Interest check: Audio Note 0.1x USB DAC
Some more system changes may be afoot so putting out an interest check for my Audio Note 0.1x USB DAC.
This was very well received at Adam's bakeoff in the summer where it was used in the main downstairs system for most of the day. It replaced a Young DAC with add-on regulated PSU in my system (I bought this new back in June) and for my money has all the Young's wonderful ability with detail and soundstage, while being at the same time more musical and expressive.
This is is a non-oversampling DAC with no digital filtering (in the same manner as their higher-up DACs) using the classic TDA1543. It also boasts a digital input transformer and WA6111 tube output stage with some very nice big Audio Note foil coupling caps as well as a good smattering of Black Gates around the PSU and digital sections.
The main thing that distinguishes this DAC from all other previous Audio Note DACs is the fact it has USB input. There are no specs that I can find but I suspect it's standard synchronous USB communication and that it's 44khz only (though I'm happy to be corrected on that). So it's not the ultimate in flexible media streaming solutions but it is currently the only DAC in the AN range that has this. I heard this back to back with the Audio Note 2.1x Signature (which is a LONG way up price wise at over four grand retail) and it's astonishing how close this little beauty gets to it - the character is the same and so is the musicality.
So altogether it's an incredibly high-spec package for the money which is £1400 retail. Deco Audio are selling them for £1150. I would be looking for £775 and for that I'll include a length of Audio Note AN-V solid silver cable, factory fitted with AN silver RCA plugs, which is recommended by Audio Note as the perfect digital interconnect for this (or for anything else for that matter) plus a solid silver mains cable with silver plated IEC and MK plug, which works beautifully with it.
I have the original box and manual but I would prefer I think for it to be collected if possible, if not then postage at cost which will be around £25 insured by the time I double box it.
Pics to come but essentially it's just a slightly smaller version of the normal AN black box, with a switch on the front to go between RCA and USB inputs.
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