[grandenigma1]

Balanced amp/dac on the "budget"

Testing the balanced outputs

...impressions to follow later tonight

 

[Jahn]

Hmm, a DAC that can do balanced around $1k - this puts it smack dab in DAC-1, MiniDAC, and m902 territory. Let the shootouts begin! Comparo impressions asap please!

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandenigma1 This is the nature of the "bugs" quoted from the Lavry forum: ^^ the L3ks are not mine. They are being reterminated to balanced for another member

My L3Ks!

 

[thomaspf]

It is a bit hard to see in the picture but it looks like you have the balanced headhpones plugged in with the channels swapped.

One of the quirks with the first batches of DA10s is that they mixed up the channel designation on the case.

Cheers

Thomas

 

[applebook]

The Grace is far more expensive and doesn't have balanced outputs. Its best features are its headphone amp and USB.

 

[mjg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applebook The Grace is far more expensive and doesn't have balanced outputs. Its best features are its headphone amp and USB.

jahn was most likely considering price alone, not specifec features. Unfortunatley there aren't alot of similar products in the price bracket, so they are usually generalized and lumped together as dac/amps .

 

[xand1x]

Lavry looks amazing, great pics grandenigma

 

[Scrith]

Still awaiting a direct comparison between this new DAC and a (recent) Benchmark DAC1. I don't think comments like "it sounds a lot better than I remember the DAC1 sounding" are helpful, because DACs are very difficult to differentiate in my experience even with direct comparisons.

The Lavry does look very promising, although I'm disappointed that it seems to only have one output (balanced, vs. the DAC1 offering both balanced and unbalanced output), which would mean I'd have to split the output in my setup (since I have one going to my headphone amp, and the other going to my speaker amp). In any event, the pictures certainly help to make it look like an intriguing new product.

The idea that this new DAC somehow "drubs" the DAC1 is somewhat misleading I think, because the DAC1 is very accurate to the original source data (I think almost anyone who has listened carefully to the DAC1 would agree with this statement, since this was the original purpose of the product, for a professional environment). Yes, sometimes a soft focus lens makes a face more appealing, as might be the case with some music and a less revealing DAC (or a tube amp vs. solid state), but that doesn't necessarily make it better for everyone, or all types of music.

 

[applebook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrith The idea that this new DAC somehow "drubs" the DAC1 is somewhat misleading

All that I can do is roll my eyes at fanatical statements like that. I usually question the credibility of someone who makes such claims as opposed to more reasonable statements.

 

[grandenigma1]

I’ve listened to the new and old DAC1 extensively and had a good solid day with the DAC1 and DA10 while I was home over Christmas. The DAC1 is an excellent dac and I can see why many like it. However, its character is not for me. The DA10 just seems smoother and more enjoyable to me without sacrificing any detail or clarity. I find the DAC1 to be almost thin and sterile sounding in comparison.

The Grace 901 would almost fall between the two with regards to over all presentation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomaspf It is a bit hard to see in the picture but it looks like you have the balanced headhpones plugged in with the channels swapped. One of the quirks with the first batches of DA10s is that they mixed up the channel designation on the case.

Thomas, you are correct. As soon as I took the picture I relized that and swaped them around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok My L3Ks!

Very good. Do you want a cookie or something

They were you L3ks now they belong to Darkless

Oh, and I should have gone balanced a long time ago! The DA10 alone just seems so much more dynamic and authoritative then any single ended amp I’ve heard.

 

[AintLDS]

Quote:

Oh, and I should have gone balanced a long time ago! The DA10 alone just seems so much more dynamic and authoritative then any single ended amp I’ve heard.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

(that was my wallet, not me . . . sorry)

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrith The idea that this new DAC somehow "drubs" the DAC1 is somewhat misleading I think, because the DAC1 is very accurate to the original source data (I think almost anyone who has listened carefully to the DAC1 would agree with this statement, since this was the original purpose of the product, for a professional environment). Yes, sometimes a soft focus lens makes a face more appealing, as might be the case with some music and a less revealing DAC (or a tube amp vs. solid state), but that doesn't necessarily make it better for everyone, or all types of music.

On the test bench I'm sure the Benchmark and Lavry measure equivalently, likely with a small edge to the Lavry, judging from the measurements Thomaspf posted, as well as the Lavry using better parts in general (AD1955 vs. AD1852, DC-coupled analog stages, etc.).

There's just something about the AD1852 that the Benchmark uses that gives it a very distinctive "lean" sound. I can't explain it, and it's certainly hard to see from the measurements, but it's readily audible, not just in the Benchmark, but in most DACs that use that IC. I'd imagine it could be their specific Chebyshev digital filter, which produces some passband ripple. The Meridian GO8 uses its own custom digital filter and doesn't have quite the same sonic signature.

 

[edisonwu]

The sound of LB DA10 is amazing compare with 1616M. I found it is super detailed when I listened to it at the first moment. Like Thomas said it is not something stupid like hyper the high to gain detail, it is like taking away the gauze in front of your eyes, and let you finally see how things are real out of it. It totally surprised me at this point. This unit is warm sounding. The high extension is very good, but not shrill. Mid is thick and very transparent and detailed. I listened to "Schinder's List" tonight. And the sound of the violin made me unprecedented sad, very real, impressive. I have never heard such a "Schinder's List" like that. I switched the source to 1616M. I got a different violin. Sound was thin, dark, a little blurry, lacked emotions, and it was not affected any more. The quantity of the bass out of DA10 is a little less than 1616M. However it is more bumping and quicker.


The integrated headphone amp is very good for low impedance headphones. It drives AD2000 almost as good as EMP does (with TFK ECC801s and E88CC on it). AT cans prefer SS amp much more than tube's. As for high impedance such as HD600, it does a wonderful job as well, though it is just 60-70% performance of the EMP with same TFK tubes on it.


The outer material makes the DAC very strong and stable. As all of you can see the photos here, I am also very satified with the shape and appearance of it. All I can say finally about the Lavry's DA10 is, it is really a very successful design of a DAC from outside to inside and it is such a low price DAC with superB sound. I believe it is going to blow down everything. Let the facts speak for themselves.



I hope the impression helps.


Edison

 

[cotdt]

so will this DAC be at the LA meet? i'd love to hear it and see how it stacks up against the other DACs.

 

[L01]

Hi,

what do you think: is it possible to enhance the DA10 by a remote-control for the volume?

Andreas