New Weiss DAC202 w/headphone amp

[Voltron]

Weiss has released a new DAC202 with new D/A not based on the Minerva and integrated headphone amp. $6440 list price.

[Hopstretch]

For the price, that better be a fuckin' OLED touch screen in the middle there.

[Dreadhead]

I wonder if it even bothers with a separate amp for the headphones or just uses the output stage for the XLRs. Daniel Weiss loves low output impedance and high voltage swing for his output stages. Apparently you can drive speakers with the output on the DAC1.

[Voltron]

For the price, that better be a fuckin' OLED touch screen in the middle there.

I think not:

"LCD display for display of sampling rate, input source, audio level, absolute phase, upsampling filter type, various menu items

Rotary encoder with push switch"

[Voltron]

I wonder if it even bothers with a separate amp for the headphones or just uses the output stage for the XLRs. Daniel Weiss loves low output impedance and high voltage swing for his output stages. Apparently you can drive speakers with the output on the DAC1.

Not sure how to interpret "coarse settings" or the rest of this:

"Level control main output:

* 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain).

* Level control can be defeated for the main output.

Level control headphone output:

* 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain, independent from the settings in the main output), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain)."

[Dreadhead]

Not sure how to interpret "coarse settings" or the rest of this:

"Level control main output:

* 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain).

* Level control can be defeated for the main output.

Level control headphone output:

* 4 coarse settings via relays (analog domain, independent from the settings in the main output), fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain)."

Essentially inserting or removing resistors from the signal path (somewhere) to give volume drop. Much like selecting gains in effect.

[Voltron]

Essentially inserting or removing resistors from the signal path (somewhere) to give volume drop. Much like selecting gains in effect.

That is what I assumed (gain selecting).

[Voltron]

He funny^^

Computer Audiophile thinks the key feature is transparency checker, which doesn't seem to be worth $4K over the DAC2:

"Perhaps the most critical feature of this new DAC is the Transparency check (allows to check the bit transparency of a playback chain). Until now it was nearly impossible for most listeners to guarantee they were getting bit perfect playback. This DAC looks to have a built-in mechanism to check for this. I know Daniel talked about doing this last year and I'm elated to see he has implemented it in this product."

[Salt Peanuts]

for the price, it had better have an ATM in the middle there.

It's the DAC's secret feature: Pay-As-You-Listen.

[deepak]

Doesn't any HDCD DAC basically ensure it's bit perfect by decoding HDCD discs?

[Fitz]

Yeah pretty much. Just tested it with my Squeezebox... if I turn the volume down (digitally) while playing a HDCD rip, it'll cause the DAC to stop recognizing it as a HDCD.

[The Monkey]

I wonder if high end DAC manufacturers will be able to sustain these prices. This space is only getting more competitive, and the economy is still in the shitter and not likely to come back strong any time soon. $6500 is a lot of money.

[Smeggy]

Where's the fucking USB socket??

[n_maher]

Where's the fucking USB socket??

[thrice]

^^That's not going to help the jitter figures.

[atothex]

I don't like how there's a stupid face on the left side of the front panel.

[khaos974]

I did not see that stupid face until you told me and now I can't unsee it !!!

[zippy2001]

I don't like how there's a stupid face on the left side of the front panel.

They should have put the little Weiss swoosh under the jack, so it looks like a happy face at least.

[The Monkey]

What chipses?

[deepak]

Every Weiss DAC I know of uses delta sigma converters, this probably does too.

[zerung]

Hi,

I am using this DAC with my HD650. I have just bought the HD650. The sound I get is very transparent, with details galore. The sound stage is not in my face and perhaps should not be. As I have not tried the headphone with any other dedicated headphone amp I am very curious to see how the other amps would fare?

Thanks,Z

[The Monkey]

ok.

[Knuckledragger]

I don't like how there's a stupid face on the left side of the front panel.

This.

=

It must have seen its own sticker price.

[mypasswordis]

cyborg 1/4" bj

[Salt Peanuts]

cyborg 1/4" bj

This pretty much guarantees I'll never get this thing (not that I was in a market for one).