New Bricasti Design M3 DAC

[GreenMtnGringo]

Hi all, has anyone heard the new M3 DAC, which retails for $4,995 USD? If so, please post your impressions, thanks!

[Puma Cat]

Is this a Delta-Sigma DAC?

[GreenMtnGringo]

This is from page three of the M3 manual:

"The M3 features 2 fully differential conversion channels, each with its own D/A converter, and analog level control circuitry. With our twin DAC design, the dynamic range for each channel is optimized by using the stereo ADI 1955 D/A converters in a mono configuration for PCM conversion, clocking is implemented with a technique called DDS (direct digital synthesis) which takes clock induced jitter to immeasurable levels. DSD is converted with our own proprietary one bit analog converter."

[Bones13]

http://bricasti.com/en/consumer/m3.php

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Bones13

http://bricasti.com/en/consumer/m3.php

Thanks, Bones.

Yes, its a delta-sigma DAC. Albeit a very fine one, I am sure. The M1 was one of the best-sounding DACs I had heard at the time.

[Bones13]

In my M12, there is a delta-sigma DAC board, and a 1 bit digital DSD board. I'm sure that the delta-sigma board is the same at the M1, I am not sure how different (if it is) the M3 DAC board is. The M3 seems to use the same AD ladder dac chips as on the M1 board, but then there are differences in all the dac chip lines, and can be implemented differently in high, and low priced DACs.

Some comparisons would be need be made in the wild, to know how much separates the M1 from the M3. Not sure that I have seen any reviews of the M3 so far.

[fourxmotion]

Received my M3 at the beginning of July. This is a fabulous DAC and sounds great. I listen to a lot of rock and it this the first one since my Theta Gen VIII that has done this genre right. Roon implementation is rock solid. I have not had any hiccups with any sample rates. I wish other manufactures did as good a job as Bricasti with the polish they put on their products. I have been through too many Roon Ready network players and tested devices that were just full of bugs. This is a first rate product all the way.

[fourxmotion]

Picked up a M3. This is a fabulous DAC and sounds great. I listen to a lot of rock and it this the first one since my Theta Gen VIII that has done this genre right.

[Fred_B]

Question about the USB input on the M3 - is this just for connection to a computer or could an external USB drive be connected?

[fourxmotion]

Originally Posted by Fred_B

Question about the USB input on the M3 - is this just for connection to a computer or could an external USB drive be connected?

It is for a connection to a computer.