About a year and a half ago, I purchased a Channel Islands VDA-2 DAC. Then, about six months ago, I bought an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC. I did not do a meaningful comparison at the time; I just unplugged the VDA-2 from my system and put the ECD-1 in its place. The music sounded pretty much the same, but I didn't bother to hook the VDA-2 back up in order to make a more refined comparison.
Last week, I noticed that the ECD-1 actually has digital outputs on it (when I initially installed it, I was in too much of a hurry to get it hooked up that I didn't really pay attention to the outputs). I thought, "Shazam! All I have to do is plug the VDA-2 into the digital out here, send the analog outputs from both into my amplifier, and I've got an easy way to compare the two." So, last night I did exactly that.
Background
The Channel Islands VDA-2 DAC is a 24-bit/192 kHz DAC that uses a PCM1794 chip. It offers one optical and one coaxial input, and the input can be selected from a switch on the front. It also has two analog outputs, at opposite phase to one another. You can also switch the phase on the front of the unit. It's fairly small, but feels solid. Because it offers two outputs at opposite phase, it can be adapted to a balanced configuration with the use of a special cord. The base unit is US$599, which comes with a wall-wart plug. Additionally, you can purchase a separate external power supply (the VAC-1) for around US$150. I do not have the external power supply, so this comparison was done using the base VDA-2 unit only. I bought mine new from CIAudio, and sent it back once for a free update (Dusty even paid for the shipping back to me).
The Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC is based off of the Electrocompaniet EMC-1 upsampling CD player. It is also a 24-bit/192kHz DAC, but also does upsampling. It offers one AES/EBU input, one optical input, and two coaxial inputs. The inputs are selectable via a button on the front of the unit. It has one set of single-ended RCA outputs and one set of balanced analog outputs. It also has one optical and one coaxial digital output. Thanks to the decline of the US dollar against the euro, the EMC-1 CD player now retails for around US$7,700 new, while the ECD-1 DAC is in the US$2,200-2,500 range new. It is a fairly common sight on Audiogon, though, and tends to be priced in the US$1,000-1,200 range. Given the relative cost of the CD player, this DAC is a real bargain. I got mine on Audiogon, and I am the third owner of it. I do not have a balanced amplifier, so I used this in single-ended mode only.
Setup
I ran a coaxial cable from my Eastern Electric Minimax CD player to the ECD-1. Another coaxial cable went from the coaxial output on the ECD-1 to the VDA-2. The analog outputs from both were fed into my SimAudio i5.3 integrated amplifier. For the first part of my comparison, this was output to a pair of Merlin VSM-MX speakers. For the second part, I used the line-out from the amplifier to feed into my Audio-Technica AT-HA5000 headphone amp, which I was using with Audio-Technica W5000 headphones. Switching between the DACs was accomplished by changing the input source on the amplifier.
Results
First of all, let me say that I learned one very important lesson: DO NOT touch your audio equipment if you have static build-up. At the beginning of my session, I was listening through the speakers. I walked over to the headphone amp, touched the metal volume knob, and felt a pretty solid shock. Instantly, the sound cut out from the speakers. I turned up the volume knob on the integrated amplifier. Nothing. I tried turning off each component, and turning them back on. Again, no sound was coming out of the speakers. I tried plugging in a pair of bookshelf speakers in place of the Merlins. No good. I was getting pretty frantic at the thought that I had blown some $1,000+ piece of audio equipment somewhere in my chain, when I glanced at the Belkin PF-60 power center where everything was plugged in. It was reading a current draw of 9.5 amps. Now THAT didn't seem right at all. I unplugged the power center, waited a minute or so, and plugged it back in. When I turned up the volume on the amplifier, my music was back. Heaving a huge sigh of relief, I continued on with my listening.
The VDA-2 has very good resolution. It can handle everything that's thrown at it, and it will still be hungry for more. It is quick, and the attack and decay are very precise, even with some demanding techno music. If there's a note there, you hear it. If there isn't, you hear nothing. It is a very even-handed and neutral DAC. It feels as though it is in complete control of the music, and no matter how wild the fluctuations get, it retains its control. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "balanced". Every note is emphasized just right; the bass is tight, the midrange is solid, and the treble isn't overdone.
The ECD-1 is sonically pretty similar to the VDA-2. It also is very quick, though the attack and decay are not as tightly controlled as the VDA-2. The bass is given noticeably more emphasis on the ECD-1, but not to the point where it becomes overpowering. It also feels like it is in control of each of the notes, but it lets the bass have a little more fun.
Switching back and forth between the DACs, the main thing that struck me was the difference in the bass. It didn't feel like the VDA-2 was missing any bass, until I switched to the ECD-1. All of a sudden, the lower registers started blooming. Switching back to the VDA-2, it felt a little sterile. Honestly, I feel like it was more a case of the ECD-1 overemphasizing the bass than of the VDA-2 de-emphasizing it.
The other main difference between the two was only audible during passages where there was a lot of alternation between sound and silence. The VDA-2 handled everything with precision. The notes were played, and then immediately receded into a background of black silence. On the ECD-1, it felt like the background wasn't as black, and that the notes were held onto a little longer than the VDA-2. It was never sloppy, but it just didn't seem as precise as the VDA-2 was. For most music, this wasn't really noticeable, but with some techno, it was detectable.
As I switched back and forth between them, I could always tell which one I was listening to, usually because of the bass bloom on the ECD-1. The midrange and treble for these DACs are almost identical. The extra bass boost on the ECD-1 made it feel a little more moving and fun, while the VDA-2 was always precise, and sometimes felt a little analytical.
Conclusion
First, the disclaimers. As stated in the Background section, I did not have the external power supply for the VDA-2. Reports are that this can improve the bass and lower the noise floor. Also, I did not run either of these in balanced mode. Most people claim that the ECD-1 improves substantially when it is run in balanced mode. I haven't heard comparisons of the VDA-2 in single-ended vs. balanced mode. Perhaps the most important disclaimer is that my ears are not properly trained. I am not capable of picking out the subtlest nuances between two sources. I'm just a regular guy who likes listening to his stereo.
That being said, I think that if you are in the market for a clean, precise DAC that does everything very well and does nothing wrong, the VDA-2 is a great choice. It's price (new) is half that of the ECD-1 (used), and it is a solid all-around performer. I definitely enjoy it in my system.
The ECD-1 gives a sound that is a little heavier in the bass, and isn't quite as analytical as the VDA-2. However, it is more fun to listen to music from the ECD-1. The sound has less of a solid-state flavor than the VDA-2, which should appeal to some audiophiles. The music feels more lively and moving.
I have both, and I'm keeping both. For now, the ECD-1 stays in my main system, while the VDA-2 is likely to be a key component for a computer-based audio system in the future.
Last week, I noticed that the ECD-1 actually has digital outputs on it (when I initially installed it, I was in too much of a hurry to get it hooked up that I didn't really pay attention to the outputs). I thought, "Shazam! All I have to do is plug the VDA-2 into the digital out here, send the analog outputs from both into my amplifier, and I've got an easy way to compare the two." So, last night I did exactly that.
Background
The Channel Islands VDA-2 DAC is a 24-bit/192 kHz DAC that uses a PCM1794 chip. It offers one optical and one coaxial input, and the input can be selected from a switch on the front. It also has two analog outputs, at opposite phase to one another. You can also switch the phase on the front of the unit. It's fairly small, but feels solid. Because it offers two outputs at opposite phase, it can be adapted to a balanced configuration with the use of a special cord. The base unit is US$599, which comes with a wall-wart plug. Additionally, you can purchase a separate external power supply (the VAC-1) for around US$150. I do not have the external power supply, so this comparison was done using the base VDA-2 unit only. I bought mine new from CIAudio, and sent it back once for a free update (Dusty even paid for the shipping back to me).
The Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC is based off of the Electrocompaniet EMC-1 upsampling CD player. It is also a 24-bit/192kHz DAC, but also does upsampling. It offers one AES/EBU input, one optical input, and two coaxial inputs. The inputs are selectable via a button on the front of the unit. It has one set of single-ended RCA outputs and one set of balanced analog outputs. It also has one optical and one coaxial digital output. Thanks to the decline of the US dollar against the euro, the EMC-1 CD player now retails for around US$7,700 new, while the ECD-1 DAC is in the US$2,200-2,500 range new. It is a fairly common sight on Audiogon, though, and tends to be priced in the US$1,000-1,200 range. Given the relative cost of the CD player, this DAC is a real bargain. I got mine on Audiogon, and I am the third owner of it. I do not have a balanced amplifier, so I used this in single-ended mode only.
Setup
I ran a coaxial cable from my Eastern Electric Minimax CD player to the ECD-1. Another coaxial cable went from the coaxial output on the ECD-1 to the VDA-2. The analog outputs from both were fed into my SimAudio i5.3 integrated amplifier. For the first part of my comparison, this was output to a pair of Merlin VSM-MX speakers. For the second part, I used the line-out from the amplifier to feed into my Audio-Technica AT-HA5000 headphone amp, which I was using with Audio-Technica W5000 headphones. Switching between the DACs was accomplished by changing the input source on the amplifier.
Results
First of all, let me say that I learned one very important lesson: DO NOT touch your audio equipment if you have static build-up. At the beginning of my session, I was listening through the speakers. I walked over to the headphone amp, touched the metal volume knob, and felt a pretty solid shock. Instantly, the sound cut out from the speakers. I turned up the volume knob on the integrated amplifier. Nothing. I tried turning off each component, and turning them back on. Again, no sound was coming out of the speakers. I tried plugging in a pair of bookshelf speakers in place of the Merlins. No good. I was getting pretty frantic at the thought that I had blown some $1,000+ piece of audio equipment somewhere in my chain, when I glanced at the Belkin PF-60 power center where everything was plugged in. It was reading a current draw of 9.5 amps. Now THAT didn't seem right at all. I unplugged the power center, waited a minute or so, and plugged it back in. When I turned up the volume on the amplifier, my music was back. Heaving a huge sigh of relief, I continued on with my listening.
The VDA-2 has very good resolution. It can handle everything that's thrown at it, and it will still be hungry for more. It is quick, and the attack and decay are very precise, even with some demanding techno music. If there's a note there, you hear it. If there isn't, you hear nothing. It is a very even-handed and neutral DAC. It feels as though it is in complete control of the music, and no matter how wild the fluctuations get, it retains its control. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "balanced". Every note is emphasized just right; the bass is tight, the midrange is solid, and the treble isn't overdone.
The ECD-1 is sonically pretty similar to the VDA-2. It also is very quick, though the attack and decay are not as tightly controlled as the VDA-2. The bass is given noticeably more emphasis on the ECD-1, but not to the point where it becomes overpowering. It also feels like it is in control of each of the notes, but it lets the bass have a little more fun.
Switching back and forth between the DACs, the main thing that struck me was the difference in the bass. It didn't feel like the VDA-2 was missing any bass, until I switched to the ECD-1. All of a sudden, the lower registers started blooming. Switching back to the VDA-2, it felt a little sterile. Honestly, I feel like it was more a case of the ECD-1 overemphasizing the bass than of the VDA-2 de-emphasizing it.
The other main difference between the two was only audible during passages where there was a lot of alternation between sound and silence. The VDA-2 handled everything with precision. The notes were played, and then immediately receded into a background of black silence. On the ECD-1, it felt like the background wasn't as black, and that the notes were held onto a little longer than the VDA-2. It was never sloppy, but it just didn't seem as precise as the VDA-2 was. For most music, this wasn't really noticeable, but with some techno, it was detectable.
As I switched back and forth between them, I could always tell which one I was listening to, usually because of the bass bloom on the ECD-1. The midrange and treble for these DACs are almost identical. The extra bass boost on the ECD-1 made it feel a little more moving and fun, while the VDA-2 was always precise, and sometimes felt a little analytical.
Conclusion
First, the disclaimers. As stated in the Background section, I did not have the external power supply for the VDA-2. Reports are that this can improve the bass and lower the noise floor. Also, I did not run either of these in balanced mode. Most people claim that the ECD-1 improves substantially when it is run in balanced mode. I haven't heard comparisons of the VDA-2 in single-ended vs. balanced mode. Perhaps the most important disclaimer is that my ears are not properly trained. I am not capable of picking out the subtlest nuances between two sources. I'm just a regular guy who likes listening to his stereo.
That being said, I think that if you are in the market for a clean, precise DAC that does everything very well and does nothing wrong, the VDA-2 is a great choice. It's price (new) is half that of the ECD-1 (used), and it is a solid all-around performer. I definitely enjoy it in my system.
The ECD-1 gives a sound that is a little heavier in the bass, and isn't quite as analytical as the VDA-2. However, it is more fun to listen to music from the ECD-1. The sound has less of a solid-state flavor than the VDA-2, which should appeal to some audiophiles. The music feels more lively and moving.
I have both, and I'm keeping both. For now, the ECD-1 stays in my main system, while the VDA-2 is likely to be a key component for a computer-based audio system in the future.
