EAR 192 DACute - anyone?

[anubisgrau]

Are there any owners of it here or at least someone who had a good insight?

I'm tempted to climb a digital ladder a bit but I'm reluctant for various reasons. Most of the hi end digital is not my cup of tea soundwise given my analog preference.

The usual choice of people like me - Lampizator products - I find amateurish for what he charges.

This DAC caught my attention a while ago, given the TdP reputation. I haven't heard it but I had a look under the lid and there's pros and cons. Some solutions look very interesting, especially a tube filter - haven't seen that before. On the other hand, as usual with other EAR products I owned in the past (like 834P or 864 preamps), there's a plenty of cost cutting solutions which actually turns this DAC into a very interesting platform for modifications. I'm pretty confident that just an introduction of separate power transformers for different rails inside - currently held by a single, toy-sized transformer, would bring a benefit.

Anyway, I would be interested in hearing other opinions...

Cheers!

http://www.hifinews.co.uk/sites/13/images/article_images_month/2012-02/nov11_ear1.jpg

[NRG]

Drop a PM to Nick (lurcher) on the forum ;)

[Gazjam]

+1
I've heard Nick's valve output stage Dac in my own system and in others and it's very analogue sounding, the way a good turntable sounds.

Might be right up your street.

[anubisgrau]

thanks but i'm not after another DAC, although i did hear a number of excellent machines before.

there's more reasons why i'm interested in this one. apparently its ouput stage is similar to a line part of the 912 circuit so very easily an extra analog input can be added and in fact you get a top analog pre plus DAC.

[anubisgrau]

OK a correction here. i've just realized that the device i've seen was not 192 DACute but the spanking new DAC 4

http://audionut.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/EAR+Dac+4+Brochure.pdf

well, bad news really, given the price;)

[hifi_dave]

A lovely sounding piece of kit.

I'm waiting for the new EAR Acute CD player to arrive.

[Yomanze]

It is obviously tuned by ear - or there is a typo - for subjective performance judging by:

"Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.1%"

That is extremely high for digital. Is it also a 5V out? My Theta DAC IIRC was 4.5V & this was also chosen by the designers based on subjective impressions.

[montesquieu]

A lovely sounding piece of kit.

I'm waiting for the new EAR Acute CD player to arrive.


I had the original. Best one-box player I ever owned (or, indeed, heard). Was daft to get rid, though it had a limitation in today's world in that there was no digital input for use with a second source. I assume this has been rectified in subsequent models.

[hifi_dave]

I believe that the latest model, due soon, will have a digital and USB input.

[anubisgrau]

It is obviously tuned by ear - or there is a typo - for subjective performance judging by:

"Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.1%"

That is extremely high for digital.

but low for tube filtered and tube output....:=)