how is the Bel Canto Dac1?

[EdipisReks]

i've been seeing Bel Cando DAC 1's for sale used at very reasonable prices, and i was wondering how it stacked up. i have heard the Bel Canto DAC 2, and i liked it very much. thanks!

 

[Teerawit]

Do you consider the Bel Canto DAC2 to be warm, smooth, and musical?

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit Do you consider the Bel Canto DAC2 to be warm, smooth, and musical?

very much so. i loved the Bel Canto DAC2

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks i've been seeing Bel Cando DAC 1's for sale used at very reasonable prices, and i was wondering how it stacked up. i have heard the Bel Canto DAC 2, and i liked it very much. thanks!

I liked the DAC2 as well, but I haven't heard the DAC1. The only person I know of who's reported on them both is this guy, who reports:

Quote:

As you might suspect given the success of the DAC1, the DAC2 is not a radical departure from the digital sound Bel Canto has offered up to this point. In fact, the digital-to-analog converter that sounds most like the DAC2 is the DAC1, as both are still two of the most friendly sounding digital components I've heard... The two areas in which the DAC2 goes beyond the DAC1 (and DAC1.1, which is a DAC1 with a power-supply upgrade) are the frequency extremes. The DAC2's treble is slightly more open, detailed and, to my ears, extended...The DAC2's bass also has more grunt -- a combination of more power and detail. I'm not talking about wholesale changes here, but rather meaningful improvements to the sound of an already fine product.

I'm a big fan of used equipment, so depending on what prices you're talking about, you're probably looking at a pretty good deal. I figure someday they'll come out with the DAC3, at which time the DAC1s prices may really hit the floor.

 

[EdipisReks]

thanks, man. i've seen the DAC1's for as low as $400.

 

[Teerawit]

How do you think the Micro DAC fares against the Bel Canto DACs?

 

[Wmcmanus]

The other one to consider at that level in the Perpetual Technologies P3-A which you can also find in the used market for about $400. I heard it against the Bel Canto DAC1 and preferred it slightly. It was a little smoother and less digital to my ears, but they both were quite good and it all came down to my preferences. Keep in mind, although I do try not to be a "fan" of any company, I had purchased a pair of the Bel Canto eVo 200.2 digital amps and a Bel Canto SEP1 preamp, so if anything my bias would have been toward the DAC1.

Actually, I liked the PT stuff so much that I ended up getting their P1-A digital correction engine as well, and the Monolithic Sound P3 power supply. Not too much time after that, I had a chance to get another P3-A and P1-A that had the full-on Modright mods done to them!

About a year later I heard the DAC2, and wished I could have taken it home for an audition because it seemed every bit as smooth and liquid as the fully modded PT combo. But, as always, you've got to hear them side by side to decide and I didn't have that chance.

 

[tyrion]

I've been starting to see the DAC2 cheaper. It used to up there with the Benchmark (which has also dropped a bit). I almost pulled the trigger on one at $750. I would love to know if the 2 is worth the extra $400 or so over the 1.

 

[Teerawit]

From 6moon's review:

Quote:

For $850, a DAC1 can be gutted to upgrade to a DAC2. This involves new circuit boards, power supplies and end caps. It's fair to say that little connects the first and second incarnation except for the box, the designer and the price. The DAC2 ran an essentially dead heat against the Birdland Odeon-ag when the Californian was used as a DAC with the volume control set to 3 o'clock; was an equally close call against the Cairn Fog v.2 with its 24/192 upsampler card installed, the DAC2 leading ever so slightly in the image density department; a great leap forward in ambient, spatial and low-level retrieval when compared to the 47lab Model 4716 Shigaraki DAC; a less voluptuous, leaner but more transparent, "faster" alternative to the modified Jolida JD-100.

Personal preference, I guess.

 

[EdipisReks]

hmm, i'll keep a look out for the Perpetual Technologies P3-A, thanks.

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks i've been seeing Bel Cando DAC 1's for sale used at very reasonable prices, and i was wondering how it stacked up. i have heard the Bel Canto DAC 2, and i liked it very much. thanks!

The DAC1=sleepy

FWIW, I've had the DAC1, 1.2 and 2 at the same time to compare.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuma The DAC1=sleepy FWIW, I've had the DAC1, 1.2 and 2 at the same time to compare.

Cool. Could you highlight on the sonic differences among these 3 DACs?

Also, I haven't seen the DAC1.2 for sale. I know the difference from the DAC1 is the power supply. Is the DAC1.2 rarer or newer or something? I've only seen the DAC1 and DAC2.

 

[Edwood]

Keep in mind that there are two versions of the Bel Canto DAC1, the DAC1 and DAC1.2. The latter having an upgraded PSU. The PSU in the DAC2 is not fully regulated, all the of the regulators are on the DAC board. But the PSU is quite easy to upgrade. In fact, the DAC2 (and I suspect the DAC1) are not too difficult to work on. If the DAC1 is anything like the DAC2, there are quite a few modding opportunities inside. I have added Balanced Outputs to mine as well.

As for a DAC3, I talked to the folks at Bel Canto at this year's CES, and they said that they had no plans to replace the DAC2. I'll be sure to ask them again next year.

So for now, I've taken my DAC2+ about as far as I can reasonably go, with only the Clock oscillator to be upgraded.

-Ed