Simple device for downsampling?

Mitch are you still using your other SMc equipment?  If you are can you tell me about it?  When you had it built and what they did"?

@brbrock - I started conversing with Steve McCormack about the SMc Audio upgrade possibilities probably 10 years before I actually had them do work for me.

In 2012, SMc upgraded a McCormack TLC-1 passive/buffered preamp for me using design features based on their highly regarded VRE-1 preamp, including the exact outboard choke power supply, the Shallco discrete resistor (AN resistors) volume control, Lundahl transformers wound with Cardas wire, and special capacitors, connectors, and wire. I have run through about 20 well-respected audiophile preamplifiers in my system (a couple over $10K) and none of them sounded as good to me as that SMc TLC-1 Signature Edition. Several years ago, I decided I needed to have a remote control for volume and a digital display that I could see across the room. Steve still wasn’t putting them in upgraded TLC-1s (he may be now) so he helped me modify my preamp by taking the volume control out of the circuit and replacing it with two large Audio Note silver resistors so that the unit is now a unity-gain buffer without a VC. I run my DAC output into a custom made Khozmo passive unit (dual mono, single input/output, large display, remote), and then from the passive through the SMc TLC-1 SE buffer, then into my SMc Audio amps.

The amps started as two McCormack DNA-1 stereo amplifiers and then Steve and Patrick did everything they could (at the time) to improve them including using their new circuit boards, basically all new parts, and their gravity base. Pictures of the amps are on their home page (the black amps at the bottom of the first block of pictures). They sound outstanding to me and also do an excellent job of powering my hard-to-drive Aerial LR5 speakers.

I have been speaking with Steve and Patrick for a couple of years about their DAC and sent them an old,stock DAC-1 that I found on-line (had it shipped directly to them). I sort of forgot about the project and then a couple of months ago Patrick called and asked if I still wanted to do the DAC project. The result is better than I imagined. If you look at the picture earlier in this thread you will see they have a new board that they now use and have done a remarkable job on the power supply and upgrading parts. They also used their Gravity Base on the DAC-2. By all accounts I can find, the DAC chip is basically bog-standard, the DAC only accepts a S/PDIF input (coax), and the input must be limited (i.e., down sampled if necessary) to 48 kHz and 24-bits, but this thing sounds way better than I ever imagined it would sound. I have three DACs here now and what I can say is that, after just over two weeks, the SMc DAC-2 holds its own with the others, and maybe more. The other two both cost in excess of $10k.  It is a very musical sounding DAC, a little different from the R2R DACs I have been using, but just as musical and very enjoyable to listen to.

Hi @mitch2 , anything new to report on your comparison? 

I own a Mojo EVO B4B dac (love it), but have been getting the itch to try something else.  Your review so far has me thinking the SMC-DAC2 could be right up my alley.

Does SMC plan to put the DAC2 into production?  I don't see it listed on their website.

@veroguy 

I have not heard anything about SMc having plans to put the DAC-2 into production.  You could contact Patrick at SMc directly for more information.

The SMc DAC-2 does sound very good to me, but so does the B4B (one of which I previously owned).  I have been conversing with Benjamin about why I like the sound of my EVO Pro so much and when I opened mine up, I found that it contains special AD1862 Z DAC chips, which are apparently much more precious than the standard version.  There is apparently one more recent upgrade that I could do to the EVO Pro, or I could move my Z chips to an X SE and have the upgrade performed on that DAC.

In any event, unless you are willing to chase down rabbit holes, you may want to remember why you liked the sound of the B4B in the first place, and stick with that.  The Mola Mola is a different animal and sounds like perfection, but that version of perfection may not be the sound I like best.

Thanks, Mitch.

I didn't know there was a "Z" version of AD1862.  Perhaps I should call Ben and see if that's an upgrade option, as well as doing a few of the Pro upgrades to my B4B - like the amorphous core chokes.

I've heard the Mola Mola head-to-head with my Mojo.  It was indeed close to perfection, but I still preferred the Mojo Mystique - a touch more natural, IMO.

I'd like to hear the T&A DAC 200 - totally different beast, but the reviews have been pretty outstanding.