Bel Canto DACs

hi everyone,

been thinking about the Bel Canto DACs as a first step
upgrade to my source.

from what i saw they are only available s/h in the US from
audiogon, and there i found the price of the DAC1 and 1.1
to be quite interesting...

knowing that they can be upgraded later, do you reckon
that the DAC1 is still a good investment? Is the 1.1 a
marked improvement to the original, or should i really
just save up and go for the DAC2?

also, any other ideas on DACs?

Cheers!

:beer:
Jack

 

One for WM!!

over to you Tone

 

I would go straight for the mark 2, it gives a very natural flowing presentation usually around the $8-900 mark.
Others to try, if you like thast sound EC's 192khz upsampling dac, Trivista 21, the Cal-dac is also good in these dept's.
The later camalot dac's are rather fair too, also the Pet tec P3 worth a listen (needs the op amps changed though)
Best buy and sound for the cash is the benchmark dac 1

 

Jack,

It must be the sunny weather here in Lawrieville but I agree with WM's recommendations especially the Bel Canto DAC 2 over the DAC 1. The DAC 2 is quite simply the better DAC with the additional upsampling filter but it is not so well known in Europe and so hard to buy second-hand although you could always check on Audiogon in the U.S. The Electrocompaniet ECD-1 is also a good DAC. With regard to the Benchmark DAC, I first heard it in the U.S. several months ago and was impressed with what I heard from what is an unassuming little box and I have since recommended it to two people here in Lawrieville and they are very happy with it. It may no longer be possible for you to buy it direct as distribution networks have now been set-up in the U.K. and other European countries. Here, it costs EUR 800 via the distributor. Anyway, it would be good if you can compare the Benchmark vs the Bel Canto DAC 2 head-to-head. Your local distributor for the Benchmark is www.scvlondon.co.uk

I don't wish to start a war of words but FWIW, a friend of mine in the U.S. auditioned the Bel Canto DAC 2 vs the Chord DAC 64 in his home system and preferred the Bel Canto DAC 2 by a wide margin. So I also say, if the Bel Canto takes your fancy, shoot straight for the DAC 2 instead of the DAC 1 but don't forget about the Benchmark DAC-1.




Enjoy the music,

Lawrie.

 

Thank you both for your help.

In Audiogon people are selling the P3A dac for sub $400, which is a fairly good price, AFAIK. Is it in the same "league" as the bel canto?

Another interesting observation is the A3.24 DAC costing as much as the Benchmark DAC1 (around $800 s/h). Are they comparable? I ask this because it would be much easier for me to audition the A3.24 here... and find it for sale.

Does anyone know where i could find Bel Canto DACs for sale, second hand or otherwise, but preferrably s/h in the uk? Or somewhere that has them so that i can at least try one out?

Oh, this is perhaps a silly question, but if i buy gear from the US, will it work over here? I know they use 110V rather than 220/240V so is that a real pain? Could I order a Bel Canto from there and use it here easily?

Cheers WM and Lawrie, really helpful!
:beer:
Jack

 

I am possibly going to get a go of a Bel Canto mk 2 DAC next week or the week after, from a dealer up here in Scotland. But he knows my tastes well and reckons I will probably find it too dry sounding. So I'm also going to give Audio Note 1.1x and the Electrocompaniet DACs a try too. Will post reviews afterwards.

 

JoT

IIRC, the bel canto has a voltage conversion switch, so wouldn't be a problem. But to make certain, just email BC

A few audiogon sellers, even when they adv 'USA only' are usually ok to post to uk

HTH

 

Of the Dac's you List I,ve had the P3a+modwright mod
also a bog stock P3a,& a Benchmark DAC1......


Benchmark gets my vote if you have a buget of 1000$

or get a S/H P3a/P1a/PSU with all the mods for similar money
then the choice is not clearcut between the 2 IMO + the room correction software is now coming on stream for the P1A

also bare in mind the Benchmark Dac direct too the power amp is
a bit hard/bright sounding for my taste

just my tuppence worth

 

What's the overall balance/sonic signature of the Benchmark DAC1 like? If I buy one, it would have to be blind, but hopefully it would trounce my Arcam Alpha 9CDP?

I'm tempted by the new Cyrus DACX though, esp with the preamp, but no dealer here stocks them yet.

 

I,m not particulaly good at discriptions with hifi
in my system, It just comes across as quite pacey,dynamic and
no harshness at the topend <I,ve tried it with about 6 power amps both valve and SS works well with all,only caviat I,d add is
I have to use a pre-amp, direct input too power amp just not for me,sound's too bright, type of music I listen too is female vocal ,jazz acoustic.......I think this has a barring on things as well

WM also has one, his musical taste is rock music, ~I,m sure He'll be along shortly

I,d say imo best vfm dac I,ve used

hope this is of some help

 

Sounds like what I'm looking for and fairly consistent with the feedback on AA as well.

I listen mostly to alternative and rock, but the wife listens to R&B o )

Plus, it costs about the equiv of 600quid here... bargain.

 

Yogus,
They do come with a pre-amp, it will accept any digital signal except AC3.
Driving amps direct do give more 'life' in the music, however depending on your system set up, you find it a touch over illuminated at the top (i've never persoanlly had this trait in my system at home)
I've owed one since last december, have 3 currently (1 modded) 2 for component testing (Stock)
They give pretty good account of themselves in company upto £2-3K mark.
They do rock OK, also that female vocal stuff too, the input digi cable isn't as important as it is with a few dac's, got a decent anti jitter capsule they designed inside.
but I would experiment with some other analogue i/c's if you choose one. Wm

 

well i wish i lived closer to Scotland...

it will be fantastic if you could let us know your conclusions, then... will be eagerly awaiting your reviews.

so there are dealers with bel canto dacs around the uk!
i wonder if there's one in the London area, do you know by any chance?

:beer:
Jack

ps: have fun!

 

Thank you Ya-Boo!

the sound i am looking for is as tactile as possible, with a good imaging and soundstage. i listen to classical and acoustic mostly, although i also play alternative and indie music at times. :drum:

given my setup, i need to make sure i get very clean highs and a full bodied sound... i want to get rid of the harshness of my current cd player... that now with the transparency of the signums sounds really harsh and digital with some recordings...


would you say both will deliver this type of sound...
do you know if there are dealers in my area that will sell/demo the perpetual setup?

ta!
:beer:
Jack

 

WM,

since it is going to be difficult to audition them i was wondering how do you compare the Marantz CD17 KIS and the MF A3 (i know you're not a fan, but since i have an MF amp it may be a good choice) with the DACs you mentioned.

Thanks a lot!

:beer:
Jack

 

Sorry I've just written a reply and the ****ing computer has dumped it, and I'm not doing another one
Marantaz big, full, fun, not the last word in detail, does rock well.
A3, detailedish, open, clean but marshmellow bass and soperific.
Either cop a listen to a dac2 or sell your current cdp and get a better one
Primare D30.2
Meridian 507
Nu-vista
or a Pre 24, but dont use the transport section, it sounds better feed from another source
Electro companiet version one, stateside used about £1200, 85% of dcs without the price tag to match.

 

WM,

sorry about the crash, but still that was brilliant and very helpful.
i'll snoop around for the names you dropped.

should be fun.

thank you *very* much!

:beer:
Jack

 

Jack,

I have an ancient PC I use for home net duties, and it gets a little 'Ferrari dino on me'
I would suggest a listen to the Meridian gear, its very open and detailed yet has a rich and texturious mid band, may be what your after.
Try a 507, if you can stretch a 588 or a 508.24, our very own Mr Motorhead of classical, used to use one before aquiring his 861.
The problem I have with dacs at ther moment, (Unless your doing a hard drive /few sources route) is 2 fold, you need another power lead/digi i/c, isolation to get the best out of it, factor in the cost, and it adds up, for me personally, I still find Trans/dac the ultimate. Also you have another box in the chain, but you got to spend a wedge to beat a good cdp , so unless your wallet is doing a Rictie Branson, then I feel sell the current cdp, and with the cash you had asigned for the dac, put it towards a better cdp, or a half way house if you need the inputs, get a cdp with a digi input/pre/amps.
I recently did a one on one wadia 270/27ix V's the Burmester 001, both silly cash, the wadia nicked it, but was it worth the extra $£$£££, Its a tuff call, but you'll really need to audition the stuff at home to see if it give that thang your after. Wm

 

..and actually still has it, as I've not got my finger out to sell it. Its big pluses are super detail and huge soundstage, with as WM says a pretty classy mid band. When I bought it it was touted by a respected (HFC) forum member as the best CDP ever made. Obviously that was a bit OTT and it can be beaten - but normally at a higher price. The NuVista (originally nearly 1K more) has a warmer, more honeyed sound (still probably the most seductive sound I've heard), but not quite so hot on the detail. I tried to get to hear the BC DAC2, but the then importer basically told me he was only interested in talking to me about 5-box dCS setups. (Needless to say, they are not longer BC's UK distributor). The Wadia I've now been using for the last two years just has that much more "presence" - the being (t)here factor - but at rather silly money.

How much are you looking to spend....looks like the possibility a deal. Which side of London are you? I could bring it around if anywhere sensible (viewed from a Surrey perspective ). PM me if interested.

 

Hi GrahamN,

Thank you for your insight on the 508 and on the NuVista.
I would like to audition both, but to be honest, from what i saw the prices they are still going for in the s/h market, i can't afford to spend that much money just yet...

[have the (future) wife "lobbying" :force: for a home cinema system for a while now, and since i got the signums i guess she feels she has a point in her favour now... ]

i am also looking to buy a cello so if you find a buyer for my car i might be able to get your cdplayer and the cello in one go... :MILD: (i will actually sell it, btw).

anyway, nice of you to let me know. if you are in no hurry to sell it perhaps later on i can give you a fair price for it, right now, i probably couldn't. i will try to audition some gear though, to keep the interest up around my area (London) and see what conclusions i come up with...

:beer:
Jack