Accuphase DC-37
 

I couldn't wait for the local launch of the DC-37 and ordered mine from a contact in Japan. It arrived yesterday and here it is .

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...ps3cc54cf4.jpg


It does sound a lot like the DP-720 so no surprises there. At the moment I have it hooked up to my DP-700 via HS-link. The results are superb and I can't wait for it to be fully run in. I have no idea how long that will take but it's running 24/7 in the meantime.

Very nice; Congrats on a wonderful acquisition. :ok:

Congrats, beautiful unit.

DC-37 as a preamp - any experience?
 

Anyone have any experience using DC-37 or DG-58 as a preamp?

How does it compare to the DP-700 sonicly ?

Beautiful unit, I got mine about a month ago and it was certainly an improvement over the DAC40 board I was using in my C-2120 at the time. Enjoy!


Best regards,
Samuel.

I am now using the DG-58 directly connected to the power amplifier via XLR.

Aside from the fact that if you want to change level on the DG-58 you have to navigate in the menu (also possible to do by remote if you have 20/20 eyesight :D ), is working perfectly fine. It has enough voltage and correct impedance to easily drive a power amp and the DAC section is very good.

As nvp as said in another tread, with correct source and a transparent power amplifier sometimes preampless way is somewhat better if the preamp is not really über top (à la nvp 3800 :D).
Now, I really don't know exactly how one quantifies/measures this power amp "transparency", but if it's a mix of THD, Damping and SNR, then my old P-700 should do the trick and I can skip a preamp, even if a 2420 or 2820 would be A) Beautiful B) much better for volume control friendliness.

Then again, I think that the changes that the DG-58 can apply on the audio signal (and make it better) are at least an order of magnitude more noticeable to human ears than the presence or not of a preamplifier or the differences between two very good DACS or the difference between two good power amps at the same level. Just my humble opinion.

The DG-58 DAC section is practically the same as the DP-720.

It's digital volume control (DG-58) vs. analog volume control (preamps with AAVA).

IMO transparency can only be 'measured' by ear, though SNR, THD, damping factor, slew rate (response to an impulse) etc. do play their role, there is no guarantee that good technical data automatically mean good sound.

The sonic footprint of a decent power amp is usually less prominent than that of other components like SACD/CD drive, DAC or especially preamp.

Fully agreed :thumbsup: especially since you use DG-58 and passive elements together.

Martin

Martin

Yes, and also as the DC-37.
In 720 and and DC-37 I think the power supply is a bit more refined, but the "style" with one ESS9018 per channel is the same.
Then again the 901 is even more refined as PSU and has 2 ESS 9018 per channel, another notch above.

I think without a direct switching comparison, one has really to have a *very* good pairs of ears and a wonderful audio memory to be able to spot the differences.

But if all these small improvements are put together (power amp, pre, DAC, player, etc), then systems like your Reference start to sound sensibly different (and better) I think.

Yes, that is the question. Now I'm debating with myself if the inevitable *little* coloration/noise that I'd have with a good pre in the chain would be compensated by the benefit of having a good and user friendly AAVA volume. A try with a 2420 or a 2820 is almost inevitable at this point :)

Agreed: the less problematic is the room, the better the DG-58 works. In very bad rooms, I think that the Accuphase way is "not modify too much the audio signal anyway".

In that respect, I think Dirac does a little better job in improving really difficult situations.

But I think that had to be expected. When the DG-58 was created (like the ones before) the Accuphase engineers probably had a target in mind: people with good rooms and good systems, that really wanted the extra mile from the equipment.

On monday my E-470 will arive. The wait has given me time to read about DC-37, and i have to say that i realy want that DAC. Its up against the Luxman DA-06, but what i can read out of reviews and spesifications (and review of the DP720, same DAC parts!?) i want the DC-37 more :D.

Its expencive, so i need at least a year before i can realize this dream.

.... and now i have ordered a DC37.. this is a wildshot from my hip. I got a extremely lovely sounding Audio GD Master 7 DAC (8x1704UK based unit)... but i just have to test the DC-37, since the E-470 realy impresses me so much.

I have read so much good things about the DP-720, that DC37 is based on, so this should be a great puchase. Cant wait to get it :D.

Congratulations spurv!

The first symptom that you have been bitten by the infamous Accuphase Bug is that time until next purchase mysteriously shortens: usually 1 year = 10 days :D

Hehe... The sound is extreme! Much more detailed and "clean" than my McIntosh setup, not that the Mcintosh setup is bad, only very different.

When i play normal, friends says... this will become bright when you turn it up... right? They all are so impressed of the sound, with so much details not getting harsh. Even Metallica - Enter Sandman sound extremely well at extreme volume.

I have tried it as PRE-amp for 2-3 days now... and it does a verry good job on my MC1.2KW, it does not seems like the PRE OUT has to little signal (voltage) to drive the MC to the extreme :). So... i sold my C48 today..... :P. The mc1.2kw is so spectacular... so i wont sell them.... even i dont need them, the E-470 got more than enough power for my Cornwall's :). Ofcourse i could get a Accuphase preamp istead of the E-470, but i like the flexebility i got now. :).

Now i wait for the DC-37 :D.

Sorry my spelling....

The HS-Link can playback DSD128, but at the moment there are no devices to transmit (from Accuphase released just yet)).
However a new Denon SACD player DCD-X11 available in October can play native DSD128 discs. I imagine these to be dsf similar to the Sony standard DSD_DISC for DSD64?

Hi everybody,

I have a question to owners of DC-37.

I have a small problem with this device when playing through USB input. I can’t figure out whether this is a normal situation or a fault of my device.

When a new track starts to play via foobar2000 the USB receiver (I can hear a click inside dac) doesn’t operate simultaneously with the signal from the computer, so every song starts to sound with a delay of about a second. I mean I can’t hear the first second of each song which I press to play (If the tracks play continuously there is no such a problem).

I tried win8.1, win10, Linux OS and several usb cables of different lengths – the problem stays the same. I also tried several computers (didn’t help!).

Has anybody experienced similar problem?

Please check your dacs and provide me with feedback.

Hope to hear from you. Thanks.

The issue will be with the software. It sounds like it drops contact with the DAC between songs and re-acquires it when the next one is played. Does it also do that when you press pause part way through a song?

VSS... Welcome to AA! :wave:

Thank you! :)

The driver for win was downloaded from the official site. And Linux doesn't require special software - however the problem stays the same.

It happens also when I press pause during a song.

Have you experienced such a problem? Have you managed to solve it?

Hi! i am italian so excuse for my orrible english. I have a sacd DP-85 and i would like to know what you think if i will buy the dac dc-37 for an upgrade!! Thank you very much to all!!!

I would sell the DP-85, take the money for the DC-37 and would go for a DP-550 or a used DP-7xx.

I have a chance to buy a DC-37 but little chance of listening to one before hand.
I current have an Accuphase DP-77, is the upgrade worth it?

I could sell the DP-77 and use my Oppo BD player, is that a viable option too?

After selling the DP-77, the DC-37 would work out quite reasonable priced (for me)

I can answer my question.
I got to audition a DC-37 yesterday and compare it to my DP-77
It was no contest
A guitar on the DP-77 sounded like something really cheap and nasty, on the DC-37 it was a beautiful Guild
Air and space was missing on the DP-77 which the DC-37 had in abundance.
Cymbals sounded like cymbals
Instruments could be heard in their own space
You could hear the room the recording was made in
I won't go on any more but the DC-37 sounded great!!!

I can't wait for it to be ordered and delivered. I'll find out next week how long the wait will be.

I don't own a DO2-HS1 card for my DP-77 so I'm a bit stuck getting the DC-37 to play DSD layers of SACDs
I could use my Oppo BD player and use a HDMI de-embedder connected to the DC-37 but I think I'd rather use the HS-Link.
Would the HS-Link allow me to play the DSD layer?
Where can I get one of these DO2-HS1 cards?

Thanks,
Terry

Some Oppo players (103D) can be upgraded with a digital board that can play DSD over spdif, I am in the process of ordering one myself (Audiopraise Vanity HD DSD)

Thanks.
This unit will take the DSD from the HDMI on the Oppo and send an DSD output over spif
I did check with their designer.
There are other HDMI de-embedders available
Evolve® HDMI DAC - Essence For High Res Audio

I have the Oppo 83 which isn't covered by Audiopraise mods
BTW The DC-37 doesn't handle DSD over spdif, only through USB or HS Link, so you would have to get the Oppo to convert DSD to PCM.
I think that the Audiopraise is doing the same (obviously, you don't then need a de-embedder)

I still fancy the idea of the Accuphase HD-Link though

I just purchased the DC-37 and been in my Accuphase system for about a week. Sounds great with the 3850 and the A-70. I run mostly computer files and have a old NAD CD transport. Considering finding a used Accuphase sACD transport so I can utilize the HS-Link. Has anyone listened to the DC37 connected via the HS-Link to a Accuphase CD transport. Will the sound be similar to a DP-720 since the DC37 DAC components are identical? Which used CD transport would you recommend?

According to the dealer:
HS-Link is the best way to connect to it
The DC-37 sounds better than the DP-720 - they are NOT the same
Any Accuphase player with HS-Link output

I'm looking for a second hand DO2-HS1 so I'll be able to confirm if I ever find one

BTW
I listened to the only DC-27 in the UK and I'm the 1st person to buy one!

Harris4crna... Welcome to AA! :wave:

You mean one of these?

http://www.hifido.co.jp/photo/14/278/27830/d.jpg

Exactly one of those!

Thank you. I am glad to hear any Accuphase CD transport will sound better with the DC-37. I will keep my eyes open. Any Used CD transport you recommend? Im in japan, so i believe i should not have any isuue finding one.

The newest one you can find that has HS-Link.
Preferably with an Accupase transport rather than Sony

Unless you need more digital inputs than the DP-720 offers, my advise would be to return the DC-37 and get a DP-720 instead. I recommend you this because sound-wise the usb, toslink and digital coaxial connections on my DP-720 are inferior to the DP-720 transport - there simply is not comparison here. Your C-3850 and A-70 deserve better than what usb and toslink can offer.

In my experience by a very large margin.

I highly doubt that the DC-37 is better than the DP-720. There are some differences between the two DAC sections, e.g. the DC-37 is capable to handle more formats and it has a different power supply while the DP-720 (like all top units) has two separates left and right analog output circuits printed on teflon. However, the big difference (besides price) between the two units is the world class transport which was optimised for the DP-720 DAC. This transport actually makes a very big difference and it sounds significantly better than the rest of the digital connections available on DP-720. Also, the DP-720 offers external dsp in/out connectors which allows one to introduce a room correction unit into the loop (which further improves the sound).

nvp

This is not the first time now I ear such impressions... really have to try!



On a side note, I really envy one that can ear clear differences between the DAC sections of the DC-37 and the DP-720. Really, no sarcasm involved.
I tried very hard, both with speakers and headphones, to tell the DC-37 apart from the DG-58, regarding DAC section, to no avail.

I've compared the analogue outputs of the DP-720 and the DC-37 when the DP-720 was connected via HS-Link to the DC-37 and the latter sounded better. Other listeners at the time agreed.

I really doubt the DAC portion of the DP-720 is that much better than the DC-37. My impression by Accuphase when I visited them a couple weeks ago stated the DAC portion of the 720 is similar to the 37. I bet they are comparable. Only the 900/901 is better. Again, I do not listen to many CDs and the extra cost of the transport in the 720 probably not worth it.

Harris, if the above answer was meant for me, then please note that I have never said the DAC section of DP-720 is better than the DC-37 DAC. I merely highlighted the differences between the two DACs without drawing any conclusions. I have recommended you to get a DP-720 because:

1) You said you are in Japan so the price difference between the two is significantly smaller than in Europe or USA.

2) You gave me the impression that you would be interested to buy an Accuphase cd player with h-link to use as a transport for the DC-37 DAC. This will make the price difference between the DC-37 and DP-720 even smaller.

Consequently, I do not think the small amount you will save in the end is worth on the long run. Instead of one very good Accuphase box you will end up with two boxes that most likely will not play at the same level and cost almost as much. You should also know that older Accuphase players (i.e. units that are 4-5 years old) are known to have problems with their lasers. At first they fail reading some discs but the problems aggravates with time.

Unless the DC-37 was louder I do not think the difference between the DC-37 DAC and the DAC section of DP-720 player will by very obvious. (Mattia knows what he is talking, he is the master tester here :) )

My experience is that top Accuphase units (e.g. C-28xx, DP-7xx, A-6X, A70) play music in a much calmer way than the middle class Accuphase units (e.g. DP-550, DC-37, C-24xx and A-4X). The top units do not offer more details but instead provide a much more relaxed and better controlled presentation - this regardless of the unit type (i.e. cd player, pre-amp or power amp).

I was just reporting my experiences.