[Zoom25]

  Anyone compared the DC-1 with the Dangerous Source as a pre-amp (for powered monitors)?

Check the Dangerous Source DAC thread. Among these 2 threads I should have compared them. I use both as DAC + pre-amps for active studio monitors. Dangerous Source for my desktop setup where I'm close to it and I can plug my headphones into it. DC-1 for 2.0 TV/home theater setup underneath my TV rack. Strictly for monitors. The remote is absolutely essential.
 
Both superb in pre-amp capabilities. Don't find a decrease in sound quality through either pre-amp stages. Analog stage implemented well on both Dangerous Source and DC-1.

 

[lugnut]

Product is gone, safe to say it is no more ?

 

[elwappo99]

  Product is gone, safe to say it is no more ?

 
I still see it:
 
https://emotiva.com/products/electronics/stealth-dc-1

 

[greenkiwi]

I think that it isn't going anyway for a while. They are hoping to get into the pro market, and that is a market that wants stability.

 

[scizzro]

This little thing is tempting. Looks great and I'm reading good stuff about it.

 

[greenkiwi]

I think it is a very good well made DAC, particularly at its price. For $500, you get a dual mono DAC and you get quite a respectable headphone amp. (It does have some noise with iems)

 

[Zoom25]

The DC-1 is still remarkable as a DAC/pre-amp driving my active speakers. All the inputs, outputs, balanced and single ended, DAC, headphone amp, pre-amp, line out, remote, 24/192, display screen....all for $499! I still can't believe people would buy another DAC for that same price. I only drove my Denon AH-D2000s and KRK KNS 8400 so far and they all seemed well driven. Will try the HD800 at some point.

 

[greenkiwi]

I'm looking forward to comparing mine to the lhlabs pulse x. We will see how they sound. Already they DC-1 has better fit and finish. The firmware appears to be much less buggy.

 

[scizzro]

  The DC-1 is still remarkable as a DAC/pre-amp driving my active speakers. All the inputs, outputs, balanced and single ended, DAC, headphone amp, pre-amp, line out, remote, 24/192, display screen....all for $499! I still can't believe people would buy another DAC for that same price. I only drove my Denon AH-D2000s and KRK KNS 8400 so far and they all seemed well driven. Will try the HD800 at some point.

It really is a great value if you're looking for all of those things. My only qualm is I'm looking for a DAC only. I already have an amplifier, so that defeats the purpose of some of the features of the DC-1. I'm curious how the dac itself compares to the Bifrost Uber. I saw 1 post earlier in the thread where the guy claims the bifrost sounds better, but I can't really find anything else on a comparison between them.

 

[Zoom25]

The DC-1 sounds high end IMO. It definitely doesn't sound mid-fi. Haven't heard Bifrost so can't compare it to that, but DC-1 holds it's own against my Dangerous Source, NAD M51, and Bryston BDA-2.

 

[adiebear]

I have been considering a few DAC/pre combos for my hi-fi (not for headphones- well maybe).
I have new (to me) Hypex monoblocks- sharp in the upper midrange- fed by a TacT RCS2.0 DA which many say is the problem child. So, tine to get rid of the TacT (I'm not using room correction in any case).
I am still contemplating a minidsp 4x10HD which has all the same features as the Emotiva, plus PEQ/ balance etc if needed.
Anybody have any experience with both- comparing DAC and preamp?
 
Everything I've read indicates that the Stealth would be a good match- instead of spending way more on, say, a Perreaux DP32- or even an Audio GD NFB-28 or Master 7.
I need RCA inputs from my AVR. Has anybody any comments on passing signal through. Any hiccups?

 

[KeithEmo]

  I have been considering a few DAC/pre combos for my hi-fi (not for headphones- well maybe).
I have new (to me) Hypex monoblocks- sharp in the upper midrange- fed by a TacT RCS2.0 DA which many say is the problem child. So, tine to get rid of the TacT (I'm not using room correction in any case).
I am still contemplating a minidsp 4x10HD which has all the same features as the Emotiva, plus PEQ/ balance etc if needed.
Anybody have any experience with both- comparing DAC and preamp?
 
Everything I've read indicates that the Stealth would be a good match- instead of spending way more on, say, a Perreaux DP32- or even an Audio GD NFB-28 or Master 7.
I need RCA inputs from my AVR. Has anybody any comments on passing signal through. Any hiccups?

 
I have a few observations to add to this conversation

.....
 
First, when you use the analog inputs on the DC-1, your signal is basically passing through an analog line stage and an analog ladder network volume control. It gets some gain, and volume control, and nothing else. There are no conversions or processing involved.
 
Second, the DC-1 is very neutral sounding...
 
In contrast, I've actually owned several (three or four) Audio GD models - although never the specific ones you mentioned. The sound character of various Audio GD models is, quite literally, "all over the map". Every Audio GD DAC I've owned sounded rather "colored" to me, but no two models were colored the same way. (In other words, they don't have a "house sound"; rather, their house sound is "every model sounds different - something for everyone".)  They use all different DAC chips, and even their units that use the same chip sound wildly different.
 
Honestly, I find the way many of them sound rather pleasant, but don't expect neutral, and don't expect one model to sound at all like another. Treat each one as if it were an entirely new and different experience - whether that appeals to you or not

 
Last, I've found the headphone amps in the Audio GD DACs I've had that included them to be quite nice sounding - and very quiet. However, they do use an analog potentiometer (at least the models I owned), which didn't track especially well when turned down very low. (The DC-1's digitally controlled ladder network tracks within a fraction of a dB.... ALL the way down.)

 

[adiebear]

Thanks KeithEmo
 
That's pretty helpful on a number of fronts. I don't have the means to chop and change, experimenting with different sounding  DACs right now, so neutral seems a good starting point.
Also, when I do listen to headphones I do not listen at loud volumes.

 

[greenkiwi]

I've found the DC-1 with its analog input to be an extremely flexible and useful DAC/preamp.

 

[elwappo99]

  I have been considering a few DAC/pre combos for my hi-fi (not for headphones- well maybe).
I have new (to me) Hypex monoblocks- sharp in the upper midrange- fed by a TacT RCS2.0 DA which many say is the problem child. So, tine to get rid of the TacT (I'm not using room correction in any case).
I am still contemplating a minidsp 4x10HD which has all the same features as the Emotiva, plus PEQ/ balance etc if needed.
Anybody have any experience with both- comparing DAC and preamp?
 
Everything I've read indicates that the Stealth would be a good match- instead of spending way more on, say, a Perreaux DP32- or even an Audio GD NFB-28 or Master 7.
I need RCA inputs from my AVR. Has anybody any comments on passing signal through. Any hiccups?

 
The only think the NFB-28 will really have an edge in is the fact it has a balanced headphone amplifier, and I would venture a better SE headphone amp. The DC-1 runs right up to my Audio-GD Reference 1 and puts up a good fight. 
 
 

  I've found the DC-1 with its analog input to be an extremely flexible and useful DAC/preamp.

 
This... many many times. It's just incredibly flexible to have, because the quality is so good on so many fronts.
 
USB input? Shockingly good for a built in USB port. Most DACs that have USB input use a lower quality or older tech, but on this the USB matches up with the coax/AES inputs. 
Preamp? Analog steps which means not imbalance and minimal SQ loss
Headamp? Sometimes I throw a pair of headphones on it
Variable DAC output? XLRs run right up to my Emotiva Airmotiv4 speakers which can't easily have their volume changed
Remote? I can control the speakers from other places. 
 
How much? Great great price, and I know if it breaks, I don't have to send it back to China. (Scarred from having sent an amp to China once).