[GhiAB]

Glad to hear!
I narrowed my search down to 3: Dave (the most obvious path since I have the MScaler, the Wave cables and LPS), the Mola Mola Tambaqui and the Holo May KTE.

 

[MayUseAny]

I am still happily living with DAVE and AIC in my household. No complaints on my side.

+1 here!

 

[Spawn300Z]

Hi yes the Riviera is fully balanced

I could have sworn the Riviera is a true single ended design.

In the AIC10-Bal a balanced input, was added to the unbalanced inputs, increase its versatility and operational universality.

A special active circuit allows to perfectly interface the balanced signal transmission with the amplifier, guaranteeing the same sound quality from any type of input.

But I may have misunderstood.

 

[GhiAB]

So is it balanced or not? I also understood that it is not.

 

[Malcyg]

The name AIC-10 BAL suggests that it is balanced, but it doesn’t sound like it to me since I didn’t detect any difference in sound between RCA and XLR. Maybe it has balanced inputs and SE outputs? I find that even professional reviewers refer to a balanced output just because it uses XLR on amps that are not balanced design. My other two headphone amps both have XLR output but they are not balanced by design. I generally prefer the sound of SE though I like the 4 pin XLR plug.

I don’t care either way, it sounds good - and good is always good.

 

[GhiAB]

Agreed, I heard my Riviera with both XLR and RCA cables (Audioquest Thunderbirds) and found no difference. I asked the dealer I shop for gear and he says that the balance connection is just for convenience.

 

[Axel]

I don’t think any Riviera gear is true balanced. They are all single ended designs.

 

[eskamobob1]

Hi yes the Riviera is fully balanced

No it is not! Their marketing is a bit misleading, but the 'bal' of AIC-10-BAL just means it has XLR inputs, not that it is balanced. Please edit this post so we dont cause confusion for future readers.

@Pingisbord the aic-10-bal is internaly single ended. It has XLR exclusively for convenience and outputs a SE signal. I don't believe it even transforms the bal input into SE and instead just drops a conductor. The only value to the WD Bal over SE would be easier resale if you are using the AIC

 

[eskamobob1]

I don’t any Riviera gear is true balanced. They are all single ended designs.

The only true balanced Riviera gear are their monoblocks. If you look on Rivieras site some things will be labeled "true balanced".

 

[Axel]

The only true balanced Riviera gear are their monoblocks. If you look on Rivieras site some things will be labeled "true balanced".

Someday...

 

[goldwerger]

Speaking of rockna wavedream. Is the Riviera fully balanced? Im considering if its worth playing extra for a balanced wavedream.

have sworn the Riviera is a true single ended design.

In the AIC10-Bal a balanced input, was added to the unbalanced inputs, increase its versatility and operational universality.

So is it balanced or not? I also understood that it is not.

No it is not! Their marketing is a bit misleading, but the 'bal' of AIC-10-BAL just means it has XLR inputs, not that it is balanced. Please edit this post so we dont cause confusion for future readers.

@Pingisbord the aic-10-bal is internaly single ended. It has XLR exclusively for convenience and outputs a SE signal. I don't believe it even transforms the bal input into SE and instead just drops a conductor. The only value to the WD Bal over SE would be easier resale if you are using the AIC

Exactly what @eskamobob1 said

The AIC10 is a purely single-ended class A circuit design (that’s why the headphone outs both sound the same and the same volume, the 4-pin XLR out is for convenience only).

The benefit of their XLR input is that you can send a balanced signal (common noise rejection) and it converts it to single ended internally. But unless there is some interference (more common over long runs) or you just prefer to use a good XLR interconnects that you have already invested in, using the RCA inputs would be the same.

So “BAL” version simply have the added convenience of using balanced interconnects, but the internals of the amp remains single ended - note, there is only a single gain tube.

In that regard, single-ended tube design actually has some advantages over push-pull tube topology, if one considers 2nd order harmonics beneficial. I do think that’s part of the magic created in this amp in the gain stage before its beast of a SS amp gets into action to give the signal its power.

But I’m skirting the edges of my technical knowledge with these statements, so grain of salt and all.

 

[jlbrach]

kind of like the formula s which has balanced connections but is single ended

 

[goldwerger]

kind of like the formula s which has balanced connections but is single ended

Me too

 

[moosemp]

Susvara will probabky be my next stop.
Sad to see that there are no more Dave users in the Riviera group.

I am Dave/ mscaler owner for long time . There is no need for me to upgrade although I can afford. I just like this sound signature . For the same reason I also keep my Accuphase/thorens prestige /Studer rtr/ jbl Everest .I wish a lot of luck to find better recorder than Studerc37. it is 60 years young machine .A matter of preferences .

 

[GhiAB]

Glad to hear that. I also like the Chord sound and that is why I will most probably buy the Susvara before changing the DAC.
My problem is that I can not afford to upgrade both my DAC and my headphone so I have to choose one or the other...for now.