dCS Bartok Review - Smooth, too smooth
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- Опубліковано 14 чер 2024
- The dCS Bartok is a high end DAC with absolutely stunning build quality and features that make other DACs feel primitive by comparison. Unfortunately, the sound quality does not live upto the price.
Content and analysis sponsored by headphones.com and patreon supporters on / goldensound
The dCS Bartok was loaned to me for review by a friend.
dCS Bartok: dcsaudio.com/product/bartok
Measurements: goldensound.audio/2021/10/12/...
Come chat on discord: / discord
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Testing Tracks:
Bangarang - Skrillex - song.link/gb/i/491596647
A-O-K - Tai Verdes - song.link/i/1566167617
Magenta Rising - Parov Stelar - song.link/i/978392986
Moth to a Flame - The Weeknd - song.link/i/1590610710
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Testing and hype discussion
6:07 - Sound
13:17 - Summary
The GoldenSound youtube channel, and all content is created and owned by GoldenSound LTD - Розваги
Man, all the butthurt because of this review... I think Goldensound clearly stated that he doesn't think the Bartok compares well in comparison to some other TOTL, and lesser DACs. In the end, that's his opinion, and he's clearly stated that - if you have the Bartok, and you like it - good for you, ride off into the sunset and be done with it. Everyone else, who does not own this DAC, now gets the benefit of having heard another opinion, and they can draw their own conclusions.
Keep doing what you're doing Goldensound - we appreciate it very much.
Hearing you describe the minute differences in such high-end (and high-priced) equipment -- for someone that never had the luxury or spare cash to try such things -- is fascinating, but not entirely relatable. Would you consider doing a video on what to listen for, how to train one's hearing, or possibly some neat tricks to A/B test with lesser equipment, with the goal that more people can begin to hear what you are hearing?
FINALLY! Something I can listen to Skrillex on the HD800
I know I talked about the testing of this DAC for quite a while, and likely should have discussed the sound at greater length. But honestly I was simply frustrated that a product this expensive delivered such a mediocre result. Listening to something that isn't enjoyable...well...isn't enjoyable so I don't really want to spend more time than is needed doing so.
But I wanted to make clear that I'd given it every possible chance and tested in every situation I could, thinking that a device of this expense at least deserves more thorough testing to quash any doubts, hoping that something was simply wrong or it just needed a bit of help with system synergy. But unfortunately that wasn't the case.
Please can you review some cheaper equipment. Full setup for ~£400 something like a ifi zen dac v2
@@lukephillips3751 Got some very affordable stuff coming very soon :)
Spoiler: SU9n and Moondrop KATO are both absolutely fantastic
@@GoldenSound maybe reviews of gear upstream of the DAC like bridges, reclockers... great job on the Bartok! btw
@@juanfeliu879 I've got quite a lot of testing done on various DDCs on my website.
So far the best have been the DI20HE and SU6
@@GoldenSound tks! will check them out. happy NY!
Hey dude, I just wanted to say, I think you are hands down not only one of the best audio/hifi UA-camrs, but one of the best "UA-camrs" right now. As someone who makes videos, and who has developed a sort of design philosophy through the years of doing so, (which in essence is "less is more") your channel screams this. You do mini B-roll clips, and to the critical eye, you can tell you don't have a $1500 dollar camera, but you did it anyways, and it works just as well. The way you structure your videos visually and narratively is absolute S tier. Everything feels thought out, meshed together, and relevant. Giant fan of what you are doing.
Thank you! That means a lot.
I try to keep my videos looking decent, but also strike a balance. I don't want things to look like its a professional production (or attempt at one). I actually quite like the 'homemade' sort of feel.
But also I like to keep things where the editing isn't too heavy so that I enjoy the process more. Though I'll of course spend more time producing stuff like the mqa vid.
Always looking for constructive criticism though!
@@GoldenSound that's one of the best things about your channel. You're an audio expert first, videographer second. Too many UA-camrs focus only on videography.
Man you are probably the only reviewer in yt that systematically compare end-game dacs. Really looking forward to your Bricasti dac reviews if you are planning to do it!
Definitely would like to! I heard the M1SE a while ago and loved it
You should do another review with the 2.0 update. It changes the whole softness issue. I’d love to see you revisit this DAC. Thanks mate 🤙🏼
Apex👍
@@martinvegas1327 Apex is a whole other upgrade to 2.0.
Fascinating. I reviewed the Bartók, and A/B'd it with the Mola Mola Tambaqui, which I also reviewed. I found them both to be fantastic, and I actually found the dCS to offer the best digital sound I've ever heard. Does not detract for a second from your findings - it's just interesting how differently we each found the Bartók to sound. I appreciate your reviews and due diligence - keep up the good work!
I would say remarkable at least. He is talking about the price of the device all the time. No insights into his findings. Just some blahblah about softness and dullness compared to it’s price with others. Bartók is one of the most detailed rich DAC’s out there and still very musically right. A very unusual combination. Dullness would be the last thing I would say about the Bartók. Perhaps preoccupied for some reason?
@@davidwillemsen I am not sure you really listened to what he said, and that’s unfair on him, he was quite specific about his SQ findings, such as it had excellent timbre etc check from the section around 6 minutes where he deals the SQ , and I agree with his finding on dcs dullness , to me it’s one of their trademarks in sound , but others obviously like that sound from their sales , and I think his point about cost is, at this price point you expect excellent engineering, not pretty good, I think for people without unlimited budgets it a reasonable premise….
I was interested in Mola Mola , chord Dave and Weiss Dac comparison. Can you recommend a Dac from $1500-$5000
@@ericelmore2742Out of everything mentioned. I prefer WEISS. But I'd say the DCS is certainly a significant upgrade.
But the price is very steep, and the WEISS is still a truly fine bit of kit. You can't go wrong with it.
So glad I found you! I've been enjoying headphone and DAC reviews over the past year on YT but most people reviewing high end equipment don't know the proper musical descriptive terms, or atleast how to use them properly. I get it, I was the stoner in band class but I ended up working in a studio in college majoring in theory. Definitely subscribing.
I'd be interested in seeing time-domain measurements (eg., step response) from DACs. I wonder if that would help us understand the softness of this product.
Another fantastic honest review and exactly why I subscribed , one question if you don’t mind what do you feel is the best DAC I currently have the Alt32 and always wondered if getting a different DAC would bring me more resolution etc
You are an insane reviewer!
Love the sound dems to complement your impressions
Which filter and upsampling did you use? The dsd is smooth compared to the dxd. Also the filters tend to make a decent difference. I use dxd and filter 4. I do not find it too smooth in this setting.
I don't always agree with you on your opinions but was happy to get your input on this DCS. I am on edge about getting an all-in-one box like this or possibly getting separate components. What's amazing to me is how many POSITIVE reviews are on UA-cam and other Audio websites regarding how good the sound is on the Bartok. This just goes to show how divided the audiophile community can be when listening to hi-fi gear! I'm going to CanJam in February so I will make up my own mind, however I'm leaning on getting separate components more and more!
I like your review approach and have subscribed to your channel. You have good understanding on technical things, and also can actually listen and evaluate gears subjectively. I own the Terminator Plus and would love to hear how you think about it... I understand the TP review is coming?
Yep TP+Gaia review coming soon :)
Sensational review, absolute credit to you for speaking your mind on exactly how the Bartok sounds to you. Takes an awful lot of courage to talk down a piece of HiFi equipment, especially from dcs, but no other HiFi reviewer I’ve come across is prepared to offer anything other than good reviews for every product they get in their house. Subscribed and looking for more from you 🎉
I ordered a Level 2 May dac after seeing your review so I was interested to hear what you will say about the dCS. My May is about a week away from delivery and now the wait is just that much harder.
Dude you are the goat of audio reviewers
Hey bro, exceptionally detailed and thorough review as always. Where did you get those two black shelves you've got there holding all that gear?
Those are the monoprice monolith XL.
Suuuper happy with them
Basically, what you're saying is that playing back natural sounds you like it, electronic not so much. I tend to agree with this review, and I'm saying this as someone who listens to mainly classical, jazz and some rock using a dCS Vivaldi stack. I understand that someone who'll listen to electronic music, amplified instruments, synthetic etc. with perhaps some sounds of nature, such as a human voice (again, with artificial reverberation added etc.) mixed in, with instruments and voices artificially placed in the stereo "soundstage", might look for more "bite". You aren't looking for a DAC that'll reproduce, but "create" sound according to personal preference. The Chord Dave that you appear to like is an excellent example: with or without Scaler, it'll make anything sound artificial, and yet, that's a DAC that appears to be to your liking. To me the Chord is an awful lot of money as it can't make a voice sound like a voice, or a piano like a piano etc. I used to be an avid concertgoer before the pandemic, which is the reason I got the Vivaldi after listening to so many alternatives, as my priorities are different: I'm not comparing gear to gear. I want this "You are there" feeling of being in the presence of the live act, not sound tailored to one listener type's liking versus someone else's. Admittedly, the net result of a DAC that doesn't "add more" than to offer realism as best such a device can, may sound sober with some modern recordings, in particular ones heavily tinkered with during recording and mastering, but then, it'll really draw the listener into the music emotionally with music based on real voices, instruments, sounds of nature etc.
Strawman attack from the start there, well done.
As always, a well crafted, informative and brutally honest review. So many out there are swayed by magazine reviews or by supposed manufacturer reputation sold to them by high end dealers. Clearly, far too many do not properly use their ears to judge but allow themselves to be convinced by biased reviews or opinions. Like with the same opinion as yourself regarding MQA, you're the one UA-cam reviewer whom I trust. Keep up the great work !
thank you for great review
@goldensound which other dac are you going test next ? I recently bought the Cayin RU6 R-2R USB DAC. Is this dac on your list to test and compare with other dacs at the £200 level?
Does the softness correspond to any measurement with your analyzer? Thank you for your reviews.
There's a few things that could explain it.
Mediocre jitter performance, the high levels of ultrasonic noise etc.
Its hard to say for certain as there isn't really any concrete research into what links subjective aspects such as softness to various objective aspects.
At the moment though I have noticed that dacs with more ultrasonic noise tend to sound softer so it could be that
@@GoldenSound very interesting observation :)
@@GoldenSound So the "softness" correspond to you and I quote "Mediocre jitter performance, the high levels of ultrasonic noise etc." Is that your conclusion? At ultrasonic level? Beyond 20KHz I assumed. Jitter errors at what -dB level may I ask?
To talk about jitter with modern dacs is nonsense.
Hi Ad, how the sound compare with rockna xlr? Which DAC has better sound, more nature sound?
I’m surprised at the number of people in the audiophile community that have on various forums decided your review is anathema to them! I used to own a dCS Elgar, an ancestor of the Bartok, and everything you said made perfect sense. In fact, part of me read or watched other reviews and hoped that I might put the Bartok on my ‘aspirational’ list, that the dull sound characteristics of the Elgar were no more and it’s’ strengths built upon; but no. I doubt I’ll need to hear one to confirm it’s just a more competent version of my old Elgar, I won’t like it for the same reasons as you, and there’s no point. Thanks for your honest and informative review!!
I’d really like to see how this compares to the Weiss 502 it was the first time I enjoyed and heard a significant difference from my current setup.
Out of curiosity, do you know if it sounds even softer than the Denafrips Ares 2 / Pontus 2 / Venus 2 dacs ?
Yes it does
Thanks for being honest and true to your opinions.
Superb, accurate review. I also heard exactly the same, a slickness that gets old fast.
Very useful. Look forward to your review of the Terminator Plus.
I had this DAC on my list as I am looking for a DAC having stayed with CD up until now. So what is the best DAC you have heard? I am coming from a Naim system. Thanks
As of now, I believe the Holo Audio May is Golden's favorite dac. He's even rated it over something like a Chord Dave for example.
Which Audio-gd DAC is that sitting in the corner and how do you feel about it? I swapped out my Denafrips Venus for an Audio-gd R1. I like the R1 flat out better and it's more flexible in what it can do. Also 1/3 the cost...
Nice video. Very honest!
That's actually the audio gd di20he DDC. It's fantastic.
I've not had the chance to try any audio gd dacs unfortunately
@@GoldenSound Oh, definitely give them a try. I also have a Master 19 that outperforms other more expensive headphone amps that I've heard and/or owned. My first higher end amp/DAC was an Audio-gd NFB-10SE. Around ten years old and still sounds great next to newer, more expensive gear as well. I love the Audio-gd house sound and value for the money. I can't really recommend them enough.
Does an audio interface really make that much difference if you already have a quality DAC? Introduce any lag? My only real gripe with my Venus was that it introduced enough lag to throw off lip-sync with video.
As you already have links with Rockna, have you considered getting hold of the Wavelight to see how it stacks up to the dream? Also Auralic, there are hardly any reviews of the Vega G2.1, that’s another dac with streaming functionality and the Auralic software is exceptional for user experience.
What DAC did your friend with the Focal have?
Will you be reviewing the Terminator Plus? Love to know how it compares to the Holo May. Keep up the great work! Thumbs up on all your vids.
I purchased the Holo May Kitsune on your review and I’m extremely happy with it. I was actually considering stepping up to the dcs, unfortunately I don’t have the ability to listen to it before buying it. So it would be purchased blind. I guess I won’t take the plunge/chance. My quick question to you or someone else is, you referred to it as a delta sigma but I was under the impression that this was a proprietary design. Which is it?
It is a proprietary design, but that design is delta sigma.
Delta sigma itself is a process and there are lots of different ways of using it.
Hope you're enjoying the may! It's a great dac
So if you're "extemely happy" with the May why we're you looking at the DCS? What it is it in the May was not to your liking?
@@scslite5206 He wanted to move from merely "extremely happy" to "nirvanically tree-hugging happy".
@@scslite5206 simple, I wanted to experience what the next level of hifi would be. I have the May and Chord dac now instead. Variety is the spice of life. Maybe now you’ll realize that your snarky comments are pointless.
@@tdgarage4012 sorry you took that to be snarky. Clearly I ruffled your touchy little feathers. Still confused about what you mean with next level hifi. Move on to your next dream pipe then. LOL
Great review, thank you.
Can you list t other dacs mentioned in this video? You quickly named them but I missed most of them.
Have you checked out the Cambridge DacMagic 200M ?
Thanks.
Holo May
Denafrips Terminator Plus
Chord DAVE
Bricasti M1SE
Gustard X26 Pro
Rockna Wavedream
Schiit Yggdrasil
@@GoldenSound thank you .
Any thoughts on the Cambridge DAC 200M ?
Heard one of these with a pair of HE1000 & it was by far the finest traditional headphone experience I have ever heard.
Welll then did you Spend YOUR 16,000$ to buy it then?
Thanks! I like honest reviews. After this I have narrowed it down to the May if I check out the Mola Mola Tambaqui and it doesn't blow me away. If you get chance to rev the Mola Mola let us know..
They've said they'll lend one for review! Looking forward to trying it.
Unfortunately might be a couple months though
@@GoldenSound look forward to your review. I heard great things about the Tambaqui. The ability to compare it other FPGA's and R2R dacs is great.
Finally we got a real answer! :) So many questions. What are the best DACs in the 10k range? (above Terminator+, May, etc.). You loved D1SE but keep mentioning X26 pro, so is it better than the D1SE??? I'm just about to buy one or the other before choosing my end game!
Oooooohhh, you got a WA33. Very interested to see your opinion Golden. Also, great review!
What's your top dac currently? holo may?
Thank you for your honest review.
Thanks for sharing. Would be interesting to compare this with a similar product from another well-established digital audio company, particularly the new Esoteric N05-xD (also a streamer, dac, pre-amp and headphone amp).
You are quite hard on it. I have a friend who owns one paired with an integrated Extraudio X250. At the begining the sound was as you say : Too soft but tjen we found out that we could put it in 6V analog out. And boy, all was different. Did you tried the 6V out?
I can't find your measurements of the Holo May on your website. Am I being clueless or are they not there?
Have you ever listened to a PS Audio Direct Stream Dac?
Wow, and to think I almost dropped 20k on this unit. Thank you for your honesty and this review.
what about oversampling it in a music player/server running HQ Player NAA, for a fraction of the cost of Mscaler?
Does dCS offer optional wall-hangers for this work of art?
What do you do with the TC meter?
Hello. Do you have any plans for testing Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC?
I am so totally agree with you mate!!
Thanks for the great review.
I wonder if this is a ‘house sound’ thing. I listened to the Lina stack with the Susvara at Canjam London last year. I was taken aback by how laid back and soft that combination sounded. To be fair, I had heard all the hype around the Lina and had expected to be blown away. Overall, I really felt it lacked engagement and didn’t leave wanting to play track after track. It was similar with other headphones.
Having said that, I’m sure many would enjoy the sound signature.
Well done review, and it’s good to see some negative reviews they seem to be few these days, my own impression of dcs mirrors yours , they sound dull, even the Vivaldi , but I was surprised that since you and Darko like electronic music, your views are so far apart, any thoughts why ?
Well done! May I ask... what is the brand/model of the very attractive and functional-looking component shelf which the dCS Bartok sits on? Thank you!
The desk I'm using in the vid is just one I got off amazon with a mousemat of the same dimensions so that it covers the full surface.
The shelves on the right are the monoprice monolith XL. Suuuper happy with those. Look great, built nicely, super high weight capacity, and WAY more reasonably priced than the majority of other options
@@GoldenSound , thank you for the information!
Wow, this was an eye opener..I watched Darko and the Abyss reviews of the Bartok….can they all have missed the sonic signature that you’ve described (soft) …😳
I guess personal preference is in play ..but when compared to the Halo May ( Kitsune) it falls flat , so to speak …what’s missing or what am I missing?
It's not really in comparison to the May that it falls flat, it's in comparison to everything.
I'd gladly take a May, Wavedream, M1SE, DAVE, Terminator Plus or even probably some much lower cost dacs like an X26 pro over the bartok...
@@GoldenSound Wow, it’s that….un engaging ..damn..and I guess it’s ( if ordered with the headphone amp) you couldn’t evaluate the amp independently of the attached RING DAC ….more the pity .
Great review and the best to you and yours in ‘22
@@GoldenSound I see you avoid mentioning the Yggi up there and in the video...
Maybe it works with the brutal Abyss? Their mids and lower highs as well as timbre seem to be quite harsh compared to other flagships.
@@mariodrv I'm not 'avoiding' it? The Yggy is a £2500 DAC, it's not really supposed to be competing with >£5000 stuff
I like the yggdrasil OG a lot but don't feel it's as good as many of the DACs mentioned in this video.
I'd be really interested in seeing your thoughts on the Rupert Neve Fidelice DAC if you ever get the chance to hear one
Great review and saved me buying it
Any chance of a PerfectWave video review in the future?
Thanks for your review. Please compare next time the Bartok with the Lampizator of the same price range. Could be very interesting!
Thanks for the review. I have a dCS Bartok APEX version pairing with Mcintosh MA1200 and FOCAL Sopra NO2, and it sounds amazing and lovely. I didn't hear what you are mentioning.
You seem to compare it to delta sigma Dac, as far as I understood dcs ring Dac is not delta sigma but a sort of hybrid between r2r and fpga. Can you clarify? Thanks
Yes and no mention of MQA support and the many software settings that can alter the sound
The ring DAC is delta sigma. The converter itself operates at 5-bit accuracy, and is functionally almost identical to how the ESS chips operate internally too.
Some would argue that unless it's 1-bit it's not 'true' delta-sigma, but then almost all DACs be it AKM, ESS, Burr Brown, dCS etc aren't 1-bit. They all modulate down to a 3-6 bit level.
Also worth noting that 'FPGA dacs' aren't really a thing. The FPGA just controls the particular converter circuitry, whether that's an R2R ladder, the ring DAC, chord's pulse array, or something else.
The FPGA itself doesn't do the conversion and FPGA's are present in all sorts of dacs. The actual converter circuit itself is the part that determines if it's R2R or delta sigma
@@MartinHAndersen I'd suggest watching my 'I published music on Tidal to test MQA' video for my thoughts on MQA.
I did experiment with the various settings on the DAC and whilst I felt that some did help (turning off the DSD upsampling for example greatly improved things), my thoughts in this video were formed using the configuration that sounded the best to me.
Unfortunately regardless of configuration I did not feel the Bartok was worth the money
@@GoldenSound I have seen all you videos 😊The are really good. You are the reason I bought the May KTE dac.
But some love MQA and think it sound better
@@GoldenSound very clear thank you, FYI I own a Meitner MA1 dac
holy crap welcome back GS... thought this channel went dormant.
Sorry for the break! Been a bit crazy IRL, new job, getting ready to move, but back in the swing of things now :)
You’re not the only one. I demoed this dac about 6 weeks ago and I wasn’t sold on it at all. Felt a little flat for me. I ended up getting a DAVE + M Scaler.
And just to add, I posted this comment right at the moment you started to say you didn’t like it. We literally shared the same experience.
Looking forward to your HiFi audio streaming service comparison video.
I would love to hear your thoughts on T+A HA200.
Is this video a re-upload? I am sure I watched it a few months ago.
Interesting review. I have owned a Qutest and a Bartok. You thought they were _similar_, I found them to be chalk and cheese.
It's nice to hear a different perspective.
This was refreshing.
Is it good enough to listen to audio books?
The Sennheiser Orpheus is probably more suitable to your use case I'm afraid.
@@tietoliikenne Oh, I was hoping the
Susvara + this DAC will do. Thx.
Delta-Sigma obviously way too digital - most hi-fi reviewers recommend tube-rectified R2R DACs for audio books in a 5-channel setup.
Thanks !
Can you review the Cary Audio DMS-700 NETWORK AUDIO PLAYER, please ?
Last time it was battle lines today magenta rising. Great music glad I have Apple Music now all these different cool tunes thanks for video
I have tested it, and I have to say that this dac sounds totally different to other devices I have listen to. And difference was noticeable. With classical guitar, I heard not only strings, but also the box of wood, with voices I noticed the size of the chest of singer, with trumpet I heard not only the air but also the metal of the instrument. It is sooo resolutive!. It is true that at the same time it gives the impression of high frequencies to be a bit tamed. Nevertheless if I could afford it I would have no doubt on buying it.
From what I gather, the Holo May is your favorite DAC. But have you heard the Terminator Plus with one of the Denafrips DDC? If so, how does it compare to the May?
I currently have the Terminator Plus with Gaia here at the moment.
I like it a lot but May is still my fav
@@GoldenSound Wow. Mind slightly blown. I wouldn't have predicted that. I might have to check out the May at some point. For now, I've placed an order for a Mojo Audio Mystique X SE. This and the T+A DAC 200 might be worth comparing to the May. Cheers.
I would appreciate it if you would review the high-end MSB Reference DAC.
I'd love to if the opportunity arises! Unfortunately I doubt msb would ever lend one for review so would only be able to do it if a viewer with one was happy to lend it for review
Can you please please make a video about how to use deltawave to compare FLACs and find the best one.
This review is definitely ruffling some feathers on other sites!
I can only assume this was an early Bartok. I've heard the latest edition, alongside a rossini Apex, and a CAD 1543. The current Bartok is excellent and if anything, compared to a rossini, i found the Bartok to be the more forward and upfront sounding DAC, with the rossini having the sweeter top end. As such, I can't imagine how you'd attach the word "dull" to the current Bartok.
have the 2.0 version and the sound is much better
I had the bartok , then updated to 2.0 firmware and then added the Rossini clock . Clear improvements . The bartok headphone amp part is nothing special but I find it extraordinary that this reviewer denigrated the bartok . Maybe he wants the clicks
Hi GoldenOne, can you review Burson Composer & Solist 3X please?
Did you play with the filters? F5 with 44.1? From another review "For the record, we tend to prefer Filter 4 for PCM signals - it prioritises transient behaviour above filtering severity - only edging towards Filter 2 (a less extreme version of Filter 4) for listening to certain classic and jazz music. The default choice, Filter 1, gives the best measurement results but sounds too mechanical for our tastes. When it comes to DSD the standard Filter 1 option suits us best." TRANSIENTS over measurement results = Filter 4 ? I am using it now, with FIlter 5, suggested in the manual for 44.1, did you read the manual and try these? If you left it on Filter 1 it's going to sound dead with PCM, that is for DSD. The review quoted got that part wrong, actually.
Completely agree with you. And it even could not work with my low power portable HDD as a source.... The price should be $2000. Or that was a MQA problem?
thanks for having the courage of calling it like you hear it.
Was this all done with headphones? What is the associated equipment???
He tells you it wasn't. Darko and Steve Guttenberg seemed to only use headphones when they reviewed it, though.
Do you have a Go Pro on your forehead? The quality is fantastic.
Pipe and slippers DAC for classical buffs that want -10db down at 10khz. Glad to hear your objectivity and not taken in by the price.
Those pipes and slippers probably cost more than your entire audio setup.
Great review. It's not easy to go against the tide. Now you must be ready to receive warning from th brand.
Incredibly thorough and accurate review. Recently heard this DAC and can't agree more with your assessment.
Excellent
have u tried bacch sp?
Yeah, it seems if you're going to spend that kinda dosh on a DAC, you may as well give the Mola Mola Tambaqui a go. I do wonder if it's just your unit, or just chalking it up to 'synergy'. Not to say that your experiences are 'wrong' (they're not), but others seem to have a decidedly different view, and don't seem to mention the general softness you are experiencing.
Yeah, he might be thrilled with the Tambaqui given his gripes about the Bartok. I have a dCS Paganini DAC and compared it to the internal Tambaqui on the Kula integrated I had and preferred the dCS as I thought it sounds more natural. Realistic timbre with acoustic instruments is very high on my list of priorities, so this falls in line with the reviewers thoughts. The Tambaqui is impressive, no doubt, but a little too squeaky clean for me compared to dCS.
external clock？
I somehow stumbled upon this video.... is there a video of yours that gives the list of your End Game DACs ??
Heyo, I don't have a video on this. But right now the two best DACs I've tried at any price have been the Holo May KTE and Rockna Wavedream Signature Balanced
@@GoldenSound thanks for the quick reply 😊
So, it appears your main complaints are with transients. You mention it has good decay, but over-smoothed attack. Actually, there's usually a little overshoot tail and dip upon the initial attack curve, due to the way a DAC overshoots, and then overcorrects transients. This is common in less accurate DACs, for example. Eliminating this overshoot hook does change the way a DAC sounds, and I have to wonder if the reason it sounds so smoothed over is due to the way the amp circuit is designed. Probably, most amps are designed to smoothe this attack overshoot since most DACs have it. So, in order to preserve the attack speed is to use a different amp circuit designed to not smoothe the attack curve. It's something to consider.
Review some MSB Dacs. Be interested in your take on them. Love your reviews, but your opinion on Chord is a credibility killer, that shit is cold and analytical, unless you're strictly headphones. I'd be interested in knowing what speakers and amps you listened to the DCS with.
‘Everything is second to none …’ @0:29 Shows the ‘r’ missing from the silkscreened Power legend.
Good spot :D
dCS 's reply could be intresting.
It's ONE review, why would they respond when the majority of the reviews are extremely positive?
Very good and very accurate review ! Bravo !
Sounds good with LCD 4Z!
Nice. Maybe it's time to do a Susvara review.