Hi all,
For my visit to the UK this Oct, if there is one item I would want to purchase is a new DAC. It must be a DAC season as a few models have just been launched recently. Most probably I will not be able to audition all the DACs while I am there and of course, it will not give me the actual sound improvement, given that my kit is in Malaysia. So, I am going for value for money and technical offerings to decide.
Not sure to purchase an ARCAM rDAC, MF M1, Rega and this Wyred 4 Sound DAC (I never heard of it before but somebody is selling this).
As for the Wyred 4 Sound, I was given the following details.
What do you guys think?
My main objective is to improve the sound on my old CDP Marantz CD6000. But interested to know if it can improve my MF X-RAY V3 as well.
Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 32bit Multi-input DAC with volume control featuring 24/192 Asynchronous USB
One of the first commercially available DACs to deploy the exciting new ESS 32-bit flagship 'Sabre32' chip that set the DIY community alight almost two years ago, Wyred 4 Sound's all-new DAC1 and DAC2 are set to redefine the capability of sub-USD2K DACs.
The ES9018 chip at the heart of the new DAC1 and DAC2 is noted for it's astonishing dynamism and resolution: whereas most low-end digital-to-analog converters suffer from what has been described as 'conservative voicing', or a subjective sense of 'digital-ness', the DAC2 promises to open up a whole new world of vividly pure musical experience.
The DACs can process data streams up to 32bit, 200kHz via it's coaxial SPDIF input. To the DAC1's groundbreaking sonic quality, the DAC2 adds the convenience of a remote control and AES/EBU and HDMI digital inputs.
However, the DAC2 upgrade is more than window dressing: the bigger ticket price buys crucial upgrades to the power supply, including 88,000uF of Wyred 4 Sound's own ultra low ESR capacitors and a robust 35A Schottky bridge rectifier – both deployed in the superb STP preamp.
The DAC-2 also features an all-new proprietary 24-bit asynchronous USB implementation that handles sample rates up to 192Hz using Wyred 4 Sound drivers for Mac or Windows operating systems to put the DAC2 on a level playing field with devices like the Perfect Wave and Ayre converters.
The DAC2 is also more versatile, offering HT bypass and a defeatable onboard 32-bit digital attenuator, enabling power amplifiers to be driven directly from the converter (via remote control) for maximum transparency: no preamp or extra set of interconnects required.
The new DACs epitomise the W4S philosophy: visually, it's all business; no frills. Financially, it's all about delivering uncompromised specification to audiophiles without the loaded prices. We believe that Wyred 4 Sound products offer unparalleled value for money and simply cannot be bettered without spending much, much more.
We offer Malaysian customers a 'cheaper than import' price guarantee. We ensure that the price you pay is always less than the landed cost of direct private import.
EDITED BY MODS for copyright reasons
W4S DAC-2 Features:
* Decoder chip: ESS Reference Audio 32-bit Sabre32 ES9018
* LCD display for input and sample rate
* Automatic 500kHz oversampling with precise output filtering
* Defeatable 32-bit on-chip digital volume control for direct control of power amplifiiers
* Extremely low distortion
* Discrete discrete output stage offering exceptional sonics (no op-amps)
* ESS Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
* Fully balanced design
* Remote control
* Oversized toroidal transformer
* Upgraded 35A Schottky bridge rectifier (as used in the STP-SE preamp)
* 88,000uF of filtering using W4S ultra-low ESR capacitors (as used in the STP-SE preamp)
* Asynchronous 24 bit/192kHz USB input
* Proprietary drivers for 32bit/64bit Windows (XP, Vista, 7) and Mac OSX 10.4/10.5/10.6
* 1x RCA coaxial (SPDIF) input
* 1x BNC SPDIF input
* 2x optical (Toslink) inputs
* 1x AES/EBU digital input
* 1x Balanced I2S input via HDMI cable (not standard HDMI cable format)
* Size: 215mm (W) x 105mm (H) x 345mm (D)
* Weight: 7kg
* 230VAC
* Three year return to manufacturer warranty
For my visit to the UK this Oct, if there is one item I would want to purchase is a new DAC. It must be a DAC season as a few models have just been launched recently. Most probably I will not be able to audition all the DACs while I am there and of course, it will not give me the actual sound improvement, given that my kit is in Malaysia. So, I am going for value for money and technical offerings to decide.
Not sure to purchase an ARCAM rDAC, MF M1, Rega and this Wyred 4 Sound DAC (I never heard of it before but somebody is selling this).
As for the Wyred 4 Sound, I was given the following details.
What do you guys think?
My main objective is to improve the sound on my old CDP Marantz CD6000. But interested to know if it can improve my MF X-RAY V3 as well.
Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 32bit Multi-input DAC with volume control featuring 24/192 Asynchronous USB
One of the first commercially available DACs to deploy the exciting new ESS 32-bit flagship 'Sabre32' chip that set the DIY community alight almost two years ago, Wyred 4 Sound's all-new DAC1 and DAC2 are set to redefine the capability of sub-USD2K DACs.
The ES9018 chip at the heart of the new DAC1 and DAC2 is noted for it's astonishing dynamism and resolution: whereas most low-end digital-to-analog converters suffer from what has been described as 'conservative voicing', or a subjective sense of 'digital-ness', the DAC2 promises to open up a whole new world of vividly pure musical experience.
The DACs can process data streams up to 32bit, 200kHz via it's coaxial SPDIF input. To the DAC1's groundbreaking sonic quality, the DAC2 adds the convenience of a remote control and AES/EBU and HDMI digital inputs.
However, the DAC2 upgrade is more than window dressing: the bigger ticket price buys crucial upgrades to the power supply, including 88,000uF of Wyred 4 Sound's own ultra low ESR capacitors and a robust 35A Schottky bridge rectifier – both deployed in the superb STP preamp.
The DAC-2 also features an all-new proprietary 24-bit asynchronous USB implementation that handles sample rates up to 192Hz using Wyred 4 Sound drivers for Mac or Windows operating systems to put the DAC2 on a level playing field with devices like the Perfect Wave and Ayre converters.
The DAC2 is also more versatile, offering HT bypass and a defeatable onboard 32-bit digital attenuator, enabling power amplifiers to be driven directly from the converter (via remote control) for maximum transparency: no preamp or extra set of interconnects required.
The new DACs epitomise the W4S philosophy: visually, it's all business; no frills. Financially, it's all about delivering uncompromised specification to audiophiles without the loaded prices. We believe that Wyred 4 Sound products offer unparalleled value for money and simply cannot be bettered without spending much, much more.
We offer Malaysian customers a 'cheaper than import' price guarantee. We ensure that the price you pay is always less than the landed cost of direct private import.
EDITED BY MODS for copyright reasons
W4S DAC-2 Features:
* Decoder chip: ESS Reference Audio 32-bit Sabre32 ES9018
* LCD display for input and sample rate
* Automatic 500kHz oversampling with precise output filtering
* Defeatable 32-bit on-chip digital volume control for direct control of power amplifiiers
* Extremely low distortion
* Discrete discrete output stage offering exceptional sonics (no op-amps)
* ESS Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
* Fully balanced design
* Remote control
* Oversized toroidal transformer
* Upgraded 35A Schottky bridge rectifier (as used in the STP-SE preamp)
* 88,000uF of filtering using W4S ultra-low ESR capacitors (as used in the STP-SE preamp)
* Asynchronous 24 bit/192kHz USB input
* Proprietary drivers for 32bit/64bit Windows (XP, Vista, 7) and Mac OSX 10.4/10.5/10.6
* 1x RCA coaxial (SPDIF) input
* 1x BNC SPDIF input
* 2x optical (Toslink) inputs
* 1x AES/EBU digital input
* 1x Balanced I2S input via HDMI cable (not standard HDMI cable format)
* Size: 215mm (W) x 105mm (H) x 345mm (D)
* Weight: 7kg
* 230VAC
* Three year return to manufacturer warranty