There are many good DACs available in the market. In my opinion, most of them uses same chips for their input controls to correct jitter and other anormallies...and more chips for their output stages. The other trend lack of consideration for good componet layouts in these DACs, again especially on the output stage that causes dry and not engaging sound, IMO.
I ran into April Music DA100 almost a year ago. It had an USB input which they implemented more than three years ago (unlike Benchmark's claim that they are the first) but the USB input wasn't the main reason why I bought one. It came to me with a recommendation from a record producer who had tried just about all DACs available in the market and decided the DA100 was his choice.
DA100 uses all discrete components and it is layed out beatifully. To my ears, DA100 is the best performing DAC after many that went through my system in recent years including the dCS to Benchmark.
The DA100 at $695 is built like $2000 DAC. This is the problem for April Music. High cost of manufacturing and dropping US Dollars that let them little or no margins to promot the DAC in US through a normal distribution channel. They are only selling via Internet directly.
Marco, I will let you try my DA100 next week while I am out of town. It will be good to hear your unbiased option on DA100.
Ki
I ran into April Music DA100 almost a year ago. It had an USB input which they implemented more than three years ago (unlike Benchmark's claim that they are the first) but the USB input wasn't the main reason why I bought one. It came to me with a recommendation from a record producer who had tried just about all DACs available in the market and decided the DA100 was his choice.
DA100 uses all discrete components and it is layed out beatifully. To my ears, DA100 is the best performing DAC after many that went through my system in recent years including the dCS to Benchmark.
The DA100 at $695 is built like $2000 DAC. This is the problem for April Music. High cost of manufacturing and dropping US Dollars that let them little or no margins to promot the DAC in US through a normal distribution channel. They are only selling via Internet directly.
Marco, I will let you try my DA100 next week while I am out of town. It will be good to hear your unbiased option on DA100.
Ki