibit A was its now-legendary CD player—costing a mere $400— 

that outperformed units ten times its price. Rotel’s new stack carries on that 

tradition, with three components that—aesthetically and functionally—were 

obviously designed to be deployed in tandem. First in line is the Wolfson DACpowered 

RCD-1570 CD player. This slot-loading unit has both single-ended 

and balanced analog outs. (There are also RS-232C and Rotel Link connections 

for external control.) A nice additional touch: The RCD-1570 has a digital out 

so it can be used as a transport in the event its owner decides to spring for a 

more expensive DAC. But even when used as a stock player, the RCD, like its 

now-famous forebears, makes few sonic compromises. rotel.com (242) 

Oppo BDP-105 

$1199 

Few disc player/DACs can compete with Oppo’s BDP-105 at its price point (or even 

near its price point), because the Oppo offers a seemingly unbeatable combination of 

versatility, flexibility, and serious high-end sound quality. Clean, clear, and decidedly 

detail-oriented, it hews somewhat toward sonic leanness, but is far more revealing 

than it has any right to be for the money. With the BDP-105 what you hear is what’s 

on the record, with no comforting (but perhaps sonically misleading) infusions of 

softness, warmth, or bass enrichment. In sum, the do-all Oppo is a multi-format disc 

player and multi-input DAC with which your system can grow (and it is also the vehicle 

of choice for many firms offering ultra-high-performance upgrade mods). Finally, 

did we mention the Oppo sounds terrific when heard through top-tier headphones 

oppodigital.com (232) 

Moon Neo 260D 

$2000 ($3000 w/DAC) 

The Moon Neo 260D continues a tradition of fine CD players from Canada’s 

Simaudio. However, unless you are a CD-only loyalist, you really need to consider 

adding Simaudio’s $1000 high-resolution DAC section to the 260D. With a 

32-bit asynchronous converter and four rear-panel digital inputs (dual SPDIF, a 

TosLink, and a USB), this optional DAC effectively opens up a whole new world 

of digital connectivity. Standard CD playback, though expectedly excellent, pales 

next to the level of refinement that the DAC brings to the table on high-resolution 

material—an added dimensionality that almost seemed to re-inflate the soundstage. 

The DAC’s superior reproduction of micro-dynamic gradations also more 

convincingly recreates the distances among the players in a symphony orchestra. 

With or without the optional DAC, the 260D offers natural sonics elegantly mated 

with resilient build-quality and good ergonomics. simaudio.com (244) 

Modwright-Oppo BDP-105 

$2495 (with Modwright Truth modifications only) 

Modwright offers a superior modification to Oppo’s highly regarded universal 

player, the BDP-105, replacing the stock analog stage with an incredible 

tube design and external power supply that elevate the 105’s performance 

dramatically. The build-quality is exemplary, and the sonics exceptional. It is the 

first digital player JH has had in his listening room that didn’t make him want to 

immediately return to his analog rig—and that’s because the Modwright sounds 

so much like analog in many respects, without giving up the bass extension and 

control, clarity, fine detail resolution, and convenience that can make digital 

so attractive. Whether you’ll recover the cost of this upgrade when you sell 

the unit remains to be seen, but with its outstanding sonics and remarkable 

flexibility this is one universal player you’ll likely hang on to for a long time. 

modwright.com (Review forthcoming) 

Marantz Reference Series SA11S 

$3999 

Marantz products almost always stand out from their competitors for a very musical 

sound that is notably free from harshness, glare, or anything remotely abrasive. Such 

is the case with the SA‐11S. The tonal balance is neutral, which means that nothing 

calls attention to itself up and down the spectrum. It has state-of‐the-art control and 

resolution yet also an elusive naturalness and musicality that banish all memories of the 

digital sound of yore. On SACD sources especially, the SA‐11S is one of the best PS 

has heard anywhere and unquestionably the best he has had in his house. If he were 

in the market for an integrated player to handle both Red Book and SACD sources, 

this is the one he would buy owing to its lineage, its perfect mediation of musicality 

and neutrality on CD sources, and its absolutely magnificent SACD performance. 

marantz.com (233) 


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CD/SACD 

PLAYERS 

Aesthetix Romulus CD Player/DAC 

$7000 

This all-tubed CD player and DAC is one of the great bargains 

in high-end audio today. What makes the Romulus 

special is that it sounds so “non-digital.” Rather than being flat and congealed, it 

opens up the spatial presentation, giving instruments and voices room to breathe. 

The Romulus couples this expansiveness with an unusual (for digital) sense of 

top-octave air and openness. The tonal balance is rich and warm in the bass, 

which, when added to the player’s treble smoothness, results in an immediately 

engaging and fatigue-free presentation. The Romulus isn’t “tubey” in the classic 

sense, but neither does it sound like solid-state. The design and build-quality are 

beyond what’s expected at this price. If you have no analog sources, the Romulus 

can serve as a preamplifier and DAC with multiple 

digital inputs, provided you purchase the variableoutput 

option ($1000). Thanks to an innovative 

hybrid analog/digital volume control, there’s no 

loss of resolution no matter the volume setting. 

aesthetix.net (243) 

MBL Corona C31 

$9200 

The Corona line from MBL may well be just about the most purely beautiful 

electronics on the market with sonics to match. However, in today’s computerdriven 

marketplace, if you needed further proof that the CD player is alive and 

well, look no further than the C31. A slot-loading CD player at heart, it includes a 

high-performance DAC with inputs for USB, SPDIF, and TosLink. At times NG 

found himself giving the CD player a slight nod for superior image focus and 

the reproduction of low-level detail. But moving to 24-bit/96kHz material, he 

preferred USB hands-down. The classic MBL signature—the bloom and analog 

warmth that informs all its gear—is built into the C 31’s DNA. A fabulous twofer. 

mbl-northamerica.com (228) 

Esoteric K-03X 

$12,000 

A brilliant concept beautifully executed, the Esoteric K-03X is much more than a CD/ 

SACD player. It is also a full-fledged DAC, with ample inputs, multiple upsampling and 

filtering options, and even provisions for an external word clock. Its USB interface is 

state of the art, supporting the highest resolutions and asynchronous clock control. 

As a DAC, the K-03X has few peers. Both the S/PDIF and USB interfaces are among 

the best AT has heard. In either case, rhythms are unflagging, details emerge clearly 

and naturally, and listener fatigue is non-existent. Dynamics are superb as well, and the 

sound is always open and airy. The K-03X 

also excels as a disc player, especially when 

playing SACDs. CD sound is not quite up 

to the K-03X’s benchmark in other modes, 

but it is ravishing nonetheless. Though it 

is not cheap, the K-03X delivers a level 

of versatility, build, sound quality, and 

operational smoothness that fully justifies its 

price. esoteric.jp (213) 

dCS Puccini and U-Clock 

$18,999; dCS Puccini U-Clock; $5499 

If you’re among the 99.99% of audiophiles who can’t afford dCS’ $110k Vivaldi 

digital playback system, the company’s Puccini CD player is the next best thing at 

less than one-fifth the price. As with the Vivaldi, the Puccini is packed with dCS’ 

proprietary technologies, including the brilliant Ring DAC and a custom softwarebased 

digital filter. The sound from CD is extraordinarily dense in detail and tone 

color, with a solid bottom end and spacious soundstaging. The icing on the cake 

is the Puccini’s fabulous rendering of SACD. The U-Clock is an outboard clock 

that not only improves the Puccini’s sound quality but also serves as a USB interface 

so that you can access the Puccini’s DAC with a computer-sourced signal. 

Recently updated to support DSD on USB and Puccini digital inputs. 

tempohighfidelity.com (183) 

Esoteric K-01X 

$21,000 

The entry fee for Esoteric’s flagship K-01X isn’t chump change, but how often 

does such a sum purchase three reference-level components The K-01X is the 

best CD player and SACD player and USB DAC AT has ever heard. Even as an 

SPDIF DAC the K-01X fully competes with reference models, and as a transport 

it puts many stand-alone units to shame. In either player or DAC mode, the K- 

01X’s resolution, dynamics, soundstaging, and timing are all top drawer. Meanwhile, 

the internal linestage, often an afterthought in otherwise good DACs, is a 

standout. Sum it up, and the K-01X’s sonics are never less than riveting. Esoteric 

has packaged all this performance and functionality in a flawlessly operating, elegantly 

hewn chassis, making the K-01X one of the high end’s best values. If AT 

had to choose a single yet singular digital source component, the Esoteric K-01X 

would be it. esoteric.jp (230) 

CH Precision D1 CD/SACD Transport/Player 

From $37,750, depending on configuration 

Although a formidable CD/SACD transport/player in its own right, the D1 comes 

into its own when paired with the companion CH Precision C1 DAC/Pre. The two 

communicate via the company’s proprietary CH-Link, and once you hear the Link’s 

open, natural sound, you will never go back to SPDIF. Furthermore, the CH-Link can 

carry raw DSD straight from an SACD to the C1. The combination of D1, C1, and 

CH-Link results in the best SACD sound AT has yet heard. The bottom line is: Buy 

the D1 with the C1. ch-precision.com (239) 


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CD/SACD 

PLAYERS 

dCS Vivaldi Digital Playback 

System 

$108,496 

The terrific-sounding fourbox 

Vivaldi is unquestionably the state of the art in 

functionality and technical sophistication. This flagship 

from dCS incorporates technology unlike that of any 

other digital product, with all the key subsystems designed and built by dCS 

using proprietary hardware and software. It sounds unlike other digital products 

as well, with a density of information, saturation of tone color, bottom-end 

authority, and highly spacious yet precisely rendered soundstage that outdo the 

competition. Although the complete system comprises four separate chassis, 

not all of them are required. The pairing of the Vivaldi Transport and Vivaldi 

DAC ($74,998) will get you most of the way there. The Clock and Upsampler 

are nice additions, but not required to realize the Vivaldi’s extraordinary 

sound quality. Note that the Vivaldi is a highly sophisticated instrument 

that requires more user involvement than most digital-source components. 

tempohighfidelity.com (223) 

DACS 

AudioQuest DragonFly V1.2 

$149 

How can you not absolutely love an asynchronous USB DAC packed 

with audiophile-grade design elements in the form factor of a USB 

stick that costs $149 The variable output level allows you to drive 

headphones or a power amplifier directly from its 3.5mm stereo 

mini-jack output. Amazingly, the DragonFly features an ESS Sabre 

DAC, analog-domain volume adjustment, and separate clocks for 

different sampling frequencies for better sound. The DragonFly 

has a remarkably sophisticated and relaxed presentation, yet excels 

at conveying dynamics and drive. Great sound from a computer 

has never been this simple or inexpensive. A brilliant product. 

audioquest.com (226) 

Audioengine D3 

$189 

A perfect complement to the Audioengine A2+ powered desktop speakers, or to 

your portable laptop, the Audioengine D3 DAC can handle PCM audio files up to 

96kHz/24-bit. Sound quality is on par with or above that of comparable portable 

USB DACs, and the sleek design matches nicely with Apple products (the 

Audioengine engineers are former Apple designers). If you need an affordable 

option to play high-res audio, take a listen to the D3 DAC. 

audioengineusa.com (241) 

Cambridge DacMagic XS 

$199 

About the size of a small box of wooden matches, 

the Cambridge DacMagic XS is one of the smallest 

and lightest portable DACs we’ve seen. It measures 

approximately 2 1/8" by 1 1/8" by 3/8" and 

weighs under 4 oz. On one end you’ll find a micro-USB 

input and on the other end is a 3.5mm 

stereo output. Although it doesn’t handle every 

audio format, and isn’t DSD-capable, the DacMagic XS delivers 

a lot of functionality and sonic goodness for under $200. For audiophiles 

looking for a road-warrior-worthy DAC that will be at home hooked up to any 

computer, portable or desktop, and successfully drive most headphones, the 

Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS DAC is a savvy and very affordable option. 

cambridgeaudio.com (245) 


$299 

Hegel made some very specific design decisions for the Super DAC. First, it is 

a USB 1.0 device that needs no drivers with any computer. This makes it a truly 

plug-and-play device, but it also limits the Super DAC to a maximum sample/bit 

rate of 96/24. Although the Hegel Super does lack some features, such as DSD 

and 192/24 PCM capabilities, it makes up for it with its solid sound and ability to 

do double-duty as a USB-to-TosLink converter. Given the number of other portable 

DACs available at a similar price, the Hegel faces some tough competition. 

But for some prospective users, the Super’s powerful output and easy setup might 

be deciding factors in its favor. hegel.com (245) 

Meridian Explorer USB/DAC 

$299 

Packaged in a chic, four-inch-long, 

extruded-aluminum ovular case, 

the Explorer is one terrific fully 

asynchronous, USB-powered 

streamer. It handles files up to 

24-bit/192kHz resolution while 

supplying smooth touches of 

analog-like warmth and fluidity—factors regarded as essential in the otherwise arid 

landscape that describes much entry-level digital. Even more important was an 

impressive ambient bloom that elevated the acoustic ceiling of venues rather than 

tamping them down like a lid over a stew pot. The music was spacious, detailed, and 

transparent, inviting comparisons to more expensive DACs. While the Explorer’s 

spectral balance is modestly lighter, even so, perspective please! Hi-res “to-go” for 

less than the price of a decent set of headphones Amazing. 

meridian-audio.com (234) 


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DACS 


$350 

The Canadian-made Resonessence Labs Herus is one of 

the most flexible USB-powered DACs in sample- and 

bit-rate capabilities. This lipstick-sized unit supports 

PCM up to 352.8/24 as well as DSD64x, DSD128x, and 

DXD files. So, regardless of how you like your highresolution 

files, the Herus will play them. Machined out 

of a solid block of aluminum, the Herus measures 2.5" 

x 1.25" by .75" and weighs less than a pair of CD jewel 

cases. On native 128X DSD it offered sound quality that 

rivaled that of any DSD DAC SS has heard, regardless 

of price. resonessencelabs.com (245) 

Micromega MyDAC 

$399 

Micromega’s MyDAC is entry-level in price only; its sound is far more refined 

and sophisticated than its modest cost would indicate. The unit looks very 

much like an Apple AirPort Extreme, but with a front-panel wheel to select 

between TosLink, coaxial, and asynchronous USB inputs. The Micromega 

gives you some sonic attributes usually found in much more expensive 

DACs—qualities like air around instruments, a sense of three-dimensional 

space, and a laid-back ease. Through the Micromega, instruments don’t sound 

like flat cardboard cutouts; they are fully fleshed out three-dimensional images 

surrounded with a wonderful bloom. Timbres are remarkably smooth and free 

from grain. The bass is solid and tight, although the very lowest bass lacks 

ultimate authority. audioplusservices.com (228) 

Sony PHA-2 DAC 

$599 

The Sony PHA-2 portable headphone amplifier and DAC was created to be a digital 

“bridge” product, designed to improve the sound from smartphones, iPods, iPads, and 

computer USB sources. The 270g (.595 lbs.) PHA-2 is housed in an aluminum enclosure 

that features a zinc-alloy bumper as well as a unique rail/edge design. The Sony 

PHA-2 offers a lot of capabilities and excellent sound for under $600, but since no one 

device can do everything, prospective owners should look at the PHA-2’s feature set 

carefully to ensure that it does what they need it to do. sony.com (245) 

Arcam airDAC 

$699 

Tired of being limited to high-res audio only in your dedicated listening room 

The Arcam airDAC is the perfect solution for those who have second systems in 

other rooms, but no way of connecting them to the main system or home network. 

Via Airplay or a wired Ethernet connection, the Arcam airDAC will stream highres 

music to your other systems. A sleek app for smartphones and the iPad allows 

you to control the unit, while an optical-out lets you connect to a separate DAC if 

you choose. Airplay and Ethernet UPnP-enabled, the airDAC harnesses modern 

connectivity to bring your system into the twenty-first century. 

arcam.co.uk (245) 

Meridian Direct DAC 

$699 

Meridian Direct could best be described as an Explorer with a larger portfolio. 

Compact, yet designed for the home rather than the street, its mission is digital 

media—from computer audio via USB to virtually any device with an optical 

or SPDIF input. However, unlike its smaller USB sibling, Explorer, Direct 

uses a pair of unbalanced RCA output jacks, permitting audiophiles to exploit 

the potential of interconnect options. Included in the bargain are Meridian 

resolution enhancements such as upsampling and an apodising filter. A sonic 

knockout that captures much of the realism, depth, and dimensionality of live 

music, the Direct is a cost-effective way of inoculating a system against digital 

obsolescence. meridian-audio.com (240) 

NuForce DAC-80 DAC/preamp 

$795 

The NuForce DAC-100 marks NuForce’s first foray 

into the product category of DAC/preamps. With a 

feature set that should work equally well in a computer 

desktop/headphone system or a computer-based 

system, the NuForce DAC-100 packs a lot of features and technology into its svelte 

chassis. NuForce calls the DAC-100 a DAC/preamp because it performs the functions 

of a DAC and a preamp. It has four digital inputs—USB 2.0, TosLink, and two for 

SPDIF RCA digital. For outputs the DAC-100 includes one pair of single-ended 

variable-output RCA connectors and a headphone jack on the front panel. The 

DAC-100’s headphone output is designed to support headphones with an impedance 

range from 120 to 600 ohms, so it may not be suited for all ’phones, especially highsensitivity 

low-impedance in-ear models. Still, NuForce’s entry at this hotly contested 

price point delivers excellent sound combined with a useful feature set, making it one 

of the DACs that should be on anyone’s “must audition” short list if he’s in the market 

for an under-$1500 USB DAC. nuforce.com (228) 


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DACS 

Rotel RDD-1580 

$799 

If you’re in need of a high-quality DAC capable of PCM audio up to 

192kHz/24-bit at an affordable price (and who isn’t), Rotel has designed a 

DAC capable of producing audiophile-quality sound at big-box-store prices. 

With six digital inputs, including USB, coax, and optical, plus the ability to 

stream Bluetooth audio from your favorite portable devices, the Rotel RDD- 

1580 is a DAC that will blow you away without blowing the budget. 

rotel.com (243) 

Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 

$1499 ($100 to add DSD, $1000 for SE boards) 

The Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 combines a rich feature set with remarkable 

performance at a price that makes it hard to beat. Its overall sound has a solidity 

and weight that are both arresting and involving. While SS hasn’t heard every 

available DAC in its price range, he has yet to hear any USB DAC under $1500 

that outperforms the Wyred 4 Sound. Factor in the basic DAC-2’s 192kHz highresolution 

capabilities, small upcharge for DSD support, and the ability to convert 

to SE anytime you wish via built-in circuit-board upgradability, and you have a DAC 

that will remain au courant long enough to make it a savvy and satisfying purchase, 

regardless of how much more you can afford to spend. 

wyred4sound.com (247) 

Mytek Stereo192-DSD DAC 

$1595 

Manufactured in Poland, the Mytek Stereo192-DSD DAC was designed by Michal 

Jurewics, who is also the founder of Mytek Digital. The Stereo192-DSD DAC 

comes in three versions. Fortunately for consumers, all three have the same price. 

The “standard” version is available in two finishes, silver and black. The black 

chassis 192-DSD DAC has front-panel volume-level LEDs below the LCD panel, 

while the silver version has none. Input and output options on the black and silver 

192s are identical. The “Mastering” 192-DSD DAC has a similar front panel to the 

black version, but instead of an analog pass-through it substitutes a dedicated DSD 

input for 128x (5.6MHz) files (currently only accessible via a PC-based computer). 

If you want or need a DSD-capable DAC with a FireWire interface (which can be 

attached to any Thunderbolt connection via an adapter), the Mytek is the only game 

in town, so far. mytekdigital.com (234) 

Benchmark DAC2 HGC 

$1995 

The DAC2 HGC employs new highefficiency 

low-noise power supplies with each sub-system using its own dedicated 

low-noise regulation. The UltraLock2 digital clock replaces the older UltraLock 

clock that was used in the DAC1 for jitter attenuation. Like most current-generation 

DACs, the DAC2 uses an asynchronous interface, which Benchmark, with a knack 

for verbal invention, calls its “multi-mode asynchronous USB.” The HGC moniker 

stands for “hybrid gain control,” which is a “dual domain” attenuation system that 

combines digital with analog gain controls for an optimal result. By using a 32-bit 

digital system along with a servo-driven analog potentiometer, Benchmark claims 

that the HGC design “outperforms traditional analog or digital volume controls, 

including the two-stage DAC1 HDR system.” The Benchmark DAC2 does make 

a strong case that the current-generation digital-to-analog interfaces are no longer 

the weakest link in the reproduction chain, if indeed they were in the past. Also 

available in an L version without headphone amp, $1795; and a D version with only 

digital inputs, $1795. benchmarkmedia.com (234) 

Bryston BDA-2 DAC 

$2395 

Bryston’s BDA-1 builds on the success of its highly regarded predecessor, the 

BDA-1. The new unit adds a greatly improved asynchronous USB interface 

capable of handling sampling rates up to 192kHz, along with a pair of top-ofthe-line 

chips from AKM. The USB input, merely a convenience feature on the 

BDA-1, is now a state-of-the-art implementation that is fully competitive with 

other top-class USB DACs. Because of its particular strengths, the BDA-2 will 

be especially appealing to listeners seeking to maximize enjoyment from USB 

sources. The overriding impression of music played via the BDA-2’s USB input 

is one of relaxed ease and unflustered composure. KS found that the crowning 

achievement of the Bryston BDA-2 can be described in the simplest of terms: 

It makes the best of every recording that you play through it. A great bargain. 

bryston.com (233) 

Cary Audio DAC-100 and DAC-100t 

$2495 and $2995 

Available with either a silver or black front panel, the DAC-100 and DAC-100t look 

virtually identical. The “t” on the second DAC-100 stands for tube. This is what 

differentiates the DAC-100t’s analog output stage from that of the all-solid-state 

DAC-100. Except for their output design the two are technological twins. Overall the 

DAC-100t has more additive colorations, especially in the bass, while the DAC-100 

is slightly subtractive in its upper frequency ranges. Which is “better” will depend 

on the rest of your system. WG encourages readers to listen to both and make their 

own choice. The fact is you can’t go wrong with either one. 

caryaudio.com (242) 


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DACS 

Auralic Vega 

$3495 

If you are looking to take the plunge into the world of DSD and need a 

high-quality DAC/preamp capable of handling all your digital sources, look 

no further than the Auralic Vega digital pre/DAC. With AES/EBU, two 

coax, optical, and USB inputs, the Vega is highly versatile. Because it is also 

capable of acting as a preamp, all you have to do is add an amp and speakers 

and you’re ready to start rocking. The Vega supports all PCM-based audio up 

to 384kHz/24-bit and DSD up to DSD128. As good as it gets for the price. 

auralic.com (240) 

Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2 

$4995 

The Golden Ear and Product of the Year Award-winning Alpha DAC is not only 

one of the best-sounding digital-to-analog converters, it’s also an amazing bargain. 

In addition to world-class decoding of CD sources, the Alpha DAC can handle any 

sampling rate to 192kHz and word lengths to 24 bits. Its robust analog output stage 

and variable output level allow it to drive a power amplifier directly. This feature is 

significant, because the Alpha DAC is capable of such resolution, timbral purity, 

and dynamics you’ll want to hear it without the limitations of a preamp in the signal 

path. When used at its best—fed by true high-res sources from a music server, and 

driving an amplifier directly—the Alpha DAC delivers stunning resolution of the 

finest musical detail, throws a spectacularly large and well-defined soundstage, and 

plays back music with gorgeous tone color and purity. A reference-quality product 

at a moderate price. berkeleyaudiodesign.com (189) 

EAR-Yoshino 192 DACute Digital to Analog Converter 

$5895 

Tim de Paravicini’s DACute, really a DAC/pre, represents a bold attempt to equate 

digital performance to good analog practice. High-frequency noise generated by the 

DAC chipset is filtered by an analog filter, the same sort of filter Tim has always 

used on analog tape recorders for bias and other ultrasonic noise filtering. The 

Cirrus SPDIF receiver accepts up to 24/192 digital data from USB, coaxial SPDIF, 

and TosLink inputs. The internal line preamp uses one 6922/ECC88 twin-triode per 

channel, while the output stage is transformer-coupled. For best results, avoid the 

DACute’s USB input and purchase an external asynchronous data converter. The 

end result is a DAC that sounds more analog than most DACs and is responsible for 

restoring DO’s faith in digital audio. ear-yoshino.com (238) 

PS Audio DirectStream DAC 

$5995 

Sometimes it’s good to start from scratch when designing a new component. 

That’s what software guru Ted Smith did—he started from the premise that 

DSD recordings sound good and built a DAC around that premise. Using 

a field programmable gate array (FPGA)—the digital equivalent of a blank 

slate—he created a DAC that converts all incoming PCM files to DSD128, 

then decodes them with a 24dB-per-octave low-pass filter (LPF) with far less 

harmful sonic impact than typical brickwall PCM filters. The transformer 

that’s part of the LPF filter is also the output section, so there are no tubes or 

transistors to be seen (or heard). PS Audio’s Paul McGowan heard a prototype, 

loved it, and agreed to build it. VF thought it was easily the best digital sound 

he’d heard, but the DAC needs lots—probably 500 hours—of break-in. 

psaudio.com (245) 

MSB Technology Analog DAC 

$6995 

An innovative high-tech DAC that handles PCM files up to 384kHz/32-bit 

(DXD) and DSD128 files, the Analog DAC can play DSD through all of its 

digital inputs, not just through USB. Its sculpted industrial design lets you add 

modules to tailor the unit to your needs. For instance, an optional $995 volume 

control (which must be purchased with the initial order) allows the Analog 

DAC to serve as the system controller, with both digital and analog inputs. 

(Other options can be added by the user as needed.) With a sound that is clean, 

harmonically full-bodied, and dynamic, the Analog DAC competes against the 

best DSD-capable DACs out there. msbtech.com (239) 

dCS Debussy 

$11,499 

The least expensive DAC from England’s digital specialist, the Debussy nonetheless 

makes use of virtually the same circuitry and technology as its far more expensive 

stablemates. Further, its generous feature list includes plentiful source-format 

options, single-ended and balanced outputs, and a front-panel sample-rate display. 

Most importantly, though, the Debussy’s sound is pure dCS, with a density of 

musical information that sets it apart from the competition. Nor is there any sense 

of frenetic digital machinations; AT found that sound winds out of the Debussy like 

thread from a spool. Moreover, this DAC’s USB interface is one of the industry’s 

best-sounding, and was recently upgraded to accommodate 24/192 and DSD over 

a single cable. AT did not care for the Debussy’s sound when directly driving a 

power amp, but otherwise the lack of a front-panel alphanumeric display is about 

the only drawback of this superb DAC. Despite being about $10,000 less than the 

next “cheapest” model, the Debussy boasts a sonic and musical imprimatur that 

unquestionably identifies it as a true dCS. Recently updated to support DSD on USB 

and all other digital inputs. tempohighfidelity.com (209) 


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DACS 

Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 

$16,000 

Berkeley’s Alpha DAC Reference redefines what we can 

expect from digital playback. The Reference is simply 

stunning in its ability to render instruments as real-sounding objects in threedimensional 

space. But it doesn’t just nail dimensionality; it also excels in 

timbral vividness and delivers extraordinarily high 

resolution of the tiniest micro-details. What’s 

more, the Reference performs this magic trick on 

all instruments simultaneously, even in the most 

dense and complex passages. This unprecedented 

resolution allowed RH to easily follow individual 

musical lines in a way he’d never thought possible 

from digital. The build-quality is many steps 

up from the original Alpha DAC, including a 

chassis milled from a solid aluminum block. The 

Alpha DAC Reference is an unqualified triumph. 

berkeleyaudiodesign.com (246) 

Music Servers & 

Peripheral productS 

Audirvana 

$50 

If you have so far resisted 

buying any third-party musicplayback 

software for your Mac, Audirvana offers some compelling 

reasons to reevaluate that decision. Especially if you use multiple 

DACs or listen to higher-res files and DSD, Audirvana Plus is a 

more ergonomically elegant and sonically superior alternative to 

iTunes. And for readers who need to see and hear for themselves, 

you can download the trial version of Audirvana Plus for free. For 

fifteen days you can use the full version with no restrictions. I’d be 

very surprised if, by 

the sixteenth day, 

you haven’t anted up 

that $50 to become 

a licensed user. 

audirvana.com 

(225) 

Channel D Pure Music2 

$129 

Pure Music is a great piece of software at a price that even a flea market-scrounging 

hobbyist audiophile can afford. Combine Pure Music with any recent Mac computer 

and you have a front end that will play back any digital file from FLACs to lowly 

MP3s on up to 192/24 high-resolution files with ease. Mate this front end with a 

top-flight DAC and you have a digital playback system that will catapult you to the 

forefront of the new computer-playback revolution. channld.com (211) 

Amarra 

$189, $99, $85, $49 (price varies depending on the 

feature set) 

When Amarra first appeared on the scene it was pricier than most of its software 

competition. But with current pricing that barrier to ownership has been greatly 

reduced. While there are sonic differences between Amarra and its competitors, 

the nature, scope, and perceptibility of those differences will vary drastically 

depending on the other components, both hardware and software, in your 

system. Still, after all these 

years, if you want to hear 

how good a Mac-based 

system can really sound, 

Amarra is one of the few 

playback programs you 

must have. In the end, it’s 

that simple. 

sonicstudio.com (225) 

Berkeley Audio Alpha USB Interface 

$1895 

The Alpha USB solves an apparently simple problem: how to connect a DAC 

to a computer’s USB output. The Alpha USB connects to your computer’s 

USB port, outputting a coaxial signal (on BNC jack) or AES/EBU (on an 

XLR jack) to your DAC. The Alpha USB’s sonic magic is the result of heroic 

measures to isolate the “dirty” USB signal from the “clean” S/PDIF or AES/ 

EBU output. This state-of-the-art USB converter can greatly improve the 

sound of virtually any USB DAC by virtue of its reclocking and noise-isolation. 

berkeleyaudiodesign.com (214) 

Sony HAP-Z1ES 

$1999 

As the poster boy for Sony’s “High Definition Music Initiative” the new Sony 

HAP-Z1ES defines what Sony sees as the future of two-channel audio. It 

attempts to be easy for a new user to operate, yet also be capable of the highest 

audio quality. As SS put the HAP-Z1ES through its paces he looked for reasons 

it might be not be considered a true high-performance component—and found 

none. If you plan to spend more than $2000 on any digital front end—be it an 

audio-computer, CD player, DAC, network player, or any other front end that uses 

digital files as a source—and you don’t audition a HAP-Z1ES, you are ignoring 

what may well be the benchmark digital product of 2014. sony.com (242) 


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Music Servers & 

Peripheral productS 

Bryston BDP-1 Digital Player 

$2195 

The astonishing BDP-1 Digital Player is 

a technological tour de force that bridges 

the divide between the Old World CD player and the New World of highresolution 

files and music-library management. The Bryston BDP-1 performs 

the same function as a CD transport, but it plays data files from removable 

USB storage media, capable of recording thousands of hours of music, rather 

than from optically encoded discs. It plays files of all industry-standard sample 

rates at their native resolution—from CD-quality 16/44.1 up to masteringgrade 

24/192—in a multiplicity of file formats too numerous to list. As with 

CD transports, the BDP-1 offers digital-only output in both S/PDIF and 

AES/EBU formats for connection to an external DAC. The Bryston BDP-1 

doesn’t merely “sound better”; the experience of hearing music through it is 

qualitatively different. It plays 

music with an unprecedented 

purity closer to the real thing. 

bryston.com (216) 

Meridian Streaming System 

$7500 (Price varies with configuration) 

When RH had the Meridian music server (formerly called Sooloos) for review, 

he gave a visiting speaker manufacturer a two-minute crash course in 

how to use it. Five minutes later the manufacturer exclaimed: “I’m getting 

one!” Such is the power of having instant access to your entire 

music library with the tap of a finger on the album art. 

But the Meridian also anticipates from your 

browsing what you might want to hear 

and suggests alternatives. That’s just 

the tip of the iceberg in how Meridian’s 

server revolutionizes the way you 

interact with your music library. The 

Meridian system offers the state-ofthe-art 

in user interface. After you’ve 

lived with a Meridian, it’s hard to go 

back to searching for CDs. 

meridian-audio.com (204) 

Naim NDS 

$13,800–$22,150 depending on 

power supply 

In the NDS Naim has designed a network 

player that can handle a wide variety of sources 

and, with the addition of Naim’s UnitiServe 

and a NAS drive, can become a full-fledged, 

highly capable music server. The best news is 

that Naim has created for the NDS (and all Uniti Series products) a fabulous musicmanagement 

iPad app. The NDS/UnitiServe is the perfect solution for many music 

lovers who want to transition to computer-based audio without the limitations of turnkey 

music servers or the confusion of do-it-yourself systems. Fortunately, Naim has 

imbued this highly capable system with a terrific-sounding DAC section. The NDS is 

high in resolution but without hyped “detail,” voluptuous and rich in tone color without 

euphonic coloration, and musically vivid without being sonically vivid. The NDS 

also has a particularly powerful and appealing expression of music’s rhythmic flow. It’s 

the kind of sound that lets you become quickly and deeply immersed in the music, not 

the sound. naimaudio.com (240) 

PORTABLE 

MUSIC PLAYERS 

Astell&Kern AK100 II 

and AK120 II 

$699, $1299 

These portable players are best thought of as 

iPods on steroids. With their finely brushed black aluminum cases and 

intuitive controls, they give up nothing to Apple in industrial engineering. 

But iPods max out at a tepid 48/16 resolution, whereas the AKs go to 

192/24. The AK120 will even play DSD files! Sonically, these players 

simply stomp modern-day iPods and iPhones, which sound dull and dreary 

by comparison. Even on moderate-resolution material the AKs deliver 

high-end qualities like timbral richness, airiness, detail, and pace. And once 

you have held high-res in your hands, you will never settle for less. The 

AK120 II boasts dual Wolfson DACs and twice the memory capacity (a 

precious resource when storing hi-res material) of the AK100 II. The 120 

II also has marginally more air, a smidge less grain, and stronger bass. Both 

players constitute wild successes, bringing true high-end sensibility and 

performance to portable music. astellnkern.com (236) 


$2500 

Hard to believe, but the Astell&Kern AK240 improves 

upon the already brilliant performance of its highly regarded 

predecessors. Like them, the AK240 brings true high-end 

performance to portable music. Finally, audiophiles can enjoy 

music at the sonic level they’re used to—without, physically, 

being anywhere near a reference system. Unlike iPods or 

iPhones, the AK240 can play high-res and native DSD files, 

which can be either locally sourced or streamed across a 

network. That gives it a distinct sonic advantage, but even 

with lower-res material the AK240 delivers resolution, timbral 

nuance, dynamic inflection, ease, and authority previously 

unheard of in portable players. Compared to the AK100 and 

AK120, the AK240 boasts a significantly quieter background, 

greater purity, and even greater resolution. 

astellnkern.com (248) 


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DIGITAL SOURCE COMPONENTS

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