Totaldac D1-Driver, the (pre)amplifier driver

I am not in the habit of starting threads unless I feel a product is of significant enough importance to do so. The Totaldac D1-Driver is such a product. The official product description states D1-Driver, the amplifier driver. I have deliberately added (pre) in the thread title.

The Totaldac website description reads:
The d1-driver is an analog driver. It is usually connected to the output of the DAC.
It is an answer to the endless question "is it better with or without preamp?".
The strength of preamps is there active stage more than their volume control. The active stage helps driving the power amp.

It was designed for directly driving a power (or integrated amplifier!) using the built in Totaldac digital volume control:
Its drive capability allows the d1-driver to improve the sound of a DAC, improving bass control, articulation, presence, soundstage and life. It has been tested when connected between a DAC and a power amplifier (transistor or tube), but also between a DAC and an integrated amplifier. The d1-driver has no volume control because it relies on the DAC volume control.

Around 6 weeks ago we travelled to Slovenia to deliver a SGM Extreme server to Matej Isak for a review. I ended up leaving being deeply impressed by the liveliness and dynamic range of Matej's reference system. Upon asking Matej told me something about the importance of proper gain matching. I did not give it much further thought until we visited forum member Mike Lavigne a few weeks later where he played a few tape cuts with a similarly shocking display of brute force dynamic range. Every since returning I have been searching for explanations for this particular phenomenon. Until I received a pair of Totaldac D1 drivers from Vincent last Friday.

I need to add a bit of history context to this now as I was not unfamiliar with the D1-driver. I have tested an older version before, the current D1-driver is in its second generation now. At that time I was impressed by its dynamic range and transparency, but found it lacking in refinement and micro detail rendering compared to my AudioNet Stern (Euro 35.000) preamplifier. If I remember correctly my commentary to Vincent was "a diamond in the rough". It also did not manage to match the Stern's sound staging abilities, upon which Vincent commented I would probably need a pair to get there. I shipped it back and did not give it much further thought, therefor the penny did not drop until Vincent told me he had a MK2 version of which he was confident it would solve my "issues" and if I would be interested in trying a pair of them. This turned out to be a totally different ballgame. Not only does it manage to match the Stern's sound staging abilities, refinement and micro detailing, it has also improved upon its previous strengths with even better dynamics, and an "Iron grip" control over the lower registers which sounds like it has doubled the already high damping factor of my AudioNet Heisenberg power amplifiers. It has incredible control and slam, at first I thought it was lacking low end extension, but after some back and forth switching it is just much better defined and controlled turning a mass of "1 tone bass" into a variation of cues and pitches. It does give me the eagerly desired dynamic range I found my system lacking of after hearing Matej's digital and Mike's tape. Therefor I consider it to be a substantial product worthy of its own thread.

Using both the Stern and D1 drivers in a DAC - Driver - Preamp configuration does preserve most of these qualities with just a slight decrease in overall transparency, clarity and a loss of ultimate "control". Inserting the Stern creates a slightly more distant, slightly more laid back perspective, where just the drivers give you a closer more direct perspective.

Matej Isak has reviewed the D1-direct and D1 driver here, worth a close read:

https://www.monoandstereo.com/2019/09/totaldac-d1-direct-d1-seven-d1-driver.html

I will copy a few relevant snippets:


d11.JPG

d12.JPG

d13.JPG

To summarize, this is a product to seriously consider, not just to combine with a Totaldac DAC, and not only to replace a preamplifier. But consider trying it with any brand DAC and/or any Pre-amplifier.
 
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I really cannot reproduce that, and I've switched multiple times now. It has to be an unfavourable interaction with the Lampizator, it may just perform differently when driving the 1 Mohm input impedance of the D1-driver, but I'm just guessing here. I'm using them with the DAC direct outputs (no buffer) of the D1-12 mk2.
How about if you use the buffered output on the D1-12?
 
I am now using the D1-drivers with the Bespoke Audio Company Silver TVC. The Bespoke did not match as well with what I assumed to be the AudioNet Heisenbergs, however as it turns out this may have been a faulty line of reasoning as introducing the D1-drivers between the D1-12mk2 and the Bespoke produces a very different result.

View attachment 60537
Do you have two SGM Extreme stacked?
 
How about if you use the buffered output on the D1-12?

The direct outputs are significantly better, I did neglect to use the buffered outputs when testing with the Bespoke though. I did do that now but it's no match for the direct outputs with the D1-drivers.

I had 2 customers in today and yesterday listening to the various configurations and both of them preferred just using the D1-drivers, both indicating clarity and bass control / definition as the main reasons for their preference. Both did feel inserting the Bespoke made for a nicer high frequency rendering though.
 
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If you have a digital volume controlled DAC it could be interesting to put your preamplifier in HT Bypass mode. It makes for an even fairer comparison of D1-drivers versus Stern in my case as I can use the Totaldac digital volume control when comparing the two.

IMG_4435.jpg
 
Interesting findings, and thank you for sharing. What aspects of the Bespoke do you think your system is benefiting from after the D1 Drivers?
 
Interesting findings, and thank you for sharing. What aspects of the Bespoke do you think your system is benefiting from after the D1 Drivers?

Well there is galvanic isolation from the transformers, and it’s transformer volume control versus digital volume control. It is a bit more forgiving. The drivers direct are brutally revealing. Which is ultimately my preference. You don’t lose much with the Bespoke silver though, its more transparant then the Audionet Stern.
 
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So pairing the TD Twelve with TD Drivers is the ultimate / preferred solution to you Emile ?

So far inserting them into the chain improve all of the below scenarios in my system:
1) D1-12mk2 direct to amplifiers
2) D1-12mk2 to Bespoke Silver
3) D1-12mk2 to AudioNet Stern

1) Is the most transparent/incisive
2) Transparency virtually equals 1) but with a twist, it is more forward / direct sounding, this part of the presentation I prefer over the other 2 options, but the rear of the stage is a bit more out of focus, brings out midrange colour/density in the front part of stage.
3) Less transparent but more rounded, images a bit more 3 dimensional and larger then the other 2, midrange colour temperature / density in between 1 and 2.
 
So far inserting them into the chain improve all of the below scenarios in my system:
1) D1-12mk2 direct to amplifiers
2) D1-12mk2 to Bespoke Silver
3) D1-12mk2 to AudioNet Stern

1) Is the most transparent/incisive
2) Transparency virtually equals 1) but with a twist, it is more forward / direct sounding, this part of the presentation I prefer over the other 2 options, but the rear of the stage is a bit more out of focus, brings out midrange colour/density in the front part of stage.
3) Less transparent but more rounded, images a bit more 3 dimensional and larger then the other 2, midrange colour temperature / density in between 1 and 2.
3) is the most expensive configuration among the three of them!
:p
 
Yes, definitely if you own a Totaldac. I am planning to test the drivers with the Aqua Formula and Denafrips Terminator DACs but it will have to wait for a few weeks.

Vincent promised me to ship drivers to my place by the end of January .
Hope this is as good as you are saying Emile.
I was always very happy with Total DAC products so I hope this also will be great addition to
totaldac 24 . The number of boxes will rise from 8 to 10.
Ten totalDAC boxes system.
 
3) is the most expensive configuration among the three of them!
:p

I spent 4 hours in the demo room yesterday. For my old ears I had a vey strong preference for the Stern. I have to say, in my 55 years of fooling around in HiFi, the sonic presentation was the most gob smacking, jaw dropping experience ever.

The beautiful tonality, the spaciousness was simply breath taking . . .

More details to come . . . . .

I am going back in 4 days time, I can't get enough
 
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Audiostream just received a d1-driver!
https://www.audiostream.com/content/d1-driver-totaldac-d1-direct-dac-arrives-audiostream

 
D1-Driver just received here too. Set up today and will leave it for a while to burn in, relax and get settled.

I think this has been raised but I use a passive pre amp.

Its a very new one and not really fully available yet but it is quite remarkable what it has done to my system.

My question is - would you suggest the D1-Driver before or after the passive pre. I need some kind of pre for my Phono / analogue. Until the Driver arrived I was using the D-1 Direct straight into the passive then into my mono blocks but felt something was lacking. Not the air, or space or relaxed nature, but in a bit of presence. I am hoping the Driver does this but if it can sit well after the passive pre I assume the Turntable will also benefit??

thanks for your views
 

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