Another new DAC: Audio Mirror

@teajay thanks for the update.... but wait until it burns in properly. Then the magic happens. That typically takes about 2 weeks of non-stop running. 

I just sold my fully pimped up Audio Note Kits DAC 5.1 Signature and replaced it with this Audio Mirror SE. 

My Audio Note Kits had every possibly upgrade - Z-foil resistors, Duelund Caps, 5N silver wire, WBT connectors, Furutech NCF IEC, SR Blue fuse, the best tubes I could find, PSVANE WE274B replica rectifier, etc. 

I had both DACs running side by side for several months. Every time I listened to them my ears told me that the Audio Mirror is much better. Every time I looked at them, I was convinced that the Audio Note "must" sound better. It's so big and heavy, with all those transformers inside, big caps, sophisticated power supply, and so on. You look at the Audio Mirror next to it, and it looked like a little toy. My eyes were telling me that the Audio Note must be better. But my ears were telling me that the Audio Mirror sounds better. And it did sound better!

Well, I sold the Audio Note Kits DAC 5.1 Signature, kept the Audio Mirror and a bunch of cash, that I invested in a better source. I've listened to a lot of expensive sources, and whatever you put in front of the Audio Mirror DAC, it delivers. It scales with sources many times the price of the DAC. I have not heard it's limits yet. Put an Innous Statement or a PinkFaun streamer, and you would be amazed what it can do. 

Thanks for sharing your first impressions teajay!I've also found the Tubadour to be very responsive to tube and cable changes.Also @vassils appreciate you sharing your experience.It really helps those of us who don't have the opportunity to audition everything on our short lists before choosing.

Great update. A more fair comparison would be the AM SE to the Orchid upgraded with the mod package I have been performing. The upgraded Orchid performs at a much higher level across the board vs a stock unit. The difference is not small. The Orchid really responds nicely to well chosen internal upgrades.

The total cost of an upgraded Orchid is about $900 less than the AM SE. This would be an interesting comparison. Hope to listen to the AM SE soon.   

Appreciate the mini review teajay.
I actually like the idea of a stock versions battle. A price point easier on the wallet. I was impressed enough with my stock Tubadour to have Vlad update it at a later time, which was helpful. And turnaround was fast! The SE version is certainly better, but it does not change the sonic signature of the dac - the stock version is very good! Vlad is great to deal with and made right in the good ol USA

Hey gentlemen,

I have been receiving scores of Emails asking for more specific/precise details regarding the performance of the SE DAC. Guy's what I posted already is as far as I'm going to go, because I want to keep the details and nuances for my full length review that I'll write sometime at the end of next month.  This will also allow me to get over 200 hours on the DAC and see if it improves in the ways that other owners have stated takes it to even a higher level of sublime performance. We shall see!  I'm finding it hard to go about my business instead of listening to my system, because of the beauty and emotional connection with the music that the SE is creating in the context of rig.