The CNC-machined aluminum chassis feels very solid, with beautiful heat sinks running along the sides that aren’t just for show—they provide crucial passive cooling for the sophisticated internals. The fit and finish is flawless, with tight tolerances and a premium feel that rivals components costing significantly more.

What caught me off guard when I first turned it on? Those dual displays. The main 6.5-inch touchscreen is centered in the front panel with vibrant colors and crisp graphics, while a secondary OLED display sits elegantly beside it within the volume knob. The primary screen might just seem like eye candy to some, but it’s actually functional and provides real-time information about your audio signal. Depending on the theme, it is very readable from across the room as well, which is often a complaint with screens. As a bonus, we of course get all the digital VU meters that some just can’t resist—the number of options to choose from keeps increasing as well through their frequent updates. I’ll get into how this screen performs a little later when I dig into the actual user experience with the platform.

I just can’t leave the build section without talking about the volume knob display for a second. I really think it’s genuinely neat—you can customize what it shows, and honestly, I haven’t seen anything like it from other brands. I like to highlight the little things or quirks from time to time that make products interesting. In some cases, the quirks work against the product; in this case, it’s a nice addition for the aesthetic.

Features and Connectivity

The DMP-A10 is essentially four products in one chassis: a streaming transport, a flagship DAC, a sophisticated DAC/streamer/preamp combo, and a digital room correction system. Let’s break down what makes each component special.

Connectivity is absolutely comprehensive. You get multiple digital inputs including Ethernet and dual-band wireless connectivity, USB, 2 optical, 2 coaxial, 2 sets of RCA, as well as balanced XLR. The outputs are equally impressive—both single-ended RCA and balanced XLR, coax, optical, USB, and one of the improvements over previous models: 2 subwoofer outputs.

This one is equipped with HDMI as well, with eARC support. I tested it with my C4 LG OLED TV and everything worked flawlessly. It’s a great product for integrating into a hybrid space with 2-channel audio as well as all forms of video media.

The unit is Roon Ready, supports UPnP and DLNA, and can handle virtually every streaming service you can think of: Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Apple Music, Hi-Res Audio, Paradise Radio, and one I want to highlight—Amazon Music. Amazon Music is missing on a lot of modern-day streamers but has been available for years with the Eversolo software suite.

The A10 includes two M.2 NVMe SSD slots underneath, allowing you to install up to 8TB of total internal storage. This transforms it into a complete music server, so I guess that makes it more like 5 products in one chassis.

But wait, there’s actually more. You get a fiber optic network connection—it’s not a common connection to see on streamers unless you start to shop the far ends of high-end audio. It’s in all reality a superior connection to Ethernet for noise isolation, transparency, and even reducing network latency. You need a bit of extra hardware for this one, but depending on your configuration, it might be worth looking into.

How about a little more yet? You can rip and play CDs using an external drive. If you utilize the SSD I mentioned earlier, you can store them right on the A10 itself.

Wrapping up the rear, we have trigger inputs and outputs that are a thoughtful touch for system integration, allowing the A10 to automatically power up your entire chain. Triggers are a must-have in my opinion on gear like this. When you have something like the A10 that can operate as the command center for your entire system, thoughtful integration and connections are key.

DAC Implementation

At the core of the DMP-A10 lies the ES9039PRO DAC chip rather than the two AKM DACs found in the smaller A8, but this isn’t just about the chip—it’s about the implementation. Eversolo has paired this with their proprietary EOS audio engine, which bypasses Android’s audio limitations to deliver bit-perfect playback. If you have preferences beyond the 9039, you can certainly utilize any of the A10’s digital outs to pass that digital conversion to your hardware preferences.

The power supply game is very strong: dual power supplies that are separate for both the digital and analog sections. This is the kind of design and performance-focused choice you see in much more expensive gear.

Clock precision is handled by an OCXO (Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator). This maintains incredibly low jitter, ensuring consistent performance whether you’re listening for five minutes or five hours. Jitter is a term that comes up often around streamers. I just want to let it be known that in lesser-performing clocks, you can run into timing issues that can degrade the quality and rob the music of its lifelike presentation. Breaking it down into a simple definition would be the presence of an artificial sound. The clock in the A10 is top-tier and really gives you nothing to complain about.

The fully balanced signal path maintains the audio’s integrity from input to output, while the R2R analog volume control preserves dynamic range even at lower listening levels. This is proper reference-level engineering—it’s a step above digital controls and it’s certainly not just marketing.

Room Correction: A Game Changer

Here’s where the DMP-A10 truly separates itself from the competition. The included room correction system isn’t just a simple EQ—it’s a sophisticated acoustic calibration system that analyzes your listening environment.

The process is surprisingly simple for someone to go in and produce an admirable result in a few minutes’ time, but what I truly like is how you don’t need to stop there. You can go beyond the standard correction with various settings that can fine-tune your sound a step further.

In its most simple form, you can pair this up with your phone, do a volume test to make sure you’re within the right dB range, and simply run a room sweep and apply your corrections.

What I would suggest doing is using a calibrated mic like the UMIK here and uploading the calibration file over USB. Then you will run it again, measure the speakers independently or combined, and then go into the filter settings to fine-tune your targets, range, maximum gain, and target gain. This is one of those things where the A10 works for everyone—the person who wants a simple integration as well as those seeking much more flexibility in their sound profile. Keep in mind this isn’t going to replace room treatments, but it can be very effective for cleaning up a frequency chart as well as integrating subs. Don’t expect miracles in every room, but don’t be surprised if your bass sounds a bit tighter as well as having a more linear response across the lower frequency bands.

Parametric EQ: Precision Control

Beyond room correction, the DMP-A10 offers a 10-band parametric equalizer that gives you even more control over your sound. Each band offers adjustable frequency, Q factor, and gain, allowing you to fine-tune your system’s response. There is plenty to dive into here if you’re working outside of the automated correction. You get access to importing FIR filters from REW, high and low pass filters, loudness, compressor, delay, and balance. Should be plenty to keep you busy here if you want to go the manual route or even stack some of these on top of the automated results.

Sound Quality: Where It All Comes Together

But features mean nothing if the sound quality doesn’t deliver, and this is where the DMP-A10 really impressed me. The sonic signature is remarkably neutral and revealing, with a level of resolution that exposes details and precision. This isn’t just a streamer supercomputer—it really has the sound to back it all up.

Pairing the A10 with the Hegel H600 and PMC Prophecy 9 speakers, I found this setup to be very revealing in a way where you could pick up the small differences in recordings quite easily. There is a dead-quiet noise floor and separation that occasionally made me think, “Did I ever hear that before?” In this particular pairing, it can be quite analytical, which depending on who you ask and what you listen to can either work for you or against you. If you’re someone who favors a bit more of a warm or lush sound, it’s really not a concern—the DSP and filter capabilities really open you up to finding the right sound for your preferences.

Bass response is tight and controlled, with excellent definition in the lower octaves. The room correction is definitely helping here, ensuring that the bass response doesn’t blur the bottom end. Mid-range reproduction is where the A10 really excels—vocals have a natural, present quality that makes you feel like performers are sharing the space with you.

The high frequencies are extended and airy without any hint of harshness. Complex orchestral passages remain coherent even at high volumes, with each instrument maintaining its distinct character within the ensemble.

I also took the opportunity to pair the A10 with 2 sets of very capable powered speakers: the Buchardt Anniversary 10 as well as the Econik Six. Both of these use the same amplification and streaming platform—WiSA in this case over a Platin stereo hub. The WiSA actually works really well on these, but I wanted to see if I could get a bit more out of this configuration over a direct XLR connection through the A10. It didn’t disappoint with either model—the fine-tuning allowed me to dial these speakers into what I would call the next tier. If you have a powered speaker like these, it very much can be an upgrade in sound as well as convenience, utilizing the streaming platforms included as well as taking advantage of the sound tuning potential. I added an additional cable to a wireless setup, but it was worth it.

System Integration and User Experience

The user experience is where Eversolo has really thought things through. You can control everything—your music, streaming services, settings, and more—right from the front touchscreen or through their well-organized and frankly fast app. The main touchscreen interface is responsive and intuitive, featuring great colors, fast responses, and logical menu structures that make complex adjustments surprisingly straightforward. You can also set favorites, customize the home screen—lots of really nice options here for someone who wants either album art or track info that can be seen from across the room.

With the large center touchscreen paired with the smaller screen on the volume knob, you’ll have all the info you need right at a glance! The secondary display adds more at-a-glance information without cluttering the main interface and adds a touch of fun factor to the whole thing. Eversolo really nailed it with these screens, and I can’t stress that enough.

Innovative Screen Casting Feature

One unique but also in certain circumstances really useful feature is the ability to cast the screen from your A10 to your phone. The screencast feature pulls up a screen clone of what is on your A10’s touchscreen and functions just as if you were touching the screen itself. Where this might be most useful is with third-party apps. Since the third-party apps won’t be accessible on the Eversolo phone app, just mirror the screen, open third-party apps, and have complete control through your phone.

The Eversolo App Experience

The Eversolo app itself deserves special mention—it’s one of the better streaming apps available, with stable connections, intuitive navigation, and comprehensive yet simple-to-use feature access. It’s easy to navigate, allows you to sign in and stream your music from your favorite music platforms right in the app, and even has a universal music search feature to find songs across all of your streaming services.

I generally used the app as it functioned very well during testing and it’s the easiest way to access the massive amount of settings and configurations, but Eversolo does include a remote that is pretty nice and gives you some quick-change capabilities should you need it. I am always in favor of a remote on a product like this—we don’t always listen by ourselves, and unless we want to pass our phone around, it offers a great way for others to interact with the music.

Value Proposition and Competition

At $3,999, the DMP-A10 isn’t inexpensive, but consider what you’re getting: a reference-level DAC, sophisticated streaming capabilities, a high-end preamp, and professional-grade room correction—all in a single chassis. To replicate this functionality to this level of performance with separate components, you could easily spend multiples of this.

What’s particularly impressive is how Eversolo has managed to implement all these features without compromise. Lesser products often sacrifice sound quality for features, but the A10 maintains reference-level performance while offering unprecedented functionality.

Where I Feel This One Makes Sense

• You want the convenience of an all-in-one solution
• You’re the type of user who will actually use the DSP and room correction features
• You’re planning to integrate subwoofers, even better a pair of them
• You like having tons of connectivity options, for current and future system changes

Many people really want something that can grow with your system. Whether you’re building a new system or upgrading an existing one, the DMP-A10 fits the bill. It’s a rare product that manages to be both technologically advanced and musically satisfying. I was concerned with the amount of tech in this one if it was going to be plagued with bugs and broken features, but honestly this has been very refreshing and it appears their app support team keeps pushing it further with frequent updates as well.

Getting digital audio information to that impressive DAC can be achieved through several different methods. Physical connectivity includes a pair of digital coaxial inputs (supporting up to 24bit/192kHz resolution) and a couple of digital optical equivalents (capable of handling the same). There’s a balanced AES/EBU input (24bit/192kHz once again) and a USB-B that can extend all the way to 32bit/384kHz, DSD512 and DXD384kHz. An HDMI ARC socket allows your television to become part of your system, and there’s also a proprietary McIntosh MCT connection – it enables the company’s CD/SACD transports to bypass the limitation that SACD does not prefer to be output via S/PDIF. An Ethernet socket provides robust network connectivity.

The wireless equivalents extend to Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD codec compatibility and dual-band Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection to your router enables the DS200 to function with Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Qobuz Connect and TIDAL Connect. Furthermore, the McIntosh is not only Roon Ready but also holds Roon Tested certification.

Put simply, it does the lot!

Outputs

Retrieving the audio once the DAC has completed its function can be accomplished using a pair of unbalanced RCA sockets or a pair of balanced XLRs. It’s the (admittedly predictable) presence of these analogue outputs that makes me ponder why there are no analogue inputs. Both sets of analogue outputs can be configured for fixed or variable gain, which means the DS200 is poised to operate as a pre-amplifier alongside a power amp, albeit not as a full-system preamp, and only for digital sources.

As for the usual McIntosh-isms of glowing green Gothic script, bright blue display, and black glass fascia, it is very much business as usual – and given the enduring success of McIntosh, ‘business is usual’ is precisely what people want. Even the fact that the glass faceplate collects fingerprints with a zeal more readily associated with a crime scene investigator could be viewed positively by McIntosh users, as it gives them an excuse to make their DS200 even shinier.

Control buttons cover the major functions like ‘power on/off’, ‘Bluetooth pairing’, and various playback controls—they operate with a pleasing positivity, much like the little remote control handset provided, which duplicates many of these functions. However, the turn/push controls, one on either side of the central display, managing volume level, input selection, and access to the menus, do not share that positive feel.

The third option

Then, there is the display. We live in a world where network audio streamers at virtually every price point either lack a display altogether or feature a bright, crisply rendered, and colourful display for album artwork and other elements. McIntosh, however, has decided there’s a third option. The DS200 is equipped with a dot-matrix display, which might seem ‘retro’ but once again is part of McIntosh’s ‘kerb appeal’.

With the DS200 connected via its unbalanced RCAs to a Naim Uniti Star serving as an amplifier and a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature floorstanders at the end of the chain, it’s not difficult to overlook the concerns regarding the perceived value of the aesthetics and instead focus on the exceptional quality of the sound this streamer produces. Whether streaming high-resolution content from network-attached storage, enjoying the best TIDAL Connect has to offer, or even using Bluetooth with the aptX HD codec, the McIntosh provides one of the most complete and thoroughly satisfying ways to access digital audio content that this kind of investment can procure.  

Switch between a 24-bit/192 khz FLAC file of Bruckner’s Symphony No.9 recorded by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Manfred Honeck [Reference Recordings] and a 24-bit/96 khz FLAC file of Lite Spots by Kaytranada [XL], and you’ll learn almost everything there is to learn about the way the DS200 goes about things. The sound it produces is quite strongly at odds with its unrefined appearance.

Deftly naturalistic

In every circumstance, the DS200 is deftly naturalistic and maintains an utterly convincing tonal balance, and its frequency response is similarly judicious. From the profoundly deep bass to the bright and substantial treble, the McIntosh offers an even-handed listening experience. The ability to extract a significant amount of detail from recordings is a definite advantage, as the DS200 maintains a properly balanced overall picture while keeping a vigilant eye on the most transient, minor, and tangential details in a recording. If the information is available to be revealed, it will undoubtedly be, along with the appropriate weighting and context. This fine detail retrieval only serves to enhance the overall recording; it is never the focal point.

The significant dynamic shifts so beloved of a massed symphony orchestra are described in full and conveyed with the sort of casual authority that denotes effectively limitless headroom. The more nuanced dynamics of harmonic variation that the same orchestra indulges in are handled with similar command. There’s a latent potency to the McIntosh that is even more effective because it’s no shouter—only large swings in intensity or outright attack prompt the DS200 to engage the afterburners. Yet, at the same time, it doesn’t lack subtlety—there’s a nimbleness and lightness of touch that stands in contrast to the machine’s brooding presence.  

Having said that, there’s no denying the considerable low-frequency presence of DS200, nor its ability to deliver an implacable force when a recording demands it. It addresses bass information with precise positivity and pays just as much attention to decay, ensuring that rhythmic expression remains coherent and confident. Above, there’s an eloquence to the midrange reproduction, along with an abundance of detail revealing a singer’s character and technique. At the top end, the McIntosh achieves an endlessly pleasing balance between brilliance and substance at the onset of treble sounds, expertly controlling their decay.

Our main weapon is spaciousness

All of this takes place on a soundstage that is spacious and reasonably deep, almost fanatically defined, and provides ample elbow room for every member of this orchestra I keep referencing to perform their part unhindered by the instrumentalist next to them. This organisation and separation do not come at the expense of unity, however – the DS200 possesses the happy knack of offering a genuine sense of togetherness, of singularity, to recordings. The sense of performance is always strong. 

McIntosh products have a distinct set of design criteria that sets them apart from the audio zeitgeist. And the DS200 meets those criteria perfectly. But more importantly, if the sound of your digital audio content is of utmost importance, this is a network player that truly demands to be heard. 

Specs & Pricing

Type: network streamer/preamplifier/DAC
Analogue inputs: none
Digital inputs: Ethernet; 2 x digital coaxial; 2 x digital optical; AES/EBU; MCT; USB-B; HDMI ARC; dual-band wi-fi; Bluetooth
DAC resolution and supported digital formats: 32bit/384kHz PCM; DSD512 (inc dff/dsf/dst); DXD384kHz. APE; FLAC; MP3; Ogg; WAV
Music services and wi-fi inputs: Apple AirPlay; Google Cast; Roon; Spotify Connect; TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect
Analogue outputs: Balanced XLR; unbalanced RCA
Digital outputs: none
Frequency response: Hz – 60kHz
Distortion (THD + noise): 0.005%
User interface: ascia controls; remote control handset
Dimensions (H×W×D): 52 x 445 x 432mm
Weight: 9.3kg
Price: 5,890, €5,990, $4,000

Manufacturer McIntosh Labs
www.mcintoshlabs.com 

The Kara F Preamplifier 

The $799 Kara F is a Kara with the addition of the Forkbeard module. From the outside, the Kara appears to be basically a Freya S with headphone capabilities. But the Schiit site claims that “the Kara kills the Freya S from all outputs, in all modes.” Well, okay, then. The technical reasons for the performance improvements include higher rail voltages, boosted from ±17V to ±32V, along with the new 48V power supply to support the new higher voltages. 

Operationally the Kara F is quite similar to the Freya S. (I’m more than a little bit familiar with the Freya S, since I own two of them.) Inputs and outputs on the Kara F include two balanced and three single-ended inputs as well as one pair of balanced outputs along with two single-ended outputs. The Kara F supports three operational modes—passive, active gain 1, and active gain 5. In my system, I rarely changed from passive to active modes for additional gain. The 4-volt maximum signal level available from my reference DAC’s balanced XLR output was so robust that in my usual loud listening level the Kara F was still between 15 and 20dB down from unity gain in passive mode.

Levels control on the Kara F, like the Freya S, consists of a 128 stepped-relay attenuator accessible via remote control. I like this stepped volume a lot. Not only is tracking between channels at all volumes consistent, but it offers an aural cue that the volume change has occurred with audible clicks. While some might find the relay’s clicks while changing levels distracting, I appreciate having a sonic confirmation that the remote control’s level commands were successfully received.

The Kara F includes one single-ended ¼” headphone output. According to Schiit Audio its maximum output is 1 watt RMS into 32–300 ohms. It supported my hardest-to-drive headphones easily. With both the Beyer-Dynamic DT990 600-ohm and the Dan Clark Stealth, I never needed to raise the volume above –20dB in passive mode. Switching to a pair of sensitive in-ears, the Empire Ears Zeus, I had to turn the levels down to –60dB. If I turned up the volume to full, without any signal I could hear a faint hiss, but at normal listening levels the Empire Zeus was as quiet as a grave.

The F in Kara F stands for Forkbeard, which is Schiit’s first foray into iOS apps. It offers all the controls available on the Kara’s physical remote. It also duplicates the controls available for the Gungnir 2 DAC and the controls on the front panel of the Wotan power amplifier. For me the primary advantage the app has over the physical remote was that it supplied numbered dB level readings, so I could know exactly what the gain level setting was instead of guessing. The Forkbeard app even offers haptic control, so when you change the volume, it vibrates by way of feedback. I wish, however, that the app’s volume control increments were more precise. Single-step adjustment of volume is available via Forkbeard—just tap the left side of the dial to decrease volume, and the right side to increase volume. The Gigastack and Forkbeard combo also enable Visual Volume, which shows where the system will exceed its limits, in the form of yellow-and red-colored bars on the volume dial.

Since I have been using the physical Schiit remote for several years, it took me a while to wean myself away from it to the app. One particular ergonomic quirk of the Karra F hastened my migration—the Kara F remote control’s eye has a limited angle of acceptance below its own horizontal plane. When I held the remote at waist level from my primary seating position, the Kara F usually did not respond. I had to raise the remote to shoulder height to achieve a consistent reaction. Yeah, boohoo, but this was never a problem with the Freya S due to the different placement of the IR eye. With the IOS app remote control, no line-of-sight is required.

One feature that I found essential on the Freya S was retained on the Kara F—the silent switching between inputs. Unlike many preamplifiers which produce a click or momentary pause, the Kara F produces no sound whatsoever when switching inputs, which makes it ideal for matched-level instantaneous A/B switching between two source components. 

During my listening sessions with the Kara F in the system, I could hear nothing to alert me that its presence was in any way altering the sound passing through it. I heard the same level of musical information without noise or distortion that I was accustomed to hearing though the Freya S. Does the Kara F sound audibly superior to the Freya S? To my ears they both produce stellar sonics…but the added functionality of headphone connections and the Forkbeard app certainly makes the Kara F a more complete component than the Freya S. 

The Gungnir 2 DAC

Most DACs in the $1599 Gungnir 2’s price range utilize either a second-party Delta-Sigma DAC chip or an R2R DAC as their primary digital decoding device. The Gungnir 2 doesn’t go the AKM, ESS, or Crystal DAC chip route. Instead, the Gungnir 2 relies of what they call a “multi-bit” design called “Multiform,” utilizing a Texas Instruments DAC8812C x 4 with digital filtering performed by a SHARC DSP processor. Unlike many DACS, the Gungnir 2 allows for upgradability due to its replaceable DAC/analog card. Also, firmware updates can come into the Gungnir 2 via the Forkbeard dongle.

Unlike every other manufacturer’s DAC I’m familiar with, the Gungnir 2 has two USB input options. One is the Unison 384, which goes up to 384/32, while the other is for sources up to 192/32. I tried both and didn’t hear any major sonic differences between them. I suspect most users will employ the Unison 384 input, so that is what I used during subsequent listening sessions. I have made quite a few recordings using DSD, so I was disappointed to find that the Gungnir 2 does not support DSD (or MQA, for that matter). If your own library is heavily populated by DSD and MQA, and you don’t wish or have the ability to transcode into PCM (Roon does this automatically if configured to do so, which is how I addressed the issue), the Gungnir 2 would probably not be high on your list of future DACs.

Operating the Gungnir 2 via the Forkbeard app was a pleasure. It even displays the bit rate of your current music file. You can turn on and off the non-over-sampling feature, invert the phase, change the DAC’s digital input, and mute its output from the app. 

I have to admit that I hate doing matched-level A/B comparisons between DACs. The testing is time-consuming, and the results are often frustrating. I mentioned earlier that the Kara F is ideal for A/B comparisons of DACs due to its silent input switching. I gave that feature a thorough workout, comparing the sound of the Gungnir 2 with my current reference DAC, the Gustard A-26. Their prices are within $100 of each other, and the Gustard has been my primary reference DAC for the last three months.

Using Roon’s ganged feature, I could send the exact same feed to both DACs simultaneously. Each DAC was connected to my network from the same network switch via continuous runs of Ethernet cable. I employ 75 feet of CAT 8 to the Gustard, which goes directly into its built-in Ethernet port. The Gungnir 2 was connected to a Raspberry Pi4B via one meter of Audience AU24 USB cable. The Raspberry Pi was configured in Diet-PI as a Roon endpoint, and the PI was connected to the network via 60 feet of CAT 6 back to the switch. That’s the two slightly different signal chains. While I would prefer if they had been identical, the lack of a network/streaming input connection on the Gungnir 2 made that impossible.

Before I could do this listening test, I had to critically match the two DACs output levels. After accomplishing that (not easy since often the level differences between two DACS are not 0.5dB apart, while most DAC volume controls are in 0.5 increments of a dB) After that, I finally began listening. My hope, when I do a matched-level A/B comparison is that I will hear routinely noticeable sonic differences. I hate to admit that hearing any differences between the two DACS after repeated tests using my own recordings and reference commercial tracks was, for me, impossible. 

At my usual listening levels during the test, the Kara F’s volume level was set around –20dB. Add that to the S/N figures of either of these two DACs, which are both better than –120dB, and you have a noise floor that is nearly –140dB down! For me, and most humans I know, that’s in the inaudible range. Both DACs produced identical soundstages and were ferences. I hate to admit that hearing any differences between the two DACS after repeated tests using my own recordings and reference commercial tracks was, for me, impossible. 

At my usual listening levels during the test, the Kara F’s volume level was set around –20dB. Add that to the S/N figures of either of these two DACs, which are both better than –120dB, and you have a noise floor that is nearly –140dB down! For me, and most humans I know, that’s in the inaudible range. Both DACs produced identical soundstages and were equally adept at precise imaging. Bass extension and tonality between the two were also indistinguishable. When I controlled the switch-over, I kept listening for even the most subtle sonic tells that would alert me to one DAC’s presence over the other. Near the end of my testing, I had my wife make the change on the Kara F from DAC A to DAC B, while I attempted to determine blind when the switch had been made, and if a switch had been made…I got it wrong every time.

The Wotan Power Amplifier 

The $1999 Wotan power amplifier ranks as the heaviest component I’ve had to install in my system since I refurbished my pair of JL Audio f112 subwoofers. At 54 pounds, it’s a beast. Its power capabilities are worthy of its moniker, with 200 watts RMS into 8 ohms, doubling to 400 watts RMS into 4 ohms. It is a dual-mono differential design that Schiit calls its High Power Nexus circuit. This circuit has universal feedback that can be turned off, changing its gain from 26dB to 32dB and affecting its damping factors. With feedback the damping is greater than 50 into 8 ohms, with no feedback the damping factor is reduced to greater than 30 into 8 ohms.

The Wotan has not one, but two internal fans. When the Wotan is turned on the fans spin briefly. During my listening sessions they did not come on again, which isn’t surprising given that my Spatial Audio X-2 loudspeakers are sensitive and an easy impedance load. The Wotan is not completely silent, however. I noticed a low-level continuous hum from inside the chassis. The level was so low that at my listening position I couldn’t detect it, but it was always present. At the speaker’s drivers, the Wotan was absolutely silent with no hiss or hum even when the Kara F’s volume in the passive mode was at maximum and my ear about an inch from the drivers. For those who abhor noise, I suspect it would be very hard to find a system that has less noise at full output than the Schiit Audio Kara F in passive mode/Wotan combination.

For those who wish to experience a zero-feedback amplifier design, Schiit Audio has obliged with a button on the front chassis (and in the Forkbeard app) that lets you turn feedback on and off. I tried it and almost immediately went back to the universal feedback mode. Without feedback, the Wotan was too wild and wooly for my tastes. I immediately noticed the lack of speaker driver control when feedback was eliminated. I suspect there are some systems that might benefit from the no feedback setting, but mine was not one of them.

GigaStack Combination Setup 

Setting up the GigaStack was easy and straight forward. First, I removed one of the two DACs connected via XLR to my Freya S preamplifier and replaced it with the Gungnir 2. After some listening, I replaced the Freya S with the Kara F. Finally, I removed one of my stacked amplifiers, the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra, and then placed the rather substantial Wotan power amplifier on top of my reference Pass X-150.8, and placed my other current reference amps, the FOSI V3 mono amplifiers with Sparkos op-amps and the GAN power supply upgrade, on top of the Wotan. This arrangement made it possible to switch between power amplifiers in about a minute. 

I realize that when most audiophiles change components they are doing so because they want or expect a change or improvement in their system’s sonic capabilities. I’m rather different. When I put a new component into my signal chain, first I listen for how it may have degraded, rather than improved, the system’s capabilities. Why? Because my room and source material have been refined and developed over many years to the point where the default sonics of my system are, for me, basically correct. And while there is always room for the possibility of incremental refinements, if I notice no audible change in the system sonic capabilities, I consider that a good thing.

Together, the GigaStack performed impeccably. Once I acclimated to the Forkbeard app, I preferred it to the supplied physical remotes. Not having to be concerned with the directionality of an RF remote is more than a little bit liberating.

The GigaStack Sound

The Schiit Audio GigaStack “house sound” is everything you would expect from a high-performance audio component, and in my system sounds like virtually nothing at all. By this I mean that every recording played through the system sounded like the recording was supposed to sound. On old mono tracks, the soundstage width was a pinpoint in space, while with my live concert recordings the soundstage had all the three-dimensionality that a carefully placed M/S microphone array can deliver. In terms of low-level detail, I had no complaints. On one of my reference field recordings, made outdoors during a Rockygrass Academy workshop, of Chris Eldridge and Bryan Sutton playing “Church Street Blues,” it was easy to listen into the mix. I could not only hear the two guitars clearly, but also the sound of the river 50 feet away, as well as the occasional tapping from the mandolin-making workshop 150 feet away. On my recording of the Boulder Philharmonic performing the Brahms Requiem, the chorus was above and behind the orchestra. Through the GigaStack system I could easily hear that the chorus was located above and behind. I could also hear the conductor Theodore Kuchar’s occasional exhalations. 

Kuchar’s additional breath emphasis reminds me of an exchange between the Boulder Philharmonic’s conductor, Ozzy Lehnert, and J. Gordon Holt. After listening to our recording of the orchestra Lehnert asked, “Can you make it sound more forgiving?” Holt responded, “Only God can forgive.”

Summary

I’ll admit to never having had much use for blingy-looking audio gear. In my personal world view, gold is of greater value inside a component rather than on knobs, buttons, or ¼”-thick faceplates. So, it should be no surprise that I find the looks of the Kara F and Gungnir 2 to be fine and dandy. Their shared basic chassis design has a unique visual appeal that’s far superior to a plain aluminum project box, without tipping over into shiny metallic excess. 

At the beginning of the review, I mentioned my first system from Sam Goody’s. It’s price, when adjusted for inflation to 2025 dollars, comes to $4593.35, which is only slightly more than the GigaStack’s current $4247 price tag.

Comparing that stereo system’s capabilities with the GigaStack is like comparing my first car, a 1970 Saab 96, to a current-generation Subaru hybrid. The GigaStack delivers a level of sonic value that far eclipses what could be had for the same money in my youth. Granted, all electronic devices have gotten less expensive, but high-performance audio has benefitted even more due to the convergence of parts quality, refinement of design, and economies of scale dictated by demand. Schiit is a prime example of high-performance audio sonics, packaged in a straight-forward manner and priced for the value-conscious music lover. So, what’s not to like?  

Specs & Pricing

Kara F solid-state preamplifier

Analog inputs: Two balanced XLR, three unbalanced RCA
Outputs: One balanced XLR and two unbalanced RCA
Dimensions: 16″ x 8″ x 2″
Weight: 12 lbs.
Price: $799

Gungnir 2 DAC

Inputs: Coaxial RCA SPDIF, optical SPDIF, USB
Formats supported: PCM up to 384/32
Output: balanced and unbalanced fixed output
Dimensions: 16″ by 8″ by 2″
Weight: 12 lbs.
Price: $1599

Wotan solid-state power amplifier

Output power: 200Wpc into 8 ohms, 400Wpc into 4 ohms
Inputs: Balanced XLR and single-ended RCA
Input impedance: 47k ohms
Dimensions: 16″ x 13″ x 3.875″
Weight: 54 lbs.
Price: $1999

Complete system price: $4247

Designed with equal emphasis on performance and flexibility, the SM1.3 Music Streamer features an AKM 4499EX DAC and AK4191 Modulator. Also included is the TPA6120 dedicated headphone amplifier for listening with the most demanding headphones on the market.

The SM1.3 employs the most up-to-date streaming options, including Bluetooth 5.2 with LDAC, SBC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency, and aptX HD support. Apple AirPlay 2 is also included. Internet connectivity is acheived through Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet (Gigabit LAN).

In addtion to wireless options, the SM1.3 makes it easy to add a variety of external sources through coaxial and optical connections, as well as USB, SSD, and DLNA-compatible hub inputs. Outputs include both RCA and XLR jacks, and an I2S digital output (HDMI) 10 compatibility modes.

For further information about the Shanling SM1.3 Music Streamer, visit https://forte-distribution.com.

How much of the Reference products’ performance has been incorporated into the Studio Player? That’s the question this review will explore. An enticing detail is that the Studio Player’s DAC circuit is identical to that of Wadax’s $175k Reference DAC, but with a less elaborate implementation. Fortunately, I’m able to directly compare the full suite of Reference products with the Studio Player. It should be interesting.

Three of us from The Absolute Sound heard the Studio Player at its introduction in Munich last year, and to a person we were greatly impressed. The Studio Player directly fed a pair of Audio Research’s new 330M monoblocks (watch for JV’s upcoming review), which drove Magico S3 2024 loudspeakers, all connected with Shunyata’s new affordable Theta interconnects and speaker cables. As someone with many hundreds of hours of listening time with the Wadax Reference components, I could hear the Wadax “DNA” in the sound. Tom Martin remarked that within seconds of hearing the first piece of music he had the impression that something was fundamentally right about the sound. Tom, Alan Taffel, and I singled out this room as one of the best-sounding in Munich, which is saying a lot in a show packed with vastly more expensive systems.

Description

The Studio Player’s casework is unmistakably Wadax, with a close family resemblance to the Reference products. The Studio Player, however, is more streamlined and conventional looking than the polarizing styling of the Reference components. The front panel is dominated by a 5″ color touchscreen that controls all functions. The Studio Player can also be controlled by the supplied ultra-slim remote control, although you’ll need to use the touchscreen for setup. Beneath the touchscreen is a disc drawer for CD and SACD playback, which glides in and out with silky smoothness.

The rear panel holds a pair of XLR analog output jacks. No RCA analog outputs are provided, although an option provides RCA outputs as well as a headphone jack. There are three digital output jacks in case you want to use the Studio Player as a streamer or disc transport (AES/EBU, RCA, BNC) as well as two clock inputs. The two clock inputs and optional power-supply jack allow the Studio Player to be upgraded as your budget permits.

The Studio Player can connect directly to Spotify, Qobuz, and Tidal through their native apps, with more streaming services on the way. The Studio Player is also one of the first streamers to support Tidal MAX, a new option that provides for up to 192kHz/24-bit playback through Tidal. Within the various streaming apps, you can see artwork, select music, and create playlists. Wadax has applied for Roon certification, but at press time the Studio Player is not yet a certified Roon Endpoint. The option of streaming from one of the streaming services directly is a feature that’s friendly to non-audiophiles in the household. Any user logged into the network can send music or playlists to the Studio Player through the native Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, or Qobuz Connect apps. MQA from both disc and streaming is supported, as is DSD streaming (DSD64, DSD128, DSD256). (Note that MQA decoding isn’t provided on the digital outputs because of digital rights restrictions.) The Studio Player is UPnP compliant and incorporates AirPlay. This latter capability allows you to stream from a TV to the Studio Player, with the Studio Player acting as the audio device to reproduce soundtracks from Netflix, Prime, and any other AirPlay device for improved sound quality. For example, if you have an AppleTV streaming box, you can select the Studio Player as the audio output device in the setup menu and enjoy movies and television shows in much greater fidelity through the Studio Player’s vastly superior DAC, power supplies, and clocking. The only requirement is that the Studio Player and AppleTV must be connected to the same network.

Qobuz, Spotify, and Tidal, in their “Connect” mode, as well as when used with a music-management app like Roon, are clocked by the master clock inside the DAC—a good thing. But AirPlay is the opposite; it wants to be the master clock to which the DAC locks, an arrangement that introduces jitter. This applies to any AirPlay device, from an iPhone to AppleTV, to Macs, and to iPads. To sync the DAC to the incoming data stream, the typical method is to use an asynchronous sample-rate converter (ASRC). The problem with an ASRC is that it resamples the incoming data so that it can output data at a known and precise sample rate to which the DAC can lock. That means that it changes the sample values, introducing small amplitude errors in the output signal. This was unacceptable to Wadax, so they designed a proprietary AirPlay implementation that allows the DAC to be the master clock without an ASRC. Wadax reports that in their listening tests, their method is significantly better sounding.

The front panel provides a wealth of set-up adjustments. One setting is whether the Studio Player has a fixed or variable output level. The former is for using the Studio Player with a preamplifier, the latter when driving a power amplifier directly. When in the variable-output mode, you can select the size of the steps in the volume adjustment. When I started using the Studio Player, I found the volume step sizes a little too big but easily reduced the step size, which made it easier to dial-in the precise volume I wanted. You can also set the nominal output level to 1V, 2V, or 4V (2V is the standard output level of DACs). Other adjustments include the player’s output impedance, polarity inversion, balance control, and the default playback layer of hybrid CD/SACD discs. When streaming, the display shows the album art and volume level. When playing a disc, the display shows track and time information.

Design

As with Wadax’s Reference products, the Studio Player is built to a very high standard of construction. It is made from more than 4500 discrete parts distributed over 40 separate printed circuit boards. The power supply is elaborate, with distributed regulators next to the circuits they supply. There are five stages of initial DC regulation followed by 30 local regulation stages.

A power supply regulator smooths out any fluctuations in the DC voltage that supplies a circuit. A large number of regulation stages better isolates the subsystems from each other as well as delivering cleaner DC to the audio circuits. Cascaded regulation, in which the output of one regulator feeds the input of another, results in smoother and quieter DC. Indeed, Wadax claims the total noise on the voltage rails is 0.5µV (1Hz–100kHz), an astonishingly low figure. This is a very sophisticated power supply by any measure.

The Studio Player benefits from Wadax’s proprietary “musIC 3” feed-forward error-correction system that operates in the time domain. According to Wadax, “by mapping the error mechanisms of a chosen DAC chip under load using Adaptive Delta Hilbert Mapping, we can develop an algorithm that examines the incoming signal and calculates the induced error (both linear and nonlinear) that will result. By applying an inverse signal at the input, we can real-time correct for the time and phase error that is so musically destructive in other, conventional decoding systems. This process requires a massive number of mathematical operations and a considerable data transfer rate of 12.8GBytes/s. Processing is done at 128-bit internal resolution to precisely render the output and generate the smallest feed-forward corrections.” This Wadax-developed technology has proven itself in the Reference DAC.

As I mentioned previously, the Studio Player’s DAC circuit is the same as that in the Reference DAC, but without the cost-no-object implementation. It is a fully balanced dual-mono design with complete physical separation of the left and right channels in both the analog and digital domains. The balanced DAC operation is why the Studio Player has only balanced outputs; the performance would be compromised by summing the two halves of the balance signal, or simply discarding one phase (which is sometimes done). The DAC stage benefits from the topology developed for the Reference DAC, as well as from the use of the same approach to clocking and power supply design but implemented within space and cost restrictions. The Studio Player’s DACs are on modular boards that can be replaced in the future as technology improves.

An unusual feature is the ability by the user to adjust the Studio Player’s output impedance. This feature, also found on the Reference DAC, allows you to better electrically match the Studio Player to the power amplifier it is driving. It’s a subtle difference but meaningful at this level of performance.

The Studio Player is solidly built, weighing 66 pounds out of the carton. The build-quality and fit ’n’ finish are exceptional. It’s also very easy and pleasant to use daily.

Listening

I auditioned the Studio Player primarily in its variable-output mode driving the CH Precision M10 amplifiers directly through AudioQuest Dragon interconnects. Being intimately familiar with the sound of Wadax’s cost-no-object Reference digital playback system, I was eager to hear its technical and spiritual descendent through the same playback system—Wilson Chronosonic XVX loudspeakers driven by the CH Precision amps.

It was immediately obvious that the Studio Player was cut from the same sonic cloth as its antecedent; the Studio Player shared a similar sonic signature to that of the Reference system.

Specifically, the Studio Player had fabulous bass—extended, full, warm, and rich. This tonal foundation set the stage for the Studio Player’s overall density of tone color and saturation of timbre. This is one quality I greatly appreciate in the Reference products, and now in the Studio Player; the Wadax products don’t have the characteristic thinness of tonal density and bleaching of tone color so common in digital. The weight and textural density in the bottom octaves through the lower midrange establish the player’s overall warmth. The Studio Player avoids a common shortcoming of digital—a threadbare character in the midbass that bleaches tone colors like an underexposed photograph,

The Studio Player avoided another drawback of digital—a bottom end that has weight but no textural detail. In many digital products, there’s plenty of energy in the bottom end, but the presentation sounds a bit mechanical, lacking the inner detail that reveals the mechanism that produced the sound. Two reference-quality tracks for assessing this attribute are the famous Ray Brown release Soular Energy, along with “Blue Bossa” from Brian Bromberg’s Wood II. On the Ray Brown album, the Studio Player not only reproduced the full weight and inner detail of Brown’s instrument; it also conveyed his unmatched sense of swing (you can also hear him swing hard on the terrific Duke’s Big 4). Bromberg’s solo acoustic bass performance covers an amazingly wide scale, revealing any anomalies between registers. The Studio Player’s highly resolved bottom end reveals nuances of expression in dynamics, timing, and timbre that add to the sense of hearing music-making. The acoustic trio album The Rite of Strings by Jean-Luc Ponty, Al Di Meola, and Stanley Clarke features some intricate unison passages between all three acoustic instruments (violin, guitar, bass). Through the Wadax Reference system, and now through the Studio Player, I could clearly hear the pitch and dynamics of Stanley Clarke’s acoustic bass rather than a slow and muddled blur. The Studio Player beautifully revealed the timing precision of these three superb musicians. This quality added to the sense of liveliness and musical energy.

The Studio Player’s midrange manages to sound rich, warm, and dense in tone color without being overly romantic. I attribute this quality to the Studio Player’s purity of timbre and its lack of grain, edge, and hardness. The Studio Player’s freedom from a hard and glassy edge on forte piano passages was evident on the beautiful solo by Rachel Z on the track “Inamorata” from her album Sensual. I can’t overstate how important the Studio Player’s smoothness and liquidity of timbre is to its overall sense of ease and ability to become absorbed in the music. Without the whitish grain and metallic edge overlaying timbres, music listening is so much more involving because one’s attention is on the performance without having to listen past the artifice. The rich density of timbre and lack of grain gave the music a natural and organic sound that promotes the experience of engaged relaxation, of slipping into musical immersion quickly and deeply. In fact, that’s perhaps the best barometer of a component’s quality—along with the urge to continue listening long past the planned time of the session.

Similarly, the treble is smooth and extended yet infused with detail. On the Rachel Z album, drummer Omar Hakim (Rachel Z’s husband) provides some delicate and sympathetic percussion that the Studio Player reproduced with gentle ease. Listen, for example, to the sensitive and perfectly balanced ride cymbal accents on the title track. The cymbal shimmers with a wealth of inner detail without a trace of hardness or glare. Moreover, the Studio Player resolves the cymbal’s inner detail as it decays. For another example of the Studio Player’s purity of timbre, check out Roy Hargrove’s trumpet on Jimmy Cobb’s Jazz in the Key of Blue on a Chesky SACD. This is perhaps the best-recorded trumpet sound I’ve heard, and the Studio Player reproduced it with a bell-like clarity and freedom from artifact that were breathtaking.

The Studio Player’s great achievement is delivering this smoothness and ease without sacrificing resolution. The resolution is presented not as sonic detail, but as musical expression. It’s not resolution that’s thrust at you and calls attention to itself. Rather, the resolution is in subtle details that reveal the inner character of an instrument’s timbre, the low-level decay of a cymbal, a vocalist’s unique turn of a phrase that adds poignancy to a lyric.

Although the Studio Player has a highly refined and sophisticated presentation, it doesn’t lack rhythmic drive and power. It can convey the high energy of a great band hitting on all cylinders. In addition to the fabulously weighty bass mentioned, the Studio Player has exceptional transient speed and dynamic agility. You can hear this in the way a bass guitar and kick drum work together to create a whole-body rhythmic flow. Listen to the track “Hands On” from Bob James’ Morning, Noon, and Night to hear the Studio Player’s dynamic prowess unleashed. Or how the Studio Player conveys the electric energy of Diana Krall’s first-rate band on Live in Paris, here played via SACD in the Studio Player’s disc transport.

Finally, we come to a quality that distinguishes Wadax from other digital products—dimensionality. The first time I heard the Reference DAC I was taken aback by the soundstage’s depth and three-dimensionality. The Studio Player continues that legacy, not just with depth and layering but also with a tangible sense of air between images. Images appear in the soundstage spatially distinct from other images, as separate entities rather than fused into the soundstage fabric. A recording with an amazing sense of space is The Astounding Eyes of Rita by the Tunisian oud master Anouar Brahem. The unusual instrumentation combines this ancient Middle Eastern instrument with bass, percussion (the darbuka and bendir), and bass clarinet. This ECM recording is spectacular in its dimensionality, with tangible air and the instruments lighting up the surrounding acoustic. Through the Studio Player, the playback system completely disappears, with images detached from the speakers and precisely located in space. The fabulous bass clarinet solo on the nine-minute title track also exemplifies the Studio Player’s richness and density of tone color in the lower registers, conveying the delicious deep woody character of this instrument. This recording also revealed how the Studio Player makes images suddenly appear in the soundstage in a way that is sometime startling—the entrance of the percussion, for example. I attribute this to the Studio Player’s transient speed as well as the utterly silent background.

As great as the Studio Player sounds, it is unsurprisingly not at the same level as the Reference system. That $465k package has deeper and more precise bass, greater dimensionality, and even smoother textures. But I’ll share with you an experience I had on more than one occasion that puts the difference into perspective. Many times, I was in a listening session at night for pleasure (not critical listening) and would completely forget that I was listening to the Studio Player and not to the usual Reference System. That’s how musically involving it is. When reviewing a “lesser” component in place of your reference component, there’s the tendency to feel something is missing and to want to finish the evaluation so that you can go back to hearing the system at its maximum performance level. The greatest testament to the Studio Player’s fundamental musical rightness is that I spent many evenings completely immersed in the music and didn’t give a second thought to the Reference system sitting in my rack unused. And remember that this comparison was made within the context of an ultra-high-resolution system of the Wilson Chronosonic XVX driven by state-of-the-art CH Precision amplification.

Conclusion

I’m thrilled that Wadax has distilled the technology and “soul” of the Reference system into the convenient, easy-to-use, and relatively affordable Studio Player. It’s a wonder that they managed to combine a streamer, DAC, CD/SACD player, and volume control into a single chassis while retaining the virtues that have distinguished Wadax’s best efforts. The Studio Player is the ideal heart of a compact and user-friendly system—just add a control tablet, power amplifier, and speakers. I also like the fact that it can be upgraded in the future with the addition of an outboard power supply and external clock. Moreover, the DACs are on modular boards that can be swapped if new technologies come along, protecting your investment. Best of all is the Studio Player’s sound quality. It has a tonal warmth and body that comes from its rich full bass and midbass, coupled with a lack of metallic sheen in the upper midrange and treble that make for a relaxed and involving listening experience. This ease doesn’t come at the expense of resolution; the Studio Player’s resolution is the musical kind that doesn’t rely on sonic fireworks. And then there’s the outstanding dimensionality and expansive soundstage that better allows the speakers to disappear.

Although not a budget-priced component, the Wadax Studio Player is, nonetheless, a bargain that delivers fabulous sound, sophisticated technology, upgradability, and ease of use in a single chassis. I think of it as The One-Box Wonder.

Specs & Pricing

Disc formats: CD, SACD
Streaming: Tidal and Spotify (more streaming services coming)
Analog output: Balanced on XLR jacks, fixed or variable, selectable output levels
Digital outputs: AES/EBU, SPDIF on RCA jack, SPDIF on BNC jack
External clock inputs: 2 on BNC jacks
Other inputs: Optional external power supply
Display: Five-inch color touchscreen
Output level: Fixed level selectable,1V, 2V, 4V; variable output level from front panel or remote control
Dimensions: 18.9″ x 10.45″ x 17.1″
Weight: 66 lbs. net, 99 lbs. shipping
Price: $39,800

WADAX S.A.
Ulises 108, 2A
28043 Madrid
wadax.eu
info@wadax.eu

Associated Equipment

Analog source: Basis Audio A.J. Conti Transcendence turntable with SuperArm 12.5 tonearm; Air Tight Opus cartridge; Moon 810LP phonostage; DS Audio ST-50 stylus cleaner
Amplification: CH Precision L10 linestage, CH Precision M10 power amplifiers
AC Power: Shunyata Everest 8000 conditioner, Omega and Sigma NR V2 power cords; Shunyata AC outlets, five dedicated 20A lines wired with identical length 10AWG
Support: Critical Mass Systems Olympus equipment racks and Olympus amplifier stands; CenterStage² isolation, Arya Audio RevOpods isolation
Cables: AudioQuest Dragon interconnects and AudioQuest Dragon Zero and Dragon Bass loudspeaker cables
Acoustics: Acoustic Geometry Pro Room Pack 12
Room: Purpose-built; Acoustic Sciences Corporation Iso-Wall System

The decoding for this extensive connectivity follows the T+A practice of splitting by format. It supports PCM to 768kHz precision, and this is decoded via a quartet of Texas Instruments (nee Burr Brown) PCM1795 chips running in dual differential mode and with a choice of four filters and the choice of switching to non-oversampling mode. Meanwhile, it takes DSD to 11.2MHz via a separate decoding module with its own pair of filters. You select these filter options via the app, and to T+A’s lasting credit, the process is far simpler to tinker with in reality than it might sound on paper. 

The PSD 3100 HV has one of the most elaborate power supply arrangements I’ve experienced on any product in any category. Many manufacturers will claim that they have split the power supply for the analogue and digital sections, but this feels a bit half-hearted compared to the lengths that T+A has gone to here. On the rear panel of the PSD 3100 HV, you will find an IEC socket at each end of the casework, each feeding a power supply, one of which is for digital and one for analogue. Both must be connected for the unit to work. Fortunately, I have 24 AC sockets available for moments like this; it might be something to consider in more ‘conventional’ setups. 

Will it fit?

Of course, this will be secondary to whether the T+A will fit in your system full stop. It is a vast bit of kit, more akin to a power amp than a digital front end, and you’ll need a fairly hefty rack to accommodate it. However, how T+A builds the PSD 3100 HV will leave many people making room for it. The immaculate casework has details like the top panel’s porthole showing off the decoder. These (not-so) little touches speak to a level of care and attention that justifies the price tag. How the controls operate and how they feel while they do so is hugely confidence-inspiring. Details like the soft touch buttons on the front panel that work seamlessly underline an unquestionable fastidiousness in engineering. The only slight oddity is that, while the display is vast, it is not a full-colour type, and some bits of information are more challenging to read than expected. The enormous metal remote is an absolute joy and a minor work of art in its own right. 

I initially connected the T+A up as a line-level DAC, running via XLR into a Chord Electronics CPM2800MkII integrated amp and Kudos Titan 505 speakers and listening via UPnP. I did so without an idea of what to expect because the company has been on a sonic journey over the years, particularly with digital. What was once scrupulously accurate if a trifle dry has become more full-bodied and engaging. 

In this case, the sound the PSD 3100 HV generates is as expansive as the casework. The opening brass of Gregory Porter’s Concorde [Blue Note] is a wave of scale and texture that washes over the listening position, effortlessly replicating the effect of sitting front and centre before the real thing. When Porter begins singing, the PSD 3100 HV transports you to this big, confident, immersive presentation. There is an unflappable quality in the T+A’s response to the layers of musicians that helps reduce the perception of any digital decoding happening. 

Something notable and admirable about this effortless ability to unpack material is that it doesn’t harm the T+A’s ability to deliver more aggressive material with the speed and punch it needs. Steven Wilson’s The Future Bites [Caroline International] maintains its relentlessness and energy, even as the sound envelopes you. This album has a surround mix, but I suspect most T+A owners won’t want to listen to it, such is the PSD 3100 HV’s ability with the stereo mix. 

As good as the T+A is as a line-level device with PCM, it has more to give. One of the reasons that I would be keen for T+A to secure their Roon certification is that using my resident Roon Nucleus via the USB input and upsampling to DSD sees the PSD 3100 HV become even more lush and expansive. Visual Audio Sensory Theater by VAST [Elektra] opens with the slow building ‘Here’, and how the T+A keeps adding scale while keeping everything intelligible yet ballistic is a near-perfect tightrope walk. I rarely think DSD is ‘better’ than PCM under all conditions. What T+A is doing, though, is genuinely exceptional. 

I then roped the PSD 3100 HV into testing the unusual Kudos Sigao Drive external crossover system. This arrangement meant running it as a preamp and using analogue input for a Violectic PPA V790 phono stage. This new configuration took about five minutes to establish that the T+A’s preamp section is far from an afterthought. As you might expect from a resistor ladder-based control, it’s beautifully linear and allows ultra-fine adjustment. It also effortlessly reflects the qualities of the Violectric and connected Vertere MG-1 MkII turntable.

Uncompressed effortlessness

Some of that same uncompressed effortlessness is present with just the analogue section running, and it meant that a spirited blast through Super Superabundance [Transgressive], the vinyl reissue of the Young Knives classic retains a ballistic edge but with enough forgiveness to handle less-than-perfect mastering that it demonstrates from time to time. At no stage do you find yourself listening and framing the result as ‘good for a DAC.’ It’s a meaningfully excellent preamp in its own right. And finally, it’s a shame that FM and DAB radio have become a minority sport in modern hi-fi, because they are more than welcome additions that far from let the side down.

What this all means is that while the T+A is rather large and not inconsequentially expensive, it has the scope to replace more than one existing box in your system (potentially freeing up that second mains socket as you go) while feeling completely and utterly free from compromise as it does so. The PSD 3100 HV is an entirely up-to-the-minute product that retains enough of the T+A fastidiousness to delight while showing a level of musical joy that it is hard not to fall for entirely. The PSD 3100 HV is undoubtedly very big, but it’s also very clever and an absolute delight to listen to. 

Specs & Pricing

Product T+A PSD 3100 HV 

Type: Digital preamplifier
Digital inputs: 1x AES/EBU (XLR), 4x S/PDIF (1x coaxial, 1x BNC, 2x Toslink), 2x USB (1x DAC, 1x Mass Storage, 2x HDMI, 1x RJ45, 1x IPA (LVDS), Wireless LAN connection
Analogue inputs: 1x RCA pair line-level input, FM/DAB antenna, HLink connection to other T+A devices
Digital Outputs: 1x HDMI (ARC), 1x coaxial S/PDIF
Analogue outputs: 1x RCA pair, 1x XLR pair, HLink
Digital input precision: AES/EBU, S/PDIF to 24bit, 192kHz PCM. USB to 24bit, 768kHz, DSD 512
D/A-Converter: Double-Differential-Quadruple-Converter with four 32-bit Sigma-Delta D/A-Converter per channel. 705.6/768 kHz conversion rate (PCM), T+A-True-1Bit DSD D/A-Converter, up to DSD 512 (24,5 MHz), native bitstream (DSD)
Dimensions (H x W x D): 17 x 46 x 46 cm
Weight: 26 kg
Price: £14,900, $22,000, €16,500

Manufacturer
T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co.
www.ta-hifi.de

Now, assuming you’re still conscious, DACs are hard to understand. I think they are worth understanding sonically, but because of the unusual nature of digital processing and the high level of performance here, I’m going to take the liberty to go slightly deeper and longer. If you just want a quick answer to “is it good?” then the answer is “yes”.

What Is the Issue?

An important reminder, or maybe new information, is that very important sonic factors in music reproduction often involve “the six major issues of audio believability”. As we’ve outlined them the big 6 are:

• The problem of recording standards
• The problem of visual images
• The problem of spatial imaging
• The problem of bass in real rooms
• The problem of dynamics
• The problem of a-musical digital distortions

The latter is the focus of our DAC Series, which this review is part of. Because these are difficult issues, they tend to get less attention than circuit and speaker refinements, but these 6 issues are probably more important for making progress at this stage in the evolution of audio technology which is why we’ve drawn attention to them.

For those disturbed by the implication of the term “a-musical” digital distortions, as if there were musical distortions, we use that term to distinguish such distortions from traditional harmonic distortion, which can be qualitatively like the harmonics that are central to the character of musical sounds. The digital distortions we are interested in here are not like that. Digital distortions can be, and the most problematic are, unrelated to the harmonic structure of musical sounds.

Digital distortions instead are often the byproduct of mathematical processes that may have no analogous process in nature. It is important to understand this because it suggests why digital, with much lower measured traditional distortion and noise than is typical for analog signals, can sound so problematic. Hearing is largely the result of complex brain processing, and the brain is wired by evolution to attend to certain kinds of signals — surprising or unnatural signals get extra attention. Or, to connect with our point about problems of believability, unusual and unnatural sounds are distractions because they focus attention on the distortion and away from the music.

Bad dog!

To give some examples of what we are talking about, my favorite example of an a-musical digital distortion is something called pre-ringing. Pre-ringing is a byproduct of the mathematical transformations needed to render the original analog signal as a digital signal and then return it to the analog domain necessary to make analog acoustic output you can hear. The “a-ha” moment for a lot of people comes when we point out that pre-ringing creates a distorted version of the music signal that occurs in the output to your stereo before the music signal that caused it happens. Yes, there is a type of digital distortion where signals happen before the “real” signal happens. I hope it is clear that this is completely unnatural. No one ever knocks on your door before they knock on your door. You are not living in a Steven King novel.

Another excitingly special digital distortion is something called ‘aliasing difference errors’. High frequency sounds can generate an artifact called an alias which is a tone not present in the original music that is created when the sampling frequency is lower than needed to capture the musical signal. Filtering is used to reduce these artifacts, but certain non-linearities in the process can lead remaining very high frequency alias signals to be subtracted from one another and generate tones shifted into the midrange where they are easily heard. And, as a reminder, they are signals unlike what was in the original music.

There are more such digital distortions. Some can be dealt with in the recording process, some can be addressed in the playback process and some can’t.

I’m not an expert on digital processing and I’m not trying to turn you into one. I’m simply trying to point out some of the myriad ways that musical digital processing is not just 1’s and 0’s and is vastly more complex than getting the numbers in a spreadsheet over to the accounting department in an email attachment. Timing of data and artifacts from conversion from and to analog are factors that matter for music signals and don’t matter for spreadsheets. Another way of putting this is that the signal analysis familiar from analog work is unlikely to reveal these digital problems, particularly because digital distortions are a-musical and thus may occur at an analog level that seems minor to a distortion analyzer but isn’t minor to your Version 10,000 evolutionary brain.

To put this in musical terms, many recordings heard today on digital have easily heard distortions if you are familiar with the sound of real instruments. Perhaps the best examples of this are the sounds of cymbals. Cymbals are hard to reproduce because they have transient information which contains significant high frequency content. At the extreme, if a cymbal transient were a perfect impulse response, it would contain frequencies up to infinity Hz. Yup, infinity. A cymbal strike isn’t a perfect impulse, but its transient nature yields signals at very high frequencies. It is possible that these are above the frequency or near the frequency manageable by the sampling rate, and thus are subject to “special” digital distortions.

It doesn’t take long to find transients that on a lot of digital playback equipment sound odd and unnatural. And it isn’t just with cymbals but also voice and piano and wind instruments. I listen to about 250 audio systems per year, and a common pattern you begin to notice is that vinyl-sourced systems rarely have these unnatural artifacts. Digital-sourced systems often do. Before you write to the King and ask for my head, this isn’t to say that vinyl is better than digital. It is to point out that we have ways to understand what “the absolute sound” sounds like and what are playback-related distortions of it (this includes me spending hours with pro drummers understanding the sounds of different cymbals and different techniques).

Sound Quality

Okay, Tom, when are you going to get to the Tidal Camira?

How ‘bout now, but I’m going to cover its sound quality first and then we’ll go into just a bit of the underlying technology. If you care about sound quality, with this one I think you’ll want to know what it does before I stumble around the room pointing at some of the circuitry that might make it work.

Those of you who have followed my speaker reviews will know that I like to use a sort of factor analysis of products. This is a convenient method for describing what a product does and allows the viewer some perspective on what the possible sonic factors are as well as describing how a given product performs on them.

An important bit of context here is that I find in many discussions with audiophiles that they tend to lead with a voicing and frequency response perspective. This makes sense because frequency response is readily heard. Plenty of music will have a moderately wide range of frequencies on display and you can readily hear bass roll off or an upper midrange dip or treble peaks. This is more problematic when we come to DACs and preamps and the like because they mostly can be designed to avoid emphasis or de-emphasis of various frequency bands. So, I’m not going to talk directly about frequency voicing here.

The real problem comes when you have equipment, like a DAC, that has distortions with certain kinds of signals and not with others. You have to use the right signals and wait for them in the right music to hear what is going on. This may be helpful to you in auditioning DACs.

I find that DACs differ in five key areas, at least four of which have this problem of “hiding until you look in the right place”, whence they are in plain sight.

Treble Transient Unpacking

My first DAC sonic differentiator can be called Treble Transient Unpacking. This is the main problem with DACs and believability. It is an occasional distortion, but a very big and obvious one. That’s why it distracts.

What is treble transient unpacking? Well, let’s start with the distortion you often hear with digital playback. On cymbals for example, you will often hear something that sounds like a crash, even when you doubt that the cymbal is of that type or has been struck with big force. If you listen carefully, you will notice that even these crashes don’t sound right. They come across as more like a burst of noise, than a big cymbal hit. It sounds to me as if all the transients of the strike got jumbled in time, leading to something less like real instrumental output and more like unnatural noise.

The Tidal Camira “unpacks” what was previously noise. It becomes a transient followed by ringing and shimmer. The transient isn’t over-spiked and the decay is spread out like the real thing. The transient is often followed by notable tones and waves of tones and different types of tones, not by grit, undifferentiated except by level.

I noted this unpacking with the Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 as well. The Camira takes this idea farther, largely by unpacking these treble transients more frequently. The unpacking on the Camira also seems somewhat more complete. So far, the Camira has the best performance I have heard in this difficult and important sonic department. Of course, I will continue to look for better performance or lower cost or both.

I do want to say that the Camira crosses some threshold of listenability that is new ground in my experience. It just requires less “bracing for impact” when treble transients are part of the music. Two qualifications are needed here, however.

Some digital distortions seem to be in the recording (vinyl check is warranted) and the Camira doesn’t mitigate these. There are older (e.g. 1990s) digital recordings where vocals have an edge that seems to be encoded in the file. Maybe someone can fix this, but we often forget that recordings and decimation (converting bit streams to different data rates) have potential distortions before they get anywhere near your equipment.

The second qualification about the Camira is that it unpacks treble transients, but the result isn’t as natural sounding as with the best vinyl rigs unless you use a very good streamer. The pain of digital transients is mitigated by the Camira with lesser streamers, but it seemed to me still possible to make the result more realistic sounding. Indeed, treble transient unpacking improved significantly when I used the Tidal Arkas streamer or the Antipodes Kala 50 streamer/server. I would say the difference the streamer makes is 75% as big as the difference the DAC makes. Maybe as big. With the combination of the Camira and an excellent streamer, we are very close to having our digital cake and eating our vinyl too, at least in terms of treble transients.

I should also mention that the treble of the Camira seems less bright than the treble of some other DACs, but I don’t think this is a frequency response phenomenon. If you unpack transients, they are more spread out and less attention-getting and you perceive this as “less bright”. Which is why, say, violin tone isn’t darkened or muffled on the Camira – it isn’t darkening tonal balance, it is avoiding over-amped transients and conversion artifacts.

Soundstage Width and Depth

Now I was in for another surprise with the Camira. I simply didn’t expect the large improvement in soundstage possible with a switch from a very good DAC to the Camira. Just for perspective, I’d say the soundstage width and depth with the Camira were 25% bigger than very good chip-based DACs. If you do the math, that’s a 50% increase in soundstage size, not that this is precision measurement. But I want you to know what I mean by “large improvement”. It wouldn’t be an improvement if performer placement didn’t seem more natural and simply less generated by the speakers. But it was advanced in this area.

I should add that I have noted some of this phenomenon going from a Topping ESS 9038 based DAC to a BluSound 9039 with QRONO to the dCS Lina to the Mola Mola Tambaqui to the Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference. What is impressive about the Camira is that the improvement is almost equal to all the other steps combined. If imaging information is based on phase information in the recording, then it might be that the unpacking of treble is something of a timing phenomenon, as it would be with phase information. That’s pure speculation on my part, but imaging may be simply another signal that reveals an underlying digital issue, or not, depending on the DAC. And, sorry to say, I have to note that the high-end streamers I used enhanced this phenomenon.

Bass Transient Response

Another feature of the Camira is the snap and drive it lends to bass instruments. The leading edge of notes simply has more detail and power. Again, this doesn’t sound like elevated bass, it sounds like better transient handling. Maybe the same transient unpacking happens, but in the case of bass it sounds more like bass time alignment. In any case, with reference to the absolute sound, it seems more natural and real, and I was surprised and impressed. The combination of the Tidal Arkas streamer with the Camira was especially impressive in this regard, and the dynamic capability of this combination extended above the bass region.

Tonal Density

In one sense, the Tidal Camira has excellent tonal density. This is in the domain we can call ‘continuousness’ which is simply the positive aspect of a lack of grain. The music sounds of a piece, as it does in real life. The Camira delivers continuousness very well, especially if you know real sounds, because some instruments like violins are not themselves grainless, having a texture as the bow slides over the strings.

The other aspect of tonal density derives in my listening from whether the equipment (the Camira in this case) sounds ‘bottom-up’ or ‘top down’ in orientation. This may simply be a byproduct of very slight frequency-shaping, but it sounds to me more like the presence of tiny transient errors, either softening transients in the case of a ‘bottom-up’ sound or highlighting transients in the case of a ‘top-down’ sound. Whatever the case in terms of signal processing, the Camira has a slightly ‘top-down’ sound, though this seems for the Camira to stem from its extra transparency and image definition in the upper midrange and treble region, which simply causes attention to go there in contrast with other equipment that is fractionally more opaque in these difficult bands. I also thought the use of the Tidal Arkas streamer addressed this very small top-down orientation and made things about as neutral as I’ve heard.

Organicness

My final parameter for DAC evaluation can be called ‘organicness’. In an attempt to avoid too high a ‘Woo Factor’ in this description, there is a lot of research in A/D and D/A conversion suggesting that timing errors, and not just jitter but also interpolation errors, are a factor in perceived sound quality. I have spent some time listening to time-corrected vs standard conversion techniques in an effort to explain what work on this dimension sounds like. I’ve landed on the term ‘organicness’ mainly to indicate the time-managed digital signals and digital conversions sound more natural and relaxed and whole. If your reference is the absolute sound, and you have experience with real instruments, you can notice this right away.

I also think the feedback from some audiophiles that time-managed digital signals are inferior may come from using stereo systems as a reference and becoming accustomed to the sound of timing distortions. In any event, I and others on The Absolute Sound editorial team have experienced a distinct preference for organicness in digitally processed music since it better approximates our reference, much as many of us have noticed the success of vinyl playback and tape in certain important dimensions, of which this is one. This is, I think, more a matter of goals and methods than it is a matter of taste.

I think the Camira is better here than many other DACs. That said, my experience is that the state of the art here depends somewhat on the recording process. But the openness and continuousness of playback with the Camira and an excellent streamer removes a subtle sense of the sound being processed.  This puts us in new territory where some recordings sound remarkably like the instrument being played live.

Believability

These comments are intended to be understood within a framework that says our aim with audio for music is to get to a level of believability in the reproduction of music that we aren’t distracted by the sound quality, and we are able to hear what the artists and musicians and engineers were trying to do. Most listeners may not think of believability as their goal in evaluating audio gear and recordings, and that’s fine, but I think it is the logical goal of the audio hobby.

Now, different listeners may have different believability concerns and sensitivities. Our reviewers can’t know those, so we take our job to be describing what the equipment does, within the context of what we’ve learned about possible barriers to believability.

The Tidal Camira makes an important step objectively in the right direction for addressing DAC distortions and for rendering music more realistically than you may have thought possible. I played track after track from saxophonist Noah Preminger and percussionist Christopher Clarino and violist Kim Kashkashian that were delivered quite close to the proverbial “they were performing in my room” level. And I found less-perfectly recorded work from Throwing Muses and Indigo Girls and John Coltrane that were still more engaging through the Camira, an important point because you don’t want to be limited to a small library of excellent recordings. But subjectively or financially you may or may not care about this progress.

A Note on Circuit Design

The Camira LC has a level control (the LC in the name) that is designed to minimize impact on sound quality. Behind the volume knob is a motor-driven ALPS potentiometer which can be turned manually or with the remote. The potentiometer simply generates a signal indicating how loud you’d like to have the music. The volume level selection signal is transferred, via an A/D converter, as a digital volume indication to a lossless level controller inside the 4R4 ladder DAC.

The volume control uses a unique process of how to divide the music signal into equally big pieces without losing resolution. Digital level controls can suffer the loss of resolution and therefore never sound really great. Some manufacturers add an analog volume control after the DAC as a compromise, basically building pre-amp in front of the output stages. Which is like adding another filter in front of it. Tidal, instead, directly control the A to D process within the converter.

The sign-magnitude pure discrete 32-bit 4xR4R ladder DAC has many special features. The sign-magnitude circuit uses two ladders, one for the positive signal and one for the negative. This minimizes crossover glitches resulting from the use of two’s complement data in the PCM signal.  This is happening in the digital conversion process, but designer Jorn Janczak says a rough analogy is to the benefit of using class A vs class A/B amplifier circuits.

An FPGA is also used where Tidal renders 44.1 kHz sampled signals very closely back to analog without the typical tricks like upsampling. For example, the Camira uses real fill-sampling, and has no pre-and post-ringing of the digital filters. Tidal also leverages the FPGA software to do timing correction that delivers bits to left and right channels at the same time. Like an analog signal. Class A analog stages are used with careful linear regulation to get signal-to-noise ratios higher than the best instruments can measure. 20 regulated voltage supplies in all are used. Janczak says “the devil is in the details to make all of this work.”

A big change with the new Camira LC has been to shorten signal paths. This effort has made for quite a packaging exercise, reducing the Camira from 3 chassis down to one. Since parts in this approach have to be inserted and carried on the undersides of some boards, the structure is CNC routed.

This just touches the surface, but suffice it to say, Tidal has paid attention to many factors in avoiding digital and analog distortions. You may be bothered by the price of doing this, and if you are, it might be wise to think of the Camira LC as a test bed for new ideas that will make future DACs better. Experiments done by small companies aren’t free, and it might be better to have the experimentation and then figure out how to cost reduce it than to not have the experimentation at all.

Summary

The Tidal Camira is the best DAC I have tested to date. It is also the most expensive. Being high-quality is good, but to me the real win with the Camira is that it crosses a threshold on treble transient quality and adds enticing benefits in soundstaging and bass delivery. I am deeply impressed.

John Mingo didn’t suffer fools (or computer-challenged audiophiles) and learned early on that this aspect of his personality was costing him sales. He hired Joe Makkerh in Montréal to take over training and customer service, and Baetis flourished, gaining a reputation not just for superb-sounding digital players but also for a level of technical support unsurpassed anywhere in the industry. Mingo retired in 2017 and sold the company to Makkerh, who now functions as its chief designer and CEO. Baetis Audio has maintained three levels of players, the Prodigy, Revolution, and Reference models. When John Mingo passed away in late 2022, it made perfect sense to name Baetis Audio’s most advanced product to date after the curmudgeonly audiophile/economist/fisherman.

Joe Makkerh knows quite a bit about the design and implementation of computer systems but works closely with two younger men having additional expertise. One is Padli Lumsden, a designer with a background in engineering physics, who conceives, builds, and refines many of the critical components found in Baetis computers. The other is Brian Williams, who actually began working for Makkerh at the age of 16. Williams builds all the Baetis systems—Joe Makkerh taught him how to do it—and is also charged with installing the software an individual user requires. In terms of the Baetis Reference 4 Mingo+ Edition music and media server, Williams is responsible for two of the new product’s most significant features, innovations that impact both sound quality and user-friendliness.

First, although Baetis will build you a Reference 4 Mingo+ with a Windows operating system, they’d rather manufacture one with a Linux OS. The advantages of Linux are well known and include its open-source nature: Developers can get at the basic code and make modifications that suit their exact requirements. Beyond that, Joe Makkerh proudly describes his Linux-based server as “lean and mean” and “more appliance-like.” It’s easier to use, with a more stable and secure functionality. A lot less can go wrong with the machine, and software updates are far simpler. Additionally, the Mingo+ operates in “headless” fashion—that is, without the need for a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. Instead, the client controls the server with the Roon app and the Baetis Remote module for the Unified Remote mobile app. The module that is installed on a phone or tablet was developed by Williams, and is customized for a specific end-user.

Plenty of connectivity is provided. A high-quality AES/EBU input is standard, and Reference Mingo+ customers get the top USB output from JCAT in the form of the USB Card XE Evo. JCAT cards are typically manufactured in Canada for the Polish company, and it has impressed Joe Makkerh thoroughly. (For $1200 less, you can buy a plain Reference Mingo—no “plus”—that lacks any USB audio interface, which certainly makes sense if you’re using a DAC without a USB input.) HDMI out is provided for multichannel partisans and there are “various enhanced video options” for those who will be using their Baetis to watch movies as well as for critical listening, though this would require that the Mingo+ utilize a Windows operating system. The proprietary daughterboard that’s been a constant in Baetis servers since the company’s beginnings galvanically isolates and substantially reduces noise for both the SPDIF RCA and AES/EBU pathways. An audiophile-grade JCAT XE network card that, like the USB card, is externally powered via a DC cable and made for Baetis by Analysis Plus, is also standard. [See Sidebar.] Speaking of power, as with previous Reference models, a massive HDPLEX 300W linear power supply is included in the price, one with multiple taps to power the main computer as well as the USB and network cards. There’s a 4TB solid-state internal drive and 64 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM; internal wiring is with Revelation Audio Labs cryo-silver. An optical CD-ripping disk drive can be provided as a $100 add-on.

A customer chooses either a silver or black finish for the faceplate of the black case, and there’s an option for a mid-size enclosure, 13.25″ in width instead of 17″, that saves $300. The signatures of John Mingo and Joe Makkerh are laser-etched into the rear aspect of the top plate, a nice touch, though it’s not visible unless the server is sitting on the top of your rack. The on/off switch for the player is hidden away on the right side of the chassis, a small button between the front plate and the first heat fin.

The process of acquiring a Baetis media player begins with a phone call or email to Joe Makkerh. Although there’s a small network of dealers/demonstrators in North America and elsewhere, currently at least 95% of Baetis purchases represent direct sales. Makkerh and the customer settle on the exact configuration for the unit; each machine is built to order with a typical turnaround time of three to four weeks from when the player is ordered until delivery. Usually, Roon music management software is pre-installed, but Baetis is happy to load in JRiver or some other program of the buyer’s choosing, so long as Makkerh is confident it will function reliably with his product. Two short videos, specific to what the customer has purchased, are sent to the owner before the player is shipped. The first covers “What’s-in-the-box,” and the second provides instructions regarding what the customer needs to do ahead of the online meeting that will get them up-and-running. This may represent a bit more coddling than even the most technophobic audiophile needs, but it is sort of reassuring to be addressed by name by the guy who designed your media computer.

When the customer does receive the player, a one-to-two-hour remote session is scheduled with Joe Makkerh to assure the owner can use his new component successfully. As directed by the set-up video, an “EDID video dongle,” about the size of a USB flash drive, is inserted into the HDMI or DisplayPort, allowing the team in Canada to remotely configure the Baetis in the customer’s music system. The client also allows the Montrealers temporary access to the tablet, or phone on which the Unified Remote app resides to be led through the remarkably straightforward procedure to play music. The Baetis can also be controlled from a computer—anything running Roon essentially. If technical problems arise or if additional instruction is needed, help is readily available, generally gratis or—if you’re a really slow learner—at a very reasonable cost. Not only is this level of client support very unusual, Makkerh is a gifted and patient teacher, efficiently and tactfully adjusting to his customer’s level of computer experience.

The Baetis Reference 4 Mingo+ was substituted for the Reference 3B that’s been my everyday digital file player for close to four years. For stereo playback, associated gear included a Tidal Audio Contros DAC/preamplifier, Tidal Ferios monoblocks powering Magico M2s, and a Magico S-Sub. Analog connections were with Siltech 880 series balanced interconnects and speaker cables; digital wires included Wireworld Platinum (AES/EBU) and Cableless (USB) products. For multichannel, the Mingo+ sent data via HDMI to an Anthem AVM 70 processor. Three Pass Labs XA 60.8 amplifiers, a Magico S3 MkII (center) and a pair of Magico S1 MkIIs (surrounds), hooked up with Transparent Audio Ultra cabling, complemented the 2-channel setup.

I’ve had one or another Baetis Audio product in my system pretty much continuously for over a decade, either to review or as my usual server/streamer. With models from both the Revolution and Reference lines, I’ve heard incremental improvements over time. The Reference 4 Mingo+ Edition is more than that, a significantly greater advance over an earlier design than I’ve encountered previously. Generally, I don’t find brief A/B comparisons to be the best way to judge the relative merits of two components, but they can be useful for suggesting why there might be a meaningful difference. Comparisons of the Reference 3B to the Reference 4 Mingo+ reminded me a lot of an examination to get new eyeglasses. The optometrist cycles through different lenses with a phoropter and asks which is clearer: “1 or 2? 2 or 3? 1 or 3?” At first, the difference with each binary choice often seems minimal, if it exists at all. But then you’re presented with an option that’s vastly better, which is the keeper. That’s what listening with the new Baetis seemed like compared to my trusty Ref 3—an obvious choice.

With my Reference 3B vs. Reference 4 Mingo + comparisons, resolution was the audio metric that set them apart. Not resolution in the sense of more musical detail (though that was certainly part of it) but an improved appreciation of the rhythmic vitality, spatiality, and the modulation of timbre and dynamics responsible for interpretive nuance, and that serve as reality triggers for critical listeners. There was a powerful sense of listening more deeply into the music. Making my way through my equipment review playlist, I noted many such instances. Some examples:

As rendered by the Reference 4 Mingo+, it’s obvious that Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche, performed by Christian Ivaldi and Noël Lee on an early-70s EMI recording, is played on two pianos as opposed to one instrument with two musicians sharing the same keyboard (“piano four-hands.”) As a consequence of this additional clarity, the final movement, “Brazileira” accrues more of the lurching syncopation that propels the music forward.

Anthony McGill’s readings of the two Brahms clarinet sonatas on the Cedille label are transcendent because of his subtle shadings of dynamics and tone color, features of his musicianship that have never seemed more evident than with playback of a Qobuz 96/24 stream by the Mingo+.

On Bonnie Raitt’s “Storm Warning” from her Longing in Their Hearts album, the thoroughly organic nature of the background vocals is manifest—it seems apparent that the luxuriant harmonies were worked out in the studio by the four singers as they responded to Raitt’s plaintive lead vocal and the general melancholia of the song.

The very first sound heard on Bernard Haitink’s 2010 performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No.15 (RCO Live) is an E above the staff played on a set of orchestral bells. Eighteen bars later, there’s a B a fourth lower, and one can tell that the percussionist is striking a slightly bigger piece of metal to produce that note.

Via the Mingo+, there’s a profound sense of occasion experienced listening to James Levine’s performance of the Brahms Requiem, recorded live in the spacious acoustic of Symphony Hall by the Soundmirror team for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s house label. I was there and remember the feeling.

“Just a Little Lovin’,” the perennial audio show favorite crooned by Shelby Lynne, never sounded more salacious. There was an urgency to the vocal I’d not heard before that I’m sure comes through loud and clear in live performance. (Lynne opened a show with the old Dusty Springfield number as recently as January 2024.)

The explosive dynamics of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band firing on all cylinders are exhilarating yet fully contained on the title track from Act Your Age—with the new Reference model, it’s easier to suspend disbelief when faced with a musical effect that can only be faintly approximated by any stereo system.

It should be noted that the above observations were made utilizing an AES/EBU connection from Baetis to DAC, as that’s how I usually listen to 2-channel music—my Tidal Contros preamp/processor doesn’t have a USB input. There are definitely some advantages to USB, including the capacity to handle very high data rates and native DSD files, of which I have many. I borrowed a Bricasti M1 Series II DAC from Doug White, proprietor of The Voice That Is, which has both AES and USB inputs (as well as RCA SPDIF and TosLink). Further complicating an assessment was that Baetis will also provide, for its retail cost of about $300, the Signalyst software product HQPlayer, a very well-regarded upsampling filter suite. I spent time comparing the USB options—with and without HQPlayer—to AES and found that the former did deliver a touch more detail and transparency, especially with HQPlayer installed. But the difference between AES/EBU and USB was nowhere near as consequential as switching from Baetis Reference 3B AES to Reference 4 Mingo+ AES. The degree of improvement one gets with USB—if any—will be very much dependent on the DAC that’s utilized. If you happen to have a DAC that has both interfaces, such as the Bricasti and converters from Mytek or T+A, by all means make the appropriate comparisons and decide for yourself.

The benefits realized with stereo playback via AES (or USB) were also apparent with multichannel, utilizing a Transparent Audio HDMI cable to connect the Mingo+ to the Anthem and the 5.1 channel amplifier/loudspeaker system described above. As a spatial music enthusiast, I also asked about the possibility of rendering Dolby Atmos. Makkerh and Brian Williams worked out a way to deliver immersive MKV files stored on an external hard drive into my Anthem AVM 70 processor by way of the Mingo+. If you have a special requirement for your digital playback, you should definitely inquire.

Even at this late date, many audiophiles, especially those in middle age or beyond, find the very idea of “computer audio” unappealing. That’s understandable. Too often, there are wasted hours at our day jobs caused by IT glitches and failures, and there’s always a learning curve when a new technology is introduced. Baetis Audio has developed a product that, sonically, is second to none in the digital firmament, and Baetis offer an ease of operation as well as a level of customer support that assures, as much as possible, that a user can spend his precious free time enjoying Bartók, Billie, or Bruce and not staring at a frozen screen or a lonely flashing cursor. Could you just play music off your cellphone and be done with it? Theoretically, yes. But don’t do it. Don’t even think about it. Stop. Just Stop.

Specs & Pricing

Inputs/outputs: One proprietary BNC or RCA SPDIF, one proprietary AES/EBU, one audiophile USB (JCAT XE Evo) with USB 3.0 and 2.0 compatibility, one HDMI 2, one DisplayPort, four USB 3.0
Connectivity: Ethernet (externally powered JCAT), Wifi
Dimensions: 17″ x 4.625″ x 14.5″
Weight: 23 to 25 lbs., depending on options
Price: $14,500 (black or silver, full-size case), as reviewed

BAETIS AUDIO
27 Redpath Place
Montreal QC H3G1E2
Canada
(888) 357-0035
baetisaudio.com