[shultzee]

  First post on this thread, though I first started reading when the DC-1 came to my attention. 
 
I wanted to replace the Fiio E17/E09 combo I had been using as a dac/preamp to drive my Schiit Lyr.  I looked at the Modi 2 Uber/Bifrost/Gungnir for DACs since I really like my Lyr.  They just did not have the features I was looking for.
 
But the DC-1 with all of the inputs and USB at no additional charge.  The fact that the unit is fully balanced allows for great flexibility and room for expansion.  And in addition has a HP amp that is pretty darn good.  Plus a price of $499.00. It had all of the features I wanted.  I had to buy one.
 
I have had it for a while now and can say I am very happy. None of the noise issues mentioned by others on this thread in any mode using any input or HP I own.  Built like and tank, looks good and sounds great. And of course a big improvement over my Fiio combo.
 
I highly recommend the Emotiva Stealth DC-1 for great sound and a great value for all of the features offered.
 
Cheers

I agree.  The stealth is a very nice sounding dac/amp and very well built.

 

[kugino]

seems like this is a great price to performance unit for someone looking for a DAC/preamp/head amp combo...been hoping to get a really good DAC but feel like this next year will see some really solid advances in DAC technology with the Rag and other r2r DACs coming out. i want to wait a year for the dust to settle...in the meantime, i think this unit might work.
 
anyone here looking to sell theirs? let me know...thanks!

 

[Zoom25]

  seems like this is a great price to performance unit for someone looking for a DAC/preamp/head amp combo...been hoping to get a really good DAC but feel like this next year will see some really solid advances in DAC technology with the Rag and other r2r DACs coming out. i want to wait a year for the dust to settle...in the meantime, i think this unit might work.
 
anyone here looking to sell theirs? let me know...thanks!

What other r2r dac's are cleared for release this year? 
 
Sigma-delta's are still going to be here. At the end of the day, I'm just caring about the sound and not the tech behind it. I'll take whatever sounds better.
 
I think you'll enjoy the DC-1. Remote and inputs are definitely a selling point of this unit. Oh and it doesn't sound too bad either.

 

[kugino]

 
What other r2r dac's are cleared for release this year? 
 
Sigma-delta's are still going to be here. At the end of the day, I'm just caring about the sound and not the tech behind it. I'll take whatever sounds better.
 
I think you'll enjoy the DC-1. Remote and inputs are definitely a selling point of this unit. Oh and it doesn't sound too bad either.

besides the rag, audio-gd just came out with an anniversary edition...and there's a pretty active DIY r2r community around the Soekris DAC, though DIY isn't accessible for most. DAC tech is moving pretty quickly so it's one of those things where you have to just jump on and be prepared to be passes, i suppose. i have an older Adcom based on the PCM1702 that i'd like to test against the dc-1...

 

[drgajet]

Does anyone know if you can hook up an ipad or iPhone to this with a apple camera connection kit?
 
Jim

 

[kugino]

  Does anyone know if you can hook up an ipad or iPhone to this with a apple camera connection kit?
 
Jim

as the dc-1 probably isn't drawing power off the USB, i imagine that it is possible to hook up an ipad/iphone to the dc-1 using the CCK. i will get mine next week and can check for certain, but just upon initial specs, i don't see why it couldn't work.

 

[drgajet]

Thanks, let me know.

 

[elwappo99]

  Does anyone know if you can hook up an ipad or iPhone to this with a apple camera connection kit?
 
Jim

 
Sorry, not an apple user, but Emotiva is a big company with a huge following so they have their own support forums. Here's a link that might help. If not you can poke around and maybe find an answer?
 
http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/37243/apple-mac-dc-1

 

[drgajet]

Thanks

 

[elwappo99]

Thanks

 
Oops! Sorry realized I sent you the wrong link which was 0 help to your question. That one was for Apple computers. In this one "wizardofoz" says he got it working with the camera adapter kit on an ipad.
 
 
http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/34672/using-dc-various-software-players

 

[ngyu]

   
Sure! I only used the Emotiva as a DAC, did not try it's built in amp function. My HD800 is balanced, but I do have a SE adapter for it to run it on my Lyr.
 
Schiit Uberfrost + Lyr vs Emotiva DC-1 + Bryston BHA-1, both driving the HD800:
 
The Uberfrost sounds warmer over the Emotiva. This leads to a more detailed and precise over the Uberfrost. Not so much that it is too fatiguing, but definitely a difference there.
 
The biggest thing is soundstaging when running in balanced mode. The Emotiva definitely handles busier tracks better and things do not sound congested. Say in an orchestral piece, you can clearly distinguish the individual instruments and their relative position in the ensemble. Another notable point is the height of the sound. It feels like there is a higher ceiling in the room with the Emotiva. 
 
I also tried the BHA-1 on my friend's Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir stack driving the HD800 and LCD2 rev 2 pre-fazor:
 
Gungnir + BHA-1
 
LCD2: The BHA-1 definitely has enough power to drive orthos. I really do not see how the LCD2s is a 'dark' sounding can, because it sounds very neutral and doesn't even give up on the high end. The bass is nice and impactful, and the midrange is simply sooooo smoooth and lush, but they are still quick enough to induce a bit of fatigue.
 
HD800: Too bright for my tastes. The HD800 is already an extremely detailed and analytical can. The BHA-1 pairs well with the HD800 as it plays off the HD800's strengths, but pairing it with the cold Gungnir pushed it over the top for me.
 
It's not that either the Gungnir or BHA-1 is bad, I think that this combo doesn't work out very well... for my tastes.
 
 
Gungnir + Mjolnir:
 
LCD2: A very nice combo, the warmth from this stack is a far cry from the Gungnir with the BHA-1. It's as if the musicality of the Mjolnir offsets/compliments the precision of the Gungnir. The flat bass to midrange frequency response of the LCD2 really shines and is emphasized, yet the details are not lost. 
 
HD800: WOW, its like the HD800 was made for this stack. the Mjolnir is definitely warmer than the BHA-1, but it doesn't lose out on the minute details of the track. This combo is very well balanced, and I have very little to complain about it. I feel as if the BHA-1 offers a higher ceiling, but the side to side soundstage is very similar. 
 
 
Emotiva DC-1 + Bryston BHA-1
 
LCD2: I borrowed the LCD2 from my friend and only had it for a couple days so the impressions are still premature, but this combo feels very similar to the Gungnir/Mjolnir in terms of spatial sense, but being slightly less musical, and more analytical. The LCD2 helps offset the tone, but when compared to the Gungnir/Mjolnir, I feel the higher detail retrieval of the DC1/BHA1 compliments the LCD2 better than the Schiit Stack. 
 
HD800: I guess its true when they say HD800 is a revealing headphone, because honestly, it sounds perfect to me on this stack. Just the right amount of detail without being too fatiguing for me. And in no way is it bass-light, but the biggest wow factor is still probably the sound staging synergy that comes from every component. The separation, the openness, the amount of air lets me have these guys on all night long. Only caveat is probably... you better have high quality songs. As in if it was poorly recorded... yep, you'll know it. 
 
But yeah, all this is not objective, this is just my own subjective thoughts and feelings based on how I felt at the moment. Feel free to ask questions, comment, and/or criticize =) Hope this helps!

 
just recently A/B'd the Emotiva Stealth DC-1 on my friend's Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir stack. It is clear to say that the Gungnir is most definitely brighter and more detailed DAC than the Stealth. The track that revealed it to us that night was "The Linden" by Youn Sun Nah, where the tiny details like sand flowing, and the subtle nuances in her voice were much more easily picked up by the Gungnir than the Stealth. The Stealth seems to 'gloss' over these details slightly more than the Gungnir. They are both highly resolving and transparent DACs, I'd just give more clarity and microdetail to the Gungnir.
 
This also reveals how the Mjolnir is definitely a warmer amp than the Bryston BHA-1. This goes to show how the cold/warm synergy of the Gungnir/Mjlonir works, and how the warm/cold synergy of the DC-1/BHA-1 works, but I wouldn't match the DC-1 with the Mjlonir, nor the Gungnir with the BHA-1. All the pieces of equipment are good in their own way, but synergy with components are equally important.
 
Hope this helps!

 

[ashutoshp]

Hi guys, I currently have a DC-1 and love the little thing. Before I go on, please forgive my readily apparent naivety.
I also own a pair of Hifiman's HE-400is which I usually power through the single-ended outputs at the front of the unit as you're supposed to. I recently learned that the Hifimans (I think) can be run in balanced mode. So I got to thinking, rather than using the single ended outputs, can I hook up the Hifimans to the DC-1 in balanced mode where the 'phones would be fed from the XLR outputs at the back for example?
   Please let me know if what I suggest is disastrous or dangerous in any way

 

 

[elwappo99]

Hi guys, I currently have a DC-1 and love the little thing. Before I go on, please forgive my readily apparent naivety.
I also own a pair of Hifiman's HE-400is which I usually power through the single-ended outputs at the front of the unit as you're supposed to. I recently learned that the Hifimans (I think) can be run in balanced mode. So I got to thinking, rather than using the single ended outputs, can I hook up the Hifimans to the DC-1 in balanced mode where the 'phones would be fed from the XLR outputs at the back for example?
   Please let me know if what I suggest is disastrous or dangerous in any way  

No need to apologize, a pretty basic question that gets asked a lot due to a confusing situation.

Every headphone can be balanced, its just a matter of how difficult it is. To use those balanced, you'll need to get a balaned cable and balanced amplifier. There are a good number of balanced amplifiers out there, but thats another chunk of change

 

[Gary in MD]

  Hi guys, I currently have a DC-1 and love the little thing. Before I go on, please forgive my readily apparent naivety.
I also own a pair of Hifiman's HE-400is which I usually power through the single-ended outputs at the front of the unit as you're supposed to. I recently learned that the Hifimans (I think) can be run in balanced mode. So I got to thinking, rather than using the single ended outputs, can I hook up the Hifimans to the DC-1 in balanced mode where the 'phones would be fed from the XLR outputs at the back for example?
   Please let me know if what I suggest is disastrous or dangerous in any way

 

 You might want to browse this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/649107/speaker-amps-for-headphones
 
There's a whole amplifier universe for you to explore, if you are bold enough...

 

[ashutoshp]

Thanks guys. Looks like I have some more reading material