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RE: Mac with FW dac + external master clock. Anyone?

Posted by cfmsp (A) on August 4, 2009 at 19:07:22

In Reply to: RE: Mac with FW dac + external master clock. Anyone? posted by modena on August 4, 2009 at 02:09:49:

I didn't arrive at the choice of ULN-2 through normal audiophile channels, so I don't have head-to-head comparisons with other DACs to offer.

I was looking for a very high quality portable recording device before I realized that I could use the device's DAC in a computer audio playback chain.

Long story short, the ULN-2 came highly recommended as pre/ADC/DAC by recordists (e.g. Barry Diament and John Atkinson), and it was recommended for its DAC alone by Vincent Sanders (and also Barry and others), so I bought it on trial at B&H, compared it to my current recording devices, and also to my Arcam FMJ CD23 CD player (with its dCS RingDAC implementation), and was very happy. The CD23 does NOT have a digital input, so I couldn't do a direct comparison to the RingDAC, but it's been gathering dust since I hooked up the ULN-2.

I also knew from reading Bob Katz and Dan Lavry's comments on recording forums that the ideal is to use a high quality clock in a ADC/DAC as master, which is quite easily accomplished with Firewire. I use the Firewire input direct from Macbook Pro, but also have the TOSlink input connected to an Apple TV.

Metric Halo make some of the best gear available, despite not receiving audiophile accolades. They don't make a lot of different gear. They make a small number of pieces that are the best at what they do. Their new ULN-8 has upped the ante significantly.

They OEM the DACs that Sonic Studio sell, both the Sonic Studio series and the Amarra hardware. The Model Four and the 304 are based on the ULN-8 (which was recently released by Metric Halo after a nearly two year beta period).

Check it out if you get the chance.

Highly recommended.

Edits: 08/04/09

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