[5aces]

Easily surpassed 200 hours of listening and 40 hours of continuous 'on' for this made in USA dac.

Not a review going on here,just a satisfied customer and I haven't seen many other posts from owners.

Previous listening was through Bryston BDA 1 dac and Electrocompaniet PD 1.

The Bel Canto can dance with these higher up partners.

I scored a good deal on this piece,below the list of $1,395 and would recommend picking one up if the price is right for you.

When I first installed this via spdif,I was immediately at attention with a smile and oddly,was sorry to hear the surgical precision sound smooth out over time.
Deep down I knew it was for the best,as that type of sound can grate on the ears over a whole day of music in the background.

If you take "highly resolving" to mean being able to retrieve all the info written on the medium,then this converter doesn't miss much,especially on good recordings,the Bel Canto is equally transparent.

XLR out/AES/EBU in lets it run with the big dogs,more dynamic than RCA outputs/spdif input.

USB input and RCA out is average but better than your typical streamer/converter.

Coaxial is where the Bel Canto can kick up some dust on more expensive dac's with certain recording styles,providing good rhythm and openness.
When the recordings are laden with dynamic range the Bel Canto will be somewhat sharper than the more expensive dacs.

The heavy steel case,size and form appeal to me.
Can be upgraded to a battery power supply to further enhance the sound,preamplifier capable,remote-what's not to like?

May get a little flat on certain genres but for the most part,one of the best dac's out there for the money.

I'm not really going to nurse this thread along in terms of further description or comparisions,just strictly based on the signal leaving the analog outputs-it works for me in the system it was purchased for.
Thanks Bel Canto!

http://www.head-fi.org/image/id/1626709/width/1000/height/800

 

[third_eye]

Great looking piece of gear, wonder how this compares to other similar priced offerings.

 

[frankshank]

I've bought one of these and am waiting for it to arrive.  Any others who've heard it have an opinion about it, good or bad?  

 

[tdudnyk]

I have had this for a few weeks now. I listen to it about six hours a day in my office over Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones. My source material is MOG radio (320 kbps) running on my MacBook Air outputted via USB to the 1.5.
 
What can I say? This thing is outrageous. I have never heard more immersive, more revealing music in my life. I find myself just "tuning out" with these things on. Outstanding soundstage. I literally feel like I am at the microphone on the stage with the Black Eyed Peas. 
 
Here's how impressed I am with this DAC: I couldn't really afford to buy it, but bought it anyway. Now that I have it I have become intoxicated with listening to it. I find out from my dealer that there is still room for serious improvement by buying the Reflink USB unit and adding it to my rig. Broke, I bought it anyway today. I cannot imagine what the 1.5 could sound like improved, but I am going for it!
 
I have also researched that there is another improvement on top of this that I am scheming for: the power supply. 
 
I've gotten carried away with my rig. I've sunk 3K into the bel canto's and 1K into my headphones. I could easily drop another 1.5K on the power supply. Jesus, belcanto has me totally carried away. Great fun. How am I going to pay for this stuff? Obviously I am hiding it from my wife. 

 

[Shahrose]

This is a sleeper IMO. One of the best DACs at its price point.

 

[tdudnyk]

Oh man! Just bought and installed the Bel Canto RefLink USB/SPDIF interface to got with my Bel Canto 1.5 DAC. Sweet Jesus, I didn't think the 1.5 could sound better, but this thing has really improved the sound, significantly. I do not know why more people on this site don't spend more time with computer audio, super quality DACS, and interfaces like the RefLink. I think these improvements are more significant than a headphone amp. I am blown away by my rig.

 

[jtinto]

Funny, I had that same type of reaction when I added a Stello U3 to my W4S DAC2

 

[lmf22]

Quote:

Oh man! Just bought and installed the Bel Canto RefLink USB/SPDIF interface to got with my Bel Canto 1.5 DAC. Sweet Jesus, I didn't think the 1.5 could sound better, but this thing has really improved the sound, significantly. I do not know why more people on this site don't spend more time with computer audio, super quality DACS, and interfaces like the RefLink. I think these improvements are more significant than a headphone amp. I am blown away by my rig.

 
I have the uLink and DAC2.5.  This is the best setup I have ever heard.  
 
There is review of the Bel Canto uLink (one step down from your RefLink) on Audiostream.com http://www.audiostream.com/content/bel-canto-ulink-usb-spdif-converter
Looks like it uses the XMOS USB chip and Crystek clocks.  

 

[ishmael]

Sorry if this is the wrong thread but does anyone know how the uLink and the RefLink are different? The RefLink obviously has a higher-fi enclosure and a nice display. Also a better power supply. Anything else? 

 

[5aces]

Here is the latest from Computer Audiophile,focused on the Bel Canto uLink USB to S/PDIF converter.
Nice video interview with John Stronczer,founder and chief electrical engineer of Bel Canto.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/516-bel-canto-design-ulink-usb-s-pdif-converter-review/

Just bought and installed the Bel Canto RefLink USB/SPDIF interface to got with my Bel Canto 1.5 DAC.I am blown away by my rig.

Lucky us...

Yes,the REFLink is a wonderful product,it uses the same matching chassis as the eOne series of Bel products.
At $1,495 retail it provided a significant bump upwards in my listening experience using the ST fiber output connection (not Toslink),besting the AES and BNC connections for my ears,too.
The top tier Bel Canto DAC 3.5 VB MKII (ST Fiber input,lower phase noise clocks and improved power supply) does not have a USB input,as the purpose built REFLink is just the superior solution to USB conversion tasks;you are not locked in to an internal DAC USB solution and can upgrade your USB converter as engineering advances are made.

Affords you the ability to move your laptop/PC/MAC away from the audio equipment,nestled near your favorite chair with no loss or interference on a long run of ST fiber connection.
All round improved isolation between the computer system and the audio source,this product really lifts the music out of your computer.

anyone know how the uLink and the RefLink are different?

Here is the comparison list:




Note on the ST Fiber (glass) connection:
Not compatible with Toslink, unfortunately a simple cable with with diffenent ends will not work here.EG. http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
The ST glass (also called AT&T ) is a professional optical format with a 500MHz bandwidth.
TOSLINK (mini or regular square) is a consumer format with a 6MHz bandwidth and no relation to the ST here.
Connecting the REFLink in the absence of an ST Fiber connection is best done with AES or a single cable terminated with BNC from the REFLink output to RCA/BNC terminations as determined by the input of your DAC.

 

[Aconitic]

Dear all, I'm quite surprised by the very positiv feedbacks of ulink on DAC 1.5/2.5. I've recently tried it in my system (BC CD2/DAC 1.5/ref 500s, ATC SCM 20 SL) and the upgrade is not significant. My DAC 1.5 is feeded with Jriver in WASAPI mode and all my files are ripped as .wav.
I've also compared 24/192 file (recorded in DXD) through ulink and the same 16/44 (ripped from the cd) through USB adaptiv of the DAC 1.5. Ulink makes it a little sweeter in the high frequencies, but did not improve drastically the system.
 
I guess that the m/u/reflinks were developped for DAC 3.5 mkII and more specifically for the ST fiber. I'll soon have a demo at my retailer place.  

 

[tdudnyk]

I am not sure if you are using headphones or not, but when listening to my rig I notice the RefLink much more than when using speakers. I notice the high end harshness is removed with the RefLink. I also listen with my headphones in the mid 70's on the dial up to low to mid 80's sometimes and in this range it is noticeable. 

 

[Xelor]

Quote:

This is a sleeper IMO. One of the best DACs at its price point.

 
x2, I miss my DAC 1.5 a lot. Compared to my latest DACs, it missed details, but it has had very good bass texture, musical and airy relaxing sound.
Unfortunately its not so powerful hpa wasn't up to its DAC section.

 

[arjuna93]

Note on the ST Fiber (glass) connection:
Not compatible with Toslink, unfortunately a simple cable with with diffenent ends will not work here.EG. http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
The ST glass (also called AT&T ) is a professional optical format with a 500MHz bandwidth.
TOSLINK (mini or regular square) is a consumer format with a 6MHz bandwidth and no relation to the ST here.
Connecting the REFLink in the absence of an ST Fiber connection is best done with AES or a single cable terminated with BNC from the REFLink output to RCA/BNC terminations as determined by the input of your DAC.

ST out from uLink will work with legacy Esoteric, right?