Article: MOON by Simaudio Neo 380D DSD Review

[ecwl]

I had a 280D on loan that included the MiND option (the MiND is standard on the 380D). The MiND was initially more transparent than my Aries, which was connected via an Audience Au24 SE cable plus a REGEN and a pair of Jitterbugs. That's about $1000 worth of products just to make USB sound great.

 

Swapping the solid adapter between REGEN and my DAC for a Curious Cable link allowed the Aries to match the MiND's transparency.

 

My takeaway was that there's definitely a BIG advantage to having the renderer inside the DAC as one needs to spend a lot to match the transparency with an external streamer.

 

I wonder if this is a reflection of "it's better to have an internal renderer" or the DAC has a suboptimal USB input. Not sure.

[Camb]

I've heard that RCA SPDIF deviates from the 75 ohm specification and can cause errors in signal transmission.

[audio.bill]

That is due to the fact that the RCA connector doesn't have a 75 ohm impedance even if the cable itself does. That's why true 75 ohm BNC terminations are preferable for digital signals. Not all BNC connectors are 75 ohms though, they are more common in 50 ohms.

[Camb]

That is due to the fact that the RCA connector doesn't have a 75 ohm impedance even if the cable itself does. That's why true 75 ohm BNC terminations are preferable for digital signals. Not all BNC connectors are 75 ohms though, they are more common in 50 ohms.

 

Do AES/EBU connections have the same connection impedance issues as RCA SPDIF connections?

[audio.bill]

The AES/EBU digital connection standard is specified as a 110 ohm impedance, and I believe that is consistent with the standard XLR connector's specifications.

[Camb]

Yes, I'll be reviewing it after CES.

 

Hi Chris, you mentioned you'd be reviewing the 780D after CES. Is this review still forthcoming? Any ETA? I'm really curious to see how this DAC sonically compares to the Berkeley Alpha DAC RS and the EMM Labs DAC 2x. I'm not so much interested in which is "the best" but more so in the sonic differences between them. I've heard the Sim is more "lively" whereas the Berkeley is more "laid back" and the EMM Labs is "an interesting combination of sonic features" from the Berkeley and Sim.

[MikeJazz]

My takeaway was that there's definitely a BIG advantage to having the renderer inside the DAC as one needs to spend a lot to match the transparency with an external streamer.

 

another takeaway could be that the usb on the aries is not as good as it's spdif. I have tested it at a system with very revealing electronics and speakers...

usb sucks life away from music, comparing to spdif on that case.

[Camb]

Hi Chris, you mentioned you'd be reviewing the 780D after CES. Is this review still forthcoming? Any ETA? I'm really curious to see how this DAC sonically compares to the Berkeley Alpha DAC RS and the EMM Labs DAC 2x. I'm not so much interested in which is "the best" but more so in the sonic differences between them. I've heard the Sim is more "lively" whereas the Berkeley is more "laid back" and the EMM Labs is "an interesting combination of sonic features" from the Berkeley and Sim.

 

Just checking in on the status off the 780D review Chris. Any updates?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just checking in on the status off the 780D review Chris. Any updates?

I usually see the Simaudio guys at the AXPONA show in Chicago, but they weren't there this year. I will catch up with them in Munich to follow up.

[Camb]

Hey Chris, is a Moon 780D review still in the works or not?