[FredA]

This makes me think i might have found the r2r 7 better on headphones before the last tweaks just because the nfb-1amp is not as neutral as the master-1/monoblocks combination i use with speakers, This neutrality would reveal every characteristic. Following that logic, it is really easier to produce an enjoyable source using a slightly colored output stage. A tube output stage is often used to that effect. But in the end, the transparent stage and amplification is preferable when everything performs as it should, i suppose. You simply need more tweaking to be happy with the sound with a less forgiving analog chain.

Some frequency range was missing to the mix before, which subtracted the key work (from the saxo) on the Getz/Peterson album i was easilly picking with the M7. This an important element to hear in this record. Also the most lyrical saxo sequences of this album got more,expressive. They had to be, knowing how lyrical Stan Getz is.

 

[barbas]

I started on the original iUSB and got the iUSB3 back in my Gustard x20 days. As you may know the Gustard is big on dynamics but runs into trouble with more tracks that does the R2R7.
I continued using the iUSB3+HDPlex with the R2R7 and something made me want to try to remove it. When I did it was like removing a layer of cloth and that exposed more dynamics and some noise. It reminded me of when I removed tubes dampeners -- you get a flood of detail but it's like throwing a fist full of pebbles into a pond and the rings of ripple collide into a busy mess that masks the original points of impacts. But my lesson learned is that my current source does not need as much scrubbing as the Gustard did, and I wanted to find a device (or cable) that left more of the signal and dynamics intact.

So a friend brings over the regen1, w4s, and intona.
I thought the iUSB3 and regen1 were pretty close. The iUSB3 will mute the softest atmospheric cues like a tube buffer would - not a subtle change, but good for midfi.
The Regen may have been better, but it had it's own color that I heard from track to track.

The w4s and intona have a lighter touch. They simply let more pass through, so if you have a quality source that doesn't need much help then these are better.
The intona is the favorite amongst my friends and I can hear why. The intona doesn't have an external DC lead, the w4s does. The R2R7s USB input doesn't need a +5v lead, the SU-1 does. Not sure if these points matter when choosing between the intona and w4s.

(I'm on accurate, PLL, NOS0, JRiver OS 176/192)

NOS0?

 

[FredA]

Listening to Thelonious Monk Monk's Dream tonight. It's far from being my favorite but still, i am captivated. The highs, dynamics and imaging have never been so ridiculously good. It's like i was listening to this record for the first time. I talked about about a turntable on steroids at some point with the smooth fw. It's basically the same idea only now with the accurate fw, it's more dynamic and accurate than it has ever been. And laidback also like with the smooth fw. And it's, as mentioned recently, more organic than ever. Last night, i listened to "The touch of your lips" (the track), two or three times in a row cause it was so mesmerizing. I am starting to feel at this point that this dac can't be matched by anything at any price. Or at least, it's up there with the very best of the very best. Is it the 1500 hours, or my latest tweaks or perhaps both? I am at breakthrough point. I am having an epiphany. I am an admitted fan of Kingwa and Audio-gd, but that is not the point. This dac really is something else. Those old jazz records are a challenge for any source. And the r2r 7 can now make them sound better than the m7 ever could.

I will have to go back to the standard settings ar some point just to confirm i still find them harsh, i am not sure of the outcome a priori. It's the only negative i find really but frankly right now, i really don't care. I am deeply taken by music as sometimes you can be at a concert.

 

[Wynnytsky]

Thelonious Monk Monk

coincidentally I pulled these from binsearch.info yesterday:
Thelonious Monk - [1963] Criss-Cross (2017 Remaster).FLAC2496
Thelonious Monk - [1968] Underground (2017 Remaster).FLAC2496
it's far from audiophile porn, but it does say something about a chain that can captivate a listener with such unassuming material

I pulled a down the 1964 Baby Breeze album with that touch of your lips track, but I much prefer this 1979 version

The 2005 version by Fay Claassen is also nice
which are you listening to?

 

[FredA]

coincidentally I pulled these from binsearch.info yesterday:
Thelonious Monk - [1963] Criss-Cross (2017 Remaster).FLAC2496
Thelonious Monk - [1968] Underground (2017 Remaster).FLAC2496
it's far from audiophile porn, but it does say something about a chain that can captivate a listener with such unassuming material

I pulled a down the 1964 Baby Breeze album with that touch of your lips track, but I much prefer this 1979 version

The 2005 version by Fay Claassen is also nice
which are you listening to?

It's the one by Chet, from the '79 album. The whole record was made by an improvised trio with Chet as the leader, in Amsterdam I find it awesome. The Touch of Your Lips is one of best tracks i have ever heard and the recording is of very good quality. The r2r 11 renders this track wonderfully as well. I can understand why your friend has thrown his ps audio to the garbage after hearing this little dac/amp. It's an instant hit. One big plus it has is it does not need over 1000 hours to sound great.

I liked my lately acquired Chet Baker's albums so much (the other being "Chet") that i ordered 4 additonal ones last night on Amazon. I think he is one of the most underrated jazzmen ever.

 

[christianvogel]

I am starting to feel at this point that this dac can't be matched by anything at any price. Or at least, it's up there with the very best of the very best. Is it the 1500 hours, or my latest tweaks or perhaps both? I am at breakthrough point. I am having an epiphany. I am an admitted fan of Kingwa and Audio-gd, but that is not the point. This dac really is something else. Those old jazz records are a challenge for any source. And the r2r 7 can now make them sound better than the m7 ever could.

Hi @FredA, no doubt this is an incredible DAC. Have you been able to compare with other DACs beside the M7?

Best,

Christian

 

[FredA]

Hi @FredA, no doubt this is an incredible DAC. Have you been able to compare with other DACs beside the M7?

Best,

Christian

Hi Christian. Just a couple. I have heard my friend's oppo 105. It's a fine dac but nothing nears the M7 or r2r 7. I also briefly heard a recent 3k Moon dac/cd player, which left me very unimpressed by how colored it was, not high-end stuff other than built quality. This much coloration is not accpetable IMO and both the audio-gds beat it very easily, even on a bad night for them. The M7 with last firmware is still one of the best dac under 10k IMO.

Just beating the M7 clearly is an exploit because at this level, there is not much margin left. In any case, when i am drawn into music like i was the last two night, time goes by very fast and i go to bed a little late. And i don't care much about hearing other DACs. The r2r 7 is very rough ride to nirvana, that's all i can say, crossing my fingers that i have reach it for for good. As a reference, i liked the Thelenious Monk record before last nightt, now i love it. I need a dac that can make these old record shine cause then after realizing with the M7 how great this muic is and those musicians were, i want to enjoy the ride with them as if i had a time machine. I need that evasion in my life really.

 

[SilverCans]

61 pages and no review by a member, seems only 3 purchased. Yggi w updates probably best it given currawong comments with an old Yggi

 

[FredA]

61 pages and no review by a member, seems only 3 purchased. Yggi w updates probably best it given currawong comments with an old Yggi

No review?

Take all my posts and put them together and you got about 10 pages of observations and all sorts of review elements. No way the Yggdrasil beats the r2r 7. It was beaten by the M7 according to a couple of headfiers who owned both, including @DACLadder.

In the current state of things, i have yet to find any flaw in the sound and i am nothing short of captivated by it. I would even bet whatever you want that some people would even say the r2r 11 beats the Yggdrasil all considered. Subjectively lets say.

Last time @Currawong commented, he said they were so close, it was even not even worth picking a winner. I suggest someone lend me his Yggdrasil to get a second opinion. I have absolutely no interest in owning one considering i have never heard, besides stuff costing way over 10k, anything that sound as good as the r2r 7.

One very important thing to understand, and i want to make myself very clear: you need the whole chain for things to work. Don't ever think a dac will make everything by itself. And it requires matching all the elements, you need to have a lot of experience, patience, flair, and excellent hearing.

 

[Wynnytsky]

how do these sound in your chain?

Cécile McLorin Salvant is no joke!



more in the spirit of jazz...



(you'll need amazon prime for this)
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B001ZS5JNY?do=play&ref=dm_dp_tl_wd_trk&trackAsin=B001ZRYSLY

and a choral track to clean the aural palate ...

 

[FredA]

@Wynnytsky Yes, Cecile sounds really great. I have yet to listen to her with my latest tweaks. I have to because, for the the last few days, everything is a significant notch better than ever before. I will check the other records when i have a minute, now i have to go to bed. To be continued....

 

[SilverCans]

Yes Fred, you are one of the 3 owners and honestly the only main commenter on this item. It's been out 6 months. That says something when no reviews are flying off the news stand. You should not comment on Yaggi given your admission to never hearing one, this isn't an insult.

 

[HoloSpice]

Yes Fred, you are one of the 3 owners and honestly the only main commenter on this item. It's been out 6 months. That says something when no reviews are flying off the news stand. You should not comment on Yaggi given your admission to never hearing one, this isn't an insult.

4th owner here ahem~

 

[FredA]

Yes Fred, you are one of the 3 owners and honestly the only main commenter on this item. It's been out 6 months. That says something when no reviews are flying off the news stand. You should not comment on Yaggi given your admission to never hearing one, this isn't an insult.

I consulted all possible info and comparison on/between both dacs. That is worth more than just my personal opinion after auditioning both. If i had the Yggdrasil to compare with, i would try all possible setups with it before drawing any conclusion and that would require weeks with a fully burned unit. So the only persons that can make judgments on these dacs are those who have been able to experience both over a long enough period. There is only one such person. But there are those who owned both the Yggdrasil and Master-7. If you take just those persons' opinions into account, at this point in time, with some margin of error, the r2r 7 is a better dac, cause it beats the Master-7. You have to ignore the opinion of anyone who has any bias or financial interest, like certain persons on a certain forum i won't name. The way they bash audio-gd is to me a clear indication that they have some interest, and that they are not just expressing an honest opinion, When i mentioned the r2r 11 might even beat the Yggdrasil, i was not kidding. This little guy is some seriously good dac, Buy one for yourself and thank me afterwards.

Those audio-gd basher made me a bit reactive i admit. I don't like taking that tone.

Now i really have to go to sleep.

 

[wmedrz]

61 pages and no review by a member, seems only 3 purchased. Yggi w updates probably best it given currawong comments with an old Yggi

Oh dear, what if world only revolved around headfi Maybe some purchase and don't speak english, care to post, or read post? Maybe some think waste of time?

There are some website with review of this d/a converter. Also "Shipping" Page on Audiogd website look like many sold.

Who know... but headfi = microcosm. Very small in 10 billion people world of audio.