Audiosector dac

Anyone have an Audiosector dac which originates from Canada? You can get them in kit form as well as ready made. Just wondered what your thoughts on them are and what you compared it against. Jim.

 

I have one of these, bought it ready made off someone on hifiwigwam.

See here:

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?34813-Audiosector-NOS-DAC&highlight=audiosector (I am the 2nd poster on the thread)

It is (imo) extremely good and a veritable hifi bargain. I have compared it the beresford dacs and have just tried it against the caiman - no competition really. It is much more smoother with a more 3d presentation.

I know others have tried it against much pricier dacs and not felt they were losing out.

Go for it!

 

Thanks for the info. I do like the nos sound, thats probably why it sounds smoother against the Beresfords. Not sure whether to go for the kit or have it made up.

Welcome to Zerogain seeing it is your first post. Jim.

 

HI Jimbo

Let me know how you get on with this. It's been exceptionally reviewed, would love to hear one, especially up against some others.

 

Thanks for the welcome ,

It's not just smoother against the beresford, it's in a different league (i've got a modded beresford tc7520 - a caiman basically) in my kitchen set up (mac, airport, b-dac, t amp) and have compared it against the audiosector in my main set up..

The audiosector gives a much more holographic presentation with the soundstage more front to back, my speakers also disappear with the audiosector (sounds hang much more in space and it is hard to tell which speaker the sounds are emanating from), and it is much more musical, i.e. foot tapping (all imo of course!!).

I got mine for about £175 2nd hand and it is the hifi bargain of the century if you ask me! If you are after a hi-end dac it's a no brainer.

 

I am tempted but as funds are at the moment it may be later rather than sooner. Perhaps after Chrimbo and see then. Jim.

 

Ossy you said earlier some others tried it against pricier dacs. Do you know which ones.

 

Jimbo
If you like the nos sound you should look at this dac
http://www.chevronaudio.co.uk/html/paradox_dac.htm
I have one and I love it.

 

Thanks Muzzer it is a bit too much for me to spend at the moment especially with all the extra's. I know i would want the max in the end. Nice bloke Colin, done a few things for me in the past.

I have actually purchased the Audiosector dac and am awaiting delivery, so will keep you informed how i get on. jim.

 

Look forward to hearing what you think.

I've just got hold of a caiman dac which isn't bad at all. However, the audiosector is better - more musical, much smoother and very beguiling to listen to with more layers of sound.

The caiman in comparison seemed more digital although is very revealing (too revealing imo, if you can have such a thing).

 

It was ordered yesterday and Peter Daniels said he would post then, so probably not long to go. Have you bought the Caimen or borrowed it?

 

Just bought it to go in the kitchen, it's streamed from a mac - sounds good and a big improvement over the airport express.

(it's a modded 7520 which makes it the same as a caiman)

 

It just arrived this morning after two weeks in the post. Was getting a little worried in case it got lost.

At the moment i can't really tell you how it sounds as i have an ear infection, so all the sound is to one side. I fired it up and from cold and it sounded clean perhaps lacking some bass. When i bought new cd players in the past they always sounded a bit rough until they warmed up or possibly burnt in. So perhaps later it will improve and bass will come on song.

Jim.

 

How's the dac?

 

Unfortunately i am still having trouble with wax in my ears, especially the right one, so i am not listening to my music much at the moment. When i do have a chance to listen i did notice the bass was much tighter and more pronounced. It also seems louder so i turn the volume down a little, perhaps due to better dynamics, not sure really. Perhaps voices have more detail too.

Jim.

 

good morning
im interested in this dac too !
how much are they ? and is it 'naked' - or in a metal enclosure ?
how are you finding it now its burnt in ?

cheers

liam

 

Hi Liam.

Now i can hear better i can perhaps give you some info.

You will have to contact Peter Daniel on the Audiosector website for pricing. As far as the sound i am pleased with what it does. It has very good bass and it does not suffer from the mushy sound as some people say nos dacs have, in fact i have had to turn bass and treble down a little. Volume also needs to be watched as for some reason it has a higher noise floor, don't know why, perhaps better dynamics. When i first tried the dac it hardly had any bass but a few hours on it improved considerably. It uses Blackgates and Rubycons and i have read Blackgates take an age to come to their best. Voices have more clarity and instruments seem to have a more solidity to them. There is no change to the sound signature as such, but an improvement to dynamics. I have tried to explain the best i can and hope this helps Liam, but i don't wish any backlash to my findings as Liam as asked me for them.

It doesn't come in a case just made up on the board. You can have some rca sockets fitted for extra if you don't want to connect it direct to a transport. It can be bought in diy form so its up to you what you are capable of. I would also ask him about feet to go under the dac as in bar bones i was concerned about the circuit laying on the shelf without any air under. I just used some computer spacers, the ones to fix motherboards to the case.

Hope this helps Jim.

 

cheers jimbo !