I have just recently had the chance to audition the new TotalDAC D1-Switch in my system. This is the first high end audio switch that I have tried and I must say, the magnitude of the sonic improvement that the D1-Switch provided to my digital front end was quite surprising to me.
My digital front end consists of the TotalDac D1-Twelve MK 2 DAC's, TD D1-streamer MK2, TD D1-digital reclocker MK2, and the TD D1-player. So for me, the new TD D1-switch was an obvious product to try.
I powered the TD D1-switch with a Nordost Valhalla 2 power cord and connected it to my Belkin router (which is already powered by a high quality Paul Hynes linear power supply). I then connected my TD D1-streamer mk2 and TD D1-player to the correct ethernet connections on the rear of the D1-switch. I also burned in the D1-Switch for about 2 weeks before I started to do any critical listening with it but it sounded very good within a few days of setting it up in my system.
With all of my listening with the D1-switch in the system, it was obvious to me how much better the TD D1-Twelve digital front end sounded with the D1-switch, but it wasn’t until I did a listening comparison of with and without the D1-switch was I able to really understand how much better it sounded and why. I would say the following:
1. With the D1-switch, music is presented in a much more coherent and elegant manner than without the switch. The key aspects of what I heard was that without the switch, the music is pushed forward in the soundstage and is very much a two dimensional presentation. But with the D1-switch, the music is pushed back about 4-5 rows deeper into the soundstage and with an overall more three dimensional soundstage. When this happens, it feels like the musicians are performing much more in their own space and more effortlessly within the soundstage.
2. Another very key improvement to the sound with the D1-switch is that it felt like the music was presented with a much better sense of timing and flow which contributed to a better overall sense of ease to the sound. Without the switch, it became obvious to me that the music sounds quite a bit more forced and less coherent. In addition without the d1-switch the performers sound less elegant with what I would call "a little roughness around the edges" type of sound.
For me, and in my system and with my sonic preferences, there is no question that the D1-switch is a significant sonic improvement for me. The bottom line is that once I heard how music sounded with the D1-switch, it would be very difficult to listen to my digital front end without it!
Thanks,
Arnie
My digital front end consists of the TotalDac D1-Twelve MK 2 DAC's, TD D1-streamer MK2, TD D1-digital reclocker MK2, and the TD D1-player. So for me, the new TD D1-switch was an obvious product to try.
I powered the TD D1-switch with a Nordost Valhalla 2 power cord and connected it to my Belkin router (which is already powered by a high quality Paul Hynes linear power supply). I then connected my TD D1-streamer mk2 and TD D1-player to the correct ethernet connections on the rear of the D1-switch. I also burned in the D1-Switch for about 2 weeks before I started to do any critical listening with it but it sounded very good within a few days of setting it up in my system.
With all of my listening with the D1-switch in the system, it was obvious to me how much better the TD D1-Twelve digital front end sounded with the D1-switch, but it wasn’t until I did a listening comparison of with and without the D1-switch was I able to really understand how much better it sounded and why. I would say the following:
1. With the D1-switch, music is presented in a much more coherent and elegant manner than without the switch. The key aspects of what I heard was that without the switch, the music is pushed forward in the soundstage and is very much a two dimensional presentation. But with the D1-switch, the music is pushed back about 4-5 rows deeper into the soundstage and with an overall more three dimensional soundstage. When this happens, it feels like the musicians are performing much more in their own space and more effortlessly within the soundstage.
2. Another very key improvement to the sound with the D1-switch is that it felt like the music was presented with a much better sense of timing and flow which contributed to a better overall sense of ease to the sound. Without the switch, it became obvious to me that the music sounds quite a bit more forced and less coherent. In addition without the d1-switch the performers sound less elegant with what I would call "a little roughness around the edges" type of sound.
For me, and in my system and with my sonic preferences, there is no question that the D1-switch is a significant sonic improvement for me. The bottom line is that once I heard how music sounded with the D1-switch, it would be very difficult to listen to my digital front end without it!
Thanks,
Arnie