Very cool. The step up from the D1 Dual to even the Monobloc DAC is very substantial. I think you would be enamored with the Twelve.
Totaldac Reference D1
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Hi,
Two reviews about the d1-twelve have just been released.
"The Totaldac d1-digital reclocker/d1-twelve DAC combo represents a MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT in the world of digital converters.
It shows performance levels that go beyond everything that I have ever tried under known conditions.
The most striking virtue was how it brought together extreme transparency and exemplary musicality without sacrificing one bit of either of the two.
Upper Echelon award, as well as the place n Über Audio section - it truly belongs to the STATE OF THE ART CLASS!"
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2015/04/totaldac-d1-digital-reclocker-and-d1.html
"Here and now sound of French DAC speaks to me, to my whole ME, to my whole music universe.
It brings a new way of feeling the music, taking off “something” that other digital systems tend to add.
Frequency response is very wide, however we do not necessary see it like this.
It is because we talk not about magician tricks but real, solid way of bringing music that only analog master-tapes can do.
It is outstanding digital system, one of the very best I know of.
RED Fingerprint award."
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-2398&lang=
Two reviews about the d1-twelve have just been released.
"The Totaldac d1-digital reclocker/d1-twelve DAC combo represents a MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT in the world of digital converters.
It shows performance levels that go beyond everything that I have ever tried under known conditions.
The most striking virtue was how it brought together extreme transparency and exemplary musicality without sacrificing one bit of either of the two.
Upper Echelon award, as well as the place n Über Audio section - it truly belongs to the STATE OF THE ART CLASS!"
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2015/04/totaldac-d1-digital-reclocker-and-d1.html
"Here and now sound of French DAC speaks to me, to my whole ME, to my whole music universe.
It brings a new way of feeling the music, taking off “something” that other digital systems tend to add.
Frequency response is very wide, however we do not necessary see it like this.
It is because we talk not about magician tricks but real, solid way of bringing music that only analog master-tapes can do.
It is outstanding digital system, one of the very best I know of.
RED Fingerprint award."
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-2398&lang=
![20150417_231809[1].jpg](https://www.whatsbestforum.com/data/attachments/14/14513-1a52042532c35edad693eb1331db3928.jpg "20150417_231809[1].jpg")
WoW Symposium Rack with all-Quantum Signature boards!
Please tell us more on the performance of your D1 monoblocks! Many thanks!
a great improvement (even if it seems impossible given the level of this DAC), is adding in series another Reclocker or Alpha USB (as in my case).
The level of detail and the naturalness are amazingly increased.
Stronger and deep bass make it even more homogeneous soundstage.
The level of detail and the naturalness are amazingly increased.
Stronger and deep bass make it even more homogeneous soundstage.
This seems like an outstanding product. Can someone please explain the value added by the Server? I understand the value of the Reclocker, but I am missing what the Sever does to the audio signal to improve the quality of the sound.
Is the server able to present data to the dac to ease processing?
Is the server able to present data to the dac to ease processing?
Vincent's server has the reclocker built in. The Server is absolutely world class and a great addition to the Totaldac DAC's. Really is a must!
paolo response suggests yet another reclocker after the Totaldac Reclocker. Vincent offers a System Twelve that adds yet another reclocker after the server reclocker, and if you do this, an improvement is realized yet again. I believe Fish07 has this configuration using the Monobloc DAC's.
Fish07, that is a beautiful rack man. Symposium stuff is no joke and really works. What footers did you use to couple to the Symposium platform's?
The Server? Because it sounds absolutely incredible. It is also "tune-able" with image file changes. I can't see it not working with any system. The degree to which it bests any other digital source I have tried here is not subtle.
The reclocker is not a fix all type thing... More of a refinement. The digital source still matters quite a bit.
Several CD Transports. Mac Mini with Paul Hynes linear supply, using either Amarra or Audirvana with SSD. None come close to what I am now getting with the Totaldac Server. Not even close.
Re: Footers
I use Stein music's Super Naturals Plus footers between the components and the Symposium Quantum Signature bases.
http://www.steinmusic.de/webshop/product_info.php?products_id=26
I use Stein music's Super Naturals Plus footers between the components and the Symposium Quantum Signature bases.
http://www.steinmusic.de/webshop/product_info.php?products_id=26
I recently heard the TotalDAC for the first time, and of course... I found it very good, but the biggest surprise came from the quality of it's headphone out ! We heard the HD800 direct on the SE headphone out of the TotalDAC and we liked it better than when using... a Cavalli Liquid Gold !! it was clearly more precise without the External amp added !
I wish I could have tested with a balanced headphone using the 2 balanced XLR plugs on the back, like a well known Head-fier is doing with his ABYSS.
I wish I could have tested with a balanced headphone using the 2 balanced XLR plugs on the back, like a well known Head-fier is doing with his ABYSS.
My partner and I were in France last week and able to visit Vincent at totaldac, with the aim of comparing his d1-tube-mk2 DAC with music from a Mac/Aurdirvana and then the same DAC powered by his d1-server/reclocker.
We currently have a d1-tube-mk2 on demo at home for use in this system:
MacMini/Aurdirvana/USB ->
d1-tube-mk2 DAC ->
First Watt SIT 1 monoblock amps ->
Beauhorn B2.3 speakers (single driver no crossover horns) & a small sub.
For the demo in France we used our music, (not necessarily well recorded, just stuff we liked,) on both the d1-server and my partners MacBook Air running on battery with Aurdirvana using my totaldac USB cable (3.5m - I'll come back to that in a bit), the d1-server was connected to the DAC via AES. Both these feed a d1-tube-mk2 DAC, Voxativ 845 (I think) power amps and those huge speakers pictured on his site.
So was the d1-server better than the Mac/Aurdirvana, the short answer is a big yes, more dimensional, more realistic - both my partner and I thought so, just much more involving. To such an extent I think you should probably consider the d1-server/d1-dac as a single item.
So what about the totaldac usb cable?: Well, just as an experiment we tried my 3.5m USB cable as the link for the server compared to one of Vincents' usual very short USB cables. The short cable is just better, maybe 3.5m is just too long (and very silly for this application), but it is what we needed at home for use between the MacMini and DAC.
I also wanted to add we had a great time, Vincent was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The demo was relaxed, we just played what we wanted and switched between the two front ends as required. Sadly we weren't able to stay for lunch, but his wife recommended a superb restaurant, perhaps we can stay for lunch on our next visit ;-) I also got to see the totaldac products in various states of build and can confirm the quality of parts and product design is first rate.
The d1-tube-Mk2 DAC is staying and d1-server (with a very short USB) is on order.
We currently have a d1-tube-mk2 on demo at home for use in this system:
MacMini/Aurdirvana/USB ->
d1-tube-mk2 DAC ->
First Watt SIT 1 monoblock amps ->
Beauhorn B2.3 speakers (single driver no crossover horns) & a small sub.
For the demo in France we used our music, (not necessarily well recorded, just stuff we liked,) on both the d1-server and my partners MacBook Air running on battery with Aurdirvana using my totaldac USB cable (3.5m - I'll come back to that in a bit), the d1-server was connected to the DAC via AES. Both these feed a d1-tube-mk2 DAC, Voxativ 845 (I think) power amps and those huge speakers pictured on his site.
So was the d1-server better than the Mac/Aurdirvana, the short answer is a big yes, more dimensional, more realistic - both my partner and I thought so, just much more involving. To such an extent I think you should probably consider the d1-server/d1-dac as a single item.
So what about the totaldac usb cable?: Well, just as an experiment we tried my 3.5m USB cable as the link for the server compared to one of Vincents' usual very short USB cables. The short cable is just better, maybe 3.5m is just too long (and very silly for this application), but it is what we needed at home for use between the MacMini and DAC.
I also wanted to add we had a great time, Vincent was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The demo was relaxed, we just played what we wanted and switched between the two front ends as required. Sadly we weren't able to stay for lunch, but his wife recommended a superb restaurant, perhaps we can stay for lunch on our next visit ;-) I also got to see the totaldac products in various states of build and can confirm the quality of parts and product design is first rate.
The d1-tube-Mk2 DAC is staying and d1-server (with a very short USB) is on order.
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do you mean: the MacBook Air connected directly to d1-tube-mk2 DAC?
If, so, to respect the same configuration, why do you haven't connected the MAC USB output directly to the USB input of Server?
I have the Reclocker (which is included into the Server) and this is a great improvement to the already great D1 Dual DAC.
OK, not sure what you are saying caliaripaolo, but just to be clear, I wanted to know if the server was better than a Mac when feeding the same DAC.
The MacBook Air was directly connected, via my USB cable, to d1-tube-mk2 DAC.
d1-Server was directly connected,via AES, to the same DAC.
They were not connected at the same time, we switched them manually whilst playing the same tracks.
I was not really interested in feeding the Mac into the d1-server/reclocker.
I hope this helps make it clearer?
Well, a d1-server is just a reclocker with a CuBox mini computer encased in a metal box inside. And the Cubox is connected to the reclocker externally via a d1 USB cable. With the Mac directly feeding a d1 DAC, it's missing one level of reclocking compared to the server setup. So the Mac is at a big disadvantage and your results is not surprising at all.
Currently I'm feeding a d1-tube Mk. 2 with a Mutec MC-3+ reclocker instead of a Totaldac reclocker. Mutec is a big advocate of multiple reclockers in series. There are guys in Germany that has 4 levels of Mutec in a row. My plan is to wait for the Mutec MC-3+USB to come out, put that in front of my existing MC-3+ and perhaps add a 10MHz reference clock when that comes out eventually. And most probably I'll assemble my own Cubox in front of the USB input. If I recall correctly, there has been recent mention in French forums of other mini computers sounding better than the Cubox. Will be following that development.
Yes, correct.
Interesting!!! I use Berkeley Alpha USB in series between MAcMini and Reclocker.
Please, may you give me an idea on how you feed the Mutec MC-3+? it has an USB input?
The d1-server uses now the quad core cubox-i4. It sounds even much better than the previous monocore cubox. This new server was in demo in 4 rooms last Munich High end show in May.
reviewers feedback are here: http://www.totaldac.com/listening.htm
The previous d1-server can be upgraded to this new quad core processor. The specific cubox power supply board stays the same. The cubox shielding is changed. The Totaldac software for the quad core cubox works with MPAD, and soon with Ipeng8, Airplay and upnp.
reviewers feedback are here: http://www.totaldac.com/listening.htm
The previous d1-server can be upgraded to this new quad core processor. The specific cubox power supply board stays the same. The cubox shielding is changed. The Totaldac software for the quad core cubox works with MPAD, and soon with Ipeng8, Airplay and upnp.
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accwai, what you say maybe true, but I was considering the server as one whole unit, e.g. to act as server & reclocker. If was going to spend money on the d1-server then I would probably not want to use the Mac, hence the way we did the testing.
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