So this thing costs 43k....

[Blumlein 88]

600 ohm output impedance.

Now they just need a good headphone amp companion piece. $40k should do it.

 

[carlosmante]

https://www.audiostream.com/content...KvXJtIw0KA5rEToXA6Kair-e9tARvUPVmrOOdGD4Di1rA

Audio Note or Bank Note?

 

[FrantzM]

View attachment 38810
So, basically, the entire DAC is jammed on the tiny board that I circled in blue & everything else is for a bare-bones tube preamp w/ some extra transformers? What here is worth so much money? The chassis isn't even copper. The wiring isn't even neat!

Seriously, what the heck kind of loads do they think they're handling to require so many transformers of that heft & size? Honestly, any kind of theoretical(?) improvements they'd gain from having transformers for different stages of the amp will be lost due to inductive coupling from how close the transformers are to each other (even though they offset & rotated some of them somewhat). For this price tag, at least put them in a separate chassis...

Hi

A few years ago (about 6 ) I was one of those who would have fallen for such a malfeasance .. although $40K might have been too rich for my blood , I might have waited for it in the secondary market and might have heard the warmth, the mellow midrange and being a health-nut, the "organic" character of this extraordinary DAC .. as someone said in this thread this behavior would be an interesting subject of study of Human Psychology. Based on what I know now, $40K build you a world class 2-channel system and a world class HT (sound side, video may add its own bit to it) complete with sound treatment and ... with money left for audiophile USB and HDMI cables

 

[renaudrenaud]

But after this expanse, you will have to invest in a brand new artificial anu*.
One star for s.

 

[Ron Texas]

Audio Note sells different versions of a spiffed up Snell Type E. They start around $4k per pair and go to over $100k with silver voice coils in the drivers and exotic external crossovers. Remember, silver wire is what's needed to strangle vampires.

 

[ta240]

$43K, you can have a 3 series BMW for that, or a Jeep Wrangler with some options.

These are for the people that have all 9 of their garage spaces filled with cars already.

I can't blame companies for going after this market. If you sell $100 DACs how many do you have to sell to make the same profit they are making on one of these?

 

[pozz]

any kind of theoretical(?) improvements they'd gain from having transformers for different stages of the amp will be lost due to inductive coupling from how close the transformers are to each other (even though they offset & rotated some of them somewhat). For this price tag, at least put them in a separate chassis...

Hum adds that organic touch. A basso profundo singing along to every piece.

 

[mansr]

What a crock of shit

It's so bad the obscenity filter let you say that.

 

[mansr]

So, basically, the entire DAC is jammed on the tiny board that I circled in blue

I especially like the chip mounted on an SMD to breadboard adapter. Following in the footsteps of Ciunas, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[SegaCD]

I especially like the chip mounted on an SMD to breadboard adapter. Following in the footsteps of Ciunas, what could possibly go wrong?

Its likely because these are single layer PCBs like ye' olde days. Either Audio Note doesn't want/know how to design a low-noise two/four layer PCB with fine pitch traces...or maybe they think its too expensive!

 

[pjug]

There is a certain business model... it doesn't have to be good. Just takes a few suckers. Or maybe just one.
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/worlds-most-expensive-surfboard-sells-for-1-5-million/

edit: and don't forget to perch your $43K Dac on some ****** old flip flops.

 

[PierreV]

Its likely because these are single layer PCBs like ye' olde days. Either Audio Note doesn't want/know how to design a low-noise two/four layer PCB with fine pitch traces...or maybe they think its too expensive!

That's the convenient upgrade slot - just in case you want even more veil lifting at a later stage.

 

[mansr]

Pard me my language; there's a sucker born every second.

P.T. Barnum underestimated by 18 dB.

 

[Ron Texas]

These are for the people that have all 9 of their garage spaces filled with cars already.

I can't blame companies for going after this market. If you sell $100 DACs how many do you have to sell to make the same profit they are making on one of these?

I don't know how many cars they have, and they sure are not looking at a BMW 3 series. This is for a person with lots of money and no financial sophistication. In other words, celebrities. They sure don't read @amirm 's reviews.

 

[mansr]

That's the convenient upgrade slot - just in case you want even more veil lifting at a later stage.

Oh, I get it. "Veils" is just another word for power supply bypass caps.

 

[Tks]

Don't forget these.. Wouldn't want to bottleneck this beast.

In all seriousness, look how awful the internals are.. Looks ancient in terms of finesse, and simply materials. But then again they're using NOS parts for whatever idiotic reason (makes warranty simple considering you just bought some nonsense parts discovered in an abandoned storage unit, or some auction).

Whats up with the price, and the transformers choice? What part of this device remotely resembles rationality?


Lets take a look at the Specifications...

Boy, really technical..

..Really telling. (I urge you not look at the poor excuse of a manual that is more of a plain-text formatted advert rather than anything else).

 

[Xulonn]

It's so bad the obscenity filter let you say that.

Are pictures o.k.?

 

[Victoria]

Seriously, what the heck kind of loads do they think they're handling to require so many transformers of that heft & size?

Ahem! Did you not receive the memo? Transformers are now the audiophile equivalent of cheap Chinese manufacturers filling the void of their hollow junkyard-destined products with reject nuts and bolts to add heft since everybody knows that WEIGHT = QUALITY!!!

 

[Sal1950]

Now that's the way to do things.
Just glue everything together with hot melt...

I think I'll just throw-up now.

 

[Tks]

Ahem! Did you not receive the memo? Transformers are now the audiophile equivalent of cheap Chinese manufacturers filling the void of their hollow junkyard-destined products with reject nuts and bolts to add heft since everybody knows that WEIGHT = QUALITY!!!

I think of this when people ask me "What's the harm in people believing something unfounded, if it makes them happy, that should be all good."