Comments on: The Bryston BDA-1 DAC https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/ The enthusiast's audio webzine Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:46:34 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.26 By: star https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-3258 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 06:14:54 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-3258 M51
PWD2
Hilo
fostex hp a8
dB Audio Labs tranquility
neko d100

all above at 2000 dollar range

ARK MX+ DAC
Arcam irDac
dac port lx
M2Tech Young 384/32 D/A Converter

all above in the 800 dollar range
which would suit best a lcd-x headphone ?

Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold would be best amp for the same headphone ?

]]> By: 405line https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-2267 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:27:26 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-2267 Seems not to offer much for the money, £2000 for an half empty box, you can get a DAC for £55+P+P that is ostensibly the same. Class A output is easy to achieve.

]]> By: Thor https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-792 Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:46:04 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-792 I was quite happy with the sound of the Bryston BCD-1, then I played it through the Bryston BDA-1 and the sound improved a bit. Then, I heard the BCD-1 through a Neko D-100 Mk2 DAC and, WOW, the sound improved DRAMATICALLY! A lot more musical and a lot less listening fatigue caused by glare and digititis. I immediately sold my BDA-1 and bought a Neko DAC. I can now listen to my favourite CDs and my Sooloos system for hours and still want more. This has got to be the most musical digital combination I have ever heard and the closest digital set up to a very good analog (turntable) setup. The BCD-1 / Neko combo sound beats many $10,000 + CD players that I have heard, for sheer musicality and closeness to the live performance.

]]> By: Patrick Dillon https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-623 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:19:08 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-623 Thanks Eric — not had a chance to hear the Logitech in my rig so I can’t comment.

]]> By: Eric https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-593 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:55:36 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-593 Great article Patrick – DACs are certainly getting very interesting – Have you had experience with the Logitech Transporter? Curious as to how it would stack up in comparison to the Eastern Electric and the Bryston.

]]> By: Patrick Dillon https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Mon, 16 May 2011 22:09:35 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-569 Michael, unfortunately I no longer own the Marantz so I cannot check my set up but I do recall XLR pin wiring being discussed when the player first came out which worried me at first but since I also preferred the balanced outs over single ended when I was trying various cable combos, which I often did, and saw no improvement when using the phase inversion control on my preamp, I just trusted my ears and enjoyed the music ( though I agree it’s a loose end I wish I could tidy up now). Perhaps more pertinent to you at this point, if the choice is BDA with the SA11 or buying the PWT/PWD combo, then I’d make the decision purely on economic grounds as both are great options sonically. If I was just buying a DAC, I think the BDA is pretty hard to pass up at the price but you can probably pick up a PWD below list far more easily. The SA11 was (and still is, I am sure) a lovely piece to own and use, so keeping it for transport duties is obviously an attractive option too.

]]> By: Michael https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-568 Mon, 16 May 2011 18:50:04 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-568 The later version is the SA-11S2. I am not aware of any changes to the SA-11S1 during its production, but it could be internally adjusted at the connector for your setup. I had a custom cable made to correct the phase in my own rig. I will consider your review as I have been looking the BDA-1 or the PS Audio PWD for future digital source. Your review, as well as others, all indicate a performance gain from the Marantz. Your review happens to mark the difference as remarkable.

]]> By: Patrick Dillon https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-567 Mon, 16 May 2011 18:37:46 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-567 Hi Michael

Thanks for the note — indeed, my SA-11 was a corrected later version, and I also have phase inversion on the preamp which I check routinely on all review items. For me, good as the SA11 was as a player, it was far better in my room with the BDA-1. Best, Patrick.

]]> By: Michael https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-566 Mon, 16 May 2011 17:02:04 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-566 I have the SA-11S1 and I am curios about your testing methodology. Did you test with balanced connections from both players? If you did, have you accounted for the phase mismatch between your preamp and the Marantz player? I did peak into that preamp manual and confirmed that they are mismatched and would require an XLR that crosses the pin configuration. Marantz resolved this issue by offer phase inversion on the later model. It could possibly account on why you had heard such a vast difference.

]]> By: Patrick Dillon https://www.hifizine.com/2011/03/the-bryston-bda-1-dac/comment-page-1/#comment-302 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:24:26 +0000 http://www.hifizine.com/?p=1558#comment-302 Hi Patrick — thanks for your comment but with respect, I have to disagree. There was nothing wrong with my SA-11 S1, and I am confident of this since it had been checked over recently and its firmware updated by Marantz. Clearly every system is different but in mine, as I said, the improvements wrought by the BDA-1 were obvious to all who listened.

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