Wyred DACS

I am supposed to receive delivery of my DAC2 today and will audition it over the next few days and report on my findings. I have had a number of CDP's and DAC's over the years and so feel that I will be able to tell if this is a quantum leap, an incremental improvement or just more of the same in a value package.

Neal

I have not had time to listen to it long enough to form an intelligent opinion. Designer says 100-200 hr burn-in. I have listened about 5 hrs. Will report at closer to 100 hrs. so it gets a fair shake.

Neal

I will give my brief comments on DAC2 after only 20 hrs of listening, well short of the recommended 100-200 hrs burn-in. I will preface my comments by stating I approached this audition with healthy skepticism an inexpensive DAC like this, so loaded with features, from a relatively new company could play with the big boys.

This DAC is so much better than it has any right to be for its price -- or even 3x its price -- I am wondering if mfr. misread the market. Even though it is still relatively raw, I am enjoying listening to it, my most important criterion for new equipment. It will replace my beloved Dodson 218 (unless I find something significantly better that is not several multiples of DAC2 price) and while in certain respects it does not (yet) equal the Dodson, I think in the end it may exceed it, and the added facilities like USB input (although no BNC) certainly make it a more contemporary option.

Note that so far, I am using only AES/EBU input set at fixed level, with transport a CEC TL-1X modded by RAM. DAC is playing through my Wyetech Opal pre, so cannot comment on how DAC2 operates as pre. Analog output IC's are Stealth Indras. Cannot comment yet on USB input sound.

Soundstage and dimensionality are excellent. Quite startling holographic sound. DAC also is so quiet I find myself noticing just how quiet it is; counterintuitive, I know, but true nonetheless. And the vocals are the most natural and realistic I have ever heard on my system. I was listening to Tift Merrit's new CD last night (excellent, BTW)and her virtual presence in the room sent chills up my spine. Highs are smooth but have not yet fully opened up; so far good enough. Same with bass, deep enough but still a bit loose. But nothing about the sound bothers me, and as I said, I enjoy it immensely. Have not yet played around with anti-resonance or vibration tweaks, or changed digicable or PC (Stealth Sextet and Nordost Valhalla), so cannot comment on whether that would improve sound.

My kids like its looks but I think it is engagingly unattractive, but very solidly built. One gripe I have is that the instruction manual is pretty weak (at least to me) on how to adjust the settings for the multiple inputs. I stumbled into the fixed setting for AES/EBU and coax and am not sure I could replicate it if I had to. They also do not provide an illustration of the rear inputs, but any experienced audiophile can figure it out . The remote is convenient and works well.

All in all, a very promising product that so far seems to be one of the greatest steals in audio history, and I have been at this mania for 40 years.

Will report further as DAC2 seasons.

N.B. I auditioned a SONY 5400 a few months ago. IMHO, it cannot be mentioned in same sentence as DAC2, the latter is so much better.

Neal

One of the problems with BNC is that very few top digital cables come with BNC terminations.

Neal

I stand corrected, Pkubica. I checked the sites for Stealth and Nordost and they do supply digital cables with a BNC termination. I just have not seen many BNC terminated digicables on the used market, which is where many of us buy our digicables. I do have an inexpensive Chris Sommogio (ph.) cable from a few years ago that has a SPDIF adaptor over a bnc termination for greater versatility. I tried both when I had my prior DAC and could not hear any difference.

Neal

I am at about 30 hours of burn-in now, and the DAC 2 has far far exceeded my expectations. One of the acid tests for a DAC is solo piano, and listening to a good recording I heard the decay and reverb of the recording site and each note crystal clear. This is a keeper.

I don't doubt anything you say, Bhobba. But it is not clear to me (no pun intended) whether you heard the sibilance and glare when using the DAC2 both as a DAC and a pre, or even when using as a DAC alone. If the latter, it may be that the DAC2 is simply over its head as a pre in a system of that level.

Thanks.
Neal

I am at a loss to understand why Bhobba suffers from glare and sibilance from W4S. From my experience, I could not attribute that to the DAC itself but must conclude its source is upstream in Bhobba's system or in his cables. I have been using the W4S DAC2 for a few months now, probably have about 50 - 75 hrs on it, and if anything I find it on the laid back side of the spectrum (not unpleasantly so , although this may change with greater use.

My source is a CEC TL-1X through a Stealth Sextet AES/EBU digicable to DAC set at fixed output.

Overall, I think it is an exceptional DAC regardless of price and facilities. When those are taken into account it is the proverbial steal. And I went from a Dodson 218, no slouch itself though perhaps a bit dated at this point.

Neal

Bhobba,

I run the W4S DAC2 with Stealth Indra IC's through a Wyetech Opal pre,to a Krell 300cx with JPS Aluminata IC's, and on to Von Schweikert VR5HSE's using Nordost Valhalla spkr cables. So I do not think it is lack of system resolution that accounts for my --and others -- not noticing any glare or sibilance. Were you using the DAC2 as a pre? Could this have been a contributing factor? Did you try any resonance controls under DAC, or swap input digicable or output IC's?

Neal