Totaldac Reference D1

caliaripaolo

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2012
492
192
950
Italia
Mmmmhh, If you ever come to the "Ginevrra" region of Svizzera, I would be please to demo you chipless DSD with only low pass filtration. To me and others it beats the MPD-5 which I know well enough.

Infact, I took the totaldac combo (D1 dual/Reclocker).
Same, if you will plan to come near Mantova or Verona, I will proud to let you try the synergy which Totaldac have with Spectral 260 power amplifier.
Vincent will will be at the High End show of Munich 2014, with a system composed of:
Totaldac d1-server + NAS + Ipad and d1-monobloc DAC, Kaiser Kawero classic speakers, Engstrom&Engstrom the Lars type 2 amplifiers.
I never had the possibility to hear that kind of system, but I ever suggested Vincent to try D1 dual with very resolving system, as like Spectral can do.
 

wisnon

Well-Known Member
Dec 12, 2011
3,525
635
1,200
Infact, I took the totaldac combo (D1 dual/Reclocker).
Same, if you will plan to come near Mantova or Verona, I will proud to let you try the synergy which Totaldac have with Spectral 260 power amplifier.
Vincent will will be at the High End show of Munich 2014, with a system composed of:
Totaldac d1-server + NAS + Ipad and d1-monobloc DAC, Kaiser Kawero classic speakers, Engstrom&Engstrom the Lars type 2 amplifiers.
I never had the possibility to hear that kind of system, but I ever suggested Vincent to try D1 dual with very resolving system, as like Spectral can do.

Thanks C-Paolo,

I will certainly take you up on that if ever in that region for sure.

I only heard the T-Dac once, but it was extensive (better part of one hour with my RBCD demo music). It was the Dac plus the Server being powered by Voxativ's 845 18wpc Set amps and their Ampeggio Due speakers. Impressive sound, really.

See a photo at the foot of the linked page here:
http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/suisse2013/1.html
 

Worldcat

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2012
142
0
256
Not many people get to hear those dacs, they are 30k to 40k. Only someone who can get a good discount could buy them.
 
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flyer

VIP/Donor
Dec 16, 2012
423
179
1,160
Belgium
Upgrading!!

Hi all,

Just to let you know that I just sent my D1server and Dual back to Totaldac... to get an upgrade to the D1 Mono version + DSD ready :b. These units are so addictively good that I just have to know what the monobloc will bring to the table. I will be posting my findings when i get it all back in and burned-in.
According to Michael the change is not marginal at all, which I would expect for the extra price :p
 

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
3,050
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Hong Kong
Hi all,
Just to let you know that I just sent my D1server and Dual back to Totaldac... to get an upgrade to the D1 Mono version + DSD ready :b. These units are so addictively good that I just have to know what the monobloc will bring to the table. I will be posting my findings when i get it all back in and burned-in.
According to Michael the change is not marginal at all, which I would expect for the extra price :p

Hi flyer,

Congratulation! We shall be eagerly waiting for your review of the new Totaldac mono combo.

My friend Dom is also sending his Totaldac D1-Dual back for DSD upgrade. His dac is an early version so he is told that the psu section and chassis may get some improvement too.

CK
 

flyer

VIP/Donor
Dec 16, 2012
423
179
1,160
Belgium
Got my Totaldac mono's in and burned-in (as much it is needed, they sound hardly different now than when they just arrived a few weeks back).
My system looks like the following; NAS -> D1Server -> D1 monodac (X2) -> Lamm 1.2 Reference -> Rockport Avior, all cabled with Analysis plus golden oval in XLR.

I have (no need for a) pre-amplifier nor a disc spinner and upgraded from the D1 Dual to the Monodac. Why the upgrading; because we humans are shortlived and are afraid we will miss on something, no matter how good it already is (like the Dual version).

Anyway, came the mono's in.

Was it worth it? Yes and not by a small margin.

I will not elaborate on how the Totaldac Dual dac is sounding (346 posts on that before this one, including my earlier extensive post on the D1 Dual) but rather on the difference I noted :

First and foremost; Lower registers are awesome. Not in a euphonic way (i.e. blooming or any other exaggeration) but very coherent and tight and yet powerful... as if a DSP was included in it ;) I mean with lower register in my case: from the bottom of what my loudspeaker can reproduce (25 hz on paper) till 120 hz. Above this treshold I don't think the monodacs have that much effect on coherency to the already very good Dual.

Secondly: the silences are even more silent, blacks are blacker etc. the usual description but this has the following direct effect: (micro)dynamics make a nice jump to the next level. Very enjoyable to listen and even invites to listen at lower volumes without missing what the music has to say.

Thirdly; separation is awesome and music detaches itself even more effortlessly from the loudspeakers. Sound stage is also wider yet very very stable localisation across the whole width and depth.


The timbres of voices and instruments and speed of attack is not really different although it also gets subjectively influenced by the three above parameters.

If you like large choral pieces, organ, piano, symphonies, etc then this upgrade is very worthwhile. Although the effect on jazz, giving a contrabass finally the place it deserves (and not just those notes that are in another frequencey spectrum than the other instruments, very pinpointed localisation of the saxophone, etc), is certainly substantial as well.

Again one but; where the quality of what you hear is improved, the display of the (lack of) quality of the recording is also more on display...

Cheers
 

dcc

VIP/Donor
Nov 4, 2012
650
1,270
1,230
Continental Europe -
Got my Totaldac mono's in and burned-in (as much it is needed, they sound hardly different now than when they just arrived a few weeks back).
My system looks like the following; NAS -> D1Server -> D1 monodac (X2) -> Lamm 1.2 Reference -> Rockport Avior, all cabled with Analysis plus golden oval in XLR.

I have (no need for a) pre-amplifier nor a disc spinner and upgraded from the D1 Dual to the Monodac. Why the upgrading; because we humans are shortlived and are afraid we will miss on something, no matter how good it already is (like the Dual version).

Anyway, came the mono's in.

Was it worth it? Yes and not by a small margin.

I will not elaborate on how the Totaldac Dual dac is sounding (346 posts on that before this one, including my earlier extensive post on the D1 Dual) but rather on the difference I noted :

First and foremost; Lower registers are awesome. Not in a euphonic way (i.e. blooming or any other exaggeration) but very coherent and tight and yet powerful... as if a DSP was included in it ;) I mean with lower register in my case: from the bottom of what my loudspeaker can reproduce (25 hz on paper) till 120 hz. Above this treshold I don't think the monodacs have that much effect on coherency to the already very good Dual.

Secondly: the silences are even more silent, blacks are blacker etc. the usual description but this has the following direct effect: (micro)dynamics make a nice jump to the next level. Very enjoyable to listen and even invites to listen at lower volumes without missing what the music has to say.

Thirdly; separation is awesome and music detaches itself even more effortlessly from the loudspeakers. Sound stage is also wider yet very very stable localisation across the whole width and depth.


The timbres of voices and instruments and speed of attack is not really different although it also gets subjectively influenced by the three above parameters.

If you like large choral pieces, organ, piano, symphonies, etc then this upgrade is very worthwhile. Although the effect on jazz, giving a contrabass finally the place it deserves (and not just those notes that are in another frequencey spectrum than the other instruments, very pinpointed localisation of the saxophone, etc), is certainly substantial as well.

Again one but; where the quality of what you hear is improved, the display of the (lack of) quality of the recording is also more on display...

Cheers


Hello Flyer. Thanks for the feedback. I guess that this requires an audition:D
 

flyer

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Dec 16, 2012
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You are more than welcome!

:)
 

joeling

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2014
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Hmm, was looking for something else but happened on this. Will audition this at a dealers' tomorrow.
 

flyer

VIP/Donor
Dec 16, 2012
423
179
1,160
Belgium
Hmm, was looking for something else but happened on this. Will audition this at a dealers' tomorrow.

Hi joeiling,

Did you get to audition the totaldac with your gear? Given your system compnents I am curious to learn what you learnt

Cheers
 

joeling

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2014
175
51
335
Yes I did drop by to have a listen. Unfortunately the system was totally unfamiliar to me. So, I bought the reclocker & dual dac to try at home. Will take a month to deliver.

Regards,
Joe Ling
 

flyer

VIP/Donor
Dec 16, 2012
423
179
1,160
Belgium
Well, I am happy for you.

Btw, for a 1000 EUR (i think it is) extra you could have the reclocker equipped with the server which could open new possibilities. Seeing that you have the Aurender W20, the comparison would have been interesting.

In my case, the server option blew away my Weiss Jason and Medea and the test of the Weiss MAN301 I could do at home.

Looking forward to your findings anyway!
 

GuillaumeB

VIP/Donor
Mar 10, 2014
267
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333
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www.boyeraudio.com
Well, I am happy for you.

Btw, for a 1000 EUR (i think it is) extra you could have the reclocker equipped with the server which could open new possibilities. Seeing that you have the Aurender W20, the comparison would have been interesting.

In my case, the server option blew away my Weiss Jason and Medea and the test of the Weiss MAN301 I could do at home.

Looking forward to your findings anyway!

I'm using the D1 server as a streamer feeding my Devialet dual monos (D800). Essentially I am using it to stream from my QNAP NAS to my Devialets. The improvement in sound quality is extraordinary. Initially got this on a 10 day trial but I think I'll be keeping it! :)

Beats the Auralic ARIES, MiND 180 and direct streaming from my Mac using Audirvana + and AIR. This clever box is in a different league altogether.

Guillaume
 

earlinarizona

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2010
173
44
933
A Different Subject: I noticed this morning that The Native DSD site is now offering Double DSD and Quad DSD of the Fone label from Italy all from master tapes. At the same time Bluecoast and 2 other labels now have double DSD for download. It seems like most everything recorded now with Bluecoast will be available at Double DSD.
 

flyer

VIP/Donor
Dec 16, 2012
423
179
1,160
Belgium
Yes, nativedsd.com is a very promising site but it seems the label they work with are very cautious in releasing material which is hard to understand why. It won't be because of the price because the recordings don't come particularly cheap here.
A label like Harmonia Mundi has dozens of excellent recordings in DSD but they post none of them. On the contrary, they give me the impression to be posting only 'sub-top' releases (although Ad Pacem is very nice if you like the genre) that probably otherwise would hardly get sold...

Btw, the totaldac only supports DSD64 so the double and quad you refer to are useless in this thread, except if Vincent foresees an update.
 

CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
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GuillaumeB

VIP/Donor
Mar 10, 2014
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www.boyeraudio.com
BTW the Totaldac Ethernet Cable is also very good!

Totally agree.

It's at least as good as my Audioquest Diamond, if not better.

Guillaume
 

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