Just wondering if anyone's had a chance to listen to Opus DAC? It looks really interesting and makes me wish I had DIY skills.

I think hydrocity's making a balanced one right now for the opus + CK2III combo

The skill you really need for this one is soldering a wire to jacks and stuff. It comes basically assembled already, so just put it in a metal box and drill holes for jacks and presto. There may be more to it, but only if you screw something up. It's great because you can just try it, and if it doesn't suit you, you can sell it and people will still buy it because nothing is actually tampered.

so did you build it already?

I heard one yesterday fed from an X-Fi sound card and going to a Beta22. It sounded pretty good, but I didn't spend too much time with it because I figured the computer was limiting it. Philodox spent more time with it than I. He might have more comments about it.

Yeah, I heard two of them. After soloz2 left we hooked them both up to my modded Eastsound source.

I'll try to put up more detailed impressions later [we should have a mini-meet thread on head-fi at some point with pics], but the long and short of it was that the output stages made a bigger difference than the DAC's we compared.

We compared:

Eastsound CD-E5 w/ Zapfilter output stage [uses an older Crystal DAC]

Dual Differential balanced Opus w/Zapfilter output stage [uses the Wolfson DAC, same one that is in the Pico]

Dual Differential balanced Opus w/Ballsie output stage [ditto]

We used the Eastsound as a transport for the two DACs, and had a very nice homemade digital coax cable [it has been the victor in many shootouts] and my Signal Cable Silver Resolution Balanced IC's. Amp was the Massive Attack, and we used K340's, RS-1's and MS-Pro's for the comparison.

My source sounded identical to the balanced Opus with the Zapfilter output stage for all intents and purposes. The Ballsie seemed to have a smaller soundstage and a bit less punch in the bass. Maybe less PRAT, though I'm not sure I really understand the use of that term.

So it looks like I'm going to have to look higher for a source upgrade than the Opus. It is a great DAC, but not above the level of what I already have.

I heard one yesterday fed from an X-Fi sound card and going to a Beta22. It sounded pretty good, but I didn't spend too much time with it because I figured the computer was limiting it. Philodox spent more time with it than I. He might have more comments about it.

Welcome to head-case!

dang, I wish I coulda stayed longer, but I was home in time for a nice dinner with the wife. stuffed chicken, and homemade apple pie for dessert So I guess it was a toss... lol.

Did you swap my cables with the signal cables to see if there was any difference there?

Well, we did all the testing balanced using my amp, so we couldn't really compare them. Renato really likes his new cables though... maybe I'll have to get you to whip me up a balanced pair at some point.

BTW. It's funny that you said 'dang'... later at the bar I ranted for a while at the rise in use I've seen of this word. 'Damn' isn't good enough any more? I'd had a bit to drink too, seemed funny... but who really knows.

LOL, I'm famous [infamous?] for getting hammered at meets. I didn't quite get there this time, but then again, I wasn't hosting.

It didn't help that the drinks were INSANELY cheap at the bar. I don't know if this is common in the states, but the mixed drinks we were getting were probably 1/2 to 3/4 booze and only ran us $2.50 a pop. Even when we 'stepped it up' with some crown royal on ice it was only $3. I swear, if I moved to a small town in NY state I'd be a drunk inside a day.

hmm... for some reason I was thinking the Massive Attack had unbalanced inputs as well... but on second thought I don't think it does....

Damn! don't listen to me, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

(or is the correct word dang?)

Philodox, Salamanca is a reservation... normally it's about double which brings me to a quote from one of my friends when he got his bill after we had been out drinking for a while.

"Damn, alcohol is expensive! Now I remember why I drink alone at home!"

It does, but I don't see how we can really compare everything balanced with my IC's to everything unbalanced with your IC's. Would not really be a fair test.

It does, but I don't see how we can really compare everything balanced with my IC's to everything unbalanced with your IC's. Would not really be a fair test.

no, I agree... I wasn't thinking clearly when I posted.

lol, no worries.

Reks - That is a little more expensive than I'm used to, but closer than what I paid in Salamanca.