[illkemist]

I'm already very impressed with my new purchase and it's not even warmed up yet. I've got some amps on order and decided to go with a standalone DAC. I chose the Dice based on reviews. Most of the impressions included mentions of deep, authoritative bass. And I could hear it immediately. I popped in Spacek's "Smiles and Roses", a torture test of sorts. I was immediately impressed with the results. The bass was full and rich without loosing any detail.

Right now, I've got a line out from the DAC running into my iBasso D1's amp. I think I may have read that the two share some common components. If that's the case, I think I may have discovered that even though the two are converting the same digital data, there is a difference in how that information is interpreted, hence the difference in sounds. I really can't wait for the amps I ordered to arrive so I can enjoy this DAC even more.

A note on the inputs: I like the optical out from my MacBook Pro over the USB. The upper range is noticable clearer. One of the nice things about the Moodlab is that I can switch quickly back and forth to analyze what I am hearing through each input. The MBP also switches quickly on the fly from the sound preferences menu. There is a noticeable click from the DAC when switching inputs. At first I was not expecting it, but it makes a very satisfying sound.

How about a couple of pics?

 

[mrarroyo]

Have never heard of the Moodlab, hope to hear more of your impressions.

Went to their site and at $399 it is at a price point that could make it an interesting alternative.

http://www.mood-lab.com/shop.htm

 

[Jon118]

Their site isn't exactly doing so well for me, but it will hopefully be back up soon. It is definitely quite a nice looking little thing, I do like the clear front. Interesting that I've never heard of them before.

 

[illkemist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Their site isn't exactly doing so well for me, but it will hopefully be back up soon. It is definitely quite a nice looking little thing, I do like the clear front. Interesting that I've never heard of them before.

Yes, it is nice to look at and the build quality is pretty solid. I have to admit that it's a stimulating piece of gear in a visual sense and that's one of the things that made me consider it initially. At some point, I may tire of the LEDs. This thing has no power switch so it's always on.

One of the things that I could not appreciate before purchasing an amp is dynamics at low listening levels. Only now do I realize that amplification can allow me to scale back a bit on the volume and not miss out on the details in music. The Dice takes it to another level because the low frequencies are pronounced even at casual listening levels. This may not be to everyone's liking, but I listen to a lot of club jazz and electronic music. Bass is a must.

Also, I'm sorry about the quality of the photos, but I didn't take the time to set up a proper light source.