Home Review Weiss DAC501 converter – streamer – preamp

Review Weiss DAC501 converter – streamer – preamp

6

Pros

  • Very versatile
  • Beautifully made
  • Neutral, calm sound

Cons

  • Volume control not lossless
  • Filters not needed in our opinion

Price: € 7999

Build quality
Usability
Sound
Price
Weiss DAC501

The Test Setup

Contents

Weiss DAC501

We have already included the Weiss DAC501 in our dac multitest live stream of 19 March. There he controlled the Bryston 4B SST3 directly, as well as playing the Pass Labs XP-12. As speakers we used Focal Sopra No1. Cables come from Grimm (TPM), Audioquest (NRG1000) and ‘standard’ double shielded Ethernet cables with Telegartner plugs.

Filtering is provided by Isotek (Titan EVO3) and Kemp.

We have streamed from both Tidal and our NAS. Files are a mix of high-res and CD quality. All flac. Some also MQA, although the Weiss can’t do much with that on its own. It’s not MQA-dac, although ROON will take care of the first unfold. That’s often up to 24 bit / 96 kHz.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Hello Jaap

    Thank you very much for the nice review!

    I would like to give some more information on the filters we added (and keep adding) to the unit. I.e. the DSP algorithms. The idea behind those algorithms is to encourage the users to optimize his/her system (including the listening room) for better performance or to change the sonics for particular tracks for a nicer reproduction.
    I know, in earlier times the audiophiles had the philosophy to not change anything with the recordings. Not even a simple tone control was allowed. In my opinion this is not the right approach. One never will get the same reproduction the sound engineer in the studio had when producing the tracks. All systems at homes will change the sound and thus the user is well advised to optimize the playback for his/her system at hand. This is what we try to achieve with the DSP algorithms – to give the user some tools to enhance the acoustics, the tracks, the experience when listening.
    So I think the algorithms are a valuable addition.

    Regarding digital level control – I did a white paper some time ago. It includes tracks to demo certain effects happening with quantization:
    https://www.weiss.ch/assets/content/41/white-paper-on-digital-level-control.pdf

    Best Regards, Daniel

    • Hi Daniel,

      Thank you for your reply and sharing your vision upon my comment about the filters. It is always good to have a choice. I am curious what new filters will be added.

      It’s an interesting piece about volume control. I have seen many versions of digital control. Some upsample to 32 bit / *** kHz, others use a hybrid-version, and some just ‘cut off’ bits. How does the 501 approach it?

      • Regarding volume control in the DAC501 we use standard dithering, not noise shaped. With a 24 bit wordlength after requantization there isn’t anything to be gained with noiseshaping dither because the dither noise is extremely low in amplitude. The 8 Bit examples in my white paper on the other hand can be enhanced a lot by shaping the dither noise.

        As for the filters here is a list:

        Currently implemented: Room EQ, Creative EQ, Vinyl Simulation, Crosstalk Cancelling, Dynamics Reduction, De-Essing.

        Soon to be released: Crossfeed (for headphones), Loudness EQ.

        Planned: Simple tone control, headphone sepcific EQ, …

  2. Hello Jaap

    Thank you very much for the nice review!

    I would like to give some more information on the filters we added (and keep adding) to the unit. I.e. the DSP algorithms. The idea behind those algorithms is to encourage the users to optimize his/her system (including the listening room) for better performance or to change the sonics for particular tracks for a nicer reproduction.
    I know, in earlier times the audiophiles had the philosophy to not change anything with the recordings. Not even a simple tone control was allowed. In my opinion this is not the right approach. One never will get the same reproduction the sound engineer in the studio had when producing the tracks. All systems at homes will change the sound and thus the user is well advised to optimize the playback for his/her system at hand. This is what we try to achieve with the DSP algorithms – to give the user some tools to enhance the acoustics, the tracks, the experience when listening.
    So I think the algorithms are a valuable addition.

    Regarding digital level control – I did a white paper some time ago. It includes tracks to demo certain effects happening with quantization:
    https://www.weiss.ch/assets/content/41/white-paper-on-digital-level-control.pdf

    Best Regards, Daniel

    • Hi Daniel,

      Thank you for your reply and sharing your vision upon my comment about the filters. It is always good to have a choice. I am curious what new filters will be added.

      It’s an interesting piece about volume control. I have seen many versions of digital control. Some upsample to 32 bit / *** kHz, others use a hybrid-version, and some just ‘cut off’ bits. How does the 501 approach it?

      • Regarding volume control in the DAC501 we use standard dithering, not noise shaped. With a 24 bit wordlength after requantization there isn’t anything to be gained with noiseshaping dither because the dither noise is extremely low in amplitude. The 8 Bit examples in my white paper on the other hand can be enhanced a lot by shaping the dither noise.

        As for the filters here is a list:

        Currently implemented: Room EQ, Creative EQ, Vinyl Simulation, Crosstalk Cancelling, Dynamics Reduction, De-Essing.

        Soon to be released: Crossfeed (for headphones), Loudness EQ.

        Planned: Simple tone control, headphone sepcific EQ, …

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