[romaz]

  Hello,​
 
First post here, and hope to be welcomed as a fellow compadre I am not promoting anything for financial gain or anything else. There are a couple friends posting on this thread (romaz, a1uc), and I am a Totaldac lover, so I thought I would join the fun. I am 3 years intoxicated with Totaldac, and there is no hope or help for me...
 
The Totaldac D1 Monobloc to Twelve is also very substantial. It is not like the jump from the D1 Dual to the Monobloc, but I wouldn't say it is not as much of an improvement in other areas. Maybe even more important areas. Let me explain:
 
Going from the D1 Dual to the Monobloc is like listening to the D1 Dual on steroids. You get more of everything, and nothing that you don't. More separation, more dynamics, more bass slam, more focus, more refinement, lower noise floor.... More more more. Simply put, and is a very nice and amplified "plugged in" type of presentation.
 
What the Twelve brings is more intimacy, yet nothing is missing. Kind of hard to explain, but I'll try.... 
You go from a lively bold slamming presentation to more of  an "unplugged" presentation. Transparency is greatly improved. The noise floor is so low it is kind of haunting if never experienced. Image focus is crazy good, and approaches the best vinyl in this regard. To the point that I literally have 3D holographic images in my room, with air all around and behind the artists, making real presences before me. Spooky! Ambient resolution is also more on display, and I believe this goes hand in hand with creating the amazing hologram image focus. This allows our ears to hear and our brain to interpret more of the cues in the recordings, making a more realistic soundscape. This makes things more stable and easier for our brains to create the illusion. The Twelve is also more direct. As in you are seemingly getting direct mic feed playback. You hear all the inflections of the voice, the wood of the piano, the string plucks, drum smacks, metal and breath of the horns, etc. It all just sounds very real. It does all of this and never sounds digital, harsh, etc. It really is, magic.
 
Fear not though ladies and gents. The Totaldac Monobloc is the best DAC on the planet if you have never heard the Twelve    I would put Monobloc, or the D1 Dual for that matter, up against anything, and have put them up against allot of heavy hitters. There is just nothing like a Totaldac, if you ask me. So, D1 Dual or Monobloc is not a bad place to be at all. It is also easier to integrate either of these into ANY system. They have tons of drive, drive headphones direct beautifully, and you don't need a preamp using them, at all.
 
Which brings me to the one weakness of the Twelve. That is drive. It will struggle to drive the heavy load solid state amplifiers directly. Won't drive headphones directly. Though it will do a nice job of driving most tube amplifiers directly, I feel that it really should have a world class preamp backing it up for best results, no matter. So that is another thing. You have to set aside allot of coin for this preamp to compliment the Twelve.
 
Paul

 
Thanks for chiming in, Paul, and welcome to head-fi.  I've read your posts on this matter on the What's Best forum and it was some of these similar statements that convinced me to give the monoblocs a try.  Based on my own experience, I will concur with all you have said and because the Twelve is not a practical option for me since it won't drive headphones directly, I will do my best to avoid hearing it 

.

 

[paul79]

I don't blame you. However, if you are using a very good headphone integrated amplifier, the Twelve still has a place in even your system    I recently heard a1uc's upgraded WA-22, and with the Twelve driving it, it knocked my socks off. To describe, it sounded perfect with the HD-800's. Absolutely perfect.
 
Just glad others are hearing what I am hearing in the Totaldac gear. It really is special, and worth the prices considering the enjoyment I get from these pieces. That in itself is worth allot to me, price be damned.

 

[Yoga]

Stop making me want the monoblocs

 

[Yoga]

Has anyone directly compared the d1-dual to the tube mk2?

 

[romaz]

  Has anyone directly compared the d1-dual to the tube mk2?

Yes, Michael Lavorgna reviewed each of them separately on AudioStream.  I believe he preferred the tube mk2 for his tastes.  He felt the d1-dual was more incisive and the tube mk2 had richer tone.  The tube mk2 will not drive headphones directly, however, and so this was the deal breaker for me.  
 
Here are each of those reviews by Michael:
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/totaldac-d1-tube-mk2-dac#ciFqfUDYfbQaXtr0.97
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/totaldac-d1-dual-dac#kfWEMaRj9qF4GTRb.97
 
Both d1-dual and d1-tube (mk1) were reviewed side to side on 6 Moons.  Here is that review:
 
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/totaldac/1.html

 

[Pale Rider]

  Yes, Michael Lavorgna reviewed each of them separately on AudioStream.  I believe he preferred the tube mk2 for his tastes.  He felt the d1-dual was more incisive and the tube mk2 had richer tone.  The tube mk2 will not drive headphones directly, however, and so this was the deal breaker for me.  
 
<SNIP>

Same here. Am generally moving away from tubes anyway, but that lower output sealed the deal. I hope to upgrade to the twelve eventually, depending on evaluations of the MSB Analog and V, but for now plan to spend as much time as possible listening to the dual.

 

[a1uc]

  I don't blame you. However, if you are using a very good headphone integrated amplifier, the Twelve still has a place in even your system    I recently heard a1uc's upgraded WA-22, and with the Twelve driving it, it knocked my socks off. To describe, it sounded perfect with the HD-800's. Absolutely perfect.
 
Just glad others are hearing what I am hearing in the Totaldac gear. It really is special, and worth the prices considering the enjoyment I get from these pieces. That in itself is worth allot to me, price be damned.

Paul did a great job upgrading my WA22 and I was floored when I got it back , after rolling some tubes and upgrades it took it to a higher level .
 
I sent my D1 Dual to Vincent for some upgrades and while its there he is getting it ready for monobloc's  , hope to own monobloc's in the near future if things permit .  

 

[Yoga]

  Same here. Am generally moving away from tubes anyway, but that lower output sealed the deal. I hope to upgrade to the twelve eventually, depending on evaluations of the MSB Analog and V, but for now plan to spend as much time as possible listening to the dual.

How do you find the Lumin A1 compared to the d1-dual?

 

[Yoga]

  Yes, Michael Lavorgna reviewed each of them separately on AudioStream.  I believe he preferred the tube mk2 for his tastes.  He felt the d1-dual was more incisive and the tube mk2 had richer tone.  The tube mk2 will not drive headphones directly, however, and so this was the deal breaker for me.  
 
Here are each of those reviews by Michael:
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/totaldac-d1-tube-mk2-dac#ciFqfUDYfbQaXtr0.97
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/totaldac-d1-dual-dac#kfWEMaRj9qF4GTRb.97
 
Both d1-dual and d1-tube (mk1) were reviewed side to side on 6 Moons.  Here is that review:
 
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/totaldac/1.html

Thanks buddy!

 

[Pale Rider]

 
How do you find the Lumin A1 compared to the d1-dual?

My Dual isn't here yet, so I can't say. I like the Lumin a lot, though I find the PSA DirectStream [with Yale firmware] a discernibly better DAC on both PCM and DSD. Depending on the Listening with the NADAC and the Dual, one is going to go in the Stax listening station, and the other is likely for the dynamic headphone station.

 

[romaz]

 
My Dual isn't here yet, so I can't say. I like the Lumin a lot, though I find the PSA DirectStream [with Yale firmware] a discernibly better DAC on both PCM and DSD. Depending on the Listening with the NADAC and the Dual, one is going to go in the Stax listening station, and the other is likely for the dynamic headphone station.

I used to own the PSA DirectStream with Yale and I liked it quite a bit.  It was an improvement over Pikes Peak.  Your opinion that it is better than the Lumin is of interest to me as I have been curious as well.  I'm confident you will find the d1-dual to be easily in a higher class compared to your DirectStream.

 

[fabiodeluca]

Hi Fabio,

Welcome to head-fi and thank you for your contribution.

I had never before heard of the Bladelius Mimer.  This might be the first wall-hangable streamer I've seen and reminds me of Bang & Olufsen's products.  It is interesting that this 3,000 Euro streamer through the digital RCA input can sound better than the TotalDAC d1-server via USB.  Even though I have issues with the usability of MPD and iPeng, I always thought MPD had excellent sound quality and so it is saying a lot that you believe the Bladelius Mimer is that good.  It is also interesting that you prefer the RCA input to the AES/EBU input since with his DACs, Vincent has consistently believed the AES/EBU input is best although that might not apply to the reclocker.  

With the Aurender N10, I completely agree with you.  I would have been surprised if you would have said the 3,000 Euro Bladelius Mimer was equal to the N10 because that would really be saying a lot.  My N10 evaluation unit came in on Wednesday and I am now comparing it against 4 other servers.  I will have more to say on how it compares soon but it is every bit as good as I remember it to be.  Within the first 30 seconds, you knew you were listening to something exceptional.  

As to why you are noticing a SQ improvement with the Aurender connected first to the d1-server compared to directly to the d1-dual, the reclocker in the d1-server is obviously doing something good.  In my own testing, I had also found that the reclocker played a role in improving SQ in terms of slightly better detail, detail separation and less digital glare.  The d1-reclocker, with its asynchronous fifo memory buffer and internal clock is supposed to strongly attenuate jitter and then present this better timed signal to the DACs preferred input and that is the AES/EBU port.  With my more recent testing of sources, I brought back my Auralic Aries which I had previously found to respond very well to the USB Regen.  I compared the impact of the Regen against the d1-reclocker and the reclocker clearly had the bigger effect.  The interesting thing is when you combine USB Regen + d1-reclocker, the effects were now noticeably additive.  With the CAT, the USB Regen seemed to add very little to the reclocker.  

k

Romaz any update about testing N10 and the other servers?
Please be aware that putting Finite Cerapuc anti vibration feet under the N10 case had a terrific additional effect on the definition and robustness of the sound.

Regards
Fabio

 

[preproman]

 
My Dual isn't here yet, so I can't say. I like the Lumin a lot, though I find the PSA DirectStream [with Yale firmware] a discernibly better DAC on both PCM and DSD. Depending on the Listening with the NADAC and the Dual, one is going to go in the Stax listening station, and the other is likely for the dynamic headphone station.

 
I'm looking for a second DAC as well.  I'm interested at the Metrum Pavane or the PSA DirectStream.  Any thought?

 

[Pale Rider]

   
I'm looking for a second DAC as well.  I'm interested at the Metrum Pavane or the PSA DirectStream.  Any thought?

It's important to understand a significant bias on my part. One of my first functional criteria for a DAC is its ability to retrieve or play music over a network. I personally detest dealing with USB, and if I can avoid it, I will. Hence, for example, my current order for a NADAC and the Totaldac Server, and why I am setting up a listen for an MBS Analog and Signature.
 
I have read good things about the Pavane, but have never heard it. I have had a couple of requests for my assessment of the DS, and i am working up a few comments to share with @preproman. I love the DS. Smooth, airy, highly resolving, excellent soundstage, and what it does for PCM is really almost magic. Micro detail and transient info on PCM is eye-opening. DSD is excellent as well, though not as universally wonderful as PCM. Lumin and DS DSD are a closer call than PCM for example. The DS is an entirely different approach to conversion, as I know you all know. And it really seems to work well. The PSA team is dedicated to improvement, and has regularly released firmware updates, which are very easy to do. Those updates have steadily improved the SQ of the DAC, and what's pretty cool, is that there is no real limit to just how good that improvement might be, other than the ears and will of the team. For all of this, i see the PSA DS as a relative bargain, particularly with some of the incentives they have offered. In many ways, an ideal DAC for a headphone listening station, though it is truly a full-sized component.
 
One caveat I should note to the DS is that PSA does not supply its own playback software for the DS. They did at one time, but UPnP software development proved a larger distraction for them I think than they had anticipated. Network users are left to sort through a variety of network alternatives like NAS, JRiver, UPnP, etc. I use a Synology NAS, so prefer the UPnP route; I do not enjoy JRiver's complexity, nor its closed system. The Bridge 2 on the DS has proven fairly reliable. Not as reliable as I would like, a 7 or 8 on a 1-10 scale perhaps, but reliable enough, especially for extended listening on my speakers system. So for me, it is a bit frustrating that a DAC I like so much falls slightly short of ideal on a criterion that I value highly.
 
Conversely, although I like the SQ of the DS better than the Lumin A1 [but only incrementally; the A1 is a very fine machine], the Lumin's network performance is rock solid. And Lumin has been fantastic about firmware updates. They are accomplished so easily, it is scary [PSA and MBS, take note; you may call your methods convenient, but they are not in Lumin's league]. Lumin has a very good iPad app [wish they had an iPhone app, though], which makes me wonder why everyone else's has to be so clunky and flaky.
 
So, I am looking forward to auditioning the MSB units, and receiving the NADAC [a completely different network approach] and Totaldac.

 

[Yoga]

 
Conversely, although I like the SQ of the DS better than the Lumin A1 [but only incrementally; the A1 is a very fine machine], the Lumin's network performance is rock solid. 
 
So, I am looking forward to auditioning the MSB units, and receiving the NADAC [a completely different network approach] and Totaldac.

 
Can you elaborate a little about the DS and A1?
 
When will you have the MSB and TotalDAC with you? :¬)