Auralic Vega DAC

[bonzo]

Hi Any feedback on this DAC, wanted to know what people preferred it to, especially with the non DSD functionality. Will be auditioning it sometime over the next month

 

[myrman]

Another user asked here:

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?88372-Auralic-Vega-Digital-processor-(DAC)-any-opinions&highlight=auralic+dac

Not many users on here yet I'm afraid. I'd be interested to hear what you think of it.

 

[parcelmonkey]

Hi Any feedback on this DAC, wanted to know what people preferred it to, especially with the non DSD functionality. Will be auditioning it sometime over the next month

I'm off to demo this sometime next week. I'm hoping to compare it asynchronous USB to Mac Mini against it hooked up to my Linn Majik DS running through a separate pre/power. And then using its digital attenuator straight through the monoblocks. Not sure if I can compare it against other Dacs apart from the Majik of course.

Should be intriguing. Reviews I've read so far seem to rate it, although I can't fight the feeling that it's money to be burned as the technology seems to be moving so fast and changing rapidly I don't want to catch a cold and find I've bought into something that becomes obsolete / superseded so easily.

Here's hoping it really is that good in the real world environment... :upgrade:

Will keep you posted. Ade/Parcelmonkey

 

[James Evans]

User dtd over on pink fish appears to have one running into ncores and seems to like it:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2145252&postcount=44

 

[wizons]

Hi Any feedback on this DAC, wanted to know what people preferred it to, especially with the non DSD functionality. Will be auditioning it sometime over the next month

Yes, I'm waiting for news on this. I have a credit note with Audio Emotion for some speakers I traded in, and this DAC is a possibility. I'm inclined to think that it's expensive for a DAC. Of all hifi components I suspect DACs show least variation. Nonetheless, I'm interested to hear the views of any wammers who audition it.

Edit: Audio Emotion tell me a review is coming up in HiFi News.

 

[xyz4]

I'm the one above in PFM who went from the Mytek 192 to the Vega. In short, the Vega is a big jump up from even the Mytek. I too subscribed to the "DACs, when decently designed don't have much difference" so I home demo'd the Vega. Needless to say I didn't want to return it afterwards. I then plugged the Mytek back in after letting it warm up for over 24hrs, and played the same tracks. At that point there was certainly no going back, especially when playing PCM material. The Vega has a naturalness to its sound that just goes unmatched to anything I've heard previously from digital sources. Rich timbres, stunning dynamics, soundstaging that's so wide and solid that you'd not believe it. Worth a home demo!

Just bare in mind when you first get the unit to let it run in for 24hrs + before you try more aggressive clock settings. Exact mode doesn't make a huge difference overall, but I find its benefits come from music that has sheer complexity to it, to which switching to Exact mode brings out a solidarity I've not heard from digital before. Audio emotion were excellent as ever.

 

[Purite Audio]

I haven't heard a clock frequency described as 'agressive' before, you don't mean filter types?

Keith.

 

[xyz4]

I haven't heard a clock frequency described as 'agressive' before, you don't mean filter types?Keith.

The Vega uses a particularly high precision clock, but according to its manual the Exact modes are only guaranteed to work on digital audio workstations. In 'Exact' mode if the system isn't upto scratch (E.g. plenty of background activies or deffered procedure calls) it will cause the buffer to empty out leading to sync issues. It's simply the PC not keeping up when the DAC asked for the data. As mentioned I'd not get too hung up on this at all - Exact mode certainly doesn't define the unit, but helps at times. Not had this issue with any previous DAC.

 

[bonzo]

Thanks. I heard the clock is the same as the one used in dcs - the Femto master clock or something

 

[xyz4]

Thanks. I heard the clock is the same as the one used in dcs - the Femto master clock or something

Yes its of that grade (femto), but don't take it too seriously. It's just one of many components in a design. The manual states using the clock in its best mode isn't even guaranteed as its source dependent. As mention it certainly doesn't define the DAC (you can manually select the clock's setting from menu).