Update..
Finding and reading one users in depth review of the Lavry DA 10, Benchmark, and a German make DAC whose name I dont recall now, all in one forum, I felt to take advantage of Lavry Engineering's 15 day in home trial... naturally with the hopes of a far longer trial in mind were it to be to my tastes.
Lavry runs in their products some prior to shipping. It shows too.
I have to admit right out of the box, the DA 10 sure did a good job. with some few days of near round the clock operation, it's even better... albeit not tremendously, but surely better. Straight away, the bass was quite lacking but has since begun to show itself filling out the balance of the presentation.
The DA 10 has improved coherence of the listening event with better depth, image specificity, and tone accuracy. Vocal harmonies are nailed fast in place and set well within a predictable sound stage
One with better lateral expanse, and rear of stage information. Low level detail is easily heard
and all of the presentation is as has been said over and over again
The sound the DA 10 produces just makes you want to keep listening and rediscovering your musical collection with renewed interest.
The DA 10 made short work of transforming my mega changer into a quite solid performer. Competitive with my SCD xa777...
I said competitive, not commensurate or equal. The xa 777 showed some good degree of additive performance too, but by lesser degrees, indicating it's finer overall build quality
and being forthright here, a better connection path via a Stereovox XV2 link rather than using the TOS the 400 CDP uses as its sole digital out. I suspect still, with the TOS in place on the xa 777, things would be better anyhow
and I did wish to give the coaxial input of the DA 10 a go.
Ive yet to plug in the Oppo for another perspective
sorry, just forgot about it completely. I still see it as only a DVD player.
The PC has yet to get into the mix as I opted to immerge it via an upscale sound card's AES output... that plan failed as the card's technology was dated and would not allow the current iTunes version to play properly through it.... another card is being sought out presently.
To gain a better perspective, another DAC is forthcoming, but at substantially greater cost so I expect the performance level of it to be an increase over the DA 10's quality showing. It has greater flexibility as well.
I hope this second unit firmly trounces the DA 10, as that will make the choice way simpler. Were it to be only a tad better will really suck for me, by making the choice consequently much more difficult
. The DA 10 is that impressive.
So far, I say so much for JAs comparisons in stereophile of the DA 10s upscale sibling to the Benchmark, and still higher priced, Weiss DAC. Im hoping his reflections remain consistent as this upcoming unit was also discommodiously compared to the Benchmark. Stereophile apparently felt unlike priced component evaluations a fair enough path. I should also add here, I dont believe even pro reviewers remain entirely objective all the time. IMO.