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REVIEW: Art Audio ART DI/O DAC Processors

Model: ART DI/O
Category: DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price: $249
Description: Compact AtoD/DtoA converter
Manufacturer URL: Not Available
Manufacturer URL: Not Available

Review by Brian Cheney (M) on January 18, 2002 at 21:25:49
IP Address: 152.163.204.67
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This review deals specifically with the ART DI/O DAC as modified by Wayne Waananen of Bolder Cable Co ($150), used together with a custom AC power supply consisting of a 25A power transformer and 10A variac.

Since much has been said about the performance of this small (5x5x1.5") DAC designed for the professional market, I will not elaborate further on the features of the stock unit. In the Bolder mod, the connectors are replaced with high quality RCA inputs and outputs, the output caps are removed and replaced with a bridge, the CPU is replaced with a higher quality type, diodes and several other parts are upgraded. Details are available from waananen@msn.com.

It was my experience that the DI/O's performance is greatly dependent on its power supply, and many users have substituted larger supplies for the wall-wart supplied. I ended up with a 25A transformer (silly considering the 400mA draw of the DI/O) run from a large variac, since I quickly discovered the unit liked a stable 9.83VAC for best sound. The DI/O has multiple voltage regulations onboard, so it is a puzzle why it should react so audibly to small changes in supply voltage. This review applies only to the Bolder modified DI/O with the 25A supply and variac with a loaded output of 9.83VAC. The sound of the DI/O was audibly less good with 9.81 VAC or 9.85VAC inputs, the smallest changes in either direction available from the variac I used. If you ignore this requirement do not expect the results I describe.

The Bolder modified ART DI/O is, in my opinion based on five month's use of the stock unit and one month's use of the mod, a state of the art DAC, competitive with the best I have compared it with, those competitors being modern, highly reviewed converters priced up to $8,000. Not that I have heard all converters, just a half dozen or so; I will be happy to email any interested inmates exactly which brands and models I used for comparison.

The sound of the modded DI/O with Big Supply (which I will henceforth refer to as BS) is an outstandingly natural, highly detailed DAC that does the audiophile things (sounstage, PRAT, slam, etc) extremely well while conveying the dynamic impact of music better than any other converter in my experience. It was good enough for me to incorporate the modded DI/O into my CES system which won Best of Show. Of course, a DAC requires a transport and digital IC; I used Wayne's IC over the solid silver Audio Magic digital IC which retails for $1000, on the basis of sonic quality alone. As a transport, my 10-year-old Krell MD 10 ($8000 in 1991) served well. I have not found anything better in a decade.

The DI/O is inexpensive (I paid $132 from Full Compass); the mod is inexpensive ($150); the BS is inexpensive ($100). Most audiophiles would hoot at this diy contraption and wonder why its like is not commercially available. I can only speculate that most engineers do not give a power supply a second thought, once the basic requirements of the circuit are met. If you want this level of sound quality in a DAC, you are going to have to put some effort of your own into it. The High End started as a hobby, and now reverts to one for best possible performance. What an irony; I am not surprised at those who scoff at it.

The sound of the modded DI/O/BS held its own against DVD-A and SACD I compared it to; I don't think either format is necessarily superior to redbook CD played through the modded DI/O/BS. Strong words, but if you take the trouble you can easily find out for yourself, at cost of about 20 CD's.

Ball is in your court, fellas.

Big B


Product Weakness: you have to diy
Product Strengths: sound quality, cost


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Plinius 250/IV
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Jadis JPL
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Krell MD10
Speakers: VMPS RM40
Cables/Interconnects: Analysis plus; Bolder
Music Used (Genre/Selections): all types
Room Size (LxWxH): 31 x 14 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments: full LEDE
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1-5 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio, Bybee
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Art Audio ART DI/O DAC Processors - Brian Cheney 21:25:49 01/18/02 (31)


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