ursdiego
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Posts
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- 13
Hello everybody.
I know, the comparison is unfair.
The Ref 9 was roughly 1300 US$, if I remember well, for "only" a DAC. And it weighs 15 kg. Details are here: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/RE9/RE9EN.htm
The FUN costs not even 400 US$ (without shipping). It arrived last week. It has DIR9001 digital input filter and Earth-OPA in it.
However, the differences were much more striking than I expected. Given that it is "only" the DAC, and the rest of the chain remained untouched. Well, there is still one disadvantage of the FUN that has to be mentioned: I connected it to the preamp-out, as it is said in slim.a's famous review, that it sounds better this way than using the direct dac-out (http://www.head-fi.org/t/468522/review-of-the-audio-gd-fun-a-modular-dac-headphone-amp-preamp). Kingwa sais the same.
The FUN sounds fine, no doubt, in any case, for the price. However, comparing it to my Ref 9, it sounds less detailed, sound stage is smaller, sound is generally warmer and closer, more mid-range, less precise deep bass and highs. Maybe more involving at first sight, the first impression is more intimate. But only the first impression. Sound is striking and direct, but does not really involve, does not awake feelings.
I must admit, it took me some time to get used to Ref 9's sound, when I got it last year. At first, the Ref 9 seemed to me almost too detailed and too analyzing, too "filigrane". But now, it has burned in, and my ears got used to it, and I prefer of course now Ref 9. This is quite normal, considering the different price category.
But still, and that's what I want to point out. After listening to FUN for a while, I just don't get this "close to natural", or "live" feeling that the Ref 9 can transmit. It is not about more or less bass or details or sound stage. It is kind of a "digital distance". The sound did just not "reach" me, the illusion of being in front of the live musician was not achievable. I switched back to Ref 9 - and the really involving feeling was there again, immediately.
I wonder very much, if this is also due to the different technology used in the dac-chips. The PCM 1704 UK is a Multibit- / "R-2R- design. Versus the DELTA-SIGMA- / 1-Bit DAC-chip-design used in the AD1852 - Chip.
Its a pity that Kingwa does not produce any PCM 1704 DACs anymore. He says, it's because the PCM1704 "UK" - type is not deliverable anymore. (They seem to produce only PCM1704 "not UK"). I don't know what the difference is... however, I would love to see DAC designers who continue building DACs around the multibit-technology and help it stay alive.
Cheers!
I know, the comparison is unfair.
The Ref 9 was roughly 1300 US$, if I remember well, for "only" a DAC. And it weighs 15 kg. Details are here: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/RE9/RE9EN.htm
The FUN costs not even 400 US$ (without shipping). It arrived last week. It has DIR9001 digital input filter and Earth-OPA in it.
However, the differences were much more striking than I expected. Given that it is "only" the DAC, and the rest of the chain remained untouched. Well, there is still one disadvantage of the FUN that has to be mentioned: I connected it to the preamp-out, as it is said in slim.a's famous review, that it sounds better this way than using the direct dac-out (http://www.head-fi.org/t/468522/review-of-the-audio-gd-fun-a-modular-dac-headphone-amp-preamp). Kingwa sais the same.
The FUN sounds fine, no doubt, in any case, for the price. However, comparing it to my Ref 9, it sounds less detailed, sound stage is smaller, sound is generally warmer and closer, more mid-range, less precise deep bass and highs. Maybe more involving at first sight, the first impression is more intimate. But only the first impression. Sound is striking and direct, but does not really involve, does not awake feelings.
I must admit, it took me some time to get used to Ref 9's sound, when I got it last year. At first, the Ref 9 seemed to me almost too detailed and too analyzing, too "filigrane". But now, it has burned in, and my ears got used to it, and I prefer of course now Ref 9. This is quite normal, considering the different price category.
But still, and that's what I want to point out. After listening to FUN for a while, I just don't get this "close to natural", or "live" feeling that the Ref 9 can transmit. It is not about more or less bass or details or sound stage. It is kind of a "digital distance". The sound did just not "reach" me, the illusion of being in front of the live musician was not achievable. I switched back to Ref 9 - and the really involving feeling was there again, immediately.
I wonder very much, if this is also due to the different technology used in the dac-chips. The PCM 1704 UK is a Multibit- / "R-2R- design. Versus the DELTA-SIGMA- / 1-Bit DAC-chip-design used in the AD1852 - Chip.
Its a pity that Kingwa does not produce any PCM 1704 DACs anymore. He says, it's because the PCM1704 "UK" - type is not deliverable anymore. (They seem to produce only PCM1704 "not UK"). I don't know what the difference is... however, I would love to see DAC designers who continue building DACs around the multibit-technology and help it stay alive.
Cheers!
Your description make me believe the Fun is more like the DAC19. My DAC19 is also based on the 1704 chip. However I use the DSP 3 with the DAC19 and DSP5 and that is certainly part of the difference. 
