Review: Anedio D1 DAC - my new reference DAC - Page 59

No.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper2001 

Question:

 

Does anyone know if the D2 (or D1) support DSD playback via USB?

 

The D1 and D2 don't support DSD playback.

But the new Mytek Stereo192 does. And it also uses a Sabre DAC chip like the D1/D2.

I do not think the mytek supports DSD via USB. I am not an expert on the Mytek, but it is a pro unit and unlikely to use USB. Regards

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas aurum 

I do not think the mytek supports DSD via USB. I am not an expert on the Mytek, but it is a pro unit and unlikely to use USB. Regards

Yes it really does DSD via USB.

Here's a long thread (3 pages) with much info: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Mytek-Stereo-192

I just got a D1 and have some time rediscovering some of my favorite music and collection of headphones.  I originally came to these forums looking for portable audio solutions, but recently decided to find a good home setup and it seemed like the D1 would fit most of what I was looking for.  But even my expectations have been blown!  This little thing is amazing.

I've been listening to RS1i, HD580, AD2000, markl D5000s, and my JH13s.  The D1/JH13 pairing is simply sublime.  I could listen to the combo until I die!  None of the full size cans even approach the JH13, but I wonder if my ears are just tuned to the IEMs, since that's all I've been listening to lately.  The main takeaway I get from all the full size cans is simply how clean each of them sound.  Most surprising of all, the HD580 is the can I enjoy the most of those 4, by a pretty fair margin.  The D1 amp really takes care of the Senn veil, and vocals sound so lush, especially female vocals.  The AD2000 and RS1i seem to lack weight with vocals IMO.  I was excited about the RS1i pairing but they are just too bright for my ears with the D1.  I don't really enjoy them that much but will continue to listen to see if that will change.

If the HD580s sound this good, do I need to be taking a look at the HD800 with the D1?  I know some here have said it is a good pairing, and others say the D1 amp doesn't have enough juice to realize the potential of the HD800.

Glad that you're enjoying the D1! Seems that those who take a liking to it (like myself) like it very much!

Personally I'm not a huge fan of the HD800, something doesn't click for me with that can and I actually prefer the HD650 over it. The 580 on the other hand I like very much for what it is and what it does in its price range while also being so easy to drive.

I don't own the 580, and I've never tried it with the D1, but I have no problem imagining that they would be an excellent match!

As for the HD800 and the D1 the debate goes on.... I've never tried this combo myself but I do have extensive experience with the HD650 and D1 and in that case I've become firmly convinced that the Anedio is too weak to power those cans fully. Do they produce sound? Yes. Does it sound nice? Yes. Is there real magic and snap and 3d imaging carved from granite? No.

The HD650 is a difficult can to drive and needs a stout amp to fully bloom, that's my opinion.

Based on that experience I can't imagine that I'd be happy with the HD800 powered directly from the D1. That's my take on it, your milage may vary.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Failed Engineer 

Most surprising of all, the HD580 is the can I enjoy the most of those 4, by a pretty fair margin.  The D1 amp really takes care of the Senn veil, and vocals sound so lush, especially female vocals...

That's been my experience with the HD600, which is basically the same as the HD580. The Anedio is a more than excellent start-up SS amp.

Hi,

I may buy soon a Phonitor + HD800 (as I really enjoyed the crossfeed function when I tried it) and I'm looking for a source. The Phonitor + HD 800 pairing is likely to sound quite transparent (dare I say "neutral") and I'm afraid it may reveal any trace of "digitis" in the source. I'm using Amarra which may compensate slightly for that (I think it reduces by quite a margin the impression that music has been "compressed", "processed", it just sounds more organic to me), but do you think an Anedio D2 (based on your impressions of the D1 - I doubt the D2 could be any worse) is a good idea or it may sound too "lean" in this setup, as I've read several times the Anedio sound quite thinner then some other DACs (Digitalreview, Stereomojo) ? I was also thinking about a Lavry DA11, Mytek DSD DAC and a Violectric V800 (so mostly professional or serious gear, no NOS / tube). The entire system would use cheap but good pro cables (no fancy stuff).

Sorry, double post.

I just had D1 for two weeks.  I think D1 is a very accurate, it accurately reproduce what the signal should be without spreading it to other frequencies.   In the first week, I also feel D1's sound is thin.  But with more listening and back and forth comparison, the more I like D1's clean presentation.  I was still not sure though, so I used a software tone generator to sweep all frequencies, D1 sounded really accurate at all tones.  Further I used Tek TDS3032 Digital Oscilloscope (300MHz, $5000) to measure the RCA out and headphone out, the curves are of the same height at different frequencies, which means the response is flat and accurate at all frequencies.   Whether the headphone out is powerful enough to drive headphones like HD 600, I don't know yet.

I believe in 'break in'.  Not break in the hardware, but to break in my head and ears.   Re-calibrate my brain and ears to appreciate the true sound.   Takes ~ 1 or 2 weeks.

Compared to Benchmark DAC1, I used to like Benchmark the best, because it is so detailed and clean, and makes me feel I can listen into every 'bit' in the CD.    D1 is better than DAC1, because it makes the music 'realistic'.  Everything is real, without digital feeling.  Say, DAC1 makes me feel that I can see everything printed on the CD.  D1 makes me feel that I can see everything in the real world, before it was printed onto the CD.

I have a question about how to link SqueezeBox Touch to DAC.   I can hear a huge difference comparing PC->USB->DAC  vs.  PC->Squeezebox->Coax->DAC.     When play though PC->USB->DAC, what I get is full, clean sound.   If play though SqueezeBox, I can easily hear digital artifacts, sounded like lossy mp3.    Is there any special settings?  And dependency on the quality of cables?   Right now I have m4a files (lossless, grabbed from CD by iTunes) on the PC, and running Logitech Server software.  Using cheap Coax cable between Squeezebox and DAC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayaTlab 
but do you think an Anedio D2 (based on your impressions of the D1 - I doubt the D2 could be any worse) is a good idea or it may sound too "lean" in this setup, as I've read several times the Anedio sound quite thinner then some other DACs (Digitalreview, Stereomojo) ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by yfei 

In the first week, I also feel D1's sound is thin.  But with more listening and back and forth comparison, the more I like D1's clean presentation.

 

D1 is better than DAC1, because it makes the music 'realistic'.  Everything is real, without digital feeling.  Say, DAC1 makes me feel that I can see everything printed on the CD.  D1 makes me feel that I can see everything in the real world, before it was printed onto the CD.

 

Hi Yfei,

Thanks for your impressions.

Good to hear the D1 sounds more realistic than the DAC1.

Realism is for me the highest goal.

As for the first impression of a thin sound of the D1, is that compared to the DAC1?

To you the DAC1 sounds less thin than the D1?

sounds like a squeezebox issue/wifi issue/transcoding issue

Compared the Benchmark DAC1 I feel D1 is slightly thinner,  not because it has less bass or tighter bass,  but because the mid-high is really clear, more focused.

'Thin' compared to Minimax DAC, which is laid back and warmer.  D1 shows things right in front of the face.  Maybe my use of word 'thin' is not proper.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by slackman 

As for the first impression of a thin sound of the D1, is that compared to the DAC1?

To you the DAC1 sounds less thin than the D1?

 

I just received my U2 USB to SPDIF converter. It is now directly connected to my D1 using the included BNC(M) - BNC(M) adapter, aside from the USB cable (not incl.). The best cable is no cable *joking* 

The device is actually very slim when I saw it compared to other bulkier devices. It proves to be useful since you don't want it to be in the way of other input connectors, and not putting too much pressure (weight) on the connector itself when using a direct connection.

Very initial impressions that don't seriously count. To me it sounds 'cleaner' (in other words you would have less of an idea of listening to samples one by one). Though the D1 has a good jitter reduction scheme it is never bad to feed it a high quality low jitter SPDIF signal first. Before I was using a optical connection from my laptop to the D1.