REVIEW: Keces DA-151 DAC 800+ hours burn-in

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by psc001

I wish Keces had an extra input besides USB. Anyway, what would be the best headphone amp to match with the Keces within $300-400 range?

Our model is currently split between SPDIF only and USB only, so it would have to be either USB or SPDIF. :P

[analogbox]

Originally Posted by psc001

I wish Keces had an extra input besides USB. Anyway, what would be the best headphone amp to match with the Keces within $300-400 range?

I agree. It's kinda hard to find a decent DAC with USB AND optical/coaxial input. If DA-151 had an optical input in addition to USB, it would be a killer DAC, IMO. But again, most people won't need both anyway.

[psc001]

Maniac, is there any option to add inputs and outputs for extra...? I think that would solve my problem and use Keces as pseudo-preamp and drive a headphone amp! I'd pay for that kinda of options!!!

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by psc001

Maniac, is there any option to add inputs and outputs for extra...? I think that would solve my problem and use Keces as pseudo-preamp and drive a headphone amp! I'd pay for that kinda of options!!!

So far it is not an option with the current design. We are thinking about ways to add more feature to the DAC, and I don't think we will have such features in the very recent future.


Thanks.

[Fud]

Hmm, I missed might have missed this option in my search for a budget DAC had I not clicked a thread in the Amp section on a whim =P Shouldn't this be in the source section?

Needless to say, I'm seriously considering this over the Zero and Beresford now. I still have yet to find anyone reaching a consensus over optical vs. usb vs. coaxial so I'm hesitant to choose the keces over the others.

Any chance other keces owners have had the zero or beresford and can give impressions? There are less keces owners then zero or beresford owners, so the "find me a budget DAC" polls are unfairly inaccurate.

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by Fud

Hmm, I missed might have missed this option in my search for a budget DAC had I not clicked a thread in the Amp section on a whim =P Shouldn't this be in the source section?

Needless to say, I'm seriously considering this over the Zero and Beresford now. I still have yet to find anyone reaching a consensus over optical vs. usb vs. coaxial so I'm hesitant to choose the keces over the others.

Any chance other keces owners have had the zero or beresford and can give impressions? There are less keces owners then zero or beresford owners, so the "find me a budget DAC" polls are unfairly inaccurate.

I can't say much for Zero or Beresford since I hae never had the chance to try them, however, there is something I can say about the digital input interfaces.

If you are not sure about the difference between SPDIF optical and SPDIF Coax, just try them out with the lowest/cheapest possible cable of each and try them out.


My own experience is that even when we are using the "gift grade" (the kind that comes free with almost any equipments.) optical and coax (the coax was intended for composite video even), the coax beats optical soundly. Of course, YMMV due to the equipment you use, but I can say that this should apply to most people here.

And no, I did not DBT it, I test it with my friend while fully expecting the optical to win, but winning it did not. :P

[VeipaCray]

Maniac > I got a chance to listen to xnothingpoetic's Keces DAC at the Chicago meet yesterday. I am very impressed with the SQ over my current Entech 203.2 DAC.

[xnothingpoetic]

Glad you like it

I also had a chance to listen to the EMU 0404 that day as well.

Keep in mind these "impressions" were in a noisy room, and I only spent less than a min. with the Keces and the EMU together. (too lazy to keep switching back and forth- especially when a Zana and K340 where right next to me )

Anyway, the differences were noticeable, but small. Both were actually very similar and you couldn't go wrong with either one, BUT the Keces was better in most every area by a slight margin. The Emu was a tad darker/warmer- less pronounced treble, possibly less detail. Keces also seemed to have better imaging capabilities, nothing seemed to get clouded together- all instruments were separated.

That is all I can recall, and I'm sorry I can't offer any more.

[Maniac]

As for me, I'll really glad you all like it.

[tjumper78]

da-151 gives me huge soundstage. wide and surrounding.
there's no coloration of the sound. the sound from emu0404 was cold, and the sound from diyeden svdac04 was kinda colored warm.
when i had emu0404, i thought it had good details and treble, maybe because it was cold sounding. but it's got nothing on da-151. to hear da-151's great detail and treble, you dont even have to listen closely/carefully. you just hear it, and it never gets boring.
there's plenty of bass, and it's clean and lean.
when i paired da151 with gilmore lite w/ dps, the sound was pretty good but there was just something missing. i just couldnt point out what.
paired with little-dot mkiv se, the sound is perfect for my ears.
huge soundstage, amazing bass, smooth and warm sound without losing any details and sparkles.
maybe i just like the tube sound better.
imo, da151 pairs better with tube amps.
in about a month, i'll be able to compare da151 to pico's dac section.

[VeipaCray]

Originally Posted by xnothingpoetic

Glad you like it

I also had a chance to listen to the EMU 0404 that day as well.

Keep in mind these "impressions" were in a noisy room, and I only spent less than a min. with the Keces and the EMU together. (too lazy to keep switching back and forth- especially when a Zana and K340 where right next to me )

Anyway, the differences were noticeable, but small. Both were actually very similar and you couldn't go wrong with either one, BUT the Keces was better in most every area by a slight margin. The Emu was a tad darker/warmer- less pronounced treble, possibly less detail. Keces also seemed to have better imaging capabilities, nothing seemed to get clouded together- all instruments were separated.

That is all I can recall, and I'm sorry I can't offer any more.

Not to mention the Keces looks much better than the 0404. The 0404 is of good quality, but it looks like an entry level home recording type toy when sitting next to the Keces DAC. The transparent top of the Keces is a nice touch as well.

[skeptic]

Has anyone had a chance to compare the keces 151 to a keces 131, connected via a stock X-fi card?

It looks like some of the modifications discussed in the X-fi mod are aimed at the path leading up to the digital output. Does this mean that the 1's and 0's of a bit perfect ASIO output, flowing from the X-fi's digital flexijack are actually being lost/corrupted absent these mods?

I would love to be able to keep my X-fi in the system to reduce the load on my cpu (as compared to USB sound) but I'd hate to cash out for a 131 only to learn that the DAC is receiving a degraded digital signal from the X-fi. In that event, I would likely lean towards the 151, or maybe a Trends + 131 combo.

Thanks for any comments any of you are able to offer.

[electropop]

I am totally inspired by this thread.
I am going to buy the Bada ph12 hybrid amp. And to this point i've been looking for the perfect dac, and i'm rather convinced that i've found it!

Okay so here's the question:

Where is the best place to order one? I live in Finland.
Where did you guys order yours?

Thanksies for helpsies!

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by electropop

I am totally inspired by this thread.
I am going to buy the Bada ph12 hybrid amp. And to this point i've been looking for the perfect dac, and i'm rather convinced that i've found it!

Okay so here's the question:

Where is the best place to order one? I live in Finland.
Where did you guys order yours?

Thanksies for helpsies!

Well, actually just PM me and I'll provide you with info on ordering KECES products. I'm the same guy that sells KECES product on ebay, and there will be a $10 discount on every unit ordered without going through ebay.

[Screamager]

I received notification from the post office yesterday, will be picking up my 131 after work today. Will be pairing it with a HAGUsb, Excited!