I have a question about this dac. If one isn’t interested in DSD, is this dac still a contender for redbook and hi res recordings otherwise? I have a Pontus II and I like the NOS sound. Is the Cen Grand dac something I’d like? Or is it so different from an R2R ladder dac that I’d run screaming from the room?
Cen. Grand DSDAC 1.0 (vs Pontus II)
Hi guys,
I made an enquiry with a distributer here in the UK, with a view to ordering the Pontus II. However, he's thrown me a curveball by recommending the Cen. Grand DSDAC 1.0 - another Chinese brand, making FPGA based DACs with PCM to DSD up sampling (from what I can make out). There isn't a lot out there on the interweb - reviews, sound character, presentation etc, much of anything really.
The distributor claims, or suggests that to him the Cen. Grand is "better" than the Pontus II; I've asked him to qualify and elaborate on this, but in the meantime, thought I'd ask here to see if anyone has direct experience of this brand/DAC. Just for reference/context, the Cen. Grand DSDAC 1.0 is the Standard version at £2500 (the distributer has offered me 10% discount, so £2250).
Thanks in advance 👍
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- 31 posts total
@painter24 the "left channel drop" happened to me once while switching the DSD up conversion rate. I dropped the DSD rate down, then stepped it back up to 1024 and the left channel came back, but concerning none the less since you mentioned it and this problem worsened for you. Has your new unit perform better? Customs did a comple number on my unit, like I was shocked at how they went through everything and kinda just threw stuff back in. The dealer offered me a new unit, but he called it from the get go and asked me to look to see if the unit was "retaped on the bottom" which it was and had the obligatory customs corner punch mark underneath. |
I was gutted with the first unit, the Standard version, as I took a punt on Cen Grand over the Pontus. I tried various things, while on the phone to my distributor here in the UK, but nope, definitely a fault with the unit. I asked my distributor to order me a Pontus after this, as I was very concerned, but he sent me a Cen Grand Super Clock model he had in stock while he waited for the Pontus to come through from Denafrips The Super Clock has worked perfectly since, and I kept it. I can’t say I noticed anything untoward with customs checks; everything appeared as it should. @ozzy62 Hi Ozzy. The only R2R I’ve heard is the Ares 2, but it’s been a while since I let it go. I’m not sure if you’d like it (Cen Grand), all I can say is, it pulls out all the details from music I could wish for, but doesn’t sound analytical and clinical at the expense of "soul" and emotion like I know some DS chip based DACs can do. This is really important for me. My system can and does bring me to tears, in a joyful way 😊 I still want to have a Pontus at some point, in addition, as I would like a good R2R, but for now, I’m more than happy with the Cen Grand sat on my rack 👍
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@painter24 appreciate the feedback. I'll mention this all to my dealer, they've been super attentive throughout the process. |
@ja_kub_sz I'm glad to know your dealer is working with you on this; it can be nerve-racking buying gear from a relatively unknown manufacturer (unknown in the West anyway). I know my dealer spoke to Cen Grand about this, as he's taken a gamble too when deciding to distribute for them in the UK. I met my distributor at an audio show here in the UK during the summer; he said he'd sent the unit back to them to look at, with a full breakdown of the problem. But, as I say I couldn't be happier with the Cen Grand Super Clock, works flawlessly. Very happy with the distributor too; I'd email him, and he'd call me within the hour when I was having problems with the original Standard model. Of course, the heavily discounted/free upgrade to the Super Clock was very generous and most welcome too. Hats off for great dealers/distributors 🍻 |
- 31 posts total