[Psychicanimal]

I have had this unit for almost three months and was truly wondering how far it would go.   I had talked to Dusty a couple weeks ago about reading postings by Todd Kriegger on the Asylum, stating that the CI was not able to successfully handle congested, dynamic passages.  Dusty told me that was not the case and I replied that I would do some more listening and make more changes in my system to find out.

My latest addition to my noise control rig has been a 78lb, 10 ampere medical grade Elgar 6006B AC regenerator.  It is plugged to a 95 lb,220V ONEAC CB 2338 isolation transformer/filter.  The Elgar hosts a Forté 4 class A amp and a 48 lb, copper chassis Clear Image T4 quad isolation transformer/ filter array.  Each filter section is discrete and fully balanced and hosts my stock AIWA transport (via a PS Audio Juice Bar w/ an Absolute Power Cord), the CI Audio (via a 15 lb, 3.5 amp Chicago Isolation transformer that steps up the voltage to 125V--I do not have the optional power supply) and my Melos Sha-1 hybrid linestage.  As anyone can see, my power delivery/noise control rig is outstanding and capable of delivering amazingly clean and stable AC power.

My transport and DAC rest on separate Caribbean Moca wood boards.  Moca is non-resonant and the best material I've used.  The transport, preamp and power amp are supported by Goldmund cones w/ hockey pucks under and Bob Regal feet are used on top for resonance control.

My speakers are Swans M1 mini monitors modded by Dan Wright and the speaker wire is military grade, silver plated copper (12 ga, Teflon insulated and twisted).  I am using two sets of Ridge Street Audio Midnight Silver Edition IC's and the results have been stunning: the Ridge street are fast, clean and extremely musical handcrafted ICs.

There was still some glare and I replaced the Absolute Power Cord in the Juice Bar for a fully broken in, cryo'ed version of the same.  The sound did change dramatically this time:  the glare was gone, music was clear, fast, robust and with a very spooky, quiet background.  

The CI audio DAC is capable of successfully handling complex, dynamic passages with ease and extreme musicality--and no detectable glare.  I can honestly say that its performance has surpassed my expectations--and I am not using the "optional" power supply!  I listen to virtually any kind of music--especially Latin--and this unit can deliver the necessary speed and attack to reproduce salsa, while at the same time being delicate and gentle with other kinds of music, regardless of recording quality.  

Last night I had over a friend of mine who owns a Dodson 217 MKII DAC (upgraded to latest 218 iteration) and Cary single ended monoblocks and he was truly amazed at the digital sound my system has to offer.

My only concern is finding a way to successfully anchor the DAC to the Moca board.  The cables lift it and I have to keep the unit pressed down.  Any suggestions from its designer?

[JoshK]

Where did you get that silver plated copper speaker wire?  I am looking for some currently...

[Jay S]

How is you CI dac different from the "normal" version besides the cryo treatment?  

Also, it seems like you are using a step down rather than step up transformer for the CI (?).  Is the rest of your equipment 220v?

[doug s.]

hi francisco,

it's not surprising to me, that yure getting outstanding results w/that dac.  as i understand, brian cheney is now using it, as well as an early iteration of the modded art di/o.  seems to me that these two, along w/the scott nixon dac, are three budget choices for those w/more sense than dollars!  

seems all of them will give the multi-kilobuck digital rigs a good run...

regards,

doug s.

[Psychicanimal]

Where did you get that silver plated copper speaker wire?  I am looking for some currently...

How much do you need?

How is you CI dac different from the "normal" version besides the cryo treatment?  

Also, it seems like you are using a step down rather than step up transformer for the CI (?).  Is the rest of your equipment 220v?

That's it--cryo treatment by Cryogenics International.  The DAC is amazingly fast & dynamic w/out sounding crisp and relaxed enough in its presentation so that it's not bland sounding either.  Dusty's got a real winner here...

My entire system runs on 115V.  The ONEAC steps down from 220V to 115V, filters and isolates the hot, neutral and ground via big capacitors and ferrite cores and feeds two individually fused, dedicated Hubbel industrial receptacles.  The unit is plugged to the clothes dryer 30 amp dedicated circuit.  The Chicago Isolation Transformer has three taps: 105, 115, 125V.  I use the 125V tap--it gives the system slam and authority. The Clear Image T4 has individual polarity switches for each filter array and everything's set by ear...

The Absolute Power Cords are of a *tuned* design and the Forté 4 is fed from a Jena Labs cryo'ed Tice PC3 with a Highwire Wirewrap tuning device.  All in all, my power deilvery/ noise control rig has been well thought out and executed, following the principles I preach to all of you.  You have to hear it to believe it:  I am getting deep, solid 40Hz bass out of the Swans 4" woofers...

[JoshK]

Kevin,

Well that depends on how much I can get but I would probably like at least 40'.  I intend to build a quite a few cables.

[CIAudio]

You can place a heavy object on top of the VDA-1 to hold it down but use something non-magnetic. A brick would work well but isn't very pretty.
If you wanna get fancy... make a nice little wood box and fill it with sand or lead shot.

Dusty V.

[Psychicanimal]

You can place a heavy object on top of the VDA-1 to hold it down but use something non-magnetic. A brick would work well but isn't very pretty.
If you wanna get fancy... make a nice little wood box and fill it with sand or lead shot.

Dusty V.

The problem with that approach is that the top is not level.  The center ridge is higher than the laterals.  That's why I asked about anchoring the device somehow...

[CIAudio]

The top not being perfectly flat is not really an issue. The added weight is to couple the device to the board. You could also use something similar to a bean bag fill with sand or shot.

Dusty V.

[Psychicanimal]

The top not being perfectly flat is not really an issue. The added weight is to couple the device to the board. You could also use something similar to a bean bag fill with sand or shot.

Dusty V.

Take a look at these components:

http://www.ciaudio.com/

How would they look with *bean bags* on top?  

The components needs to be coupled to a weighed base--not the inverse.  I know you can come up with a better idea.  I have my idea, using Moca wood, lead and brass sheets but I need a way to couple that to the DAC.

[Rocket]

hello,

surely dusty has too much to do running his business without having to spend time researching something like this.

can't you come up with an idea?  just a thought.

regards

rocket

[Psychicanimal]

hello,

surely dusty has too much to do running his business without having to spend time researching something like this.

can't you come up with an idea?  just a thought.

regards

rocket

I have a great idea--almost!  

Moca wood outperforms Maple by a WIDE margin.  Moca was used for shelving for radio and TV equipment in the tube days.   I learned about it in an old US Forest Service Caribbean hardwoods manual.  My friend José (who has had Dusty mod his MSB DAC) lives in P/Rico, ten minutes away from an artisanal sawmill where we can get the wood.  I know the manager, as he was my customer when I used to sell and sharpen sawblades.  I talked to him in April of last year and he can have a Moca tree felled and planed into boards to our specs.

I would like Dusty's input so we can perfect this little creation of his.  Everybody who's got one of these little chassis has the same problem.  An aesthetic solution merits the already cool design.  Perhaps the unit's feet  can be removed, have holes drilled and a lead sheet be screwed on the bottom of the inside panel for both weight and resonance control.  A little piece of Moca wood with brass or polycrystal cones might do the trick...

You need to reallize that my friend who owns a $4K Dodson DAC was totally impressed by Dusty's DAC.  I think working on optimizing it in an aesthetic way is worth my time--and Dusty's...

OK Dusty, let's work on this w/out voiding my warranty!  

[CIAudio]

here's an option you "might" like.. (my last try)
If you open up the chassis, you'll see there are many slots in the chassis (the circuit board is in the 3rd one from the bottom). You could cut a brass plate the same size as the circuit board, put some lead sheeting on top and slide it in the groove above the power supply caps. Depending on the stiffness of your cables, this might do the trick and would be unseen.

There is also no problem if you wish to drill a hole in the bottom of the chassis and bolt it to moca wood. Just remove the circuit borad before drilling the hole and make sure you remove any metal shavings before reassembly  

[Psychicanimal]

I forgot to mention Dynamat Extreme for the top and bottom of the chassis, too!

That sandwich should work very well.  I have no plans of upgrading that little DAC for something else.  Perhaps I should get a cryo'ed power supply...

Moca rocks!  

[mb]

Ha, that's just what I did last week -- applied damping pads inside the VDA-1 case. Like most metal boxes, the cases ring pretty badly, so I can't see a downside to this.

I really like my VDA, but like it much better after some mods (caps, bridge, etc). The cumulative effect of the mods has raised the sound quality a full notch, imho, but it takes patience and willingness to backtrack on mods which degrade the sound (eg. wrong choice of caps).

[Psychicanimal]

I would not bother to try "improve" Dusty's design.  I think he's been around long enough at this game and that he created something really good at this price point.  Cryo'ing the assembled circuit board makes the unit really smooth sounding and dynamic.  I would like a cryo'ed power supply, though!

My friend who came to listen to it has a Wadia transport and a Dodson 217 DAC upgraded to 218 and was totally impressed by this little DAC.  I am using a stock AWIA XC-37M changer w/ the $29.95 glass fiber optical fiber cable sold in eBay and the results are truly phenomenal.  Another friend that's heavy into digital (and the previous owner of the Dodson) told me to go for the AIWA mods and get I2 Digital's cable--that that would make the greatest improvement possible.  I believe him, for he put up for sale his $2K Kharma digital cable for the $200 I2 Digital and was running Lamm preamp and power amps.  Doing that and the resonance control measures will take my digital rig to new heights.  It will be a great companion to my modded Technics 1200...

[mb]

I would not bother to try "improve" Dusty's design.  I think he's been around long enough at this game and that he created something really good at this price point.  Cryo'ing the assembled circuit board makes the unit really smooth sounding and dynamic.  I would like a cryo'ed power supply, though!

Yes, but isn't cryo'ing also trying to "improve" it? It's precisely because Dusty's design is excellent that I've not tried any design-related changes, simply some parts, which which would probably have increased the VDA price point up quite a bit.

[Psychicanimal]

Well, my DAC came cryo treated and it's got the treatment facility's sticker under it and it's noted on the sales slip.  Technically, it is a *material treatment*.  I understand what you are saying but from what I understand, working on that circuit board is extremely delicate...

What did you do to the unit?  Perhaps Dusty has something to comment about what you've done.

[mb]

Well, my DAC came cryo treated and it's got the treatment facility's sticker under it and it's noted on the sales slip.  Technically, it is a *material treatment*.  I understand what you are saying but from what I understand, working on that circuit board is extremely delicate...

What did you do to the unit?  Perhaps Dusty has something to comment about what you've done.

Hi Psychicanimal,

The VDA circuit board is a beauty for modding! It's well built, and slips out of the case after removing the 4 back screws. It's easier than any other eqpt I've worked on. My mods have been posted elsewhere on audioasylum, and are really like basic ModWright mods. Probably very boring for Dusty... A couple of good schottky diodes for power rectification, better (IMO) caps before / after regulators, a pair of Black Gates, etc. As I said, nothing to nullify Dusty's nice design (I hope). The delicate part are around with the digital bits or dac (surface), but I would not recommend fiddling with them .

Cheers,
mb

[minotaur]

How did you get a Cryo'ed version of the dac?