EarMen Tradutto

[Deutschesfach]

I read a fair review of it on Passion for Sound, but it is in the family of Sabre DACS. They have largely managed to reduce the problems, but it is still a Sabre. I sent a Do200 back. A Musician Draco is burning in, and my interest is to learn more about the SMSL D300 Rohm based DAC. I was seriously interested in measurements and like yourself found the copywriting they were doing "rich".

Does anyone have news on the Halo Cyan?

 

[Gradius]

I looked around and there is NO serious review (using APx555 for example) against EarMen Tradutto.

 

[Deutschesfach]

Here is the iwii review of it. PassionforSound plans a review shortly of it. I have decided to return the SMSL Do200. I purchased a Musician Draco, and have my ear to the ground regarding the SMSL D300 DAC with the Rohm processor. The glare and elevated sibilants of Sabre DACS is a challenge. Glare is tiring. Elevating shimmer artificially in order to sell more units seems more normal than it should.

 

[Doodski]

Here is the iwii review of it. PassionforSound plans a review shortly of it. I have decided to return the SMSL Do200. I purchased a Musician Draco, and have my ear to the ground regarding the SMSL D300 DAC with the Rohm processor. The glare and elevated sibilants of Sabre DACS is a challenge. Glare is tiring. Elevating shimmer artificially in order to sell more units seems more normal than it should.

Rolling eyeballs.... This guy is a flake.

 

[Killingbeans]

The glare and elevated sibilants of Sabre DACS is a challenge. Glare is tiring. Elevating shimmer artificially in order to sell more units seems more normal than it should.

What is the cause of "digital glare"?

In audio, you'll have some critics saying that: - "this class D amp has digital glare" - "this ESS DAC chip has Sabre glare" I wonder what is glare, what causes it and would this glare be related to harmonic distortion that causes the treble to lack control or else? Thank you!

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[dc655321]

Glare is tiring.

So is this trope.

 

[Madjalapeno]

Trope or Tripe?

 

[BDWoody]

Trope or Tripe?

Trope ridden tripe?

 

[Madjalapeno]

Trope ridden tripe?

This is bringing back memories of dinner at my grandparents when I was much younger. Boiled tripe will haunt me for the rest of my life.

 

[Hapo]

...I am getting that texture = distortion...

 

[Hapo]

...I hooked up the Tradutto today...I like how simple it is...

...are there such things as rolled off treble, boosted bass, and added reverb...???...because that is what I think I am hearing...

...no A -B or anything...just a bit of "hey that sounded different" a few times here and there...

...the most noticable thing was the bass seemed a bit boomy on a couple of songs I have been listening to a lot...some times a bit of echo...

...can they build that into a circut...???...

...I have it on good authority that this is mosly lilkey " a lack of level matching and frailty of memory when comparing things this close"...

...I have not really been critically compapring so much as just listening and noticing stuff here and there...if I could hear better I would be more certain aboot treble roll off...I am not exactly sweating it here...

...on Monday I will hook the Modi back up and see if anything sounds diffentent...that will give me some time to just listen...that is all I really want to do anyway...

...this is certainly not like hearing different speakers...I am glad I can still do that...soon the numbers will be known to all...

 

[Doodski]

...can they build that into a circut...???...

Some sure can. If they want or get lucky. I've owned amps that do sound extra smooth and sweet and it's colored.

 

[Hapo]

Some sure can. If they want or get lucky. I've owned amps that do sound extra smooth and sweet and it's colored.

...that seems to be Ear Man's claim to fame here...

 

[Doodski]

...that seems to be Ear Man's claim to fame here...

If me I would roll with it or not. I've owned amps that are colored and sound fantastic and sweet and others not so much.

 

[Hapo]

Rolling eyeballs.... This guy is a flake.

...I am ashamed to say that review got me going on the Tradutto...

...then I found this...apparently I should have just kept the Modi and bought a brick...it was suggested that I could use the Tradutto for this...

...next he should do a test with different weights...is he winding us up here...?!?...

 

[Doodski]

...I am ashamed to say that review got me going on the Tradutto...

...then I found this...apparently I should have just kept the Modi and bought a brick...it was suggested that I could use the Tradutto for this...

...next he should do a test with different weights...is he winding us up here...?!?...

Hehe. Don't let that boner influence your decision either way. He's a flake riding the rep of gear.

 

[Raindog123]

For what it’s worth, Amir has reviewed EarMen’s Donald DAC and Sparrow in the past.

 

[solderdude]

...are there such things as rolled off treble, boosted bass, and added reverb...???...because that is what I think I am hearing...


...the most noticable thing was the bass seemed a bit boomy on a couple of songs I have been listening to a lot...some times a bit of echo...

...can they build that into a circut...???...

One can do a lot in DSP and even in an analog circuit. This, however, would be visible in the frequency response or distortion numbers. And I mean very obvious in measurements as in dB's for frequency response and distortion products exceeding 0.1%.

Lets have a look.

Single-end output
	USB input	S/PDIF input/BT
Output Level	2Vrms 0dBFS	2Vrms 0dBFS
THD+N	0.0003%	0.0003%
SNR	>116dB	>116dB
	A-Weighted	A-Weighted
Freq. Response	±0.014dB	±0.006dB

Distortion ... 0.0003% that's way below audible thresholds. It does not say how it is measured (at which frequency) nor I.M. distortion is given.
Unlikely to hit 0.1% though.
My best guess would be: distortion won't do this.

Adding 'echo' or 'reverb' can not be done to specific instruments. It would always be present with all recordings. I have not seen any DACs doing or adding this.
That said ...unless it has built in DSP with that functionality, which in such case, would always have menus with control options.
So unlikely.

No we come to tonal balance (boosted bass, rolled off treble). This would mean the frequency response would have to be not 'flat' from 20Hz to 18kHz or so. The frequency response could be given like: 20Hz - 2kHz (+/- 3dB).

The specs say: ±0.014dB (for USB) and for some reason ±0.006dB (for SPDIF) which points to different paths in signal processing ?
Also they don't mention the cutoff points. Lets assume they pick 100Hz to 10kHz. Even in that case there won't suddenly be rolled-off treble and 20Hz won't be down much at all.

So specs say this DAC does not add a 'sound signature'.

Of course we won't know for sure until someone independent verifies the measurements. They could be giving false info. Not likely but could.

 

[Hapo]

...thanks for posting that...soon we should know the measurements @ amirm...he seems independent...I still think here is a differnece in bass response @ Modi 3+...

...I remember reading where some one here thought the Modi was weak in bass...I could not find amirm review on Modi...

...I was disturbed to see the investment in Tradutto packaging...I was amsused to see the "unboxing experience" rated as a signifigent asspect in one review...

...it has no features per se which is something I like but considerning what I have been learning here certainly makes one question the price...

...the stark owners manual is at the opposit end of the spectrum compared to something that clearly justifes it's price, like the RME ADI 2...

...this actually would suit me well except for price...it's like a souped up Modi...IMHO it might be worth 2.5 X Modi...@ $200 I would most certainly keep it for remote, display, and balanced input...understand I like it for what it isn't for as much as what it is but don't want to pay so much extra for that...

..methinks they spent $100 on the box...

 

[solderdude]

I believe Amir has a severe backlog in measurements. It can take months before it is reviewed unless you made some arrangements with Amir.

Also quite certain bass response will be equally 'flat' like any other DAC.
I have not seen any DACs tested here with boosted or audible roll-off below 100Hz nor with > 1% distortion in the lows which could justify a difference in bass response.

Modi3:

Below the Bifrost (multibit) frequency response.