So here is my first detailed description of my new Totaldac d1-twelve SE DAC.
The setup
The d1-twelve SE consists of three moderate sized chassis and four outboard power supplies. One chassis houses the reclocker and the optional server which I paid extra for. The other two each house a monobloc R-2R ladder DAC and comprise the stereo pair. The reclocker/server feeds the digital signal via AES-EBU cables to each monobloc. Ivan supplied me with a couple WireWorld Platinum Starlight AES-EBU cables in early May for this purpose. Two power supplies feed the reclocker and server respectively in the one chassis. The remainder each feed one monobloc. Vincent Brient (Totaldac's founder/engineer) supplied me with 4 French-made Esprit power cords which he recommends for his DACs. These are plugged into an AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioning strip. All chassis must be powered up simultaneously in order to function properly, which I do with the Niagara power strip's on/off button. Totaldac uses Vishay resistors along with FPGA software that Vincent Brient engineered himself. Vincent does not use off-the-shelf DAC chips of any kind.
I've been listening via USB only. The analog signal goes directly to my Benchmark AHB2 amp via the DACs' buffered class-A balanced output section. I use the d1-twelve's built-in volume control. There is also an unbuffered output section which happens to be the only option for the non-SE version. The unbuffered outputs have lower voltage, and since I'm connecting the DAC directly to my amplifier the buffered output section provides a stronger signal for use without a preamp.
With the aforementioned pieces it's a bit of a complicated setup compared to other DACs. Setup including downloading/installing the latest version of the Thesycon USB 2.0 driver on my music server took about an hour as I carefully read thru the manual which relies more on text as opposed to pictures.
Sonic Impressions
As soon as I turned on my system and began listening to music, I knew this DAC is something really special. The sound is so integrated, so whole that my stereo simply disappears and the sensation of having nothing between me and my music shine through. Four characteristics conspire to provide this imminently believable illusion: 1) lifelike palpability, 2) tonal saturation, 3) enveloping soundstage, and 4) resolution.
Palpability - There is an incredible sense of presence about the Totaldac's sound. While this DAC obviously creates a representation of what was recorded like any other piece of audio equipment, it renders a convincingly vivid, lifelike impression of the performance as if I was transported back in time it happened. I can close my eyes and the illusion feels tantalizingly real with high-res files. Better Redbook files sound very good as well, albeit slightly less dimensional. Singers sound like they're in the room. Sometimes the sound of singers even opening their mouths can be heard. The woody tone of cellos and violins are so deliciously audible. There is simply more information for the ears and brain to process. This DAC digs deep even into Redbook to get what seems like a trove of previously undiscovered musical information as well as ambient sounds and noise in the recording hall/studio. Honestly it amazes me microphones can pick up such subtle and quiet noises.
Tonal saturation - Imagine going from an early generation HD TV from a dozen years ago to a 4K UHD TV sold this year. That is the analogy I would use to describe going from my Ayre QB-9 DSD to the d1-twelve SE. The QB-9 was and remains an excellent DAC. But the d1-twelve, admittedly a more recent effort at 10 times the price, is an altogether different component. The notes are fuller and have a stronger sense of pitch across the audible spectrum. Digital has a reputation for sounding a bit bleached or etched compared to vinyl. Not so the d1-twelve. Steinway pianos, which in my experience stereos have difficulty in getting truly right, sound absolutely rich, lifelike, and kaleidoscopic. Bass and cello melodies are much easier to discern. Backup vocals are more obviously present because the notes they sing become much clearer and have tone.
Soundstaging - At sufficient volume, the d1-twelve pulls me into the recorded space. I feel I'm in the environment, not peering at it a few feet away. Images are LOCKED in place with pinpoint placement. It helps that my speakers are a pair of Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT, which are designed to be time-aligned. These are soundstaging/imaging champs. The DAC and the speakers conspire to position the instruments multi-dimensionally. The dead quiet S/N ratio of my Benchmark AHB2 amp creates a jet black background against which echos themselves contain very discernable tonal color that fade rapidly yet distinctly. The soundstaging makes it far easier to discern individual melodies in contrapuntal music, the foundation of Western music. The complex interplay of melodies at the end of the last movement of Mozart's 41 for example is served very well.
Resolution - the aforementioned properties all contribute to a high level of resolution. The insight given is akin to going from the audience section of the concert hall to being placed in the midst of the orchestra. I sang in a university choir, so I use this analogy from an informed perspective. I hear so much more and smile or even laugh as I realize I didn't know my favorite recordings nearly as well as I thought. I'm going thru my music collection which contains stuff I bought earlier in life to discover it again in mid-life.
Is it enough to call it a day?
With every new component I've bought in the past, I always felt I was taking a step toward a goal that was just slightly out of reach. With the d1-twelve, I'm actually at a point where if my current system didn't change for the rest of my life, I would be satisfied. Of course capacitors age and lose their tolerance after a couple decades and a hobby invariably means eventual tinkering. But this is the first plateau I've reached in my hi-fi hobby where I could call it a day to focus on other of life's costly priorities and not regret it. The d1-twelve SE is that good. Of all the things I've paid money to buy in my life, the d1-twelve SE is easily one of perhaps four things I've bought that has given me the most satisfaction and enjoyment that a material thing can give.
The man
Vincent Brient is a very friendly person to deal with. We've exchanged 70+ emails with each other from the initial inquiry thru the analysis, buying, delivery, and post setup process. He pings me to get my experience and offers suggestions to maximize my enjoyment out of the DAC. He is truly a gifted audio designer who also does business right.