New DAC Arrived Early

[Jack in Wilmington]

Got a call from my salesguy on Friday telling me that my Bryston DAC had arrived at the showroom, which is about a week ahead of time. When I get there he tells me that this unit was ordered for another customer at their other location, but he changed his mine. His loss, is my gain. We do the deal and then I remember that in all the excitment I forgot that I need a digital coax cable. I ask if he has the Audioquest VDM 3 and he says I just sold the floor model of the Bryston and the cable is still sitting behind the display stand. He throws it in on the deal, nice touch. It's too early for any real impressions, but I can tell you this thing is built like a tank. I can see why it's getting all these great reviews. Here is a pic of it in my rack.

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[Feanor]

Got a call from my salesguy on Friday telling me that my Bryston DAC had arrived at the showroom, which is about a week ahead of time. When I get there he tells me that this unit was ordered for another customer at their other location, but he changed his mine. His loss, is my gain. We do the deal and then I remember that in all the excitment I forgot that I need a digital coax cable. I ask if he has the Audioquest VDM 3 and he says I just sold the floor model of the Bryston and the cable is still sitting behind the display stand. He throws it in on the deal, nice touch. It's too early for any real impressions, but I can tell you this thing is built like a tank. I can see why it's getting all these great reviews. Here is a pic of it in my rack.

8141
Cool, Jack. I presume this is the BDA-1 DAC. This has a great rep in most circles.

Interesting features include impedence-matching transformers on input, synchornous upsampling, and discrete, rather than IC opamp, analog sections.

http://bryston.com/images/bda1.jpg

[Jack in Wilmington]

Cool, Jack. I presume this is the BDA-1 DAC. This has a great rep in most circles.

Interesting features include impedence-matching transformers on input, synchornous upsampling, and discrete, rather than IC opamp, analog sections.

http://bryston.com/images/bda1.jpg

Yeah that's it Bill. I'm still photo challenged sometimes. The picture is in the Photo Gallery. Got it hooked up to my labtop this morning and did some hi-rez from HD Tracks and some internet radio.

[frenchmon]

Nice Jack...congrats. Thats a very nice high-end DAC there man.

[poppachubby]

Wow, nice stuff. I have heard it at my local shop but it's much too far out of my range. Every feature a guy could want. I love how you can pass the multi channel signal right through and onto another pro.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Thanks Guys,
I told the wife that this is my retirement present. She said, "Do you mean this is the last piece of the puzzle" I said yep. Now we all know that's a load.

[02audionoob]

If you were ever going to buy a last component, this would be a good one.

[harley .guy07]

I was wondering when someone om here was going to buy one because I have been hearing a lot of press on the unit but I tend to trust a users opinions on this site over most publications or magazines because no one on here is being told how to rate or rating equipment and tailoring it in order to keep adds in their magazines. Its nice to hear that you like it so far.

[Jack in Wilmington]

I was wondering when someone om here was going to buy one because I have been hearing a lot of press on the unit but I tend to trust a users opinions on this site over most publications or magazines because no one on here is being told how to rate or rating equipment and tailoring it in order to keep adds in their magazines. Its nice to hear that you like it so far.

Thanks HG, I had not really heard of it until I went to local stereo shop to inquire about the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC. When he told me they weren't carrying MF anymore, he suggested contacting Audio Advisor. Since I was at the shop already, he let me listen to the Peachtree DAC, the Ayre QB-9 and the Bryston. I left there that day, but I couldn't get the Bryston out of my mind. Sure it was 3 times the price of the M1, but it was such an impressive piece that it's one of those.....can I pull the cash together somehow.

[Mr Peabody]

Nice addition to be sure. Have you hooked it up to the Rotel's digital out to hear improvement in the 2-channel set up?

[Jack in Wilmington]

Nice addition to be sure. Have you hooked it up to the Rotel's digital out to hear improvement in the 2-channel set up?

There is a lot of improvement to be sure. What other way is there to hook it up? That is one thing, the Bryston manual is not a fountain of information. I got more info on youtube.

[Mr Peabody]

You mentioned using it with a computer so I wasn't sure if you had it in the 2-channel system. The only way I know to hook it up in the 2-channel is to use something as transport, like your Rotel, using one of the digital outputs to the DAC. You could use the computer as a music server if you rip your music in a lossless format.

[Jack in Wilmington]

You mentioned using it with a computer so I wasn't sure if you had it in the 2-channel system. The only way I know to hook it up in the 2-channel is to use something as transport, like your Rotel, using one of the digital outputs to the DAC. You could use the computer as a music server if you rip your music in a lossless format.

I've hooked it to my laptop, but I'd like to hook up my Ipod to it because that has all hi-rez tracks on it. The USB port on the Bryston will only give me 48k/16Bit max. From a review that I read I would need a USB Link like from Bel Canto to do 96/24.
I just pulled out some McCoy Tyner on SACD, this should sound nice. Thanks.

[frenchmon]

Jack I dont think any DAC can output SACD. I could be wrong but thats my understanding.

[Feanor]

Jack I dont think any DAC can output SACD. I could be wrong but thats my understanding.
Consumer DACs will not output a DSD signal, though some will handle DSD on input and can do the analog conversion directly, and/or convert it to PCM first.

Jack will be listening to the CD layer on the McCoy Tyner SACD, I should think.

Some universal players can output DSD over HDMI; in this case the DAC in the downstream device will do the analog conversion directly, or (maybe more typically), convert it to high bit-rate PCM and do DSP before conversion.

[poppachubby]

Jack your system is wonderful. You should take advantage of the 24 bit capability and start building a nice collection.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack your system is wonderful. You should take advantage of the 24 bit capability and start building a nice collection.

Thanks Poppa, Is the best way to start a 24 bit collection with hi-rez downloads. I used HD tracks to download "Tommy" to try out the Bryston over the weekend. Used Media Monkey to play the tracks as my laptop couldn't handle any hi-rez stuff.