DC-1

[thorcorps]

Still loving mine as well.

[TheMachinist]

I am using the DC-1 as a laptop DAC running of F2k and Audioquest cable. In order to improve the SQ and noise floor would a iFi iUSB Power help to isolate the noisy laptop USB power supply ? Or the DC-1 is doing something similar at it's end ?

[TheMachinist]

Hi Keith,
Is the USB receiver chip within the DC-1 self powered from the DC-1's internal power supply or feeds off the USB 5V from computer ?

Wondering if a AQVOX power supply can bring this to next level
www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html

[ews0899]

Is anyone using the preamp of the DC-1 for 2 channel listening? If so, just wondering your thoughts and comments on SQ improvements. Any information is appreciated.

Ed

[garbulky]

Oct 15, 2013 16:51:46 GMT -5 ews0899 said:

Is anyone using the preamp of the DC-1 for 2 channel listening? If so, just wondering your thoughts and comments on SQ improvements. Any information is appreciated.

Ed

I am. It's direct to the UPA-2.
Maybe it's my room/speakers as it appears to have a peak in the upper bass....
At low volumes it doesn't sound as appealing as it does at moderately louder volumes.
And by this I mean there is a bit of lack of treble presence and some loss in dynamics compared to the XDA-1 via a passive pre-amp.
The ideal volumes (for me) is greater than -30 and past -25 it gets really nice.
From what I'm reading...I'm the only one with this view.

[ews0899]

Thanks, Garbulky. Current chain is Sonos to DacIt to Pre1 and it's very clinical sounding. I know my source isn't the best (Sonos) and slowly moving into the lossless files, etc. but like most, time is the enemy. Nick spoke with Keith this morning upon ordering the DC-1 and he felt it would make a considerable improvement over the Peachtree.
I plan to experiment both ways, link to pre1 and utilizing the preamp of DC -1.

Ed

[Deleted]

Im curious how much a dc1 is to ship in case i dont see and improvement over xda2 and send it back

[Bonzo]

Oct 15, 2013 17:27:56 GMT -5 @bmoney said:

Im curious how much a dc1 is to ship in case i dont see and improvement over xda2 and send it back

Can't be all that much considering how small it is. Although that depends largely on where you live. I'd love for you to do this then let me know so i don't have to!!!!

[Emosean]

I wonder if it would make a difference if I replaced my XDA 1 with the DC1, using it with my ERC2 ?

[hemster]

Oct 15, 2013 21:17:21 GMT -5 Emosean said:

I wonder if it would make a difference if I replaced my XDA 1 with the DC1, using it with my ERC2 ?

Yes, most definitely. I sold my XDA-1 which I replaced with an XDA-2. Since I got the DC-1 I moved the XDA-2 to another room. DC-1 is clearly better. 

[garbulky]

Oct 15, 2013 21:58:40 GMT -5 hemster said:

Oct 15, 2013 21:17:21 GMT -5 Emosean said:

I wonder if it would make a difference if I replaced my XDA 1 with the DC1, using it with my ERC2 ?

Yes, most definitely. I sold my XDA-1 which I replaced with an XDA-2. Since I got the DC-1 I moved the XDA-2 to another room. DC-1 is clearly better. 

How does the oppo 95 compare?

[hemster]

Oct 16, 2013 0:13:09 GMT -5 garbulky said:

Oct 15, 2013 21:58:40 GMT -5 hemster said:

Yes, most definitely. I sold my XDA-1 which I replaced with an XDA-2. Since I got the DC-1 I moved the XDA-2 to another room. DC-1 is clearly better. 

How does the oppo 95 compare?

I have my DC-1 and Oppo 95 in different rooms and haven't done an A/B comparison. I use the stereo outputs on the Oppo 95 (which use a dedicated DAC) and the resultant SQ is really sweet.  

[TheMachinist]

Oct 15, 2013 16:51:46 GMT -5 ews0899 said:

Is anyone using the preamp of the DC-1 for 2 channel listening? If so, just wondering your thoughts and comments on SQ improvements. Any information is appreciated.

Ed

Ed, I have tried USP-1 and XSP-1 as preamp with the DC-1. The DC-1 preamp eats the USP-1. With DC-1 the soundstage is spread better than USP-1. Comparing to XSP-1, the XSP-1 eats the DC-1. With XSP-1 the soundstage is even better and voices and instruments sound more real in their own space. I don't use the Base Mgmt.

Although I did nothing in my system that it sounds best when DC-1 is lowers to -10db (isnetad of fixed 0db volume) feeding into the XSP-1. This could be because I am on XPA-1 gen 1 which is high gain amp feeding Dali Ikon 6 which are too sensitivity speakers too.

[klinemj]

I've not compared my dc-1 to an oppo 95 but I can say the dc-1 sounds better than my oppo 105.

Mark

[ews0899]

Thanks, Machinist. I appreciate your feedback. Hoping I get similar results with Pre1 in then chain.

Ed

[milt7350]

Oct 16, 2013 2:06:01 GMT -5 TheMachinist said:

Oct 15, 2013 16:51:46 GMT -5 ews0899 said:

Is anyone using the preamp of the DC-1 for 2 channel listening? If so, just wondering your thoughts and comments on SQ improvements. Any information is appreciated.

Ed

Ed, I have tried USP-1 and XSP-1 as preamp with the DC-1. The DC-1 preamp eats the USP-1. With DC-1 the soundstage is spread better than USP-1. Comparing to XSP-1, the XSP-1 eats the DC-1. With XSP-1 the soundstage is even better and voices and instruments sound more real in their own space. I don't use the Base Mgmt.

Although I did nothing in my system that it sounds best when DC-1 is lowers to -10db (isnetad of fixed 0db volume) feeding into the XSP-1. This could be because I am on XPA-1 gen 1 which is high gain amp feeding Dali Ikon 6 which are too sensitivity speakers too.

Does it mean, I can do without a USP-1 or Sherbourn Pre-1 if I get a DC-1 now and maybe later get a XSP-1?

[TheMachinist]

Oct 16, 2013 8:40:40 GMT -5 milt7350 said:

Does it mean, I can do without a USP-1 or Sherbourn Pre-1 if I get a DC-1 now and maybe later get a XSP-1?

Yes theoretically you won't need a preamp with the DC-1 if you are running in pure 2ch and don't need the other functions and inputs options of a dedicated pre-amp . The above comparisions are only my own. Only if someone comes up with similar findings, then it would hold water that DC-1 preamp is better than USP-1.
Right now both the DC-1 and XSP-1 are on massive sales, so that would help to make your purchase decisions quick

[milt7350]

Oct 16, 2013 10:40:34 GMT -5 TheMachinist said:

Oct 16, 2013 8:40:40 GMT -5 milt7350 said:

Does it mean, I can do without a USP-1 or Sherbourn Pre-1 if I get a DC-1 now and maybe later get a XSP-1?

Yes theoretically you won't need a preamp with the DC-1 if you are running in pure 2ch and don't need the other functions and inputs options of a dedicated pre-amp . The above comparisions are only my own. Only if someone comes up with similar findings, then it would hold water that DC-1 preamp is better than USP-1.
Right now both the DC-1 and XSP-1 are on massive sales, so that would help to make your purchase decisions quick

Thanks for the input! Yes, my DC-1 is already on the way after I placed the order 1 hr ago. I will see how the DC-1 performs in my system and look into the XSP-1 in the near future.

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2013 11:07:22 GMT -5 milt7350 said:

Oct 16, 2013 10:40:34 GMT -5 TheMachinist said:

Yes theoretically you won't need a preamp with the DC-1 if you are running in pure 2ch and don't need the other functions and inputs options of a dedicated pre-amp . The above comparisions are only my own. Only if someone comes up with similar findings, then it would hold water that DC-1 preamp is better than USP-1.
Right now both the DC-1 and XSP-1 are on massive sales, so that would help to make your purchase decisions quick

Thanks for the input! Yes, my DC-1 is already on the way after I placed the order 1 hr ago. I will see how the DC-1 performs in my system and look into the XSP-1 in the near future.

im doing the exact same thing

[openreel]

Oct 16, 2013 5:41:06 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I've not compared my dc-1 to an oppo 95 but I can say the dc-1 sounds better than my oppo 105.

Mark

Out of curiosity for your preference, Mark, did you have the 105 and DC-1 going directly to the monoblocks or into your XSP-1 first?
Which component presented better staging and depth? I have the 105 and wonder what shade of gray the DC-1 is in comparison.
Thanks.