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In Reply to: RE: It was OK. I had one.... posted by psgary on May 14, 2024 at 12:45:40
I consider the SMSL D400EX DAC to be somewhat 'neutral' w/o being lean, thin, clinical, analytical, cold, etc. etc. Some so-called 'neutral' sounding gear can lean in that direction. To my ears the SMSL D400EX has a slight bit of heft and robustness to it in the mids and lower but not enough to call attention to it. The PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC [discontinued] is a bit more warm and robust in comparison but not by a lot. [And unlike the warmish sounding Aeries II these DACs don't choke on transparency, detail, and dynamic punch]
It's all about personal preference and how the DAC sounds in combination with your other electronics and speakers. For my ears I will always go for a bit of warmth and a full bodied sound vs 'neutral' if 'neutral' means settling for any of the characteristics I mentioned earlier.
For the money I think the Vidar is a great buy but it seems a bit strong in the lower mids and bass - which might be what they're striving for as that sort of sound probably mates well with similarly priced high value speakers that might lack low end bass response. I'm just guessing at that part. In my setup the Vidar sounds good but a little over emphasized in the lower freqs. My Vidar is the original with no power switch on the front. The latest ones have a front-mounted power switch.
Follow Ups:
Your remarks are really helpful.
You seem positive enough about the Vidar that it might be worth giving it a try in the future. Schiit gives 15 days to try. There is a restocking fee, I think, but it might be worth it.
What is the soundstage like? I'm a soundstage freak - need it wide and deep.
Thanks.
It's been quite a while since I've listened to it so I can't remember how the Vidar soundstage stacks up. I can say that tube amps seem to soundstage very well but they have their own trade-offs. I still have my Rogue Cronus Magnum tube integrated when I want to change it up for a while.
Edits: 05/17/24
Another consideration in regard to a solid state amp is the Galion TS A75. Unfortunately, roughly twice the price of the Vidar though. Possibly in a different league sonically IF you trust the numerous YouTube reviews.
Oops, I meant to reply to OP, but its about four posts back.
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