[Audio Addict]

The puredac landed today. I started the breakin with the Purist Audio CD.

 

[Herwet]

Mine also arrived today. Right out of box it sounded neutral but not so rich. Now after about 2 hours, it´s blooming both as pre amp as with headphone amp and Beyerdynamic T1. No harsh sounds at all. Instead dynamic, clear and neutral. Think I will live with this one a long time. Will let it break in for a week or so and get back here with more detailed impressions.

 

[Audio Addict]

According to Purist Audio, their CD should breakin a component in 5 plays which is under 7 hours. It also re-breakins all the associated equipment and cabling. Therefore, tomorrow should be a good day.

 

[Argo Duck]

^ Looking forward to hearing your impressions guys. Was thinking it's been too darn quiet round here; good to know these units are getting out to people.

 

[Audio Addict]

A few observations on the physical unit:

- The display is very intense and their is no way I have found to dim it,
- The remote does not have on /off control so you have to physically turn it on and off.
- The volume controls on the remote are reversed. On the unit the preamp volume is on the left but the remote has it on the right with the headphones volume the reverse.

 

[Argo Duck]

Yes the vol controls are indeed reversed. Took a little getting used to, but doesn't bother me.

The remote feels a little flimsy, completely unlike the DAC itself. I hope the microswitches prove to be robust.

 

[Joe-Siow]

I wonder how this DAC stacks up to Mytek 192
Am considering between the 2, upgrading from a Minimax Plus

 

[DefQon]

I haven't heard the BMC but so damn close to pulling the trigger on this one but I wish there was an Aussie distributor for it here so I can go and give it a go.
 
I don't know why you want to upgrade from the EE Minimax Plus but if you replace it with the Mytek, your music is going to have a hole in it. The Minimax is a special DAC me thinks. 

 

[Joe-Siow]

  I haven't heard the BMC but so damn close to pulling the trigger on this one but I wish there was an Aussie distributor for it here so I can go and give it a go.
 
I don't know why you want to upgrade from the EE Minimax Plus but if you replace it with the Mytek, your music is going to have a hole in it. The Minimax is a special DAC me thinks. 

 
The minimax plus is special, but it's hard justifying 2 DACs in a single setup
Somewhere along, something has to go, if you know what I mean

 

[Herwet]

Here is my review of B.M.C. Pure Dac. Please be aware of and overlook my English. I am sure I have used words in not always the proper way, but as long as you get the message, I am content. (PD = Pure Dac)
 
EQUIPMENT
Speakers: Sperrling DP3, 3-ways, horn, mids, 2*11” bass, vented backs.
Pre Amp & DAC: Harmony Design
Power Amps: Acoustic Reality, Class D 1000w mono-blocks.
Media player: J River with Asio driver.
CD-player: Modified Yamaha CDX-1060 (by Harmony Design) to serve as a CD-drive only.
 
MUSIC
Cantate Domino - Choir recorded live in church - Label Proprius.
Chris Jones - Roadhouses & Automobiles - Label Stockfisch
Jenny Bohman - “Live at Mosebacke” - Label Rootsy.nu
Mattias Wager - “Organ Treasures” - Label Opus3
Melody Gardot - “Worrisome heart”
Prince - Songs “Purple rain”, “When doves cry”
Sara K. & Chris Jones - “Live in concert” - Label Stockfisch
 
MY PRIORITIES IN AUDIO
I want neutral, live dynamics, no sweetened or adjusted so called ”audio phile” sound. Instead, I want to get involved and feel the music as it was at the recording. I have found that the closer the sound is to reality, the more touched I get by the music and find myself buying more music. And without thinking about it, I find myself buying less music if the sound is adjusted to sound sweetened or is distorted in the recording studio. Same same for me.
 
REVIEW OF PURE DAC
Well finally I got my PD after reading lots of reviews. The B.M.C. company comes out to me as seeking to improve their products continuously. That they make products which reproduce the sound close to what it sounded like during the recording. I know, sounds like a cliché, but after having listened to the PD for a couple of weeks, neutrality and dynamics seems to be their aim. Promising indeed.
 
Right out of the box the PD sounded like it could have potential but as most cold audio equipment, the sound was OK but a bit colourless. Already after and hour or two, I started hearing that firm bass and clear body and contour around voices and instruments, which I had been wanting for some time. By the way, I´m talking about PD as a DAC and Preamp, playing through AES (CD) and speakers. That is what I listen through mostly. In a couple of weeks I will have built my passive HTPC and will then compare the AES with USB (media player J River and Asio driver). Hopefully I will then also have my Beyerdynamic T1´s connected in balanced way.
 
When I listen to Jehnny Bohman ”Live in...”, the voices are rich and extra expressive. The applauds in the theatre have ”hand body” (new word) and not just that shimmering treble sound which impresses some, if you know what I mean. And voices are not up my face, they are right there with the instruments, like it often is in a live acoustic recording. Relaxed with, as it seems, natural depth. My goodness, it is so much better than what I am used to. And know then, my old preamp and DAC are good ones that has won many reviews in Sweden. I know, many claim they have a good stereo , but on the other hand, I have no reason to boast about my old preamp. Yes, it´s been a long time since my pre was upgraded and the newer model is much improved. But despite that, the PD brings such a clear, dynamic and unveiled sound. There is not much of added voluminous sound which I often hear from even much more expensive audio gear. Could that be due to fewer components, less electric feedback in the signal path? I don´t know, but for me it is a sign of less distortion because of good design.
 
Volume is no issue any-more. What do I mean with that? Well, before I often wanted to turn the volume up extra. Now with the PD, I don´t need that any more and the reason seems to be the better bass and improved clear dynamics. I simply don´t need the extra volume to compensate for poor dynamics. That is great, especially for my neighbours sake. Maybe I should ask them to pitch in to share the cost for the PD, since it serves them too!? On the other hand, the bass has so much better definition that the neighbours might claim the money back.
 
Back to Jehnny Bohman ”Live in...”. I notice that the different cymbals actually have ”body” instead of just a shimmering sound. Quite nice, and the high notes of the guitars does not get muddled together with the cymbals. Instruments and voices are in harmony and are in the same time distinguishable, probably because the PDs ability to not smear the sounds out. In the same time a relaxed not fatiguing sound.
 
What about poor recordings and fatiguing. The standard answer would be to say that such a revealing piece of gear as the PD, does not go well with poor recordings. That might be true for some but not for me when I listen to Prince ”When doves cry” or ”Purple rain”. Especially ”When doves cry” is a crappy recording but it is actually ok to listen to. Kind of confused here. Why is it better than before when it should be worse due to neutral and revealing PD? The only guess I have is PD´s ability to not add anything and to not add extra voluminous sound. Could it be that it does not add anything too or emphasize the distorted sounds?
 
So this PD is a mega catch for me, I got what I wanted and see no real cons. Well that might be the distinct pop which comes if I turn the PD on after my power amps. I solved that by turning the pre on first. Normally I don´t have to think about it because I turn the volume to 0 before turning the pre off. Have not yet found a way to do that on the PD. Does B.M.C know how to fix it or has any other PD owner found a way? (must admit I have not read the manual very well).
I will get back with a review of the sound through USB and balanced T1´s.
 
By the way, the build quality is very good. No cheap aura around it at all. Looks more expensive than it is. The light from the display is just fine with me and I can read it from distance.
 
Herjolf Wettlestam, Gothenburg, Sweden

 

[seb7]

Great review! Thanks
 
Seems like a great value. I've got it on my short list.

 

[Icenine2]

Excellent and thank you sir!

 

[Joe-Siow]

We need more impressions and user reviews!
Don't be shy, keep them coming in!

 

[Audio Addict]

We had a meet last weekend and I took my Puredac to it.  I set up so head-fiers could listen balance out through the HE-500 as well as using the preamp outs to run to a RSA Raptor with the HD600s to listen to a dedicated single ended headphone amp .  My summarization is the first and I linking other posts as well.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/688561/chiunifi-7-5-november-2-2013#post_9945152
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/688561/chiunifi-7-5-november-2-2013#post_9947949
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/688561/chiunifi-7-5-november-2-2013#post_9949693
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/688561/chiunifi-7-5-november-2-2013/15#post_9957729
 
The comments about the HD600 are really about the synergy of the setup as they would not have sounded that good without the Puredac and the Raptor.

 

[youkeum]

subs!