Weiss DAC 202 review on Positive Feedback

[Nicholas Bedworth]

Friends...

PFO just posted my review of the Weiss DAC 202. It was a huge project, but please let me know what you think.

Currently, my in-house DAC is the Antelope Gold with Voltikus power supply. The Antelope uses an ovenized crystal oscillator, and is quite promising.

 

[LL21]

Friends...

PFO just posted my review of the Weiss DAC 202. It was a huge project, but please let me know what you think.

Currently, my in-house DAC is the Antelope Gold with Voltikus power supply. The Antelope uses an ovenized crystal oscillator, and is quite promising.

Hi Nicholas...look forward to reading it! THanks. Is your ovenized crystal oscillator in some respects similar to the one that Zanden proudly announces they uses in their Transport which apparently is a double-oven crystal oscillator that works on the same natural frequency as the PHilips Pro CD2...which eliminated the need for them to use a DDS to take it from 10mhz or whatever to 8.6mhz...and also results in super-low jitter?

 

[Nicholas Bedworth]

OXCO is the gold standard, so to speak, with respect to phase noise and jitter... the OXCO referred to in my post is inside the Antelope DAC; don't know how it might compare to those in the Zanden, but in general, OXCO are the way to go, for very high-end applications.

 

[LL21]

OXCO is the gold standard, so to speak, with respect to phase noise and jitter... the OXCO referred to in my post is inside the Antelope DAC; don't know how it might compare to those in the Zanden, but in general, OXCO are the way to go, for very high-end applications.

Thanks...that is same the term 'OXCO'...that Zanden uses. There are apparently single-oven and double-oven. They use a double-oven crystal oscillator. 2 x 10^-10 clock stability if that means anything to you? Error rate or something?

 

[Nicholas Bedworth]

Probably some number created by a copy writer. What are the units? Seconds? Not likely to be error rate. Watch out for people confusing accuracy and stability. Short-term stability (low phase noise especially at low frequency offsets from nominal) is what you want, not accuracy (what time is it?) over millenia. Most of us probably won't live a thousand years to find out.

 

[LL21]

Good to know. (I just PM'd you for some advice on digital transports. Thanks for any advice.)

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Nicholas, have you lost weight, or did the parrot get bigger?

Tim

 

[Nicholas Bedworth]

It's just the camera angle and lens. It makes Manfred look like he's about 3 ft tall! He's a little overweight, about 450 grams... and actually Manfred is probably a she, but... He, er, she, is an African Gray, and is a wonderful pet. Think of a devoted dog with feathers.

 

[Nicholas Bedworth]

@ lloyd... Will do my best. Free advice is often of dubious value.

 

[Whatmore]

Beautiful plumage, the Norwegian blue....

 

[Whatmore]

Back on topic, given the price of the Weiss, I would have expected a far more positive review (admittedly I just scanned it, so apologies if I'm wrong)

 

[ack]

The review reads lukewarm to me if you remove the apparent need for external re-clocking, in line with Stereophile's (ST claims soft highs and dynamics) and comments by other people claim to have auditioned it

 

[Nicholas Bedworth]

Friends...

My observations on the Weiss DAC 202 are based upon hundreds of hours of use, and comparison with DACs way more expensive ($30-70K) as well as somewhat less expensive ($5K). The associated gear included the Pass XA200.5, as mentioned in the article, and Wilson Sashas. The system is very simple.

Regarding the use of an external clock, why this should make any difference is not at all clear to me or others who are much better informed on the engineering level, but it certainly does. The DAC sounds best with the Grimm clock, especially at 44 kHz. FireWire was definitely not the best-sounding input, at least with my computers.

The outstanding virtue of the product is its flexibility with respect to integration with a complex recording studio environment; right behind it are the excellent ergonomics, appearance and ability to match the gain structure of the rest of one's system. The sound quality is good overall, but one should give a careful listen to similarly-priced competing products, some of which are quite a bit newer in design.

 

[a.dent]

Beautiful plumage, the Norwegian blue....

That reminds me. John Cleese is in town at the moment. Must book.

 

[Lee]

The Weiss products have always had a rather cool, overly analytical sound like much of the pro gear. I'm not a fan.

 

[alexandrov]

It was actually the only non-ecstatic review of DAC202 I could find

I'm a happy (new) owner of this DAC desparately trying to find others but they're hiding well obviously.

 

[jap]

It was actually the only non-ecstatic review of DAC202 I could find

I'm a happy (new) owner of this DAC desparately trying to find others but they're hiding well obviously.

Another non-ecstatic review of DAC202:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/dac-review-weiss-dac202-10021/

 

[alexandrov]

Yes indeed, I've seen it. But it's too subjective, can't recognize this as a review.
What made me buy the weiss was this: http://www.stereophile.com/content/weiss-dac202-firewire-da-converter-measurements.

 

[jap]

Yes indeed, I've seen it. But it's too subjective, can't recognize this as a review.
What made me buy the weiss was this: http://www.stereophile.com/content/weiss-dac202-firewire-da-converter-measurements.

Having heard the DAC202 in my system, I agree with the CA subjective review.

 

[alexandrov]

hi-fi is not always my-fi too But I like this dac.