The Analog DAC

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Has anyone had a chance to listen to this DAC yet? It has been commercially available for month or two I believe, but I have not read anything about it yet. I'm still toying with the idea of getting one for an in house audiotion and do a shootout against the EMM Labs DAC2X, not least because it has a volume control, and the EMM Labs does not.
 

bplexico

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2011
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Well lucky me - demo'ing the Analog DAC now. I have a mix of high resolution PCM, Redbook and DSD files to play though it. Using USB from my Mac Mini running Pure Music. Running it into a tube pre amp and tube mono blocks. Using a no name brand USB cable.

Its only been a few hours, but so far I am liking what I am hearing! I really want to give it a good workout with Redbook as that encompasses much of my collection at this time (other than the 800 LPs).

Life is grand, ain't it?

Barr
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Well lucky me - demo'ing the Analog DAC now. I have a mix of high resolution PCM, Redbook and DSD files to play though it. Using USB from my Mac Mini running Pure Music. Running it into a tube pre amp and tube mono blocks. Using a no name brand USB cable.

Its only been a few hours, but so far I am liking what I am hearing! I really want to give it a good workout with Redbook as that encompasses much of my collection at this time (other than the 800 LPs).

Life is grand, ain't it?

Barr

Nice! What is the "baseline" digital source you are comparing it against?
 

bplexico

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2011
56
3
313
Well that is an odd story. The only DAC I have at the moment is an Apogee Duet which has been pressed into service while I search for a permanent DAC solution. The Duet obviously is not much in the way of competition, and only does 24/96 and no DSD support.

I have been fortunate to have auditioned the Wavelength Proton and Wavelength Cosecant Denominator, as well as the Acoustic Plan Digimaster. The last two being very, very good DACS, but neither doing native DSD.

So I have to rely on my memory of the Wavelength and Acoustic Plan. And just determine if the Analog DAC has all the qualities I am looking for. The only other DAC on my list to try is a Playback Designs...

Barr
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Well lucky me - demo'ing the Analog DAC now. I have a mix of high resolution PCM, Redbook and DSD files to play though it. Using USB from my Mac Mini running Pure Music. Running it into a tube pre amp and tube mono blocks. Using a no name brand USB cable.

Its only been a few hours, but so far I am liking what I am hearing! I really want to give it a good workout with Redbook as that encompasses much of my collection at this time (other than the 800 LPs).

Life is grand, ain't it?

Barr

awesome...please keep us informed as the demo develops...
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
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Smyrna, GA
Well that is an odd story. The only DAC I have at the moment is an Apogee Duet which has been pressed into service while I search for a permanent DAC solution. The Duet obviously is not much in the way of competition, and only does 24/96 and no DSD support.

I have been fortunate to have auditioned the Wavelength Proton and Wavelength Cosecant Denominator, as well as the Acoustic Plan Digimaster. The last two being very, very good DACS, but neither doing native DSD.

So I have to rely on my memory of the Wavelength and Acoustic Plan. And just determine if the Analog DAC has all the qualities I am looking for. The only other DAC on my list to try is a Playback Designs...

Barr

I am personally most interested in a shoot out against the emm labs dac2x.
 

bplexico

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2011
56
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313
I would be interested in that as well, but no idea how to get a DAC2X to demo.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
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Smyrna, GA
I would be interested in that as well, but no idea how to get a DAC2X to demo.

I noticed MSB had upgraded the DAC IV series to Plus level (the Femto 140 clock) to keep the differentiation between the analog DAC and the IV series. Considering this I decided to get a Platinum IV in the house for a demo instead of the analog. The Platinum plus is fully balanced with more inputs and expansion options for $4K more then the analog. Their demo platinum will have the galaxy clock, but will be close to the Femto 140. I should have it in a week or two. Should be interesting to find out how it stacks up against the DAC2X. The winner will stay in my system.....
 

bplexico

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2011
56
3
313
Wow, you are a step ahead of me, I was just thinking of moving up the ladder one notch and trying the Platinum IV, with Platinum Power Base and USB Signature Input (same configuration as you are getting sans the Galaxy Clock. Please let me know your thoughts when you get it, I would love to know!

Barr
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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That's a lot of digital horsepower Bruce.
 

bplexico

Well-Known Member
Mar 28, 2011
56
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313
Yes, I would say quite impressive. If you ever need more storage space and want to make a little room for new toys, let me know...;)
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
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Here's my stack...

Bruce, from what I can read it appears you own the platinum DAC IV - is this correct? (I thought you had the diamond). If, so - do you have the galaxy clock? If yes, I will be auditioning the exact same configuration you own against the EMM Labs.

Do you use the MSB DAC with a preamp or do you use the internal VC? If you use preamp, which one - is it your switchman 3? I put a Switchman 3 behind my DAC2X and found it a pretty significant step back from using digital volume control in the chain upstream, and sold the Switchman.
 

Priaptor

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Jan 28, 2012
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I am personally most interested in a shoot out against the emm labs dac2x.

edorr,

I am building a second system for my vacation home that will include Q1s, the Constellation Centaur stereo amp (deals on both I couldn't refuse) and will be trying the MSB analog the week of Jan 14th. I will indeed be comparing it to my reference system in my primary home which includes a DAC2X so I will give my opinion on this site.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
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Smyrna, GA
edorr,

I am building a second system for my vacation home that will include Q1s, the Constellation Centaur stereo amp (deals on both I couldn't refuse) and will be trying the MSB analog the week of Jan 14th. I will indeed be comparing it to my reference system in my primary home which includes a DAC2X so I will give my opinion on this site.

Nice. You'll have the analog DAC before I have the Platinum IV, so by all means let me know what your impressions are. How do you do volume control with the DAC2X and will you be using the same preamp for the analog DAC or use the internal one?
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
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Nice. You'll have the analog DAC before I have the Platinum IV, so by all means let me know what your impressions are. How do you do volume control with the DAC2X and will you be using the same preamp for the analog DAC or use the internal one?

My DAC2X as I think you know from CA forum is running into my REF5SE. I love it. My plan for the Analog DAC is to use without a preamp and use the Analog with its own volume control. However I will also be running it, for trial purposes, through my REF5SE just for a comparison.

My goal with the Analog DAC is to have a relatively small system for my second home, hence the Q1s.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Signature DACIV with Signature powerbase and volume control is in the house. No Femto / Galaxy clock. First impressions of MSB Signature DAC IV compared to EMM Labs DAC2X.

MSB has more body and weight and sounds more organic and musical. EMM Labs has more “air”, deeper soundstage and detail. I would prefer the MSB as is, so with the Femto clock (which I will get next week), things can only get better. MSB also mentioned some board upgrades were made over the last 2 years (the one I have is 1.5 years old), and bringing it up to most current version (for a nominal fee) will improve the DAC quite a bit (so they say). I will also get the powerbase upgraded to Diamond.

The adjustable output level on the MSB is extremely useful, so match output to sensitivity of my speakers, especially in multi channel system (my center is very low sensitivity, so need to turn the mains way down to match levels). I’ll keep the MSB and sell the EMM labs.

When output level on the MSB is set to –9 dB I only need about 20 dB attenuation. I hear no difference between using the analog and digital volume control in the Trinnov in this attenuation range.
 

asiufy

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Jul 8, 2011
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edorr,

I thought my previous dCS Paganini also had more detail and transparency, but I stuck with the MSB, at first the Signature, sans clock, like you.
When I got the clock, a lot of the detailing came back. And finally, with the Diamond IV + clock, I don't lack for anything. It's like you described, lots of presence (body, weight).

Congratulations on your choice!

alexandre
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
edorr,

I thought my previous dCS Paganini also had more detail and transparency, but I stuck with the MSB, at first the Signature, sans clock, like you.
When I got the clock, a lot of the detailing came back. And finally, with the Diamond IV + clock, I don't lack for anything. It's like you described, lots of presence (body, weight).

Congratulations on your choice!

alexandre

That is good to know. I will get a Galaxy clock in for audition, but the Femto 140 is all I'll be able to afford. I'm hopefull the Signature with Femto 140 clock will get me 90% of the way to diamond + galaxy level for substantially lower cost.
 

opus111

Banned
Feb 10, 2012
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MSB has more body and weight and sounds more organic and musical. EMM Labs has more “air”, deeper soundstage and detail.

This is on RBCD material? If so it pretty much mirrors my own experience from comparing multibit DACs with S-D ones - the multibit win out on timbre and dynamics, the S-D ones have better bloom and soundstaging. My DAC developments over the past year or so have focussed on getting my multibit designs to the levels of air/bloom and SS depth to the levels I've heard on the best S-D ones.
 

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