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xcortes · 19944

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Offline xcortes

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on: March 14, 2015, 05:57:40 PM
Cmon guys. All of you that have received it. We know you're busy listening but let us know how do your new dacs sound 🙏

Xavier Cortes


Offline RPMac

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Reply #1 on: March 17, 2015, 04:54:10 AM
"I'll be your huckleberry"

I haven't had the chance to listen very much, but it didn't take long to tell a difference.

I stream iTunes wirelessly from my PC to a Squeezebox Classic that is twice as old as I have been waiting on the BH-DAC. Tops-link connected to the BH-DAC, mil-spec coaxial cables to BeePre > Stereomour > modified Heresy's and line out to Sexy speaker subs.

I knew my first test would be Pandora (free). Its music has always sounded flat and lifeless, even compared to other internet radio. Now the sound stage has depth, clarity and the music sounds real. Bass seams to have more punch and the highs have more presence and detail. Overall, a very noticeable improvement.

Can't compare it to vinyl or other DAC because I don't have any. The BH-DAC has done what I hoped it would do and more. Now I have to find more time to listen.

Robert



Offline Doc B.

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Reply #2 on: March 17, 2015, 05:09:17 AM
There are a couple more early impressions here:

http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php?topic=6908.msg73476#msg73476

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline elcraigo

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Reply #3 on: March 17, 2015, 02:03:42 PM
thanks Xavier for starting this thread.
Mine came today. I'm in the middle of the 1st CD, Jackson Browne, "Standing In The Breach"
I'm using the secondary system, it was easier: Sony XE270 -> via TOS-Link:BH DAC -> SEX -> Orca's
Yes - a big difference. Granted the XE270 was a low cost player, but I always thought it sounded very good.
The BH-DAC is cool, very well done; a mama-jama box.
I understand the design chops needed to code this type of audio conversion. Well done -- John!
The time frame to execute this project, factoring in the final result, was well worth it. It's a breath of fresh air.
I'm glad commander check-off was not in the loop, but the ear-czar.

Craig

Craig Lewis (elcraigo is a nickname a good friend who grew up in Mexico gave me)


Offline 2wo

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Reply #4 on: March 17, 2015, 04:27:55 PM
I am trying to get my thoughts together, to do a review on the DAC, it's not as easy as you would think. I'm not a professional reviewer and not real good with the audiophile terms.

But people keep asking what it sounds like.

It doesn't really sound like anything at all, if that makes any sense.

But when you stop and think about it, it’s a digital to analog converter, it's not supposed to have a sound of its own. It does a very good job on the analog part, and this is where it shines.

It sounds natural, open and free of the fatiguing artifacts that we're so used to in digital audio and have learned to live with.

Female voices are less edgy, complex Orchestral pieces hang together and don’t get all congested. And you can relax and listen without the feeling that something is going to hurt you, if you know what I mean.

Well, I just wanted to get something out there for the folks waiting.

Most listening so far has been CD rips at 44K with a few higher res thrown in. I should point out I will be adding to my higher res collection.

My setup is, Vortexbox music server. Amps so far, SR-45 and my DIY 300B, normally aspirated (non Parafeed). Speakers are the Great Horned Heil’s, by the Hornshopp.

This really is what we have been looking for…John           



« Last Edit: March 17, 2015, 04:32:53 PM by 2wo »

John Scanlon


Offline caffeinator

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Reply #5 on: March 17, 2015, 06:19:27 PM
Here's a kind of partial review, since I'm presently using the DAC in my den.

Quick note on installation (though I know there's another thread more on point): With the Mac Mini, it was plug and play, and has been rock solid ever since.

I'm presently running from a Mac Mini, using Amarra, through a SEX Amp (v1.0 w/ C4S and Iron Upgrade), into my homemade single-driver TQWT's.  I'd have to echo 2wo's comment that "it doesn't sound like anything."  Seems transparent and effortless to me.

I'll post more when I've moved the Mini and DAC upstairs to the main system.  I will miss having it in the den, though.  I'll have to save my pennies for another, I suppose.



Offline tsingle999

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Reply #6 on: March 18, 2015, 04:08:14 PM
I have been burning the new cable n dac in for a few days. Im comparing it to my squeezebox modded analog out. Im using a mac mini with amarra and tidal. Im playing the same song in tidal (lossless) through the mac n dac then switching the input on my efp3 to the squeezebox. The squeezebox has a very analog sound that i love. The dac has a more resolved and deeper bass sound. It reminds me of when you bought a better turntable as a kid. Everything is just clearer and more presence better deeper bass. Theres really no comparison. Once my spdif cable gets here i can compare the sb3 modded digital out to the mac mini. Thanks to bh n mq i have an amazing sounding stereo hifi system:-)
Using ridiculously good sr45's into abbys with fostex esr's and a pair of blumenstein subs.

SGS iTransporter with Qobuz & Roon to Optical Rendu to BH DAC (Battery) / Wavelegth Cosecant to BeePre to 300b(ehemoths) to Jagers.
Bottlehead Stat headphone amp with Wavelength Brick DAC


Offline dw

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Reply #7 on: March 21, 2015, 12:12:47 PM
My dac has been powered up about 30 hours. Setup was easy on a mac.
Sound is awesome! Big step up from my emu 404 usb. I've been listening mostly to DSD converted to
352.8khz pcm by Amarra. Chain is mac->dac(usb)->beePre->paramount 2a3 w/magnaquest iron->LaScalas.
I was thinking about adding vinyl to my setup as I was tiring of it, but I think I'm good now, as long as I can
find the digital source material. I have this theory that artists put out the high dynamic range material on vinyl and
the compressed stuff on digital. But, there is some good digital out there, I think.
Piano, vocals, guitar - all really good. Very happy with the dac.

-Dave



Offline dw

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Reply #8 on: March 22, 2015, 01:09:48 PM
Using this DAC with a player like Amarra is completely automatic. You queue up songs of various
formats and resolution and let it go. No manual intervention.

44.1 khz rips (Leonard Cohen "Songs on the Road" and "Jazz at the Pawnshop") are brilliant.

-Dave



Offline Doc B.

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Reply #9 on: March 25, 2015, 06:41:15 AM
Received a nice email from a Bottlehead DAC owner, that I am quoting with his permission -

"Listening toslink with awe. You have hit a home run. Every bit as good as my boutique DAC that cost 4 times as much."

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline davelang

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Reply #10 on: March 25, 2015, 01:31:21 PM
Yep Dan, you quoted me correctly.  I am very impressed with the breadth of the sound stage and the sense of realism when listening to known high quality CDs.  I have yet to listen to all source inputs and all sample rates but this DAC is very very good.

David


Offline glynnw

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Reply #11 on: March 27, 2015, 05:59:20 PM
Received unit today and was able to spend a couple hours listening.  Used with Windows 8.1 Business software and install was a snap.  I quickly verified it was playing back the higher sample rates and then began serious listening.  I was expecting to like it, but knew in advance it couldn't sound better than my $4K  DAC.  Well, I was wrong... this new DAC is much clearer.  I played the 4 or 5 test passages we all seem to have and immediately was able to hear more of the backgound chatter, cymbals weren't tizzy, great air around some voices, etc.  After about an hour of testing, I began to just relax and enjoy the music, even playing pieces that I had not heard before.  Speaking completely subjectively, the overall sound reminded me of what I think of as the modern sound I hear from some of the better transistor amps...huge sound stage, extremely clean.  Of course there's the chance that in a week I'll pine for the honey sound of the other DAC, but right now I feel as if this is my new reference.

PC, J River software, opticaRendu, Schitt Ygg DAC,Tortuga Pre, Torta Radu tube buffer, Linear Tube Audio ZOTL10, Spatial Audio X5w/pair of GR Research dual 12" open baffle servo subwoofers tamed by DSpeaker Dual-Core DSP , Audience AU24 SE  spkr cable, handmade silver interconnects,


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #12 on: March 30, 2015, 06:46:48 PM
Another nice comment from an old Bottlehead/new DAC user:

http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php?topic=7692.msg74388#msg74388

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline Grainger49

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Reply #13 on: April 11, 2015, 02:13:36 PM
If you didn't read the title above, please do.

As a warm up I played Clear by Spirit.  I have been listening to this album since 1969 when it came out.  I hear detail like that of a MC cartridge without any of the edginess that the MC cartridges I can afford have.  This CD has all the nuances I remember from the LP.  On the title track, Clear, the muted trumpets sound like Miles Davis on Kind Of Blue, this is a better recording than I remember.  The bass strings together with the bassoons are distinct.  Background details are there, clear and in the proper perspective. 

The mid bass is more present than I have heard in my system before.  It is not accentuated but filled in from what I am used to.  I wasn’t aware that there was a lack of mid bass till I heard the BH DAC.  Also, the transient response is dramatically improved.  As others have already said, the improved decay is noticeable. 

Next up was The Wailin’ Jennys, 40 Days, again I’m struck with the clarity.  The sound is just gorgeous.  On Arlington the violin has no edginess, the sound is completely relaxed.  The soundstage is wider with less curving at the edges.



Offline Doc B.

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Reply #14 on: April 16, 2015, 07:41:19 AM

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.