[Spyronight]

Anyone have one in Silver theyre willing to part ways with? I'm a buyer

 

[JHern]

I still have my HD-DAC1, it is relegated to my work office desk, usually with a pair of Audio-Technica A900X (very comfortable, I put cushy velour replacement pads on them). It gives a great warm classic "Marantz sound" and a pleasure to listen to without fatigue for long periods. This setup is especially good for background music while I work. I could recommend the HD-DAC1 to anyone, it is a really solid DAC-Amp and delivers great sound...also nice for the eyes.

In my home office I've been using a Topping D90 (AK chip version) + A90 driving Ultrasone Edition 8 Ruthenium cans...the D90+A90 are very neutral/transparent with plenty of power, so I'm getting all the "color" from the headphones rather from the DAC+Amp. This setup is better for intensive listening sessions where I'm really focusing on what I'm listening to. It is very articulate, which is good and bad...good because I can hear everything, bad because it tends to be sensitive to any flaws in the source file/stream.

 

[jamca]

Marantz Dac 1 is old now BUT it is still one of the most coherent and fatigue free dac I have ever heard. It has plenty of inputs and one of the best amps for headphones ( not iems ) no matter the price. If you also include to these advantages the fantastic construction quality ( by far better than rme, ifi, aune) it makes it a must try device. Also it playes dsd files like no other does. I have compared it to rme adi 2 dac fs and although rme is more clear with wider stage, marantz is more 3d dimensional, with great depth and great fullness. BUT rme is also great, it is a matter of preference from one point. Marantz dac1 is the closest to R2R sound I have heard. Also if someone has hard to drive headphones dac 1 is the one to choose. If someone has hard to drive phones but also iems and easier to drive headphones then with closed eyes the RME is the one, as it is very versatile device.

 

[Nkam]

Marantz Dac 1 is old now BUT it is still one of the most coherent and fatigue free dac I have ever heard. It has plenty of inputs and one of the best amps for headphones ( not iems ) no matter the price. If you also include to these advantages the fantastic construction quality ( by far better than rme, ifi, aune) it makes it a must try device. Also it playes dsd files like no other does. I have compared it to rme adi 2 dac fs and although rme is more clear with wider stage, marantz is more 3d dimensional, with great depth and great fullness. BUT rme is also great, it is a matter of preference from one point. Marantz dac1 is the closest to R2R sound I have heard. Also if someone has hard to drive headphones dac 1 is the one to choose. If someone has hard to drive phones but also iems and easier to drive headphones then with closed eyes the RME is the one, as it is very versatile device.

i disagree on the RME with headphones. The Marantz wipes the floor with the RME sound wise especially with the headphones.

here are some measurements I took of the Marantz HD DAC with an Intona 7055-C galvanic isolator.

You can tell which ones have the Intona and which ones don’t.
the Intona make a big difference !

 

[jamca]

i disagree on the RME with headphones. The Marantz wipes the floor with the RME sound wise especially with the headphones.

here are some measurements I took of the Marantz HD DAC with an Intona 7055-C galvanic isolator.

You can tell which ones have the Intona and which ones don’t.
the Intona make a big difference !

Interesting...tried other inputs except usb? Also do you have measurements from adi 2fs?

 

[Nkam]

Interesting...tried other inputs except usb? Also do you have measurements from adi 2fs?

the other inputs on the Marantz aren’t as good.
but I can’t measure them either.

the RME ADI PRO has been measured and it measures better than my Marantz. But doesn’t Sound nearly as good. Go figure.

there is something else they are missing in measurements.

 

[jamca]

This is also interestin

the other inputs on the Marantz aren’t as good.
but I can’t measure them either.

the RME ADI PRO has been measured and it measures better than my Marantz. But doesn’t Sound nearly as good. Go figure.

there is something else they are missing in measurements

This is also interesting. Indeed there must be something missing from measurements. They certainly do not say the whole truth but I think it is a good starting point.

 

[Nkam]

This is also interestin

This is also interesting. Indeed there must be something missing from measurements. They certainly do not say the whole truth but I think it is a good starting point.

i think they are super useful to show if something is wrong. More than show what is right.
if that makes sense

like you can measure a DAC and see if it has a lot of jitter. Or noise.
that’s a no go.
or has a lot of intermodulation distortion.

on the other hand if you measure one DAC and it has good jitter measurements as well as a different DAC that’s fine.
if DAC A has 0.001% THD and DAC B has 0.0001% THD. Thats when I think you can’t say that DAC B will sound better.
DAC A’s THD is already good enough so to speak.

hope all that made sense

 

[chaturanga]

the other inputs on the Marantz aren’t as good.
but I can’t measure them either.

the RME ADI PRO has been measured and it measures better than my Marantz. But doesn’t Sound nearly as good. Go figure.

there is something else they are missing in measurements.

So you have both of them right? How can you define sound difference? I have HD DAC1 but also was thinking to buy RME (later I changed my mind). I know RME is more modern and have lots of features loaded but curious to learn sound difference only.

 

[Nkam]

This is also interestin

This is also interesting. Indeed there must be something missing from measurements. They certainly do not say the whole truth but I think it is a good starting point.

i think they are super useful to show if something is wrong. More than show what is right.
if that makes sense

like you can measure a DAC and see if it has a lot of jitter. Or noise.
that’s a no go.
or has a lot of intermodulation distortion.

on the other hand if you measure one DAC and it has good jitter measurements as well as a different DAC that’s fine.
if DAC A has 0.001% THD and DAC B has 0.0001% THD. Thats when I think you can’t say that DAC B will sound better.
DAC A’s THD is already good enough so to speak.

hope all that made

So you have both of them right? How can you define sound difference? I have HD DAC1 but also was thinking to buy RME (later I changed my mind). I know RME is more modern and have lots of features loaded but curious to learn sound difference only.

yeah I have the Marantz HD DAC1 and the RME ADI2 pro black edition

the RME sounds flat and Boring. Flat soundstage.
the Marantz has a much more natural sound and much better timbre and the soundstage is wide and deep.
it really does benefit from an Intona 7055-c galvanic isolator tho

you can tell from the measurements below which is with the Intona hooked up and which is not.

also the headphone amp of the Marantz blows away the RME.
dont ask me now since the RME measures so well. But it does. it wipes the floor clean with the RME

hope that helps

 

[chaturanga]

i think they are super useful to show if something is wrong. More than show what is right.
if that makes sense

like you can measure a DAC and see if it has a lot of jitter. Or noise.
that’s a no go.
or has a lot of intermodulation distortion.

on the other hand if you measure one DAC and it has good jitter measurements as well as a different DAC that’s fine.
if DAC A has 0.001% THD and DAC B has 0.0001% THD. Thats when I think you can’t say that DAC B will sound better.
DAC A’s THD is already good enough so to speak.

hope all that made



yeah I have the Marantz HD DAC1 and the RME ADI2 pro black edition

the RME sounds flat and Boring. Flat soundstage.
the Marantz has a much more natural sound and much better timbre and the soundstage is wide and deep.
it really does benefit from an Intona 7055-c galvanic isolator tho

you can tell from the measurements below which is with the Intona hooked up and which is not.

also the headphone amp of the Marantz blows away the RME.
dont ask me now since the RME measures so well. But it does. it wipes the floor clean with the RME

hope that helps

Thank you for your feedback. I don't care measurements so much actually, I care mostly people's feedbacks I will not "measure" equipment with my ears, I will listen them and I am in this hobby to enjoy my music not to measure it. If a perfect measuring device sounds dull and lifeless or if I will have headaches after even a short listening session what will I do with it, why will I give money for it as a listener?

So I know measurements are valuable until some point, but not only factor for me to decide anything.

 

[Nkam]

Thank you for your feedback. I don't care measurements so much actually, I care mostly people's feedbacks I will not "measure" equipment with my ears, I will listen them and I am in this hobby to enjoy my music not to measure it. If a perfect measuring device sounds dull and lifeless or if I will have headaches after even a short listening session what will I do with it, why will I give money for it as a listener?

So I know measurements are valuable until some point, but not only factor for me to decide anything.

get the Intona. It makes a good audible difference.

timbres get even better and it’s much easier to spot where instruments are in the soundstage

 

[Nkam]

Anyone have one in Silver theyre willing to part ways with? I'm a buyer

the only silver ones are for Japan I’m pretty sure.
voltage won’t work

 

[Nkam]

This is also interestin

This is also interesting. Indeed there must be something missing from measurements. They certainly do not say the whole truth but I think it is a good starting point.

i got the Bryston BDA-3 a couple days ago and measured it and listened of course.
the Marantz still beats it.
the Bryston is better than the RME though. Bigger soundstage and better timbre. But they do share some common dna using an AKM chip.

the Marantz sounds fuller, more natural, and for some reason handles quiet to loud passages better.
it just makes you much more emotional with the music.
sat for hours with my wife who is a musician as well ( violinist) and she agreed.
we listened to Beethoven’s 9th and 3rd , solo violin, solo cello, jazz , rock, etc.
for some reason the Marantz just flows.
and the timbre is just more natural.

the Bryston has more higher mids, whereas the Marantz has higher highs and it just captures these subtle nuances.

it’s an amazing DAC.
i just don’t know what I’ll get if it breaks or when it gets super old.
I’ve tried over 15 DACs and nothing beats it yet.

ugh

 

[chaturanga]

i got the Bryston BDA-3 a couple days ago and measured it and listened of course.
the Marantz still beats it.
the Bryston is better than the RME though. Bigger soundstage and better timbre. But they do share some common dna using an AKM chip.

the Marantz sounds fuller, more natural, and for some reason handles quiet to loud passages better.
it just makes you much more emotional with the music.
sat for hours with my wife who is a musician as well ( violinist) and she agreed.
we listened to Beethoven’s 9th and 3rd , solo violin, solo cello, jazz , rock, etc.
for some reason the Marantz just flows.
and the timbre is just more natural.

the Bryston has more higher mids, whereas the Marantz has higher highs and it just captures these subtle nuances.

it’s an amazing DAC.
i just don’t know what I’ll get if it breaks or when it gets super old.
I’ve tried over 15 DACs and nothing beats it yet.

ugh

I started to be skeptical about that you have a dozen HD DAC1 and you are trying to sell them Just joking

I got Ferrum Erco and keeping Marantz at the same time will be a little luxury for me, that is why I listed it (in a local website in Turkey) to sell but at the same time I am thinking like you, it will not be easy to find it again if I sell it.