03-21-2009, 05:32 PM
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Junior Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Posts: 6
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Ultra Desktop DAC
I couldn't find another thread discussing this new product.
At a glance this looks like it will have some exceptional performance. It seems to me that the DAC chip from ESS raises the bar on distortion performance. And does so at a very low power consumption. The white-paper on their site was interesting reading.
Here's to hoping that the Ultra Desktop will get out all the performance potential 
I'm really looking forward to some measurements on this one. I was considering the DAC3 from Bel Canto, but if this one keeps its promises at half the price, I might change my mind 
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03-21-2009, 06:30 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,439
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Because it was only posted today?
HeadRoom Ultra Desktop DAC @ HeadRoom - Right Between Your Ears
By the way, have a look at the pictures, and take a close look at the one with it stacked on top of a somewhat unusual amp...
Last edited by TheSloth; 03-21-2009 at 06:34 PM.
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03-21-2009, 06:32 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 36
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In the pictures for the Ultra Desktop DAC, I couldn't help but notice a little something called the "Headroom Balanced Ultra Desktop Amp" as well. Verrrrry Eeeeenteresting.
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03-21-2009, 08:11 PM
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Garmentus Vulgaris & Headphoneus Supremus Premier Sponsor HeadRoom
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Posts: 2,855
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What the heck is going on here!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by jonjungel
It seems to me that the DAC chip from ESS raises the bar on distortion performance. And does so at a very low power consumption. The white-paper on their site was interesting reading.
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Man, you ought to read the patent. That's the most off the hook dac I've ever read about.
I'm not sure when/if we'll be publishing measurements; I'll look into that a bit for you. I do know that when I saw the measurements of the prototype the distortion and noise measurements were astonishingly low.
I can tell you I'm digging what's on my desk.
It's very natural sounding to me.
__________________
Cheers!
Tyll (Like on the floor, only spelled different.)
I just blogged all over my keyboard.
Last edited by Tyll Hertsens; 03-21-2009 at 08:13 PM.
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03-21-2009, 10:27 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 36
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Are those some balanced Denon's I spy? 5000 or 7000? How do they do balanced?
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03-21-2009, 10:50 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 196
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Will you be posting pictures of the insides soon? Call me crazy, but those are my favorite pictures.
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03-22-2009, 12:34 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: North Georgia Mountains
Posts: 405
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mkozlows
Will you be posting pictures of the insides soon? Call me crazy, but those are my favorite pictures.
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Yeah, mine too!
Kevin
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Headphones: ESW9
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Alone in my room, lights off, tubes aglow and music flowing, I discovered something. No matter how much hi-end gear I put between the recording and my ears, its the music that moved me to tears. Less is always more.
Kevin
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03-22-2009, 12:53 AM
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Junior Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens
I'm not sure when/if we'll be publishing measurements; I'll look into that a bit for you. I do know that when I saw the measurements of the prototype the distortion and noise measurements were astonishingly low.
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I didn't necessarily mean that you should post measurements, though that would be great ofcourse. I was thinking more of reviews with measurements, like they do at stereophile or soundstage.
I guess what I meant was that I can't wait to see a thorough review.  ..
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03-22-2009, 04:54 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Posts: 16,076
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I am not a technical person so I apologize if my question is well ... silly. How about upsampling or oversampling? I mean if my transport or pc puts out 16/44 will the Ultra Desktop DAC be able to upsample or oversample? Thanks.
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03-22-2009, 06:14 PM
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Garmentus Vulgaris & Headphoneus Supremus Premier Sponsor HeadRoom
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Bozeman, Montana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mkozlows
Will you be posting pictures of the insides soon? Call me crazy, but those are my favorite pictures.
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They'll come along sometime relatively soon; the pictures shown are of the prototypes and the boards have a few jumpers on them. Production boards are due in shortly, and we'll photo them as soon as we can.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonjungel
I didn't necessarily mean that you should post measurements, though that would be great ofcourse. I was thinking more of reviews with measurements, like they do at stereophile or soundstage.
I guess what I meant was that I can't wait to see a thorough review. .. |
Me neither. That will take quite a while though. It's sometime a year between the time we send Stereophile gear and when a review comes out. And sometimes, of course, we don't even get a review. SoundStage is a bit quicker as they don't have to buy paper and wait for a press and mail.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrarroyo
How about upsampling or oversampling? I mean if my transport or pc puts out 16/44 will the Ultra Desktop DAC be able to upsample or oversample? Thanks.
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Oh the ESS DAC is an up/over sampling beast. It's also amazingly complex and I have to admit it's somewhat over my head what's going on inside that chip. That's, at least in part, due to the fact that ESS doesn't want people to really know what they're doing in there. It's quite unusual.
Here's the spec sheet.
Here's a more in depth description of the part ... good luck understanding it.
And here's the patent for the internal digital signal upsampling/processing patent ... not a chance of understanding it unless you're a cryptographer/DSPengineer.
__________________
Cheers!
Tyll (Like on the floor, only spelled different.)
I just blogged all over my keyboard.
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03-22-2009, 06:29 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Norway, land of Vikings
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This looks interesting 
Tyll Hertsens: Can you compare SQ on USB vs the other inputs?
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03-25-2009, 04:06 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Melbourne Australia
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C'mon Headroom, you now have to release a complimentary Transport for this Dac, otherwise all is lost.
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A census taker once tried to test my headphones, I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
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03-25-2009, 01:35 PM
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Garmentus Vulgaris & Headphoneus Supremus Premier Sponsor HeadRoom
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Join Date: Jun 2001
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cecala
C'mon Headroom, you now have to release a complimentary Transport for this Dac, otherwise all is lost.
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Transport? What's that? Those silver discs are just to transport music to a computer right?
__________________
Cheers!
Tyll (Like on the floor, only spelled different.)
I just blogged all over my keyboard.
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03-25-2009, 03:56 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Gamerphile Denmark
Posts: 492
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens
And here's the patent for the internal digital signal upsampling/processing patent ... not a chance of understanding it unless you're a cryptographer/DSPengineer. |
Did someone say DSP-engineer with a hobby study in cryptography? 
Tried it - the patent is really cool but much of it is just written in a very confusing way .gif "Confused Face(1)") Something along the lines of using DSP to suppress the noise and such introduced by the specific process used which all in all total a very sweet DAC. I'll check back in 2 years when I'm done with all my DSP and audio courses and tell you the details 
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03-26-2009, 03:15 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 424
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price is pretty good falling in the low end of the upper echelon of DACs. hopefully specs come up soon along with some impressions. Wonder how it stacks up to the BDA-1.
Last edited by Skin; 03-26-2009 at 03:18 PM.
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