my xda-1 experience

[rclark]

It was like a veil was lifted and I could hear details in the music I'd never heard before.


Lol.

Anyway, I'm an ERC-1 owner currently building a hifi. Now that I have the XDA-1 in hand I can go ahead and start putting together the rest, but as of current I'm using a fairly low end rig, an altec lansing MX-5021 mm speaker set.

I do, however, have them on speaker stands fairly far out into the room, and as they are very small satellites there are certain advantages there in a small room. However they will be replaced in short order with a very nice set of speakers and subs I'm building with ClassD amplifier.

So on to my review. I started burning the unit in last night and even my girlfriend noticed an immediate difference over the ERC-1 alone. And it was quite surprising, the gain in definition, and the punchier, much more controlled bass. You could also hear deeper into the music, no bs, it was much more detailed.

We threw a party last night as well and I was pleased to find that plugging a laptop into the XDA-1 via USB (Windows 7, your mileage may vary) just worked. I expected to have to go to some special screen and install something. Nope, turned on the media player and hit play.

I think the unit is now pretty thouroughly burned in now, probably about 10 hours on it. I'm sitting here listening to the Eagles, Peaceful Easy Feelin, and I'm still grinning, it was definitely a solid purchase and a great upgrade.

My Altecs probably couldn't sound much better than they do now, this is overkill for source on these things, and they are probably a huge bottleneck at this point. Time to get building.

I'm so pleased with the sound I'm hoping to wire my speakers without a seperate preamp, just go through the subs first when all is built.

My one gripe? I don't have one. BY the way I'm able to run the volume all the way to 80, I don't have any gain problems as others have stated, my volume control is smooth and even from top to bottom and evenly distributed.

The unit looks good enough on top of the ERC-1 that I might put the ERC-1's trim back on.

[rclark]

So I'm now several days into it and the unit sounds better than before. I've been using the optical connection but just tried a new MacUltraSilver+ cable via the coaxial output and am floored by the result. I can't wait for the cable to burn in.

This is quite a large improvement over the ERC1 alone (and the ERC sounds fantastic). There is such a marked top end sizzle and such incredible detail and shimmer that I've never experienced before. The first thing I noticed on the first day was punchier, more controlled bass, but now I can clearly hear the improvements across the entire range. What a device. I can't even imagine how good it will sound with my real hifi speakers and subs soon to be completed.

Really the sound of this DAC is quite incredible.

[RPA-1 man]

Glad you're enjoying it. All the positive comments and reviews are making me jealous. I've also noticed from reading other reviews that the consensus seems to be that the Coaxial output is the best way to connect the ERC-1 to the XDA-1. I will definitely keep that in mind if, I mean when, I do purchase an Emo DAC.

[bdripper]

Cable Burn-in, come on man

[DYohn]

Dec 8, 2010 22:45:13 GMT -5 bdripper said:

Cable Burn-in, come on man

Yea, I was about to post "you can stop waiting now," but didn't want to look like too much of a smart-ass.

[Chuck Elliot]

Dec 8, 2010 22:45:13 GMT -5 bdripper said:

Cable Burn-in, come on man

Not a believer that electrons carve a low distortion path as they cruise from copper atom to copper atom? LOL

[mrla]

Dec 8, 2010 22:45:13 GMT -5 bdripper said:

Cable Burn-in, come on man

you need cryo-freeze cable if u want the ultimate smoothness, cryo process has copper elements lined-up for straighter signal flows...yeah

[kumayama]

Dec 8, 2010 22:04:15 GMT -5 rclark said:

This is quite a large improvement over the ERC1 alone (and the ERC sounds fantastic). There is such a marked top end sizzle and such incredible detail and shimmer that I've never experienced before ... more controlled bass ... improvements across the entire range. What a device. .... Really the sound of this DAC is quite incredible.

Yes indeed. You saved me having to write my own review comments. I was really expecting a rather subtle improvement from the XDA, especially since I used it with a pre-amp, but the improvement is not subtle at all in my 2 channel setup: ERC-1 to XDA-1 to RSP-1 to RPA-1 to modified Klipschorns. I regularly play both electric and acoustic guitar, so am very familiar with what it sounds like live. I have never heard more detailed realistic guitar reproduction than I did tonight playing the remastered version of Dire Straights Love Over Gold with the addition of the XDA-1.

[Confused]

???Some say it's better paired with the USP, some say no difference with USP. Any other opinions? On the fence here.

[sharkman]

My understanding is that it has a superior analogue section(fully discrete, cross coupled, Differential Reference™ balanced line amp stage) so would sound better straight into an amp. Connecting to a USP would run the signal through the USP's analogue circuits thus somewhat neutralizing the benefits of the XDA. In my opinion.

[rclark]

i don't know much about cable burn in but the manufacturer suggested 200 hours. Hey if this is as good as the cable will get I'm still amazed.

In my defense on that issue this is my first personal hifi.

[rclark]

plugged in my old dvd player and AB'd against the ERC/XDA combo. It was laughable. And it brought to light another positive on the Emotiva sound. Low distortion. These units are very non-fatiguing and easy on the ears. I love it.

I was thinking of getting a Dodd tube buffer as preamp but now I'm seriously thinking of just stacking the XSP-1 on top and calling it a day.