Naturalness, dynamics

none

I've had the Millenium DAC for 2 months. It is connected to a Sony 530 DVD player with ½ meter of Alpha-core Micro Purl silver foil cable. Tube power (modified Fisher 500C) from BWS Consulting; speakers are Fulton Nuances biwired with Monster Cable M1 Mk II copper cable (high section) and Alpha-core Goertz copper cable (low section). Power cords for both DVD player and Millenium DAC are from BWS Consulting. Fisher 500C and Sony DVD player/Millenium DAC combo are mounted on separate Nimbus Unipivot isolation platforms by Machina Dynamica. Accessories include Combak Corporation ENACOM speaker filters, Acoustic Discs and DH Cones by Golden Sound, several Shun Mook discs and cable jackets, Highwire power cord wraps, Electraclear AC line purifier, Compact Dynamics CD damping sheets/stabilizing discs, Radio Shack bulk tape eraser (large), Nordost ECO anti-static spray, Shakti Stone, upgraded wall outlets, Room Tune Corner Tunes, Tekna Sonic dampers, Auric Illuminator CD treatment and a number of Helmholtz resonators (designed/assembled in-house).

The sound of the Millenium DAC has continued to "open up" beautifully over the last 2 months, now exhibiting spectacular focus, depth, body, dynamics and naturalness. As excellent as the MSB Link DAC was in system previously, the EVS DAC is in another league. Especially impressive are pitch control, timbre and speed (i.e., articulation). Very high frequencies are pure and unadulterated; cymbal hits are reproduced with wonderful shimmer, smoothness and realism. Midrange performance is dynamic and life-like. Bass is taut and deep, with great air and wallop; upper bass is characterized by extremely analog-like warmth. On appropriate material, the Millenium DAC is capable of reproducing an enormous soundstage - exceptionally wide, deep and high. For example, on Steve Miller's Grestest Hits CD, Song for Our Ancestors opens up with several minutes of harbor sounds -- water noises, sonar-like blips and beeps, and various ships' horns. These sounds are captured by the DAC with extreme accuracy - the ships' horns have the proper "wetness," "blattiness" and the entire harbor "scene" is rendered with incredible depth and transparency.

And all of this for regular CDs, with the Millenium DAC in 16-bit/44 kHz mode. Even better performance is provided for 24-bit/96 kHz encoded discs with the flick of a switch on the back of the DAC. Upsampling to 192 kHz will be available in the Millenium DAC in the near future.

Just when things were starting to get dull, EVS has introduced a breakthrough product that allows Everyman to enjoy the true high end audio experience.

Similar Products Used:

MSB Link DAC

construction,sound, features

that stupid waiting list

Well it finally arrived. Late, but it's here.You know that feeling, when you buy something and you want it yesterday.

I have to say Ric does put a lot of thought and work into his DAC. I just wish it didn't take so darn long. Hopefully he'll have all that taken care of for the next batch.

As for the DAC itself. When I first hooked it up I was a little disappointed. Nothing like I expected. I thought, are all these people hearing something I'm not? Well I decided to let it burn in over night and wait at least 24 hours before passing judgement or writting this review. I'm now a believer. After over 30 hours the DAC has become much warmer sounding, more detailed,and the soundstage opened way up. Then, as many of the people who've reviewed it before me, I just couldn't stop listening. I've listened to more CDs in two days than I have in the last two of months.

Since installing the DAC I've placed it on top of 3 #1 Vibrapod Isolators. Wow! What a combo. Tweaking the already tweaked DAC. This helped quite a bit even with all the damping material Ric uses.I may be tooting my own horn here, as I'm the export distributor and a dealer of the Vibrapod Isolators and Twisted Pair Designs Audio & Video Cables. But they did make a big difference.The flat bottom makes the DAC1 a great candidate for the Vibrapod Isolators.

For cables I'm using the Twisted Pair Designs 1.5m Dfn Digital cable and also the TPD Dssc Silver / Copper Hybrid Interconnect with B7 connectors, driving a pair Apogee Slant 6s biamped through two Kinergetics KBA-380 Amps.

I guess I won't be taking advantage of Ric's 30 day money back guarantee. This is the best I've heard my system sound, ever.

While the DAC1 didn't have the bass slam of my Chiro DAC, what it did have is a complete balance over the entire frequency range, and detail only matched by the best I've heard, and being in the industry, I've heard some great performers.

As a sceptic I tried to find faults but couldn't. Except in that damn waiting list.

Now if I could only get Ric to Include the Pods with his DAC. I wish Ric and Tweakaudio all the best for the future, and will surely be buying his next DAC.

Craig
WWW.CJSAUDVID.COM

Similar Products Used:

Chiro D3 w Burr Brown PCM 1710, Pioneer Legato Link, and other on board DACs

Build quality, Sound, Features, Price

feet, powercord, switches on back should be labeled.

Follow up.

In my review below I stated that the EVS DAC didn't have the bass slam of my last DAC. This was wrong. After calibration and break in, it had the cleanest extension and slam. The kind that can move furniture. I have also added the Harmonic Technoloy Pro AC 11 Powercord for even better sound. Now that burn in is complete, the DAC sounds even better and just reinforces my opinion. This is truly a great piece. I hope Ric doesn't get crazy with the price of his next DAC and keeps the prices reasonable.




WWW.CJSAUDVID.COM