vhiner

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $2000.00 from from Museatex

Summary:
I recently had John Wright of Museatex super mod this unit and I can report that it now bests every player I've heard in the $5,000 range...Krell, Conssonance, Audio Research, Levinson, etc. for playing redbook CDs. It's as close to the very best vinyl playback as I've ever heard...and I've heard some $10,000 vinyl set ups. Ed Meitner, as many now, is responsible for many of the landmark developments in digital music reproduction in the last 20 years. John Wright has built on his genius. If you ever see one of these units for sale, buy it. When run directly into a high quality amplifier (no preamp needed) you'll hear things on your CD's you never knew were there. It DOES reveal the imperfections in your system, but with upgraded interconnnects and cables, I experience no ear fatigue at all....just pure musical pleasure.

Strengths:
shockingly deep base, lightning fast transients, amazing microdynamics, huge soundstage

Weaknesses:
digital volume control is super sensitive and doesn't reward extremely low volume playback

Similar Products Used:
none

Summary:
I would like to endorse the sentiments of the original reviewer Mr.Stewart-Smith.I've just had my Museatex BIDAT upgraded by the factory to Super BIDAT level and my first impression upon reinserting this DAC in my system was - and still is - WOW!!!!! This is what digital sound promised a decade plus ago - well -it's finally here.My SME20/V/Clearaudio combo analog front end finally has some competition! Yes folks, this DAC gets the MUSIC right. Of course this presumes you've got the transport right. I use the Museatex CDD-1 with its C-Lock patented digital output.
FIVE STARS *****

Summary:
In my estimation the Bidat has been a highly underrated DAC. Excellent build quality, coupled with the facility for remote volume control (bypassing a preamp), superb sound , and a bargain value for dollar. Mostly ignored by the audiophile press, I think mainly because of its neutral sound, which does not impress on first listening. No longer available retail, used, in its super modified form(factory authorized) it is a steal!