I have no experience with ARC preamps so don't know what substituting the Townshend Allegri Reference passive in place of my ARC REF 10 will do to the sound of your system. I believe the Townshend is an auto former or auto transformer preamp so do your homework on the collective sound of those types of units and in general expect maybe a bit more detail and maybe less color and body compared to your ARC preaamp, but that is a gross generalization based on comparing the many tubed preamps I have owned with other TVC or auto former type preamps I have had here, but without ever hearing a Townshend preamp, which I believe uses their fractal wire. The Allegri Reference unit is pretty cool and was on my radar last year when I was looking for a passive volume control after switching DACs to one that does not have an internal volume control. The TotalDAC D1 Driver would seem to be a good partner to the passive Allegri Reference if you like the sound of a preamp compared to the DAC direct to amp sound in your system. Wouldn't it be great if we could try this stuff before buying it?
TotalDAC D1 Driver-anyone using one yet?
I'm reading that TotalDAC has a product called the D1 Driver that can sit between the DAC and preamp, or between the DAC (with volume control) and the amp directly. It acts like the active part of the preamp. This D1 driver component does not have a volume control, but is said to enhance the SQ. It's said to address the "does the DAC sound better with or without a preamp" question. I have reviewed the TotalDAC website and read one of the professional reviews, but it seems like the translation to English might be a bit off. Lots of exciting prose, but I am still looking for more information. Has anyone heard an implementation of the D1 driver?
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wokeuptobose TotalDAC D1 Driver-anyone using one yet? It’s obviously capacitor couple, looking at those two water tanks inside, http://www.totaldac.com/fichiers/d1-driver-inside.jpg http://www.totaldac.com/fichiers/d1-driver-rear-rca-xlr.jpg Can’t see why anyone would want to do that with a solid state buffer, direct coupled would be so much easier and less costly even with dc servo if needed???? PS: Unless it’s a single ended solid state design, then it needs capacitor coupling this is probably why, could be very good, if those coupling caps are transparent enough?? A friend of mine could get one for review. Cheers George |
These are maybe’s. Maybe because the dac’s R2R output is really single ended only, and it’s balanced (xlr) outputs use converters (se to xlr) get it, and doesn’t sound quite as good from the xlr because of that converter? And that it sits within a 1mt of of the dac means SE is only needed. Why not flick Vincent Brient an email to come here and explain totaldac@totaldac.com Cheers George |
@georgehifi - I believe you are correct. The information on the totaldac website says: -one-box stereo version: RCA inputs, RCA outputs + unbalanced XLR outputsThe XLR outputs on the stereo version appear to be "convenience" outputs for those using XLR cables but not really carrying two symmetrically balanced/inverted signals. Sounds like a single-ended piece that must be doubled up (mono version) if you want a true balanced circuit. Based of the huge input impedance and low output impedance, the d1-driver should work very well as a buffer. You can get it as a unity (0dB) gain version or with 10dB gain. I would really like to hear the unity gain version and compare the sound of it with my SMc unit. From the website: -very easy input impedance: 1MegaOhm |
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