DAC Reviews: Audio Note and EMM Labs from Dagogo and SoundStageUltra

Couple o’ great reviews out there on the good parts of the Internet…

Constantine Soo at Dagogo posted a nice review of the Audio Note Fifth Element/Fifth Force DAC. At some point we will post some extra photos from that review as well.

Aron Garrecht at Sound Stage Ultra posed a nice review of the EMM Labs DV2 DAC-Preamplifier. Although our associated gear here is almost the polar opposite of Aron’s we have more or less the same opinion of the sonic signature of the DV2 [how cool is that?!].

[As I post here and elsewhere and read posts from everywhere – I am so often amazed at how people can write such large amounts of content – and similarly how people have the patience to read it. Rarely can I do either].

The DV2 has as it’s forte the ability to render music with subtleties and musicality that no other solid-state DAC approaches [weird, huh? most seem to focus on sonic fireworks and extensive feature-sets] but is a little less dynamic than some [careful vibration control helps].

The Fifth Element + Fifth Force doesn’t sound like a ‘DAC’ at all – can take on mid-price [$30K-50K, say] turntables and is comparable enough [but different! but in a OKAY way] that the only reason to play vinyl anymore is the ‘nostalgic experience’ of it – and makes one take a good hard look at the ‘slacker components’ in the rest of the system and wonder… .

In other words: It is the F*** You DAC.

Stay safe and stay healthy, everyone!

From the ridiculous to the sublime…

Seems like life these days is highlighting tremendous gulf between the ridiculous (human folly run rampant in all its horrific sociopathic glory) and the sublime (human art, oh how plentiful and accessible, and oh, how beautiful!).

Just taking a moment to listen to some of the art…. to REALLY listen… [ Neli is playing an opera, the first half of which was featured last night on Tuesday Night at the Opera on KSFR Santa Fe hosted by one of us audiophile types… (Hi Darryl!) ]

Audio Note UK Gaku-On amplifiers, M9 Phono preamplifier, DAC 5 Signature, and S9 Step-up transformer and EMM NS1 streamer, all on a HRS VXR equipment rack.

Acapella Apollon speakers, Triangle Art Master Reference turntable.

 

And the music … listening again today, to the 24/96 recording from Qobuz (also on Tidal):