Totaldac new DACs

[CKKeung]

The new Totaldac Tri-unity DAC : a brief encounter​

Ben Lau, boss of Volent Audio Hong Kong and I would visit a friend together on the past Wed evening.
When I arrived at the Violent showroom, I was surprised by the presence of the new Totaldac Unity DAC and Tri-unity DAC, because they were announced by Vincent of Totaldac not too long ago.

New Totaldac DACs.

Mono & Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: Magico - Nagra - Tidal Audio - Wilson Audio - MSB - Totaldac - Living Voice - Taiko Audio - Aries Cerat -Thrax

www.monoandstereo.com

I certainly wanted to audition both of them.
However the Unity DAC was packed up for sending to a local HiFi magazine for review.
I listened to the Tri-unity DAC only briefly because Ben and I had a gathering to attend that evening.



The exterior of Tri-Unity is indistinguishable from the other Totaldac dac models.




There is only a small label at the back indicating it's the new Tri-unity.


The audition of Tri-unity was with Extreme Server, Bespoke TVC passive preamp, Westminster Lab Rei monoblocks and a pair of Volent Audio floorstander speaker.

Since it's only a short audition, I will give a few short comments & thoughts only :
1. Remember the discontinued d1-Seven? It was launched for requests for a dac with higher macro-dynamics.
However I think some of the famous Totaldac finesseness and musicality was traded-off.
I personally like the d1-Direct much more.

The Tri-unity is diff. It has got the best of both worlds! The bass/rhythm/macrodynamics are as good as the Seven yet the finesseness/fluidity/musicality of Direct is there too.

2. The d1-Direct will be optimized by adding the optional Livepower PSU and a Totaldac Reclocker.
However the Tri-unity even without adding them was performing at a level surpassing Seven/Direct already.
Vincent has done a great job in designing the new series.

3. The Tri-unity can have the ground connected or floated. I like the floated state more.
The local dealer got it only a few days ago. I'm confident that with more run-time and finetuning, it will perform even better.

4. The d1-Twelve Mk3 is my 2nd favourite dac. Now that I have listened to the outstanding Tri-unity, I wonder whether Totaldac's new flagship the d1-Sublime can better the 1st favourite dac my own MSB Select DAC?

I very much hope that Volent HK will have the d1-Sublime for demo soon.

 

[totaldac]

Thank you very much CKKeung for the world first feedback!

 

[LL21]

Look forward to hearing what you think of TotalDAC Sublime when you get a chance to hear it!

 

[totaldac]

A video to explain the name "d1-sublime"

 

[caesar]

The new Totaldac Tri-unity DAC : a brief encounter​

Ben Lau, boss of Volent Audio Hong Kong and I would visit a friend together on the past Wed evening.
When I arrived at the Violent showroom, I was surprised by the presence of the new Totaldac Unity DAC and Tri-unity DAC, because they were announced by Vincent of Totaldac not too long ago.

New Totaldac DACs.

Mono & Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: Magico - Nagra - Tidal Audio - Wilson Audio - MSB - Totaldac - Living Voice - Taiko Audio - Aries Cerat -Thrax

www.monoandstereo.com

I certainly wanted to audition both of them.
However the Unity DAC was packed up for sending to a local HiFi magazine for review.
I listened to the Tri-unity DAC only briefly because Ben and I had a gathering to attend that evening.

View attachment 103265

The exterior of Tri-Unity is indistinguishable from the other Totaldac dac models.
View attachment 103266

View attachment 103267

There is only a small label at the back indicating it's the new Tri-unity.
View attachment 103269

The audition of Tri-unity was with Extreme Server, Bespoke TVC passive preamp, Westminster Lab Rei monoblocks and a pair of Volent Audio floorstander speaker.

Since it's only a short audition, I will give a few short comments & thoughts only :
1. Remember the discontinued d1-Seven? It was launched for requests for a dac with higher macro-dynamics.
However I think some of the famous Totaldac finesseness and musicality was traded-off.
I personally like the d1-Direct much more.

The Tri-unity is diff. It has got the best of both worlds! The bass/rhythm/macrodynamics are as good as the Seven yet the finesseness/fluidity/musicality of Direct is there too.

2. The d1-Direct will be optimized by adding the optional Livepower PSU and a Totaldac Reclocker.
However the Tri-unity even without adding them was performing at a level surpassing Seven/Direct already.
Vincent has done a great job in designing the new series.

3. The Tri-unity can have the ground connected or floated. I like the floated state more.
The local dealer got it only a few days ago. I'm confident that with more run-time and finetuning, it will perform even better.

4. The d1-Twelve Mk3 is my 2nd favourite dac. Now that I have listened to the outstanding Tri-unity, I wonder whether Totaldac's new flagship the d1-Sublime can better the 1st favourite dac my own MSB Select DAC?

I very much hope that Volent HK will have the d1-Sublime for demo soon.

Thanks for the write up.
1. When ever I have heard Direct with a preamp, I have never experienced dynamics issues. And I am a dynamics junky! However, it’s the msb dacs that lack dynamics - even with a preamp!

2. totaldac models - regardless of price - blow away msb , if you gauge quality by ability to convey emotion. Msb sound sterile and neutral by comparison. But msb work great in horn- SET systems due to the emotion already being there from the rest of the system. ymmv, obviously. .

 

[CKKeung]

Thanks for the write up.
1. When ever I have heard Direct with a preamp, I have never experienced dynamics issues. And I am a dynamics junky! However, it’s the msb dacs that lack dynamics - even with a preamp!

2. totaldac models - regardless of price - blow away msb , if you gauge quality by ability to convey emotion. Msb sound sterile and neutral by comparison. But msb work great in horn- SET systems due to the emotion already being there from the rest of the system. ymmv, obviously. .

Thanks for sharing your views.

 

[totaldac]

Yes the unity line has an even better dynamic that previous Totaldac models, compared everyday to an analog master tape player now.

 

[matthias]

Yes the unity line has an even better dynamic that previous Totaldac models, compared everyday to an analog master tape player now.

Does it make sense to offer Totaldacs outside the unity line when unity is much superior?
Just wondering.......

Matt

 

[totaldac]

Does it make sense to offer Totaldacs outside the unity line when unity is much superior?
Just wondering.......

Matt

The prices are different.
If the price doesn't count yes prefer the unity line.
Currently many received or will soon receive their d1-triunity.

 

[PhP]

Point sublime is a wonderful place, especially when you reach it with MTB (muscular). Absolutely wonderful, but also Lac Sainte-Croix.

 

[totaldac]

Point sublime is a wonderful place, especially when you reach it with MTB (muscular). Absolutely wonderful, but also Lac Sainte-Croix.

yes muscular mountain bike, 6900 meters of positive elevation in 4 days to follow the Verdon river was my challenge last year.
Some free time for the head to think of DAC architecture...

 

[CKKeung]

Point Sublime
+33 4 92 77 32 02

Point Sublime · 04120 Rougon, France

★★★★★ · Observation deck

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[cat6man]

2. The d1-Direct will be optimized by adding the optional Livepower PSU and a Totaldac Reclocker.
However the Tri-unity even without adding them was performing at a level surpassing Seven/Direct already.
Vincent has done a great job in designing the new series.

[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the report. I can't wait for more sightings!

I love that you found the triunity superior to the direct/livepsu/reclocker, which is my current system. Just to clarify. Was the triunity playing with the old psu?

 

[archer88]

The prices are different.
If the price doesn't count yes prefer the unity line.
Currently many received or will soon receive their d1-triunity.

The D1-Six and D1-unity are priced quite close to each other.

 

[totaldac]

The D1-Six and D1-unity are priced quite close to each other.

Go for d1-unity or d1-triunity.

 

[DrJay]

I just got my upgrade from a d1-seven to d1-triunity (the live psu remained untouched) back from Vincent last week:
You should be prepared fort he unexpected ! The triunity (and most probably all the models based on the new unity architecture) are different. It’s not that they lost their totaldac ‚genes‘ but some more ‚genes‘ are added.
As a first reaction I told to Vincent that this new dac is dac on ‚steroides‘ :
The triunity plays extremely energetic and authoritative with slam and great macro-dynamics – characterics I was actually missing with the past models (like the d1-seven).
The resolution of musical information and the capability of reproducing a three-dimensional soundstage and holographic picture is simply breathtaking and spectacular – it’s in a totally different league compared tot he d1-seven !

In fact, the sonic differences compared to a d1-seven (at least to the one I had) are so huge and profound, it’s hard to believe these are two dacs from the same company. Just from a listening perspective I would rate the triunity double the price oft he d1-seven - it’s that good.
So, go for the unity architecture models as Vincent recommends, too.

 

[totaldac]

Thank you very much Dr Jay.
Many customers, reviewers and key hifi manufacturers have received their d1-triunity or d1-unity, we should have more feedback soon.

 

[gionaz]

hello folks,
it's a big day for me, i just ordered a d1-sublime!
I will add first impressions once delivered to me

 

[totaldac]

I will demo the d1-trinunity or d1-sublime in Munich this year in the Totaldac room, but I am open to let a DAC to other good rooms.
Exhibitors can ask me!

 

[totaldac]

The D1-Six and D1-unity are priced quite close to each other.

I just removed the d1-six from the catalog.