AudioAficionado.org  

Go Back   AudioAficionado.org > Manufacturers Forums > Audio Research

Audio Research State of the Art Audio Reproduction

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old 02-07-2013, 11:02 AM
bakerman bakerman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,143
Default

After a few hours with the DAC8 I wanted to type out my early impressions of it. This is my first piece of ARC gear and have always enjoyed the styling of their products. The DAC8 is no exception with the simple layout of buttons and display. The only thing that surprised me was to find out that the handles are actually plastic. For some reason I was thinking that they were machined aluminum. Not a big deal of the realm of things though.

I bit of background first. I've been using a Wyred DAC2 since it first came out a few years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed that DAC in my system and find that at $1500.00 it's a big bang for the buck type product. The reason for a new DAC was one of upgrading only, I could have lived with the Wyred for many more years.

I use a Mac Mini to play my digital files and use either Pure Music or Audirvana+ depending on my mood that day. The Mini is connected to the DAC via a Wireworld Platinum USB cable. This cable has made a huge difference in my system. I downloaded the necessary USB drivers from the ARC website and installation was a breeze. I'm ecstatic that with the ARC drivers I'm now able to use Pure Music in "Hog Mode" and Audirvana+ in "Direct Mode". These two modes allow the software to deliver the best possible quality signal to the DAC. I wasn't able to use these modes with the DAC2.

Before actually listening to music I wanted to make sure that there weren't any glitches as far as file rates go. I went through my library and selected different file rate selections and scanned through them quickly to see if the DAC8 would respond. The DAC8 locked onto the different signals with no problem. There was an immediate jump with files of the same rate and only a short pause between files that were of different rates, which can be expected of any DAC. There was a nice clicking sound to announce the change in file rate as well as displaying the appropriate light on the front panel.

If there was only one thing that I was looking for in a new DAC it would be to keep the level of detail that I got from the DAC2 but also give me a more musical quality. I always felt the DAC2 had a certain "edge" to it that at times could be a bit harsh. The DAC8 delivers this and with more. The easiest way to describe it would be to say that before I was listening to the music and now it seems as though I am more a part of it. The soundstage is wider and is more balanced which actually brings me into the music farther. The Wyred tended to be a little more forward sounding. It also seems that there is either a little more detail retrieval or just a cleaner type of sound. Maybe the DAC8 has a blacker/quieter background which makes me hear things like drumsticks falling on the floor and glasses clinking in the background a little clearer. I'm very happy with how things sound at this early stage for me, this is a used unit and has been fully broken in so it's not going to change, but my ears will continue to hear differences between the two DACs.

At three times the price of the Wyred I would expect the DAC8 to outperform it and it does just that. I'm very happy with this new piece.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 02-07-2013, 11:21 AM
shindostevesan shindostevesan is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Posts: 175
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bakerman View Post
After a few hours with the DAC8 I wanted to type out my early impressions of it. This is my first piece of ARC gear and have always enjoyed the styling of their products. The DAC8 is no exception with the simple layout of buttons and display. The only thing that surprised me was to find out that the handles are actually plastic. For some reason I was thinking that they were machined aluminum. Not a big deal of the realm of things though.

I bit of background first. I've been using a Wyred DAC2 since it first came out a few years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed that DAC in my system and find that at $1500.00 it's a big bang for the buck type product. The reason for a new DAC was one of upgrading only, I could have lived with the Wyred for many more years.

I use a Mac Mini to play my digital files and use either Pure Music or Audirvana+ depending on my mood that day. The Mini is connected to the DAC via a Wireworld Platinum USB cable. This cable has made a huge difference in my system. I downloaded the necessary USB drivers from the ARC website and installation was a breeze. I'm ecstatic that with the ARC drivers I'm now able to use Pure Music in "Hog Mode" and Audirvana+ in "Direct Mode". These two modes allow the software to deliver the best possible quality signal to the DAC. I wasn't able to use these modes with the DAC2.

Before actually listening to music I wanted to make sure that there weren't any glitches as far as file rates go. I went through my library and selected different file rate selections and scanned through them quickly to see if the DAC8 would respond. The DAC8 locked onto the different signals with no problem. There was an immediate jump with files of the same rate and only a short pause between files that were of different rates, which can be expected of any DAC. There was a nice clicking sound to announce the change in file rate as well as displaying the appropriate light on the front panel.

If there was only one thing that I was looking for in a new DAC it would be to keep the level of detail that I got from the DAC2 but also give me a more musical quality. I always felt the DAC2 had a certain "edge" to it that at times could be a bit harsh. The DAC8 delivers this and with more. The easiest way to describe it would be to say that before I was listening to the music and now it seems as though I am more a part of it. The soundstage is wider and is more balanced which actually brings me into the music farther. The Wyred tended to be a little more forward sounding. It also seems that there is either a little more detail retrieval or just a cleaner type of sound. Maybe the DAC8 has a blacker/quieter background which makes me hear things like drumsticks falling on the floor and glasses clinking in the background a little clearer. I'm very happy with how things sound at this early stage for me, this is a used unit and has been fully broken in so it's not going to change, but my ears will continue to hear differences between the two DACs.

At three times the price of the Wyred I would expect the DAC8 to outperform it and it does just that. I'm very happy with this new piece.
Doug,

Glad you like the ARC DAC 8.

Just curious if you are listening to the unit un-tweaked or tweaked--I'm referring to the removal of the EFI filters I mentioned in an earlier post.

Also, what footers, if any, are you using?

The EFI tweak and the right isolation footers--I like either the Symposium rollerblocks or Stillpoints ss--will open it up and give it even more resolution and presence.


Enjoy.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 02-07-2013, 11:36 AM
bakerman bakerman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,143
Default

Steve, It does have the EFI filters removed, it came that way. I'm not using any footers yet. I'm looking into those that you mentioned in your PM. Thanks.

Last edited by bakerman; 02-07-2013 at 11:40 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-07-2013, 02:55 PM
TMcD's Avatar
TMcD TMcD is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 453
Default

Great stuff, sounds like a fantastic DAC. Congratulations.
__________________
VPI Scoutmaster; JMW-9 Signature; Shelter 7000
Bryston BDA2 + BDP2; ARC PH5; ARC Ref 5; ARC Ref 150, Equi=Tech Son of Q
Wilson Sophia 3; Transparent - cables
XLO - cables; Aural Symphonics - cords; Shunyata - cords
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-07-2013, 03:53 PM
Amado Amado is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 492
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bakerman View Post
Steve, It does have the EFI filters removed, it came that way. I'm not using any footers yet. I'm looking into those that you mentioned in your PM. Thanks.
Doug,
Plastic handles? never heard that before.
I'm going to check on that.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 02-07-2013, 05:27 PM
bakerman bakerman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,143
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by amado View Post
doug,
plastic handles? Never heard that before.
I'm going to check on that.
Nelson, there are a couple of scratches that expose the black plastic underneath. If it's possible to retrofit some new aluminum handles let me know.

Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 02-07-2013, 08:50 PM
Amado Amado is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 492
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bakerman View Post

Nelson, there are a couple of scratches that expose the black plastic underneath. If it's possible to retrofit some new aluminum handles let me know.
I'm going to contact ARC.
I bought in the past for other equipments but never thought it was from plastic
Very weird , I was think was from aluminum all along.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 02-07-2013, 09:41 PM
bakerman bakerman is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,143
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amado View Post
I'm going to contact ARC.
I bought in the past for other equipments but never thought it was from plastic
Very weird , I was think was from aluminum all along.
Thanks Nelson I appreciate you checking into this for me.

I've spent some more time with it today and I must say that Hi-Res files really shine with this DAC. The difference in resolution is so much more apparent than with my previous DAC. The highs are extended nicely and the realness of the music just comes right through.

There's also a richness to the sound that I didn't have before. I'm planning on trying out some Symposium Rollerblock Jr's on it soon. I've heard very good things about these.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 02-11-2013, 12:15 PM
Amado Amado is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 492
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amado View Post
I'm going to contact ARC.
I bought in the past for other equipments but never thought it was from plastic
Very weird , I was think was from aluminum all along.
Confirmed by Kalvin at ARC, they are from Aluminum.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 02-11-2013, 12:27 PM
JPrest's Avatar
JPrest JPrest is offline
Member

 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 310
Default

Congrats Doug,

I hope you enjoy your unit as much as I have been enjoying mine. I too have the DeVore Supper 8's, but presently am using Watt Puppy 6's. Curious if your thinking about "tweeking your unit, if so let us know the results.


John
__________________

ARC REF6, ARC Ref PH 2SE, ARC Ref 150SE, Esot N-05, SF Oylimpia III, Garrard 301 Reed2p, WW Silver Eclipse 8, Kimber Kable Select IC XLR

C22, MC275, MR78, PS Audio Dac, Tannoy Daltons 12" Red's Tannoy ST200 Tweeters, Kimber IC's, Mac Mini, Transparent ULTRA Speaker.

Marantz 7C, Marantz, 9, & 10B Tuner, Tannoy 15" Red's in York Corner Cabinets

ARC Ref1, ARC VT 100II, MR74, Tannoy Red 12 LSU/12/8, Spider Transcription TT, Nordost Spk Cable

Fisher 400C, MR78, Fisher SA 1000, BenchMark Dac, Auditorium 23 Speaker Cables, Tannoy Supper Red 10" LSU/III/Z Monitors

ARC SP3, MC 30's, MR67, Devore Supper 8's, Wadia i171, MicroMega Dac, Transparent Supper Spk

C20, MC75's, MR71, MS300, Tannoy 12" Golds, Auditorium 23,

C11, (2)Harmon Kardon CitationII, Shindo Montille, MC2505, McIntosh 117, Audio Research ST70, Knight KB85, Pilot Sa 232, Marantz 8B

Scott 130 Preamp, Scott 272 Int, HH Scott 250's MR71 tuner, Tube Guru F2a Mono's,
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Audioaficionado.org tested by Norton Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:37 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.10
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
©Copyright 2009-2023 AudioAficionado.org.Privately owned, All Rights Reserved.
Audio Aficionado Sponsors
AudioAficionado Subscriber
AudioAficionado Subscriber
Inspire By Dennis Had
Inspire By Dennis Had
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Harmonic Resolution Systems
Wyred4Sound
Wyred4Sound
Dragonfire Acoustics
Dragonfire Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
GIK Acoustics
Esoteric
Esoteric
AC Infinity
AC Infinity
JL Audio
JL Audio
Add Powr
Add Powr
Accuphase - Soulution
Accuphase - Soulution
Audio by E
Audio by E
Canton
Canton
Bryston
Bryston
WireWorld Cables
WireWorld Cables
Stillpoints
Stillpoints
Bricasti Design
Bricasti Design
Furutech
Furutech
Shunyata Research
Shunyata Research
Legend Audio & Video
Legend Audio & Video