New Type of DAC

Colorado Winter Head-Fi Meet -- January 10, 2026 | Page 11 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

if you want to learn more about the Imersiv follow the above thread starting in January 10, 2026. I am taking my Imersiv D-1 to this headphone event. The designer of the D-1 will also be there with his Imersiv. The very best headphones in the world will also be there. In my opinion, the following 3 DACs will be the best DACs at the meet.

• PlayBack Designs Dream DAC (MPD-8)
• Imersiv D-1
• Allnic D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL

I am sure people will be posting their comments on these 3 DACs with various phones. I expect the analog sounding PBD and the Allnic would be choosen in an audiophile audience but there may be a lot of young ears there so my Imersiv may get some love.

Hopefully if uniquely good it trickles down. DAC technology in general will only get even better over time, to whatever extent it even matters at this point.  
 

What we really need is better ears.   Maybe if we all talk to the big guy about that….

I am actively auditioning the Imersiv D-1 DAC. Musicality is one of the key aspects I strive for, although its definition may vary by listener. 
I have an Allnic preamp and Allnic amp - both tube-based - because of that brand's fantastic combination of tonality, dynamics and clarity. 
My current DAC is the Aqua La Scala II, which to my tastes fits within the same sonic profile and is probably one of the best DACs under $10k. 
The Aqua outperformed the Holo May KTE, Lumin T3, Mola Mola Tambaqui, among others in my selection process. I felt pretty happy about my choice until I made the mistake of comparing it against an Allnic D10000 in a friend's system. The Allnic was just on another level: even greater tonaility, clarity, soundstage, ... . Bummer. 
Luckily, I was actually able to close some of the gap by rolling the tubes in my Aqua DAC and I truly love it in my sytem.

I am now using the holidays to audition the Imersiv and the new Allnic D15000 DAC at home. It takes a bit of effort to perform immediate A/B/C testing, using the same cables and volume levels, and given the lack of a clear transitive relationship in their respective sound qualities. 
My general impression of the D-1 so far is not of a clinical DAC. I find it more musical than the Tambaqui or the Holo May, for instance. While it does not match the amazing, best-in-class tonality of the Allnic D15000, it delivers a LOT of information, including tonal subtleties in vocals and instruments, with great imaging and separation. I would call this 'musical'. 
The Allnic and, especially, Aqua DACs sound a little 'darker'. Sade or Tracey Thorn sound perhaps a year or 2 younger on the D-1, but every nuance and inflection is beautifully captured. Meanwhile, bass articulation, tonality, and imaging is the best I have heard on the D-1. The Aqua actually bests the Allnic D15000 in its rendition of deep bass (e.g. Massive Attack, HVOB, Seu Jorge, Spain, some Mingus ...). Tube rolling may fix that. But the Allnic D15000 reigns supreme in the mid range.

I hope to refine my impressions over the next few days, but so far my initial reaction still holds: a collaboration between both brands, with Imersiv's "HDR" digital approach, and Allnic's OTL/OCL analogue output stage would be a true dream DAC and a major step forward for digital audio*. 

*Note: I have not heard the Playback Designs MPD-8 or the DCS Varese or the top Aries Cerat models, etc., so maybe better already exists. 

A much better description of the DACs than I wrote :)
 

While it does not match the amazing, best-in-class tonality of the Allnic D15000

^ One reason I may buy the cheaper Allnic ASRA DAC if it is as good as what I am told it will be. I can see the cheaper unit being rather good since both the Allnic D-15000 and the cheaper model will use an ESS chip. The sonic differences should be in the tubes used and the implementation of the OTL/OCL analog output.

Lucky for me I love the Imersiv D-1 and me not getting the ASRA Allnic (because of cost) still leaves me with a great DAC. The Allnic D-15000 was the gateway drug that got me into the financial hole of more expensive DACs. I was more than happy with the Schiit Yggi+ OG until the Allnic.

Having 3 systems and 1 DAC is a pain to flip cables. I am hoping the Schiit Byggy I that I am getting next week solves that issue. Though I think it will sound more like the Imersiv than the Allnic. It will cost me $1500 to find out so worth the effort.

 it delivers a LOT of information, including tonal subtleties in vocals and instruments, with great imaging and separation. I would call this ’musical’. 

This was a problem for me with my RAAL SR1a earphones. There is so much info coming from the D-1 that I think my RAAL VM-1a tube amp ($7k MSRP) was a bit overwhelmed. I say that because I had a bit of fatigue with the tube VM-1a. Now that may have been because I tested the VM-1a in the first couple of weeks while the D-1 was settling. Whatever the case, with the same level of burn-in I tried the D-1 into a used $400 Schiit Aegir v1 2-channel amp (Clas A 20 watts) and I liked it more than the VM-1a. Simple solution, I sold the VM-1a (for exactly what I purchased it for).

All 3 of the amps that I use direct with the D-1 are mostly Class A.

• CODA #11 (first 100 watts Class A)
• CODA #16 (first 100 watts Class A)
• Schiit Aegir v1 (Class A 20 watts)