Bricasti M1SE Stereo DAC Review

[Talisman]

- excellent implementation, especially the filters, It may well sound better than your $100 "throw-away" DAC.

No.
If we question this too then this site is useless and we can go back to believing in magic dust, dacs with a refined sound and heavy stones that make amplifiers sound better

 

[CleanSound]

Just a decade ago, people would just buy this DAC knowing the price tag and would automatically describe the sound as warm, dark background, airy highs, chocolately bass and all other phoolery terms one can think of.

Today, the Chinese DACs has forever changed the landscapes of DACs. Any standalone DAC that's over $800USD raises an eyebrow, any DAC over $1,500USD is a crime.

And people like Amir and Erin has forever changed the landscape of high end HiFi. Nowadays, these manufacturers are either getting shamed or famed. . . .and this Bricasti is a shame.

 

[KSTR]

No.
If we question this too then this site is useless and we can go back to believing in magic dust, dacs with a refined sound and heavy stones that make amplifiers sound better

C'mon, if there's anything that's audible between different but competent DACs then it's the filter characteristics.

 

[AndreaT]

Thank you Amir for helping us decide the worthiness of audio equipment. It seems overpriced. It is a pass in my book.

 

[signalpath]

Anyone ever tried to spin up a low volume electronics engineering and production facility in the USA before?

Yes.

 

[KSTR]

Today, the Chinese DACs has forever changed the landscapes of DACs. Any standalone DAC that's over $800USD raises an eyebrow, any DAC over $1,500USD is a crime.

So, you consider for example an RME ADI-2 DAC for ~1,300$ a scam?

 

[Rhamnetin]

C'mon, if there's anything that's audible between different but competent DACs then it's the filter characteristics.

This definitely has a wider selection of filters, but between its min phase filters and the filter in the $80 SMSL SU-1, nothing there will lead to objectively better performance for the Bricasti. Subjectively better, perhaps depending on the person.

 

[Nango]

They’re BAAAAACK!!!!!

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More than a webshop: Braun Audio is for lovers of technology and sound. A place for storytelling, a keeper of brand history and a world of good design.

www.braun-audio.com

It's not the same.

 

[phantompowered]

Well, the filter performance is excellent. But ten thousand USD? Bah.

Bricasti should stick to making amazing sounding reverbs...

 

[amicusterrae]

I still don’t understand why four and five digit $ DACs are being reviewed. Just gives oxygen to the notion that a ridiculously priced DAC is necessary for HiFI. If the performance is state of the art, which it absolutely should be, so what? Not audible, and state of the art is widely available for relative pennies anyway. If the performance falls short, who cares! Would love to see more speakers reviewed, as that’s where quality measurements really help enthusiasts.

 

[Triliza]

Anyone ever tried to spin up a low volume electronics engineering and production facility in the USA before?

Schiit is doing it if I am not mistaken. You may be right up to a point, but we are talking about $10K here. If that seems like pennies to you, consider yourself lucky.

 

[Mart68]

Are you serious? It looks awfull in gold.
If you want nice gold DAC go for EAD DSP Pro 9000...

Yes I am. The rest of the stack would have to match, it would look daft otherwise.

Anyway it's fifteen grand which is just nonsense even if it is coated in gold.

The EAD is too plain looking for me.

 

[Overseas]

- designed (and hand-built) in USA by very experienced pro-audio engineers (former Lexicon staff)
-

You mean price is higher because it takes highly competent people to make an average product? So we also have very cheap (relatively) products with high quality made by not so competent scientists. Cant figure it, apparently.

 

[DLS79]

I still don’t understand why four and five digit $ DACs are being reviewed. Just gives oxygen to the notion that a ridiculously priced DAC is necessary for HiFI.

there are other important factors beyond being audibly transparent that determine how much a devise should cost.......

$10k is excessive, but depending on features, and I/O I could see paying up to $2k being realistic.

 

[amicusterrae]

there are other important factors beyond being audibly transparent that determine how much a devise should cost.......

$10k is excessive, but depending on features, and I/O I could see paying up to $2k being realistic.

Don’t disagree, but why are these particular, high priced devices reviewed here? If someone want ls to pay a massive premium for non-audible factors, more power to them, but I don’t see how reviews help the crowd.

 

[Mikig]

I still don’t understand why four and five digit $ DACs are being reviewed. Just gives oxygen to the notion that a ridiculously priced DAC is necessary for HiFI. If the performance is state of the art, which it absolutely should be, so what? Not audible, and state of the art is widely available for relative pennies anyway. If the performance falls short, who cares! Would love to see more speakers reviewed, as that’s where quality measurements really help enthusiasts.

Every review is useful, it is an enrichment, it serves to better distance oneself and have better references on the products on sale or owned, and to better understand what one has; then to each their own personal consideration.

What is necessary for HI-FI is subjective, it is a hobby, so everyone interprets it as they like.
Then if those who spend 10k for a DAC don't have any problems, why should you?

 

[Rhamnetin]

I still don’t understand why four and five digit $ DACs are being reviewed. Just gives oxygen to the notion that a ridiculously priced DAC is necessary for HiFI. If the performance is state of the art, which it absolutely should be, so what? Not audible, and state of the art is widely available for relative pennies anyway. If the performance falls short, who cares! Would love to see more speakers reviewed, as that’s where quality measurements really help enthusiasts.

The main takeaway from these reviews always seems to be that these products are debunked. You can get better technical performance from an $80 SMSL SU-1. Not to mention anyone looking at the review index can sort by recommended, or by SINAD.

Schiit is doing it if I am not mistaken. You may be right up to a point, but we are talking about $10K here. If that seems like pennies to you, consider yourself lucky.

I didn't know if the person you quoted was referring to manufacturing ICs or not, but JDS Labs and Geshelli Labs are others worth mentioning. They have a better customer service reputation than Schiit.

 

[amicusterrae]

Every review is useful, it is an enrichment, it serves to better distance oneself and have better references on the products on sale or owned, and to better understand what one has; then to each their own personal consideration.

What is necessary for HI-FI is subjective, it is a hobby, so everyone interprets it as they like.
Then if those who spend 10k for a DAC don't have any problems, why should you?

I don’t have a problem with how people choose to spend their dollars on audio gear. I would welcome reviews of $10,000 speakers. DACs above some much lower $ threshold are just not worth the bandwidth, as the threshold of audibility and state of the art already are well established. It continues to amaze me how much attention this stuff draws, and yet here I am posting in the thread….

 

[Ze Frog]

Wow, all that money for that. It doesn't even at least look really special, with things like from Chord, at least the design kind of makes you feel you got your money's worth regardless of measurements.

Sadly this is the future, companies can't even be bothered to make a decent attempt to fleece people anymore, and worse the consumer has grown to accept the demands or expectations the company sets rather than the other way around.

 

[Mikig]

I don’t have a problem with how people choose to spend their dollars on audio gear. I would welcome reviews of $10,000 speakers. DACs above some much lower $ threshold are just not worth the bandwidth, as the threshold of audibility and state of the art already are well established. It continues to amaze me how much attention this stuff draws, and yet here I am posting in the thread….

attracts attention because in its own way Bricasti is an iconic product.

There is curiosity in understanding how technically high-performance these products are too.

We all come from a world that has lasted for 40 years, made up of hyperbole, mantras and unquestionable truths: if it costs a lot, is heavy, and has a "noble" brand then it necessarily sounds good...

in recent years we have begun to understand that "when there is only one truth, then yes, doubts begin"....

and the doubts have gradually formed a body of objectivity that is difficult to circumvent by various subjective questions...