[DarKen23]

Has anyone had a chance to compare the DA8 to the new Meridian Director? I think it was briefly mentioned earlier in this thread. I'm only thinking about sound as the feature spec is completely different. The DA8 looks to be a very attractive package but in the UK it's an expensive choice at approximately twice the price of the Director.

Given the DA8 is still fairly new, I think you'll have a hard time finding comparison reviews.

 

[Priidik]

Uh oh

 
I noticed A18 in your sig. How does it compare to DA8 with HD800 wired directly to xlr? 

 

[DarKen23]

Uh oh

I noticed A18 in your sig. How does it compare to DA8 with HD800 wired directly to xlr? 

I will def. let you know very soon.

 

[mcullinan]

My DA8 will be shipping soon! I also have the original Concero.. Does anyone think or have experience with using the Concero as a jitter reducer to feed the hungry DA8? Any realworld advantage?
 
Beyond that I am looking forward to being able to use headphones in my upstairs system.

 

[project86]

  My DA8 will be shipping soon! I also have the original Concero.. Does anyone think or have experience with using the Concero as a jitter reducer to feed the hungry DA8? Any realworld advantage?
 
Beyond that I am looking forward to being able to use headphones in my upstairs system.

 
You know, I never thought to try that particular combo. The DA8 USB section is really good though, so I'd say improvement will not be so easy to come by. But it's worth a try, as always. 

 

[belisk]

Speaking about the USB/DAC section, does the DA8 make click sounds everytime a signal passes through it?

 

[DarKen23]

Speaking about the USB/DAC section, does the DA8 make click sounds everytime a signal passes through it?

Absolutely not

 

[belisk]

Thats good to hear.
But just to be clear, i was referring to the physical device itself, not the sound quality itself.

My Violectric thinks its a clock

 

[simomat]

Tested briefly the DA8 as preamplifier straight to the amp and also to my Adam A5x and it's disappointing! Very poor implementation in my opinion.
 
So anybody looking to use this feature be aware that it cannot substitute a dedicated preamplifier!
 
Anybody tried the pre amp function and feel the same as I do?

 

[project86]

  Tested briefly the DA8 as preamplifier straight to the amp and also to my Adam A5x and it's disappointing! Very poor implementation in my opinion.
 
So anybody looking to use this feature be aware that it cannot substitute a dedicated preamplifier!
 
Anybody tried the pre amp function and feel the same as I do?

 
How so? What does it do wrong? What sort of preamp were you comparing it to?
 
It's pretty simple imo - internal volume control in the ES9018, well implemented, low enough output impedance from XLR and RCA outputs... what's not to like? It may not have the flavor of some warm, lush preamp, and if you listen at really low levels then you definitely are throwing away bits/resolution. But that's true of any digital volume implementation. Analog potentiometers have their own issues so nothing is perfect.

 

[Jd007]

Speaking about the USB/DAC section, does the DA8 make click sounds everytime a signal passes through it?

Never used the DA8 so not sure if it actually does this, but I've used other DACs that do this and it's caused by the relay mute switch in the DAC when the stream switches sampling rate.

 

[DarKen23]

Thats good to hear.
But just to be clear, i was referring to the physical device itself, not the sound quality itself.

My Violectric thinks its a clock

Yep, I know what you are referring to. I had a DAC that made the audible "click" inside the DAC box, not out of the headphone. Going from 44.1Khz to DSD, there is no noise of any kind from the physical unit of DA8.

 

[teiki arii]

  Tested briefly the DA8 as preamplifier straight to the amp and also to my Adam A5x and it's disappointing! Very poor implementation in my opinion.
 
So anybody looking to use this feature be aware that it cannot substitute a dedicated preamplifier!
 
Anybody tried the pre amp function and feel the same as I do?

Hello simomat,
if you read what I have written, I had the same feelings at beginning. So, let you burn-in the DAC for at least 350 hours, and give it a second chance.  I know some people don't believe in it. I'm not afraid to be ridiculous, because it didn't kill me, yet. Try and make your own opinion about it. You could be astonished by the way.

 

[ribeye]

Hey guys,
 
is DSD only supported through USB? I'm currently using audiophilleo 1 to feed coax into my DAC, would the set up work if I was to get a DA8?
 
Thanks.

 

[project86]

  Hey guys,
 
is DSD only supported through USB? I'm currently using audiophilleo 1 to feed coax into my DAC, would the set up work if I was to get a DA8?
 
Thanks.

 
I couldn't get it to work with my Auraliti PK90 to Audiophilleo 1, coax in to the DA8. But I couldn't get that combo to work with any SPDIF input on my other DSD capable DACs either. I think I need to retry with a PC or Mac as source, and see if that maybe was the culprit.