I bought this for less than 400 euros, mostly due its high connectivity.
It has balanced output, but it is not fully balanced and it may even not be balanced (just the output is?).
I cannot compare it to anything but a spare FX audio X6 and it is better.
It uses a AKG4490 that is outdated, but i m not sure anyone would distinghish a 4490 from a 4497, none of these extatic you tube reviewer is ever performing a blind test with volume equalized
It is not much discussed, i could only find this thread :
forums.stevehoffman.tv
On the paper it has everything one could need : XLR and RCA output - variable or fixed - digital by pass output, 6 optical in, 2 coax in, 2 usb in.
It has also "fancy"useless new connector (AES? useless for me).
But is has major flaws :
- headphone volume is affected by the main volume and the headphone volume, this is messy and it probably reveals a major design mistake (ie the headphone signal pass trhough the line out amp).
- using an headphone does not "cut" the line out, this should always be the default behavior with an option to disable this feature.
- There is no volume memory per source, again this is a major mistake but i do think many chinese DAc with volume have this issue too.
My guess is that they spend to much on the connectivity and box and little on the circuit quality which would probably lead to bad measurerments.
It may actually be absolute crap in a nice box with lot of connectivity.
But how bad is ¨bad¨, nobody need -120 DB but of course -90 DB is bad.
So, If anyone is willing to test and measure it i could try to contact them to get them to ship a unit for free , but they may fear such a test.
Honestly i don´t really get how products to be tested are selected. I see mostly chinese products, so either
- ASR is just Chinadac adversiting undercover
-or only Chinese companies dare to get their product tested(.i.e they know that their offer good value for price). Note that given economies of scale large firms such as SMSL can spend much more on the design that small ones.
- or Euro companies don´t know how to promote their products (since thier product are made in china they should be able to compete).
It may also be a mix of both or
Last testing is usually performed in biased way wtih way too much emphasis on measurements, of course the number matter but knowing that a minimalist DAC(such as a modi3) can produce analogical output good enough for most systems, connecitity and functionnalities are as important and probably even more important.
As example most you tube reviewers (advertising undercover) don't even tell you if the volume is memorized per input, if output are independant. Hilriously they comment on sound quality without performing a blind (double) test on selected music, and of course in such cases measurements even if they don't capture everything are something objective.
A last fascinating aspect is how narrow is the market, most of the DAC with volume reviewed lack basic functionalities and they all clones :
- Many offer BT reception, but BT transmission is much more useful.
- Most do not offer digital bypass.
- Almost none offer analogical bypass.
- Most do have the worst possible interface (usually a single mutli function button)
- Most do have minimalist connectivity which means that the user must use either switches or a digital passive pre-amp.
- Many don't have separate volume memories (one per source).
In summary since achieving performance beyond what humans can hear is now "easy" , builders should probably focus on functionalities.
It has balanced output, but it is not fully balanced and it may even not be balanced (just the output is?).
I cannot compare it to anything but a spare FX audio X6 and it is better.
It uses a AKG4490 that is outdated, but i m not sure anyone would distinghish a 4490 from a 4497, none of these extatic you tube reviewer is ever performing a blind test with volume equalized
It is not much discussed, i could only find this thread :
DAC help: Advance Paris Smart DX1
The situation brought about by Coronavirus has given me a lot of space to consider what I might want to do, or not, with my system. One option is to...
On the paper it has everything one could need : XLR and RCA output - variable or fixed - digital by pass output, 6 optical in, 2 coax in, 2 usb in.
It has also "fancy"useless new connector (AES? useless for me).
But is has major flaws :
- headphone volume is affected by the main volume and the headphone volume, this is messy and it probably reveals a major design mistake (ie the headphone signal pass trhough the line out amp).
- using an headphone does not "cut" the line out, this should always be the default behavior with an option to disable this feature.
- There is no volume memory per source, again this is a major mistake but i do think many chinese DAc with volume have this issue too.
My guess is that they spend to much on the connectivity and box and little on the circuit quality which would probably lead to bad measurerments.
It may actually be absolute crap in a nice box with lot of connectivity.
But how bad is ¨bad¨, nobody need -120 DB but of course -90 DB is bad.
So, If anyone is willing to test and measure it i could try to contact them to get them to ship a unit for free , but they may fear such a test.
Honestly i don´t really get how products to be tested are selected. I see mostly chinese products, so either
- ASR is just Chinadac adversiting undercover
-or only Chinese companies dare to get their product tested(.i.e they know that their offer good value for price). Note that given economies of scale large firms such as SMSL can spend much more on the design that small ones.
- or Euro companies don´t know how to promote their products (since thier product are made in china they should be able to compete).
It may also be a mix of both or
Last testing is usually performed in biased way wtih way too much emphasis on measurements, of course the number matter but knowing that a minimalist DAC(such as a modi3) can produce analogical output good enough for most systems, connecitity and functionnalities are as important and probably even more important.
As example most you tube reviewers (advertising undercover) don't even tell you if the volume is memorized per input, if output are independant. Hilriously they comment on sound quality without performing a blind (double) test on selected music, and of course in such cases measurements even if they don't capture everything are something objective.
A last fascinating aspect is how narrow is the market, most of the DAC with volume reviewed lack basic functionalities and they all clones :
- Many offer BT reception, but BT transmission is much more useful.
- Most do not offer digital bypass.
- Almost none offer analogical bypass.
- Most do have the worst possible interface (usually a single mutli function button)
- Most do have minimalist connectivity which means that the user must use either switches or a digital passive pre-amp.
- Many don't have separate volume memories (one per source).
In summary since achieving performance beyond what humans can hear is now "easy" , builders should probably focus on functionalities.
