Experiences with the Resonessence Invicta DAC

[ZagatoV12]

Background

 

Having been out of ‘HiFi’ for some years and not so fresh from my last major investment in audio equipment – Audio Research based CD, preAmp, Amplifier and Sonus Faber speakers, wired with Transparent cables and interconnects – I wanted to move to the latest generation of audio replay placed on digital files.

 

I painstakingly researched the possibilities on all the usual forums and decided to go for a headphone based system. Because I travel a great deal, I began this part of the journey by putting together something I could use while on the move, which consisted of Audeze LCD-2 Rev 2 headphones driven by an iPod / Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo DAC / ALO Continental V2 Valve Amplifier. Frankly, I was amazed at the performance of this combination. Just the right balance of warmth, detail and insight with wonderful musicality. This success spurred me on to find something to front end a new desktop replay system which could also drive my existing preAmp/Amp/Speaker system at home. So it was that I began the search for the latest in DACs, firstly to drive my LCD2s and a newly acquired pair of LCD3 headphones.

 

Tentative Beginnings

 

Cutting a very long story short, after many, many hours of web based research on all the regular sites, I shortlisted Vinnie Rossi’s RWA Audeze Edition of his Isabellina HPA, battery powered DAC and headphone amplifier, The Burson 160D and the Soloist, which had just been released. After long discussion with Item Audio in the UK, Mark suggested I join in on a local Head-Fi meet to hear all the potential choices, or as close to that level as we could get in one place at one time. When I got there he let me audition many combinations of DACs and Headphone amplifiers, including the RWA Corvina and a new DAC from Resonessence called the Invicta. No contest. Admittedly the Invicta’s source was an Aurender S10 digital player, but the Invicta was streets ahead of every other alternative at the price. I bought the actual unit I auditioned, on the spot.

 

Shortly after that I had to go to the US for work, s I only had a short time to acquaint myself with the new DAC, but what I heard when revisiting the favorites in my CD collection was nothing short of a revelation. That set the stage for the next phase of the upgrade.

 

I next needed to get another system for the US apartment. While talking with ALO Audio about a new pair of Audeze LCD3 headphones and Reference 16 cables, I decided to order the Audeze edition which brings with it the special version of RWA’s Isabellina Balanced DAC/HPA.

 

The unit duly arrived, and after a suitable amount of burn in, I can enthusiastically say that the HiRes 24 bit signal path in that unit is superb. Wonderfully musical, intimate renderings of Redbook material, with a remarkably dark background, devoid of hum and the general low level noise associated with mains power. The battery fed power supply renders an almost totally black, silent noise floor, which makes it possible to hear even the quietest small details and atmospherics. Bass is solid and tight, midrange is superb and very engaging, particularly on female vocal; treble is extended and smooth with no glare. It’s a very comfortable sound – warm and easy to listen to but very engaging. You get into the music, not the technology, and can listen for hours without fatigue.

 

Unfortunately my unit, in my setup, suffered from distortion whenever the lower resolution NOS signal path was switched in. Despite sterling efforts by a very helpful Vinnie Rossie of Red Wine Audio, I was not able to get a satisfactory result from the NOS chip path, and although the HiRes 24/192 bit signal path was, in my view, clearly superior, I did not keep the unit.

 

Instead, largely because I had been so impressed with it in the UK only a few weeks earlier, I decided to order a second Invicta DAC/HPA together with a new Mac Mini to provide the server end of the system, and, after even more research, I also ordered a Ray Samuels Dark Star headphone amplifier to complement the Invicta and the LCD3s.

 

Everything arrived very quickly and so I set to burning the system in for a couple of hundred hours before doing any serious listening. The Invicta arrived first and before I had the opportunity to return the RWA unit. That gave me a chance to compare the two DACs. I think it’s fair to say that the Invicta gave the more transparent, dynamic, lively rendering of the two but retained the refinement of the Isabellina, the onboard headphone amplifier in the Invicta more than holding up its end of the challenge, but more on that anon.

 

When the Dark Star arrived, I made sure I had top quality interconnects and power cords for it. After consulting David Saltz, we decided on Wireworld’s Electra 5 Squared power cables and Gold Starlight 6 balanced interconnects. He said he had recently cabled an exhibition demonstration setup of the Dark Star for Ray Samuels and that this setup would represent best value for money versus performance. This setup, with the Invicta, was then burnt in for over a hundred hours more before listening seriously. I later added another Wireworld Electra 5squared power cable for the Invicta and, boy, did that make a difference – night and day – in terms of improved noise floor, solidity of imaging, sound stage width and depth and most of, tonal accuracy – particularly evident in string tone and ‘body tone’ of all stringed instruments in the chamber music I auditioned.

 

Returning to the UK, I again contacted Item Audio to discuss with Mark what I could add to the UK based Invicta to improve on the already excellent on board headphone amplifier section. We landed on testing a Burson Soloist, A Red Wine Audio Corvina versus the Invicta’s solid state internal headphone amplifier. I was also interested in establishing whether there were any genuine differences in how each input – Toslink Optical, AES, USB or the internal SD card – performed, all else being equal; but more on that another time.

 

How Good is the Invicta's Headphone Amplifier?

 

Mark sent along the RWA Corvina and the Soloist, both well burnt in, together with a reasonably expensive Vera Starr pair of RCA Interconnects. Mark has warned me that comparing the Invicta’s own HPA to two quality external HPAs would bring compromises in that more circuitry and cabling in the signal path would result in at least some losses, and so it turned out in practice. It made it more difficult to get a true read on just how well the internal headphone amplifier in the Invicta compared to a dedicated downstream amp’s performance. In the end Mark sent me ‘the most transparent interconnects’ he knew of – VeraStarr Grand Illusion - £1,800s worth of very short cable! But, was there a difference? You bet! Once everything had been settled in and run for a couple of days, it was very evident that these cables made all the difference, unexpectedly removing a hitherto inaudible veil and allowing the maximum SQ through to the downstream external amplifiers, where they had been somewhat held back with the other interconnects in place, although the earlier cables were still very good. This final change made it possible to hear everything in the chain at its very best.

 

All the auditioning was done with a Macbook Pro front end driving the Invicta DAC and amplifiers through the Toslink Optical output of the Macbook into Audirvana Plus’s 1.3.10 beta version of their player in direct mode driving the amps and my Audeze LCD3s. Some time was spent listening via iTunes, but A+ in direct mode was far superior as a player rendering everything much more cleanly with a more controlled and tuneful bass, better detailing, more transparency, less smearing and masking of low level detail and more air around instruments. I also used the SD card as a means of playing back files so as to remove the possible effect of using a less than perfect music server setup. The Invicta’s firmware was updated of the latest version before the tests. Volume levels among the units were carefully matched with a sound pressure level meter.

 

Although I listened for over a week to a wide variety of recordings, both standard Redbook and high resolution downloads, perhaps the notes I took on the Valerie Joyce New York Blue recording of Fever capture the differences best. I say differences because at this level all three contenders were very, very good and the differences amount to small superiorities and characters of rendering which may be more preferable to some than others and, in effect, as a matter of personal taste or predisposition towards a particular style of presentation.

 

Burson Soloist

 

Female Voice: warm central solid body, a little sibilance in places

Drums: light, airy: in the ‘air’ – dynamic, ‘fast’

Artist’s finger clicking; thin, not so natural

Double Bass: Pleasingly ‘stringy’, more controlled than the Invicta – less ‘fat’

Piano: good tone some key impact noise: image solid; could hear the ‘rolling’ of keys

Sax: lots of reverb around it: not so ‘breathy’

Sound Stage: slightly odd; unnatural size, slightly off to upper right

Overall impression; slightly leaner and ‘faster’ than the Invicta and much more so than the Corvina

RWA Corvina

 

Female Voice: warmer than Soloist, central, solid body, intimate, can hear more reverb around her voice, no sibilance, softest sss's, voice appears second closest to the listener

Drums: closer than Soloist: airy: more solid, more body in the slap, better weight and ‘hollowness’ than Soloist but not as good as the Invicta, lots of variation in the percussion ‘slap’ sound

Artist’s finger clicking very clear, recognizable, reverby

Double Bass: stringy, but weightier, thicker; panned more to the right side, played with softer sounding rounded plucks than the Soloist, softer leading edge, slightly behind the head and to the side positioning

Piano: good tone, bigger than Soloist: some key impact: bigger spread - could just hear the ‘rolling’ of keys; between the Soloist and Invicta in terms of piano attack

Sax: smaller sounding, reverberant; not so breathy as Invicta

Sound Stage: bigger but more coherent than Soloist

Overall impression; very warm and cozy sound, easy listening, somewhat soporific by comparison

 

Resonessence Invicta

 

Female Voice: Warmest of all; most solidly central image, solid ‘body’ feel, more intimate and more natural, can hear more reverb around her voice, closest positioning of all three – feels like she’s standing next to me

Drums: closest and very detailed: airy: in the ‘air’; most solid sounding, more body in the slap, even more drum ‘hollowness’, lots of variation in the percussion ‘slap’ sound – best rendition, though a smidge less dynamically rhythmic than Soloist

Artist’s finger click very clear, recognizable, reverby, very natural

Double Bass: satisfyingly ‘stringy’, but weightier, thicker; panned right side, played with softer plucks, softer leading edge than Soloist, more three dimensional

Piano: excellent, natural tone, bigger than Soloist: less key impact: bigger spread of instrument image, best weight of all three by far

Sax: more reverberant, clearer atmospherics; most detailed of three; breathy but weighty tone

Sound Stage: bigger but more coherent than Soloist, close to Corvina’s width - most depth of all three by far, very believable

Overall impression; more weight - more natural sounding; most natural instrument tonal rendering; best atmospherics and ‘air’ around instruments; a little less ‘dynamic’ than the Soloist, slightly ‘slower’ – more relaxed, but not detrimentally so.

 

Ray Samuel’s Dark Star

 

No sooner had I completed all this listening, I had to return to the US for work, and so got the chance to compare my findings with the number two Invicta coupled to the Dark Star. Now bear in mind that I didn’t have the benefit of the very expensive VeraStarr Grand Illusion interconnects between the Invicta and the Dark Starr in this setup, but, the internal headphone amp still acquitted itself extremely well; almost embarrassingly so! The Dark Star, however, offered a more solid sound stage and ultimately more solid imagery, with more ‘air’ all round; a more musical and dynamic rendering with more ‘clout’, ‘weight’, natural perspective front to back, and most importantly, with a more natural tone to the instruments – just, more of the same, across the board. The Dark Starr was particularly impressive in its rendering of chamber music – I felt I was there, in the front row, the musicians deployed around me, everything sounding more musically vibrant, exciting, powerful; detailed yet still convincingly natural in tone and weight. It was hard to stop listening at the end of every session. This was truly a delightful combination – highly recommended.

 

Conclusions

 

So, after all this, I can genuinely say that, in my opinion, with it’s quite superb internal headphone amplifier section, the Invicta DAC takes a great deal of beating. It stood up extremely well to a very detailed comparison with two highly regarded stand-alone units, and was bested only by the comparatively expensive Dark Star. You would have to go a long way to beat the Invicta’s internal amplifier, and by the time you’ve added in the cost, in this case, of the Dark Star and suitably transparent interconnects and power cabling you would have to spend more than double to top it. In short, the Invicta offers the relevant user a ‘damn’ fine bargain. Both the DAC and the internal headphone amplifier render a top notch, highly musical presentation of both Redbook and high resolution material. Can’t be beaten, at the price.

[rwwjr44]

Thank you for the review. I've had my Invicta for sometime now and it is great. I have only used the SD option and (for now) am content. I am anxiously waiting for the DSD and other updates.

[ZagatoV12]

Thank you for the review. I've had my Invicta for sometime now and it is great. I have only used the SD option and (for now) am content. I am anxiously waiting for the DSD and other updates.

 

You're most welcome. I'm also eagerly waiting for the next software update. It seems that may be released from beta testing in late December, so not long now. I'm back in the UK now for Christmas, so I'm just upgrading the front end of this system. Just bought the latest Mac Mini and am now settling in new Wireworld Electra 5 squared power, Platinum Starlight USB and miniToslink cables, before doing some more comparisons of each input signal path - SD vs USB vs Optical etc.

 

It's odd to be going through the burn in routine all over again, but every day I can hear slight changes as it all settles down. No Dark Star in the UK system, so I'm listening via the onboard HPA and it's very engaging and hard to improve on, as I've said above. I was hoping however, that more experienced readers here might suggest something at the Dark Star kind of level but from a European manufacturer? It would be great if there was some choice at that level here in the UK.

[AudiophileWanabe]

In the UK you have this: 933

[wappinghigh]

H Zagoto. Thanks for the fantastic review of the Invicta. I think these guys are onto something with SD card playback.

 

This will be awesome. !!!!

 

I have visited the website and I totally love the way these guys listen to their customers and users feedback. What a company !

 

I have some q/ which maybe you know more about.

 

1/ When they bring in playback from SD (I gather users will be able to visualize the music library via a connected HDMI monitor), has there been any talk of likely video signal interference in the audio signal chain with the monitor connected. Or are the DAC designers buliding in a "pure direct" mode in firmware?

2/ further to above, I guess there is no chance of an iPhone type control app given there is no network capability. Right? Prob. A godsend anyway.

3/ I have ground loop issues with my power amp. I totally love the approach to this in the Invictas design. You mentioned you've tried RWA gear. Have you used the Invicta with their mono blocs ? Have you battery powered the Invicta?

4/. The digital only volume control worries me a bit, but I note a recent firmware may allow fixed volume out via XLR to something like a passive pre (for precise analog control ). Do you know if this firmware is out already? Also at what level of digital attenuation would this be set at? With a 32 bit DAC, obviously if this was set above the 24 bit level, no digital loss would occur at all. This is a bit how Linn set volume control in their high end gear. Is this the plan with the Invicta?

5/. Any hint what DSD files will be supported direct if SD? This is an extremely exciting development IMHO. Any clues when this will be available?

 

Sorry for all the q/ but I couldn't find a suitable company forum and wondered if you had done inside info as to where the company is heading with what looks like an outstanding approach to hi end digital reproduction ...

 

Cheers.

[rwwjr44]

H Zagoto. Thanks for the fantastic review of the Invicta. I think these guys are onto something with SD card playback.

 

This will be awesome. !!!!

 

I have visited the website and I totally love the way these guys listen to their customers and users feedback. What a company !

 

I have some q/ which maybe you know more about.

 

1/ When they bring in playback from SD (I gather users will be able to visualize the music library via a connected HDMI monitor), has there been any talk of likely video signal interference in the audio signal chain with the monitor connected. Or are the DAC designers buliding in a "pure direct" mode in firmware?

2/ further to above, I guess there is no chance of an iPhone type control app given there is no network capability. Right? Prob. A godsend anyway.

3/ I have ground loop issues with my power amp. I totally love the approach to this in the Invictas design. You mentioned you've tried RWA gear. Have you used the Invicta with their mono blocs ? Have you battery powered the Invicta?

4/. The digital only volume control worries me a bit, but I note a recent firmware may allow fixed volume out via XLR to something like a passive pre (for precise analog control ). Do you know if this firmware is out already? Also at what level of digital attenuation would this be set at? With a 32 bit DAC, obviously if this was set above the 24 bit level, no digital loss would occur at all. This is a bit how Linn set volume control in their high end gear. Is this the plan with the Invicta?

5/. Any hint what DSD files will be supported direct if SD? This is an extremely exciting development IMHO. Any clues when this will be available?

 

Sorry for all the q/ but I couldn't find a suitable company forum and wondered if you had done inside info as to where the company is heading with what looks like an outstanding approach to hi end digital reproduction ...

 

Cheers.

 

I can help with some.

 

1. I hear no interference from the video. The HDMI is rudimentary at best. You see a list of selections/folders on the left and scroll to the albums folder, enter to the selection and start the playback. I normally turn the monitor off at this point. They are working on a release to show a thumbnail of the particular album being played.

 

2. I can't see that happening using the SD interface. I don't believe the Invicta has that capability built-in.

 

3. NA

 

4. I use the analog outputs to my preamp (Pass XP 10). I haven't tried the headphone amp. The folks at Pass said that their XLR inputs are optimized for 2 vrms. This equates to -7 db attenuation on the Invicta. I have tried it with 0 db attenuation and decided that there was no adverse effects using -7 db attenuation. I now have the unit set to turn on at -7 and max out at -7. I have not heard any details about future upgrades. I only know what is posted on the web site.

 

5. DSD files are supposed to be supported via SD and USB. This mod was supposed to be available on December 30, 2012. I do know that it will not be released until they are completely satisfied with it.

 

If you are a person that likes the convenience of JRiver or some other software product, then you should use the USB input. The SD feature is a great sounding but spartan interface.

[ZagatoV12]

 

I have some q/ which maybe you know more about.

 

1/ When they bring in playback from SD (I gather users will be able to visualize the music library via a connected HDMI monitor), has there been any talk of likely video signal interference in the audio signal chain with the monitor connected. Or are the DAC designers buliding in a "pure direct" mode in firmware?

2/ further to above, I guess there is no chance of an iPhone type control app given there is no network capability. Right? Prob. A godsend anyway.

3/ I have ground loop issues with my power amp. I totally love the approach to this in the Invictas design. You mentioned you've tried RWA gear. Have you used the Invicta with their mono blocs ? Have you battery powered the Invicta?

4/. The digital only volume control worries me a bit, but I note a recent firmware may allow fixed volume out via XLR to something like a passive pre (for precise analog control ). Do you know if this firmware is out already? Also at what level of digital attenuation would this be set at? With a 32 bit DAC, obviously if this was set above the 24 bit level, no digital loss would occur at all. This is a bit how Linn set volume control in their high end gear. Is this the plan with the Invicta?

5/. Any hint what DSD files will be supported direct if SD? This is an extremely exciting development IMHO. Any clues when this will be available?

 

Sorry for all the q/ but I couldn't find a suitable company forum and wondered if you had done inside info as to where the company is heading with what looks like an outstanding approach to hi end digital reproduction ...

 

Cheers.

 

Q1 - can't help here because I don't use the HDMI out

Q2 - don't see the need - but then, I listen up close to the DAC and use the remote provided to switch tracks once I've selected the album - maybe playlists might be useful though.

Q3 - haven't tried the monoblocks and I don't know if battery powering the Invicta would even be possible. Vinnie could probably design something though :-) Anyway, why would he - he's just announced new models himself at CES!

Q4 - as the other poster has said - I set my output level at -9.0db having used test signals to determine the best level. Not sure about setting a fixed volume but you can set the maximum output level.

Q5 - version 4.00 of the software provides native support for DSD - it's out now!

[ZagatoV12]

I've just ordered a pair of VeraStarr Grand Illusion Signature XLR interconnects from Mike Powell to compare against the Wireworld Gold Eclipse 6 interconnects I've been using in my US system - I have a feeling that might let a teeny bit more air and detail through from the Invicta to the Dark Star HPA. Should be an interesting comparison - can't wait!

[ZagatoV12]

Well, the Grand Illusion Signature interconnects arrived from VeraStarr yesterday evening and I installed them between the Invicta balanced outs and my Ray Samuels Dark Star HPA. Couldn't resist a sneak listen as I restarted the system. Immediately, things sounded more much open, like someone just pulled back a thick curtain, suddenly revealing the musicians, but, Mike Powell stipulated at least 200 hours of burn in before they reach their best, so I let it run for just 25 hours before succumbing to temptation and sneaking another preliminary listen ... and ...

OMG - what a difference!! What a revelation - so much more open a sound-stage, better separation, even more natural instrument timbres, more controlled and yet fuller bass, liquid voices, more weight and transparency, more air - and all this on just my familiar Redbook material.

 

The Dark Star has come alive all over again. Can't wait to hear how these cables settle out at 200 hours, but the system already sounds, just stunning! I am sitting here spellbound with my mouth open (rather unseemly I know, but, what the hell).

 

Gotta go ....... more listening to do ... now for DSD .... more later.

[Purite Audio]

How can cables possibly make a difference if they broadly have thesme LCR characteristics and how on earth could they change over time?

Keith.

[ZagatoV12]

How can cables possibly make a difference if they broadly have thesme LCR characteristics and how on earth could they change over time?

Keith.

Really? Since you are a well known member of the 'trade' I expect you already should know the answer to that question, so I guess it was rhetorical. Anyway, I'm just recounting what I can hear. Other's mileage may vary, of course, but some readers may be interested in the observations.

[Purite Audio]

Zag ask a friend to swop cables for you, can you tell the difference without seeing the cables?

Cabls can sound different of course, if you wildly change the basic LCR parameters or insert a resistor in a smart aluminium box, then they become a very expensive tone control.

Keith.

[ZagatoV12]

I was asked in another thread to provide my impressions of DSD replay using the USB input of the Invicta. Now the new VeraStarr interconnects have settled in (these are reviewed elsewhere on the forum) and as I have now acquired 16/44.1 PCM and DSD64 versions of several pieces I thought others might be interested in the differences I found with my system.

 

So, the first impression of DSD/PCM difference is of greater refinement of presentation, increased clarity and improved dynamics over the 16/44.1 PCM rendering. The PCM recording, of course, already sounds very good to begin with - these are first class Blue Coast recordings after all - but overall the PCM version sounds slightly coarser, 'flatter' and one-dimensional by comparison. I found the DSD64 rendering of the sound stage more natural and the instrument imaging far better rendered than from the PCM source.

 

For this first test I used DSD64 and 16/44.1 versions of Emily Palen's Glass: Live at Grace Cathedral tracks on Blue Coast. The particular track I used was Light in the Fracture. This is an improvisation played on solo violin, close mic'd in a wonderfully spacious acoustic. There is a volume difference in the two versions, the DSD64 files being lower in volume, which I had to compensate for with a SPL meter.

 

My approach was to use repeated listening of the whole track and then specific sections, making notes and swopping files and repeating again and again in order to separate out and describe, as carefully as I could, the different characteristics of the two renderings.

 

The first thing that strikes you is DSD's richer tonal rendering of the violin, particularly during double stops, the additional, creamier 'bloom' of the overall sound is particularly pleasing as the direct sound merges into the lusher reverberant field and melts away with clearly discernible 'waves' of reflections until those notes are subsumed by those following in the next phrase. You get a harmonically richer rendering from DSD; more 'wood' in the violin's character with just as much bite at bow reversals as in the 16/44.1 PCM file, but with more subtlety. It's as if the scratchy 'edge of the bow's initial excitement of the string as it changes direction under Palen's 'push' is broadened into a fatter note of greater body and substance. Palen's high E string notes and harmonics on the DSD version are also notably sweeter and more rounded, less strident, as if more even harmonics are getting through.

 

The DSD sound at times feels slightly more relaxed yet there is the sense of better micro dynamics, - a greater sense of 'pulse' - particularly as Palen is swinging from side to side as she plays the more lilting phrases - you can feel the lilt, the sway, in her phrasing somewhat more clearly than in the PCM rendering.

 

There is tangibly more clarity from DSD, which leaves audible room for her third and fourth string notes to persist deep into the reverberation field while other notes increase in intensity around them without obliterating the former. The PCM rendering drowns these notes out much more quickly. The natural , huge, acoustic character of the cathedral space is more clearly discernible in the DSD rendering. There is a richer 'aura' of reverberant sound which seems to 'roll' away in three dimensional waves, whereas the PCM rendering is more short tailed and one dimensional as the notes die away.

 

Finally, you can hear more low level detail in the background of this track - outside traffic and movement noises are more evident in the DSD rendering than in the PCM version.

 

This track is, of course, a recording of only one instrument being played in a superb, natural acoustic, so I'll now repeat these auditions with other recordings to see how more complex and denser, multi-instrument sound fields fare in DSD versus 16/44.1 PCM.

[cowboy]

If you are looking for SD card HiFi solutions, QLS-HiFi QA660+QA100 should be something worth a look, QA660 just added DSD and ALAC support recently, with the original Wave, ape and flac support, you can play any music format with this cost effective, and Hi-End level system.

 

New: DSD & ALAC support - QA660 Firmware 1.5 releasled

QA660--SD Card WAV Hi-Fi Digital Audio Player

QA100--Full Digital Stereo Amplifier

[rwwjr44]

If you are looking for SD card HiFi solutions, QLS-HiFi QA660+QA100 should be something worth a look, QA660 just added DSD and ALAC support recently, with the original Wave, ape and flac support, you can play any music format with this cost effective, and Hi-End level system.

 

New: DSD & ALAC support - QA660 Firmware 1.5 releasled

QA660--SD Card WAV Hi-Fi Digital Audio Player

QA100--Full Digital Stereo Amplifier

 

If one has an Invicta, is there any advantage to your recommendation?

[rwwjr44]

Duplicate post

[rwwjr44]

Zagato,

 

Would a comparison to HiRes PCM files been more appropriate?

[cowboy]

If one has an Invicta, is there any advantage to your recommendation?

 

I do not have any recommendation if you have Invicta already. However for those who are still looking for good stuff, QA660+QA100 is something worth a look, you can pay 800 some dollars for a whole system vs over $3000 for a digital source equipment, with the same function (SD card, DSD, APE, FLAC, Wave) people here use very often. On the other hand, QA660+QA100 is able to provide very high sound quality.

[wappinghigh]

^ Many on this forum dislike manufacturers directly spruiking their equipment. Having said that as an Invicta owner I welcome the development of any new SD players...particularly those that handle the ever growing SDXC cards...

 

That's because it boosts the concept of SD Card playback. I envisage my entire library existing on one card, and transporting the card between players...hopefully from Invicta to a player in the car, to a portable player, then maybe into a different player connected to older gear in another room...

 

Perhaps a new thread should be started listing all SD card players out there under the one thread. Might be useful for all SD playback fans....

[wappinghigh]

^ OK. I've started a list in the general forum. Please contribute there.

[ok102006]

Finally top-of-the-line DAC from Resonessence Labs

 

MIRUS

 

Why MIRUS?

-ONE ESS9018 per channel: eight DACs in parallel to each stereo channel, a total of 16 channels or a total of TWO ESS9018.

 

-Support DXD and DSD over USB.

 

-SDCard reader are provided, just plug and play. The SDCard supports WAV, AIFF, FLAC and DSD files. Forget about CAS.

 

-Input data rates up to 384kS/s.

 

-$4995 Canadian dollars. Made in Canada.

 

from WWW:

-Save money for those "clean" USB power products. For example, iUSBPower can bring some improvements for DAC including dCS, Weiss, wyred4sound, EmmLabs, Mytek, M2Tech, AMR, Asus, etc., but NOT for Resonessence Labs - they did a good job in their USB implementation.

 

-Save money for those USB to SPDIF products. For example, it is said that the Resonessence Labs Invicta USB output is better than Audiophilleo1 without PurePower. Invicta has linear power supply inside.

[wappinghigh]

So is it logical to conclude the (real) multichannel version is coming a well?

[rwwjr44]

So is it logical to conclude the (real) multichannel version is coming a well?

 

I don't think so. But anything is possible.