Millennia Media imersiv D1

A New Kind of DAC? Imersiv D-1 Review

This guy sounds like me.

Hoping someone reviews this DAC vs the Tambaqui.   I am itching for a major DAC upgrade in the fall.

kumizi

I would also like to see more professional reviews with A/B comparisons between the D-1 and other DACs.

FWIW, I did listen to both DACs, but under very different conditions, so it's hard to extrapolate too much. 
I tried the D-1 for 2 weeks in my own system, thanks to the gracious support of Danny McKinney. I came away very impressed. IMO the D-1 is one of those few 'step-function' innovations, which truly pushed the boundaries within a category (DAC in this case). I would argue the same could apply to Silversmith Fidelium cables. Not sure if Allnic's OTL/OCL preamps would also fall within that category, or whether they are just an example of masterful design and execution within an existing paradigm.

I listened to the Tambaqui DAC at a dealers, in a full Mola Mola system with Piega speakers. A very well-put together system overall, but harder to isolate the effect from the DAC vs the rest of the system. We put the Tamabqui then in a few other systems, including Accuphase and EAR (closer to my Allnic system than Mola Mola). I really liked the Tambaqui but was more in awe than in love with its sound. The Tambaqui offered great resolution and speed, a lot of detail, a very 'airy', extended sound, but was somewhat lacking in body and timbre , for my tastes. 
If I could have multiple systems (audio fantasy) I would love to have a Mola Mola type set-up. If I can only have one system, I'd favor a more organic sound. 
De gustibus et coloribus, etc. 

I spent much more time with the D-1, in my own system. Compared to my impressions of the Tambaqui, it had a similar airy extension into the highs, but with even stronger, better-defined bass, and greater resolution of tonality in the mids. Voices and instruments sounded very layered on the D-1. I.e. for me, taking into account the different listening conditions, the D-1 beat the Tamaqui at its own game and then offered other qualities too. 

During the same 2-week period, I also tried the Allnic D-15000 DAC and L10000 preamp in my system. Both are amazing, in very different ways from the Imersiv. 

Paradoxically, perhaps, the obvious strengths that the D-1 and the D15000 DACs offer, led me to delay my upgrade decision. Each DAC is so specularly good at a specific sound quality (tonality for the Allnic, resolution , bass & imaging for the Imersiv) that it is hard to give up one for the other. I really want a DAC that offers both and hope such a DAC will become available 'soon'ish. 

@woutb Great feedback.

I also had the Allnic D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL in the house for a while with the Benchmark HPA4 preamp. At that time, I thought it was the very best DAC I had heard. A very detailed and holographic sound. I loved the OTL/OCL sound so much that I got a $500 Schiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL preamp as a stop gap, but it may become permanent since I am very happy with it. The Allnic OTL/OCL preamps are better, but the Schiit is very good.

I later heard the imersiv D-1 and the Meitner MA3i DACs, both in the house at the same time. The D-1 is more detailed, and I like it more but the MA3i is great and I expect to be buying that DAC for my office. The MA3i is also more robust with better playback options and connectivity compared to the D-1. The MA3i has DoP on SPDIF which I need for SACD disk playback. The MA3i also has XLR and RCA outputs that both work. The D-1 has neither of those.

Another DAC I will listen to before I pull the trigger on the MA3i is the new Allnic ASRA DAC. I do not think it is an OTL/OCL, but the ASRA headphone amp was really good, and the DAC should also be of similar quality. Only issue for me with the Allnic D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL was that DoP on SPDIF did not work. Hopefully they get that resolved on the ASRA.

@woutb 

Thank you so much for your feedback.  

The Tambaqui offered great resolution and speed, a lot of detail, a very 'airy', extended sound, but was somewhat lacking in body and timbre , for my tastes. 

I spent much more time with the D-1, in my own system. Compared to my impressions of the Tambaqui, it had a similar airy extension into the highs, but with even stronger, better-defined bass, and greater resolution of tonality in the mids. Voices and instruments sounded very layered on the D-1. I.e. for me, taking into account the different listening conditions, the D-1 beat the Tambaqui at its own game and then offered other qualities too. 

So far in my audio journey, I prefer this type of sound.  Excellent dynamics and resolution but doesn't sound "thin" like a cheap chip based DAC.  Enough meat on the bones but that's not my top priority.