Nice review Randy, thanks, I really enjoy reading your impressions and your evaluation.

I can mirror your enthusiasm about the ZDAC-1.  I'm really enjoying the sound. The most improved is the sound from my cable box, wow, it's worth it for that alone.  The difference between the analog out of my Blu-Ray player and that same player as a transport for the ZDAC-1 is not as broad, but it's there.  The analog out is warmer and perhaps more romantic, the ZDAC-1s presentation is more neutral and detailed. Both can be the best depending on material. The same is true in a more profound way with the differences between the ZDAC-1 and my Sony SACD player, the SCD-XA5400ES.  The Sony has a more vinyl like, creamy and romantic sound, the ZDAC-1 is a more upfront and dynamic picture. I like looking at both. The Sony is the best redbook player I've ever had before, reading on the web I've found I'm not the only listener that believes the Sony is a real bargain for the sound. The SACD playback from this machine is really something, and the redbook really shines for classical and jazz. I'm very happy to have the Sony AND the ZDAC-1.  These players give me two great options to play back the many varied cds I have (varied both in genre and sonic character).

As Randy notes, I'd be surprised if anyone purchasing the ZDAC-1 will be disappointed.  And I'd say to we Decware-owners:  if you think this would be great in your system, yeah, it will be.

Here's another ZDAC-1 review folks....

I feel like my ZDAC has finally become nicely resolved the last few days, and though I am still learning how to use it, I feel ready to comment. It has been in hard play (6-8 hrs a day) for 3 weeks. And from Lon's suggestion a few days ago, I left it on for a couple days, and I agree, this did something good.

Equipment compared:

Rega Apollo, Rega through ZDAC (amphenol glass toslink), Macbook Pro through ZDAC (Kimber's cheaper USB cable).

Playback system:

Decware: TORII MkIII, Styx speaker cables, Reference ICs, MG944 speakers. VHAudio DIY power cords. Brickhouse power box. And several of Alan Maher's cheaper power conditioning boxes.

Room treatments: Diaphragmatic bass trap (26x16x36)-low bass; open 703 fiber (15x15x36)-other bass; assorted corner 703 fiber; 4 Cathedral Sound room damping panels; Marigo Labs damping dots (mostly 30mm) on speakers, windows and cabinet; Synergistic System's A.R.T Basik system; and an adjustable SK Schumann Resonator (from Tweekgeek). This is cool. It puts out 7.84 Hz. Once set right, what I hear is a cleaner and more atmospheric room sound that refines the sound stage. Too much loses focus, but just a touch higher than first audible, it really brings a nice, sweet, clarity to my system. All treatments contribute to what I think is a reasonably controlled, but live sound, and my living room still looks mostly like a living room!



The ZDAC-1. Things I have learned so far:

I heard a big difference in digital cables, and though inexpensive (30 and $42 respectively) I like glass "amphenol" toslink, and Kimber USB, finding them more complete and natural sounding than the original "stock" cables I tried.

I heard a BIG improvement from a better power cable on the ZDAC1.

Also using large Brightstar Isonodes under the Rega (which the ZDAC sits on) were easily heard. They brought out clarity and detail throughout the spectrum.

ZDAC Burn in:

Trying to look at the subtle differences in my playback options before two weeks was useful, but a little like treading water as I waited impatiently for the ZDAC to wake up. For a long time it didn't offer much improvement for me. I heard a big shift days 8-10 and steady refinement since. But after three weeks, the resolution across the frequency range finally indicates to me the ZDAC1 is at least close to being burned in. No more electronic congestion in any part of the range. Now all three playback options are notably different.

The digital players.

I had a good thing going before, so the ZDAC1 did not at first appear to be a revelation, but more an advanced study in refinement.

1) Rega Apollo/no ZDAC1

Because of the ZDAC experiment, I realize my Rega Apollo, though sounding quite good, is definitely subtly colored, with a "laid back" sound (or is it a bit veiled?). Nicely, the Rega somehow isolates the players in the sound stage. Maybe the electronics chosen bring a touch of compressed midrange punch (giving the players extra body and focus) and perhaps a little upper mid and high hit, bringing a sense of presence and openness. I can't really say, but I think Rega's attempt at an analog sound worked pretty well, offering a nice "warmth" with a "live" clarification of the musicians and impressive black between them.

But after insane comparisons, I feel a little ripped off by the Rega sound tweaks. Though for the most part it makes quite respectable music, the times I hear the coloring for what it is…electronic adjustments toward a sound effect, I find it a touch tricky and crave more transparency.

2) Rega Apollo/ZDAC1:

The Rega as transport for the ZDAC-1 was very seductive. The ZDAC changed the Rega. There is enhanced punch, detail and "body." With the Rega, the dynamic transparency and relatively effortless presentation from the ZDAC appears somewhat as prowess, bringing a slight forwardness...more push. And with the ZDAC's pleasantly smooth refinement, it sounds pretty real...but a little pushy and demanding in the end, with too much of that "analog warmth" Rega created. Impressive still with the right tubes, but finally, a little false.

3) Macbook Pro/ZDAC1:

After hearing so much difference in toslink cables, I figured I needed a half decent USB cable to fairly audition the computer source. So I avoided the Mac/ZDAC until the Kimber came, and that was good. I have been using the Mac for 5-6 days.

Coming from the warm and punchy Rega/ZDAC, the Macbook/ZDAC sounded more even, neutral and transparent, but by comparison, too sterile and coolish. Then, though inclined to like the more impressive sound of the Rega/ZDAC, from hard listening, I started hearing the computer combination as potentially more "true"...enough so to dig in and see what I find. I decided to play only through the computer for a while.

File Type Impressions:

I am using uncompressed 44.1K 16bit WAV files (same as most CDs) extracted with error correction using XLD to rip, and iTunes for playback. I compared Apple Lossless to WAV and though it is very good, to me, it sounded a touch less musical. Going into, and/or coming out of this compression algorithm was somehow thinning parts of the sound. Oddly, it appeared more "thinned" in different tonal areas on different tunes. Subtle, but intentionally losing even a little fidelity would be defeating my need for the best possible musical realism. Wav files being roughly twice the size of Apple Lossless, I chose the necessity for bigger hard drives. Not too big of a deal these days.

Adjusting to the Mac/ZDAC1:

Interestingly, the USB/ZDAC sound is closest to the Rega alone but as I listened more I heard the USB/ZDAC-1 had MUCH to explore. I wanted to look at the depth of subtlety the ZDAC offers.

This new sound, with its clarified accuracy, seemed to have better potential in every way as long as it did not end up being too clean. To this end, I needed to treat it differently from the Rega alone or Rega/ZDAC sounds. Since just the right amp adjustments and tube combination brought the Rega into a sense of depth and realism, there was no reason to think this would not be the case for the Mac/ZDAC.

With my personal preference for detail and clarity, I had brightened the Rega sound. No wonder the USB/ZDAC sound began coolish, and "digital" God forbid. But the digital signal is only that….unadjusted, and the ZDAC1 seems to effortlessly and transparently bring smoothness, harmonic detail, definition, weight and body…READ CLARITY, to every aspect of the frequency range. It was a new sound for sure and needed research.

Down came the treble on the TORII, and my warmer tubes became more necessary. The combo of the day… early 60's Bugle Boy 6DJ8's, cryo'd Sovtek GZ34's (cryoset), and OB3 voltage regulators (more "open" than the OA3)…the rest stock MkIII. For most input tubes I tend to fall back to GZ34's over 5U4G's, usually preferring their tighter sound, and the Sovteks do this with warmth and detail. And I have loved this tube combination before the ZDAC, but both the Bugle Boys and Sovteks have darkish low mid tendencies, and with some recordings, they could push the low-mid/high-bass too much for me. But as it turned out, the Rega was contributing to this! With the Mac/ZDAC, I am working from a clean slate….no more guessing. And guess what? The over enhanced low mids thing has, for the most part, been "cured" by this shift.



Also with the more transparent Mac/ZDAC, the "warm" bias switch and the high impedance speaker setting on the MkIII became more usable for signature shifting. Before the warm bias was sometimes "hard" in the mids, but now, on many recordings it sounds, well… "warm." And without the forwardness from the Rega/ZDAC, the high impedance setting is really pretty nicely clarifying on leaner or flabbier stuff.

So at this point, I would say the ZDAC/Mac is sounding very, very good! Actually, in my system, the musical representation of the USB/ZDAC1 seems close to impeccable. From deep, tight bass to harmonically rich mids, and open airy highs. My older ears don't hear any roll off, actually hearing a bit more tape hiss if it is there, but I love the high extension.

And the harmonic detail that keeps getting my attention…it brings a natural timber to every instrument. Archie Schepp's breath across the damp reeds is almost surreal. And it goes low…where the vibrating reeds move metal and space giving an unmistakable sense of unrestricted harmonic depth...his horn sound appearing to have no limits. Or Yo-Yo Ma's solo cello… there is clarified harmonic texture right down to the lowest bass notes. And bass? The ZDAC handles standup bass with unpretentious authority, revealing every nuance of the wood, fingers and strings while N-H Orsted Pederson prods Schepp through "Looking at Bird." Finally, I find that all of these qualities are handled with great smoothness as the broad range of musical information seamlessly integrates and transitions.

Is the ZDAC forgiving? For me, to get the best sound out of the ZDAC/Mac, it has also become quite forgiving on lesser recordings without sacrifice to great recordings. Also after burn in, the ZDAC-1 has definitely become more "tube like" with its warm, smooth, and wide ranging harmonic detail. All without contrivance…. without any trace of trying to sound warm.



The Computer:

Though resistant, after mustering the nerve to explore the computer source for a while, there is no more question for me that this is a really solid foundation. A foundation, without particular color, while being complete thanks to the ZDAC-1. After tuning the system to this sound, it is surprisingly easy to play with, detailing the sound with simple tube, or amp adjustments. No more intense attempts to squeeze that next state of musical wonder out of my "thoroughbred" system. Now it is quite well mannered…easy. This is a profound improvement to my musical experience and though a few things have shifted within the ZDAC experiment, I attribute this transformational refinement to the ZDAC-1.

So what first appeared to be a study in refined subtlety is in fact a revelation. My system was really, really good, I might even have said GREAT. But now it is on a new level. And the ZDAC-1 is the big player in this shift, both through its own sound, but also because it stimulated me to look carefully into uncompressed, error-free computer sourcing. Without that leap of faith, I would not have gotten where I did. I would be playing my Rega as transport and been happy. The sound I have now though, is far more real and more flexible for various music, recording qualities, and tube play. So, though I resist losing my CD's, the touch and look of them, I am comforted by having reached a new level toward the most "real" sound I can get. I don't see myself going back.



Listening to Patricia Barber sing Autumn Leaves with only a string bass behind her, there appears to be nothing more to do but enjoy…..I hear every nuance from her rich and beautiful voice! I hear the fingers hit the bass strings….feel and hear the wood and body of the bass! There is detail, pace and nuance I have not heard before and it all sounds rich, textured and "right."

Are the players "in the room"? Hmmm….. At night, with my eyes closed, as I get seduced by the vibe of the tune, finding the musicians in space, amazed by meriad details…expanded by the dynamic performance as it fills the air beyond my walls…drawn into the breath and lips as they bring presence to the resonance from the stomach, chest, and Heart…And as the voice weaves its story, I feel the bass player stretch for notes as he explores his need to "speak" through string and wood…his heart entering the heart of the song…..Yes, they feel here with me. And if it is not them, it does not matter, I am loving whoever it is as I experience them playing their hearts out in my living room!

To me, the ZDAC-1 is not just a great audio tool, it is also a great teacher! With the Mac source, it is subtle and supple. It is rich without color. It is not obvious or "in your face" but clear, expressive and articulate. It goes deep and wide with little sense of effort. I could almost say the sound is so complete, that it is not there. It won't surprise me if I could say this unequivocally after burn in refinement. I guess you can tell I like it!

That's such a good point, about a source tape to evaluate and set up.  I use tapes that I recorded live to analog two-track in my garage apartment and at two local clubs of two bands that I was in.  I know the sound of the room(s), the players, the instruments, and how the mikes were placed.  It's the best way for ME to evaluate playback components.

I still balk whenever I see "players in the room." I know what is meant, but I've HAD players in my room, I "play" in my room, and there's no reproduction of that that is really "players in the room" in my opinion. We're still talking reproduction, a copy, and in reality a very inferior one, and often a highly jacked with one in the studio.  But I know what is meant. . . .

Lon, Thinking about "Players in the Room" I realize that I have always liked recordings, this being my ticket to most music from my first getting sucked into the early Beatles records on my dad's old Fischer (tube) rig when I was a pre-teen. And it has always been players who made the recordings in my mind.

I hear the "recording" parts of the sound...mics, room, reverb, compression, tape…all that stuff, but I love those sounds too when I think they enhance the experience and disappear into the playing. And thank god for it since it makes music available. It is another art form, and like most art, to me simple is better. But I have recordings with a lot of electronic tweaks that I can get absorbed by too.

So, I get the reality of the comparative differences with truly live, un-amplified players in a room, but I also never thought "that is a recording of John Coltrane, or that is a recording of Bob Dylan." It is definitely Bob Dylan singing "the Man in the Long Black Coat" when I listen to Oh Mercy, or Coltrane playing "Wise One" from Crescent. And those are definitely their band members helping them.

And this is exactly what my (mostly Decware) system is all about to me… helping those recordings bring all those inspired artists to my room in the most convincing and enthralling way possible. Then if it is recorded well, with good sound and image, the enhancement my system brings to the presentation lets me settle into the awe of it. It makes me comfortable experiencing the music, and music is made by players recorded or not.

This is the bottom line of why I love the ZDAC-1! It helps me lose myself in the experience of music by convincingly defining players in my space.

Fair enough Lon!

Peace.

Alright. . .I think the audio police need to be alerted to keep an eye on you!

Welcome reg!

Hi Darth,

I have heard a lot of DACs over the years and it has been my experience that many of the up and over sampling DACs have amazing detail but are tough on the ears over the long haul.  It amazes me how many "well regarded" DACs are found in great numbers for sale on AudioGon.  Some of this may be due to associated equipment and poorly recorded CDs (goodness knows that there are plenty of those) ..... but I get a distinct impression that what might impress a listener at first quickly turns into serious listener fatigue .....

In my initial post, I stated that "The amazing thing to me is that the ZDAC sounds as fabulous as it does with no tube buffer and is as easy on the ears as an NOS design" and extended listening provided no reason to change that view.  With all but the most "raw sounding" CDs in my collection, the ZDAC provided a civilized and non-fatiguing sound.  

I still preferred the Havana with the best tubes in my collection in the buffer stage, which just proves to me how important the quality of a tube can be in a system ..... but the addition of a ZBOX or Steve's new tube stage with a high quality tube could very well produce similar results.  Having said that, the ZDAC sounds very good on its own and offered a nice balance between detail and musicality.

There were a couple of attendees at the recent DecFest who were blown away by the ZDAC and ordered one before the 'Fest was over. There was a very pricey CD player at the 'Fest which spent some time in the system, so the attendees got to hear the ZDAC compared to some pretty stiff competition.   I have no problem recommending this piece and doubt that you will see many of them on AudioGon due to the original owner having "bloody ear syndrome" .....

Best wishes,

Randy

Just received my ZDAC over the weekend and right out of the box was blown away by the detail , clarity and richness of the vocals in particular. I have been through 3 dacs and a few cdp's and just sat and enjoyed for a few hours. Totally non defatiguing. Cant wait for the gain stage !!

Well I finally hooked up my #002 Zdac and have been listening for a couple weeks.  RIght out of the box it sounded better than the Dec 685 which is amazing.  It just sounded more musical to me.