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DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend

Okay...in another thread I promised to do a side-by-side evaluation of the Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap vs the Rockna Wavelight. Due to the astonishing incompetence of DHL this has been delayed. At the moment, I have a plethora of DACs here and am going to do a broader comparison.

I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.

For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.

My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.

I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
128x128verdantaudio
yyzsantabarbara
4,977 posts
 

The new Lumin U2 seems to be using the same streamer as in the Lumin X1. That streamer is pretty amazing. The settings that you have access to is incredible. I use it for both analog duty and to stream digital to my PeachTree GAN1 via SPDIF (along with amazing volume control). 

I also have Fibre Optic into the streamer and then SPDIF out. That Fibre Optic is essential in my setup (noisy). One reason I will not touch any Ethernet streamer built into a DAC.

The Sonore OpticalRendu is also incredible and is now discontinued until late summer when the new version comes out. The old OpticalRendu sounds more buttoned up compared to the wild child sound of the Lumin X1. Weird way to describe it but once you hear them side-by-side it makes sense. I love the sound of both streamers.

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio OP
1,508 posts
 

So I tested two more DACs recently as we have become Meitner/EMM Dealers and I have the MA3 and DA2 here.  First write up with be about the MA3 which is proving to be quite a phenomenal DAC considering its price point and feature set.  

The MA3 is an FPGA based DAC with an on-board renderer player and preamp/volume control that fully unfolds MQA.  Its closest competitors are the Weiss 501 and Bricast M1.

Regarding listening, In a Sentimental Mood had good top-end with sparkle in the piano without becoming fatiguing.  Detail in the drum rolls is very good and air around instruments in solid.  

Be Still My Beating Heart lacks the scale of Bricasti in terms of raw soundstage size but sounds without sibilance in Stings voice.  Noise floor is very low and the balanced circuitry is showing up well.

Liberty sounds great.  The sound effects are coming from outside the speakers.  There remains no sibilance in her voice and there is no glare with the saxophone.  

In Duende the air around the instruments is good, not elite.  The bass is good but overall there are some soft edges in my full tube system.  

The Berg piece sounds right size.  Great separation of strings with no glare.

Overall, this unit is a touch warm vs. neutral and is a little softer sounding than the Weiss or Bricasti.  This is not bad and would be a top choice for me to be paired with SS amps like Hegel or Chord or some OTL Tube amps like Octave.  Any system that is a little clinical could benefit from the addition of this unit.  

metaldetektor
162 posts
 

Big fan of the Meitner MA3, would be curious what you think of their new preamp as well as the NS1 streamer.

When I had the MA3, I only got the magic with an external pre and separate streamer.

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio OP
1,508 posts
 

I am 100% certain I am bringing in and am going to test the NS1 streamer.  At some point I am sure I will hear the preamp but it is not a priority.  In my system I am using the Canor Hyperion P1 preamp. 

It is rare that I hear any DAC that sounds as good with its internal pre/volume control vs. an external.  I do agree that external streamers are essential to get the most out of any DAC but the on-board streamerrs to me are better than on-board preamps.  

willgolf
939 posts
 

@verdantaudio 

I have debated pre vs no pre for two years.  I got rid of my Pre when I got my Lampi Pacific and Horizon.  I could not hear any loss of sound quality.  That said, I did order the Aries Cerat Ianus Ageto Pre.  I can't tell you why except at 69 years of age, I basically said why not.  You only live once.  

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