[chesebert]

Hi there! Thanks for the impressions. Can this dac play DSD files?

Don’t think so.

 

[chesebert]

someone PMed me and said the price has been increase to $2500. I think the manufacturer is getting more orders than capacity. $200 increase is pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things.

 

[chesebert]

50-day check-in: initial impression still stands, including areas that high-end dacs do better.

What makes this dac special (at this price) is that there is a lack of any hardness or edge to the sound. And when you combine that with finesse and transparency, music simply flows out and unfolds naturally. I have paired the dac with cans across 800S, LCD3/LCDX, HEK and Utopia and the musical quality of the dac shone through regardless of the cans used - even 800S can sound musical with the dac. If someone were to offer me an even exchange for May or Lina or Dave, I would not make that trade personally.

 

[viorgu]

50-day check-in: initial impression still stands, including areas that high-end dacs do better.

What makes this dac special (at this price) is that there is a lack of any hardness or edge to the sound. And when you combine that with finesse and transparency, music simply flows out and unfolds naturally. I have paired the dac with cans across 800S, LCD3/LCDX, HEK and Utopia and the musical quality of the dac shone through regardless of the cans used - even 800S can sound musical with the dac. If someone were to offer me an even exchange for May or Lina or Dave, I would not make that trade personally.

Hi. I'm thinking to buy this dac myself . You have mentioned, that listened to it through LCD 3, I also have this cans. Does it have the dynamics/attack/punch in order to sound good with metal/industrial/electronic music/ hard rock?

 

[chesebert]

Hi. I'm thinking to buy this dac myself . You have mentioned, that listened to it through LCD 3, I also have this cans. Does it have the dynamics/attack/punch in order to sound good with metal/industrial/electronic music/ hard rock?

Feels adequate to me; not over emphasized. If you are looking for an "edge" in the presentation of the leading edges of notes, you won't find it with this dac.

 

[winged creature]

Im thinking this DAC would be perfect with Magnepans. Maggies are extremely transparent, this should smooth things out but still retain the same level of transparency.

 

[oatp1b1]

I'd take a hard look at the Danish Audio Design DAC30 instead of buying a new NewOnTech. At least in Scandinavia they can be found for a bargain, especially considering the MSRP. Relatively affordable way to get a tubed multibit DAC.

 

[chesebert]

Did you know you can get money back guarantee buying NewOnTech and demo the dac in your own setup (at least in the US)? Unless you have owned the brand before and know the house sound really well, buying blind is a recipe for disaster in this hobby.

 

[Deleuge]

Sounds like it would be a step up from a similar priced Chord Qutest

 

[chesebert]

Better than TT2 and more musical than Dave (based on notes not direct comparison).

In direct comparison to Jeff Rowland Aeris, Aeris sounds bigger, more dense with better bass but Aeris is not quite as musical or balanced as dac07, ie, Aeris is more hifi sounding like dCS, which is not my personal preference but many people like that kind of sound and could work with the right amp and cans. I could live with either one TBH.

Currently have dac7 paired with CFA3 (with Toshiba FET) and the combo is big, warm, dense, transparent, high res and musical. Toslink and USB don’t sound as good as BNC and XLR,

 

[n1colaj]

Hi i did just buy a used DAC07 for a bargain here in Denmark.

When you mention BNC and XLR, you mean inputs, or BNC input and XLR to amp ?

Happy New Year

 

[chesebert]

Hi i did just buy a used DAC07 for a bargain here in Denmark.

When you mention BNC and XLR, you mean inputs, or BNC input and XLR to amp ?

Happy New Year

Same internal as US version?

BNC input and XLR to amp.

 

[n1colaj]

Okay, thanks. Cant use the bnc without buy another device i guess, so probably gonna use the usb, - normally use my laptop for 2ch music. But ordered some nice xlr to the amp.

And thank you for this thread, which lead me to final decision

 

[chesebert]

Good luck. Let us know how you like it.

 

[surround4life]

Equipment Used: Emm Labs NS1 (streamer), Emm Labs DAC2xV2 (dac only), Linn Klimax DS/1 (streamer/dac), Linn Akurate DS/3 (streamer), Headamp GSX mk2, CFA3
Headphones used: NDH30, Utopia 2022, HD800S
Cable: Audio Envy AES, DNM RCA, Hart Audio, Virtual Dynamics, Mogami Gold AES
Music Genres: jazz (small ensemble and big band), symphony, Jpop, Cpop, electronic, solo instruments.

Test Config: Emm Labs NS1 -> Mogami AES -> DAC 7 -> DNM RCA -> Headamp GSX mk2

Burn-in time: 2-5 days. The dac initially sounded dynamic and fairly natural but you can hear a bit of digital edge. After 2 days of continuous playing that was mostly remedied and the bass was both deeper and more tuneful. In other words, when I first got the dac, it sounded like a very good DS dac, but after 2-3 days, it sounded like an excellent dac.

Prior experience with DS dacs: I heard everything from the cheap Topping to Bricasti M1 to the equally good Weiss to my own Linn Klimax DS the and overpriced Solution dac. Other dacs I have heard includes everything from the form favorites like May, TT2 and Dave to dCS Rossini, Bartok, MSB Select, BAD reference, PBD MPD5, and many others.

When you talk about sound quality, the Dac 7 stands out as neutral and natural. Right off the bat, it might not wow you like the dCS or MSB, which often amp up certain sound features. Unlike other dacs, the Dac 7 doesn't try to fake warmth or make things sound more "analog." Take a few Sara K tracks, for instance. Her voice on the Dac 7 is clear, natural and upfront, making the music feel effortless with great flow. But when I tried the same tracks on the Linn Klimax DS, they seemed a touch less authentic and a bit less natural. Now, neither dac sounds digital or has any digital tint, but the Dac 7 just brings out the natural tones in voices and instruments a bit more. Putting it against Emm Labs is tougher. While the Dac 7 holds its own, Emm Labs edges it out in sound density, micro dynamics, naturalness and depth. It's like you're hearing every part of Sara K, from her voice's weight to its nuance. And this isn't just about vocals; it's the same with instruments, be it a double bass or a piano. All in all, I'd bet the Dac 7 is one of the top dacs under $10k for delivering such genuine sound.

Another thing that surprised me about the Dac 7 was its soundstage. Normally, I find DS dacs a bit blurry when it comes to pinpointing instruments or rendering an accurate and massive soundstage, making it harder to sense the space between them. But with the Dac 7, whether it's a solo or a symphony, you can tell exactly where everything is, even down to the distance between mic and solo instrument. I thought the Klimax DS was a standout in this area, but the Dac 7 took it up a notch, letting me dive deeper into the music and sense more of the "void" around instruments and between instruments. What's cool is this clarity doesn't mess with the music's natural vibe, ease and flow. The Dac 7 and Emm Labs are pretty neck-and-neck, but Emm Labs has a slight edge in capturing those finer details, especially for background instruments.

In other sound aspects, like bass, PRaT and dynamics, the Dac 7 is on par with the Linn Klimax DS. So it's top-notch.

Lastly, let's talk price. At $2300, the performance you get from the Dac 7 seems unreal, especially when you consider that the NS1/Dac7 combo goes for $6800, and others like the Linn Klimax DS/1 ($15k) and Akurate DS/3/Emm Labs combo ($25k) are priced way higher. So, is the Dac 7 punching way above its weight? Absolutely.

Edit: I paid $2300 for the dac and the dealer said I could send it back for a full refund for any reason. I am not sending this one back

Thank you for comprehensive review of the new ontech dac 7. I noticed you have heard a weiss dac. I have a Weiss 204 come from dealer for a home audition in my system. I was also interested in the Dac 7. I wanted to know based off your experience how the Weiss stacks up against the new ontech? Thanks for your time