[SoupRKnowva]

great review! i thought that id made up my mind on the REF7, but your review was pretty convincing. needless to say ill be patiently waiting for your comparison of the two, hopefully that'll happen in this thread

 

[project86]

Quote:

great review! i thought that id made up my mind on the REF7, but your review was pretty convincing. needless to say ill be patiently waiting for your comparison of the two, hopefully that'll happen in this thread

 
 
Thank you! I'm still on the list for the REF7 loaner program, although I haven't been keeping up so I'm not sure when it might make it to my area. I'm really hoping it doesn't conflict with some traveling that I'll be doing in the next few months, because the comparison is something I've been looking forward to.

 

 

[pasgod]

project86, I have just read a review of the MBL 1511 E from The Absolute Sound, it is a wonderful Dac. If the Anedio Dac sounds like the MBL, it is the bargain of the decade.

 
How did you discover this product ?

 

[project86]

 
Quote:

project86, I have just read a review of the MBL 1511 E from The Absolute Sound, it is a wonderful Dac. If the Anedio Dac sounds like the MBL, it is the bargain of the decade.

 
How did you discover this product ?

I've read that review, and feel that their description totally applies to the Anedio as well:
 
"...the ability to deliver hard and fast transients with pistol-shot-like speed, and a bottom end that has a mind-bending combination of richness, weight, and explosive power."
 
"...makes listening to CDs such a fresh, lively, and deeply involving experience, you’re likely to start spending large chunks of your discretionary income on all kinds of new music."
 
I just stumbled upon the Anedio website and went from there.

 

[pasgod]

Hello project86, and thank you for all your answers.
 
I have another question. I listen to symphonic music and i know Holst's The Planets by Sir Adrian Boult, which you used during your review. I would like to know if the upper-mid and the treble are under control when the orchestra plays very loud with all the brass, is there any harshness, any brightness ?
I am always worried about that when a Dac is described as very clear. I listen to Beethoven and Brahms symphonies which also have sections with powerful brass, it can be a problem with very clear gear.
 
Thanks.

 

[Cortes]

Another review in positive-feedback
 
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue53/anedio_dac.htm

 

[project86]

 
Quote:

Hello project86, and thank you for all your answers.
 
I have another question. I listen to symphonic music and i know Holst's The Planets by Sir Adrian Boult, which you used during your review. I would like to know if the upper-mid and the treble are under control when the orchestra plays very loud with all the brass, is there any harshness, any brightness ?
I am always worried about that when a Dac is described as very clear. I listen to Beethoven and Brahms symphonies which also have sections with powerful brass, it can be a problem with very clear gear.
 
Thanks.

Sorry for the delay. I went back and listened to this version of "The Planets":
http://www.amazon.com/Enigma-Variations-Planets-Elgar/dp/B000063UN4
Which is Boult's final take on it if I'm not mistaken. On Mars, at roughly 4:45 into the song, we hear probably the loudest brass of the entire disc. Anedio D1 straight out to a Lawton Audio LA7000 lite, volume as high as I could tolerate, I found no harshness or brightness to speak of. I did, however, feel goosebumps each time I played it. I repeated the experiment with a 24/96 vinyl rip of one of Boult's older versions (1926 I believe) as well as the redbook layer of the Chesky SACD release (Dennis Russell Davies).  Again, not too harsh. Again, spine tingling.
 
Part of the problem I think is that certain DACs are "clear" at the expense of low frequency weight and authority. So you end up cranking the volume trying to coax the lows into appearing, only to end up with highs that are disproportionately present. Or in some cases, you are right, and the DAC is in fact harsh. I don't find the Anedio to have this issue at all.
 

Quote:

Another review in positive-feedback
 
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue53/anedio_dac.htm

 
Interesting, thanks for the link. I agree somewhat with their assessment, but take issue with a few sections. The main thing is that they say it is better at rendering less complex performances. That just hasn't been my experience at all; as I said, one of my favorite aspects is the ability to portray huge scale without losing sight of individual instruments and the interplay between them. My other issue is that their only comparison was done with the E.A.R. Acute CD player, which is a $6k tube based unit that their own publication claimed could outperform several $15k players. It really isn't apples to apples, and I always prefer when a reviewer makes several comparisons to different competing products. That way we could get a better understanding and see if he just prefers a tube coloration, or if the E.A.R.
unit really is better in some ways, or what exactly is going on. I also don't see what problems could have arisen with using USB.... my experience truly was plug and play.
 
Despite all that I do agree with his conclusion.

 

[pasgod]

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Quote:

 

 
Part of the problem I think is that certain DACs are "clear" at the expense of low frequency weight and authority. So you end up cranking the volume trying to coax the lows into appearing, only to end up with highs that are disproportionately present. Or in some cases, you are right, and the DAC is in fact harsh. I don't find the Anedio to have this issue at all.
 

 

 There is also the case of Dacs which use an artificial brightness in order to be clearer. This brightness becomes harshness with powerful brass and even with violins. My old Denon cd player does this. I am happy that it is not the case with the Anedio.
 
About the E.A.R cd player : where is the truth ? Does the tube add an artificial warmth (which is nice for some) or is the Anedio which is a little thin ? It is always the same question when someone makes a comparison of tube and solid state. If the midrange of the Anedio has the same fullness as your Marantz or your MBL, i am sure that it is the tube which colors the sound, and the reviewer likes this kind of sound, and he is accustomed to this.
 
Pascal.

 

[pasgod]

The E.A.R uses a Wolfson chip : Wolfson + tube = Neutral ? Not sure, rather on the musical/warm side. 

 

[singh]

Thanks for the review.
i was looking for a good VFM DAC for my new Miracle,k702, HE6 ( coming ), etc. , But this exceeds  the budget. , but as you are saying it offers Extreme VFM, i might save some more and but it instead.
 
 
But i am afraid that its amp section wont be enough to drive the HE6. ( or will it ?), I was getting a speaker amp for HE6. thats why if i get this it will act as a DAC only for HE6.
 
How much power does it deliver in a 50ohm load ?
 
BTW you tried the D1 with Miracle right?  how was the pairing !

 

[DBB1]

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Part of the problem I think is that certain DACs are "clear" at the expense of low frequency weight and authority. So you end up cranking the volume trying to coax the lows into appearing, only to end up with highs that are disproportionately present. Or in some cases, you are right, and the DAC is in fact harsh. I don't find the Anedio to have this issue at all.
 

 

 There is also the case of Dacs which use an artificial brightness in order to be clearer. This brightness becomes harshness with powerful brass and even with violins. My old Denon cd player does this. I am happy that it is not the case with the Anedio.
 
 
Pascal.

I think what may be going on in some cases is that the manufacturer  goes for a particular sound at a particular volume. If all equipment had a flat frequency response, they would tend to sound similar,but  not identical though. At lower volumes we tend to not hear the lows and highs as well. This is why some manufacturers used to offer a continuously variable loudness contour controls  on their preamps (eg Yamaha, McIntosh, Marantz). A boost in the highs and lows, (a smiley face on the equalizer) sounds better at lower volumes. I think this is why some good dacs sound too bright or warm. 
 
 
The Neko D100 according to the designer measures very flat. This may be why it may sound anemic or too tame in dynamics at lower volumes but natural and clear as a bell at normal volumes. When Project86 says that the Neko is not in the same league with the Anidio I wonder if he compared them at the same volume. The Neko to my ears is the most natural sounding dac I have heard. I may have to try the Anidio. My question would be if there is any sense of blur or congestion in massed strings with the Anidio in comparison to the Neko. The highly regarded Sabre dac based Audio-gd NFB-7 was guilty of this slight blurring and high frequency high-lighting in comparison to the Neko.
 

 

[project86]

Quote:

 

 
About the E.A.R cd player : where is the truth ? Does the tube add an artificial warmth (which is nice for some) or is the Anedio which is a little thin ? It is always the same question when someone makes a comparison of tube and solid state. If the midrange of the Anedio has the same fullness as your Marantz or your MBL, i am sure that it is the tube which colors the sound, and the reviewer likes this kind of sound, and he is accustomed to this.
 
Pascal.

That's a good point. I guess it would be very difficult to definitively say what the most accurate sound would be. You could get the engineer who mastered the song (recently so it is fresh in his/her memory) and have them listen to the reviewer's system, to see which component comes closest to reproducing the sound they decided on in the studio. But even then you would be at the mercy of the speakers, the room, and various other factors.
 
Ultimately it comes down to each listener's judgement as to what they feel is the most accurate, and this is assuming a certain level of competency and discernment on their part. I can't say that reviewer is wrong for his preferences, as we are all entitled to our own opinons, and again I do agree with his final conclusion. But our slight differences in interpretation highlight the reason why I always go to great lengths when I post my opinions (which in the end is what reviews really are): to help the reader identify where I'm coming from and relate to me as a fellow music fan. I hope I accomplish that each time I post a review here.
 
 
Quote:

Thanks for the review.
i was looking for a good VFM DAC for my new Miracle,k702, HE6 ( coming ), etc. , But this exceeds  the budget. , but as you are saying it offers Extreme VFM, i might save some more and but it instead.
 
 
But i am afraid that its amp section wont be enough to drive the HE6. ( or will it ?), I was getting a speaker amp for HE6. thats why if i get this it will act as a DAC only for HE6.
 
How much power does it deliver in a 50ohm load ?
 
BTW you tried the D1 with Miracle right?  how was the pairing !

 
I don't believe the built in amp will be the ultimate for maxing out an HE6. It will likely do a great job for low to mid levels but the volume will not go as high as you would want. I think it puts out just under half a watt into a 50ohm load, which is actually plenty for most headphones (despite the current "arms race" we seem to be having with regard to output power) but not enough to make an HE6 really shine.
 
I'd be careful about using a speaker amp. I know a lot of people are talking about it and doing it, but we don't hear a lot of talk about the potential risk. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, just be careful. I know someone who recently fried a full sized electrostatic speaker with a relatively low powered amplifier.
 
The Anedio D1 paired with the UM Miracle is amazing. Miracle is one of the most clear, detailed headphones I've ever heard. The D1 is one of the most clear, detailed DACs/headphone amps I've ever heard. Together... well, you get the idea. I could happily sell all my audio gear and be content with the Miracle/D1 combo.

 

[singh]

Quote:

I could happily sell all my audio gear and be content with the Miracle/D1 combo.

Dont Give me any ideas
I like My Miracle,( infact these sprouted the idea of getting a better DAC in my head ) But i would like some verity as well. FX700 , Miracle , HE6 and K702 I think i am content with my Headphones . All i need is a very good DAC and AMP.
 
But if i cant Save up inough in next few days, i am afraid i might adopt your idea Of selling and buying !

 

[project86]

Quote:

 
 
The Neko D100 according to the designer measures very flat. This may be why it may sound anemic or too tame in dynamics at lower volumes but natural and clear as a bell at normal volumes. When Project86 says that the Neko is not in the same league with the Anidio I wonder if he compared them at the same volume. The Neko to my ears is the most natural sounding dac I have heard. I may have to try the Anidio. My question would be if there is any sense of blur or congestion in massed strings with the Anidio in comparison to the Neko. The highly regarded Sabre dac based Audio-gd NFB-7 was guilty of this slight blurring and high frequency high-lighting in comparison to the Neko.
 

I was rather excited to hear the Neko as I had read good things about it. I would love to spend more time auditioning it, as I only had it in my system for a few days. But from what I could tell it just wasn't that much better than the price tag. That may sound condescending and I don't mean it that way; it was very detailed and natural, and did some things better than others in that price range. But it also fell behind its competitors in a few key areas. Overall I didn't think it was a step above the Grace Design M902, Lavry DA10, Yulong D100, etc. Those are all excellent products and there is no shame in that position.
 
I do not find any "blur" with the Anedio, be it on complex orchestral works or other difficult material.
 
The good thing is that Anedio and Neko both seem to offer a 30 day trial. So anyone could audition both of them in their own home and decide from there. I love that policy and I think all companies should offer it. 
 


Quote:

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I could happily sell all my audio gear and be content with the Miracle/D1 combo.

Dont Give me any ideas
I like My Miracle,( infact these sprouted the idea of getting a better DAC in my head ) But i would like some verity as well. FX700 , Miracle , HE6 and K702 I think i am content with my Headphones . All i need is a very good DAC and AMP.
 
But if i cant Save up inough in next few days, i am afraid i might adopt your idea Of selling and buying !

That is a nice collection, well rounded and covering most of the bases. But be patient! You don't have to buy in the next few days... it feels good to upgrade down the road to a new DAC or amp and realize that you can enjoy all your headphones on a new level. It's like buying one product but upgrading all 4 of your headphones. Be patient, save up, and you can get something you will love.
 

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

That is a nice collection, well rounded and covering most of the bases. But be patient! You don't have to buy in the next few days... it feels good to upgrade down the road to a new DAC or amp and realize that you can enjoy all your headphones on a new level. It's like buying one product but upgrading all 4 of your headphones. Be patient, save up, and you can get something you will love.
 

Excellent advise. I'm on the fence too for a DAC. There are some coming out in the very near future - Oppo BDP-95 (Sabre32 ES9018), Audio GD (Wolfson 8741), Audiolab (Sabre32 ES9018), even from Schiit.