michaelD Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 hello, i am in the market for a new DAC. Currently running VEGA feeding vitus amp driving raidho monitors. Looking to improve my source. Can anyone comment on the Bricasti M1 SE? Any other DACs i should be auditioning (under $10k)? Thanks, Udi I went to 2015 Axpona to investigate and purchase a DAC and music server. At the time I listened to all of them that were there and at the end it came down to the Bricasti M1 and Lampizator Golden Gate. To me sonically they were very close although the Lampizator was like 8K more expensive however the final decision came down to the company and personalities. I just saw Bricasti as a more solid choice and being US made was an added bonus. I was also impressed with how they keep updating their unit not just with software but as in the case of the SE update several internal components. The SE version is quite a step up from what I originally heard and I'm positive that more will be coming. I'm very pleased sonically. Since I saved some money on the DAC 1 could now afford at the time the new N10 Aurender. Also as you can see I kind of personalized it with all black and polished buttons and feet. Concerning the feet they have very cleverly incorporated Stillpoints within each foot. This should not be over looked for those that use some type of isolation I don't know of any other DAC that comes that way. Depending on what you get that could easily add 1K to the cost of most any other DAC. 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Another comment I would make beyond a longer break-in period is what connection are you using. I preferred the XLR over the USB. If your setup can handle that I would also give that a try. 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 udis so have you come to a conclusion with the Bricasti? 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 udis - best to leave with no upsampling. Did you test the SE version? Also just food for thought but once you hook the M1 up to the Bricasti M28's it will blow your mind! 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 I use all Nordost. Valhalla 1M XLR and 2M power. 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 I'm not familiar with LE? Also what are you hearing with the M12 vs the M1 with DSD? 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
michaelD Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 6 hours ago, fsmithjack said: matthias - great question. Thank you I will be giving my feedback on this insane DAC soon. He just can't build them quick enough because everyone wants one! I don't want to make it harder by getting into it too much just yet but trust me when I tell you this is a very different and refined digital instrument that has been honed over and over and sharpen'd to a razors edge and it just flat out slashes and rips through everything! Pure DSD through this DAC is so pristine and analogue it will make your eyes water. It is insane. I plan on sharing all the details on a dedicated thread soon. Even listening at the lower levels it has this dynamic jump, this movement past where it is, its stops and starts are startling. It is so vibrant and so immensely transparent I just couldn't believe it. I had goosebumps running up the back of my arms and neck and was like WTF. It breathes and flows unlike any other digital product I have ever heard. Nothing about it is digital like. I don't want to take anything away from the M1 because there are some family similarities but make no mistake, the M21 is a naturally born predator with an unstoppable and insatiable appetite. It just flat out rips and it is running rough shot a the top of the digital food chain with consequences throwing off the balance of the entire digital ecosystem. Yes digital is moving forward my friends and making leaps and bounds in the Ethernet, clocks and analogue DSD domain that is going where no one has ever gone before and it is so great for us. Higher tides rises all boats and this thing is a full blown tsunami. Yippie Ky ayyy... It is a legit existential threat to anything digital. Stay tuned Can't agree with you more - on the M1SE which I had and loved, then moved to the M12 and will be moving to the M21 I hope soon. Heard it at Axpona and it was awesome. Also totally agree with the Bricasti support and updates that to me is a huge plus on top of the top quality sound. As you can see I have gone the Aurender route to feed my Bricasti just am not a big fan of Roon. Anxious to hear your comments on the M21!! 2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall wire Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI Link to comment
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