What the heck is that? Seems Weiss builds a lot very specific for Asia market ;-) never seen it here in Europe? Please, Amir tell us more
Thanks a lot!New Weiss DAC 501 / 502
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What the heck is that? Seems Weiss builds a lot very specific for Asia market ;-) never seen it here in Europe? Please, Amir tell us more
Thanks a lot!
Thank you
Excuse me for off topic : the problem is magazines are not friends of audiophiles and in my idea magazines just think about their benefits.
for example i have listened to Skogrand rahmaninov speaker cable (3000$) and this cable easily outperform more expensive speaker cables even at $15000.
If you read magazine you never seen this.
Another example is CEC TL0 3.0 transport , this transport is far better than all expensive transports in this market and only wadax ($150000) may come close (i am not sure) but if you read magazines you never realize the truth about how great is CEC.
I believe Weiss DAC in it's price range (like CEC TL0 and Skogrand cables) is far better than other brands but you see dCS , MSB , Aqua and ... are more promoted by magazines.
The only trusted way is listening and comparing dacs in a transparent system. In non-optimised non-transparent systems you may prefer a wrong dac to weiss
Excuse me for off topic : the problem is magazines are not friends of audiophiles and in my idea magazines just think about their benefits.
for example i have listened to Skogrand rahmaninov speaker cable (3000$) and this cable easily outperform more expensive speaker cables even at $15000.
If you read magazine you never seen this.
Another example is CEC TL0 3.0 transport , this transport is far better than all expensive transports in this market and only wadax ($150000) may come close (i am not sure) but if you read magazines you never realize the truth about how great is CEC.
I believe Weiss DAC in it's price range (like CEC TL0 and Skogrand cables) is far better than other brands but you see dCS , MSB , Aqua and ... are more promoted by magazines.
The only trusted way is listening and comparing dacs in a transparent system. In non-optimised non-transparent systems you may prefer a wrong dac to weiss
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I have been using a Weiss 501 for almost two years now. It sits in my secondary system as a Roon Endpoint. Whereas it is hard to beat at its price point, I recently made a direct comparison in my main system against two more expensive DACs: the Thrax Maximinus MK2S and a full Merging Technologies NADAC Stack (NADAC Player, Power and Clock). I still have my TAD D600 player as a good reference point.
Both the Thrax and the NADAC were better than the Weiss 501. We are talking about DACs are that several times more expensive than the Weiss 501 BTW.
I also compared the different connections. I tested the USB and AES EBU connections with an Aurender N20 server. I used an Esprit Aura USB cable and a Wireworld Platinum AES EBU cable. The differences were not that huge with a preference for the AES/EBU connection when playing high resolution PCM files. I also tested the ethernet connection with the Weiss as a Roon Endpoint and the NADAC Player as the Roon Core. The latter was way better than with the Aurender N20 server.
I am not considering upgrading the 501 to the new 4 channels specs until some more feedback from users and some assurance that the parts are readily available for the upgrade.
Both the Thrax and the NADAC were better than the Weiss 501. We are talking about DACs are that several times more expensive than the Weiss 501 BTW.
I also compared the different connections. I tested the USB and AES EBU connections with an Aurender N20 server. I used an Esprit Aura USB cable and a Wireworld Platinum AES EBU cable. The differences were not that huge with a preference for the AES/EBU connection when playing high resolution PCM files. I also tested the ethernet connection with the Weiss as a Roon Endpoint and the NADAC Player as the Roon Core. The latter was way better than with the Aurender N20 server.
I am not considering upgrading the 501 to the new 4 channels specs until some more feedback from users and some assurance that the parts are readily available for the upgrade.
How does one audition a Thrax Maximinus MK2S or NADAC stack? So far most of the high end brands I’ve checked have required you either buy unit Or pay a restocking fee of up to 20%—IF they’re willing to let you trial their unit at all.
You can find some more info on this thread https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/my-little-barn.26426/page-4#post-820779
I have about 2000 CDs and several hundreds of SACDs. Though I am currently ripping all my CDs, this will take me ages hence the TAD is still the perfect source for listening to my CDs and SACDs. I am not ripping the SACDs and the TAD is a great SACD player.
As a stand alone DAC, the TAD D600 has its limitations as it only has AES/EBU and SPDIF digital inputs so no USB and Ethernet inputs.
The TAD D600 is still one of the best integrated players but I am mainly buying and streaming high resolution files which are often better than red book PCM files.
I have listened to three dCS elgar , scarlatti and Vivldi and I think TAD D600 is better.
you may have alittle more solid/forward/accurate presentation by dCS Vivaldi but TAD D600 is more Natural , more dynamic and better music presentation in your TAD System. TAD D600 is as transparent as dCS vivldi but in a natural way.
only Wadax Transport/DAC (over $200k) could beat TAD D600.
both DACs (TAD D600 and Wadax) have huge power Supply , Wadax use 1000VA and TAD use 600VA.
I am not audio designer and i do not know big psu is better or not but what i feel is PSU is very important to digital design.
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I am waiting for the replacement model and hopefully TAD will equip with a USB input
DAC501-4ch UPGRADE - finally received and first hours burned in…
Upgrade costs: CHF 1.820 + your country-import-tax (Germany: + €400) - valid for Oct 2022
Upgrade duration: 1-2 days
Modifications: replacing pcb with new DAC Chip ESS9038 PRO
Nothing obvious if you open it, because output/dsp section is covered and I don’t wanna scratch something, but serial number of the WPCB board changed
Difference you see on the web interface:
First impressions: (8h active)
Output level I use with Rotel Michi X5: 0 dB
Output: Cardas XLR AES/EBU
Input/Source: Lumin Mini U2 + Ferrum Hypsos, Cardas SPDIF, Qobuz
Reference song (before/after upgrade):
Overall impression: no doubts it will even improve over next weeks!
Also see how filter (de-esser & vinyl) have improved as well…
Worthwhile upgrading - comparing price and what you get?
Upgrade costs: CHF 1.820 + your country-import-tax (Germany: + €400) - valid for Oct 2022
Upgrade duration: 1-2 days
Modifications: replacing pcb with new DAC Chip ESS9038 PRO
Nothing obvious if you open it, because output/dsp section is covered and I don’t wanna scratch something, but serial number of the WPCB board changed
Difference you see on the web interface:
First impressions: (8h active)
Output level I use with Rotel Michi X5: 0 dB
Output: Cardas XLR AES/EBU
Input/Source: Lumin Mini U2 + Ferrum Hypsos, Cardas SPDIF, Qobuz
Reference song (before/after upgrade):
- Fink, Trouble’s what you’re in Live (Wheels Turn Beneath My Feet)
- JFDR, Gravity + My Work (New Dreams)
- Ane Brun, Words (It all starts with one)
It is so damn, neutral & clarity!
Fink’s guitar clapping: like you sit next to him
JFDR voice: filling up room, wide soundstage, guitar strings even closer as before
Ane: like sitting in a live concert, separation left/right/center ...crystal clear
Overall impression: no doubts it will even improve over next weeks!
Also see how filter (de-esser & vinyl) have improved as well…
Worthwhile upgrading - comparing price and what you get?
- For me it was more to have the latest Sigma-Delta for the next 5+ years
- Getting that much out of it?
- Not sure, it’s an individual decision & of course how much impact it has in your chain
I have on hand a DAC502 Mk2 burning in since the last week of September. I don't have a Mk1 for a direct comparison although I have listened using various genres; classical, soundtracks, choral, electronica, vocals, pop and my usual demo playlist.
General impression:
- it's the same Weiss sound but improved all round. It's a bigger sound, slightly smoother, with better harmonic detail and microdynamics.
- clarity and separation between music lines are now easier to follow. It was good before and better now. One can chose to focus on the sound as a whole or pick out different music lines / singers.
- there is more denseness to notes. By this, it's not that the sound is warmer, but that the outlines of notes / images in the soundstage which used to sound ethereal previously have now more body / solidity. A more 3D effect, perhaps, to individual images within the soundscape.
- the soundstage, which used to be a bit small, is now bigger, with more depth and a better rendering of height.
- improvements in bass extension and articulation are obvious. The bass is not more prominent or louder per se but just goes deeper, without sounding bloated or loosing control.
General impression:
- it's the same Weiss sound but improved all round. It's a bigger sound, slightly smoother, with better harmonic detail and microdynamics.
- clarity and separation between music lines are now easier to follow. It was good before and better now. One can chose to focus on the sound as a whole or pick out different music lines / singers.
- there is more denseness to notes. By this, it's not that the sound is warmer, but that the outlines of notes / images in the soundstage which used to sound ethereal previously have now more body / solidity. A more 3D effect, perhaps, to individual images within the soundscape.
- the soundstage, which used to be a bit small, is now bigger, with more depth and a better rendering of height.
- improvements in bass extension and articulation are obvious. The bass is not more prominent or louder per se but just goes deeper, without sounding bloated or loosing control.
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Great observations, thanks for sharing!
Output gain to 0db made in my case (Rotel Michi X5 AES/EBU) a big difference, default setting was -30db
Did you hear audible difference after 50h+?
I would say give it at least 100+ hours. Some of the above observations are obvious from the start, esp, bass extension and articulation. The rest develop over time.
I am hoping that the body / denseness to notes will develop into a slightly more warm sound with harmonic complexity.
For the Mk 1, the analog output level was set at 0 db. I only used -30 dB when experimenting with going direct, without a preamp.
With the Mk 2, I have not experimented with the analog output level settings.
I am hoping that the body / denseness to notes will develop into a slightly more warm sound with harmonic complexity.
For the Mk 1, the analog output level was set at 0 db. I only used -30 dB when experimenting with going direct, without a preamp.
With the Mk 2, I have not experimented with the analog output level settings.
Latest, very positive, review from High Fidelity Poland, with the "Gold Fingeprint" - top award - for the Mk2 version.
www-highfidelity-pl.translate.goog
There appears to be additional damping / tweaks applied to the internal components.
High Fidelity
There appears to be additional damping / tweaks applied to the internal components.
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After 1 month now, I can say: upgrade absolutely worthwhile and this DAC will stay and never exchanged!
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Really good article and nice deep-dive about the components inside!Latest, very positive, review from High Fidelity Poland, with the "Gold Fingeprint" - top award - for the Mk2 version.
High Fidelity
There appears to be additional damping / tweaks applied to the internal components.
501mk2 a piece of equipment already disappeared in my listening room...no more 10€k SigmaDelta DAC chasing for me!
A special version of the 501Mk2 would be nice, without the DSP stuff and at least 3k less
Matt
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Agree,
in this context I am just wondering why the Weiss have such small power supplies.
Matt
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