Design w Sound 2011

Do you have stock now ?
What is the price ?

Dear Kent

Where can I listen to the performace of Weiss DAC 2?

Happy New Year!

Grape

I am very interested in your Weiss DAC2. Where can I audition it? When will the next stock arrive? Thanks.

Dear Kent,

You mentioned that there is a new order that will arrive around late Jan. Could you let me know the pricing for that and whether there are any availability?

Thank you,

Hello, I am interested in purchasing the Weiss DAC2. Plaase let me know the pricing and availability. Thanks

Pls contact me for where can I audition it?
tks

I am look for a DAC for my CAS music, I will using Macbook as a start.
What is the price for DAC2? what is your comment in compare this to a much cheaper pro DAC like Apogee Mini DAC?

Could you please give me the price?

Good to know the new stocks are coming back, I also want to have the price if it is available, also the details of the shipment or pick up service?
Thanks !

It is mid March and the DAC2 is??

Hello, Kent. We know Chesky is good. However we Hong Kong people can not buy its high res files from HDtracks. So are there other ways we can get them?

Kent,

First of all, I would like to tell you that your AJP III album was excellent. I am now a de facto CAS convert now.

I am very interested in auditioning the Weiss DAC2. Could you please email me where I have the pleasure to do so and roughly how much it is going to be?

Specifically, could you please also let me know the difference between DAC2 and Minerva?

Many thanks!!

Hi Kent, interested in the DAC2 and would like to know if it works with the new MAC mini. If so, what is the best configuration at computer side? Besides, is it a must to order online or can buy at your office? I would also like to experience the sound quality of DAC2. Thanks.

Hi Kent:

I use pc notebook, but can’t play the 24/96 & 24/192 format? my PC was vista ver. & try window media player to play it but no sound. please help & give me some advise for me? meanwhile, please tell me the price of Weiss DAC? thanks!

Hi Kent,

If I connect the computer to the DAC by firewire, how about the connection to the external HDD, i.e. by firewire or USB 2.0 is good enough?

Regards
V Chan

Both Firewire or USB 2.0 harddisk is fast enough for even 24/192 playback.

Bravo!Selectable Analogue output level.

Where can I listen the Weiss DAC 2?
What is the price ? thx

Is DAC2 compatable with Windows Vista SP1(32&64bit)?
If not, when it will be?
Also do you have any plan for Windos 7?

Hi Kent,
The DAC2 is truly awesome! I haven’t tested it fully but am impressed enough to say a few things. It would sound like a cliche to say this but the instruments were revealed in their true colours. One wasn’t struck by the loads of ‘hifi details’- which came in spades, but more importantly, in the fresh and lively musical experience – the summation of excellent timing, macro and microdynamics, transients and utmost transparency in tone, dead-quiet background. The soundstage was more like a concert-hall – coherent apart from being clearly delineated and with depth – than most other audiophile digital sources.

Thanks a lot- and please extend my gratitude to Herr Daniel Weiss too. If there is ever a ‘digital source hall of greatness’ – he should be right up there.

cheers
arthur

Hi Kent,

I would like to have the quotation of DAC2 as well. Could you let me know? Do you have available?

Do you have stock now ?
What is the price HK dollar ?

Does up-sampling feature (44.1 > 192k) available when connect a CD transport via coaxial/Optical terminal ?

Hi, interested in DAC2…you have any availability?
Thanks

I would like to buy one unit of DAC2, do you have stock? Also, is there any warranty?

Do you have stock now ?
What is the price HK dollar ?

Hi Kent,

Any news of an arragement of audition ?

Hi Kent,
I would like to buy one unit of DAC2, do you have stock?
Cheers,

Hi Kent,
I confirm to buy one unit of DAC2.
Please check email.
Cheers,
CK

Hi Ken,

I wish to buy one unit of DAC2. Do you have stock? I am using the newest MacBook Pro which has a FW800 port, would you provide or recommend a Firewire to me please?

Andy

Kent – I am interested in auditioning the DAC2 / Minerva. Is that possible? I am in the market for a new DAC (to replace my Benchmark). Many thanks

I want to audition the DAC2 and learn how to use it. Also I wish to know the price.

What would be the best setup feed data to DAC2?

Thanks!

Hi,

kent I would like to have a audition of the DAC 2. Where can I do that? Please leave me a contact number.

Thank you very much.

My wife and I went over to Kent’s studio last night to compare the DAC2 against a Benchmark DAC (which we had owned for 2 years), and we ended up buying the DAC2. We had also auditioned the Ayre QB-9 and Wavelength Cosecant in other showrooms the day before. From first impressions, the DAC 2 sounded like V12 engine compared to the Benchmark’s V6. Throughput was greater in every respect. The DAC2 had more detail, a deeper bass extension and was less ‘tinny’ and also more musical. DAC2 is more than double the price of a Benchmark but earns every penny of it. The only other DAC which comes close is the Wavelength Cosecant. However, we did not buy it because it was not 192Khz (which we thought was vital for a digital hi-rez future) and it had more inputs (SPDIF, Tos, firewire etc. compared to Wavelength’s USB only). Sonically we had trouble differentiating between the Cosecant and DAC2 because we were using different speakers and amps, but we suspect that the Cosecant, which uses a tube, was not as detailed. In any case the Cosecant’s price tag (about HKD4000 more) is not justified. The Ayre was actually the most disappointing out of the lot. I don’t know if it was the speaker setup, but it certainly wasn’t better than the Benchmark when we compared the 2 side by side. DAC2 therefore wins, or is on par, with pretty much all features compared to the Benchmark, Ayre and Wavelength, i.e flexibility, price and quality.
We also have a Micromega CD-transport at home which is not the best transport by today’s standard, but which was outperforming the Benchmark by quite a lot. Hooked up to the DAC2 we could not tell the difference between the micromega and a pc-source (using the same CD and CD image played on the PC). However, when playing a hi-rez version of the same CD, the PC easily won because the extra information embedded in the hi-rez file was easily reproduced by the DAC2. Until then I have to admit that we were having our doubts about the quality of hi-rez vs CD – especially a decent quality CD player, but this test put that all to rest. Hi-rez is better than CD in theory and in practice too. Even my wife, who is a musician and general skeptic of all things digital, got converted.
Finally, it was a pleasure dealing with Kent because he’s more knowledgeable than all the other hi-fi reps we came across when auditioning other systems (you will not believe the amount of nonsense we heard over the past few days) and answered our questions frankly and thoughtfully. Also he’s a nice guy, so you should buy from him!

@dr_cychu

Ask Kent for demo, should able to clear some of your doubts.

fukunchn:

Kent’s e-mail and mobile can be found at facebook box at the right hand side of the blog, you can e-mail him or SMS him.

Hi Julian,

I’m also looking for a DAC among Ayre QB-9, Weiss DAC2 and Linn Majik DS.
Have you try Linn?

V Chan

I am interest to get DAC2, do you have stock now?

Hi Kent,

In fact, I want to know the difference in performance between these two equipment which are in the same price tag.

Hi Kent, the following state by Chris in Computer Audiophile, what is your comment?

“Hi galtthedestroyer – I suggest you take everything you read from a reviewer, including myself, as a single data point that needs further investigation.

I know for a fact that all the pro recording studios do not use firewire. Some explicitly stay away from firewire as they think the quality is inferior to what they are getting via a clean AES signal.”

Hello V Chan, thanks for your comments and welcome to my blog. Chris in computeraudiophile.com is a true expert and he is very humble to give objective comments in different perspectives, which is especially important on audio industry.

There are many papers (e.g. google “Julian Dunn firewire jitter”) suggest this idea. However the Weiss firewire connect uses a technology which put the DAC works as the MASTER CLOCK. This clear up many of the problems, also means not all firewire designs are the same.

V Chan – I think that studios use AES by default due to hardware design and not by choice. From what I know, until very recently studio equipment such as mixers, effects processors etc. all come with AES only which is why it is still the industry standard. Firewire in comparison is a relatively new standard and developed for computers and used by a different segment of the audio market. In theory audio quality is affected more by how you transfer the data rather than what medium of transfer you use so there should be no difference.

In consumer PCs Firewire is more common compared to AES, and so I have not had the chance to use an AES system because I haven’t come across a PC motherboard with native AES output. I think it’s possible to do this via a soundcard, but then you would be running the signal through the soundcard and potentially more processes before the signal hits the DAC. My preference is always better to keep it simple and output the signal directly from the computer motherboard to the DAC. Perhaps someone can come up with an audiophile motherboard (perhaps with AES, TOSlink, firewire and USB etc.). Kent??

From our tests of the different systems, using the DAC as the Master Clock (as opposed to the PC) made the most difference, and this it what distinguishes Weiss / Wavelength from Ayre / Benchmark.

I haven’t tried the Linn (or the dcs for that matter) and would welcome any views.

I love open source and will always root for the computer-DAC systems, but but I would be interested to see whether a dedicated music server/player like Linn/McIntosh can outperform a properly configured computer-DAC system.

Hello Kent,

If my notebook doesn’t come with firewire port, pls recommend specific brand of ExpressCard/34 for firewire that compatile with Weiss DAC2 OR I could get any brand is Okay.

V Chan

Hi Kent,

my friend maybe interested to buy the DAC2, how is the queue look like now. Is it possible to bring him up to your studio?

Best

Hi,
I would like to have an audition of the DAC 2. Where can I do that?

Thank you.

@V Chan

Here is a nice card for your laptop which i have tried to work with my dac2.
” 2 Port IEEE 1394 firewire expresscard” model: DC-1394 e cARD MADE BY DAWICONTROL.

Hope this helps.

Best regards and a happy new year from Athens Greece

Stelios

Dear Kent,

Just want to know your comment, DAC 2 Vs Amarra model 4, I know the price is different, but what is your comment on their performance/

Tommy

@Stelios Angelidis
Thanks for your sharing Stelios! Happy New Year to you too!

@nghk
Mine is not Amarra model 4 but soon will be upgraded. ULN8 is a multichannel device and added so much more functions (DSP, Mixing, AD, DA, DD) Those added feature will not be use by normal audiophiles. If we focus on the performances, I do prefer the DAC2 in stereo setup.

Dear Kent,

Since you are the dealer of amarra, is it possible to get model 4 through you and what is the price?

Hi Kent,

I am HiFiTrack member and I enjoyed the FM2009 Seminar a lot. I just bought a Mac Mini as music server. I wish to buy one unit of Weiss DAC2 as well as Amarra software. Do you have stock?
PS. Would you provide or recommend a Firewire cable to me please?

Thank you.

@Alfred
Hello Alfred, I send you some info by email. Thanks

Dear kent,

already receive the DAC 2, after connection notice the driver CD is missing. I will try to search in the packing. Can I download that somewhere since I know you are in CES now.

Yes, download it from the Weiss website. If you need username/password, it should be in your paperwork.

Thanks Ted for the help! Happy new year to you! We found out nghk shipment is missing a manual. We will provide him a replacement asap and also already provided him the download login name/password.

Best wishes from San Francisco airport, waiting for my flight to LAX

Hi Kent,

I’m interested to buy a DAC2, would it be possible to have a demo, please advise

Regards
Michael

Hi Kent
Sorry to miss the seminar but I am going ahead with a set up anyway.
I am setting up with a Mac Mini, amp is a Jeff Rowland integrated, speakers B&W 802 matrix 3. Current source is a Naim CD. Do you think the Weiss would be a good match (especially to my preference for neutral, “English” sound)?

Please let me know the price and possible wait list time.

BTW is it possible to have a listen of the DAC anywhere?

Dear Waiyee, The new shipment of Weiss DAC2 is just arrived. Please feel free to contact with us. Thanks.

Dear Kent,

I wish to set up a simple system without a preamp, in your opinion, how practical the DAC2 really is without a preamp? I am not talking about sound quality here, just practicality, ie, the control of volume, whether it alllows fine adjustment, whether it would be too loud without a preamp even with the 4 different attenuation setting, etc. Many thanks.

Dear breadvan,

We have DAC202 works like that with an Active speaker on Switzerland hifi show. Nothing get more simpler than this: http://www.asiaweiss.com/main/?p=1595

We have few DAC2 users driving active speakers directly using DAC2 as volume control preamp. The lowest setting is 1.35V which will never too loud. For fine adjustment, it is 0.5dB step with 120 steps, very practical design.

Thanks Kent, I think I read somewhere that Weiss product prefers certain Firewire chipset and my notebook happens to use other 1394 chipset, I think Samsung or something, would that be something to be mindful of, and why would certain chipset be preferred, would it be the drivers, etc.? Thanks.

@admin

by the way Kent, please email me the updated price. thanks.

I would like to know why weiss product does not support Linux? I know there are some Linux OS aimed at computer audiophiles.
Thank you.

can u advice that when will the new driver for mac release, it cant work once i upgrade the mac os to 10.7. thx

Dear Kent,

My set is this: Mac mini > FW800/400 Oyaide > Weiss DAC2 > XLR > Emotiva XPA-1 monobloc > Jamo R909. This sounds fantastic with all kinds of music and especially loud Funk or Electronic, since the bass is produced low and tight! One thing keeps nagging in the back of my head: the gain of the amps is very high at 32dB, so even with the lowest voltage output, I feel substantial attenuation is needed, even more on modest/average listening levels. Since you state: “ideally operated at digital volume levels at or near to the maximum level”, I feel I am not using all that what the DAC2 is offering.

Would you advise the use of a passive preamp? The magnetic StereoKnight Silverstone B&R has caught my attention. It is supposed to “sound” best with ample attenuation, which could be had with the highest voltage setting of the Weiss.

Greetings from EU.

admin :
@Erwin
Hello Erwin, of course if you connect the DAC directly to power amp, the output will be too high even with the lowest analogue output setting. (1.05v XLR). There are 2 things you can do. 1) Of course you can add a preamp as you said.
2) Even easier, PRESS ON/OFF button and keep pressing it (around 3 sec.) until both AES/EBU and SPDIF green lights are ON. This allows you enter Weiss DAC2 volume mode,
The AES/EBU button lowers the volume, The SPDIF button rise the volme
All are handle by the Weiss DAC2 internal digital pre-amplifier. Each push is 0.5dB/step and you continuous press without release, the volume up/down will go faster. Please try and enjoy.

But Kent, this is what I do already and it seems in contradiction with the “rule” you state in the “Digital Volume Control” section above in this article. I am nowhere near the maximum level, far from it! I like to listen rather loud since this allows me to hear all the nuances the music has to offer, but even then stronge attenuation is needed. And my wife always commands me to keep it down even more! Help me save my marriage…

Erwin

Hello Gerbie, I replied your question on private email. thanks.