The Stereo192-DSD's front panel has a central digital display flanked on the left by a knob for volume and setup, a menu button, and a programmable function button; and, on the right, by another…
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Briefly, the Stereo192-DSD is a two-channel DAC with S/PDIF, AES, TosLink, FireWire, and two USB (1.1 and 2.0) digital inputs. The "preamp" version that I used also has stereo analog RCA inputs and outputs as well as XLR balanced analog outputs. There are also a word-clock input and output, useful for syncing with other devices—and, as I discovered, absolutely essential for multichannel use.
Sidebar Contacts
Marantz America, 100 Corporate Drive, Mahwah, NJ 07430-2041. Tel: (201) 762-6500. Fax: (201) 762-6670. Web: us.marantz.com.
Mytek Digital, 144 India Street, First Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11222. Tel: (347) 384-2687. Fax: (212) 202-5331. Web: mytekdigital.com.
Oppo Digital, 2629 Terminal Boulevard, Suite B, Mountain View, CA 94043. Tel: (650) 961-1118. Web: oppodigital.com.
David Lynch's The Big Dream will be released by Captured Tracks on July 16th. If Crazy Clown Time, David Lynch's successful 2011 solo debut, is any indication, we're in for a surreal and haunting treat: heavy starlit skies, empty highways, torch songs, and reverb-drenched blues. You can ask Michael Lavorgna about that.
The Big Dream will be available in various editions: digital; LP; limited LP, hand-numbered, covered in a silk-screened wrap, and wax-sealed; and CD. For now, we can enjoy "I'm Waiting Here," featuring a sultry performance by Lykke Li on vocals, somehow conjuring the great…
Register to win a set of CAD Audio MH510 Headphone (MSRP $159.00) we are giving away.
According to the company:
The new Sessions MH510 professional headphones from CAD Audio have been designed for performers in recording and live audio environments as well as audio enthusiasts who want to experience their favorite recordings exactly as the artist intended.
Growing from a decade long collaboration of CAD’s experience and expertise in the design of professional audio equipment, the MH510 headphones produce a wide frequency response (10Hz – 24kHz) with extended lows, smooth…
BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in G, Op.96
ENESCU: Violin Sonata No.3, Op.25 (In Rumanian Style)
David Abel, violin, Julie Steinberg, piano
Wilson Audio W-8315 (LP). David Wilson, prod., eng. AAA.
ENESCU: Violin Sonata No.3, Op.25 (In Rumanian Style)
David Abel, violin, Julie Steinberg, piano
Wilson Audio W-8315 (LP). David Wilson, prod., eng. AAA.
Oh, what a breath of fresh air this is! An audiophile recording of real music that isn't bombastic, overblown, or high-powered.
Imagine, if you can, a private recital in your own home by two consummate artists who play these works for their own delight as much as for yours. Imagine sound so completely and disarmingly natural that after 30 seconds you're unaware it's reproduced.…
For the audiophile modernist, a DAC with volume control is the straightest path between the music server or network stream and your amp and speakers. If you've fully embraced networked audio, there's no need for fussy preamps with their analog inputs, analog volume controls, and [gasp!] phono stages. Find a digital source, a DAC with volume, and go.
Several of the DACs I've recently reviewed include a high-performance volume control; three that spring to mind are the NAD M51 Direct Digital ($1999, July 2012), MSB Diamond DAC Plus ($21,995, October 2012), and Resolution Audio Cantata…
Still, JA noted right away that there was a bit more bass in this take than he'd prefer (this from a bass player?). Listening again after he'd left, I had to agree—the bottom end dominates a tad. But the upfront, untamed kick drum works for me, and though it's less musically developed overall, I loved this early version of a classic track via the Wadia.
I switched to the Benchmark USB DAC. The bass definition improved, and there were greater senses of space and detail. The Benchmark is a bit more forward and revealing in the upper end than many of the DACs that have come through here—a…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state, remote-controlled D/A processor and headphone amplifier. Decoding software: DigiMaster. Resampling rate: 1.4MHz. Digital inputs: AES/EBU (XLR), coaxial (RCA, BNC), optical (TosLink), USB (B). Input data rates: up to 24 bits; sampled at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz. Analog outputs: 1 pair balanced (XLR), 1 pair unbalanced (RCA), simultaneously active; ¼" headphone jack. Headphone and line-level output sensitivity: adjustable. Maximum output level (line-level outputs): 4.0V, 2.0V, 1.0V. No other specifications given.
Dimensions:…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Apple MacBook Pro computer (2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD) running OS 10.6.7, iTunes 10.6, Sonic Studios Amarra 2.5, Songbird 1.9.3, XLD; Western Digital 2TB NAS Device; Oppo BDP-103 universal Blu-ray player; Sooloos/Meridian Digital Media System (Control 15, TwinStore x3); Apple iPad 2, 3 (or "New iPad" or latest or HD or Retina or whatever); Apple iPod Touch 1G; Apple iPhone 4S.
Digital Processors: Benchmark DAC1 USB, M2Tech Young & Palmer DAC & power supply, AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC.
Preamplifier:…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I examined the Wadia 121's electrical performance with Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain. To test the USB input, I played AIFF and WAV files with iTunes and Bias Peak Pro running on my MacBook Pro, using the AudioMIDI Set-up utility to ensure that the sample rate and bit depth were set correctly. Apple's USB Prober utility identified the 121 as "Wadia USB Audio 2.0" and confirmed that it…