Few words about RU6, vs LG V60, W2, Dragonfly Cobalt, Mojo. Using 64 Audio U12 IEM.
(For LG V60, I use UAPP, and turn on 'RAW' of HiRes driver flags. This will by-pass the 3 LG HiFi filter settings. I feel its result is similar to set RU6 to NOS mode)
(The following is RU6 in NOS mode, LG V60 in LG HiFi filters OFF mode)
- Is the sound 'true', artifact-free? RU6: yes, absolutely. I can hear no artifacts, unrealistic feelings that can be found in Delta sigma dacs. 10/10
W2 and Mojo: sometimes I can hear some artifacts, some unrealistic instrument presentation 7. LG V60: everything is correct and realistic as RU6, it's hard to achieve this by DS 10/10. Cobalt: similar sound as LG V60, 9/10
- Bass quality? RU6: great density, however I feel it is not deep and linear enough, and a little bumped. 8/10.
LG V60: perfect, fast, linear, deep and right amount. 10/10. Cobalt: great, a little bumped. 7/10. W2: a little boosted, not deep and linear enough. 7/10. Mojo: not deep enough. 7/10
- Details, resolution? RU6: great, it's not blurred or anything, and the amount of information is balanced through-out the frequency range. when listening to RU6 I don't feel I miss anything. But compared to it, DS dacs can push crazy amount of details to my face. So from listening experience point of view, RU6 should be 10/10. But for technical comparison, it should be 5/10.
LG V60: absolute TOTL amount of information, details. it is absolutly transparent, direct, no information is missing at all. at the same time there is no digital feeling, it is not clinical at all. LG V60 is just amazing. 10/10
Cobalt: although it is DS, but it is not very detailed. 5/10 W2: great amount of information, I think technically it's chip's ability is == LG V60, however I feel that a little bit filter has been applied, so it's detail level is slightly lower than V60. 9/10 Mojo: great, 7/10
- Sound stage? RU6: great. 9/10
LG V60: great. 9/10 Cobalt: small. 5/10 W2: great, 8/10 Mojo: magical, life-like, widest. 10/10
- Tonal balance? RU6: good, but bass is a little bumped. 8/10
LG V60: reference level correct. 10/10 Cobalt: bass is boosted. 7/10 W2 and Mojo: bass is not linear and deep enough 5,6
The following is subjective, higher score mean it is 'better' or 'worse' depends on personal preference:
- Realistic and refined highs? RU6:in NOS mode, highs are truethful reproduction of the recording. So, for bad recordings, it can be 'grainy' and 'digital'. 5/10. For bad recordings if turn on OS mode, it will filter out all the 'digital' and 'grainy' feeling, making it just perfectly smooth and musical. 7/10
(NOS mode is more truethful, more information, better sound stage and bass. So I use NOS by default for every album, but will try OS mode to see if it can make this album much more 'realistic', if yes, then I will use OS for this album, otherwise NOS is the best.)
LG V60, similar to RU6, I can turn on the filter and turn off the filter, get different result. 5 and 7
Cobalt: no filter setting. it has some grainy feeling on bad recordings. 6/10
W2: has 'magic' filter, making highs really refined and realistic feeling. 9/10
Mojo: it's filter is not as 'magic' and 'high-end' feeling as W2. 7/10
- Musical like listening to tape? RU6: nope. it is direct, true, but nothing like tape. 6/10
LG V60: nope. it is absolutly truthful, not like tape. 5/10
Cobalt: it is fine. 7/10. W2: musical. 8/10. Mojo: Amazing, it is like listening to tape! 10/10
What I like the most, used most often?
1. RU6. although I gave LG V60 higher scores, but RU6 is more energetic, mids and lows are denser, it make music more exciting and enjoyable than V60.
2. Mojo. tape-like feeling is fun and reminds me of old-school times.
What is the most under-estimated, under-discussed DAC?
LG V60! Maybe I am just crazy. If I am not crazy, then LG V60 really deserve some attention and serious reviews.
I feel it is a reference level, amazing DAC.
(I have had Hugo 2 for awhile. It is in between Mojo and LG V60. Compared to Mojo, Hugo 2 is moving toward the direction of V60 (more details and truthful, less musical), but hasn't really achieved V60 yet. If Mojo is 1, V60 is 10, then Hugo 2 is at 8 or 9. I sold Hugo 2 because I already have the two ends: Mojo and V60, I don't see why I need to keep something in the middle.)