[bizkid]

The internal attenuation of 10dB isn't even enough for the HD650 or 600 Ohm Beyers to reach the sweet spot. And imho the attentuation is just a cheap fix to a whole other problem, the poti itself. Come on i've seen better pots in sub 250$ china gear.

Please do a research on measuring resampling and see yourself what results you get by upsampling from 44khz to 110khz (or higher ie 192khz) straight with a so-so algorithm vs 44khz -> good resampler to 96khz -> to 110khz (via same or worse algo). Its much less of a problem to go from 96khz to any higher rate even with an average resampler.


The website also offers comparisons of hardware implenentations, very expensive ones.

 

[HeadLover]

I wonder, did you check it as a pre?
or do you have the version with the PRE ?
Also, maybe only your unit isn't ok?

 

[bizkid]

I have the USB variant, not pre but it doesn't matter. Potentiometers vary, even the better ones (APLS & co). There's definately a chance to catch one that is worse or better. Many manufactures select their potentiometers. I also use the DAC1 for my O300 Studio Monitors and setting the xlr output to calibrated is necessary, i control the volume in my DAW (usually not recommended).
My SPL Phonitor has no measurable offset between the WHOLE potentiometer range.

 

[HeadLover]

Lets wait to offical repley for this

I hope my new DAC1 PRE won't have such problems

BTW
What did you like about it ?

 

[bizkid]

The no1 thing i like about it is the sound ofcourse, with a 2nd place going to the form factor/looks and i/o options (specially usb). The headphone amps are not the last word in headphone amplification but very clean and absolutely useable, 3rd place

And i like to buy gear not made in china

 

[HeadLover]

I wonder, did you try it with HD600 or HD650?
Most people claim very good results there

 

[G-U-E-S-T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizkid /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...the resampling algo in the DAC1 doesn't appear to be a good one, atleast sonically...

Could you please explain what you mean by "doesn't appear to be a good one"?

I ask because I have done similar comparisons with various files (including files already quality algo-upsampled to 96kHz versus 44.1kHz) and to my ears the entire processing scheme of the DAC1 PRE (which is my version), including its upsampling, sounds just superb. The volume control is very acceptable as well.

Normally the more rounds of resampling that occur, the more resulting digital distortion. So two upsamplings (i.e. first to 96kHz, then to 110kHz) are usually not going to be better than just one.

I wonder, since your listening tests were not double blind, if the placebo effect is very likely affecting you here as well?

Either way: Although the results of my own listening tests do not agree with yours, your opinion is respected regardless!

 

[Lil' Knight]

After reading about 50 pages of this thread, I decide to pull the trigger on the DAC1 USB. Hopefully, it'll be a big improvement from my DacMagic.
Just some small questions:
+ Since it already has a native USB driver, I don't have to use ASIO4ALL with foobar2k, right?
+ How do the headphones out on the DAC1 drive low impedance phones, like the ESW10JPN and PK1? I'll sell my portable amp if I buy the DAC1.
+ Can I use both the headphones out and XLR outputs at the same time?
+ And lastly, anyone tried it with some tube amps? How do they sound together?

 

[HeadLover]

Yep, I still wonder how to use mine with foobar2000
Please advice.

 

[Bojamijams]

You will have to use ASIO4ALL.

 

[HeadLover]

Can you explain more?
Also, can I use WASAPI instead?

 

[bizkid]

Quote:

Normally the more rounds of resampling that occur, the more resulting digital distortion. So two upsamplings (i.e. first to 96kHz, then to 110kHz) are usually not going to be better than just one.

I'm curious what kind of "quality" algo did you use?
2x resampling with a resampler that leaves almost no measurable artifacts vs 1x with a so-so one is a BIG difference which you can easily measure and see with your eyes. This is not about opinions/ears but measurable facts.

I suggest you to read into that http://src.infinitewave.ca/help.html

I'm not sure what you mean by double blind test but loading 2 files into foobar and doing an abx comparison is pretty much as blind as it get's if i didnt miss anything there.



Quote from a SOS review: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul0.../benchmark.htm

"The aspect that initially troubled me with this unusual approach to D-A conversion was the fact that the input is always passing through an SRC using complex non-integer ratios. The received wisdom is that non-integer SRC processes produce potentially audible artefacts"



But as the whole DAC1 design relies on the use of the AD1896 and it's SRC we probably won't see a change. The fact remains that the actual SRC algo used is a weak spot in the DAC1 design.
There are other manufactures who offer their own AD1896 like chips but these have problems too, worse ones than the AD1896 has. It's the best currently avaible for this application until analog (or somebody else) will release a superior version.

 

[HeadLover]

EliasGwinn, can you please comment on some of the lated stuff that bizkid told here please ??

 

[bizkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadLover /img/forum/go_quote.gif EliasGwinn, can you please comment on some of the lated stuff that bizkid told here please ??

Give him a break it's weekend

Also you won't hear anything i wrote about with a HD650. Don't worry. These are very subtle differences.

 

[Quaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif After reading about 50 pages of this thread, I decide to pull the trigger on the DAC1 USB. Hopefully, it'll be a big improvement from my DacMagic. Just some small questions: [size=medium]2 Since it already has a native USB driver, I don't have to use ASIO4ALL with foobar2k, right?[/size] + How do the headphones out on the DAC1 drive low impedance phones, like the ESW10JPN and PK1? I'll sell my portable amp if I buy the DAC1. [size=medium]2 Can I use both the headphones out and XLR outputs at the same time?[/size] + And lastly, anyone tried it with some tube amps? How do they sound together?

1 you can still pick your preferred method of bypassing windows mixer, i use direct sound v2 via my off ramp then into dac1 pre, this is a different thing to usb driver functionality

2 yep sure can, independent.