[Mink]

As far as I know front USB is designed to work optimum with ipods or apple devices. Back USB port is the way to go if you are setting DAC1 as an external DAC to your Windows or Android device.

Yes and it is more convenient to use the front port anyways. The i device charges with that port as well. That said, aesthetically it is more pleasing to connect the iPod/iPhone at the back, so that the front of this beautiful Marantz isn't cluttered with a nasty white cable

 

[jamescodway]

Back to Front

When I first got mine around 10 years ago, I favoured the front port but now with iPhone SE2 & Amazon Music HD, the front port has a compressed soundstage and less precise imaging. That’s even with 44.1/16 files and no down sampling.

This simple and convenient combination with DT250-250 on low gain (lower but unspecified output impedance?) regularly produces magic.

 

[Mink]

It always amazes how differently people perceive sound. I have read on this forum that someone had sold his Marantz HD-DAC1 after he got the Audio GD R2R 11. To his ears the Audio GD sounded more real, music had more body etc.
Since I own both DAC/amps myself I did a comparison. Music used: Mendelssohn's Midsummer Nights Dream / Philippe Herreweghe.
I compared both units connected to my Marantz CD 5000, playing the Mendelssohn CD and after that I connected the Marantz with my iPhone and the Audio GD to my laptop and fed both with Spotify, playing the same Mendelssohn album.
The difference in sound between the Mendelssohn album on CD (coaxial connection) and the album on Spotify (USB) was less apparent than the difference in sound between the Audio GD and the Marantz.
The Marantz beats the Audio GD in almost every possible way: more weight and punch to the sound, better instrument separation, better layering, more 3D, better definition, better texture, bigger dynamics, both micro and macro, more detailed but with a similar smoothness, there is none of that supposed Delta Sigma glare found in this Marantz unit.
In the 1st run the difference was so obvious that I started to doubt myself. The Audio GD lacked bass impact. It turned out that the gain on the Marantz amp was set to medium and the the gain on the Audio GD on low. So I set the gain on the Audio GD at high (it only has two settings. lo and hi) and it made a difference for sure, an overall improvement. I thought that was it, but nope, the Marantz still sounds bigger and more engaging.

 

[pbarach]

I don't understand what you are doing here. How are you connecting the units to the Marantz CD-5000 player, which has no inputs? You must be referring to a different Marantz CD player.

 

[Mink]

I don't understand what you are doing here. How are you connecting the units to the Marantz CD-5000 player, which has no inputs? You must be referring to a different Marantz CD player.

Marantz CD player connected via Digital out to Digital input of both DACs. Obviously not at the same time.

 

[Mink]

It always amazes how differently people perceive sound. I have read on this forum that someone had sold his Marantz HD-DAC1 after he got the Audio GD R2R 11. To his ears the Audio GD sounded more real, music had more body etc.
Since I own both DAC/amps myself I did a comparison. Music used: Mendelssohn's Midsummer Nights Dream / Philippe Herreweghe.
I compared both units connected to my Marantz CD 5000, playing the Mendelssohn CD and after that I connected the Marantz with my iPhone and the Audio GD to my laptop and fed both with Spotify, playing the same Mendelssohn album.
The difference in sound between the Mendelssohn album on CD (coaxial connection) and the album on Spotify (USB) was less apparent than the difference in sound between the Audio GD and the Marantz.
The Marantz beats the Audio GD in almost every possible way: more weight and punch to the sound, better instrument separation, better layering, more 3D, better definition, better texture, bigger dynamics, both micro and macro, more detailed but with a similar smoothness, there is none of that supposed Delta Sigma glare found in this Marantz unit.
In the 1st run the difference was so obvious that I started to doubt myself. The Audio GD lacked bass impact. It turned out that the gain on the Marantz amp was set to medium and the the gain on the Audio GD on low. So I set the gain on the Audio GD at high (it only has two settings. lo and hi) and it made a difference for sure, an overall improvement. I thought that was it, but nope, the Marantz still sounds bigger and more engaging.

I tried some pop/alternative as well. And it got interesting.
Julia Holter's "Feel You" sounds really better with the Audio GD. And the sound of the Youtube video beats the sound of Spotify in this case.
War on Drugs' "Under the Pressure" sounds better with the Marantz. So weird.
It isn't as clear cut as I thought and hoped: with classical the Marantz beats the Audio GD and with pop vice versa. It appears it differs with track by track which DAC is preferable.

 

[pbarach]

error

 

[pbarach]

Marantz CD player connected via Digital out to Digital input of both DACs. Obviously not at the same time.

Then what does this mean: "After that I connected the Marantz with my iPhone." The iPhone has no digital input, nor does that model of Marantz CD player.

 

[Mink]

Then what does this mean: "After that I connected the Marantz with my iPhone." The iPhone has no digital input, nor does that model of Marantz CD player.

You are trolling. Funny guy

 

[pbarach]

You are trolling. Funny guy

I am not trolling. I just cannot understand what you did. There is literally no way to connect the Marantz CD-5000 to an iphone.

 

[JHern]

I finally demoted my Marantz HD-DAC1, it served me very well for many years. The reason is that I bought a MiniDSP SHD for my loudspeaker system, and that liberated my Topping D90 to be used on my desk with cans after acquiring the A90 to go along with it. The difference is much much greater than I had anticipated. That's not to say that the Marantz didn't sound good...it did! I spent countless hours enjoying it.

I always thought the Marantz had plenty of grunt to power bass, but the A90 reveals textures and space in the low end that I never knew existed, particularly with my Ultrasone Ed 8 Ruthenium that can go very low with control if the amp drives them honestly. The improvement is even more noticeable on a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-W1000Z that I've not been using much since they sounded quite weak on the Marantz...the D90/A90 stack has these sounding like an entirely new headphone. While they are still not basshead cans by any stretch of the imagination, the bass is definitely more present and what comes out is also nicely articulated (ATH-W1000Z are nice in the mid-high frequency range).

Anyways, I think the D90+A90 cost only a bit more than the Marantz HD-DAC1, and give a substantial upgrade in sound quality. If anyone is thinking about it, I think they will probably be happy with the swap.

 

[fattycheesebeef]

Thank you for this! I always wanted D90+A90 stack but was thinking of other combos after retiring my HD-DAC1 too~

 

[Nkam]

Technology has moved on, and perhaps other dacs are technically superior, however whenever i go back to dac1 i enjoy the music most. It has such coherence, analog but still analytical sound...difficult to describe.

it IS a superior sound.
i wish Marantz would come out with another stand alone DAC.

it has bested all other DACs I tried.

Venus II
benchmark dac3
topping D30pro
topping D90SE
mojo 1
Mojo 2
Schiit Bifrost 2/64
RME ADI 2


it DOES benefit greatly from a USB decrapifier

 

[MacMan31]

I do wish I still had my DAC1. I now have a Bifrost 2 and Singxer SA1 and Feliks Audio Echo Mk2. They're all really great but the DAC1 was great in it's own way.

 

[Nkam]

I do wish I still had my DAC1. I now have a Bifrost 2 and Singxer SA1 and Feliks Audio Echo Mk2. They're all really great but the DAC1 was great in it's own way.

it’s hard to beat a team of experienced Japanese engineers making a discreet analog output for a well designed DAC.