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A DAC that crushes price vs. performance ratio

I felt strongly that I wanted to inform the Gon members about a new DAC that ranks with the very best on the market regarding performance, but costs around $2,000.00.  The Lab12 DAC1 SE was compared to three reference level DACS that retail for over $12.000.00 in my review for hometheaterreview.com and was at least on the same level sonicly, if not better.  This DAC from Greece is not just "good for the money" but competes with virtually anything on the market regardless of price!

For all the details about the Lab12 DAC1 SE performance and what other DACS it was compared to take a look at the review.  If you are shopping/looking for a new digital front end to drive your system, you owe it to yourself to check this DAC out, unless you like to spend tons of more $ without getting better performance.
teajay
teajay OP
1,691 posts
 
Hey simna,

To answer your two questions:

1) As I stated in my review when you go from the stock tube to something like the NOS CCA Siemens tube you get across the sonic board improvement (transparency, soundstaging/air around instruments, improved tonality/color density, dynamics and more liquidity/ease).

2) I use the term "organic" to mean that that piece of gear, or and overall system, sounds less like "mechanical/electric" device and more like the illusion of music.  I also use the term "HiFi-ish" in the same breath, meaning it sounds like a great sound system, but not like natural music.
celander's avatar
celander
1,503 posts
 
Language is always difficult. And the language descriptors used in hi-end audio is a lexicon dating back to at least J. Gordon Holt of Stereophile days. I seem to recall having or seeing such a compilation back in the 1980’s. Perhaps @teajay has seen such a compilation, too. 

@teajay adequately addressed a question I asked about the sonic differences of the stock tube and the exchanged Siemens tube in the DAC of his review. It sounds like a DAC worth auditioning. 
keithtexas
352 posts
 

I enjoyed teejay’s review as I’m considering DACs in the $2K range. But I’m confused.

Is this the same DAC reviewed in monoandstereo 5 years ago (2013)?

https://www.monoandstereo.com/2013/04/lab12-dac1-special-edition-test-and.html

teajay OP
1,691 posts
 
Hey keithtexas,

I was the first American reviewer to have the fun to review the Lab12-SE DAC.  There were a few, including the monoandstereo piece, European reviews that were raves about the DACs performance.  I believe that Lab12 has done subtle changes since the DAC got on the market.  However, you would have to contact them for the details on this. 
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
@keithtexas First we take Athens... then we take Manhattan.  (To L.Cohen melody...)
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