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Getting Benchmark DAC1 - Page 2

post #16 of 31
10/4/07 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubaman View Post
I don't suppose leaving the unit constantly powered count as burn-in? Must I connect and play? I need my laptop for school...
it does help.
i had the standard DAC1 for a few weeks and then recieved the DAC1 USB, when i first powered on the USB and listened to the headphone amp the sound was more distant and less dynamic than the standard, i did alot of listening and really made sure, so i was worried it was from the extra jumpers in the USB headphone amp affecting the SQ.

i left the DAC1 USB powered on for about a week and recently revisited the comparison, i couldnt decect a soundquality difference between the standard and USB anymore, i think it was an initial burn-in issue.
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post #17 of 31
10/4/07 at 6:42pm
I just borrowed DAC1 from our local dealer today. I mainly tested it for my speaker setup but of course plugged my HD650's to it also. It did perform ok but couldn't match my Stello stack. Soundstage seemed "congested" and the sound wasn't that clear and accurate with DAC1 than it is with Stellos. I think the headphone amp in DAC1 causes the difference because with speakers the differences are quite the opposite.

For my speaker setup I preferred DAC1 because of its more neutral and slightly more accurate touch when compared to DA100 (which had fuller and slightly "bassier" sound signature). Anyways, I need a good source and amp for my headphones also so I think I'm going to stick with Stello stack for now and maybe just change the speakers.
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post #18 of 31
10/4/07 at 8:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubaman View Post
I don't suppose leaving the unit constantly powered count as burn-in? Must I connect and play? I need my laptop for school...
Leaving the unit on does help burn-in. But to properly run-in all components, you will need to play music with headphones connected, etc.

Cheers!
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post #19 of 31
10/5/07 at 10:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubaman View Post
I don't suppose leaving the unit constantly powered count as burn-in? Must I connect and play? I need my laptop for school...
Since the DAC1 has no power switch, you would think that it is always "on" but in fact this is actually not the case. The DAC1 is actually only "on" when a digital signal is being fed into the unit - so with no signal presence it's in standby mode. I would imagine some internal components may be getting current during the stand-by mode. But you're probably not really "burning" in the device this way -- so what you need to do is feed a digital signal to the DAC over an extended period of time. In your case, since you need your laptop for other activities, use the digital output from a CD player (borrow one if you don't own one) and set it to continuous repeat.
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post #20 of 31
10/5/07 at 9:40pm
Quick noob question on the DAC1 - does the headphone out still benefit from the DAC itself? Does the audio flow through the DAC and on to the headphone out or is the DAC stage somehow bypassed?

I have always assumed that it would pass through the DAC first, but comments through the forum have made me wonder...
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post #21 of 31
10/5/07 at 10:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cansman View Post
For me, the DAC1 USB headphone output matches the quality of the dac section. But it needs plenty of run-in to shed off some hardness. You will be rewarded with no noise, superb control and no distortion output. In short, very neutral, transparent and reference quality.

It does sound different from other amps I've tried - I think because other amps might add some harmonic distortion under load and because we might be used to having an 'interconnect' sound.

But the more I listen to it with the DT 880s, I feel that I am reaching the pinnacle of headphone playback. This remains to be seen, but I think I have hit contentment with this set-up !

Enjoy!

cansman
does this mean you're going to dump the Headline2? i do prefer my Headline2/FC2, more so with the DT-880 and SR225, but the DAC1 makes for a really nice match with my PL2500.

i think my aging dvd player is on it's last leg. i'm thinking about getting the new Oppo for a transport.

PACE
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post #22 of 31
10/5/07 at 10:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by poo View Post
Quick noob question on the DAC1 - does the headphone out still benefit from the DAC itself? Does the audio flow through the DAC and on to the headphone out or is the DAC stage somehow bypassed?

I have always assumed that it would pass through the DAC first, but comments through the forum have made me wonder...
yeah it does go through the DAC first, the DAC1 is recieving a digital signal and a headphone amp outputs an analong signal.

the conversion happens in the DAC section and the heaphone amp boosts that newly created analog signal to drive the headphones.
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post #23 of 31
10/6/07 at 3:50am
Awesome - thanks euclid!
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post #24 of 31
10/6/07 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishski13 View Post
does this mean you're going to dump the Headline2? i do prefer my Headline2/FC2, more so with the DT-880 and SR225, but the DAC1 makes for a really nice match with my PL2500.

i think my aging dvd player is on it's last leg. i'm thinking about getting the new Oppo for a transport.

PACE
No, I will keep the Headline 2/NAPSC ! In terms of fun factor and PRaT, few equipment come close to Naim! But in terms of accuracy and transparency, to me, the DAC1 USB reigns supreme! The DT 880 is also very linear and neutral - it is synergistic to the sound quality of the DAC1.

Cheers!
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post #25 of 31
10/7/07 at 4:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cansman View Post
No, I will keep the Headline 2/NAPSC ! In terms of fun factor and PRaT, few equipment come close to Naim! But in terms of accuracy and transparency, to me, the DAC1 USB reigns supreme! The DT 880 is also very linear and neutral - it is synergistic to the sound quality of the DAC1.

Cheers!
i can see that - matching is key.

i also see that you have a 5i/nait5i/Jura kit. i think the 5i/nait5i is a wonderful pairing. i have a chord cobra2 freeding my DAC1 into a nait5/hicap/Intro2 - it floats my boat.

i just replaced the shielded stock DAC1 mains lead with an unshielded lead that comes with naim components here in the US, for $25. a very noticeable improvement it transient detail, timbre, pitch clarity, instrument separation and timing. bass quanity was reduced, but quality was improved. my Intro2s could sound a bit bass heavy for my tastes on certain recordings, so this was a welcome improvement - they're really singing now.

i'm assuming that the mains leads that come with naim in the UK are unshielded as well? it would be an easy, cheap thing for you to try out. YMMV.

PACE
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post #26 of 31
10/7/07 at 7:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishski13 View Post
i'm assuming that the mains leads that come with naim in the UK are unshielded as well? it would be an easy, cheap thing for you to try out. YMMV.

PACE
I believe that all Naim mains leads are unshielded - you are right! Also, thanks for the tip - in fact, I am using a Naim mains cable for my DAC1 USB !

Also, I'm glad you are enjoying your Naim rig as well!

Regards!
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post #27 of 31
10/7/07 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cansman View Post
I believe that all Naim mains leads are unshielded - you are right! Also, thanks for the tip - in fact, I am using a Naim mains cable for my DAC1 USB !

Also, I'm glad you are enjoying your Naim rig as well!

Regards!


PACE
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post #28 of 31
10/7/07 at 6:22pm
Sorry for being off topic here,but how's the amp section on the Lavry DA10,compared to the amp section on the DAC-1?
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post #29 of 31
8/2/10 at 4:44am

I'm raising this thread like a phoenix for all those interested....some good source information here.

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post #30 of 31
2/26/12 at 1:52am

LCD2+dac1 headamp : does anyone have a hiss ?

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