[Marco Prozzo]

I had the pleasure of hanging onto the Elyse DAC for a week after photographing it for Dan. I was really glad to hear that all the time and effort he's put into this particular project has paid off in spades. The qualities I was hearing from it strongly reflect those I've come to appreciate as Dan's signature sound. They are the same qualities that ultimately tore me away from my devotion to tube amplification and the more rounded, softer renditions one might associate with tubes. In listening to the Elyse DAC I had two other digital sources to compare: The highly regarded Oppo 105 (Sabre DAC) with Dan's mods (tube rectified power supply, and tube output stage) in place, as well as an Audio GD Reference 8 (no longer available - uses 8 PCM1704UK DAC chips). My system is Modwright, so certainly very tailored to making the best of the qualities of the Elyse DAC. Speakers are AudioMachina Pure System. Various cables and conditioning that I won't go into detail about. I don't know how much break-in the DAC or tubes actually had, but here are my impressions straight out of the box, as it were: Great separation, soundstaging, and very natural clarity....forward without being edgy at all. Details were crisp, clear and well defined. In comparison the modified Oppo is markedly more soft-edged and relaxed sounding. I can see where some might prefer that sort of presentation....think tubes vs SS...but when I listen to the same cut on both it seems the the Oppo is giving you that classically tubey presentation (sorry for the stereotype, but it works) at the expense of details that the Elyse is ferreting out from the darkest corners to the brightest highlights. The Audio GD is a SS design and definitely comes more close to what the Elyse does, and brought its own strengths to bear taking a teaspoon of tubey medicine from the Oppo (rounded out the edges a just a bit while giving very similar separation and soundstaging as the Elyse), but ultimately I was taken with the presentation and detail-extracting qualities of the Elyse, which was also the most forward sounding of the three. As I mentioned, Dan seems to really succeed in that particular quality in his best components... It's the sort of clarity and forward nature that might otherwise make you brace yourself for something harsh, but that harshness never happens and you are left with this great, natural clarity that paints vivid, lifelike portraits in your room. I still remember having the very same impression of his KWA150 amp when I first listened to it, having been used to a decade devoted to tube amps. It was really great to hear that all the effort he put into the DAC was clearly worth it. I only tried out the single ended input, but it also has USB and balanced. I stuck with the stock tubes too (nothing special, though I did throw in a better rectifier at one point, which made what I thought to be a minor difference). Ultimately it always sounded great, no matter what material I played through it...I have widely varied tastes in mostly acoustic realms, but threw everything at this while it was here. Very impressive, Dan. Congratulations on another great product. Obvious disclaimers apply, but thought the impressions might be appreciated by those who can get passed that.

[kngale1]

Marco, Have you had a chance hearing the MW Sony HAP-Z1ES?

[Marco Prozzo]

No, I have not heard Dans mod of the Sony.  Sorry.

[jriggy]

Marco,
Could I ask you what "forward" means to you, in this context?
I might be wrong here but I have been under the impression that the word forward in audio terms, is to mean the soundstage or imaging of the music projecting forward towards the listener/in front of the front plain of the speakers. as opposed to "laid back" being the depth of stage and center images being presented behind the front plain of the speakers/farther away from the listener.

 Over the years, I have wondered if this term is used in two ways, as occasionally it seem to possibly have a different meaning to some, like meaning details being presented like the listener is closer to pick up these details.

Could you add any insights to this and any other details to you experience with the Elyse DAC. Besides my own demo of it at AXPONA this year, yours  are the first  to pop up...

I agree with you about the wonderful clarity of this DAC. It was smooth, clear and natural with great texture as well.

[Marco Prozzo]

Your first description is my understanding of the term "forward" when applied here, and is what my impression was.  The entire soundstage is not pushed forward, but the closest of the performers does indeed seem to break the plane of the speakers in some cases, while others remain behind (which is what I'm more used to hearing in my room).  The first thing that jumped out at me was the detail extraction.  The opening cut of King Kreosote's great album, Diamond Mine, is just a recording of him and his family at some seaside coffee shop...actually much of the dialogue comes from one of the waitresses while their conversation is very subdued.  It is melded with the introductory music that leads into the first cut that he actually sings.  That piece of live ambiance of life going on in a coffee shop is full of subtle details and spoken words and sounds and noises at varying distances.  I only bring it up because it was the very first cut I played with the Elyse as I'm very familiar with how that entire album sounds.  It was as if you'd cleaned a very thin film from the acoustic window and all of a sudden each sound was brought to light and had a very distinct and specific position and clarity.  Mind you, the other components which I'm used to are no slouches in rendering a very convincing and engaging illusion.  But it's like wearing glasses that have just a bit of oil film from your fingers on them that you've become used to...when you finally clean it off the world snaps clearly into focus.  That was what that first listen was like.  The players also seem to become slightly larger.  I was hearing subtle details in space that may have been there before, but obviously weren't separating as well, and not as well defined in space. I don't know that the soundstage felt larger, but it did improve the illusion of dimensionality and separation, perhaps in some way by pushing those most forward slightly ahead of the speaker plane.  I also think that the crisper, cleaner nature of the DAC in comparison especially with the 105, which, in comparison, sounds strongly influenced by the 6SN7 tube output stage.  It renders a somewhat "warmer" sound, to use more audiophile ambiguous terminology.  The leading edges of notes with the 105 seemed to be more soft ("pleasing...mellow...laid back" all come to mind), while the Elyse seemed very sharp and well defined.  Again, that sharpness might normally have me bracing for something harsh, but it simply didn't happen, much to my delight.  I was sad to send it back to Dan.  I still love the sound of the 105, and am quite used to that presentation. When pressed to choose, in direct comparison, my personal preference was the Elyse each and every time. I could certainly tell the two apart blind.  What the 105 does is very pleasing on much of the vocal and stringed instrument acoustic music I tend to favor.  I also did not tube roll much at all and I know I can tailor the sound of the 105 to some degree by changing the tubes. I do hope that helps clarify some things for you.  I confess, I'm a bit over all the fuss of all the A/B/C testing and agonizing over straining to hear and describe differences (these were easy as there was certainly no straining to hear them).  I Have a limited patience for it after 30 years of tinkering and much prefer to just enjoy the music.  I had the gear here and I've come to greatly respect what Dan is capable of over the many years I've known him, so I was not going to let the opportunity pass without taking a listen and enjoy what he's done. Again, there are the obvious disclaimers I've made here before. 

[jriggy]

M P,

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain. The addition to your review really helped finish out the picture of your expiriencing with the Elyse DAC...
And being brand new to glasses at the age of 44, I loved, and got a good laugh, with your analogy of grease on ones glasses --this has been the hardest part for me 

I loved this DAC with my reference track when at AXPONA this year and have no doubt Dan has another winner here.

Thanks again

[kngale1]

I loved this DAC with my reference track when at AXPONA this year and have no doubt Dan has another winner here.

Are you buying the DAC?

[jriggy]

Are you buying the DAC?

I have no plans to at the moment. There are a few other things to take place before I get to thinking about demoing this dac in my system. Hopefully I can look at doing so before spring or something. That might change as more reports come in though...

[kngale1]

I have no plans to at the moment. There are a few other things to take place before I get to thinking about demoing this dac in my system. Hopefully I can look at doing so before spring or something. That might change as more reports come in though...

After much consideration, my Sony HAP-Z1ES is at MW for the mod.  I'm intrigued by Dan's transformer coupling design.   Elyse and Sony are the same design so should have similar sound.  I'll post comments after it's return and burnt in.