Totaldac Reference D1

[totaldac]

Yes it is the right clock frequency used but I usually prefer to use no non-Totaldac external clock.

 

[caliaripaolo]

Vincent told me the frequency has to be 22.5M or 24.5M for the external clock.

yes could be, but there is not an "external clock" input on the rear panel. You have to disconnect the internal clock and jump with a wire the external?
but, sorry I see now Vincent replied.

 

[stereo]

Thank you to all of you for the feedbacks about the sound of the Totaldac DACs and transports.

The Totaldac DACs have no external clock input because a specific clock is made inside the DAC and controls the FIFO memory, so the Totaldac DACs include a clock but it is built in the same enclosure.
The clock inside the Totaldac has for me a better sound than many clocks commonly found in external clocks. It is like distortion, the sound is not much due to the quantity but to the spectrum and other characteristics, hard to predict but easy to listen to.
When a system is made using several DAC enclosures, like a 4 way active system or the d1-monobloc DAC, the clock from one of the enclosures is sent to the other enclosures to make a perfect synchronisation between all the DACs.

thanks Vincent. I have sent you an email with more details on my question

 

[flyer]

Weiss Jason

Again, will explain in more detail a bit later.

I promised an update on my findings around the Totaldac purchases I did. Here you go;

Since about 6 weeks I am the owner of a Totaldac D1 Dual and a D1 Server.
My system originally looked like this; Weiss Jason -> Grimm CC1 reclocker -> Weiss Medea -> Zanden 3000 pre -> Lamm 1.2 Reference monos -> Focus Audio Master 2.5, all interconnect and speaker cables are Analysis Plus Golden Oval, in XLR only.
It now looks like this; D1 Server -> D1 Dual -> Lamm 1.2 -> Focus Master 2.5

So, in the end I could do away with two units of the system. Clearly the reclocker was not needed anymore given the reclocker function of the D1 Server. Having looked for quite a while for a really good preamp, corresponding to my needs and the ones of my system and obviously bettering the Weiss Medea preamp out, I now find myself that a direct connection from the Totaldac is better.

What have I obtained differently in my system compared to my original set-up;

• Done away with any disc hardware; I spent a few weeks ripping my whole collection (95% classical music)
• The D1 Dual was the first to be replacing the Medea and Zanden preamp:

o Hard to describe… much better resolution by adding space, separation, smallest harmonics. Inflexions of bows are now easily heard whereas before I just didn’t know they were there (or realized at least).
o Choir voices, orchestras are much better legible.
o Timbre of instruments and voices improved clearly.
o Attack and decay goes along in the improvement.
o Damn right and stable localization in space (in three dimensions).
o Just the feeling of ‘being there’ or ‘them being here’
o Clearly not a small or marginal improvement but a big one. After I first switched on the D1 Dual I was wholly convinced after 30 seconds and never looked back.
o I have no requirement whatsoever to do any upscaling or upsampling the music. With the Totaldac I have even more space than I had with the Weiss upsampling to 176/24 but combined with the texture and timbre when listening to the Weiss in 44/16 (chamber music ) mode…​

• The D1 Server came a bit later;

o Reclocking function was improving on the D1 Dual but if I were using the Dual as a DAC for a separate transport, I would not have ordered the Reclocker. The biggest gain is to be gotten from the Dual.
o Set-up of the server part had its child diseases (also due to my lack of experience on how to rip and tag) but Totaldac issued updates on the software that lowers the hurdle to get to play with the Server function.
o Direct comparison between a Weiss Jason transport and using the D1 Server as a source quickly lead to the conclusion that the Server improved on the Jason. The Jason suddenly sounded quite ‘rounded’ (just like the Medea actually). But I am sure it is also a matter of taste! Jazz is very enjoyable to listen on both sources, classical is more revelatory to my ears.​

• Music now appears more ‘direct’
• My totaldac combo gives considerably less high frequency sheen (contributing to the ‘digital sound’) compared to my previous set-up but you won’t know or realize until you listen to the totaldac.
​

Now, be careful, what goes for me may go differently for someone else. A disadvantage is that you get a lot more insight into the quality of the recording… and it would be an understatement to say that not all are recorded as well. On the other hand, I have recordings (e.g. Messiah from Trevor Pinnock) on which voices and choirs have just too much digital sheen when played with my older installation but that I now am able to listen to.

Also, I got accustomed to know of about all my CD’s how they sounded and now they more often than not just give a different sound (spatial setting, decays, definition, etc) which in turn requires mental adjustment. One that I like and want to do (and was looking for) but be careful what you wish for!

I came a bit by coincidence across the Totaldac offering but would have stayed with the Weiss and Zanden happily because I was not in the market for a new source but for a mere server front-end. The reason being stupidly that I was short of space and either had to buy and position another CD-rack or make the move for once and for all…

I now have a substantially improved system for less than the resale price of the equipment I had. I didn’t want to write this evaluation in the first weeks because we so often hear what we are ‘expecting or hoping to hear’ (since we spent money for it!) and need to come down from our mountain at a certain moment in time. I guess that point is behind me now.

Two final remarks;
Vincent Brient of Totaldac is giving a wonderful service in (after) sales. Intellectual honesty also makes me say that it is not clear how this company would develop (or even subsist) without Mr Brient being there. I was willing to take the risk but it is not a given for everyone to take this leap although it comes with a premium in an excellent quality/price package.
I have not compared the Totaldac with the Trinity or MSB or DCS or other high-flight solutions of this world; no time and above all not enough money for those contenders which I hope make a huge improvement as one would expect at four times the price of the Totaldac, even taking the law of diminishing returns into account …

 

[john925]

Totaldac DAC will support DSD soon. WOW....

 

[CKKeung]

Totaldac DAC will support DSD soon. WOW....

The DSD add-on upgrade is reasonably priced but is sending it back to France for upgrading a must?

 

[totaldac]

The DSD add-on upgrade is reasonably priced but is sending it back to France for upgrading a must?

Yes it has to come back to add the DSD option.

 

[john925]

Yes it has to come back to add the DSD option.

Vincent, have you received my mail? : )

John

 

[totaldac]

Vincent, have you received my mail? : )
John

yes John, I received it on Saturday.

 

[john925]

I used to have an MPD-5. It's a great DAC and DSD sounds wonderful. I had it for a year using the same system I currently have now except different amps. I prefer to not use a pre-amp, so it would be impossible to say how the D1 would be directly against the MPD-5. I did compare the MPD-5 directly against the BMC DAC with the BMC monos. I felt the BMC DAC was better. However, BMC uses a special input called "current injection" which I couldn't also use with the MPD-5. So, I had the MPD-5 connected to the BMC amps via XLR. The volume was controlled inside the BMC monos via a connection called DIGM(similar to ASR's gain contol but better). I felt like this was the fairest I could make it between the BMC and the MPD-5. The BMC was quieter and resolved further into the recording. With the TotalDac d1, I also can't use the current injection input on my BMC amps; I tried. . So, I am just going through the normal xlr (like it did with MPD-5) and controlling volume on the D1's FPGA. The rest of my system and my room are very resolving.

Hello dallasjustice,

What do you mean about the BMC better than ASR? You're referring to their volume controls or how easy they could drive the speakers? Or do you think without the pre section is better for Totaldac?

John

 

[cat6man]

I promised an update on my findings around the Totaldac purchases I did. Here you go;

Since about 6 weeks I am the owner of a Totaldac D1 Dual and a D1 Server.
My system originally looked like this; Weiss Jason -> Grimm CC1 reclocker -> Weiss Medea -> Zanden 3000 pre -> Lamm 1.2 Reference monos -> Focus Audio Master 2.5, all interconnect and speaker cables are Analysis Plus Golden Oval, in XLR only.
It now looks like this; D1 Server -> D1 Dual -> Lamm 1.2 -> Focus Master 2.5

So, in the end I could do away with two units of the system. Clearly the reclocker was not needed anymore given the reclocker function of the D1 Server. Having looked for quite a while for a really good preamp, corresponding to my needs and the ones of my system and obviously bettering the Weiss Medea preamp out, I now find myself that a direct connection from the Totaldac is better.

What have I obtained differently in my system compared to my original set-up;

• Done away with any disc hardware; I spent a few weeks ripping my whole collection (95% classical music)
• The D1 Dual was the first to be replacing the Medea and Zanden preamp:

o Hard to describe… much better resolution by adding space, separation, smallest harmonics. Inflexions of bows are now easily heard whereas before I just didn’t know they were there (or realized at least).
o Choir voices, orchestras are much better legible.
o Timbre of instruments and voices improved clearly.
o Attack and decay goes along in the improvement.
o Damn right and stable localization in space (in three dimensions).
o Just the feeling of ‘being there’ or ‘them being here’
o Clearly not a small or marginal improvement but a big one. After I first switched on the D1 Dual I was wholly convinced after 30 seconds and never looked back.
o I have no requirement whatsoever to do any upscaling or upsampling the music. With the Totaldac I have even more space than I had with the Weiss upsampling to 176/24 but combined with the texture and timbre when listening to the Weiss in 44/16 (chamber music ) mode…​

• The D1 Server came a bit later;

o Reclocking function was improving on the D1 Dual but if I were using the Dual as a DAC for a separate transport, I would not have ordered the Reclocker. The biggest gain is to be gotten from the Dual.
o Set-up of the server part had its child diseases (also due to my lack of experience on how to rip and tag) but Totaldac issued updates on the software that lowers the hurdle to get to play with the Server function.
o Direct comparison between a Weiss Jason transport and using the D1 Server as a source quickly lead to the conclusion that the Server improved on the Jason. The Jason suddenly sounded quite ‘rounded’ (just like the Medea actually). But I am sure it is also a matter of taste! Jazz is very enjoyable to listen on both sources, classical is more revelatory to my ears.​

• Music now appears more ‘direct’
• My totaldac combo gives considerably less high frequency sheen (contributing to the ‘digital sound’) compared to my previous set-up but you won’t know or realize until you listen to the totaldac.
​

Now, be careful, what goes for me may go differently for someone else. A disadvantage is that you get a lot more insight into the quality of the recording… and it would be an understatement to say that not all are recorded as well. On the other hand, I have recordings (e.g. Messiah from Trevor Pinnock) on which voices and choirs have just too much digital sheen when played with my older installation but that I now am able to listen to.

Also, I got accustomed to know of about all my CD’s how they sounded and now they more often than not just give a different sound (spatial setting, decays, definition, etc) which in turn requires mental adjustment. One that I like and want to do (and was looking for) but be careful what you wish for!

I came a bit by coincidence across the Totaldac offering but would have stayed with the Weiss and Zanden happily because I was not in the market for a new source but for a mere server front-end. The reason being stupidly that I was short of space and either had to buy and position another CD-rack or make the move for once and for all…

I now have a substantially improved system for less than the resale price of the equipment I had. I didn’t want to write this evaluation in the first weeks because we so often hear what we are ‘expecting or hoping to hear’ (since we spent money for it!) and need to come down from our mountain at a certain moment in time. I guess that point is behind me now.

Two final remarks;
Vincent Brient of Totaldac is giving a wonderful service in (after) sales. Intellectual honesty also makes me say that it is not clear how this company would develop (or even subsist) without Mr Brient being there. I was willing to take the risk but it is not a given for everyone to take this leap although it comes with a premium in an excellent quality/price package.
I have not compared the Totaldac with the Trinity or MSB or DCS or other high-flight solutions of this world; no time and above all not enough money for those contenders which I hope make a huge improvement as one would expect at four times the price of the Totaldac, even taking the law of diminishing returns into account …

Hi flyer,

Can you tell me what attenuation range you typically set the dac to in your system, for loud and background listening?

 

[cat6man]

I promised an update on my findings around the Totaldac purchases I did. Here you go;

Since about 6 weeks I am the owner of a Totaldac D1 Dual and a D1 Server.
My system originally looked like this; Weiss Jason -> Grimm CC1 reclocker -> Weiss Medea -> Zanden 3000 pre -> Lamm 1.2 Reference monos -> Focus Audio Master 2.5, all interconnect and speaker cables are Analysis Plus Golden Oval, in XLR only.
It now looks like this; D1 Server -> D1 Dual -> Lamm 1.2 -> Focus Master 2.5

So, in the end I could do away with two units of the system. Clearly the reclocker was not needed anymore given the reclocker function of the D1 Server. Having looked for quite a while for a really good preamp, corresponding to my needs and the ones of my system and obviously bettering the Weiss Medea preamp out, I now find myself that a direct connection from the Totaldac is better.

What have I obtained differently in my system compared to my original set-up;

• Done away with any disc hardware; I spent a few weeks ripping my whole collection (95% classical music)
• The D1 Dual was the first to be replacing the Medea and Zanden preamp:

o Hard to describe… much better resolution by adding space, separation, smallest harmonics. Inflexions of bows are now easily heard whereas before I just didn’t know they were there (or realized at least).
o Choir voices, orchestras are much better legible.
o Timbre of instruments and voices improved clearly.
o Attack and decay goes along in the improvement.
o Damn right and stable localization in space (in three dimensions).
o Just the feeling of ‘being there’ or ‘them being here’
o Clearly not a small or marginal improvement but a big one. After I first switched on the D1 Dual I was wholly convinced after 30 seconds and never looked back.
o I have no requirement whatsoever to do any upscaling or upsampling the music. With the Totaldac I have even more space than I had with the Weiss upsampling to 176/24 but combined with the texture and timbre when listening to the Weiss in 44/16 (chamber music ) mode…​

• The D1 Server came a bit later;

o Reclocking function was improving on the D1 Dual but if I were using the Dual as a DAC for a separate transport, I would not have ordered the Reclocker. The biggest gain is to be gotten from the Dual.
o Set-up of the server part had its child diseases (also due to my lack of experience on how to rip and tag) but Totaldac issued updates on the software that lowers the hurdle to get to play with the Server function.
o Direct comparison between a Weiss Jason transport and using the D1 Server as a source quickly lead to the conclusion that the Server improved on the Jason. The Jason suddenly sounded quite ‘rounded’ (just like the Medea actually). But I am sure it is also a matter of taste! Jazz is very enjoyable to listen on both sources, classical is more revelatory to my ears.​

• Music now appears more ‘direct’
• My totaldac combo gives considerably less high frequency sheen (contributing to the ‘digital sound’) compared to my previous set-up but you won’t know or realize until you listen to the totaldac.
​

Now, be careful, what goes for me may go differently for someone else. A disadvantage is that you get a lot more insight into the quality of the recording… and it would be an understatement to say that not all are recorded as well. On the other hand, I have recordings (e.g. Messiah from Trevor Pinnock) on which voices and choirs have just too much digital sheen when played with my older installation but that I now am able to listen to.

Also, I got accustomed to know of about all my CD’s how they sounded and now they more often than not just give a different sound (spatial setting, decays, definition, etc) which in turn requires mental adjustment. One that I like and want to do (and was looking for) but be careful what you wish for!

I came a bit by coincidence across the Totaldac offering but would have stayed with the Weiss and Zanden happily because I was not in the market for a new source but for a mere server front-end. The reason being stupidly that I was short of space and either had to buy and position another CD-rack or make the move for once and for all…

I now have a substantially improved system for less than the resale price of the equipment I had. I didn’t want to write this evaluation in the first weeks because we so often hear what we are ‘expecting or hoping to hear’ (since we spent money for it!) and need to come down from our mountain at a certain moment in time. I guess that point is behind me now.

Two final remarks;
Vincent Brient of Totaldac is giving a wonderful service in (after) sales. Intellectual honesty also makes me say that it is not clear how this company would develop (or even subsist) without Mr Brient being there. I was willing to take the risk but it is not a given for everyone to take this leap although it comes with a premium in an excellent quality/price package.
I have not compared the Totaldac with the Trinity or MSB or DCS or other high-flight solutions of this world; no time and above all not enough money for those contenders which I hope make a huge improvement as one would expect at four times the price of the Totaldac, even taking the law of diminishing returns into account …

Hi flyer,

Can you tell me what attenuation range you typically set the dac to in your system, for loud and background listening?

 

[flyer]

When I only had the Dual, then the volume was set to about -25dB for realistic level. This is connecting the DAC directly to my amps. This will of course be directly influenced by the input gain of the amps I guess.

The Server unit has a similar volume control, I pre-set the DAC to -10 dB (and put its remote control switch to off) and the Server is now at between -20 and -10 dB depending on the music playing (as gain between them can change a lot).

For background listening the Server is mostly around -25 dB.


I also found out that he music is more organic with the DAC set at -10dB instead to 0 dB, don't know why.



Hoped this helped you.

 

[cat6man]

There is something interesting to learn here, but I don't know yet what it is............so let's commence brainstorming and assume you and I are all correct and are hearing something different..........why?

I'm trying to think about what might be different in my system as a start.
First of all, I hear degradation at -30dB both with single ended (8m to vtl/nola) and balanced (1m to bhse/stax009), which reminds me that I have both single ended and balanced outputs cabled/connected at the same time, though I only use one or the other at a given time.

Are the single ended and balanced outputs in parallel or are they independent output stages? If so, could that be impacting the sound I hear?

 

[flyer]

I think Vincent from Totaldac should chime in, your question beats me. I only listen...

 

[cat6man]

I only listen...

that's my plan also!

 

[totaldac]

I think Vincent from Totaldac should chime in, your question beats me. I only listen...

Well, I would say that it is not very usefull to set the volume of an integrated amplifier at maximum and test the DAC à -30dB attenuation.
0dB of a few dB attenuation in the DAC will always be a better situation than -30dB, but this has to be compared to the true removal of the potentiometer or the preamplifier. A potentiometer at maximum volume is still a potentiometer with its cursor being used.
Many of those who tried with and without preamp are now using no preamp but it is a matter of association (the gain of the chain too), a matter of equipment, and tastes.
Everything is possible!

Let me show also a new d1-monobloc review!
"This is the best digital source I have heard so far. Of course there are plenty of other fish in the sea, but until now I have not heard anything comparable.
A dream!" Jürgen Saile, HIFIstatement
http://www.hifistatement.net/de/tests/item/1263-ultimative-digital-komponenten-i/1263-ultimative-digital-komponenten-i

 

[hvbias]

Hi Vincent, just curious how you are going to implement 1-bit DSD in an R2R DAC?

 

[totaldac]

With my 300B triode amplifiers I listen most times near -5dB attenuation, just fine.

 

[totaldac]

Hi Vincent, just curious how you are going to implement 1-bit DSD in an R2R DAC?

DSD is already available, it is not a future option, it is a current option now.
It uses the R2R ladder, more or less like DCS and MSB.