Simaudio Moon 300d DAC

[Part-Time Audiophile]

From the Simaudio site:

 

"The MOON 300D Digital-to-Analog Converter features 1 USB input allowing for seamless integration with a computer, 1 optical TosLink input and a pair of S/PDIF (RCA) inputs. Sampling rates are 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 & 192kHz. Bit-depth range is from 16 through 24 bits with internal processing at 352.8kHz."

 

It's a half-width chassis. Interesting that the upsampling algorithm takes everything to 8x of 44.1kHz instead of of 48kHz. Nothing on the USB version/type, AFAIK.

 

MSRP: $1600. Available now.

 

[Mr.C]

I have been eyeing this up since the fall. If it is anything like their CD players, it should be great.

 

[Oystein]

I also noticed this new DAC as an interesting piece for my setup.

 

Looking at the pictures of the internals its lookes exactly like the optional DAC that can be ordered to their intergrated amplifier. For reference see also the review in The Absolute Sound magazine were they reviewed the Moon i3.3 amp (with optional DAC board) and cd3.3 cd-player.

The dac option in the i3.3 uses a PCM1793 dac chip and the cd uses the PCM1798 chip and the cd dac design is based on their top model Supernova cd-player.

In this review the cd player sounded best using itw own DAC circuit compared to the digital out and using the amplifier for conversion.

http://www.avguide.com/review/simaudio-moon-i33-integrated-amplifier-cd33-cd-player-tas-198

The Moon 300D uses the PCM1793 and having an identical circuit board we can assume that it is indeed the same piece.

The DAC option in the amplifier costs $400 but in case of the 300D there is need of an extra power supply, housing and analog output stage.

 

Knowing the brand Simaudio/Moon we might expect a very nice sound but I am still looking forward to any review before I order one.

 

 

 

[Balis]

Well, I just fell for it. Got mine last Friday. I had it run all week to break it in. I don`t know what to say other than: WOW! It sounds just like a Moon, meaning you just don`t notice it. It feels very transparent and balanced: like this is what the music you`re listening to was meant to sound like. I really like it! In fact,it now makes my digital music collection sound better than my CD player used to!

 

[Quest]

Just to second all the comments here.. if you like the simaudio sound, then you'd probably like this dac. performance wise is pretty decent for the money, so just a matter of whether you'd like the character and its presentation or not.