MS男 發表於 2013-6-28 23:32
真係唔可以睇少韓國...機仔細細好似幾吸引
以下折錄自美國音響天書The Absolute Sound 既評語，尤其設計者Simon Lee 敢用S1 黎推Wilson Audio Sasha W/P可知應有料到。當年我問友人借玩舊款WATT Puppy，要推郁佢無問題，但要玩得靚真係唔易，最後要出動到十二粒搞得掂
Multi-Talented
April 4th, 2012 -- by Steven Stone
Source: The Absolute Sound
The DP1’s 3V (single-ended) outputs are slightly higher in output than the usual 2V standard, so with amplifiers that have a higher than standard 26dB gain you could have a gain mismatch, but none of my amplifiers displayed any problems from this higher output level.
If you plan to use the DP1 as a fixed rather than variable-level output device, don’t look for a button or switch to convert it to a fixed level. Merely turn the volume control all the way up for fixed-level use. While the first prototypes had a switch, April Music’s Simon Lee told me he opted for no switch in the production versions because listening tests determined that removing the switch delivered better sonic results.
The Sound
When I listen to a stereo system the first question I ask myself is, “Which component is the weak link?” Whichever system I dropped the Eximus DP1 into, it was never the weakest link in the signal chain. During the time I’ve evaluated it, the DP1 was always articulate, dynamic, and musical.
If I had to choose a single word to describe the sonics of the Eximus DP1, it would be “revealing.” Especially on higher-resolution material, such as my own live on-location recordings, I was amazed by the Eximus’ ability to expose even the subtlest soundstage cues. On my recording of a great young acoustic band, The Deadly Gentlemen, which I made with only two mics in a small schoolhouse, I could clearly follow the way the acoustic bass’ energy builds up in the corner of the room and then rolls out into the rest of the performance space. The DP1 portrays the three-dimensionality of the soundstage as accurately and with as much detail as any DAC I’ve ever used.
I’ve written before about how important the USB interface is to the overall sonic quality of a USB DAC. The DP1’s USB is very good, and in the same league as the previous generation of Empirical Audio’s Off-Ramp 4 USB interface device. I did some matched-level A/B tests using the Off-Ramp’s S/PDIF output into the DP1 compared to the DP1’s own USB implementation. Although it was not an ideal A/B, due to the lag time of software changes (closing and reopening Pure Music and iTunes as well as switching audio outputs from the system preferences takes at least 30 seconds), I could not hear any consistent and meaningful differences between the two signal chains. Sometimes I preferred one chain to the other, but my preferences were always source-material dependent. The DP1’s upsampling settings also affected which signal chain I preferred. Shortly after the DP1 arrived the Off-Ramp 4 went back to Empirical Audio for an upgrade to current specs, which will undoubtedly change its performance for the better.
Unlike other DACs I’ve used with variable upsampling options, with the DP1 these different options not only made a sonic difference, but the setting that sounded most correct varied depending on source material. Sometimes within a single album I found that different cuts sounded better with different upsampling rates. On Randy Newman’s album 12 Songs, “Underneath a Harvest Moon” was best at 96k, “Burn Down the Cornfield” sounded better at 44.1, and “Lucinda” had the cleanest vocals at 192k. On my own 96k/24 recording of Richard Stoltzman playing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, I found that the 96k upsampled rate had slightly better midrange presence and body on Stoltzman’s instrument than either the 44.1 or 192k settings.
Anyone who’s come to the firm opinion that “upsampling is bad” will find the DP1’s upsampling a revelation. Unless you try all three settings on each track, you can never be sure which one is best. Sometimes I found that upsampling to 192kHz resulted in a tight and overly controlled sound to the point of becoming mechanical, but other times upsampling to 192kHz delivered an additional level of control that rendered slightly messy mixes more articulately than lower sampling rates. As it says in the DP1’s owner’s manual, “there are no fixed rules for the selection of upsampling.” That proved to be an understatement.
The Eximus DP1’s headphone filter’s effects were more consistent and less sonically illuminating. Whenever I employed the filter, regardless of the headphones, the results were a slower, thicker midbass and lumpier bass response. It was like going from a good modern tube amplifier to an unrestored 50-year-old triode amp—euphony and homogenization intruded on the signal. Perhaps for some listeners the filter’s soundfield effects will make up for the losses in harmonic balance and transparency, but I much preferred the DP1’s headphone feed without the filter in the circuit.
I used the DP1’s analog inputs to compare the Weiss DAC 202 with the DP1. Once more A/B comparisons took longer to switch than I would like—programs had to be shut down and reopened along with confirming the MIDI settings. But despite the delays it was clear that the DP1 was almost in the same league as the Weiss. Both did a superb job of illuminating the entire soundstage and placing instruments accurately. The Weiss produced a slightly larger overall soundstage, but the DP1 was equally well focused. Harmonically the two DACs were very similar, both with well-defined low bass and vividly dynamic contrast. At times I preferred the DP1, due in large part to its slightly lower noise floor. But the Weiss had extensive handicaps—I had to use its single-ended outputs rather than the balanced analog output. Plus there was additional cabling and analog circuitry and connections inside the DP1. So, I wouldn’t go so far as to say the DP1 was the Weiss DAC 202’s equal, but it was closer than I expected.
Comparing the DP1 with the Wyred4Sound DAC proved to be an equally interesting exercise. Even though the two DACs had very similar harmonic balances and dynamic signatures, the DP1 was a bit more musical and slightly less mechanical. The DP1 also had an ease to its dynamic presentation that I noticed especially on aggressive pop, such as Toy Matinee’s only release. The two DACs have similar feature sets, except the DP1 has two pure analog inputs. Still, the Wyred4Sound DAC2 is less than half the price of the DP1. And no, the DP1 doesn’t sound twice as good as the DAC2. But it does look better, with a far more ergonomically appealing front panel. Finally, the DP1 is more likely to transport you to the point where you don’t care much about the equipment because you’re enjoying the music so thoroughly.
And how does the DP1 compare with the Bel Canto Dac 3.5, which I reviewed in Issue 216? Unfortunately the 3.5 was returned to Bel Canto over a month before the DP1 arrived, so I never had an opportunity for any direct A/B testing. But I will share this comparison: The USB interface on the DP1 is noticeably better than the Bel Canto 96/24 Link USB interface box. Also, the sonic differences between the USB and the S/PDIF inputs on the DP1 were much smaller than they were between USB and S/PDIF through the Bel Canto Dac 3.5.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t spend some time using the DP1’s headphone amp. The DP1 had more than enough gain and power to drive low-efficiency headphones. I never got more than 1/3 of the way up on the volume knob. The sound was clean and very well controlled, especially in the bass. And while headphones still lack a certain visceral power when it comes to bass, the DP1 did a yeoman’s job delivering some serious wallop when needed. Resolution and low-level detail were limited only by my choice of headphones. The best results came with my pair of Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor in-ear canal phones. |
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