[Dobrescu George]

There wasn't a thread about the AAdac or any other AudioAnalogue products before, so I decided to make one

This is the info available from their website:


AAdac
The new AAdac is the latest product of PureAA line. Just like the AAcento and AAphono, it is a product that perfectly fits in the Audio Analogue philosophy: its simple design, its remarkable sound performances and its great care for the finish and for the materials and parts selection, make it a perfect partner for your digital sources. AAdac has a wide variety of functions and entering the set-up it is possible to regulate the led intensity, to change the channels balance, to select one of the 7 different digital filters and to set it to volume regulated mode to let it work as a preamplifier.

Technical description
High performance D/A converter up to 32bit/768Khz using Sabre ES9038. Amanero USB converter up to 32bit/384KHz. Native DSD up to 512. 7 different digital filters. SPDIF, Toslink, AES/EBU digital inputs. Bluetooth aptX® high quality audio wireless input. Separate boards for each stage. Separate power supplies dedicated to digital and analogue sections. Fully balanced output stage and with discrete audiograde components to perfectly support ultra-low noise and ultra-low distortion digital stage. High quality headphone output. Possibility to use in direct(DAC) or volume regulated mode(DAC + preamp). The drivers to use AAdac connected to computers with Windows operative system can be downloaded at the following link: http://amanero.com/drivers.htm No drivers are required for MAC computers.

Technical features

Channels 2
Output level 2.9 µV (22 Hz ÷ 20 kHz )
Output level (A weighted)2.1 µV
Output voltage - balanced (1kHz/0dB)3.35 VRMS
Output voltage - unbalanced (1kHz/0dB)3.35 VRMS
Dynamic range (A weighted)124 dBTHD+N(1dB, 1kHz, FS = 48 kHz)-108 dB
ENOB 17.65 BIT
Standby power consumption(230VAC) 0.7W
Dimensions(HxWxD) 100x220x390 mm
Weight 5.5 Kg


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Do you have one? How did you decide to go for it? Let's share out impressions about those fine products from Italy and see how they comapre to everything else out there!

 

[Dobrescu George]

Also, I made a full introductory video review about the AAdac on Youtube, for those curious about my experience with it. I'm working on a more in-depth video take too, so kindly stay tuned for the future!

 

[bpiotrow13]

Silent here, i wonder if anyone has it and can share experience?

 

[Dobrescu George]

Silent here, i wonder if anyone has it and can share experience?

Yep, I actually wrote a full in-depth written review that I will be sharing really soon about the aaDAC

 

[bpiotrow13]

Yep, I actually wrote a full in-depth written review that I will be sharing really soon about the aaDAC

Super it would be very interesting to know how it compares to some popuar DACs. I am particularly interested in comparisons against Denafrips Pontus or Chord Qutest (or MHDT Orchid that i have, although it is not that popular Maybe You could share a bit before publishing review?

Amp section is also very interesting. It seems analog sounding devices are coming back at last

Really keen to read review

 

[Tano]

Great video as usual George. This device looks really promising. Stop making me spending money please.

 

[bpiotrow13]

Great video as usual George. This device looks really promising. Stop making me spending money please.

Maybe i should not watch it)

 

[Dobrescu George]

Aaaand, thanks to your enthusiasm I actually posted my full in-depth written review about the AAdac just now!!

Truly flagship, but there's way more to read in the full review, with comparisons, pairings and a detailed section about the sound~

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2021/04/audio-analogue-aadac-italian-master-design.html

 

[bpiotrow13]

Just read it. Thanks Very nice it is interesting it is warmer than Feliks euforia, which is a tube amp. And warmer than MyteknDAC+, which is said to be rather clinical (i have not heard it personally though) I guess it is still quite neutral nonetheless?

You said it is better than entry level r2r DAC as I understand because it is more natural. What about more advanced r2r like Denafrips Pontus? I do not know unfortunately the DACs you mentioned. I am looking for creamy, fat and natural sounding DAC and wonder if this is it (especially given Mytek is warmer, but not softer).

 

[bpiotrow13]

@Dobrescu George one more question in addition to the above. Having read the review Audio analogue reminds me my burson cv2+ as a combo. Have You listen to burson and can compare?

 

[Dobrescu George]

Hii

I actually haeard that one in particular. AAdac is much better in general, more detail, better clarity, more soundstage, more dynamics.

CV2+ has more driving power and control as a headphone amp, but not better as a DAC or as the main sound, as long as you don't want to drive HE6SE.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Just read it. Thanks Very nice it is interesting it is warmer than Feliks euforia, which is a tube amp. And warmer than MyteknDAC+, which is said to be rather clinical (i have not heard it personally though) I guess it is still quite neutral nonetheless?

You said it is better than entry level r2r DAC as I understand because it is more natural. What about more advanced r2r like Denafrips Pontus? I do not know unfortunately the DACs you mentioned. I am looking for creamy, fat and natural sounding DAC and wonder if this is it (especially given Mytek is warmer, but not softer).

I haven't heard the Pontus so I can't say

Would pick the AAdac above DAC+ from Mytek, as a DAC. As a headphone amp, DAC+ has a bit more driving power and control, more solid sound. Both are excellent really.

 

[bpiotrow13]

I haven't heard the Pontus so I can't say

Would pick the AAdac above DAC+ from Mytek, as a DAC. As a headphone amp, DAC+ has a bit more driving power and control, more solid sound. Both are excellent really.

Thanks, have You heard Burson conductor 2 or 3?

Edit. Just have seen Your next message You are quick cv2 is my second amp. It seems a bit laid back with my Meze Empyrean, which may suit some. Very interesting. Agree cv2's DAC is not perfect, but for some reason the whole combo is awesome. I would thought audio analogue has better drive than burson cv2, but it may well be synergy with Meze.

 

[skiizo]

Hello all !
I just bought the AAdac in Silver version. I ordered it and waiting for the delivery, in the meantime my dealer gave me till I got mine, a demo sample to play with at home. My previous DAC was the Chord Qutest that I loved very much. But I think that this one is better, at least it sounds better to my ears, more airy, less flat, but that's just my opinion, I'm not a specialist, just an old musician with damaged ears. I wanted the Chord TT2 to upgrade from the Qutest, I got one for a week, but wasn't hearing drastic differences vs the Qutest. My dealer told me that the TT2 was better, but if i didn't hear a significative difference, that was no use to buy it, especially considering that the TT2 is more than 3 times the price of the Qutest. So I thought I was stuck with the lovely Qutest, when I noticed a black AAdac in the shop, I never heard of Audio Analogue, the dealer told me that this was a serious quality brand and all in all a better DAC than the Qutest, so he gave me the demo sample to test at home with my gear.
I have to say that I don't listen music through speakers, only headphones. I have a Stax SRM-700T as energizer and a SR-009S as headphone. My second system for headphones is the Feliks Elise MKII with the same tubes than the ones from the Euforia, and the headphones are the Audeze LCD-X 2021 and/or the Hifiman XS Edition.

I didn't like very much the Feliks and Audeze combo through the Qutest, not that it sounded awful, but going from the Stax combo to the Feliks, everything sounded too warm for my taste. Having the AAdac for more than a week now, I can say that I like very much the association with the Feliks, it's more spacious, less veiled. BUT, I have to admit that I use the AAdac with filter number 6 ! I received it set like that, I didn't even know about the filters, I read the manual and found out that I wasn't on the preferred filter which is number 2 according to Audio Analog. I don't like number 2 that much, and I thank God, my demo sample was tuned on the number 6 filter when I received it.
My dealer told me that the differences were subtle, but listening only on headphones, one can listen more accurately to these subtle differences, and that was also depending on the kind of gear one has.

I saw the only one good video on this AAdac made by Audiophile Heaven, I'm going to read now the article. Thank you Mr Dobrescu Georges for your work and time ))
Voilà, that's my experience with my new DAC. I apologise for my poor English and I thank the automatic dictionary for the corrections.

Happy music to everyone
Michel

 

[Dobrescu George]

Hello all !
I just bought the AAdac in Silver version. I ordered it and waiting for the delivery, in the meantime my dealer gave me till I got mine, a demo sample to play with at home. My previous DAC was the Chord Qutest that I loved very much. But I think that this one is better, at least it sounds better to my ears, more airy, less flat, but that's just my opinion, I'm not a specialist, just an old musician with damaged ears. I wanted the Chord TT2 to upgrade from the Qutest, I got one for a week, but wasn't hearing drastic differences vs the Qutest. My dealer told me that the TT2 was better, but if i didn't hear a significative difference, that was no use to buy it, especially considering that the TT2 is more than 3 times the price of the Qutest. So I thought I was stuck with the lovely Qutest, when I noticed a black AAdac in the shop, I never heard of Audio Analogue, the dealer told me that this was a serious quality brand and all in all a better DAC than the Qutest, so he gave me the demo sample to test at home with my gear.
I have to say that I don't listen music through speakers, only headphones. I have a Stax SRM-700T as energizer and a SR-009S as headphone. My second system for headphones is the Feliks Elise MKII with the same tubes than the ones from the Euforia, and the headphones are the Audeze LCD-X 2021 and/or the Hifiman XS Edition.

I didn't like very much the Feliks and Audeze combo through the Qutest, not that it sounded awful, but going from the Stax combo to the Feliks, everything sounded too warm for my taste. Having the AAdac for more than a week now, I can say that I like very much the association with the Feliks, it's more spacious, less veiled. BUT, I have to admit that I use the AAdac with filter number 6 ! I received it set like that, I didn't even know about the filters, I read the manual and found out that I wasn't on the preferred filter which is number 2 according to Audio Analog. I don't like number 2 that much, and I thank God, my demo sample was tuned on the number 6 filter when I received it.
My dealer told me that the differences were subtle, but listening only on headphones, one can listen more accurately to these subtle differences, and that was also depending on the kind of gear one has.

I saw the only one good video on this AAdac made by Audiophile Heaven, I'm going to read now the article. Thank you Mr Dobrescu Georges for your work and time ))
Voilà, that's my experience with my new DAC. I apologise for my poor English and I thank the automatic dictionary for the corrections.

Happy music to everyone
Michel

I am really happoy to hear that you finally found a combo you are happy with, and I hope you'll keep rocking out there!!!

I also noticed that for Filters, they are far more noticeable with headphones.

In fact, I started mastering with headphones instead of speakers for everything because headphones are just better at highlighting differences, for example when you make a video and have the background music too loud, it will sound just right on speakers, but it may be way loud on headphones.

If you're looking for something that really pleased my ears, HIFIMAN HE1000 V2, if you can listen before buying, to get a wide but clean sounding headphone that is really good with detail, and Audeze LCD-5 for the ultimate piece sonically (though they can be a bit heavy in person)