DAC-PREAMP for Dynaudio MC15 (Mac Mini)

[Exorcist]

would need some advice here, thanks!

 

i'm intending to set up the following system:

 

Mac Mini ----> DAC-with-PREAMP ----> Dynaudio MC15 Desktop Active Speakers

 

would need some advice on DAC-with-PREAMP. budget is about USD1000+.

 

issue here is i don't find any DAC-with-PREAMP units. it's always DAC-with-PREAMP-with-HEADPHONEAMPLIFIER. i have no use for the headphone amplifier at all. when i'm on the move, i'm always listening to earphones. so i'm not keen on strapping headphones onto my head when i get home.

 

so far, only unit i saw which fits my requirement is Red Wine Audio's Isabellina. and boy, it's really expensive.

 

so, it looks like i have no choice but to pick a DAC-with-PREAMP-with-HEADPHONEAMPLIFIER.

 

PREAMP (volume control) is an important function to me because i'm afraid that i may accidentally swipe up the software volume control tab (if i get a DAC only, with NO PREAMP) and end up exploding the tweeters on the MC15.

 

most dedicated PREAMPs are catered for HiFi and comes with multiple inputs. i only have use for one input. not to forget, the size of HiFi preamps will clutter my table.

 

so it's back to DAC-with-PREAMP-with-HEADPHONEAMPLIFIER.

 

i will burn my CDs onto Mac Mini into WAV/AIFF. i will be listening to internet radio and watching of youtube videos.

 

thinking of getting a Lavry DA11. heard it's slightly more musical and warm than Benchmark Dac1.

 

Dynaudio MC15 should be rather neutral with dynamics. so, i'm looking at a DAC-with-PREAMP-with-HEADPHONEAMPLIFIER which is more musical, more warm sounding.

 

i have read about the transparency of DA11 as well. afraid it may reveal the impurities of internet radio and less-than-ideal ripped tracks. my greatest fear of impurities is in the form of brightness/harshness. i can barely stand brightness/harshness.

 

i will listen mostly at low volumes. perpendicular distance between speakers and me is 50cm. i can't turn up loud unless i am looking forward to being deaf. on the few occasions, i will turn it up to feel the kick of music in my face!

 

what i will appreciate is great amount of details, tight bass, not harsh/bright in any manner, non-muddy sound at low volumes. i assume musicality doesn't really matter when it's at low volumes. it's in my impression that musicality can be felt easier at louder volumes.

 

will the DA11 be good for me? or are there any other options to look out for?

 

thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Panelhead]

The best dac with preamp I have used is the KRK Ergo. Look it up. It also will handle a sub and does room correction.

They are cheap on eBay. I have purchased new ones for 350.00 and they were NIB.

There are much better units available. But not for the price.

 

George

 

[redxiii]

I'm using a Grace Design m903 with my dynaudio acoustics BM5a mkii and I've only heard really good sounding music out of them. The one thing that drew me to the m903 rather than the lavry, benchmarks or other dacs is that these people at Grace Design are not shy when it comes to licensing technologies that they have found to be superior. The two significant ones are the wavelength asynchronous usb solution and Crossfeed for headphone listening from Jan Meier of Meier Audio.

 

I don't think it gives you the additional warmth you mentioned you wanted and also I've heard people comment that it is a little bass-shy, but I've found it to be very engaging, clean, detailed with very tight and exact bass. If you're using the dynaudios I don't expect that you will be getting thumping, earth-moving bass anyway, so accurate and good bass would be what we are looking for.

 

I've heard a Lavry DA10 and the Benchmarks and have found them to be really similar. Some others may be able to describe differences at great length but sorry I can only say through the USB inputs I've found the m903 to be better in soundstage and in clarity of details.

 

Honestly one of the other reasons I bought it is because it looks really awesome too!

 

Another option I can think of is the Centrance DACmini. If I were using a Mac mini it would be the first on my shopping list. Matches it very well (is built to match the Mac mini in any case). It's very good value at $795. Haven't heard it personally but I've had the DACport for a while and it was really pretty good at what it did. The DACmini has been getting good reviews

 

[Exorcist]

hi redxiii,

 

thank you for highlighting m903. it caught my attention. been reading it up here and there yesterday.

 

is the wavelength usb technology used in m903 comparable to wavelength audio's wavelink hs?

 

i'm looking at usb connection. bc from what i read on the faq on computer audiophile, it says that for usb connection, soundcard on PC/MAC is not as crucial as compared to coaxial/optical. but usb implementation has to be good.

 

wavelength audio gives me the impression that they produce credible stuff. stuff that they really know deep in and out.

 

came across meier audio but never heard their products because i was never into headphones.

 

read that m903 sounds a little "soft" and more musical as compared to DA11. by "soft", do they mean more forgiving as well?

 

i don't want the dac to be so revealing to the extent i need superior print material CDs to enjoy my music. i can barely stand brightness/harshness in my music.

 

yes, accurate and tight bass is what i have in mind.

 

how's the headphone amp section in m903?

 

is the dac in m903 the main focus of the product when the designer made this product? is the headphone amplifier an "extension" from the dac?

 

would like to know the estimated ratio of focus on each individual component (i.e. dac; preamp; headphone amp). cos i wouldn't want huge % focus on headphone amplifier when i don't use it.

 

i'm steering away from benchmark after reading about its extreme revealing properties and emphasis on mids and highs to give the illusion of extended details.

 

m903 has 5 years warranty as compared to da11 (1 year warranty). very attractive indeed.

 

is m903 made in usa? can't find any origination label on the pictures.

 

thank you for the Centrance DACmini recommendation. in your opinion, would the m903 be more capable of delivering more details, cleaner and engaging sound at lower volume as compared to Centrance DACmini? since m903 has its roots based on pro audio?

 

care to share why you chose dynaudio bm5a mkii and not other nearfield monitors brands (example, PMC and ATC, Focal)? why didn't you choose mc15? is mc15 slightly more forgiving than bm5a mkii? i have read that mc15 is "cloned" after bm5a.

 

 

 

[Exorcist]

hi george,

 

thanks for the recommendation.

 

[roscoeiii]

Yep, it has a headphone amp, but the 160D has gotten a pretty strong endorsement at 6moons, and is right about $1000. Certainly a major contender if I was in the market for your type of set up. The Eastern Electric DAC would be another I'd consider (although its USB implementation doesn't handle 24 bit material, you could get a USB to SPDIF converter such as the HiFace, or new Musical Fidelity unit and still stay below $1000).

 

[redxiii]

Hi Exorcist,

 

I've never done a comparison with the wavelink hs (never had one) but there is definitely an improvement in the usb input compared with the m902b that I had previously. It also now supports up to 24bit 192khz including the 88.2 and 176.4 that many others do not. This asynchronous versus adaptive battle seems to be a matter of implementation and either one implemented well seems to give good results. In fact the DACmini is made by CEntrance which is the creator of their AdaptiWave USB solution, which though only up to 96khz seems to be an equally effective USB solution. According to their website they believe the difference is mainly in the marketing.

 

Regarding the 'soft' part, sorry I have no idea what they mean. It sounds like the 'edges' of the sounds (especially the HF range) are smoother and not too 'hard'? Hahaha sorry for sounding idiotic but for me what I find is that certain DACs/amps/speakers seem to lean towards either making the sound soft/hard/sibilant/warm and my ears have told me that the m903 walks a good balance. Passages or instruments that are supposed to be jarring and sharp are just that and voices or recordings of warm, sensuous tones are pretty warm(soft?) as well (but in my case limited by my monitors I think). [Edit: I also recall Grace Designs commenting that they chose the DAC chip over another of higher specifications based on voltage constraints and because the chip they chose sounded more musical to them so I guess that allays any worries about being too analytical although the specs may not look as good.]

 

Regarding the focus of the manufacturers for the m903, from my understanding/opinion, they manufacture mainly professional monitor controllers/DACs and this line of product includes the USB solution and headphone amplifier in addition to their DAC. So I would say 70% DAC with variable level analog line outputs which is useful for us using active speakers (not sure if that constitutes a pre-amp) and 30% headphone amp. In any case they call it a reference headphone amplifier so it better be decent. Compared to dedicated headphone amps I've owned or listened to, including some from Meier, Pico, RSA and Nuforce, I've found that it is comparable with just sound signature differences between the higher-end range of the above mentioned brands. The DAC portion is definitely superior to those which are mainly headphone amplifiers such as the Burson which stuck a DAC in there in order to sell to those who want an all in one solution. Though the DAC in the Burson is supposedly decent, it still seems to me like kind of an afterthought.

 

I would refrain from commenting on the DACmini vs m903 as I've not heard the former.

 

As to why I chose the BM5A MKII:

1) Price - I found a good deal

2) Brand - I've always liked Dynaudio speakers. I didn't actually audition the speaker itself personally though I heard the MKI before and liked it.

3) Reviews - Very neutral and very accurate, choice studio monitor for many studios/musicians

4) New - it's relatively new in the market (new things last longer. Or rather a new version isn't going to come out so fast)

5) I don't want speakers which seem to have modifications done to make them sound more fun or engaging just to sell it as a consumer type hifi speaker. I'm not sure about the MC15 but I trust dynaudio to have done a good job with them though.

6) Look at my headphone. It's a Denon. There's enough bass in there to last me a lifetime. I picked the bm5a mkii for when I need to hear music as is compared to the Denons which although modded still give a pretty big dollop of bass which I must clarify is NOT muddy. Just sounds niceee.

 

Woah long post. Hope it answers your questions!

 

Cheers!

 

[Exorcist]

hi roscoeiii,

 

i have came across burson 160D on the internet.

 

i'm more inclined towards grace design m903 bc of wavelength audio's involvement in the USB technology.

 

from what i have read, USB implementation is very important. maybe i'm over-cautious, but i wouldn't want the USB connection to screw things up at the source!

 

from a review i read (headfonia): price difference between HA160 and HA160D crudely translates to the DAC in HA160D costing about USD300. because i won't be using the headphone amplifier section, i'm steering towards a design whose main focus is the DAC, rather than the headphone amplifier section.

 

headfonia review reports more PRAT and lush mids qualities in HA160D as compared to grace design m902. i'm an avid supporter of musicality and PRAT factor (even if it colors the sound to an extent; i have some humble hifi background). because ultimate destination should always be to enjoy the music with immense pleasure. that's afterall the first reason why we started this audiophile journey.

 

my primary concern will be that i'm listening at low volumes. perpendicular distance from me to the speakers is a mere 50cm. i can't turn up loud. it's my speculation that at low volumes, the PRAT and musicality won't be able to shine outstandingly against a less PRAT component.

 

so, what i'm looking for is a DAC that can give me lots of details at low volumes without sounding harsh/bright. also, i'm looking for precise distinct reproduction of voice and instruments at low volumes.

 

all i need is 16/44.1 bit sample rate.. cause i rip songs from my CDs.

 

no offence, but m2tech hiface seems overrated to me. i havent personally heard it. but based on what i read....i digest and dissect the comments...overall, the m2tech hiface makes me feel it's overrated.

 

i once considered sennheiser HD800. thought of abandoning my humble hifi system for headphones (since it's easier to match without the presence of room acoustics). i like the HD800 because it reminded me of the speaker sound. i heard the lehmann black cube linear HD800 combo at a local sennheiser store. it definitely did no justice to HD800. i have read that to maximise HD800, amps like zana duex have to come into consideration. at zana deux price... coupled with a good source (price)....speakers would be a more attractive proposition to me!

 

[Exorcist]

thank you for explaining explicitly to my queries! i gain better understanding now.

 

"This asynchronous versus adaptive battle seems to be a matter of implementation and either one implemented well seems to give good results."

 

in audio arena, it's easy to get caught in this web especially when there are many hypes and inaccurate information released in the wild!

 

 

"Passages or instruments that are supposed to be jarring and sharp are just that and voices or recordings of warm, sensuous tones are pretty warm."

 

have you tried listening to internet radio through M903 and BM5A? call me ignorant, i just found out that itunes has internet radio! as of now, my system consists of aktimate maxi and cambridge audio 740c and macbook pro. i make use of onboard dac in 740c to listen to internet radio. internet radio is interesting and nice to listen to, given the huge amount of radio channel choices.

 

does the internet radio sound harsh/bright through M903 and BM5A? i foresee myself listening a great deal of internet radio since CDs aren't cheap enough for me to expand my collection easily.

 

you mentioned that instruments that are supposed to be jarring and sharp sounded so. are you referring to example, horns? i'm perfectly fine if the M903 reveals the true timbre of music instruments. but i'm not fine if M903 is picky about the recording qualities of albums. bc i don't own any audiophile CDs. my CDs are bought off the shelves from normal CD shops. i wouldn't want the M903 to be picky and ruin the entire listening experience. in my opinion, it's pointless to just listen strictly to well-recorded albums. it's hard to find well-recorded albums and they definitely don't cost cheap (those from japan, germany, etc). so i would like the M903 to not be so critical.

 

i have heard a system comprising of sonus faber cremona auditor m speakers, full bryston electronics (dac, preamp, poweramp), wavelength audio wavelink hs and mac mini (using pure music software).

 

this owner mentions that bryston is accurate, which is why he bought it as he believes in accurate electronics. his system is musical and quite balanced sounding. i believe his accurate bryston electronics have to be musical as well (in audiophile sense). or else, it may just sound clinical and dead though accurate.

 

i have read about bel canto being clean detailed but clinical sounding. i have listened to a thiel cs2.4 with full bel canto system (mono block, dac, etc). the sound wasn't impressive at all. given its high price.

 

i rmb in the sonus faber system: metallica's guitar riffs sounding raw (yet not harsh) while iron maiden's guitar riffs though rockish sounding, didn't sound as raw/bad-boy. i have never heard it in this light before (they all sounded somewhat same in my previous dynaudio focus 110 system). is this accuracy reflecting the true timbres?

 

as you might know, harbeth is a very popular speaker maker. i have read briefly about harbeth's flagship monitor 40.1. harbeth has its roots from BBC monitoring scene yet many harbeth users swear by its natural sound.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

here is something i read off a stereophile review of harbeth monitor 40.1 that caught my attention:

 

That principle seems noble, even unassailable—but it can lull designer and consumer alike into a blinkered perspective in which flat frequency response is assigned greater importance than anything else. The fact is, a loudspeaker must be more than just sonically pure: It must be musically competent as well, inasmuch as it should communicate the momentum, flow, and sheer rightness of pitch relationships that distinguish music from sound. A very good loudspeaker should also convey the drama, scale, and sense of touch that contribute to holding the listener's interest.

 

Harbeth has the rare ability to bundle tonal neutrality with excellent performance in virtually every other regard that matters. To put it more plainly: Here, finally, is a loudspeaker that achieves flat frequency response without sucking all the life out of recorded music.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

i do hope M903 shares the same fundamental traits of Harbeth. accurate neutral tonality yet encompassing musical traits.

 

how far are you sitting away from your speakers?

 

i'm glad grace design chose a more musical component. i've never been obsessed with specifications or reviews. my technical knowledge is impaired so, comparing specifications won't have much meaning to me either. =P

 

what exactly is a motion controller and variable level analog line outputs? does it refer blandly to volume control?

 

i'm glad to see that focus of M903 is in the DAC.

 

i'm curious as to why grace design priced the remote control of M903 at a hefty USD130. it's very expensive for a remote control. any idea if a logitech universal remote can control the M903?

 

the price of BM5A Mark 2 is much cheaper than MC15. if MC15 is almost a clone of BM5A, it makes sense to get the BM5A.

 

there's a local distributor here which carries grace design and dynaudio professional products (from the website). i do hope they carry M903 and BM5A. would be good to listen to them on site.

 

what's the warranty period of BM5A Mark 2? i know the MC15 comes with 5 year transferrable warranty. coincidentally, same as M903.

 

i have some affection with dynaudio speaker as well cause i heard good things with my previous dynaudio focus 110. the sonus faber owner i mentioned above, told me dynaudio speakers in the consumer line are pretty accurate throughout as well. yet it doesn't sound dead or clinical.

 

sonus faber speakers used to get esotar tweeters from dynaudio =D. nonetheless, sonus faber herself is a very adequate speaker maker!

 

do you listen to your speakers more or headphones?

 

i noticed NAD, PSB and Oppo in your signature. are those designated for home theatre purposes?

 

i went to google PMC active speakers last night and came across PMC DB1S-Aii. if i'm not mistaken, it utilises bryston technology. reviews seem good for it. but the price is in another league (USD3000). the price doesn't make sense given my distance and volume constraints.

 

thanks for the informative reply!

 

 

 

[redxiii]

I don't listen to internet radio but how I guess youtube is similar? Haha when I watch something on youtube the sound quality is secondary and I don't really bother with sound quality as much. It's more of a psychological thing and I have enjoyed listening to the music as well but if you ask for my opinion, I'd say as long as you're using a decent dac and amp out of the PC you would definitely notice a difference and whether that bugs you is up to the individual.

 

It is quite revealing of recording quality but it doesn't affect me from enjoying the music although I would still have to label it as "critical".

 

I'm not familiar with Harbeth speakers but as far as I know they have quite a "signature sound" but there are some people who love it and cannot bear to hear another speaker.

 

I'm using the monitors just over 1.5 m from me. I feel that the remote control is a matter of price targeting (the remote itself doesn't look like it costs more than $15) and yes I've read somewhere that a universal remote can indeed control the m903 but you need to find out the codes. I've no idea how to and I like to touch my m903 anyway

[Edit: Oops I forgot to comment on the variable line output. It just means that the dac does the DACing to different voltages based on volume selection. I love the volume control on the m903 btw. I think it's probably as good as or better than preamps which take the fixed line and volume controls it but I'm not sure!]

 

Ah I had the impression you were already using the MC15s. The bm5a mkii warranty is for one year only. Not sure why the discrepancy. I guess it's a matter of marketing as well since the dynaudio range is for consumers who would mind the number of years. I listen to my speakers most of the time and use the headphones when I don't want to disturb the rest of my family if they're using the study at the same time and when I am craving the lush, creamy velvet the denons give. But it's kind of under-utilized compared to the speakers.

 

The NADs and PSBs are for stereo hifi as well as home theatre. They do their job and I enjoy their sound. I find they give me the most value for their price and as they demo-ed their equipment at a show before using that exact configuration that's what I bought after auditioning a few other systems which offered lateral rather than vertical differences.

 

[Exorcist]

just confirmed that local distributor is bringing in grace m903! shall drop by when it has reached and test it with dynaudio BM5A COMPACT.

 

just realised BM5A COMPACT is the one that is identical to MC15. and not BM5A MARK II. MARK II is too big for my table too. it can sit on the table. but it will be nearer to me and i'm afraid there will be bass boom.

 

just received a reply from dynaudio. BM5A COMPACT is indeed identical to MC15.

 

---------------------------------------------------------

 

allow me to quote:

 

The MC15 Desktop Multimedia loudspeaker is based on the studio speaker BM5A, and the loudspeaker technology and amplifier technology are the same.

 

The difference of the MC15 is:

 

MC15 comes with gold-plated Minijack/Cinch stereo audio cable included

MC15 has gold-plated Cinch (RCA) audio input (BM5A has XLR input for studio use)

MC15 comes with two metal plinths for angled placement (for example desk or table)

MC15 comes with detachable cloth grille cover (BM5A has open loudspeaker drivers)

 

---------------------------------------------------------

 

i do hope the m903 and bm5a compact will satisfy my ears well at the audition.

 

ironically, some find harbeth to be over-colored. maybe the monitor genes are in the speakers labeled monitor _____ .

 

oh, 1.5m is some distance. sadly, i have 50cm only. which is why i'm hoping these monitor speakers and monitor-based m903 can give me details at low volumes yet retain the hifi sound.

 

my aktimate maxi will be assigned for movie duties soon!

 

thank you for the clarification on variable line output. noticed grace design didn't mention preamp.. they say motion controller. mmm.

 

i foresee the audiohpile bug urging me on to get a headphone if i ever get the m903. i was thinking about denon too. nice look. iirc, it's a dark sound signature?

 

heard a psb alpba b1 with nad electronics before. some what hifi combination i think. entire system for about 1K. quite okay i rmb. nad and psb do collaborate to a certain extent right?

 

thanks for your great help! hoping to audition m903 and bm5a compact asap X)

 

have a great day!

 

 

 

 

[john dozier]

Try the Anedio. Does a really good job on internet audio such as BBC3. I have been very pleased with my unit. Superb SQ and build quality. They offer a 30day free trial. You cannot lose. I do advise that you listen to DACs with your system. There is no disputing taste.

 

[Exorcist]

thank u john for the recommendation.

 

i would love to enjoy the 30-day trial but i doubt i can. i'm residing in south-east-asia.

 

it's sure good that 30-day trial is common in the states. but sadly, in south-east-asia, this is not a common practice.

 

cheers

 

[One and a half]

These are in the Grace m903 two distinct outputs, either balanced or unbalanced (plus headphones!)

 

You can have them operate at different levels (like for sub woofer), or have them ganged together, so they both raise/lower output at the same value.

So they aren't a volume control as such, but programmable outputs.

They also have different maximum gains.

 

I don't think the m903 sounds soft on the output. It's very accurate I would say. Harsh no, only if the source is rubbish.

 

[john dozier]

They have some overseas distribution. Check with Anedio. Their website is also a treasure trove of info. Cheers and keep up the search. Dr. John Dozier

 

[KDinsmore]

Spend a bit more and get the Wyred4Sound DAC2.

 

[redxiii]

Yup think it's a good idea to try out those 2 as well. The Anedio and Wyred4sound dac2. I recall the W4S is the same if not cheaper than the GD m903 and it seemed quite impressive.

 

[KDinsmore]

Not a DAC. Not that it can't have a good DAC section but it is primarliy a headphone amp.

 

[redxiii]

Quote from their website: Today, we proudly unveil the m903, which is simply the most refined and feature rich headphone amp, DAC and compact monitor controller available.

 

Separated by commas and it would be difficult to decide which it most primarily is I guess.

 

But the other 2 are DACs primarily for sure.

 

[Exorcist]

thank you all for your inputs (recommendations) thus far...

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

i emailed Grace Design with my questions... here are the answers. hope they will be useful for any M903 potential buyer.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

- where is M903 made in? didn't see any origination label on the

pictures of M903.

 

All of our products are hand assembled in our 10 person shop in Boulder, CO USA.

 

- was the main focus of M903 in the DAC (with the headphone amplifier

section being an afterthought)?

 

We started with the 901 in 2001 as a high powered portable HP amp with a DAC. Next, in 2005 the m902 added a line out and improved DAC with s-Lock PLL. Now in 2011, the m903 adds another line out, an improved DAC and asynchronous USB.

 

- how does it compare to Lavry DA11 and Benchmark DAC1 in terms of sound

signature (given that there are your competitors, i'm sure you guys must

have heard them before =D)?

 

You mention 2 very good DACs. Our design goal is to let you hear exactly what your sources sound like, with no added sonic signature at all. I'm told the Grace has less coloration, but have not compared them personally.

 

- what's the sound signature of M903 with BM5A Compact (any chance you

guys heard this combination)?

 

Check out the interview with Jim Wilson on our home page: http://www.gracedesign.com/

 

also look at the reviews, user comments and client list at our site under Information. You'll also find a white paper explaining our design philosophy there.

 

- i see the term "Motion Controller". there's no "Preamp" term mentioned

on the website. was M903 made to link up specifically with a pair of

monitor speakers? mind explaining the meaning difference between "Motion

Controller" and "Preamp"?

 

Our products are designed to meet the needs of professional recording and mastering studios. We use "monitor controller" as most preamps include EQ or tone shaping.

 

- what's the purpose of 2 headphone outputs?

 

So 2 people can monitor at the same time. For example an engineer and a producer.

 

- is the M903 picky about source? i'm intending to rip only WAV/AIFF

formats from my collection of CDs. but i'm afraid my CDs (not of

audiophile recording) may sound bright/harsh in the M903/BM5A combination.

 

We designed to let you really hear your source, if you have bright, harsh CDs, that's how they will sound. Great recordings sound great, bad ones bad.

 

- is the M903 capable of bring out ample details at low volumes? i'm

sitting at a perpendicular distance of 50cm from the speakers. so, low

volume is inevitable.

 

Detail is what we are all about, at any volume level.

 

- what makes the M903 remote control justify its price (price = USD130)?

 

Michael Grace could not find an OEM remote with the feel/features he wanted, so we build the remotes here, also with all custom components. Custom is not cheap. If you have a Harmony/Logitech remote the codes are on their site.

 

 

- how does M903's USB implementation compare with Wavelength Audio

Wavelink HS?

 

We license the asynchronous USB technology from Gordon Rankin at wavelength. The HS has tubes we don't. The m903 is about half the cost of the HS.

 

Best Regards

 

Thanks for choosing Grace!

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

i think the last question was answered wrongly. the Wavelink HS i'm referring to, costs USD900. and i don't think it contains tubes. Grace Design must have been thinking of another model.

 

WaveLink HS 24/192 USB to SPIDF adapter ($900) - from stereophile

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I have nothing but great stuff to say about the people at Grace. Very nice people with a focus on great sound. Ii think the answers above illustrate this well. The answer about the remote cost and suggestion than a Harmony remote will work in place of the Grace remote is pretty cool. Grace isn't charging a lot for the remote because they want to make a buck, rather custom built items are more expensive. Plus nobody is required to use it. I like that.

 

I'm not just saying this because Grace is an advertiser.

 

[Quest]

Hi, great to see you are getting feedback on this forum. Just curious why the Wavelength Proton is not in your list if you like Gordon's implementation that much? Fits your description of being a pure dac/pre.

 

It does have a analog volume control, but you can't control it externally. Unless that's something you're not comfortable with..

 

PS: I am also on hunt for a 2nd dac now within this price range so my Stax setup can run separately, so can trade notes.