Auralic Vega: my review

[lightminer]

I am very interested in this DAC, but concerned about diminishing returns over a Chordette EX with separate PS, or Mytek both of which seem to set a quality per price reference for the industry right now.

 

Is the difference startling, something you have to listen a few times to hear, is it 'a little more intensity on the attacks, a tiny bit more space around instruments' etc. or is it a real significant difference that is immediately recognizeable?

 

Could you AB/X them and get it right 10 times in a row (that standard was used for an amp test (the guy used an equalizer to get rid of those differences) that 99.9999% of people failed for something like 10+ years), or is it more subtle than that?

 

(I have an extremely revealing system, Supratek, PassLabs, Maggie 3.6s, Kimber, etc.)

[Mark Manner]

I am very interested in this DAC, but concerned about diminishing returns over a Chordette EX with separate PS, or Mytek both of which seem to set a quality per price reference for the industry right now.

 

Is the difference startling, something you have to listen a few times to hear, is it 'a little more intensity on the attacks, a tiny bit more space around instruments' etc. or is it a real significant difference that is immediately recognizeable?

 

Could you AB/X them and get it right 10 times in a row (that standard was used for an amp test (the guy used an equalizer to get rid of those differences) that 99.9999% of people failed for something like 10+ years), or is it more subtle than that?

 

(I have an extremely revealing system, Supratek, PassLabs, Maggie 3.6s, Kimber, etc.)

 

I can't comment yet, not having the Vega in hand. I will when I get it. My thought based on reading a million posts and opinions on it, would be that differences among high end amps that are not asked by the user to exceed their designed power output would be less than among reasonably high end dacs. I can tell from listening to the dacs in the SBT, Headroom Desktop, Oppo 105, Mac C50, Mac MX121, Schiit Loki, and (now) Benchmark DAC2 that there are differences among dacs. They may be subtle or not, but frankly once you get to the level of equipment that many on this forum have, the differences ought to be subtle much of the time.

[ejn1]

I am very interested in this DAC, but concerned about diminishing returns over a Chordette EX with separate PS, or Mytek both of which seem to set a quality per price reference for the industry right now.

 

Is the difference startling, something you have to listen a few times to hear, is it 'a little more intensity on the attacks, a tiny bit more space around instruments' etc. or is it a real significant difference that is immediately recognizeable?

 

Could you AB/X them and get it right 10 times in a row (that standard was used for an amp test (the guy used an equalizer to get rid of those differences) that 99.9999% of people failed for something like 10+ years), or is it more subtle than that?

 

(I have an extremely revealing system, Supratek, PassLabs, Maggie 3.6s, Kimber, etc.)

 

I would think you are still in the $2500 range for the Chord plus good quality LPS so not that far off the Vega. So assuming they sound dead equal you have quite a bit of feature differences which may or may not be of value. I tested the Chord QuteHD in my system with stock PS and it sounded nice but did not do extensive AB. I can say the Vega tonal balance seemed a bit more rich with both being very detailed.

[DanRubin]

Could you AB/X them and get it right 10 times in a row

Apart from a loudspeaker or phono cartridge, could anything in this hobby meet that requirement? And even those...

[mavwong]

I just own a Vega, and I am user of Mytek previously.

 

Firstly, mytek is already one of the best DAC I had own. (after 500hrs burn in).

 

In comparison, the Vega achieve much more than what mytek could give. OF course at a price. Vega give a very deep impression with it's much better layer and depth. Yet, Vega is detail and musical and focus (pin point imaging). Very analog and airy. Bass is deep and tight and transparent.

 

I do have a complain regarding the vol control. I am driving direct to my Karan 270. At 1 volume, it jump from total silent to may be ard -65 for mytek setting, it's bit too loud for late night listening. Take note I am not referring to the hot output here, to me the output voltage seems ok.

 

Also, the remote control (i only use the vol button) is just too large and plastic. I do strongly suggest Mr Wang consider include apple remote IR code and user selectable via system. The user friendly menu system justify a more simple and streamline remote control for the vega.

[lightminer]

ejn1 - Well, and if you add a 1k to 1.5k for a USB converter, then they are the same price, which is very interesting. That makes it very interesting.

 

Dan - quite a topic! (I think some forums don't allow discussion of this if I remember right ). Let me just say this, after 2k - for me personally - I don't want to pay for subtle improvements. Everyone will have their own line. (Not related to audio - I can say my wife and I are in general very ABX oriented and she will have me set full tests up for fancy organic foods for example and we see if we can tell the difference with the other versions, like Claravale Farms milk, which definitely won. It is fun.)

[ejn1]

ejn1 - Well, and if you add a 1k to 1.5k for a USB converter, then they are the same price, which is very interesting. That makes it very interesting.

 

Yeah, I forgot to mention the USB converter also...

[dr.sah]

 

I do have a complain regarding the vol control. I am driving direct to my Karan 270. At 1 volume, it jump from total silent to may be ard -65 for mytek setting, it's bit too loud for late night listening. Take note I am not referring to the hot output here, to me the output voltage seems ok.

 

.

 

 

i have the same problem.

[tranz]

Thanks for the heads up, good to see MAR at work on current gear.

 

I wonder how they connected the S/PDIF?

 

With the converters, I believe the output is 24bit vs. ASIO 32bit when using USB. This may have no bearing but I thought I would mention it.

 

I have considered the Hydra-X and Audiophilleo, but that's a lot of coin to drop when I could stay USB and use a low-jitter source USB card, and add in some isolation with a device like an iFi USB....thinking about trying this in place of my Adnaco S3B (which allows me to run in EXACT mode on the Vega).

 

Hi hifitubes,

 

Did you ever end up comparing IFI USB with the Adnaco S3B? I am curious whether the Adnaco S3B is necessary if the DAC contains opto-isolators as is that not the same thing?

 

I am currently using a Mac Mini mobo with the IFI USB, but I could go for an older MacBook Pro with a mini PCIe slot to use the Adnaco S3B. Costly endeavor though, especially if it makes no difference to an IFI USB unit.

 

Cheers.

[Mark Manner]

I received my Vega today, letting it warm up, and listening a bit. Sounds very nice on all source material so far. Nigel Bousfield of Sonare Coeli was my dealer, and was absolutely great to work with. If you are looking for a new one, check him out. He is listed on the Auralic site as an authorized dealer.

Mark

[jtwrace]

I received my Vega today, letting it warm up, and listening a bit. Sounds very nice on all source material so far. Nigel Bousfield of Sonare Coeli was my dealer, and was absolutely great to work with. If you are looking for a new one, check him out. He is listed on the Auralic site as an authorized dealer.

Mark

Yep. Can't wait to get my AURALiC Aries from him. Purchase my Vega from him too.

[Mark Manner]

One more note, I received a personal email from the CEO of Auralic today regarding a trivial question I had. This is extraordinary customer care in my opinion for a product at this price point.

Mark

[Mark Manner]

I notice that the Vega software has two driver choices in JRiver, Asio and Wasapi (indicated as "Auralic USB audio [Asio] or [Wasapi]"). Any experience using one or the other?

Thanks

Mark

[Regnad]

Sorry, not exactly a direct answer to your question...

 

I use the JPlay ASIO driver as that is the only way I have found to use JRiver's 2xDSD conversion feature. Curious if I have just not found the correct setting to do this without JPlay.

[hifitubes]

Sorry, not exactly a direct answer to your question...

 

I use the JPlay ASIO driver as that is the only way I have found to use JRiver's 2xDSD conversion feature. Curious if I have just not found the correct setting to do this without JPlay.

 

Yes, it is fixed in JRMC19 now. You have to set it in the general DSP Output Settings. It will just ignore native DSD128, and convert everything else.

[Regnad]

Yes, it is fixed in JRMC19 now. You have to set it in the general DSP Output Settings. It will just ignore native DSD128, and convert everything else.

 

While a bit OT, could you please specify what exact settings to use? Which driver, etc. Bitstream? Thanks. I do have the latest JRMC19.

[hifitubes]

While a bit OT, could you please specify what exact settings to use? Which driver, etc. Bitstream? Thanks. I do have the latest JRMC19.

 

NP mate. In DSP:

 

• 

[Regnad]

Yes, I have that set to 2xDSD in native format etc. and it works fine. It's the ASIO setting that I need JPlay's ASIO for, what settings for ASIO and BITSTREAM are you using? Thanks.

[hifitubes]

Yes, I have that set to 2xDSD in native format etc. and it works fine. It's the ASIO setting that I need JPlay's ASIO for, what settings for ASIO and BITSTREAM are you using? Thanks.

 

I vaguely remember having to use JPLAY ASIO to do DirectStream mode over LAN. Now I just use the Auralic ASIO and JRMC has a tickbox somewhere for DoP, in a new place. You can't bitstream raw DSD over USB with Vega.

 

I'll have to look at my notes. Are you using one machine or two with JPLAY?

[Regnad]

I vaguely remember having to use JPLAY ASIO to do DirectStream mode over LAN. Now I just use the Auralic ASIO and JRMC has a tickbox somewhere for DoP, in a new place. You can't bitstream raw DSD over USB with Vega.

 

I'll have to look at my notes. Are you using one machine or two with JPLAY?

 

I'm using one computer and it seems you can do native DSD using the JRiver ASIO but not either of the 2 Vega ASIOs.

 

2xDSD using DoP seems to work with any of the ASIOs. Is native different/better then DoP?

[Mark Manner]

By way of answering my question above, I have now heard off list from a few sources that for the Vega, try ASIO first, and if it works ok, that is the preferred route.

[Andrew_WOT]

I'm using one computer and it seems you can do native DSD using the JRiver ASIO but not either of the 2 Vega ASIOs.

 

2xDSD using DoP seems to work with any of the ASIOs. Is native different/better then DoP?

I do not think Vega supports native DSD like Yulong DA8. Bet JRiver ASIO still wraps it into DoP behind the scene.

[hifitubes]

I do not think Vega supports native DSD like Yulong DA8. Bet JRiver ASIO still wraps it into DoP behind the scene.

 

Vega: "The S/PDIF(both COAX and AES) is limited to 192K which only possible to send DSD64 signal". You have to have DoP in use with JRMC to get DSD to the Vega.

 

You can't do raw DSD bitstream. It implies something non-standard to me that the JPLAY would allow this. JRiver ASIO is only for use by other sound applications IIRC.

[Mark Manner]

Vega: "The S/PDIF(both COAX and AES) is limited to 192K which only possible to send DSD64 signal". You have to have DoP in use with JRMC to get DSD to the Vega.

 

You can't do raw DSD bitstream. It implies something non-standard to me that the JPLAY would allow this. JRiver ASIO is only for use by other sound applications IIRC.

 

The Vega does dsd and dsd2x fine, but it does as hifitubes says, require DoP. If it is playing dsd and shows dsd on the front screen, then it is coming in as DoP and means the program, JPlay or JRiver, is wrapping it. As I said above, the Auralic supplied ASIO implementation is what I use with JRiver, and it works very well, seamlessly playing hires pcm or dsd without any issues. (the Auralic WASAPI did too, for that matter).

[hifitubes]

Having the strangest problem with my Vega all the sudden. Just won't pick up DoP when playing DSD. Just shows 176 or 352kHz. PCM plays fine at all rates.

 

I have hard restarted it numerous times, and tried FooBar too since I always use JRMC. No changes here. I'm nervous.