W4S Dac-2 DSD SE Upgrade

[Andrei]

I would like to report on my upgrade to the W4S Dac-2. This has already been well reviewed so I will keep it brief. The short point is that it does represent a decent improvement in sound quality.

Differences were in timbral accuracy, soundstage, and presence. Instruments such as guitar now sound a little closer to a real guitar. In terms of soundstage my kit already provided an excellent soundstage but now it is more well defined with voices being placed so that it possible to point exactly at the location of a player or singer. Presence is better as well. This shows up in singer/songwriter material - think Natalie Merchant, Katie Melua. The illusion of the singer in the room is pretty darn convincing.

A significant feature was that I found it took the full 200 hours before the unit was run in. This was considerably longer than the the original unit, that came on song after 70 to 100 hours. I set the unit to run 24 hrs a day for a week - a long time when you are waiting to try out your new toy!

All in all the Dac-2 DSD SE is a truly excellent Dac. I have not yet installed the ASIO drivers but will soon to try out some hirez DSD tracks I have.

I should also mention that I am happy with the level of service.

(The associated equipment is a dedicated self built PC running Win 8.1 [i7-3770S 3.1GHz] with Foobar2000 memory play as the software. The Preamp is an ATC CA2, the Power amp is the ATC P1, and the speakers are Triangle Magellan Cello. Interconnects are various Oyaide Silver, and speaker cables are Nordost Frey.)

[Vintage Pete]

Originally Posted by Andrei

I would like to report on my upgrade to the W4S Dac-2. This has already been well reviewed so I will keep it brief. The short point is that it does represent a decent improvement in sound quality.

Differences were in timbral accuracy, soundstage, and presence. Instruments such as guitar now sound a little closer to a real guitar. In terms of soundstage my kit already provided an excellent soundstage but now it is more well defined with voices being placed so that it possible to point exactly at the location of a player or singer. Presence is better as well. This shows up in singer/songwriter material - think Natalie Merchant, Katie Melua. The illusion of the singer in the room is pretty darn convincing.

A significant feature was that I found it took the full 200 hours before the unit was run in. This was considerably longer than the the original unit, that came on song after 70 to 100 hours. I set the unit to run 24 hrs a day for a week - a long time when you are waiting to try out your new toy!

All in all the Dac-2 DSD SE is a truly excellent Dac. I have not yet installed the ASIO drivers but will soon to try out some hirez DSD tracks I have.

I should also mention that I am happy with the level of service.

(The associated equipment is a dedicated self built PC running Win 8.1 [i7-3770S 3.1GHz] with Foobar2000 memory play as the software. The Preamp is an ATC CA2, the Power amp is the ATC P1, and the speakers are Triangle Magellan Cello. Interconnects are various Oyaide Silver, and speaker cables are Nordost Frey.)

Good deal Andrei....I've had my DAC-2 DSDse roughly a year. It was originally purchased for my main system; once I put a McIntosh MCD1000 in front of it I couldn't resist putting an MDA1000 in that system. So my DAC-2 DSDse went to my office system, in place of a stock DAC-2 in that system. I enjoy the DAC-2 DSDse daily, it is a splendid DAC that offers a very rich, robust sound (more so than its predecessor), great soundstaging and timbral accuracy. One can hardly go wrong with it...I'll never regret having purchased it.

[longbowbbs]

I have enjoyed mine for a couple of years now. I started with the DAC-2 and sent it in twice for upgrades. It has the full DSDse Femto treatment now. It is a wonderful DAC and the staff at W4S were easy to work with.

[Art Vandelay]

I have owned both the SE and non SE version of the DAC2 and both are great DACS IMO, particularly at the price points.

I was able to bridge the gap in performance between the two by upgrading the analog stage voltage regulators (to Belleson discrete types), and by replacing the large DAC rail bypass electrolytic caps with Elna Silmic's.

[longbowbbs]

I would burn my house down if I tried that!

[crwilli]

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

I have owned both the SE and non SE version of the DAC2 and both are great DACS IMO, particularly at the price points. I was able to bridge the gap in performance between the two by upgrading the analog stage voltage regulators (to Belleson discrete types), and by replacing the large DAC rail bypass electrolytic caps with Elna Silmic's.

Huh? No idea what any of that is but glad you are here to teach some of us should we need to!

[Andrei]

Originally Posted by Vintage Pete

Good deal Andrei....I've had my DAC-2 DSDse roughly a year. It was originally purchased for my main system; once I put a McIntosh MCD1000 in front of it I couldn't resist putting an MDA1000 in that system. So my DAC-2 DSDse went to my office system, in place of a stock DAC-2 in that system. I enjoy the DAC-2 DSDse daily, it is a splendid DAC that offers a very rich, robust sound (more so than its predecessor), great soundstaging and timbral accuracy. One can hardly go wrong with it...I'll never regret having purchased it.

I did toy with an idea similar to that. I considered simply purchasing a DAC-2 DSDse outright and using my existing DAC-2 in the office. Also I should add that your review helped me pull the trigger!

[Vintage Pete]

Originally Posted by Andrei

I did toy with an idea similar to that. I considered simply purchasing a DAC-2 DSDse outright and using my existing DAC-2 in the office. Also I should add that your review helped me pull the trigger!

[johndoe21ro]

Originally Posted by Andrei

I would like to report on my upgrade to the W4S Dac-2. This has already been well reviewed so I will keep it brief. The short point is that it does represent a decent improvement in sound quality.

Differences were in timbral accuracy, soundstage, and presence. Instruments such as guitar now sound a little closer to a real guitar. In terms of soundstage my kit already provided an excellent soundstage but now it is more well defined with voices being placed so that it possible to point exactly at the location of a player or singer. Presence is better as well. This shows up in singer/songwriter material - think Natalie Merchant, Katie Melua. The illusion of the singer in the room is pretty darn convincing.

A significant feature was that I found it took the full 200 hours before the unit was run in. This was considerably longer than the the original unit, that came on song after 70 to 100 hours. I set the unit to run 24 hrs a day for a week - a long time when you are waiting to try out your new toy!

All in all the Dac-2 DSD SE is a truly excellent Dac. I have not yet installed the ASIO drivers but will soon to try out some hirez DSD tracks I have.

I should also mention that I am happy with the level of service.

(The associated equipment is a dedicated self built PC running Win 8.1 [i7-3770S 3.1GHz] with Foobar2000 memory play as the software. The Preamp is an ATC CA2, the Power amp is the ATC P1, and the speakers are Triangle Magellan Cello. Interconnects are various Oyaide Silver, and speaker cables are Nordost Frey.)

Nice loudspeakers! I've heard them at least a dozen times until now and matched carefully are quite blissful. Did you try to skip the ATC preamp and hit the power amp directly with your W4S Dac-2 DSD SE? Do try that!
__________________
Amp: BAT VK-655SE
Pre-amp/Digital: exaSound e32 w UpTone JS-2 Power Supply; SOtM tX-USBultra w UpTone LPS1.2; Apple Mac Mini w UpTone DC Conversion Kit & UpTone JS-2 Power Supply; Squeezelite w Logitech Media Server 7.9.0
Speakers: Triangle Magellan Cello II
Cables: AudioQuest WEL XLR, AudioQuest Everest, AudioQuest Hurricane HC, AudioQuest NRG-1000, AudioQuest Diamond USB
Rack: Solid Tech Hybrid
Tweaks: Omicron Stabilizzatore Armonico & Gold Evolution SE; IsoTek Sigmas GII w Optimum EVO3; Furutech FT-SWS (R) AC Outlet; Synergistic Research Blue Quantum Fuse

[Andrei]

Originally Posted by johndoe21ro

Nice loudspeakers! I've heard them at least a dozen times until now and matched carefully are quite blissful. Did you try to skip the ATC preamp and hit the power amp directly with your W4S Dac-2 DSD SE? Do try that!

They are decent, thanks. Excellent midrange. The bass is very much amplifier dependent - with a good amp such as ATC or Pass it is very solid. Actually after got the ATC P1 amp I even sold sold my subwoofer!

I did try using the W4S dac as a pre-amp, but I like tubes 'somewhere' in the system. I have become a fan of the tube pre - SS power combo.