RMAF 2011 Report – Digital Audio

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This year’s Rocky Mountain Audiofest featured more new digital products than ever before. I counted over forty introductions including DACs, CD players, network players, and other digital devices. For many manufacturers RMAF has supplanted CEDIA as the place to debut new products that will be shipping by CES. So, without further ado, here’s what I saw that’s worthy of your attention.

CD Lives!

Audio Limits from Colorado Springs got the best sound I’ve heard from the Primrose room. Using the $5990 BMC BDCD1 belt-drive CD player/transport tethered to the $6200 BMC DAC1 PRE, the $90,000 Venture Grand Ultimate speakers produced superb dynamics and image focus.

Parasound showed a prototype of its $5000 Halo CD 1 player at the 2011 CES. Now in production, this dedicated CD-only player was designed to be a state-of-the-art legacy device that will remain in service for many years. With a proprietary read/compare circuit, the CD 1 achieves virtually zero CD read errors.

In the Devore Fidelity’s room Tone Imports LLC showed its $4995 AcousticPlan DriveMaster CD Transport and $4995 DigiMaster vacuum-tube USB DAC. Capable of 192/24 via asynchronous USB using its own internal clock generator they sounded wonderful through Devore’s new $5000 Gibbon 88 speakers.

Dynaudio now distributes T+A products in the United States. In Dynaudio’s rooms I saw the $4200 E-series CD player, network player, 1260 R1 CD player, MP 1260 R1 DAC, and network client player.

MBL’s $9200 Corona CD Player is part of MBL’s new more affordable Corona product line, which includes its $11,800 Radialstrahler 126 speakers. The Player also has an SD card reader along with S/PDIF, TosLink, and USB inputs.

Denmark’s Vitus demonstrated its new $13,000 RCD-100 CD Player. Besides playing Red Book CDs, the RCD-100 supports USB and S/PDIF inputs. With a 192/32-bit architecture it can play 192/24 music files via all inputs, and looks beautiful while doing it.

DAC and USB Convertors

Empirical Audio made quite a statement with its new Overdrive Ultra DAC ($10,000 to $15,000). Coupled to a pair of Empirical Audio-modified Parasound JC-1 amplifiers driving YG Acoustics Kipod II Signature speakers ($49,000) the overall sonic presentation was even better than last year when Empirical placed among the best sounds at RMAF.

Shipping in January, the $12,000 Sonus Veritas Modena DAC has no coupling capacitors in its signal chain. Instead the Modena uses Lundahl transformers for coupling between stages. With a built-in tube-life monitor, this DAC was designed to be an heirloom component.

Avatar Acoustics from Fayetteville, Georgia, unveiled its new $4995 AMR DP-777 DAC. It features AMR’s Gemini digital engine, which uses two distinct chip sets – one for Red Book and the other 32-bit chip for high-res files. Its USB input is fully USB 2.0 compatible for up to 192/24 files.

The $3995 Resonessence Invicta DAC not only has provisions for USB 2.0, but also TosLink, AES/EBU, and BNC inputs. The Invicta boasts a greater than 125dB dynamic range and includes RCA and balanced XLR outputs as well as a remote.

Hegel presented its new $349 HD2 and $2000 H20 DACs. The two units can be combined in series so the clocks in both units work together to minimize time-domain errors. The advantages of this dual-clock system were amply evident in the demo.

On the 11th floor tower the new $6495 EAR DACute sounded impressive. Combined with the $4499 Music Vault Diamond music server, $7995 EAR 834 integrated amplifier, and $6500 Marten FormFloor speakers the system imaged superbly in the less than acoustically benign hotel room.

Oracle premiered its latest DAC, the $9500 1000 Mk II. It employs an AKM 192/24 capable DAC with fully discrete balanced analog outputs and two USB 2.0 inputs along with S/PDIF. It sounded suave playing the Blue Mind CD from Oracle’s featured performer, Montreal-based singer/songwriter Anne Bisson.

Frank Van Alstine keeps refining his designs. His newest $2500 FET Valve DAC uses a hybrid no-feedback design and can handle up to 192/24 sources via its co-axial and TosLink inputs and 96/24 via USB. Although it has a fixed-level output, the output gain can be adjusted to any reasonable level at the factory.

Switzerland was well represented at RMAF by the $26,500 Orpheus Privilege D-A Converter Mk II. Its case is made from a solid billet of carved aluminum. Inside there’s a 384/24-bit processor with provisions for S/PDIF, AES/EBU, and TosLink at 192/24. USB input currently only supports 96/24.

In the Daedalus Audio room on the 10th floor the $4995 Abbington Music Research DP-777, $10,995 Abbington Research CD-77 CD player, and Bolder Cable–modified Logitech Touch made a very positive impression. With the $14,700 Daedalus Ulysses speakers, the system played at concert hall levels with no signs of strain even in a large room.

Although they sound European, Bricasti hails from Medford, MA. Its M1 dual-mono DAC ($7995) supports 192/24 through all its inputs. A true dual-mono design, each channel is completely isolated, including the power supply.

Music Hall, longtime leader in affordable audio, presented its $299 DAC 15.2. With three inputs including USB, it supports 192/24 through S/PDIF and 96/24 through USB. The 15.2 uses a Burr-Brown PCM 1796 DAC, delivers 110dB signal-to-noise, and weighs less than 2 pounds.

Teac also unveiled three affordable digital products. Its UD-H01 DAC ($549) uses a Burr-Brown PCM 1795 and supports 192/24 via USB. The DS-H01 docking station ($399) can be used as a stand-alone DAC or as a source for the UD-HO1. Finally the A-H01 stereo amp with digital converter ($649) also supports 192/24 via USB and even has a subwoofer output.

Rounding out an affordable DAC trifecta, Audioengine debuted its $599 D2 wireless 96/24 DAC and USB converter, which can be connected via a wireless sender or with USB or TosLink. If you are on a tighter budget, for $169 you can get Audioengine’s D1, which boasts 110dB S/N using the AK 4396 DAC chip.

EMM Labs may never make budget products, but the first product in the more affordable Meitner line, the $7000 MA-1 DAC is designed for value. Based on EMM Lab’s XDS1 DA, it delivers 192/24 capabilities from all inputs, including USB using Meitner’s proprietary MDAT DSP, MFAST data extraction, and discrete 5.6MHz (2x DSD) DACs.

Moving upmarket, Peachtree Audio unveiled a $4295 integrated and $2999 preamp. Both are part of their new Grand series of products and feature 32-bit ESS Sabre DACs, USB 2.0 compatibility, and tubes in their preamp stages. Driving the new $22,900 Sonus Faber Elipsa special edition speakers the Grand integrated sounded superb on my high-resolution files.

Network Players

Naim continues to expand its network players with two new devices. The $3495 ND5 XS features wired or wireless UPnP streaming along with both Internet and AM/FM radio (with the FM/DAB module). The SuperUniti all-in-one player includes an 80Wpc amplifier plus complete UPnP interoperability.

Laufer Teknik The Memory Player 64 (up to $25,000, depending on options) can be configured a variety of ways. It upsamples to 32 bits and offers the option of a direct-to-DAC signal path that completely bypasses all unwanted output circuitry.

Salk, which is better known for its fine speakers, has moved into electronics with its StreamPlayer. Priced at $1299, the player supports up to 192/24 files via all inputs. Designed to be a minimalist music player, its entire operating system and applications are all on a single 4GB flash card.

Other Digital Stuff

NAD rolled out a virtual armada of new digital products beginning with the $2500 M50 digital music player. NAD also added the $2000 M51 direct digital DAC and the $2000 M52 music vault to its Master Series lineup. The $300 DAC1, a point-to-point wireless USB DAC, and the $2600 C390DD join NAD’s C Series components. The C390DD incorporates many of the innovations from NAD’s M2 digital integrated amplifier, including its all-digital signal chain, at a much lower price than the original.

For $1495 Wired4Sound’s M-INT delivers 100 watts per channel and has a DAC built around the 192.24 bit ESS Sabre chip. It uses the same asynchronous USB technology as W4S’s wonderful DAC-2, and is housed in a ½-width case.

Red Wine Audio’s Audez’e Edition DAC and headphone amplifier ($3950–$4900) was designed specifically to drive the Audez’e LCD-2 and LCD-3 planar headphones. With two unique digital converters on one board, you can change from 192/24 to 44.1 non-oversampling with the flip of a switch.

With a redesigned user interface, greater graphic and sonic flexibility, and changes “under the hood,” the Amarra 2.3 promises to be better-sounding than earlier versions. Amarra also unveiled a new bundling program with several manufacturers, including Bel Canto. With the purchase of a DAC the customer also gets a free copy of Amarra with 96/24 capabilities.

Can Jam Stand-Outs

Woo Audio went all out for this year’s Can Jam. Not only did it unveil a new $1099 WTP-1 CD transport and new $1099 WDS-1 D/A, but also $10,000 single-ended monoblock tube amplifiers. The WDS-1 DAC uses the PCM 1795 chip set, claims 115dB S/N, and supports 192/24 through its USB and S/PDIF inputs.

Write it; don’t say it. Schiit Audio showed its latest Mike Moffat-designed DAC, the $349 base-price Bifrost. It is unique due to its fully upgradeable design. For an extra $100 you can buy a user-installable USB input card that can be easily replaced when a newer implementation comes along. Even the main DAC processor board can be replaced when it gets long of tooth. Completely built in the USA with 192/24 capabilities and USB 2.0 compatibility, the Schiit Bifrost represents a super-value.

Steven Stone’s Best of Show

Best Large Room Sound.

My vote goes to the EMM/Kimber room on the lobby level. The combination of great source material from Ray Kimber’s Iso-Mike recordings, careful setup and implementation using Ed Meitner digital products and Pass Labs electronics, and well-controlled room acoustics made this the room that achieved the closest sound to live music.

Best Small Room Sound

This was tough. Best overall sound was a dead heat between Synergistic Research’s room 8030 with the YG Kipod II Signature speakers and Empirical Audio’s Iris room with the YG Kipod II Signature speakers.

Synergistic’s room included its new active FireWire 800 cable, “The Music Cable” DAC/cable all-in-one solution, SR’s Element Copper/Tungsten interconnect cable, Element copper/tungsten/silver speaker cables, PowerCell 10 SE Mk II AC device, and Enigma Mk II valve PowerCell AC device, Mach2 Music server, Esoteric C-03 Preamp, and full SR ART room treatment system.

The Empirical Audio system included the Empirical Audio Overdrive Ultra DAC, Balanced Power Technologies BPT CPC power conditioner, BPT PC-12NT and PC-9LNT power cords, BPT IC-SLT interconnects, BPT SC-6 signature PLUS speaker cables, GIK tri traps, Art Panels, and Q7D diffuser, and a Mach2 Music server.

Best Sound (for the money)

Again GR Research gets my vote. Its room featured the new GR-Research Super-V with granite finish, Dodd Audio Next Generation Battery Preamp, dB Audio Labs Next Generation 32-bit/192kHz Tranquility DAC, dB Audio Labs DAC Lithium ion battery supply, PI Audio Group UberBUSS, PI Audio Group BatteryBUSS, PI Audio Group ABB-2 Diffusers, PI Audio Group Room Treatments, PI Audio Group Mr. T Diffusers, Atomic Audio Manhattan Project Battery System, PI Audio Group Power Cables, Electra Speaker Cables, dB Audio Labs Next Generation bi-wire USB Cable, and again, a Mach2 Music server.

Greatest Bargain (individual product)

The Schitt BiFrost DAC with fully upgradeable/replaceable USB and DAC boards wins this category hands down. It’s the first budget USB DAC that won’t be obsolete in less than a year. For $349 w/o a USB card and $449 with, it makes you wonder why other manufacturers don’t offer obsolescence–proof DACs.

Most Significant Product Introduction

Judging by the number of rooms using it and the quality of their sound, Amarra’s new 2.3 build is a major step forward in ergonomic flexibility, platform stability, and overall sonics.

Most Significant Trend

The almost universal adoption of the USB 2.0 standard for new USB DACs and converters. USB now will support up to 192/24 files. Macs can do 192/24 instantly upon connection to a USB 2.0 device, while for PCs a simple driver is all that’s needed for high-resolution wonderfulness.