Reference System – Day 2
It is day 2 of the Twelve Days of Christmas series looking at the hifiandmusicsource.com Reference System. Today is our reference DAC. With an excellent streaming source in the Chord Electronics 2go/2yu combination, a DAC is needed to generate the analogue signal for amplification. Regular readers will know this is the iFi Pro iDSD DAC. The Pro iDSD received an Outstanding Award in October 2021 and although it has been updated to a Signature version since then it is still a Reference here at HF&MS. We are fortunate to have the iFi Audio linear power supply upgrade to the Pro iDSD here too, which is highly recommended.
We said in the review of the iFi Pro iDSD;
At the end of the day, … the iFi Pro iDSD is sublime.
We noted, with a pair of high-end T+A Solitaire P-SE headphones;
…it is totally immersive and just serves to reveal the transparent pass-through from the iFi.
And we concluded the iFi Pro iDSD;
….offers an open performance … not heard in recent times…
Alternatives
The iFi Pro iDSD is in the Reference System series because it is still here and we owe a huge level of thanks to iFi Audio for leaving it here, it does get an almost weekly mention though. All things
being equal one may choose to have the recently reviewed T+A DAC 200 as a Reference DAC, however, this has sadly gone home. It is also rather expensive but has huge flexibility. Of course, the Auralic Vega G2.1 streaming DAC should be mentioned here too, particularly as it would partner perfectly with the Aries, but this iFi Pro iDSD is the Reference System source at this time, and long may it be so.
Other notable DACs to have passed through HF&MS include the stunning Moon 280D which is possibly the best DAC for the price experienced here at HF&MS. What was particularly great about it was it was just a DAC, with no preamplifier control getting in the way of the output quality. We concluded of the 280D;
…the MOON 280D offers all round digital perfection.
We can’t recall why it didn’t get an Outstanding back in August 2021.
We should also note the fantastic Earmen Tradutto DAC, here too, for its price it was a knock-out. Of course, how can we not mention Chord’s wonderful Hugo 2 DAC?
See you tomorrow as we continue the Reference System series before we move on to the amplifiers and the all-important cabling.
Reference System Day 1 – Chord Electronics 2go with the 2yu network bridge.
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