[ZorgDK]

Do you know if the D1 has phono-specific input so I can connect my turntable to it? 
 
EDIT: Doesn't look like it.

 

[pasgod]

No phono input and no analog input.

 

[ZorgDK]

Yes, thanks. I just looked at the pictures in project86's review.

 

[pasgod]

The only dac I know which has a phono input is the little ADL GT 40.

 

[ZorgDK]

I think I'll get a cheap phono preamp, I see they can be had as low as 30$ from http://www.phonopreamps.com/.
 
Then I guess that would go into my Lyr amp's RCA input so I would have to switch the RCA cables coming from the DAC whenever I want to listen to the turntable. 

 

[earthling]

project86 - Just wanted to thank you for the time you put into the review.  Based on your review, the technical information available, my own research, and the generous 30 day return policy I ordered my D1 from Anedio.  It arrived on time (great service) and a week into this experience I can honestly say it is one of the better purchases I have ever made.  As a 'practical' audiophile with an engineering background it is hard to live with some of the hype in our hobby but this is one of those rare times when the performance exceeds the hype.  The performance of the D1 is amazing, as a DAC it easily bests some of the very expensive (embarrassingly so in hindsight) ones that I have owned and as a headphone amp/dac combo it is at a level where the additional expense to reach even parity of performance once you bought a great DAC and a great amp would put you into a 2-3x cost category.  The fact that you can can get this level of performance for just north of $1K is amazing.  Thanks project86 for the effort and kudos to Anedio for delivering such a terrific performing and value priced piece of gear.  I will be buying a second unit to use in my main stereo system this summer!

 

[Yoga]

Would this DAC be overkill to be used with Dynaudio MC-15's, and HD595's (possibly soon to be HD650 or AKG 701's)?

 

[jackmccabe]

Yoga, Yes it would defintely be over kill, I think it's overkill even with hd650's, headphone's are where you will find the biggest differences, I think you shouldn't really be looking at something this expensive until you are at hd800/lcd-2 standard.

 

[Permagrin]

Yay! Mine is out for delivery. I just hope they deliver to the right address this time!

 

[Permagrin]

Initial Impressions:

Packaging is exceptional. DAC looks quite safe in the foam.

Case is beautiful. Just looking at it you can tell this is a piece of quality craftsmanship.

I played with the volume control a little bit and I was immediately stunned by how smooth it is.

First thing I did was hook it up to my computer and couldn't get it to work. Must be something up with the jack, whatever. So then I just ran my SACD player through to to my Prodipe 8 speakers. Popped in Boston's eponymous classic (re-master by Scholz) and immediately noticed how much difference there was from what I had been hearing prior.

The only word I could think of while standing there with this big grin on my face was 'clean'. I also tried the headphone out and then compared to with the Bursons and on only a 3 second or so A/B didn't really notice anything big.

And finally the kicker! I normally listen at 80+ db or so (guessing) as I like to crank it up to hear the details p) but I'm listening at 40 db (if I'm figuring correctly) and am completely content with the sound. Of course I'll crank it up later and see what happens.

Cheers!

 

[earthling]

Quote:

Yoga, Yes it would defintely be over kill, I think it's overkill even with hd650's, headphone's are where you will find the biggest differences, I think you shouldn't really be looking at something this expensive until you are at hd800/lcd-2 standard.

I disagree.  In considering any processing chain the weakest link will affect everything downstream.  I often tell people to start at your source and make sure that everything from there onwards is of the highest performance, you will spend less time and money in the end chasing perfection the other way around. You have to balance quality against cost of course but the certainty in this is that good speakers (or headphones) will only reveal the shortcomings of everything upstream whereas any source component limitation will certainly limit the performance of anything downstream.  I think that this dac/amp will drive most headphones (of reasonable impedance) to their limit in terms of quality of presentation so yes, they will make the 650's *sing* and the same could be said of the 580s/5xx/6xx.  Is it the perfect match... no, but then if this was a hobby I was pursuing and I was planning on landing on a top quality combination, I  would spend the money here way before I would spend the money on the top end headphone and listen to lesser quality source components.  Overkill.. hardly, the 650 is no slouch, neither is the 580/600.  Is the 800 a better headphone, certainly and an improvement across the board, but not night and day whereas this dac will certainly open up the 650 in a way that few other components can match.  IMHO of course...
 
 
 
 

 

[falis]

 
Quote:

I think I'll get a cheap phono preamp, I see they can be had as low as 30$ from http://www.phonopreamps.com/.
 
Then I guess that would go into my Lyr amp's RCA input so I would have to switch the RCA cables coming from the DAC whenever I want to listen to the turntable. 

Another option is to get one of their preamps that has multiple inputs (I have the TC754) and put the RCA outputs from the Anedio into one of its inputs and use the preamp for switching.  I haven't noticed any difference from running the DAC output straight into the amp. Ed, who owns the place, says that the volume control on that preamp is an attenuator, so shouldn't affect the sound (run it wide open at max volume or 95%).
 
- Ed
 

 

[Balmoral]

For anyone interested, I originally tried my Matrix M-Stage for use with The D1 and the LCD-2's and was not overly happy with the results.  I originally had the M-Stage at a gain setting of 10.  Changing the setting to 18 really seemed to open things up however.  It now sounds much more open and has the bass impact that I heard so much about with the LCD-2's.  I am still considering getting the Lyr to see if there is a considerable enough sonic improvement over the Matrix to warrant the purchase or not. I have also set my sights on the Peak/Volcano combo as a potential amp as opposed to the Lyr. On a different note; To my ears, the 650's and the Grado 325's sound great through the internal amp of the Dac.
 
Best of luck with all that have purchased the Anedio D1.  It is truly a phenomenal piece of hardware.

 

[Yoga]

Thank's for the feedback guys.

 

[Permagrin]

Well I ended up listening through the night and came to some interesting impressions.

Like in my first post I described the sound as clean. It is also tight and controlled. Listening from my Prodipes the music seemed disturbingly perfect. I tried but I could not pick out anything wrong with it at all for the first time. Cranking it up didn't change the image at all it was just seamlessly louder. Lying in bed I was listening with one of my normal setups (iMod-AB 160-HA 160-LCD-2s) and I heard that familiar sound which I used to love but now in comparison it was mocking me with this overly lushful and almost washed out sound. I'm really at a crossroad here because if the D1 doesn't open up a little bit I don't know if I can live with it, however 'perfect' it sounds it doesn't seem to have a soul.