Antelope Audio DACS

[The Monkey]

I've been avoiding the DA11. Maybe I shouldn't?

[Hopstretch]

More than four DACs in-house at a time is a venial sin, my son.

[The Monkey]

I hate gear.

[Torpedo]

I've been avoiding the DA11. Maybe I shouldn't?

Maybe you shouldn't DEW IT!!!!!

[jp11801]

I've been avoiding the DA11. Maybe I shouldn't?

my short time with the DA11 at RMAF left me with a very positive impression of it, DEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Monkey]

you are bad.

[dreamwhisper]

I've been avoiding the DA11. Maybe I shouldn't?

If it's anything like the DA10, you shouldn't.

The higher end Lavry's just might be really good tho.

Looking forward to your impressions of the P-diddy 1000,

[Cankin]

Yeah he says something like current DACs don't process the higher rates fast enough, so they actually sound worse than well-done 24/96.

so the upsampling rate of CA 740c, 840c (24/384) and Simaudio Andromeda (24/705.6) are a marketing thing only??

[Torpedo]

If it's anything like the DA10, you shouldn't.

The higher end Lavry's just might be really good tho.

Looking forward to your impressions of the P-diddy 1000,

I haven't heard the DA10, but own the DA11. It's a nice DAC which sounds better than I expected. The headphone output works fine with low impedance cans, but I don't like it very much with the Senns, though it sounds clean, maybe "too much".

IMO it sounds more "natural" than analytical, it doesn't seem a pro unit. In addition it sounds quite consistent no matter if you feed it using Toslink, AES/EBU, SPDIF or USB. I find it listenable even using the optical connection, so go figure.

Mr Monkey, I think you might enjoy it, but you already have many good DACs. I'm not very sure it will "outperform" them though I'm quite sure you won't find it grossly inferior.

[morphsci]

Looks like the Antelope Zodiac is available now at Sweetwater. I have dealt with Sweetwater in the past and it has always been a good experience. I have to keep an eye out for the Zodiac+

[dreamwhisper]

I haven't heard the DA10, but own the DA11. It's a nice DAC which sounds better than I expected. The headphone output works fine with low impedance cans, but I don't like it very much with the Senns, though it sounds clean, maybe "too much".

IMO it sounds more "natural" than analytical, it doesn't seem a pro unit. In addition it sounds quite consistent no matter if you feed it using Toslink, AES/EBU, SPDIF or USB. I find it listenable even using the optical connection, so go figure.

Mr Monkey, I think you might enjoy it, but you already have many good DACs. I'm not very sure it will "outperform" them though I'm quite sure you won't find it grossly inferior.

it sounds really similar to the Bel Canto DAC3, except the Bel Canto is more transparent and has way nicer extended highs.

DAC3 sounds warm, whereas DA10 is more neutral, and also lacks some dynamic range in comparison as well as not quite as much lower level detail.

Hardly fair because the DAC3 is twice the price, but I'd say it's worth it, especially if you wanted the neutrality of the Lavry.

Yeah I thought the headamp was decent.

When I was audtioning the DA10 and the Electrocompaniet ECD1 the Lavry suffered greatly for looking like a piece 'o brown log

Speaking of DAC's. I'm really liking Mr Apogee MiniDAC, it doesn't really have to apologize much as it sounds nicely musical. I have a bit of a problem with the bass and how its a little loose and could extend deeper but it's starting to grow on me.

It's sound sig is what I consider enjoyable, warm with nice PRaT. I prefer it to the Lavry, and even the Bel Canto because I find it more to my taste.

I think my dream DAC at the moment is a Processor 3, but I could last for a while just with the Apogee.

[The Monkey]

Looks like the Antelope Zodiac is available now at Sweetwater. I have dealt with Sweetwater in the past and it has always been a good experience. I have to keep an eye out for the Zodiac+

You buy it now.

[n_maher]

You buy it now.

I didn't like the whole "we have no idea when this will really be available" text in that add or the fact that they don't have a really real product photo yet. For a newish company with a totally new product I want proof it really exists, kthxbye.

[The Monkey]

Yikes, I thought that sucker was ready to ship. Jim...you can hold off.

[morphsci]

I didn't like the whole "we have no idea when this will really be available" text in that add or the fact that they don't have a really real product photo yet. For a newish company with a totally new product I want proof it really exists, kthxbye.

Yikes, I thought that sucker was ready to ship. Jim...you can hold off.

I'm pretty sure that text was not there when I first saw the advert. and posted the link. So looks like somebody jumped the gun. They are a fairly well established company in pro-audio but only for several diffrent external clocking devices. Nevertheless, I am not a big fan of vaporware. Anyway Dinny, I am still waiting for the Zodiac+

[aardvark baguette]

I've been looking at all the antelope stuff at youtube, and have been really impressed with the 10M atomic clock. Whats been confusing to me is that they've been using it in combination with another clock, in most cases the 'trinity' which is quartz based. I didnt understand the logic behind buying the Trinity if you're going to turn right around and use a better clock immediately after.

I've been emailing support about possibly using the 10M with any of the zodiacs. While it can be done, it doesnt look like it can be done without another go-between device such as the Trinity or the OCX. The 10M only sends out 10Mhz, so it won't work directly to any DAC.

I was told they were planning on making a dac with its own built-in atomic clock, but it would probably be at least a year down the road.

I'm more interested in getting my hands on the 10M than the zodiac at this point, as it could theoretically benefit any dac w/ clock output. But needing another clock in between kind of puts that out of my reach any time soon.

It would be cheaper to pair the zodiac to the OCX than the trinity, but the internal clock in the zodiac is said to be up to trinity's quality (which is better than OCX, I'm told).

You dac gurus may have already known all this but it was very unclear to me until now.

I still may watch sweetwater for the zodiac gold though, who knows.

[n_maher]

The posting of the new Weiss DAC got me thinking about this thread so I went over to Antelope's site, or tried, only to find this message.

This Account Has Been Suspended

Please contact the support department as soon as possible, and please have your site name ready.

www.antelopeaudio.com

[morphsci]

The base model is supposed to be at Sweetwater next week so I guess we will know by then.

[tkam]

This Account Has Been Suspended

Please contact the support department as soon as possible, and please have your site name ready.

www.antelopeaudio.com

Yeah that tends to happen when a company uses a shitty shared hosting account. Probably got booted for some random excess usage, either that or they didn't pay a bill.

[manaox2]

http://store.antelopeaudio.com/ is still up.

[skullguise]

Regular site seems back up again as well......

[Clybourne]

Hey Guys, the Zodiac Plus can be used with a 10M, but yes you also need another clock in between (OCX or Trinity) and the source must also be clocked to them, as well. This is just a reality of what it takes to design the de-jittering that's taking place.

It is shipping very soon. Just showed a demo in Amsterdam of a final unit yesterday.

[Clybourne]

Possibly Igor can answer some questions about why external clocking can sometimes benefit digital audio converters. The discussion centers around "good jitter" vs. "bad jitter" and how some carefully modulated jitter can benefit sound quality.

Any other questions about Antelope clocks or dacs?

[n_maher]

Any other questions about Antelope clocks or dacs?

Who are you, exactly?

[blubliss]

Nate, he is the Antelope rep, he sells their stuff.