Gear I Heard This Weekend

[Mr Peabody]

A dealer/friend had an audio event this weekend. In case this gets long I will start with the most exciting to me, the Bricasti DAC. I'm not aware of the entire story but Bricasti are former Levinson engineers. In fact, cosmetically the DAC looks like Levinson. It's a hefty piece of gear with good build but more slim line than some I've seen. The sound was... well, exciting is a good adjective. This thing was like audio super ninja, I never experienced such transient, nimble response, when some horns came in on one song it was startling, detail and resolution is top notch, excellent bass control. It did all that with still good pace, rhythm & timing. It was neutral while being a very fun listen. Downstream was Levinson 326s pre, 532H power into Revel Salon 2's. I'm very familiar with this system with different front ends. Next was all new to my ears, Cary system driving Kef LS-50's and sometimes R300's. The dealer demos from his home, he is working on new show areas but the Cary wasn't in the best environment, it was like a sitting area with fireplace with no rear wall, just a big open area. However, I liked the Kefs. I was especially taken by the sound of the little LS-50. It had a nice frequency balance with lively response. It had a sound I can't quite put into words, open with an energetic mid to top end, remember though, I said they were balanced. The Cary I don't know model numbers, there was a top end DAC, SE version, with disc tray, it had both a tube & SS output; a SS preamp & tube power amp which was 120x2 ultralinear/60 triode using KT-88's. The Cary sounded good with the monitors but I hate to say much without more exposure. I will say when some one was playing Beatles the system had what I can only call a nice bounce to the music. Also, the Cary was all recent so not sure how broke in it was.

[Mr Peabody]

I want to clarify a bit on the area the Cary was in, the speakers back were to a wall, one side has a short wall that forms a corner, the other side has the fireplace, then the speakers fired toward seating with open area behind and around.

[blackraven]

The guys on the Audio Shark forum like the Bricasti. It is supposed to be an awesome DAC.

Mr. P, did the Cary system include their DAC, the DAC-100t (it was probably the DMC-600se though)

DAC-100t Vacuum Tube USB Digital to Analog Converter | Cary Audio

DMC-600SE Digital Music Center | Cary Audio

I have been interested in this tube DAC. Unfortunately it does not do DSD, otherwise it has everything that I am looking for-tubes, XLR, warm sound, detail

Sounds like you has some fun. So are you going to get a Bricasti?

[Mr Peabody]

I believe the DAC was 600se. The Bricasti is up toward 9k so not one in this future unless I have some real good fortune fall my way. Besides I'm still spinning discs. My 512 is sort of a combo of the Bricasti and Marantz, not nearly the immediacy of the Bricasti yet still quick and nimble but leaning toward more ease or smooth like the Marantz Ref. I suppose some day I'll have to take my player over to my friends place to hear it on the Levinson system to see how it sounds. That way I'll get more of a feel of what it's character is. I say this because I've only heard the 512 in my system.

[thekid]

Sounds like a good time. I have two DAC' s that a bit long in the tooth so I'd love to hear what a current DAC sounds like.