My New Bel Canto DAC 2

Tbadder, (or anyone): What transport, or DVDP, are you using your DAC 2 with? And what kind of cable? I've been shopping for a new or used CDP (Cary, Meridian 508.24, etc) but am starting to consider the Bel Canto DAC & would initially use with my Pioneer 525; or maybe get a Sony ES-9000. Any advice? Anyone have a sense of how the DAC 2 compares with $2k to $4K CDP's?

Thanks! Steve

Hi Guys:

Lets see, equipment: Bel Canto Pre-1(DAC 2 is installed in pre-amp) mated to a Bel Canto Evo 200.2 amp. For a transport I'm using the Theta Data Basic II. The Elco Ulitmate Digital connects DAC to transport. My speakers are the Tyler Acoustic Linbrook Monitors. My AC cords are a combination of the BMI entry level cords that were offered when the company first took flight and Dedicated Audio's top of the line cord (name escapes me right now). Zeus Audio XLR silver interconnects mate the amp and pre-amp.

After about ten more hours of listening I'd like to address (be more accurate) about the increase in soundstage depth. The whole sounstage seems to have been moved back about a foot or so, but the entire soundstage is several feet deeper overall (if that makes sense, I was kinda surprised but my wife agrees with this assessment and she got better ears than I do). The effect is that there's more separation of the individual instruments. On a Mapleshade recording the result of this is stunning, but more interestingly, on a crappy recording (like my old Rascals complilation CD) it seems as if the DAC is struggling to place the instruments against all hope. The thing that's impressive is that it succeeds occasionally, so the recording is still lousy, not just as lousy, and sometimes pleasantly surprising.

The other fascinating obsevation that's holding true for the first 15 hours is that I can turn down the volume and not lose any detail. This was definitely a problem with the 1.1, it loved juice, it begged for juice, but strangely the identical volume settings are producing less overall volume. I simply can't account for this? One side of me is distrustful of this observation, but the other side of me keeps claiming it's obviously true. Anyone got ideas why this could be? Well...it's late. Cheers and I'll keep updating regularly.

Steve,
I paired the Bel Canto with the Pioneer 525 for a number of months, before finally auditioning and then purchasing a dedicated CD transport. The 525 was pretty good, but the Proceed CDD transport I now use is much better in all respects, and pretty obviously so. Before you purchase the 525, I would suggest auditioning the DAC with a good CD transport. I know that BC once (still?) recommended using cheapo DVD players as transports, but my experience is more consistent with what other users seem to have found.

If you do use the 525, I found the sound was much better using an Acoustic Zen Silver Photon coax than any of the several Toslinks I tried.

Tbadder: how do you like the Linbrook monitors? How do they compare to other monitors you have heard?

C.

Steve: I hate to sound over the top (it usually doesn't do anyone any good and it leads to inaccuracies) but the two pieces in my system that are near world class (notice I said near) are the Evo 200.2 and the Linbrooks. A buddy and I went to see an Avante Garde Uno demonstration (an 11,000 dollar speaker) and we both thought that the Linbrooks were 85 to 90 percent of the Unos. We were stunned, a 4,800 dollar monitor in the same league. I bought mine here on Audiogon for 2,500 smackers (a demo).
First the monitor is a bit of a misnomer--these are big and heavy and you virtually have no choice but to purchase the matching stands. The Seas Millenium tweeter is even better than the Scanspeak Revelator (I've owned both) and the magnesium mid/woofers work effortlessly on all but the most complicated and complex passages. I'm not a bass nut; I distrust bass and for my taste(and I know this is personal) I think no one really gets it right--not Revel, not Wilson, certainly not Velodyne, et al. But you won't need a sub with these--they're dead flat down to 35 and minus 3db at 30. Haven't tested this scientifically, but if I'm off by more than a point or two I'll be the proverbial monkey's uncle. If you like a fast, highly detailed speaker, that's easy to drive (sensitivity 94) you're gonna love these. Just this Saturday I sat through a two hour Soliloquy 6.3 demo (their new flagship model) and the Linbrooks bested them without any problem. If you're a jazz/blues fan man oh man these will kill you. If you like pop rock or Reggae or country these will knock your socks off. If you're a dedicated Classical fan who is totally into orchestration then get the Unos.

How does the DAC2 compare with the DAC1 and DAC1.1 in terms of extension at the upper and lower frequency extremes, resolution, noise floor and timbral accuracy across the frequency spectrum?