HD3 review by Alan Sircom in the latest issue of HIFI +
'in fact, what defines the HD3 is completely at odds with what most DACs aimed at computer audio try to do. We are possibly still in the early stages of the computer audio 'migration' and the first DACs to make the crossover often seem to highlight detail as if to show how exciting the format can be. Trouble is, many people want to be able to listen long-term rather to be temporarily awestruck by the detail. It's why to people keep coming back to vinyl in a thoroughly digital age. It's the secret sauce of the conrad-johnson DAC, too. It's not analogue-y sounding it doesn't make your PC sound like a record deck, but it does temper some of the bright and shiny sound of computer audio today.
This has two great advantages; it makes good music more enticing and it makes bad music more like good music. While there is good frequency extension at both ends of the scale, unlike many computer-derived sounds, the HD3 also remembers there's an awful lot in between called 'mid-band' and it does it extremely well, making an intrinsically 'right' sound in the process. So, when you listen to Al Green stepping to the mic, that seductive soul voice is irresistible and somehow leads you to Jeff Buckley, then to Bessie Smith and on to Rufus Wainwright. Mozart speaks to you in musical sentences. Wagner's leitmotifs are like little portraits and the Right of Spring makes you want to throw chairs. It's all good.
That honest, ye tonally rich midrange gives an openness and presence to almost everything it touches.
.....
The DAC world is vastly overstocked and its numbers are growing fast. Sometimes it gets difficult to justify the existence of yet another converter. Fortunately, that's not a problem here; the HD3, by virtue of the sheer enjoyment it builds in the music it plays means it deserves very high recommendation'

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Philippe

l
LP12SE,urika phonostage,radikal power supply, dynavector XV-1s,conrad-johnson GAT and LP275M, Sonus Faber Elipsa,yter/naim/Linn cables, vibex, finite elemente

Ooh, I'd love to have one.

I just got my Schiit Bifrost yesterday, we shall see how it does in the long term. The first hour it was dreadful, thin, bright and "relentless" sounding, but it's starting to smooth out with some hours on the clock. I've heard it really needs 100 hours to smooth out to it's best performance. Fortunately, I have 15 days to get it burned in before deciding one way or another.

Sounds like I'd looove an hd3, though.

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conrad-johnson CT-5, Premier 17LS, and LP70S, Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, Rega P5/Sumiko Pearwood Celebration II, Clearaudio Concept/Grado Sonata1 mono, EAR 834P, Oppo BD-83SE, Schiit Bifrost DAC, MacBook/PureMusic, Dynaudio Contour S3.4, REL R-305, DNM speaker cables, Zu Mission IC's, Shunyata Black Mamba and Diamondback PCs, Hydra 4

Hi PC,
I would love to hear you imressions of the Schiit Bifrost. I am thinking of getting one also. Keep us posted.

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ronenash
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Power: Conrad Johnson LP125m SE (setup 1), Pathos Classic One mk3(setup 2)
Pre: Lyngdorf DPA-1 w/RoomPerfect
Analog: VPI Classic 1, Alluminium body Denon 103R, Audio Analogue Aria 2
Digital: Modified Oppo 981hd with hirez digital output, Meridian 800v3, PC-->MF V-Link/J.River
Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario

Hi

Long time lurker, thought I would finally take the plunge and join.

I am now a happy owner of a CJ HD3, running it from a Mac Mini (2009 + Amarra) into a CJ CA200 and Martin Logan Aeon i's

I was previously running a Weiss DAC 2 which is was happy with, and its a great DAC.

However I took the HD3 home for an audition and within 5 minutes of hooking it up, I knew this piece of kit was pretty special.

Much more musical, seems to handle mid range so much better. I have had it about 10 days and I think I have listened to more music in that time than in the last 6 months.

The previously posted snipped of a review from HIFI+ is spot on.

As a first post I am trying to not sound too effusive but I am very pleased with it. The dealer mentioned I am probably the first owner in Australia

Hi Fand,

Welcome! Please keep us updated on the dac. CJ makes some very nice gear.

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Joe

Speakers: TAD CR-1's, Klipsch Cornwall III's, JBL 4312D. Amps: darTZeel NHB-108, Conrad-Johnson MV-60, Burmester 911 MK3 Monoblocks. Preamps: Burmester 077 w/ external power supply. Electronics: Metric Halo LIO-8, SCD-XA5400ES, Aqvox USB2 D/A MKII Dac, Sony SCD-333ES, Audio Logic 24mxl DAC, Apple Mac Pro w/ Lynx Studio AES16e, Mac Mini, Amarra and Pure Vinyl. PurePower 2000AC regenerator. JL Audio F113x2

Fand, welcome aboard and congrats!!

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Randy - Wilson Sophia 2; BAT VK-600SE, BAT VK-52SE, BAT VK-5DSE; JL Audio F113 x2; Exact Power EP-15 and SP-15; Oppo BDP-83 SE; Emotiva MPS-1 and DMC-1; Marantz VP-15S front projector; 92" Stewart Firehawk; Rocket 200, 300, 750; ASC Tube Traps; SMS-1; WireWorld Silver Electra 5^2 PC's, Silver Eclipse 6 IC's and Silver Eclipse 6 SC's; Shunyata Hydra 6/Black Mamba CX-HC; Symposium Svelte Plus and RollerBlock Series 2+; Clear Audio Concept (MC); PS Audio GCPH

Congrats and welcome to the family of AA members and Conrad-Johnson owners! Be warned that it's a pretty addicting experience and you may find yourself thinking about C-J preamps, amps, and phono stages!

Please keep us updated on your experiences as you're the first among us to own the HD3.

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conrad-johnson CT-5, Premier 17LS, and LP70S, Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, Rega P5/Sumiko Pearwood Celebration II, Clearaudio Concept/Grado Sonata1 mono, EAR 834P, Oppo BD-83SE, Schiit Bifrost DAC, MacBook/PureMusic, Dynaudio Contour S3.4, REL R-305, DNM speaker cables, Zu Mission IC's, Shunyata Black Mamba and Diamondback PCs, Hydra 4

So Philippe : will you step in the digital world with this one ?

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

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Jérôme

They have convinced themselves that man, the worst transgressor of all the species, is the crown of creation. All other creatures were created merely to provide him with food, pelts, to be tormented, exterminated. In relation to them, all people are Nazis; for the animals, it is an eternal Treblinka. Isaac Bashevis Singer

I'm too young for that stuff Jérome
i'm waiting for 2 big parcels from Fairfax, VA

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Philippe

l
LP12SE,urika phonostage,radikal power supply, dynavector XV-1s,conrad-johnson GAT and LP275M, Sonus Faber Elipsa,yter/naim/Linn cables, vibex, finite elemente

Fand... Welcome To AA!!!

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Jeff

AMPS MC402\MC7106 PREAMP C2300 w\Gold Lions 12AX7 CD PLAYER MCD201 DAC Emotiva XDA-1 TABLE VPI Classic w/Ortofon 2M Black, VPI SDS, Periphery Ring RCM VPI 16.5 H\T Krell HTS 7.1 Speakers PMC OB1i's and B&W ASW650 Accessories Chang Lightspeed CLS Cinema 3.0