VDA 1 DAC report

warnerwh · « **on:** 1 Oct 2003, 05:17 am »

Just want to say thanks for the great engineering. What a good deal this dac is. I'm very pleased. I've owned MSB III, Cal Audio Alpha, Theta, Krell and I must say this dac is great, especially for the money. I don't feel like a more expensive dac would do much if anything to make the sound better. Just wanted to thank you in public.

duff138 · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 12:06 pm »

what are you using for a transport?

warnerwh · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Oct 2003, 10:22 pm »

I'm using a Sony DVD player, paid 180 I think. Am using glass toslink to the dac. Amp is a Marsh A400s and speakers are VMPS Supertower/R SE's. After owning several dacs, all of which cost much more than this one, I'm very impressed. None of that overfiltering which kills dynamics and resolution is outstanding, easily as good as the others. I was more than ready to send it back if it had certain traits that I don't care for in dacs which both the Theta and MSB III had and try the Bel Canto or something. The Cal Audio Alpha was a great dac too and I wished I hadn't sold it to use the Krell. The Cal still goes for 400 bucks though and I got this one new for 300 with a 30 return and one year warranty. Although I don't have the Alpha here to compare them I'd say that this one is just as smooth with better resolution and coherence.

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Oct 2003, 12:50 pm »

Quote from: warnerwh

I'd say that this one is just as smooth with better resolution and coherence. ...

And if you dampen the inside of the transport and use a vibration sink under it you'll be more surprised. If you use separate filtration for DAC and transport and use adequate cryo'ed power cords it's going to blow you away...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Oct 2003, 12:53 pm »

Are you talking like BlackHole 5 inside the transport, PsychicA? Or the high mass sheets like guys use in cars?

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Oct 2003, 01:27 pm »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Are you talking like BlackHole 5 inside the transport, PsychicA? Or the high mass sheets like guys use in cars?

Dynamat Extreme that is. I've found that even my 23 lb belt driven transport benefits from a combination of Goldmund Cones and Caribbean Moca wood. Once Dan Wirght gets done modding it I'll add Dynamat.

Warner, a belt driven transport is a major step towards smoothness and musicality. Avoid lateral steps. Larry (Lak) has heard my DAc and was very impressed. He has a Dodson 217 MKII in his main system and a Bel Canto in the living room system. We could do a comparison sometime after my audio rroom is setup and I get the outboard power supply for my DAC.

Jay S · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Oct 2003, 01:56 pm »

Francisco,

In what pattern did you put Dynamat inside your transport? I have just sold my battletank Cary cdp and am soldiering/suffering using my 4 year old Toshiba dvd player as a transport in the meatime....

I currently have vibrapods under it (sitting on a 2" thick oak shelf). I put a gel mousepad on the casing on top of the transport in a (lame) attempt to start to reduce vibration.

My plan is to get a Philips 963SA sacd/dvd player and mod it to the max, with the intent of simplifying my system and getting rid of external DACs, extra cables, etc. But, my alternative is to get a belt-driven cd transport (CEC or Parasound). I have heard that these transports can sound a bit slow/sluggish/boomy when stock, although they are very smooth. Is that your experience. I understand that they respond very well to power supply upgrades and maybe a clock.

Regards,

- Jay

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Oct 2003, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: Jay S

Francisco,

In what pattern did you put Dynamat inside your transport? I have just sold my battletank Cary cdp and am soldiering/suffering using my 4 year old Toshiba dvd player as a transport in the meatime.... I currently have vibrapods under it (sitting on a 2" thick oak shelf). I put a gel mousepad on the casing on top of the transport in a (lame) attempt to start to reduce vibration.

I have not added any Dynamat to my Parasound belt drive transport. I have used it in an AIWA XC-37M changer and the improvement was more than subtle. I use a similar setup w/my DVD player, with brass cones underneath, Vibrapods supporting a board and a mousepad on top of the DVD, but that's to watch movies. Cones help a lot, as energy needs to be drained away from the component and into an appropriate sink. I use Goldmund cones on my transport (they're excellent) but they are definitely not cheap.

Quote from: Jay S

...my alternative is to get a belt-driven cd transport (CEC or Parasound). I have heard that these transports can sound a bit slow/sluggish/boomy when stock, although they are very smooth. Is that your experience.

Yes, that is my experience. I have a McCormack SST top loading transport and the electronics are the opposite of the CEC: very fast, tight, visceral. The CEC transport is smoother, truly musical and more detailed, though. Dan Wright is going to mod mine and he said the Superclock II was not needed--that he had modded CECs before (including their top of the line) and that he knows how to correct all those shortcomings. If you like smooth, analog like CD sound I suggest you contact Danny Boy and tell him you discussed this with me. I really think this modded transport and Dusty's DAC are going to stay with me for a long long time...

Rocket · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Oct 2003, 12:17 am »

hi jay,

you could try blackhole pad, which is what i used in my pioneer cdp.

it is about 1/8 inch think and is fine to dampen the cdp.

regards

rocket

Jay S · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Oct 2003, 01:32 am »

Francisco and Rod,

Thanks for the inputs. I'm going to try to find some Blackhole pad or Dynamat Extreme here in Hong Kong. It will be worthwhile I'm sure to open up my Toshiba dvd player and put in a few strips. I may also try to put a bit of Blu Tak on the clock crystal (assuming I can recognize it!). If I can find some brass cones here for cheap I may give them a try as well. Tenderfeet (absorbent pads) seem to work fine too.

I am pleasantly surprised at how smooth the drawer of this DVD player opens/closes. It was praised for excellent video quality back in its day. I hope this indicates that it will have some potential to respond in a significant manner to simple tweaks - I don't want to have to rush into getting a new player or transport.

I'll get in touch with Dan W if I confirm that I'll go with a transport rather than a modded sacd/dvd player. What will really hurt is shipping a 20+ lb package between Hong Kong and Oregon. It will be at least $100 each way.

viggen · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Oct 2003, 06:32 am »

PsychicA,

What are the short comings of the Parasound transport are you talking about. What will be the sonic changes after the mod, what are the mods, and how much does the mod cost?

Thanks

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Oct 2003, 12:22 pm »

My McCormack transport is way more dynamic, with better, stronger bass and the music has more overall impact. The belt drive is way more musical and detailed.

I don't know about costs yet. Dan is reasonable and shouldn't be that much.