So ok 384KHz can sound better that 192KHz on a given DAC, but is it better than 192KHz played by a Totaldac D1?
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Totaldac Reference D1
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On your site you show impulse response in 44.1 KHz with FIR filter on and off, but what about 192 KHz?
What's the Linearity of the D1, -120dB or better?
What's the Linearity of the D1, -120dB or better?
Better, but I just made measurement when the DAC didn't measure so good, maybe the linearity (LSB dynamic) can be evaluated from the FFT? I can't make the linearity measurement right now.
As you can see a -140dBFs sinewave will be well above the noise floor.
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With these resistors the values of 1k and 180R - you need two 1k and 1 180R - will give 21dB of attenuation. The next value down, 150R gives 22.5dB attenuation. Change the 180R to 680R and this'll give you 9.4dB.
Please forgive me if my description of the D1 doesn't use conventional audiophile descriptors. Vincent has provided much useful technical information in this thread and on his website. What does it mean?
I listen over USB from a custom server with a high-end custom linear power supply. I play all my tracks without any oversampling in Jriver. I don't use a pre-amp and I output over balanced to the BMC monos balanced.
The most significant difference between this dac and any other dac i've heard has to do with recording space retrieval. I can very clearly understand the recording space listening to this dac to a far greater extent than ever before. There's nothing flashy; the sound doesnt jump out at you. The DACs I've had in the past tend to do one or two things well. For my year with the MPD-5, I always understood the correctness of the image. Each instrument, voice and percussive attack seemed to happen in the correct place, front to back and side to side. To my ears, the only limitation with the MPD-5 was the low level retrieval. The BMC was better at the low level retireval and hence the recording space came more clearly into view. However, the BMC left a slight hardness to the sound on certain tracks. The totaldac separates itself from all previous comers because it can do all of the best things done by the other DACs, but much better.
I was a rock drummer for many years when I was younger. I listen to the drums very carefully. When I listen to Hiromi's "Voice", the totaldac helps me see that Michael Bishop was able to capture Simon Phillips' orientation in the recording space, if that makes any sense. The recording space seems so expansive, it's like I can walk into the recording studio and experience what Bishop experienced when he was recording this all-star line-up. There's no edge or digitalness to the recording. The music and the speakers in my room have NO relationship with one another. It's like the music happens in spite of, not because of, the gear in the room. Piano sounds correct, horns sound correct and the drums have attack and jump factor like never before.
I've only had this DAC for a few days, so you may ask how can it be broken in. I had Vincent break the DAC in for me for about 3 weeks before I received it. I didn't really know what to expect so I wanted to be sure I didn't have to break it in. You see, Vincent gives all of his customers 10 days to decide whether they want to return the DAC. I am not aware of any other DAC manufacturer that makes such an offer.
Are there any weakness? Sonically, I don't think so. I told Vincent that if he were less modest, he could have called his creation "perfectdac." I only have 2 criticisms. First, the case looks very nice but the top of the case is not a heavy metal, so it does vibrate slightly. I ordered some HRS damping plates to deal with this vibration. It probably has no sonic effect, but I am a nut, so I will give the HRS a try.
The second criticism has to do with the length of time the internal clocks need to lock onto a new sample rate after I switch sample rates. IME, most DACs need a few seconds at the most to lock, the totaldac needs about 10 seconds before it totally locks onto to the new sample rate. Bear in mind, the totaldac uses a FIFO buffer which helps it to reject jitter. It's my understanding from Vincent, that this is the reason for the delay. I don't think I've ever heard a DAC before that uses a FIFO buffer, so I have nothing to compare it with. To me, the delay is not a big deal because I mostly enjoy listening one album at a time.
Vincent has been very kind to spend time explaining his creation to us. IMO, Vincent represent a unique combination of passionate audiophile, methodical professional engineer, and modest music lover.
Is there a better DAC out there? I don't know, but I am afraid I would go broke trying to find one better than the totaldac D1.
I listen over USB from a custom server with a high-end custom linear power supply. I play all my tracks without any oversampling in Jriver. I don't use a pre-amp and I output over balanced to the BMC monos balanced.
The most significant difference between this dac and any other dac i've heard has to do with recording space retrieval. I can very clearly understand the recording space listening to this dac to a far greater extent than ever before. There's nothing flashy; the sound doesnt jump out at you. The DACs I've had in the past tend to do one or two things well. For my year with the MPD-5, I always understood the correctness of the image. Each instrument, voice and percussive attack seemed to happen in the correct place, front to back and side to side. To my ears, the only limitation with the MPD-5 was the low level retrieval. The BMC was better at the low level retireval and hence the recording space came more clearly into view. However, the BMC left a slight hardness to the sound on certain tracks. The totaldac separates itself from all previous comers because it can do all of the best things done by the other DACs, but much better.
I was a rock drummer for many years when I was younger. I listen to the drums very carefully. When I listen to Hiromi's "Voice", the totaldac helps me see that Michael Bishop was able to capture Simon Phillips' orientation in the recording space, if that makes any sense. The recording space seems so expansive, it's like I can walk into the recording studio and experience what Bishop experienced when he was recording this all-star line-up. There's no edge or digitalness to the recording. The music and the speakers in my room have NO relationship with one another. It's like the music happens in spite of, not because of, the gear in the room. Piano sounds correct, horns sound correct and the drums have attack and jump factor like never before.
I've only had this DAC for a few days, so you may ask how can it be broken in. I had Vincent break the DAC in for me for about 3 weeks before I received it. I didn't really know what to expect so I wanted to be sure I didn't have to break it in. You see, Vincent gives all of his customers 10 days to decide whether they want to return the DAC. I am not aware of any other DAC manufacturer that makes such an offer.
Are there any weakness? Sonically, I don't think so. I told Vincent that if he were less modest, he could have called his creation "perfectdac." I only have 2 criticisms. First, the case looks very nice but the top of the case is not a heavy metal, so it does vibrate slightly. I ordered some HRS damping plates to deal with this vibration. It probably has no sonic effect, but I am a nut, so I will give the HRS a try.
The second criticism has to do with the length of time the internal clocks need to lock onto a new sample rate after I switch sample rates. IME, most DACs need a few seconds at the most to lock, the totaldac needs about 10 seconds before it totally locks onto to the new sample rate. Bear in mind, the totaldac uses a FIFO buffer which helps it to reject jitter. It's my understanding from Vincent, that this is the reason for the delay. I don't think I've ever heard a DAC before that uses a FIFO buffer, so I have nothing to compare it with. To me, the delay is not a big deal because I mostly enjoy listening one album at a time.Vincent has been very kind to spend time explaining his creation to us. IMO, Vincent represent a unique combination of passionate audiophile, methodical professional engineer, and modest music lover.
Is there a better DAC out there? I don't know, but I am afraid I would go broke trying to find one better than the totaldac D1.
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I have just made an experiment about digital volume control.
I used a SR-009 Stax headphone and a SRM-007tII Stax amplifier. I used the balanced input. Such a Stax system can be found all around the world, the Totaldac... is less common.
I listen to the same tracks in two configurations:
-Totaldac D1 at 0dB and analog volume control applied at the Stax amplifier volume button
-Totaldac D1 at -20dB to -30dB, depending on the tracks, with the Stax volume control at the maximum to almost bypass the potentiometer(the Stax amplifier keeps perfectly silent even when the volume button is max).
For each track I adjusted the volume to get the same sound level in the two configurations, so I had a system with a Stax analog volume and a system with Totaldac digital volume control.
For all tested tracks I had the same feeling, the Stax potentiometer based volume gives a "thinner" sound whereas the direct amp drive gives more body, more real size instruments, bass is more real, it is never aggressive.
I hope it helps.
I used a SR-009 Stax headphone and a SRM-007tII Stax amplifier. I used the balanced input. Such a Stax system can be found all around the world, the Totaldac... is less common.
I listen to the same tracks in two configurations:
-Totaldac D1 at 0dB and analog volume control applied at the Stax amplifier volume button
-Totaldac D1 at -20dB to -30dB, depending on the tracks, with the Stax volume control at the maximum to almost bypass the potentiometer(the Stax amplifier keeps perfectly silent even when the volume button is max).
For each track I adjusted the volume to get the same sound level in the two configurations, so I had a system with a Stax analog volume and a system with Totaldac digital volume control.
For all tested tracks I had the same feeling, the Stax potentiometer based volume gives a "thinner" sound whereas the direct amp drive gives more body, more real size instruments, bass is more real, it is never aggressive.
I hope it helps.
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Here's a nice discussion on digital volume control in comparison to analog volume control.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYjHKv2_OqQ&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYjHKv2_OqQ&feature=player_embedded
Drain pipe
The 710 handles the YG speakers really well and matches the totaldac in resolution. It's an awesome combo!
The drain pipe drains 20 amp into the sound application jc ref which powers the server and Dac.
It's an Elrod. I had 3 Elrod X2 PCs. I sold 2 of them and I may sell my last one. The soulution has an IEC that is 90 degrees toward the right binding post. I can't plug the x2 into the iec without using an adapter. I don't like the adapter, so I may just sell my last x2 also. I am using the stock PC with the 710, which is good. The better my system gets, the less the PCs matter, IME.
The 710 handles the YG speakers really well and matches the totaldac in resolution. It's an awesome combo!
The drain pipe drains 20 amp into the sound application jc ref which powers the server and Dac.
710
It's great! It has a tube-like 3D soundstage, super fast and very accurate. I thought I needed an amp with huge wattage/power. I was wrong. I've discovered there is more than one kind of power. Maybe control is a better word. The soulution can maintain very complex music at high db without losing it's ultra-accurate sound or instrument separation. It sounds effortless at all levels; doesn't run out of steam. Bass is very tight and correct. No overblown midbass. It's also super quiet which means abundant low level texture and spatial info. It also rocks. No harshness. The music I once thought was too poorly recorded for listening shed the harsh edge and is musical again. It's like a tube amp but with the ability to really control the speaker.
I have heard mixed thoughts on the BMC dac. IYO does it run with the W 202 and other big $$$ Dac's?
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