[D.C.]

Peete thanks man great review. You should change your avatar to the Chinese picture lol. Curra thank you for the DAC1 impressions.
Guys please correct me if I am wrong but aren't the C2C and the Compass case the same as in:
Dimensions: width 250mm, height 75mm and depth 290mm. Peete wrote 255 for depth is that the actual size or a typo.

 

[sandchak]

Actually the size of the new version of C2C is the same as Compass, but the older version C2C might have been different.. the new version C2C and Compass both measure :width 250mm, height 75mm and depth 290mm.


EDIT - I misread your question earlier, sorry.

 

[godluvsxs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, I spent a couple of hours at a friend's place comparing the Compass to the Benchmark DAC1 as promised. To compare, we used his electrostatic headphone set-up, which alone is probably worth more than all the other electronics we were using put together. MacBook Pro -> Van Den Hul Optocoupler -> Compass or DAC 1 -> Van Den Hul The Orchid interconnects -> Stax SRM-717 -> SR-007 Audio-gd power cables were used with the Benchmark and SRM-717. The first impression of the set up with the Benchmark is how clear and detailed the sound is with it. With electrostats, there are no questions about clarity, separation or speed, these things are a given, so it's all up to the source to provide the goods. We listened to some tracks from a binaural Stax demo disk, Chesky demo disk and various tracks from our music libraries. What was apparent switching to the Compass (with Earth HDAM) was the very black background around the music, as if the sound were floating in a black space. However the music was filling a smaller portion of that space than with the the very open and wide sound that came using the Benchmark, instruments and vocals seeming less spread out and separate. Switching between the Sun and Earth (I'd forgotten to bring the Moon) it was apparent how the Sun has slightly less bass and treble, giving it a more forward and smooth presentation that emphasises the mids. While it's hard to describe the degree of difference between the two units, if we rate an iPod at 5 and my Northstar at 100, the Nakamichi Dragon DAC gets 120, the Lavry DA-10 and Benchmark DAC 1 come in at 95, the Zero DAC (stock) would be about 60 and the Compass would be an 80. This is a good example of the law of diminishing returns. I'd say I was quite right that to get a significant upgrade from the Compass, you'd need to spend somewhere around the $1000 mark, which is what the Benchmark and Lavry cost. There are still quite a few DACs which fall in between, however. Audio-gd's Ref 3 DAC at under $800 will predicably beat it too, not to mention their other DACs that use a multi-bit DA processor.

Hi Curra, Thanks for the impression! Really appreciate it, during the process COMPASS using it's stock cable while Benchmark equipped with Audio-gd power cables ?

 

[8140david]

Are there any definite plans from Audio-gd to develop higher ends Dacs than the Compass while having usb input and (unbalanced) rca output?

 

[haloxt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by godluvsxs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Curra, Thanks for the impression! Really appreciate it, during the process COMPASS using it's stock cable while Benchmark equipped with Audio-gd power cables ?

Speaking of which, do you guys know if the audio-gd power cable is emi-rfi shielded?

 

[Joeoboe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8140david /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are there any definite plans from Audio-gd to develop higher ends Dacs than the Compass while having usb input and (unbalanced) rca output?

It doesn't SEEM to be that way... nor does Kingwa include optical inputs on his higher end DACs. I can see why, being as USB and optical are generally though of as being lower quality, but my source only has optical out, so I am limited by his present options.

 

[RedSky0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, I spent a couple of hours at a friend's place comparing the Compass to the Benchmark DAC1 as promised. To compare, we used his electrostatic headphone set-up, which alone is probably worth more than all the other electronics we were using put together. MacBook Pro -> Van Den Hul Optocoupler -> Compass or DAC 1 -> Van Den Hul The Orchid interconnects -> Stax SRM-717 -> SR-007 Audio-gd power cables were used with the Benchmark and SRM-717. The first impression of the set up with the Benchmark is how clear and detailed the sound is with it. With electrostats, there are no questions about clarity, separation or speed, these things are a given, so it's all up to the source to provide the goods. We listened to some tracks from a binaural Stax demo disk, Chesky demo disk and various tracks from our music libraries. What was apparent switching to the Compass (with Earth HDAM) was the very black background around the music, as if the sound were floating in a black space. However the music was filling a smaller portion of that space than with the the very open and wide sound that came using the Benchmark, instruments and vocals seeming less spread out and separate. Switching between the Sun and Earth (I'd forgotten to bring the Moon) it was apparent how the Sun has slightly less bass and treble, giving it a more forward and smooth presentation that emphasises the mids. While it's hard to describe the degree of difference between the two units, if we rate an iPod at 5 and my Northstar at 100, the Nakamichi Dragon DAC gets 120, the Lavry DA-10 and Benchmark DAC 1 come in at 95, the Zero DAC (stock) would be about 60 and the Compass would be an 80. This is a good example of the law of diminishing returns. I'd say I was quite right that to get a significant upgrade from the Compass, you'd need to spend somewhere around the $1000 mark, which is what the Benchmark and Lavry cost. There are still quite a few DACs which fall in between, however. Audio-gd's Ref 3 DAC at under $800 will predicably beat it too, not to mention their other DACs that use a multi-bit DA processor.

This is interesting. My understanding reading previous impressions was that the Sun was more forward, and had more notable highs/lows, particularly with more deep bass as opposed to the more uniform, neutral Earth.

 

[AustinIsWierd]

In my first attempt at entering the mid-fi headphone world, I got some ATH-AD700's and the Nuforce Icon Mobile. Would I gain enough to "upgrade" to the Compass? The last time I tried to upgrade my DAC, I found a PCM1702 based DAC (BB reference board) with 4 paralleled per channel. Added a L-Audio I/V and added . For the life of me, I couldn't tell a difference between this DAC and the standard output from a mid level Denon CD player or a Planet CD. Perhaps, I lack the golden ear.

I did hear differences in various amps (tube vs SS)...

Thanks...

 

[ScottieB]

Hey everyone.

Thanks to all for the write-ups and impressions. Really impressive work (and jealousy-inducing gear!!!)

I think it is pretty clear that the compass is a pretty nice upgrade to the Zero, especially with the current price and for someone new to the game. What isn't as clear to me just yet (and no doubt Peete's follow-up will shed some more light) is what the value is to someone who already has a Zero - or maybe even a modded Zero. Is it a significant enough step up to justify the upgrade? Like as big a step up that the Zero (with HDAM) was from my sound card's DAC? (keeping in mind I don't really use the headamp) How about owning the Zero and doing a Franken mod vs a Compass? How big a step up are we talking (speaking of sound quality - I'm aware of the build quality differences) from Zero and/or Franken Zero to the Compass?

For someone with serious upgrade-itis but a somewhat limited budget (and ignoring intangibles like screwing up the upgrade process and the fun of modding) would the FrankenZero or a Compass be the more sound investment? (I know this is highly subjective, just looking for impressions!)

A big part of me is just saying "save up, get the compass, THEN fiddle with the Zero" since it sound like THAT big of a steal - and the way it came to be is so cool! But assuming that can't happen (fear of wife's wrath) what would YOU do?

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decayed.cell /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd got as far as saying it was mind blasting Serpent. I asked if we could get Ear Out removed from the front panel, waiting for a reply. Getting the font changed also seems to be costly according to Kingwa

There's no way to make everyone happy with the Font. For instance, I think the Font looks great. The fact that we are even discussing it says a lot about the project. In the end, it is Kingwa's product also. He apparently liked the Font. The Hard-on about the font mystifies me. But you are not the only one to mention it, just seems trivial to me.


.

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by les_garten /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's no way to make everyone happy with the Font. For instance, I think the Font looks great. The fact that we are even discussing it says a lot about the project. In the end, it is Kingwa's product also. He apparently liked the Font. The Hard-on about the font mystifies me. But you are not the only one to mention it, just seems trivial to me. .

Agreed I think - I'm not someone who cares all that much what my gears looks like (it's all about the sound) especially at this price point... tradeoffs are bound to be made, and this one seems like a small one to me... You know what they say about opinions, though

 

[csroc]

I like the font as well, but not everyone will appreciate its slightly different look.

 

[inF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking actually, of building an M^3 for myself to compare things with, as I don't have a proper benchmark to compare against, except other Audio-gd gear at the moment (or a Corda Move, which will naturally be bested by all this gear).

I have also a Corda 2Move and much interested in your comparison with Compass, especially using HD 600's. Also a M^3 comparison would be awesome! When do you think you'll be able to do that, at least with the Move?

 

[Joeoboe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Additional post script to the gain switch....that 19db is absolutely needed if you plan on using a Vinyl front end into the analog input. Even with the tube phono stage I had to increase the volume way past what I normally would for the MC-7R. I think the current settings are the best compromise and should leave them well enough alone. Peete.

I see that you felt we needed the 19db of gain setting, but recently lowered it to 15 ( which is just above the 13db of the lower gain setting we now have). Do you feel that an additional preamp would then be needed to use the Compass with a vinyl front end? I have lent out my vinyl set up to my brother so I cannot test it myself.

 

[scootermafia]

I would agree that the font should look as "western" as possible - more like an Apple product, less like something nameless and Chinese.