new Weiss DAC?

[agentsmith]

Just heard news/rumor from the Naim forum that the Weiss Minerva is being replaced by a new "DAC202". And that the DAC2 will remain as is.

 

Anyone else heard about that?

 

[dennis88]

From: http://avclub.gr/forum/showthread.php?p=1019156

 

This email is to announce our new D/A converter, the DAC202, which will replace the Minerva D/A. The DAC202 has all the features of the Minerva plus some more. Here is an overview:

 

- Digital Inputs: AES/EBU or S/PDIF on 1 XLR, 1 RCA,

 

1 Toslink, Firewire

- Digital Outputs: AES/EBU on 1 XLR, 1 RCA, Firewire

- Main Analog Output: 2 stereo analog outputs,

 

one on XLR one on RCA,

- Headphone output on 1/4" Jack

 

- Level control main output: 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain). Level control can be defeated for the main output.

- Level control headphone output: 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain, independent from the settings in the main output), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain).

 

- Wordsync input on BNC

- Wordsync output on BNC

 

Frontpanel controls:

- LCD display for display of sampling rate, input source, audio level, absolute phase, upsampling filter type, various menu items

- rotary encoder with push switch

- IR receiver

- standby LED

- headphone Jack socket

 

 

Special features hidden in sub-menues:

- transparency check (allows to check the bit transparency of a playback chain)

- setting of the coarse output levels (analog domain)

- dual / single wire selection for 176.4 / 192 kHz sampling rate

- display brightness

 

 

IR Remote control switches:

- power on/off

- volume up

- volume down

- input sources (4 switches for Firewire, XLR, RCA. Toslink)

- DAC upsampling filter type

- mute

- absolute phase

 

 

Sampling rates: 44.1 up to 192 khz / 24 Bits

 

Mechanics: The same looks and size as the Minerva.

 

The DAC202 also has a new D/A converter and new analog output stages compared to the Minerva. The D/A converter uses two converters per channel to gain in signal to noise ratio. We do not disclose any information on the specifics of the analog circuitry at this time.

 

I am sure the DAC202 will set the standard for computer based playback. With the remote control and the headphone output the DAC202 will appeal to many customers. It can easily replace a preamplifier.

 

[joeling]

Oh dear, I'm about to plunk down hard cash for a Minerva ! But I bet the price is not gonna be cheap.

 

Regards,

Joe Ling

 

[ted_b]

Minervas when their identical twin, the DAC2, sells for so much less. This move makes sense, adding the functionality (dig volume, headphone, phase, remote) that many have been asking for. Personally I don't need them (dig filters would be nice, though) and glad I have the now-bare-bones DAC2. It will be interesting to hear about how much the new DAC chip and analog section improves the actual sonics.

 

[Nyal Mellor]

Well I guess that means we aren't going to see the Weiss remote control feature (via rowmote) for the DAC2 then that was rumored about

 

[dennis88]

Huh, did not hear about remote for the dac2. Do you have a link for further Information?

 

[Purite Audio]

I am pretty sure there will not be a remote for the DACII there will be a remote for the new DAC202, and of course remotes are available for the new firewire interface and passive attenuator.

Keith.

 

[shakebb]

guys, i read it somewhere this is coming out in january... anyone can confirm it cos' there's no such news on weiss website yet...

 

i was about to get a minerva too...

 

many thanks!

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Yes, it will be available fairly soon and will replace the Minerva.

 

[shakebb]

any idea how much it will cost?

 

tks.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

not at this time.

 

[nirdi]

Here 2 links to DAC202 pictures:

 

http://www.schiesser.net/Dac202%20Front1.jpg

http://www.schiesser.net/DAC202%20Back1.jpg

 

Regards, Jakob

 

 

[dennis88]

Here are the specs and pricing of the dac202:

http://www.designwsound.com/dwsblog/?cat=3

 

[DanRubin]

The feature set looks terrific, but I was hoping it would be priced the same as the Minerva, if not lower. Is there a chance the US list price will be less than indicated?

 

[ted_b]

Weiss is positioning this as a Minerva+, not minus, so the price is not surprising (disappointing of course...we always want lower prices ). I would love to convince my dealer to have me a/b it with my DAC2, but not sure that there are but a few coming across the pond in the first shipments.

 

[ackcheng]

Weiss is positioning it as an audiophile product, not a pro product! At this price range, there are more option. Even Prismsound and MH can be had for cheaper!

 

[ted_b]

But I agree that this level of investment (as opposed to my $2900 DAC2) puts them squarely in the category of Berkeley, MH, Sonic, Prism Orpheus, etc. I'm sure Daniel would say something like "bring em on". They know their competition. And based on how well Weiss products have been accepted (including loving my DAC2) I'd be surprised if they won't be sonically competitive. Well see (hear).

 

[DanRubin]

I think they need to get to a $5K street price with this puppy. Or perhaps there will be a revised DAC2 with some of these new features and circuits.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Perhaps the most critical feature of this new DAC is the Transparency check (allows to check the bit transparency of a playback chain). Until now it was nearly impossible for most listeners to guarantee they were getting bit perfect playback. This DAC looks to have a built-in mechanism to check for this. I know Daniel talked about doing this last year and I'm elated to see he has implemented it in this product.

 

Very cool.

 

[labjr]

It better sound like the cat's *ss. Weiss' audiophile line has a huge profit margin built in and Daniel Weiss makes no bones about it. To me that turns into a huge loss when you go to sell or upgrade.

 

I'll probably be looking at Metric Halo when I buy. Hopefully they'll have something new by the time I buy.

 

[barrows]

right on to me. This unit is not comparable to a BADA, the comparison would be:

 

Weiss 202 to BADA+interface ($700-$1300)+SPDIF cable (around $300 or much more for something decent)

 

This is also a European built product, so there is a premium, as the cost of running a business in Europe is high, there are taxes when it enters the US and overseas shipping costs to offset. With the engineering, and build quality of Weiss gear I think the price of the 202 is very attractive. It will be interesting to see how much better it sounds than the Minerva/DAC2 with the new filters/oversampling architecture, new DACs, and new output stage.

 

[labjr]

The question would be, does it sound better than everything else out there? Better yet, does it even sound better than their own DAC2 which is less than half the price, or are they just making an exclusive product for the "audiophile" market so everyone can't just run out and buy the exact same item made for the "pro" audio market for half the price.

 

The reason for the price is not that it's made in Europe, It's because it's an "audiophile" product.

 

Are they offering any kind of upgrade path for those with older models? or does one have to take a huge hit by selling the Miverva for almost nothing, since who's gonna buy it when you can buy a DAC2?

 

 

 

[mp]

I am very intrigued by the new Weiss DAC but as someone who purchased a Minverva this time last year, I am very curious about an upgrade path that would eliminate taking a significant loss on the Minverva to step up.

 

Any word?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I highly recommend contacting your dealer.

 

[barrows]

a little confused by the tone here. Fact: a European built product will always have a premium price, as the costs of doing business in Europe is higher than in the US (nevermind vs. the far east), and importing a product into the US adds to the final price.

The implication that Weiss is overpricing their gear made on this thread just does not fly. Yes, as an "audiophile" product, to be distributed through audio dealers, their will be more mark up from wholesale price-this is not Weiss' fault, and Weiss is not making more money because of this extra step of distribution-this distribution model is just a fact of doing business in the audio market: all audio products sold through traditional dealers are subject to the same mark ups.

The DAC 202 is a replacement for the Minerva, with more features, a new DAC section, and a new analog output, and a built in headphone amp. This product offers more than the Minerva, and is priced accordingly.

Where are all the complaints about the price of a Berkeley Alpha? I guess if BADA made a "pro" version of the Alpha, and sold it through Sweetwater for $2500.00, suddenly folks here would get their undies all in bunch? The Alpha is over $5K, is not subject to the high cost of European manufacture or import costs, does not use a lot of expensive internal parts, is compromised in performance by its SPDIF only nature, and requires a separate interface for use as a computer DAC, but I do not hear anyone complaining about its high price. I have heard the Alpha, and it certainly is a good sounding DAC, but there are even those who prefer the sound of the Minerva/DAC2, and I have heard from folks who prefer the sound of the ($3K) PS Audio PerfectWave DAC fed from the same source.

Like I noted previously, it will be interesting to get a listen to the new Weiss.