Audio-Gd Master 7 - Discrete Fully Balanced DAC (PCM1704) - Page 19

Man - That SCHIIT is crazy.   I'm ready to start the comparing..   I should give it a break at some point

It seems like you have enough to listen to in the meantime lol-let it do it's thing...

 

-Daniel

The loser gets traded in for the HEX...

I almost picked up a Hex-not enough reviews yet out for it. Not too mention a couple of reports about it possibly lacking bass heft/extension. Sounds like the M7 should have most of the tonality that the Hex does, but better bass all around. Call it a hunch or whatever, but AGD tends to punch WAY above their price tag-especially with the totl designs imo. I'd be surpised if the Hex was as well rounded as the M7, coming in at a grand more to boot. Made the decision much easier for me. I'm definitely curious to hear your thoughts about it if/when you get one.

 

-Daniel

for those of you in the US, did you have to pay any extra customs fees upon arrival? i bet the box must be enormous. was tracking provided? thanks

I've never payed any customs fees for any audio-gd stuff I've ordered. Ive gotten 3 packages. The last one was the master 3 and it's was a MASSIVE box

I've bought 3-4 amps/dacs directly from them an never been charged.

-Daniel

 

Did you see this one?

 

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/metrum2/1.html

Yep. I just wish they would have went more in depth with the DP-1 comparisons so I'd have more of a baseline. I know 6moons gets a lot of flak sometimes-but the absolutely NAILED the Eximus review imo. Sweet, 'they are here vs you are there', live-sounding, transparent and musical. Mary truly does walk her nervous dog beneath an ominous sky.

-Daniel

I'm joining the Master 7 crew.  Order placed this morning. 

To those who upgraded from Ref 7.1 to Master 7 - Currawong and JaMo, I am looking at you guys

 

I am going to order the upgrade kit and would like to know what to order extra to get an easy job.

The power plug was one, I understand, since it was difficult to detatch. Other suggestions?

 

Also - I'd LOVE to see good photos of the mounted digi-board and the internal cabling so I know where the cables are going.

I just got this beast today and I have to say its the best digital source I have ever heard.  For reference I have heard the following extensively in the systems of friends of mine and in my own system:  W4S Dac 1, Stello DA 220, Audio GD Dac 19 DF, Audio GD NFB-1ES, Audio GD reference 5, Monarchy NM 24, Decware Zen CD player, Onix XCD 50, Tentlabs cd player, MHDT Havana, Plinius CD 101, Emotiva ERC-1 CD player, and a heavily modified Bada HD-22se.

 

I will give a more detailed reaction after some burn in.  Its scary the thing has not broken in yet.

Edited by ciphercomplete - 3/28/13 at 3:28pm

 

Since you have the Master 1 and Master 3 and the NFB-1ES, which is nearly identical to the rig i will have shortly, once all my parts arrive. How would you say the Master 7 compares to the NFB-1ES? i guess the downside is that you cant connect them both as the same time using ACSS, since the preamps all only have one ACSS input.

 

 

The NFB-1ES competes well with the Master 7 in the upper frequency range buts its the midrange and the bass where the Master 7 crushes it. The NFB-1 sounds thinner by comparison but does not gain extra detail over the Master 7 and because of this, the Master 7 sounds like the more detailed dac.  The Master 7 pulls off the trick of having a full sound, not lacking in tone at all, all the while being a very detailed dac with a huge sound stage.  The bass is just as tight and more detailed than the NFB-1.  

 

I have owned very detailed sources (W4S-1, my current cd player, NFB-1 ES).  I have owned very tone rich sources like the Monarchy NM24, agd Ref5 and the Decware CD player.  I have never owned a source that does both seemingly with tremendous ease.  Right now there seems to be no compromise with this Dac.  

 

Glad to meet another owner of the Master 1, Master 3 combo.   I haven't been happier with a amp/pre combo as I am with this duo.

 

 

Edited by ciphercomplete - 3/28/13 at 4:27pm

Great stuff ciphercomplete.