[ArthurPower]

I have enjoyed following this thread from the beginning. There hasn't been any activity in awhile so I thought I would make my first post. I received a Yulong Sabre D18 from Grant Fidelity about 5 months ago and have been very happy with my purchase. Now I am looking for a usb asynchronous interface. Yulong now has a matching headphone amp. How about a matching dedicated USB interface? Luxman now has a dedicated USB to S/PDIF converter (model U-100R with 24-bit/96kHz support). I would love to have a Yulong USB to S/PDIF & AES/EBU convertor with 24-bit/192kHz support.

 

 

[montya]

ArthurPower, as you know, Yulong still doesn't have a USB converter, all appearances they develop it now. So...

 

[ArthurPower]

montya, I forgot about SOtM. Korean company, really dedicated to making USB audio better. They see the need for external power to achieve the best performance which I guess makes sense. I'll have to research it more. It would be nice if it had a power supply built in. I look forward to hearing a report from you some time after setting up your new toys and brake them in a bit.

 

[LCfiner]

I just ordered a used D18 from another head-fier here. I should get it next week and will be comparing it to my Benchmark DAC1 (which I really like). I‘ve always had a very hard time noticing any differences between high end (or mid to high end) DACs so I’m curious if I’ll notice any difference here.

 

[ArthurPower]

LCfiner, I hope you can hear a difference since everywhere I look someone is always talking about their Benchmark DAC1. It seems it has become the standard by which all other DAC's are jugged. I thought about buying one myself several times, I just couldn't get myself to spend that much money. So please do whatever you have to do, so you can compare the two (I usually clean the wax out of my ears before doing any critical listening lol). I know for a fact many people will be very curious to read a side by side comparison with any perceivable differences in sound between these two models.

 

[LCfiner]

I'll post in here once I get the yulong and have had a chance to listen to it with the dac1 for a while.

My main headphones now are gs1000. Not the most tonally accurate but they're capable of big soundstage and great detail. So I'll be looking mainly for differences in soundstage and whether the yulong tames that 8 kHz peak on the grados.

I'll also have a more neutral magnum v4 coming in within a week or two and I will likely have all of them in the house at the same time to compare.

 

[ArthurPower]

The Yulong Sabre D18 takes a good 100 hours to brake in. You said you picked up a used one, so it should have some time on it. I find people are often impatient and make judgment calls on equipment before it has had a chance to fully brake in. I would like to thank those people for saving me money by selling new gear at discount prices after only owning it for a week or so!
 
I have a pair of Grado SR325's (very first version with deep ear cups) so I am very familiar with the 'Grado sound'. I look forward to your comparison. Don't rush it though, give everything time to settle in.

 

[preproman]

OK,  so I'm getting together a bedside rig Now that my B22 has arrived.  
 
The amp I will be using is the GS-1.  I read in the review that this DAC would not go good with this amp - Why?  What DAC do any of you recommend?  Something like this - http://www.mav-audio.com/base/product/tubemagic_d2 - or this - http://shop.grantfidelity.com/Grant-Fidelity-TubeDAC-11-D-A-Converter.html  I was thinking Yulong would be a good match for the GS-1

 

[LCfiner]

OK, So I got the D18 today.
 
Here’s my first impressions: i can’t tell the difference between this and the DAC1 Pre. I just can’t. at all
 
I tried out some tracks that I know to have really shrill and sibilant spots and they sounded the same on both - in other words, the GS1000 treble peak can make AC/DC’s “A long way to the top” a trying experience regardless of DAC.
 
I tried some songs that I know have very complex mixings with instruments located at many different spots in the soundstage (Loreena McKennit, David Byrne). I can’t tell a difference - they both place the instruments in clear, precise spots and I can tell where the various instruments are located and they’re well separated. I tried some songs with very deep bass that would push the headphone to the limit. no difference - deep bass that hits hard. no difference in distortion or impact. 
 
I tired listening to full songs with one DAC, then switching to another. nothing felt different. I tried quick A/B tests for small passages. ditto. I tried flipping back and forth while a song played and, again, I could not tell when i was listening to on DAC vs the other.
 
Now, something to note. I don’t yet have my XLR to RCA cables so I’m using the (apparently) less "full bodied" voicing from the RCA outs of the D18.
 
Also, I expect that this inability to hear any difference whatsoever may be partially due to the GS1000 having such a prominent sonic character that any subtle change that may be present from one quality DAC to another would be “drowned” out by the 8 kHz peak and the big bass.
 
My amp is the ALO Amphora. I can tell a difference, fairly easily, between the tonality of the Amphora and the DAC1 headphone output on certain songs. The Amphora handles some shrill passages and stuff like cymbals more smoothly than the DAC1 headphone out. I feel it is a quality amp having listened to  some other quality setups from the O2 on 323/GES to the HD800/ Isabellina HPA and PS1000/ Burson HA160. 
 
Anyway, I’m still listening to both DACs but now their sound is interchangeable (and really good, I should note) I await my V4 magnums and the XLR to RCA cables to make some more comparisons. If I happen to notice a difference between the two DACs while still using my GS1000, I’ll amend this post.
 
I think the question of which one I keep will end up coming down to convenience. Do I need the analog input, headphone outs and a USB input from the Pre? If not, I can keep the less expensive D18

 

[brunk]

OK, So I got the D18 today.

Here’s my first impressions: i can’t tell the difference between this and the DAC1 Pre. I just can’t. at all...

...Now, something to note. I don’t yet have my XLR to RCA cables so I’m using the (apparently) less "full bodied" voicing from the RCA outs of the D18.

This right here. Yulong has stated himself that XLR takes priority in his D18/A18 combo so you will not be hearing his intentions until you go fully balanced DAC/Amp/Headphones. Just make a clear disclaimer in your next feedback post for others.

 

[LCfiner]

Well, I won’t be using a fully balanced setup. But I’m going off project86’s comments that the voicing will be slightly different if you use an XLR to RCA cable and then run the amp and headphones single ended. When I get the cable, I’ll be running through another round of A/B comparisons.
 
Regardless, the sound I’ve hearing is excellent. I never found the DAC portion of the DAC1 to be disappointing in any way. That I think the D18 sound like the DAC1 in SE mode, while costing 300 dollars less than the base DAC1 model, is impressive. 

 

[montya]

Unfortunately D18 DAC, that came to me, was damaged. Going to replace my D18 according to warranty.

 

[Dogmatrix]

I also received a DOA D18 last week.
Mine refused to lock on to any signal.
Watching the replacement on tracking still in Hong Kong.
Will update next week.

 

[montya]

Quote:

I also received a DOA D18 last week.
Mine refused to lock on to any signal.
Watching the replacement on tracking still in Hong Kong.
Will update next week.

 
Oh, exactly! I've also the same trouble...

 

[Dogmatrix]

Quote:

 
Oh, exactly! I've also the same trouble...

Maybe a bad batch out there.
Hope the new one works, return postage is expensive.