Can you share with us which exact models did you have ? You know, there is the Audio Note DAC Zero and the DAC 5 Signature
CH Precision D1
- Thread starter alistairm
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Can you share with us which exact models did you have ? You know, there is the Audio Note DAC Zero and the DAC 5 Signature
You certainly have one of the very best combos out there, congrats. I had a long home trial with this combo and also found it hard to be beaten. At the same time, I also tried the C1's ethernet connection and found this to be even better. I finally settled on the C1 with the Ethernet input card. Before this, I had listened to the Vivaldi and Orpheus combos and while these 2 are top notch players as well, they didn't attract me as much as the CH C1 with its Ethernet connection.
Hi CKKeung,
C1 is the one of best music streamer in my mind. Your friend made a very good decision if they want to go the streamer way.
I used the following path to send data from my NAS to the C1:
Synology NAS - > MacBook Pro PC - > Fiber ->C1
.
There were a few points to be notified:
1) download and upgrade the c1 to the latest firmware 3.3 from the CH official website
The firmware 3.3 has less hiccup and I feel that it sounds better
2) The native DSD streaming can be supported by minimserver only currently.
I installed the minimserver in a pc instead of running on the NAS. It sounds better (more clarity)
3) I used the Audio Station in NAS as a upnp controller.
It has straight forward interface to en-queue the songs and cleanup the upnp render queue.
But you can also try the plugplayer as the upnp controller in ipad (CH suggested me to use this one in ipad)
.
Have fun.
jsn
From my friend who also owns Horch Stage and Power stage - one of the absolute best sounding pre and amps on the market.
"Well the improvement with the X1 is quite substantial! I am quite surprised.
It has taken the C1 to a different level. The sound is smoother, more analog, lower noise floor, more dynamic, including micro dynamics, a lot more details.Soundstage is wider. In all respects, just much much better."
This is great news, before C1 without X1 PSU beats dCS Vivaldi and MSB Diamond, now C1 with X1 I think also beats Trinity dac.
"Well the improvement with the X1 is quite substantial! I am quite surprised.
It has taken the C1 to a different level. The sound is smoother, more analog, lower noise floor, more dynamic, including micro dynamics, a lot more details.Soundstage is wider. In all respects, just much much better."
This is great news, before C1 without X1 PSU beats dCS Vivaldi and MSB Diamond, now C1 with X1 I think also beats Trinity dac.
I am hoping to hear a CH demo at their new office/showroom in the near future. I will let you know my impressions.
CH Precision X1 PSU
Hi Wizard and Redsquare,
Many thanks for your info!
I will tell the several friends of mine who is using CH Precision C1 dac about the benefit of adding X1 psu.
All of them did not buy the X1 because they had read the CH Precision combo review in TAS.
Hi Wizard and Redsquare,
Many thanks for your info!
I will tell the several friends of mine who is using CH Precision C1 dac about the benefit of adding X1 psu.
All of them did not buy the X1 because they had read the CH Precision combo review in TAS.
Although I do not care much for statements like this component is better than that component, I would like to ask you the following question: you believe that the c1 with x1 beats the Trinity dac and Dcs Vivaldi stack. Can you explain your "thinking"? Were you able to do a comparison between the mentioned components under controlled listening conditions? If not, why make such bold statements?
By Danon at Analogue Fellowship:
CH Precision D1 Digital Transport and C1 Dac combo.
First Impression,
Accuracy and stability of the soundstage and atmosphere are beyond reproach, that is how I felt when I listen to this combo. The sheer confident that the presentation impart to the listener especially when a dynamic and fast paced grand orchestra work is being played thru them.
The wave after wave of transient energy being released to the listener is nothing short of astounding.
The solidity of each musician within a mass of more than a hundred of them inspire greater confident to the listener.
Precision in the execution of the musical presentation can be heard and felt through this combo.
The mid and the low are so well controlled that a sensation of precision is felt and heard. This sensation is also supported by the right tempo that is associated with right timing and tone. The stroke of every strike upon the skin of every drum in the last track, Poem of Chinese Drums, in the Burmester Vorfuhrungs CD III, is so clearly (and cleanly) delineated.
Vocal impression,
Here, I have Clair Marlo ( Let it Go, Sheffield Lab CD29) sings her first track, 'Till they take my heart away, which is one of my favorite track to check the presentation of emotional level in any vocal amidst a faster (than usual) music. To me, emotional level is one of the final gauge to check the resolution of any given audio component. This is not whether you hear the lips move, the breathing, the tongue, the chestiness and etc. My gauge here is actually the emotional level of the vocalist trying to invoke upon the listener. The control and release of every word express in a manner and time lapse may better explain the gauge here. Subconsciously, this gauge is built in each of us. I dare say that Clair Marlo is able to touch me through this combo.
Texture and layering of details,
Try something that is complex enough with musical instruments that are easily recognizable such as AudioQuest famous CD, Bruce Katz Band's Crescent Crawl ( AQ-CD 1012). When the first note is played, straight away the authority and weight of that note is felt. You know that this is authority and nothing is short change here. You are being given the full solidity. This sensation cannot be missed.
The decay of a note or the lingering thereof is vividly portrayed. This is not an indication of harshness or brightness but clarity of the purity of the note. This can be heard even in complex passages. In other words, every note in every passage of the musical presentation is able to maintain a presence with solidity.
Tones do linger...but the actual stop is what is all about. Thus the music and the meaning come to a complete. This completeness of a tone will sum up the completeness of the music.
In any musical playback, such completeness must be heard and experienced in order to appreciate its worth. Here I will choose a track that is complex and her musical content is alien to me or simply put it, a track that is not really music but a compilation of tones. I chose track 6 in the TagMcLaren Test Tracks (CD 4101), the Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble, Ku-Ka-llimoku (DMP CD -485), where its content is a compilation of tones before this combo. Through the CH Precision, I actually get to know the tones in her completeness to form a musical piece. The start and stop of every tone played within a specified space and time presented the compilation of tones into an easily comprehensible and appreciative musical presentation.
CH Precision D1 Digital Transport and C1 Dac combo.
First Impression,
Accuracy and stability of the soundstage and atmosphere are beyond reproach, that is how I felt when I listen to this combo. The sheer confident that the presentation impart to the listener especially when a dynamic and fast paced grand orchestra work is being played thru them.
The wave after wave of transient energy being released to the listener is nothing short of astounding.
The solidity of each musician within a mass of more than a hundred of them inspire greater confident to the listener.
Precision in the execution of the musical presentation can be heard and felt through this combo.
The mid and the low are so well controlled that a sensation of precision is felt and heard. This sensation is also supported by the right tempo that is associated with right timing and tone. The stroke of every strike upon the skin of every drum in the last track, Poem of Chinese Drums, in the Burmester Vorfuhrungs CD III, is so clearly (and cleanly) delineated.
Vocal impression,
Here, I have Clair Marlo ( Let it Go, Sheffield Lab CD29) sings her first track, 'Till they take my heart away, which is one of my favorite track to check the presentation of emotional level in any vocal amidst a faster (than usual) music. To me, emotional level is one of the final gauge to check the resolution of any given audio component. This is not whether you hear the lips move, the breathing, the tongue, the chestiness and etc. My gauge here is actually the emotional level of the vocalist trying to invoke upon the listener. The control and release of every word express in a manner and time lapse may better explain the gauge here. Subconsciously, this gauge is built in each of us. I dare say that Clair Marlo is able to touch me through this combo.
Texture and layering of details,
Try something that is complex enough with musical instruments that are easily recognizable such as AudioQuest famous CD, Bruce Katz Band's Crescent Crawl ( AQ-CD 1012). When the first note is played, straight away the authority and weight of that note is felt. You know that this is authority and nothing is short change here. You are being given the full solidity. This sensation cannot be missed.
The decay of a note or the lingering thereof is vividly portrayed. This is not an indication of harshness or brightness but clarity of the purity of the note. This can be heard even in complex passages. In other words, every note in every passage of the musical presentation is able to maintain a presence with solidity.
Tones do linger...but the actual stop is what is all about. Thus the music and the meaning come to a complete. This completeness of a tone will sum up the completeness of the music.
In any musical playback, such completeness must be heard and experienced in order to appreciate its worth. Here I will choose a track that is complex and her musical content is alien to me or simply put it, a track that is not really music but a compilation of tones. I chose track 6 in the TagMcLaren Test Tracks (CD 4101), the Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble, Ku-Ka-llimoku (DMP CD -485), where its content is a compilation of tones before this combo. Through the CH Precision, I actually get to know the tones in her completeness to form a musical piece. The start and stop of every tone played within a specified space and time presented the compilation of tones into an easily comprehensible and appreciative musical presentation.
View attachment 14286
View attachment 14287
X1 at Sfr 13000 with one regulator board, one more can be added at Sfr 3100.
For best sound use one X1 pr component.
View attachment 14287
X1 at Sfr 13000 with one regulator board, one more can be added at Sfr 3100.
For best sound use one X1 pr component.
Hi Jazzhead,
It's interesting to note that the Vitus MP-D201 dac employs Anagram Timelock master clock and Anagram S2 modules, both of which are designed also by C&H of CH Precision.
http://www.xenus.be/resources/Xenus-Vitus-Audio-06-2013.pdf
So the performance diff is due to other circuit sections such as psu...etc?
Thanks!
I would think so ... mainly the implementation of the circuit and the voicing intended by the designer . I have not heard the CH for any extended length of time or had it in my chain to make a definitive statement , but the Vitus in my rig does provide for a flowing analog like presentation rather than a staccato delivery prevalent with some other DAC's . The Zanden and Kondo DAC's will provide even more flow , but not as much detail retrieval coupled with the very low distortion and noise floor of the Vitus and the CH . The Trinity , by all accounts is a step up from the above mentioned and am keen to audition it . Heard it yet ?
Yes, I heard Trinity once. It makes the Vivaldi DAC+Upsampler+Clock sound a bit digital in comparison! haha
I have also heard the CH C1 several times but not together with the X1 yet.
There are very few Trinity DAC & Vitus MP-D201 in Hong Kong so no direct comparison yet.
However the net price of CH Precision C1 in HK is significantly lower than Vitus MP-D201 & Trinity so the C/P ratio is much better.
The Trinity does seem in short supply , an audio society in KL are gearing up to have a DAC shoot out amongst leading contenders . The Singapore dealer who was to supply them with the Trinity , now says he has no stock , so that's on the back burner as of now . That is unless they decide to go ahead sans the Trinity, which would be a shame . Since you are well versed with both the CH and your MSB , could you provide us a comparison between the two . Thanks .
Hi Jazzhead,
Agree with you that it's quite difficult to organize shootout of flagship dac.
One factor is that they are often out of stock.
But more important is that most distributors/retailers are reluctant to host or supply the gears for such events.
Most of the time we have to find close audiophiles friends that own the gears which we are interested in.
My MSB IV Plus is just the lowest MSB model and of course bettered by C1 easily, particularly in term of musicality.
My humble opinion is that C1 (without X1) is better than MSB Signature IV Plus but on par with Diamond IV Plus. They have different sonic characters.
CH has better musicality & is more analog-like. MSB has better authority and macrodynamics.
IMHO Trinity belongs to another league.
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