[JWahl]

Quote:

Eximus is definitely a darker sound. The Bryston is more neutral but still in the warm sounding camp. It's a big mixture of whatever you have in your system. I have/ had both the Bryston and Eximus in an all tube system. Manley Mahi amps. Supratek preamp with Merlin VSM mx speakers that are fairly romantic sounding. So my system is far from neutral, but not so colored, like old school tubes might do. My second system is more neutral. The Concero shipped last Thursday should get it Tuesday I hope! Psyched.

Looking forward to your impressions.  I was almost starting to second guess getting the Concero because the voltage output is below the standard 2v and my amp on high gain is only 10db (0db on low).  However there is an easy resistor mod I can do on the amp if I find the volume level with the Concero to be lacking.  

 

[mcullinan]

I hear you... I think most systems have a ridiculous amount of gain on average though so this isnt too bad. I can only turn my pre to about 11 before its ear bleeding so it should allow for much more range. Id just wonder if 1.2v vs 2v affects the final sound. Like big dynamics. Does a voltage out matter in that respect.

 

[mcullinan]

Just received my Concero... sounds nice. Well at first no sound and then Mark mentioned I need to set up the MIDI under Utilites for Mac. Who knew?
So I set it for 192/ 24 bit. Is that bit perfect output or do I need Audirvana to do that?
Thanks
sounds good so far...

 

[mcullinan]

btw. Here are those instructions for Mac users on the MIDI part.
[size=medium]http://www.ayre.com/usb-dac-apple.htm[/size]

 

[rawrster]

So I got the Concero in the mail at work today and finally got home to set it up. I must be doing something wrong since it doesn't play nice with my laptop. I installed the driver and all that good stuff but past the computer recognizing it not much happens. I do have a usb to spdif so it worked from there but I would like to use it via usb since I'm guessing that's would be what most people would use. Also I'm not sure if I'm doing it wrong but the screen is supposed to change colors when a different filter is selected but not getting anything but blue. However filters doesn't really matter to me since most times the difference in slight unless this is something that's only done when it's on usb.

 

[mcullinan]

Ask Mark. I noticed if you have the computer up sampling to 192 the filters won't engage because the filters up sample and its already at 192. Make sure it's coming out at standard resolution. Do you get sound? I wasn't and it was a midi setting. But I'm on a Mac

 

[project86]

Try the remote. Pressing up and down allows the analog and SPDIF outputs to cycle through active or disabled. That way I guess you can turn off one or the other if you don't need it. But that's probably what the deal is, and would explain why it is muted even though software says it works. Or maybe not. But it's worth a try.

 

[MoonUnit]

Quote:

Just received my Concero... sounds nice. Well at first no sound and then Mark mentioned I need to set up the MIDI under Utilites for Mac. Who knew?
So I set it for 192/ 24 bit. Is that bit perfect output or do I need Audirvana to do that?
Thanks
sounds good so far...

 
If you set Audio MIDI setup to 192/24, *everything* is resampled by your Mac to 192kHz, except with special software. That's why you're not able to access alternative filters on the Concero, even with CD quality data. You should set it to 44.1/24 if you're playing back CD audio, or use software like Audirvana that will switch for you.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Let the Concero do the upsampling. I like the 1st filter better than native mode (blue LED) or apodizing filter (2nd purple LED). 
 
Tap up on the remote once to disable all but USB input. That way you can be sure you are only receiving USB.
 
Windows PC's need the driver, but Mac should drive it natively.
 
Other than that, it should be fairly straightforward. Maybe try a different USB port?

 

[mcullinan]

I bought Audirvana and am running the Concero in integer mode. I have an iPad and the remote app is perfect for thumbing through albums and such. This replaced a classic Squeezebox and Theta Chroma dac and works great. I still use a SB Touch in my main system. Breaking everything in for the next week. I also picked up a Pangea AG USB cable. 
This is quality made kit. Gorgeous I dare say and compact but hefty. Love the colors behind the R and you can dim them too.
I feel so hi tech with the integer mode. lol

 

[project86]

Quote:

I bought Audirvana and am running the Concero in integer mode. I have an iPad and the remote app is perfect for thumbing through albums and such. This replaced a classic Squeezebox and Theta Chroma dac and works great. I still use a SB Touch in my main system. Breaking everything in for the next week. I also picked up a Pangea AG USB cable. 
This is quality made kit. Gorgeous I dare say and compact but hefty. Love the colors behind the R and you can dim them too.
I feel so hi tech with the integer mode. lol

 
Nice setup. 

 

[Nick Dangerous]

So I got the Concero in the mail at work today and finally got home to set it up. I must be doing something wrong since it doesn't play nice with my laptop. I installed the driver and all that good stuff but past the computer recognizing it not much happens. I do have a usb to spdif so it worked from there but I would like to use it via usb since I'm guessing that's would be what most people would use. Also I'm not sure if I'm doing it wrong but the screen is supposed to change colors when a different filter is selected but not getting anything but blue. However filters doesn't really matter to me since most times the difference in slight unless this is something that's only done when it's on usb.

Any luck with the USB connection/filters?

 

[mcullinan]

My speakers. The amp I'm using is a Parasound HCA 1500 designed by John Curl and the preamp is a Dared Sl2000a(an awesome, ridiculously awesome preamp for the price.

The Concero is a really great Dac. Things are just starting to break in so I won't say too much. The thing that I find intesting is that the Concero is a chameleon to the recording. If the recording was warm and open the sound is warm and open. If the recording is thin and cold, so goes the sound.. Versus my Eximus which is like putting on your favorite pair of super fuzzy slippers on a cold day. Hmm... Not that I wear slippers lol. I also think the Eximus has more mid bloom which can be nice, but perhaps artificial. The Concero grabs the recording and keeps true. It's really well balanced too. I like the Apodizing over the other 2. Seems more right than the IIr and bigger than not up sampled. Really I am shocked at how good this thing is. Hopefully more people find it so.

 

[mcullinan]

For example, Baroness latest album, sounds thin, flat, congealed and generally bad. Put on Ben Harper and the Innocent criminals, Lifeline and its full, warm, plenty of separation and bloom...

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Quote:

The Concero grabs the recording and keeps true. It's really well balanced too. I like the Apodizing over the other 2. Seems more right than the IIr and bigger than not up sampled. Really I am shocked at how good this thing is. Hopefully more people find it so.

 
Initially I also preferred the apodizing filter and read somewhere that "most people choose it first" during quick a/b tests. Over time, however, I have gravitated to the IIr. Srajan seems to prefer the IIr as well, though I'm not taking his word as gospel since everything in the chain matters. I need to do a detailed a/b someday to determine the differences (I think) I am hearing between them.
 
I *never* use native (blue LED) mode. Somehow it loses some of the chutzpah of the two filter modes... no idea why. But yeah, great little DAC! A real overachiever.