Millennia Media imersiv D1

At home I have the following setup:

Office System

• Magnepan Mini speakers
• CODA #16
• imersiv D-1 with a Balanced Y cable into the CODA #16

Livingroom

• Yamaha NS5000 speakers
• CODA #11
• imersiv D-1 with a Balanced Y cable into the CODA #11

The designer of the imersiv D-1 suggested I use a Y cable to use the DAC in 2 systems. I ended up using a Benchmark balanced cable and also Benchmark XLR cables to my amps from the Y cable.

I have other sources connected to my CODA #16 via a passive RCA switch and a RCA Schiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL preamp that connects to the RCA input on the CODA #16.

For headphones, I am using the RAAL SR1a earphones but at the moment I cannot use the D-1 DAC on it since the D-1 is ONLY XLR and the headphone amp I have is ONLY RCA. I am using the new Schiit Byggy DAC for my phones and also RCA into the CODA #16.

One may wonder why I am using the much older CODA #11 on the great Yamaha NS5000 speakers over the newer CODA #16 amp. It is all about the imersiv D-1.

The DAC is so resolving that I am sacrificing a tiny bit of resolution with the #11 for a slightly preferable Class A sound on the #11. I love the #16 and it works great in place of the #11 on the Yamaha and imersiv. However, at this time I prefer the #11 with the NS5000.

I am surprised there is not more chatter about this Imersiv D-1 DAC on these forums, particularly given that it apparently has the twin attributes of good technical measurements along with good sound.  In addition to almost universally high praise, I have yet to read anything negative about the sound of this DAC.  The  latest review from Michael Lavorgna at Twittering Machines (link) judges the sound to be exciting, musical, and technically excellent.  He basically wrote that it performed and sounded better to him than his long-standing reference Totaldac d1 Unity.

It is curious to me that a product that for once may be (actually not imaginarily) a game-changer, has not garnered more discussion.  I am considering purchasing one of these DACs, but I have a couple of reservations so I look forward to hearing more as the user base becomes more widespread.

@mitch2 audition it first. This isn’t a blind buy. 

"audition it first. This isn’t a blind buy."

@audphile1 - Great advice. A couple of the vendors do offer 30-day returns but I typically have not taken advantage of that type of return policy and would rather be mostly sure the item is right for my system and preferences before purchasing one.

The unit itself is so different from the gear I have enjoyed most over the years that I need to convince myself that it might be worth it.  I am typically not a fan of the sound of pro audio inspired gear (i.e., Benchmark), and the two small PCBs inside of the Imersiv D-1, as well as its external SMPS, are the polar opposite of my current favorite/reference DAC, the 88-pound Aries Cerat Helene.  It may just be a matter of me overcoming my own skepticism of whether the user reports are too good to be true.