Recently, thanks to the generosity of a certain Lone Wolf, I had the opportunity to borrow a couple of DACs. These were a Turbomod Electrocompaniet ECD-1 from Empirical Audio and an MHDT Laboratory Paradisea, stock except for a Bendix 396 tube. I also had my own DACs available, an Altmann Attraction with all the options and a Lessloss 2004. For transports, I used a CEC TL-51X, modified Rega Planet, and an RWA-modded Squeezebox 3. The CEC and modded Rega allow clock-linking with the Lessloss.
The rest of the system is a Lamm LL2 Deluxe, RWA Signature 70 amps, and Zu Definition Pro speakers. Cables are mostly by Zu.
I didn't have any particular methodology for this comparison. For probably 6 weeks, I spent roughly equal time with all four, changing every few days or so. This was never intended to be a formal comparison but I thought it might be useful to have something written up since I don't know of any comparisons of these four music machines.
Just for fun, I'll list these in order from "most non-oversampling sound" to "most oversampling sound".
Paradisea
Out of these four, the Paradisea is about light touch. It is nimble and evenhanded. It makes “pretty” sound but isn’t mushy or overly tubey.
In my experience, NOS DACs can have weaknesses in: dynamic contrast, frequency extension, instrumental separation, focus, and resolution.
Normal NOS strengths: Singularity of voice, lyrical flow, un-digital presentation.
The Paradisea is good with frequency extension, instrumental separation, and focus. I thought ultimate resolution was not as good as the other DACs here and dynamic contrast was a little flat. It was excellent with all the usual strengths, sounding musical always without a hint of digital edge. Midrange tonality is good, but maybe not quite as deeply saturated as the others. I would not recommend this DAC for detail junkies or those that like energetic sounds. It is a little polite, which could be good or bad, depending on system needs.
Attraction
This one has had quite a bit of virtual ink spilled over it. I thought it was more resolved and dynamic than the Paradisea but less so than the oversampling units. It has fewer compromises than any of the NOS DACs I’ve heard but maintains their strengths. It still is not the rocker’s choice, as bass is lighter and less defined than with either the Lessloss or Empirical. Treble extension is good but again, gives up something to the OS units.
The Attraction pays dividends with excellent midrange tonality, a cohesive sonic fabric, clean and extended treble though not as airy as the oversampling units. Overall, better than the Paradisea but also considerably more expensive.
Lessloss
I’m a little tired of writing about the Lessloss, as I’ve done a lot of it over the last few weeks. Suffice to say that in my system, it is hugely dynamic, incredibly extended but still smooth, and provides outstanding separation without apparent artificial boundaries. It is clean and clear, without any obvious weaknesses. There is a touch of hardness in the treble but it is slight and to me a reasonable tradeoff for its outstanding resolution.
Empirical Electrocompaniet
The Empirical is a mutha. It seems to be bent on excavating every single musical pit. While I can’t say I heard anything more with this DAC than, say, the Lessloss, it seemed more obviously resolved. Instrumental separation was complete and dynamics most impressive, especially in the bass. There were times when bass transients had my mouth agape. If you’re a bass junkie, I can’t imagine you could do better with an add-on DAC. Midrange tone is complex and seemed accurate – certainly solid state in presentation (duh) but the rest of my gear is a bit warm and this was not a problem.
The penalties for such an assertive approach are more “digital” in the treble range and a seeming isolation between performers in the band. I don’t want to overstate these criticisms, as they are minor. My system is very dynamic and tends toward edgy. These concerns would likely not even show up on a system with a mellower voice but the lively, resolved sound would be most welcome.
Conclusion
In my system, the clock-linked Lessloss is my favorite of these four. In the good/bad ledger, it has almost no downsides. Even without the clock-linking I like it a lot. If my system were different, I might choose any of the other three. With metal tweeters, either of the NOS DACs might win out and with mellower systems, the Empirical might prove best. I just received a 1st generation pair of Omega’s Hemptone 8”ers that I dropped in my 45 liter bass reflex boxes and MAN, these are SWEET. Treble is pretty laid back but their voice is punchy and cohesive. I bet the Empirical to a good pre/amp would kick serious tail with these. Alas, I don’t have it any more.
Thanks, Chris. I had a lot of fun with these boxes and hope this short writeup gives some idea of relative qualities. Yep, I liked every one of them and could live with any in the long term. Wishy washy me.
