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Weiss is so underrated

I have had the Weiss DAC 202 in my system for about a year now being used in a very ambitious and high resolution system. But then I got that typical audiophile itch and given that this DAC was the lowest priced component in my system, I thought that it was time for me to focus on a new DAC. So with the help of some friends and a local deal I got the following DACs to try in my system for an extended period of time: Berkeley Audio DAC 2 + Alpha USB, Calyx Femto, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC2 and DCS Vivaldi.

The Berkeley was the most analog sounding DAC and had great image focus. In comparison when inserting the Femto I could immediately hear a slight loss of focus on the location of instruments or voices. The Berkeley also has a very little electronic signature in high frequencies which is very impressive, especially at this price point.

The Femto DAC is quite an impressive machine with a well balanced sound. It is a substantial leap over the PS Audio DAC in every way. The Femto has a sound that should work well in virtually any system although it is a little on the dry side. But ultimately it's lack of tight focus of images bothered me.

While the Berkeley has a terrific analog sound and no matter how much you dissect it there is very little if anything that one can fault about his DAC, there is something about it that I found just doesn't suck you into the music. I often found my attention wandering and being distracted while listening to it.

The Vivaldi is by far the most expensive in the group and while it was impressive at a lot of things, in particular how it was able to remain composed during complex passages, it has a certain bright sound that just sounds very artificial to me. It has that sound that is remarkable for audiophile demo discs, but when just listening to music you enjoy I found it to be disappointing overall.

The PS Audio doesn't even come close to any of the DACs in this group. It sounds lifeless, flat, and dull in comparison. Any experienced listener will hear this right away. Beautifully made machine with great specs, but it just doesn't deliver the musical goods at all. I would say that it sounds like kind of how CD players sounded in the early 90s.

But let me tell you, the Weiss despite its relatively low price point beat every DAC in this group, including the mighty Vivaldi. It's soundstage is absolutely massive, much wider and deeper than the other DACs which makes it feel like you are listening in a much larger space (the opposite of Berkeley). And then it also has this incredible airiness that is very special to hear. Images float on silky smooth and airy presentation which is supported by a very dynamic foundation. It is just a thrill to listen to this DAC. The bass is also the most dynamic (although not very deep) that I heard which gives everything far more rhythm and pace.

So the conclusion is the Weiss 202 is a very serious piece of equipment, a remarkable bargain, and probably one of the best DACs out there regardless of price. Has anyone else done an direct A/B comparison with the Weiss? Does your opinion mirror mine?
dweinstein
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,405 posts
 
What's thepoint of this thread? The OP wants to spend more $ but is conflicted because the Weiss, which runs nearly 8 large, is the cheapest bit in his system, and although he likes it best seems to need a more costly dac to balance out his system. Do I have it?

Couple of interesting points- if we come to ths hobby as subjectivists, which the op probably is because the specs of the PS Audio mean little to how he perceives sound quality, then that a Krell sound better than a Yamaha is opinion, and not necessarily fact.

Oh is this twisted about. I've heard absolutely marvelous systems that cost less as a whole than this beloved Weiss.

Perhaps for their this is just system matching as I've found some ultra costly systems, and 100large qualifies, as hyper detailed and dull.
levy03
442 posts
 
Krell vs Yamaha?..a rather extreme example but i'll bite with an equally extreme rebuttal.

so if the Krell was hooked up to a pair of $20 speakers and the Yamaha was painstakingly matched up with some very high quality speakers......would it still be "a fact" that the Krell will always sound better??.

Like i said before mr weinstein.....you just don't get it and likely never will. the Weiss is a fine DAC, as are the others you demo'd (the Berkeley is fantastic imo). i have no reason to doubt that in your system, the Weiss sounded fabulous and the pwd2 did not. i take issue with your lack of understanding that certain piece's can sound good/great in certain set-ups while not sounding so good in others. re-read Al's post from above and you'll see we are both saying the same thing (although Al is MUCH smarter and nicer about it). variables matter!! and matching up components in a system correctly is likely one of the only valid FACTS we have in this hobby (kinda like room treatments/correction). it's not all about the price or performance of a single link in the chain....rather it's about how all the components interact and work together.

regarding the "personal attacks"....yes....guilty as charged because i have problems with YOU as a person (not your gear selection or musical tastes). comparing a nice DAC like the PWD2 to some pos cd player from the 90's is blatantly disrespectful and an insult to all of us who have gotten great sound out of it (along with several other silly/over the top comments you've made). if you think you can insult/disrespect people who like something you don't and not get push-back....you're in for a *rude awakening* from people like me. by all means...go ahead and state your valid opinion. the pwd2 sounded flat, not musical, ect....(in your system) are all fair/legitimate observations you might have had. just don't say things that insult/disrespect others and cry "poor me" when we get in your face about it.
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,405 posts
 
"I was surprised to learn that Weiss 202 can compete even with $30,000+ DACs."

Why?
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,405 posts
 
If I had something that offered "world class device that far surpasses its cost in performance" I'd be giddy and happy, not confounded why I couldn't spend more $ and be even happier
dweinstein OP
25 posts
 
There is a point where better sound is factual. Otherwise, I could write posts here all day about the musicality of my alarm clock and if people disagree that it is the best sound in the world then just say its a matter of opinion - it's not.

Levy, why don't I take out the nice polypropylene capacitors in your speakers and replace them with cheap electrolytics? The resulting sound is not better or worse, it's just different according to you. In fact, why spend money on any premium materials if the result is just opinion driven?

Zavato, as far as my surprise regarding the Weiss outperforming or being at least on par with the $30k DAC is because the $30k DAC does have ultra premium parts, I suppose the reason why the Weiss is so good for the money is because Daniel Weiss is just a brilliant engineer and is able to extract more from lower cost parts. But all things being equal, it goes without saying that if we replace all the parts inside the Weiss with more premium parts then the sound would be even better.
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