[ProLoL]

I got my hands on Soekris 2541 right now. My audio chain that I use to test Soekris is like this: Ifi USB conditioner - Soekris 2541 - KGSSHV Carbon - Stax SR007mkII 2.9 (port & spring modded)

First of all, 2541 offers insane amount of detail and resolution and other dacs in the same price range are not even close to offer what Soekris 2541 can. Spring II? Pontus? No, Soekris 2541 sounds definitely more detailed. Some may call it too "clinical" or too natural. However, personally I prefer natural, colorless presentation over euphoric, "fun" presentation. I'm struck with how good the separation is with 2541. It's out of this world, this is a "level up" for me, from now on I have to build new expectations on how ideal separation should be. This is something that I never thought it's possible. Detail, resolution, transient behavior of 2541 is on par with the best DS dacs I've heard including Matrix Element X. It sounds a bit bright compared to Pontus but that can be the case due to Soekris delivering a bit more detail at treble range than Pontus.

My experience with DS dacs wasn't the most pleasant one. I always had the impression that they either make everything sound too harsh or too polished. (hard to put out my experience with words, so I had to use vague terms like "polished") Soundstage was small and mostly 2 dimensional with only a little bit of depth. Sibilance control was often poor, if the digital source is asking for it, the presentation was getting polluted with a lot of sibilance artifacts. Soekris 2541 solved all these issues for me without sacrificing detail & resolution and fastness of DS dacs and actually bringing the level a bit higher. It makes everything sound so effortless, so light and so liquid. Unbelievably good, totally recommended.

Ahh I needed to hear this impression few weeks ago when I was in a hunt for a new dac. Their dacs are indeed clinical but that's duo to the xmos interface. Hook it up with a musical DD converter such as the gustard U16 and it'll become incredibly musical and capable.

 

[adeadcrab]

Any comparisons of 1421 x 2541??

 

[Duncan_McCloud]

I am interested in the Amp section as well. How does it stack up with TOTL Headphone Amplifier ?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

From the specs it's a very good amp for a dacamp but does not compete with standalone headamps, nor should it be expected to.

The Soekris site links to a thread which has links to other related threads.

 

[Duncan_McCloud]

I am really interested

From the specs it's a very good amp for a dacamp but does not compete with standalone headamps, nor should it be expected to.

The Soekris site links to a thread which has links to other related threads.

Thanks.
I am really interested between Soekris 2541 and Pioneer u-05-s (ESS 9016), which is a little old to be honest

 

[rkt31]

I got my hands on Soekris 2541 right now. My audio chain that I use to test Soekris is like this: Ifi USB conditioner - Soekris 2541 - KGSSHV Carbon - Stax SR007mkII 2.9 (port & spring modded)

First of all, 2541 offers insane amount of detail and resolution and other dacs in the same price range are not even close to offer what Soekris 2541 can. Spring II? Pontus? No, Soekris 2541 sounds definitely more detailed. Some may call it too "clinical" or too natural. However, personally I prefer natural, colorless presentation over euphoric, "fun" presentation. I'm struck with how good the separation is with 2541. It's out of this world, this is a "level up" for me, from now on I have to build new expectations on how ideal separation should be. This is something that I never thought it's possible. Detail, resolution, transient behavior of 2541 is on par with the best DS dacs I've heard including Matrix Element X. It sounds a bit bright compared to Pontus but that can be the case due to Soekris delivering a bit more detail at treble range than Pontus.

My experience with DS dacs wasn't the most pleasant one. I always had the impression that they either make everything sound too harsh or too polished. (hard to put out my experience with words, so I had to use vague terms like "polished") Soundstage was small and mostly 2 dimensional with only a little bit of depth. Sibilance control was often poor, if the digital source is asking for it, the presentation was getting polluted with a lot of sibilance artifacts. Soekris 2541 solved all these issues for me without sacrificing detail & resolution and fastness of DS dacs and actually bringing the level a bit higher. It makes everything sound so effortless, so light and so liquid. Unbelievably good, totally recommended.

Clinical and natural ? I have seen first time these terms together for an audio gear. Ds is too polished but still not natural ? Aren't these terms contradictory ? Denafrips dacs are already very bright in upper treble region and if soekris is brighter than even Pontus then soekris may not be having balanced sound. Try some cymbals on soekris or some violin music.

 

[Tugbars]

Polished: There is too much glare especially in treble. That's what I mean with it.
Naturality has something to do with tonality. There is no sweetness or warmth in mids, bass or anywhere with Soekris.

 

[bouscadie]

treble that bleeds? ah no really not, but really not at all, we are definitely not all made with the same hearing.

 

[adeadcrab]

1421 is as detailed in the top end as the sabre chip Topping D50, but without the harsh glare.

 

[CJG888]

It seems that The Absolute Sound quite liked the 1421...

 

[Sound Eq]

hi, can anyone please tell me how the 2541 would handle hifiman he1000v1, as that loves to be driven by a powerful amp, even if I see some using amps that are not that powerful but from experience I know how the he1000v1 sounds way better from powerful amp that when raising the volume will not be loud only but preserve sound quality, so it not about just loudness

What signature would the 2541 provide, one concern I had from some reviews about r28 on youtube, a known reviewer kept referring to it as listenable, and that word did not sit with me well, as if saying its flat and life less

 

[ProLoL]

Soekris dacs are extremely resolute and capable, maybe listening via the xmos usb it could be described as analytical and sterile. I'd say owning a soekris dac is the way to go and just playing with external ddcs such as the DI20 or the denafrips gaia.

 

[Sound Eq]

Soekris dacs are extremely resolute and capable, maybe listening via the xmos usb it could be described as analytical and sterile. I'd say owning a soekris dac is the way to go and just playing with external ddcs such as the DI20 or the denafrips gaia.

thanks, but right now i want one device do all dac/amp

after i bought my ec design r2r dac only put it in my home system i just fell in love with r2r

so i am trying to fine a powerful amp / dac that is r2r and is musical organic and lively for my headphones

 

[ProLoL]

thanks, but right now i want one device do all dac/amp

after i bought my ec design r2r dac only put it in my home system i just fell in love with r2r

so i am trying to fine a powerful amp / dac that is r2r and is musical organic and lively for my headphones

Yea it's quite hard to go back to delta sigma after living with an R2R.

 

[rkt31]

Yea it's quite hard to go back to delta sigma after living with an R2R.

It seems R2R fine tunes the distortion in such a way that it sounds better than better measuring ds dacs.