Quote:
Originally Posted by
RedBull 
Does anyone have any impression of comparison between Invicta and PWD MkII or Eximus DP1?
Yes and no.... I've spent some time with both of those, but never directly compared to the Invicta.
I loved and hated the PWD. Loved the sound, hated the marketing hype behind it. And the pricing - I thought my Anedio D2 was slightly better (though very similar overall) for significantly less cash. But taken on its own, without any preconceptions, it's a very very nice DAC. Better than most others I've heard regardless of price. Very much improved from the MkI which I thought was merely good but not great.
The Eximus didn't really do much for me. I thought the DAC section was good in a fun, casual sort of way, but I didn't really think it was doing much more than some cheaper units I've heard with similar signatures (like Yulong D18 and Wavelength Brick for examples). Very attractive enclosure though. The amp section was very disappointing to my ears. After hearing it was good enough to stand up to some nice stand alone amps, I figured we had an Invicta/Anedio type situation on our hands, where the integrated amp is so good that you might not need anything else. But when I heard it, it just sounded like a decent $400-500 amp at best. I don't mean to be condescending - there are plenty of good choices in that range. But when we're talking about something like "I sold my GS-X/V200/Balancing Act because the integrated amp was so good!" I don't feel the DP1 amp is anywhere near that level. Just too dark, murky, and undefined.
I realize that my opinions on these probably go against most other people. So make of this what you will.
Edited by project86 - 2/21/13 at 4:11pm
