Jump to content
  • The Computer Audiophile
    The Computer Audiophile

    Luxman DA-06 DAC Review

    thumb.pngSooner or later audiophiles come to the realizations that every component flavors the sound and that there isn't a single best flavor. Accepting these two facts eases us into the world of endless enjoyment provided by this wonderful hobby. Researching, selecting, and auditioning new components can be pleasurable when our sonic tastebuds are the only things that matter. When visiting a chocolatier we may ask for recommendations or for the most exotic or popular truffles. Tasting each type of truffle is a blissful experience that frequently leads us to prefer a specific flavor. Regardless of each ingredient's purity, source, or popularity the final decision is based on taste. Selecting audio components is no different from selecting fine chocolates. The colorful sights and sounds of my McIntosh MC275 may be equally as enjoyable as my impeccably engineered Spectral DMA-260 solid state amplifier. When I'm listening to music rather than equipment my audio system is comprised of components that best bring out an emotional response to my favorite albums. Over the last few weeks nothing in my listening room has been as essential to my musical enjoyment as the Luxman DA-06 digital to analog converter. The Luxman DA-06 DAC is as rich and smooth as a Diane Krön truffle yet as pure as water from France's Auvergne region. Like a good book the DA-06 had me hooked on its lush qualities from track one.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

     

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

    open.png

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

     

     

     

    Luxman DA-06 Digital To Analog Converter

     

    da-06-II.pngThe Luxman DA-06 has a very special quality that I haven't heard in my listening room to date. It has a silky smooth bloom to its sound but at the same time is transparent enough to enable the listener to hear into the music like many top tier DACs. This quality is so seductive that the DA-06 hasn't been out of my system since the day it arrived. Usually I connect new components and play a little something through them to make sure the FedEx guy didn't fumble the box causing internal damage. Following these typical tests I move on to other components that have been in line for review for several weeks or even months, eventually getting back to the just-tested component. Not so with the Luxman DA-06. I listened to one track, then another, then an entire album without drifting off into email or the CA forums. This DAC had me hooked. Within a few days I moved it to the front of the review queue.

     

    Over the years I've listened to many needle drops (vinyl albums converted to digital files). Until now none of them have really impressed me enough to listen twice or encouraged me enough to do my own analog to digital conversions. Along with the DA-06 Philp O'Hanlon of On A Higher Note, the Luxman U.S. Distributor, included a USB stick with several needle drops. Listening to these files through the DA-06 was an entirely new experience. I've never heard A to D vinyl transfers sound this good in any system. There's no better example than listening to Lou Reed's Walk On The Wild Side 12" converted to DSD at 1 bit / 5.6 MHz and played through the Luxman. From the opening base notes to the backing vocalists to Lou's unremarkable voice this was an immersive experience. The DA-06 produced mid range to high frequencies with an elegant smoothness that transported me out of every day life and into a musical illusion. Equally as impressive was the tight control of the lower frequencies especially the unmistakable baseline. Two other needle drops that that I played over and over through the Luxman DA-06 were Shelby Lynne's Just A Little Lovin' title track and Mumford & Sons' Sign No More title track. As The Computer Audiophile I'm used to hearing these tracks at 16 bit / 44.1 kHz ripped straight from silver CDs. These files were transferred from vinyl to 24 bit / 192 kHz. The analog qualities that emanate from these A to D transfers through the DA-06 at high resolution are lush and lure one into listen for hours on end. The surface noise of the albums was audible but but it gave me a smooth musical connection to each track.

     

    After listening to needle drops for several days through the Luxman DA-06 ($6,000) I played many of the same tracks through my Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2 ($5,000) / Alpha USB ($1,900) combination. These two DACs are very different sonically as both put a totally different flavor on the music. The Alpha DAC and USB put much less of a flavor on music than most DACs I've heard. Listening to the needle drops through the Alpha combo was a completely different experience that didn't reproduce analog immersive qualities that the DA-06 reproduced. Bass through the Alpha combo was more delineated as separate notes. In addition the surface noise of the vinyl transfers was more apparent through the Alpha DAC / USB combo. Both the Luxman and Berkeley Audio Design components are great performers with different and differing levels of flavor imparted on the music. The Alpha is neither silky smooth nor forgiving whereas the Luxman is capable of easing the listener into an illusory experience with almost any music.

     

     

    dsd-564.pngThe sound of native DSD tracks played through the Luxman DA-06 is truly magical. Much of my time spent listening to DSD was also spent wondering if this DAC was created specifically for DSD playback. Nat King Cole's The Very Thought Of You at 1 bit / 2.8224 MHz (DSD64) had a full and rich sound. Nat's voice was so alluring through this DAC, in native DSD using an ASIO driver, that I dare anyone to listen and deny the merits of DSD. Also in native DSD64 was Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country. I'm not a big Bob Dylan fan but this track sounded so good I wanted to seek out Dylan's entire catalog in DSD to find more gems of the same ilk. The DA-06 tamed this sometimes harsh track with its silky smooth character yet still allowed the organic plucks of the strings to shine through as if Dylan was recording the track in the next room. This special quality of smooth and immersive yet bare and untouched when it counts is something I haven't heard to this extent from anything other than the Luxman DA-06. A final example of the terrific DSD capabilities of this DAC can be heard playing Hugh Masekela's Stimela (Coal Train) track. I'd long heard of this track but for some reason ignored as another audiophile recording with great sound but terrible music. Fortunately I was wrong about the music. I listened to Stimela at 1 bit / 5.6448 MHz (DSD128) and figuratively fell into Washington, D.C.'s Blues Alley club in which the track was recorded. The sense of air surrounding every note on this track is something to behold. Listening to the coal train story as it's told throughout the song with a plethora of instruments and sounds in the background is a wonderful experience through the DA-06. I don't have the PCM version of this track for comparison but I can't imagine it's better than this DSD128 version.

     

     

    The vast majority of computer audiophiles' music collections are PCM, as opposed to DSD, and CD quality at 16 bit / 44.1 kHz. Thus, the Luxman DA-06 must perform equally as well with standard resolution as it does with high resolution or else it's niche DAC in a niche market catering to a small niche within a niche. Fortunately the DA-06 retains its great sonic qualities reproducing 44.1 kHz content. I even sent some low resolution lossy MP3 tracks through the DA-06 and I enjoyed the music as much as I ever have. Eddie Vedder's track All The Way (Live) about the Chicago Cubs and faithful Cubs fans was never released in a format other than MP3. Eddie singing, "Someday we'll go all the way" gave me chills even after listening to the track several times. The DA-06 couldn't rescue this track from its sonic ills but I can't complain about hearing this track as well as I've ever heard it and feeling a rush of emotion as a lifelong Cubs fan. The new Iron & Wine album Ghost On Ghost contains my favorite track I&W has ever released. Track 4 Low Light Buddy Of Mine has a very authentic and organic sound prominently featuring bass guitar and drums from the outset. Through the Luxman DA-06 the track sounds great and very personal compared to other DACs that leave the listener completely out of the music as a long lost spectator in the upper most deck of a giant stadium. The Luxman character has a way of pulling one into the presentation rather than pushing the sound forward into the listener's face. Comparing Nat King Cole's The Very Thought Of You at 16/44.1 to the DSD version through the same DAC was an interesting exercise but my conclusion may be a red herring capable of misleading readers about PCM versus DSD rather than the system as a whole, my opinion of what I heard, and the flavor of sound I prefer. That said I much prefer the DSD version of this track through this DAC and the rest of my system. Two PCM 44.1 tracks that were seemingly made for this DAC or vice versa are Randi Tytingvaag's Red Or Dead, and Norah Jones' & Tim Ries' version of Wild Horses. The DA-06's silky smoothness and nearly tube-like bloom are a perfect match for Randi's sometimes piercing voice. The vocals on Red Or Dead are crystal clear through the DA-06, as they should be, but there's a nice amount of Luxman magic that transports this track to a very enjoyable realm. A match made in heaven is one way to describe Norah Jones' voice and the Luxman DA-06. I can almost guarantee readers that this combination will be heard at all the upcoming audio shows. The DA-06 in general enables a listener to enjoy music for hours on end without fatigue, but the combination of Norah Jones and the DA-06 could enable listening for days without feeling overindulged.

     

    rear.png

     

     

     

     

     

    Conclusion

     

    cash-logo-black-thumb.jpgThe perfect component will remain elusive to those seeking perfection where it can't be found. Every component regardless of price or prowess of the designer has a sonic signature. The Luxman DA-06 DAC reproduces music with a rich tonal balance and silky smooth midrange, yet a satiating amount of transparency. The DA-06 is unique among DACs I've heard in recent memory because of those qualities. This is a DAC for listening to and being enveloped by one's favorite music. This favorite music has staying power whereas audio formats come and go with consumer demand. PCM and DSD remain viable for one reason, there's music people want to hear in both formats. Worrying about a "winning" format or "best" format is unnecessary with the Luxman DA-06. This DAC reproduces both PCM and DSD with its lush signature Luxman sound. The DA-06 enables the listener to get lost in the music rather than the format. The Luxman DA-06 DAC has seductive sonic qualities as addictive as a good book or a fine chocolate. At $6,000 it's a bit more expensive than most books but the DA-06 can bring endless enjoyment long after the last page is turned. Unequivocally recommended and CASH Listed.

     

     

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

     

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]5693[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]5692[/ATTACH]

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]5694[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]5697[/ATTACH]

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]5695[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]5696[/ATTACH]

     

    Extra Info:

     

    The Luxman DA-06 DAC features an asynchronous USB input capable of accepting PCM and DSD audio. PCM audio through 32 bit / 384 kHz and DSD audio from 1 bit / 2.8224 MHz through 1 bit / 5.6448 MHz (DSD128) are all supported natively. The DA-06 upsamples all 44.1 based PCM audio to 352.8 kHz and all 48 based PCM audio to 384 kHz through its 32 bit digital filter. Burr-Brown PCM1792A DAC chips are used in the DA-06. The front panel display is dimmable in four steps and enables selection of PCM (Digital) or DSD (Analog) filters. During PCM playback I preferred the second filter P-2 (low latency IIR filter) and for DSD playback I preferred the second filter d-2 (high attenuation analog FIR filter). The USB input requires installation of the supplied device driver for use with a Windows PC. This ASIO driver enables playback of DSD content natively without using the DoP DSD over PCM standard. It's also possible to use JRiver Media Center's WASAPI output mode with DoP rather than the ASIO driver. The DA-06 is a fixed output DAC without volume control. The output levels of Single ended RCA and Balanced XLR outputs are 2.5 Vrms at 300Ω and 600Ω respectively.

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

     

    Product Information:

     

     

     

    • Product - Luxman DA-06 Digital to Analog Converter
    • Price - $6,000
    • Product Page - Link ex.png

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

     

     

    Associated Music:

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png

     

     

     

     

    Associated Equipment:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    1-Pixel.png




    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Nice review!! Had a chance to listen to it at the Montreal SSI show in March and it was really impressive, the DSD demo on the Giya B1 was smooth and non fatiguing. Philiip O'Hanlon is a real gentleman.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Timely, as I am deciding if I want to get a DAC that plays DSD.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    "I dare anyone to listen and deny the merits of DSD"

     

    Charles Hansen is doing a pretty good job in your forum as we speak.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    SO, this post made me get Shelby Lynne Just A Little Lovin playing... Then I was reminded I have always liked the vinyl copy better than the CD. There just seems to be more music there on the vinyl than the CD.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Once you feel the velvet of a Japanese Hi End product, it's very, very difficult to slip into something else and be happy with that purchase for the long term. I've been there with amps, done that, would not consider anything else.

     

    Japanese build quality is second to none, especially for audio, although I will put on my snob hat and say that the Accuphase product is built finer than the Luxman, just going that little bit further.

    But Accuphase don't (as yet) have a standalone DAC with DSD capability over USB, like the Luxman DA-06. Find it strange, the DA-06 is not shown on the Luxman site, yet Google finds it on just about every other site!

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    "I dare anyone to listen and deny the merits of DSD"

     

    Charles Hansen is doing a pretty good job in your forum as we speak.

    I think you're misrepresenting Hansen's opinion on DSD. The way I read it, it's not that he doesn't think that DSD has merits, rather that he thinks well-done PCM sounds at least as good while at the same time having significant advantages including not needing new hardware on the recording and playback side. I haven't yet heard DSD but I have heard: a) SACD, which was fine but not amazing; and b) John Marks' recording made with a QA-9, which has some of the best sonics I've heard.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Too bad no volume control... :.(

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Out of my price range.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Chris,

     

    I take it you used the Luxman's USB input for all playback, is that correct? At any time did you try using the Berkeley Alpha USB and then feeding the Luxman AES/EBU? This would reduce the variables involved and isolate the sound of the Luxman as a DAC.

     

    Dan

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I agree with One and a half. I'm not familiar with Accuphase, but the Luxman sound is unmistakable, slightly warm and smooth as silk.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I agree with One and a half. I'm not familiar with Accuphase, but the Luxman sound is unmistakable, slightly warm and smooth as silk.

     

    Ah, it's velvet vs silk question then!!!

    :-)

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I was waiting for someone to review this before I purchased but ended up not being able to wait after my first audition. I have had my Luxman DA-06 for about 1 month now. I did not think that I would hear such a difference but I have found that the DA-06 is definitely a component I have been pleasantly surprised for.

     

    I am definitely enjoying Hi-Res and DSD file playback but I was surprised to hear the improvement on standard 44.1 files over USB. It is not a miracle worker on poor recordings but I must admit a lot of songs have become very enjoyable to listen too.

     

    My BenchmarkMedia DAC has been benched.

     

    Originally from Michigan but working in Japan. This is a $3400 list $2600 discounted DAC in Japan. Unfortunate for the US markup. Considering I was able to purchase for only the twice the price of the Benchmark and less than the

    Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2, I would say this is a very good audio bargain.

     

    Associated equipment: Electrocompaniet AW250 Power Amp, Parasound JC-2 Pre, Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Bookshelf, MacMini Running Windows and JRiver Media Center via USB, SONO via PCM.

     

    Back to my toe tapping enjoyment...

     

    Chris

     

     

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Thank you Chris, my first amplifier was an integrated 60 watt Luxman, which always made me want to listen to music for hours. I certainly want to hear the DA-06 DAC, which from your review indicates Luxman has still got the magic.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Once you feel the velvet of a Japanese Hi End product, it's very, very difficult to slip into something else and be happy with that purchase for the long term. I've been there with amps, done that, would not consider anything else.

     

    Japanese build quality is second to none, especially for audio, although I will put on my snob hat and say that the Accuphase product is built finer than the Luxman, just going that little bit further.

    But Accuphase don't (as yet) have a standalone DAC with DSD capability over USB, like the Luxman DA-06. Find it strange, the DA-06 is not shown on the Luxman site, yet Google finds it on just about every other site!

     

     

    Naw, NOTHING beats the Chord Dacs for build quality. There is youtube vid with a tank running over one and it emerged unscathed and played normally after.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Does it have dual voltage like a lot of kit does these days?

     

    A 110/230 switch so I could import it to the UK myself.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Naw, NOTHING beats the Chord Dacs for build quality. There is youtube vid with a tank running over one and it emerged unscathed and played normally after.

     

    If anything the Chord's frequency response would be flatter :) I like that, maybe there's some truth in there after it's been rolled by a tank.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Does it have dual voltage like a lot of kit does these days?

     

    A 110/230 switch so I could import it to the UK myself.

     

    There's no switch at the back and the photo reveals a fuse for 125V only, so guessing there's a 230V board for EU regions. Unless you get the DA-06 form Japan and buy a 230V-100V 50VA transformer locally.

    EU has a lot of weird rules on emissions though, and the Japanese/Asia version may not comply, so it should be best to get the localised version.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Chris,

     

    The page you linked to "On a Higher Note" shows supported Windows operating systems only going through Windows 7. Your equipment list shows a Carbon C.A.P.S. with (presumably) Windows 8, as mine is. Any problem using it with Windows 8?

     

    Thanks

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Chris,

     

    Any problem using it with Windows 8?

     

    Thanks

     

    No problem at all with Windows 8.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Chris,

     

    I take it you used the Luxman's USB input for all playback, is that correct? At any time did you try using the Berkeley Alpha USB and then feeding the Luxman AES/EBU? This would reduce the variables involved and isolate the sound of the Luxman as a DAC.

     

    Dan

    This would test the Luxman's AES interface in an unrealistic way that wouldn't likely be used in the field.

    I consider the Alpha / Alpha combo one piece compared to the DA-06.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    This would test the Luxman's AES interface in an unrealistic way that wouldn't likely be used in the field.

    Not sure why you say that, Chris; perhaps you will elaborate. My read of the current state of affairs is that many people prefer -- and feel they get better results -- using USB -> S/PDIF converters rather than going direct to the USB input on many current DACs.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Not sure why you say that, Chris; perhaps you will elaborate. My read of the current state of affairs is that many people prefer -- and feel they get better results -- using USB -> S/PDIF converters rather than going direct to the USB input on many current DACs.

     

    This makes no sense and subjects you to increased SPDIF jitter beyond that of async USB. Of course some parties want you to believe otherwise!

     

    Unless your USB is bad...

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    If anything the Chord's frequency response would be flatter :) I like that, maybe there's some truth in there after it's been rolled by a tank.

    Video proof

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    This makes no sense and subjects you to increased SPDIF jitter beyond that of async USB. Of course some parties want you to believe otherwise!

     

    Unless your USB is bad...

     

    It actually can make a lot if sense. See my review of the Alpha USB for some technical reasoning.

    Share this comment


    Link to comment
    Share on other sites




    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments




×
×
  • Create New...