Trinity DAC

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,011
259
1,170
Poland
A friend of mine (the Vivaldi owner) just borrowed the Trinity DAC to hear himself what the whole fuss is all about - with no intention to buy one. Long story short, his 8 months old Vivaldi DAC is now for sale :)

And he didn't even have a chance to listen to the Trinity via the USB input - only via his Vivaldi transport (SPDIF) !

In his own words, the level of realism the Trinity DAC offers is unprecedented in his experience. The Vivaldi DAC sounds 'processed' in comparision.
 

Matrix

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2014
16
0
51
Hi Adam,

did you get a chance to hear the Aurender X100 with the Trinity compared to your CAPS?

Thank you.
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
2,157
753
1,160
Austin

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,804
4,551
1,213
Greater Boston
A friend of mine (the Vivaldi owner) just borrowed the Trinity DAC to hear himself what the whole fuss is all about - with no intention to buy one. Long story short, his 8 months old Vivaldi DAC is now for sale :)

And he didn't even have a chance to listen to the Trinity via the USB input - only via his Vivaldi transport (SPDIF) !

In his own words, the level of realism the Trinity DAC offers is unprecedented in his experience. The Vivaldi DAC sounds 'processed' in comparision.

That sounds fantastic; I assume when your friend drove it from a Vivaldi transport he may have listened mostly to CD, next to possibly SACD. That story apparently supporting other reports, including yours, gives hope that CD is indeed intrinsically much better than its detractors have claimed over the decades -- perhaps it is indeed 'perfect' (or sufficient) as initially asserted, with the Nyquist theorem having been right all along, and we just haven't learned yet to extract all the information? On a more humble level, I have also recently experienced resolution from CD that I had thought impossible before.

BTW, I would not be surprised if the Trinity DAC has such a great internal clock that it really doesn't matter if it is driven by a transport or from a computer USB input.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,011
259
1,170
Poland
BTW, I would not be surprised if the Trinity DAC has such a great internal clock that it really doesn't matter if it is driven by a transport or from a computer USB input.

Ceteris paribus, the SPDIF signal will alwyas be inferior, as the clcok signal has to pass through a inherently jittery SPDIF interface and PLL loop. USB interface uses a free running clock.
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,804
4,551
1,213
Greater Boston
Ceteris paribus, the SPDIF signal will alwyas be inferior, as the clcok signal has to pass through a inherently jittery SPDIF interface and PLL loop. USB interface uses a free running clock.

Sure, the transport input will have more jitter, but I was wondering if the Trinity DAC would be insensitive to the jitter of an incoming signal as for example the Berkeley Alpha DAC, to a significant extent, seems to be. From the link quoting a letter from Michael Ritter of Berkeley Audio:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/clocks-and-alpha-digital-analogue-converter-997/

"Regarding the Alpha DAC not having a word clock input, I understand your concern. It's interesting that clocking is perhaps the area of the Alpha DAC's design we spent the most time and effort on.

"We learned from development of the Pacific Microsonics Model Two that the most critical clock in an audio system is the conversion clock - the internal clock in the ADC or DAC. That clock needs to be extremely stable and have as little jitter as possible. Ideally, the clock in an ADC or DAC should not have to lock to an external clock at all, whether it is derived from a digital signal stream or a separate word clock.

[...]

"In designing the Alpha DAC we spent a long time developing a sophisticated proprietary system with extremely transparent audio quality that allows the Alpha DAC's conversion clock to operate virtually as a master clock for the DAC in high isolation from the incoming clock signal." (End quote.)

In the linked post he then goes on to explain why for hi-rez signals such as 24-bit 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz the signal source also needs to have extremely low jitter. He then recommends the Lynx AES Card for hi-rez (his comments were written in 2008, before Berkeley's own USB converter, which you also use, came to market).
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,011
259
1,170
Poland
Marketing talk. The Berkeley Alpha DAC, which I also had, is for from immune to SPDIF signal quality. Which is exactly why thay had to design sth as elaborate as the Berkeley Alpha USB converter to go with it.
 

Audiocrack

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2012
2,187
695
1,158
A review of the Trinity dac by Edgar Kramer has just been published in Audio Esoterica. A few quotes: " So let's just start ... Wow", "sonic splendour", "screamingly dynamic", "an astonishing level of detail", "extraordinary delivery of small transients", "grandiose sonic landscape", "elevated levels of tonality and ambience", "lianotec architecture is a brilliant coup", "positioned at the highest levels currently achievable" and Kramer's last words are: "A Godly Trinity indeed ...". The review will in due time be placed on Trinity's website.
 

Bodhi

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2014
1,051
361
155
AC, I think we can pretty much guarantee Ed's review will one hit from Adam :)
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,011
259
1,170
Poland
Anyone tried to connect the Aurender to the Trinity ? I have a problem making them work (Aurender X100L).

Aurender displays the Trinity 24/192kHz DAC info on top of the display, so they definately see each other, but there is no music playing :(
 

Matrix

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2014
16
0
51
Anyone tried to connect the Aurender to the Trinity ? I have a problem making them work (Aurender X100L).

Aurender displays the Trinity 24/192kHz DAC info on top of the display, so they definately see each other, but there is no music playing :(

Same here, using the Trinity USB input.
Everything works except no sound. :(
The Trinity info shows up on top of the Aurender X100L display and if you try playing a high res file (24-96/172/196) on the Aurender, the Trinity changes the color of the led indicator on the front panel accordingly.
Same thing happens with the S10 (current firmware).
Using the spdif output/input everything works.

Funny thing is, the Trinity works with the W20 (USB) without problems and even used to work with the X100L (with a previous Aurender firmware version).
It was the X100L that I heard in the first demo with the Trinity.
 

Alrainbow

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2013
3,259
1,431
450
This could be a dumb question. But maybe it's the usb cable you guys are using meaning the wiring config . It might need the 5 volt wire in or may not also there is OTG . Just a thought .
Al
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,011
259
1,170
Poland
I'm using a cable with regular pinout (AQ Diamond).

I have sent an email to Aurender, but haven't heard from them back.

The X100L works with the Meridian Explorer without problems, so it must be a software issue.
 

Alrainbow

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2013
3,259
1,431
450
That does make sense . Sorry I wish I could be of more help. Is there anyway for me to hear one of these dacs in the USA
Anyone have one in NYC USA ?
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
That does make sense . Sorry I wish I could be of more help. Is there anyway for me to hear one of these dacs in the USA
Anyone have one in NYC USA ?

Gideon Kramer at Audio Arts downtown imports Trinity.
 

jsn

VIP/Donor
Jan 8, 2014
40
1
398
Anyone tried to connect the Aurender to the Trinity ? I have a problem making them work (Aurender X100L).

Aurender displays the Trinity 24/192kHz DAC info on top of the display, so they definately see each other, but there is no music playing :(

Hi Elbertoth,
The Aurender X100L using the linux as the OS.
I've tried to pair the latest linux OS/MPD with the Trinity DAC and got the similar issue.
The Linux side recognised the Trinity DAC. The MPD indicated the track is playing but there is no sound coming out from the loudspeakers.

I've found other dac got similar issue with linux os. The final solution is 1) update the dac's firmware and 2) add the driver to the linux.

I'd suggest to contact db and Aurender and see if they can come up a solution for it.
Thank you.
jsn
 
Last edited:

kinch

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2014
38
23
313
Gideon Kramer at Audio Arts downtown imports Trinity.

That's Gideon Schwartz I think ;)
With that as a segueway, just a note on some trinity experience (with alt end).
I took a flight from vancouver to nyc to hear the trinity 8 months ago. Its taken me this long to process what I heard. The set up was: trinity pre, phono with ch precision everything else. Zellaton spkrs, sperling tt. The room was acoustically superb. We listened at 75-85 db. I brought vinyl and cd, and schwartz obliged: mozart oboe concerto (kv314), orff comoedia, brandenburg concertos, dire straits love over gold, and dylan's latest album. First, it was lightening fast. Sustain and decay were full but not bloated. The closure of each acoustic envelope was so succinct that I had a feeling that there was some resolution enhancement going on. I had never heard that much detail extending to, and resolving the completion of, each musical quantum. At first it was unsettling because it forced a different form of active listening onto me for music so well known. When the consistency and correctness of this finally sunk in after about 30 min, and the analytical side of my listening receded in favour of musicality, the overall tonal accuracy was astounding. Oboe is especially tough to reproduce, as are Dylan's mature intonations and syncopations. I left, slightly haunted. My home rig had the tonality but admittedly not the speed. Everything else fast that I've heard surrendered some tonality and layering of, especially, massed strings. I knew information was being left on the table in my set up, what with the steeply sloped cut off at 22k of my dac, and the high noise floor of my pre. But the silence from which the trinity and ch positively erupted was other worldly. Blackness can be considered thin and inky from which music is drawn. But the trinity and ch blackness was thick and seismic, an active force that propelled the music out. Trinity and ch 's blackness was as much a palpable part of the music as the music itself that was produced. It was with this in mind that I returned to reality test. My speakers went lower, my monos were comparable (to the ch a1), and tt were more or less equal. Back to the music academy performances, orchestra, and ultimately: dylan. I flew to tokyo feb 2014 to see multiple shows in a small venue (2400 cap). Zepp Divercity had wonderful acoustics and the soundboard tech (in a tube depot t shirt) was happy he'd optimized by show #2 at 75 db at midfloor. We were standing 2 persons back from stage for a 5 show run. The trinity and ch had nailed it. I purchased the ch c1 because it conveyed the air pushed out of dylan's larynx in a more verrucal way than trinity, that I found correct. Phono board coming soon,
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
Gideon Kramer at Audio Arts downtown imports Trinity.

That's Gideon Schwartz I think ;)
With that as a segueway, just a note on some trinity experience (with alt end).
I took a flight from vancouver to nyc to hear the trinity 8 months ago. Its taken me this long to process what I heard. The set up was: trinity pre, phono with ch precision everything else. Zellaton spkrs, sperling tt. The room was acoustically superb. We listened at 75-85 db. I brought vinyl and cd, and schwartz obliged: mozart oboe concerto (kv314), orff comoedia, brandenburg concertos, dire straits love over gold, and dylan's latest album. First, it was lightening fast. Sustain and decay were full but not bloated. The closure of each acoustic envelope was so succinct that I had a feeling that there was some resolution enhancement going on. I had never heard that much detail extending to, and resolving the completion of, each musical quantum. At first it was unsettling because it forced a different form of active listening onto me for music so well known. When the consistency and correctness of this finally sunk in after about 30 min, and the analytical side of my listening receded in favour of musicality, the overall tonal accuracy was astounding. Oboe is especially tough to reproduce, as are Dylan's mature intonations and syncopations. I left, slightly haunted. My home rig had the tonality but admittedly not the speed. Everything else fast that I've heard surrendered some tonality and layering of, especially, massed strings. I knew information was being left on the table in my set up, what with the steeply sloped cut off at 22k of my dac, and the high noise floor of my pre. But the silence from which the trinity and ch positively erupted was other worldly. Blackness can be considered thin and inky from which music is drawn. But the trinity and ch blackness was thick and seismic, an active force that propelled the music out. Trinity and ch 's blackness was as much a palpable part of the music as the music itself that was produced. It was with this in mind that I returned to reality test. My speakers went lower, my monos were comparable (to the ch a1), and tt were more or less equal. Back to the music academy performances, orchestra, and ultimately: dylan. I flew to tokyo feb 2014 to see multiple shows in a small venue (2400 cap). Zepp Divercity had wonderful acoustics and the soundboard tech (in a tube depot t shirt) was happy he'd optimized by show #2 at 75 db at midfloor. We were standing 2 persons back from stage for a 5 show run. The trinity and ch had nailed it. I purchased the ch c1 because it conveyed the air pushed out of dylan's larynx in a more verrucal way than trinity, that I found correct. Phono board coming soon,

Yes very sorry. :(
 

tunes

Member Sponsor
Nov 9, 2013
187
1
246
Kinch,
Interesting read. Thanks for your post. As a satisfied trinity phono user i was also very curious about the dac but ended up buying the CH C1 as the trinity was not in my budget. Interesting to hear that you preferred the C1 for your musical taste/ears despite the price difference. I'm also a verity user, amadis though, not the lohengrin. Curious what size room you've got.
Chris
 

kinch

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2014
38
23
313
Chris,
My room is 20' x 24' with 25' height. Two open walls. Quiet rock plus insulation, acoustic dampening under hardwood, thick area rug. Dedicated 30amp line. Lohengrin II are biwired which I think changes this beast, and I wish it'd be more frequently shown in this way (Nagra factory listening room take note!). I found trinity phono superlative, just hoping I did the right thing in expecting ch phono card to pony up. best,
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing