Weiss DAC202: I Think This Is "The One"

Category: Digital

I recently purchased a Weiss DAC202, and I would like to share my first impressions. This is not a formal review (I am neither eloquent, nor smart enought to do justice to the DAC202 in a review). Rather, I offer my 2 cents to those of you who, like me, listen primarily to analog and have been bouncing around from one digital source to another, searching in vain for something satisfying. To you, let me suggest that you run, don't walk, to audition a DAC202. It's that good.

It's not for lack of effort (and $$$) that I haven't previously found something satisfying. I have had my share of CD/SACD players (dCS Puccini, Carey 306, Accustic Arts) and DACS (Wavelength, Bel Canto). No doubt, each of these were outstanding at what they did. Unfortunately, what they did for me was sit on my audio rack, barely used, mocking me for having thought I had finally found "the one" digital player that would get me to shift my listening from analog sources.

I am now using the DAC202 with a mac min 2010 (via Firewire) running itunes with Pure Music. I re-ripped all my CDs to AIFF. Even without upsampling, the DAC202 is hands-down superior to everything else I have owned. 16/44.1 files are very detailed, but at the same time rich, musical, and non-fatiguing. I have downloaded several high resolution files from HDTracks and Linn, and I have found that these are every bit (no pun intended) as stunning as SACDs were on the Puccini (at over 3x the price). But, as I said, the highest praise that I can give the DAC202 is that I finally have found something that will actually give my turntable a serious run for the money.

Happy listening.