[project86]

Ah yes, forgot about this old gem. Such an interesting tuning considering the then-brand-new ES9018 chip being used. I can't think of any other ES9018 DACs of the era which sounded so rich/full/dark without resorting to tubes. Weird that they are selling it new - maybe NOS or maybe Yulong ran another batch?

 

[capetownwatches]

I have emailed Yulong for further details as to where these came from.
Did you notice the number of units for sale? More than 1000 if the ad is accurate!
Color me curious...

By the way, what brings me here in the first place is the fact that I just picked up a mint condition black D18 for the princely sum of $200...

Very early days still but this DAC has some special sauce for sure.
Enjoying it thoroughly so far

 

[project86]

First off, nice buy! For $200? Can't go wrong. Paired with the right gear, this DAC should still be excellent.

Second, Aliexpress is a questionable source. I wonder if the seller really has any units at all, or access to any of them. I have seen sellers take older products and list them as if they really had some, just due to not knowing they were already several years old/out of production.

 

[capetownwatches]

First off, nice buy! For $200? Can't go wrong. Paired with the right gear, this DAC should still be excellent.

Second, Aliexpress is a questionable source. I wonder if the seller really has any units at all, or access to any of them. I have seen sellers take older products and list them as if they really had some, just due to not knowing they were already several years old/out of production.

Thanks!
I'm mostly using a Win11 PC via USB into OG Resonessence (R.I.P.) Concero--->Coax--->D18--->Balanced out to Cayin iHA-6--->HD6xx/K701/TH-X00
(my aged ears have no need for flagship headphones, although I do see a ZMF in my future).

The Concero and D18 seem to have great synergy, as I suspected they might while I was mulling over the purchase.
I didn't mull long...

The fact that it's a 10 year old design did give me pause, but purely from a longevity perspective and worth the risk at $200.
And if it sounded great 10 years ago, why should it not do so today?
I've heard more than a few current DACs with all the latest bells and whistles that don't come close in terms of sheer musicality.

So far the D18 has earned a permanent place on my desk alongside the trusty NFB11.32 (for DSD duties).

I haven't yet had any reply from Yulong regarding the apparent stockpile of D18s on AliExpress.
Agreed that many of the dealers on AliExpress are questionable to say the least, and this one has less than stellar feedback too.

I hope Yulong does get back to me on this, not least because I may just grab a brand new one if it's kosher...

 

[capetownwatches]

So I received a brief response from Mr Zhang which confirms Beteran HiFi Audio Store as his distributors on AliExpress.

These units would thus seem to be legitimate, which raises the question why Yulong aren't selling them themselves?

 

[project86]

Well Yulong doesn't sell anything direct, they use distributors in various regions as well as some big resellers online.

These distributors buy stuff at cost and resell it for whatever markup they want - sometimes there is a strict MRSP and other times it's sort of a guideline and some of them undercut that price.

I feel like this pricing is still on the extremely low side. But it is an older unit and perhaps they've been sitting on this stock for years (doubt Yulong still makes them at this point). So it might be something of a "clearance" situation just to make room for other stuff.

 

[kingoftown1]

The d18 only cost $700 when it was released iirc. Loved mine when I had one

 

[capetownwatches]

I received a further response from Yulong: it is his opinion that the store has not updated their website and has forgotten to unlist the D18.

It would therefore seem as if there is no new stock of the D18 available, although it is not impossible that the store does in fact have a few units still in stock.
I will enquire!

$700 in July 2012 is equivalent to $865 today adjusted for inflation at 23.78%.
According to the store, full retail price is $1112.

I reckon if the unit was available at the selling price it would be reasonable value but no bargain.

 

[capetownwatches]

 

[capetownwatches]

Another dumb question: I want to connect the D18 via RCA and XLR outputs simultaneously. Is this in order?

I will only be using (listening to) one output at a time, obviously.
SE will go to one amp and balanced to another.

 

[capetownwatches]

PS: Received a reply from Yulong - absolutely no problem to connect both outputs simultaneously.

 

[capetownwatches]

So all of a sudden my beloved D18 has decided to stop locking onto the input signal via coaxial SPDIF from the Concero...I'm devastated!
No blue light, no sound...

Just tried optical in with the same result - nothing, nada, fokol...
Oh well, she was sweet while she lasted.

 

[project86]

Sorry to hear that, so odd how things can just fail like that. If it was a portable device I would understand, given the stress of being carried around all the time. But when something fails just sitting in the audio rack, that always feels worse IMHO.

 

[capetownwatches]

Sorry to hear that, so odd how things can just fail like that. If it was a portable device I would understand, given the stress of being carried around all the time. But when something fails just sitting in the audio rack, that always feels worse IMHO.

I must say I was not expecting the D18 to ever fail since it's been bullet proof as long as I've had it, but that's how it happens I suppose - works perfectly until it doesn't...
I'll take it to a techie as a matter of course because I don't want to just chuck it, it MAY even be something quite simple to fix.
Gonna take a peek myself once I can muster up the desire.