[chesebert]

Initially impressive resolution gave way to a flat, shallow soundstage. Some strange staging issues with vocal placement in respect to instrument placement. Some sibilance, albeit better controlled than any other ESS DAC I've had.

Build quality was disgusting. £10K DAC made from sheet metal. Not for me. I sent it back.

In comparison to my Metrum Acoustics Adagio, the 501 MkII has better resolution, leading edges are sharper. Some of the additional functionality Weiss have incorporated was interesting, but ultimately didn't change my perception of the device. The Adagio presents a more vivid, 3D soundstage, with correct depth placement of instruments and vocalists. The Adagio is in my main speaker system, but it was an interesting comparison. I am currently using a new Denafrips Ares II 12th Anniversary Edition DAC and Iris DDC in my headphone system while I wait for a very special NOS DAC to be built that I have ordered. The Ares II is the biggest bargain in audio, and offers a more musical and pleasing listening experience than the Weiss.

If you are still keen to audition ESS, I'd grab a new Ferrum Wandla with the separate Hypsos LPSU. It's a £3K investment, but initial owner feedback speaks to a giant killer. It has embedded HQP filters as well which transform the typical ESS presentation to something actually quite pleasing.

This has not been my experience. Also I note that Metrum Acoustics is also built on sheet metal - they just added some heavy panels on the sides and front to make it look more expensive. I also noticed Metrum Acoustics did not shield their transformers and the power stage. Granted Metrum Acoustics is mid-priced gear so I suppose some of these compromises are reasonable - but I would have liked to see at least shielded/compartmentalized transformers.

In terms of your impression, I suspect you did not try all of the inputs and have only tried USB.

I have also heard Ares II in a couple of systems and it sounded absolutely average and mi-fi to me. Also, there is no such thing as giant killer unless you are talking about used gear or one $20k gear compared to another $80k gear (at that point it would just be one smaller giant killing another bigger giant ).

Edit: Just looked up the original MSRP of Metrum - it's in a similar price bracket as Weiss. I would have preferred they ditched the cosmetic panels and shielded the internal components.

 

[normie610]

This has not been my experience. Also I note that Metrum Acoustics is also built on sheet metal - they just added some heavy panels on the sides and front to make it look more expensive. I also noticed Metrum Acoustics did not shield their transformers and the power stage. Granted Metrum Acoustics is mid-priced gear so I suppose some of these compromises are reasonable - but I would have liked to see at least shielded/compartmentalized transformers.

In terms of your impression, I suspect you did not try all of the inputs and have only tried USB.

I have also heard Ares II in a couple of systems and it sounded absolutely average and mi-fi to me. Also, there is no such thing as giant killer unless you are talking about used gear or one $20k gear compared to another $80k gear (at that point it would just be one smaller giant killing another bigger giant ).

It could also be that the Weiss is not a good match to his amp (LTA MZ3) or vice versa.

 

[TDinCali]

I wonder if he logged in through the app and ensured none of the effects or adjustments were turned on and it was setup properly. Something for others who audition the dac in the future. Make sure you log in through the web app to ensure the dac is set up to original settings before you make any conclusions.

 

[GanGreinke]

It's here!


It's running straight into my power amp via XLR at the moment. Will connect it to my LTA MZ3 later. Any setup tips? I've done nothing at the moment other than get Roon running.

Maybe you played around with all of the settings and did it on purpose, but in this picture the polarity is inverted (you can tell because the volume font is yellow).

It does sound like you prefer NOS DAC's though, so maybe the Weiss just wasn't for you.

 

[chesebert]

There is not a universal "NOS" sound. The only constant I have seen with NOS dacs is that they all roll off from 20khz and extend down to around 5khz on 44.1khz materials - this is due to sample and hold output of the dac I believe. There is nothing wrong with preferring a slightly rolled off sound as it can help with some music. I dac roll between DSD and NOS depending on the music.

 

[RobertSM]

Maybe you played around with all of the settings and did it on purpose, but in this picture the polarity is inverted (you can tell because the volume font is yellow).

It does sound like you prefer NOS DAC's though, so maybe the Weiss just wasn't for you.

Great point! Yes, on this DAC the yellow color of the dB text denotes the polarity.

If you have waveforms negatively competing with each other this would sound terrible.

Good eye!

 

[Atriya]

I'm wondering about the effects that an "audiophile" network switch (e.g., Melco S100/2, etherRegen, something by SoTm) might have when feeding the DAC501.

Without getting into a discussion of whether these products are meaningful at all (I have heard many arguments on both sides), a question to those who do believe that they are: do you think they're more likely to make a difference on a high-end endpoint like the DAC501, or on "mid-fi" equipment?

Again, I've heard arguments on both sides. I've heard it suggested, e.g. by @austinpop, that a more transparent endpoint is likely to better reveal the improvements brought by the switch. On the other hand, a high-end streaming DAC like the Weiss probably already has a great clock inside it, so perhaps feeding it "better clocked" input may not matter as much as with mid-fi equipment?

 

[TheR0v3r]

I'm wondering about the effects that an "audiophile" network switch (e.g., Melco S100/2, etherRegen, something by SoTm) might have when feeding the DAC501.

Without getting into a discussion of whether these products are meaningful at all (I have heard many arguments on both sides), a question to those who do believe that they are: do you think they're more likely to make a difference on a high-end endpoint like the DAC501, or on "mid-fi" equipment?

Again, I've heard arguments on both sides. I've heard it suggested, e.g. by @austinpop, that a more transparent endpoint is likely to better reveal the improvements brought by the switch. On the other hand, a high-end streaming DAC like the Weiss probably already has a great clock inside it, so perhaps feeding it "better clocked" input may not matter as much as with mid-fi equipment?

First, I don’t own a Weiss and secondly my preference is for Wifi but…

I’ve had the privilege to audition many great DAC’s and ALL have benefited from the lower noise (not better clocks) when used with “audiophile” switches, reclockers etc.

My experience is that lowering the noise coming into the digital to analog conversion process is the most important part of improving the sound from any DAC.

IMHO.

 

[RobertSM]

I'm wondering about the effects that an "audiophile" network switch (e.g., Melco S100/2, etherRegen, something by SoTm) might have when feeding the DAC501.

Without getting into a discussion of whether these products are meaningful at all (I have heard many arguments on both sides), a question to those who do believe that they are: do you think they're more likely to make a difference on a high-end endpoint like the DAC501, or on "mid-fi" equipment?

Again, I've heard arguments on both sides. I've heard it suggested, e.g. by @austinpop, that a more transparent endpoint is likely to better reveal the improvements brought by the switch. On the other hand, a high-end streaming DAC like the Weiss probably already has a great clock inside it, so perhaps feeding it "better clocked" input may not matter as much as with mid-fi equipment?

I believe everything matters in an audio chain. Cables, clean power, lowering the noise floor to increase dynamic range. It all adds up!

Though I don't have experience in audiophile switches personally I don't discount them.

I've personally invested in higher quality cabling and power conditioning both in power and line level. I doubt I'd personally get into upgrading the switches, but to each his own. But more power to you of you'd like to venture into that.

 

[OCC7N]

I believe audio switches are making difference. You can google alpha audios website, watch the whole video where they compare them.

No matter how music is streamed WAN\LAN it could, should benefit the experience.

Some audiophiles even use two switches between source and router, it gives a better “analog” sound to the music.

The LHY SW-8 that came out with the best impressions in the test is actually a Linksys GS108 router(they are not hiding it, you can read it in the specsheet), but with three big upgrades: Clock, PSU an Chassis. Nice thick aluminium block that has been CNC. I have there OCK-2 and it has becomes a part of the sound I like.

Even though I bought an audiophile pcie card for my stramer, Im gonna get the SW-8. Probably the best price for a good one.

However Melco is very popular and my local dealer raves about them, I don’t see what switch they are basing the switch on, could be the Cisco CBS220

 

[Atriya]

First, I don’t own a Weiss and secondly my preference is for Wifi but…

I’ve had the privilege to audition many great DAC’s and ALL have benefited from the lower noise (not better clocks) when used with “audiophile” switches, reclockers etc.

My experience is that lowering the noise coming into the digital to analog conversion process is the most important part of improving the sound from any DAC.

IMHO.

Interesting. In that case, converting ethernet to optical and back, say using a Sonore opticalModule Deluxe, should work as well or better than the best ethernet switch?

Some ethernet switches, like the etherRegen, also have optical inputs, though they claim there is no added benefit to using it.

 

[TheR0v3r]

Interesting. In that case, converting ethernet to optical and back, say using a Sonore opticalModule Deluxe, should work as well or better than the best ethernet switch?

Some ethernet switches, like the etherRegen, also have optical inputs, though they claim there is no added benefit to using it.

My point was that lowering noise lead to improvement in sound. I don’t have experience of the products you mention so can’t answer.

In general, optical is not a universal solution for better sound.

IMHO.

 

[Atriya]

For those using external amps: has anyone found the DAC501/2 to sound better from balanced output than SE?

I'm considering an LTA MZ3, but it's a SE-only amp, and I hear that many balanced amps, including reportedly the Weiss DAC204, sound better from the balanced outputs.

If that is indeed true, I'm guessing it's not a problem that a simple XLR to RCA adapter can solve.

 

[TDinCali]

I can’t tell a difference on my WA33 or Envy.

 

[lithiumnk]

For those using external amps: has anyone found the DAC501/2 to sound better from balanced output than SE?

I'm considering an LTA MZ3, but it's a SE-only amp, and I hear that many balanced amps, including reportedly the Weiss DAC204, sound better from the balanced outputs.
If that is indeed true, I'm guessing it's not a problem that a simple XLR to RCA adapter can solve.

Both Wave theory’s & Steve huff’s review are very different. Their impressions do not align at all. It’s better to wait for “unbiased” user impressions.
Btw,there shouldn’t be any difference b/w Bal vs SE.
Quoting Daniel Weiss (replied via email )
“ The balanced output does not have a servo circuitry, i.e. the two output legs are the same with one output polarity flipped. The RCA output uses the positive polarity output of the balanced output and the ground. So the audio quality is the same for both XLR and RCA outputs.”