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!

Extra month of Roon free…

… if signup by clicking on the image below or, if not ready, at some later date by clicking on the Roon promotion in our sidebar on the right… over there ->.

We access Qobuz and Tidal through Roon and it has become addictive. For those of us who, in olden days [like last year and every year since we were old enough to spend money], splurged on media during holidays and birthdays, this is nothing if not exactly like being on permanent holiday.

Hard to get work done but, oh well, you win some you win some… 🙂

Audio Federation (Acapella speakers, Audio Note, HRS) plays Take Five at Capital Audiofest 2019

Continuing our “Any audio show on the COVID 19 desert island is a GREAT audio show” coverage (and Capital Audiofest is our current favorite audio show, anyway) ….even if the report *is* 5 months late… 🙂

Audio Federation (Acapella “Campanile 2” speakers, Audio Note “DAC 5 Signature”, HRS “SXR” equipment rack) plays Take Five. Recorded in 24×96 in metro Washington D.C. on Nov. 3, 2019.

Enjoy!