Bricasti M1 (cut and paste from another thread b/c it really belongs here)
I'll make a few succinct points (direct comparison with Wyrd->PWD2, Wyrd->OR5+M7 on EC 2A3 Custom / Levi with a wide variety of headphones) :
- The Bricasti M1 is very very nice.
- No OR5 required with M1. The XMOS USB implementation is good as it is.
- The M1 brings out details more than the OR5+M7. The M1 is more in toward the "hyperdetailed" school of DACs, i.e., PWD2, Berkeley Alpha 2, Vega, etc. I wouldn't say the OR5+M7 is any less detailed, but just more subtle about it. Not saying one is better. I can go either way depending upon system.
- However, the great thing about the M1 is that it manages the hyperdetailed sound without being anywhere as raspy or dry as the PWD2 or as artificial as the Vega (esp. if you cannot get EXACT more working).
- However, the M1 is also very obviously a sigma-delta sounding DAC. Hard to explain. You can hear that digital grain, but somehow it maintains an easy about it - there's a smoothness and liquidness to the sigma-delta presentation. The M1 is sort of self-contradictory that way.
- M1 has slightly better attack, dynamics, punch than OR5+M7. This sort of gives the extremes a little bit of emphasis compared to the mids. Not too much different from the PWD2. Yet at the same time, I wouldn't say the mids are recessed or anything. Again, it's sort of self-contradictory.
- Tonal balance is similar to the Berkeley Alpha 2. Less warm than OR5+M7, less bright, less raspy as PWD2.
- OR5+M7 stage is less expansive, especially in terms of depth.
The M1 actually reminds me of the Empirical Audio Overdrive; but I think the Overdrive is a wee bit leaner sounding. Overall, the M1 is an excellent DAC.
how about the M1 to the Directstream? I am sure Directstream is way more ahead of PWD 2.
Does Vega sound so artificial ? how about the zodiac platinum ?
For background and to put things into perspective, I even preferred the PWD1->2 fw2.03 over PSADSD. PSADSD tonal balance is too much like like PWD1: lean in the bass (like Benchmark DAC1 lean) and slightly emphasized upper mids. However PSADSD was smoother and refined in the treble. Maybe too smoothed out where I felt some attacks were blunted (sort of what happens with a lot of DACs when you upsample PCM to hires in software - but the effect on PSADSD is even more exaggerated). PSADSD is flatter sounding than the PWD1->2 fw2.03. But there is definitely a PSA house sound to both DACs. Rather than one is outright better than the other, I would say they are different.
The Bricasti M1 captures the essence of those two PSA DACs (hyperdetailed, expansive, highly dynamic, etc.) but does it right by addressing what I view as the major shortcomings of PWD1->2 fw2.03 and PSADSD DACs. The M1 is like the sigma-delta twin brother of the resistor ladder MSB Analog DAC where I find it difficult to criticize either DAC. They do what they do best based on their DNA (DAC architectures) and make no mistakes. In the context of the OR5+M7, the OR5+M7 has a lot of similarities to the Analog DAC, especially with headphone use (but small little things: Analog hits harder with more dynamics, has more expansive stage; OR5+M7 brings out details more, is slightly warmer with hints of "PCM1704 bass")
That the Vega sounds artificial is certainly an exaggeration on my part. It is the brightest of the DACs discussed here. This brightness tends to highlight how much different its timbre is from the resister ladder DACs such as the OR5+M7. It wouldn't call the Vega's treble objectionable. But it is very different - almost a robotic sound. Hard to explain. Here's an exaggerated analogy:
http://adventuretime.wikia.com/wiki/Auto-tune
EXACT mode on Vega does a lot to alleviate Finn's computer voice timbre effect.
If OR5+M7 was in left field, M1 would be in center field. EXACT mode moves Vega from foul ball territory into right field. Still right field, but at least in the field of play.