1. Drivers Audio Research Sound Cards & Media Devices Using
2. Drivers Audio Research Sound Cards & Media Devices Online
3. Drivers Audio Research Sound Cards & Media Devices Download

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2. Both the RME ASIO driver and the universal ASIO4ALL driver bypass the Windows audio subsystem to deliver a bit-accurate signal to the sound card hardware, and I heard no audible difference between the two options. I also tested another music playback program, Media Monkey, which assigns ASIO channels in an entirely different manner.

And so we have the Audio Research Corporation's Reference CD9 digital-to-analog converter and CD player, which, at $12,999, costs about the same as my Krell Cipher SACD/CD player ($12,000), but is so different in design and function that it offers a good test of my theory on converging sound qualities. In the May 2012 issue, I called the Cipher.

In March 2011, I reviewed Audio Research’s DAC8 DAC on SoundStage! Hi-Fi, which used a now-ubiquitous asynchronous USB 2.0 input to play files of sampling rates higher than 96kHz. For a conservative company like ARC, that feature was somewhat innovative, it having only recently emerged as the sonically preferable way to play recordings at what was then the highest resolution available: 24-bit/192kHz. That was before files with such exotic initials as DSD, DXD, and MQA appeared. The DAC9 is ARC’s first standalone, popular-level DAC since 2010 -- in DAC years, an eternity -- and, like most DACs, it doesn’t include the latest development in digital audio playback: the ability to decode Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) files. It can, however, play DSD files; previously, the only ARC component that could do that was the GSi75 integrated amplifier.

Description

The DAC9 is part of ARC’s Foundation line, along with the LS28 line stage, PH9 phono preamp, and VT80 amplifier. Except for the VT80 ($8000 USD), each Foundation model costs $7500 -- they are very nearly the least expensive models ARC makes. Along with the price, the DAC9, LS28, and PH9 also share a similar appearance. Available in Black or Natural (ARC’s term for silver), the DAC9 borrows stylistic features from previous ARC gear -- rack handles, a styling groove around the edge of the front panel, and a digital display with green alphanumeric characters -- and adds some new ones, including a panel of black glass at the center of the faceplate, surrounding the display. The black glass looks even better than it does on the gear made by ARC’s stablemate, McIntosh Laboratory. (Both marques are now part of the McIntosh Group, which also owns Pryma, Sonus Faber, Sumiko, and Wadia.) The small characters of the DAC9’s display barely passed the Squint Test; they were difficult though not impossible to read from my listening position, about 10’ away. (Tip: I keep a small monocular on my coffee table for those components that don’t pass the Squint Test.) The information displayed is useful and complete: no proprietary abbreviations used.

Below the display is a row of six pushbuttons: Power, Menu, Option, Enter, Input, and Mute. The ARC logo, previously stamped on the front panel, is now printed on the black glass. The Foundations look like smaller versions of ARC’s Reference models, and that’s a compliment -- they and ARC’s upscale Galileo series were all designed by the same team. The all-aluminum DAC9 measures 19”W by 6.5”H by 13.7”D and weighs 13.9 pounds.

The DAC9 has one feature the DAC7 and DAC8 didn’t: tubes in its output section. They’re 6H30Ps, the same tube type now used in the low-level circuits of nearly all ARC models. Fortunately, the 6H30P is still in production in Russia, so replacements are available from most tube stores; however, I recommend buying replacements from ARC, which rigorously tests the tubes before selling them for use in their products. The 6H30Ps are expected to last about 4000 hours; a tube-life timer built into the DAC9 tells you how many hours of playing time your tubes have accrued. The warranty for all ARC gear is three years, parts and labor, and 90 days for the tubes -- typical for a tubed component at this price.

The DAC9 uses the Burr-Brown/Texas Instruments PCM1792A chip. When I opened the case to install the tubes, I saw that the parts quality is first-rate -- in particular, the solid-state power supply is substantial. I’ve owned several ARC components and have never had any problem with them -- they’re built like brick outhouses.

ARC goes to a lot of effort to provide power cords that sound good, and expects reviewers of their gear to use the stock cords. I use aftermarket power cords, footers, and tubes in my reference gear, but not for the product I’m reviewing -- unless its stock cord looks like a throwaway.

Included in the DAC9’s shipping carton are the remote control, the power cord, ferrite clamps to wrap around the cord if it picks up noise, and an envelope containing extra screws for the top plate. There’s no CD-ROM with a Windows driver, which you’re advised to download from ARC’s website. A good plan -- that way, you always get the latest driver. However, those who lack good Internet access might benefit from a CD or USB flash drive containing a driver. In that case, the dealer should provide a copy.

The DAC9’s chunky metal remote-control handset provides all the controls found on the front panel, as well as some on the menu. The lid to the battery bay is secured by a screw -- a welcome improvement over ARC’s plastic remotes of yesteryear, which had snap-on latches. The DAC9 has no volume control, so you can’t use it to drive a power amp directly. Decent volume controls aren’t cheap; its omission here has no doubt kept the DAC9’s price down. And, of course, ARC makes some fine line stages -- such as the matching LS28, which looks really good next to the DAC9.

Setup and use

As always (ha!), my first step was to read the DAC9’s manual -- easy to do, as Audio Research has printed it in a refreshingly large font, possibly in recognition of the advancing age of the typical audiophile (like me). The manual is easy to understand, and includes color illustrations of computer screen shots and the DAC9’s menu tree. Unfortunately, the text in the color illustrations is dark green type on black, and a bit hard to read. It’s easier to read in the pdf version of the manual, available from ARC’s website.

The two 6H30P tubes, which are shipped embedded in a big block of foam, are marked to show which sockets they are to be inserted in, and their rubber vibration-damping rings are already installed. Using the excellent Xcelite Phillips screwdriver ARC provides, I removed the DAC9’s top plate to install the tubes.

I’d planned to use my SOtM streaming network music player as the source, but it didn’t work. I then tried another Linux-based player, Sonore’s microRendu. That didn’t work either. Apparently, the DAC9 isn’t compatible with Linux, and that’s a drawback -- dedicated servers/streamers/players are becoming very common, and most of them are based on the Linux operating system. I evaluate lots of DACs -- as I write this, I have five in the house -- and the DAC9 is the only one I can think of that’s incompatible with Linux-based servers.

I switched to my Toshiba Satellite laptop computer as the music player, with JRiver Media Center 22 music-player software running under Windows 10. The third time’s the charm, I suppose; anyway, it worked. An Audience Au24 SE USB cable connected the computer to the DAC9, and music files were stored on an external Toshiba USB hard drive. Audience Au24 SX balanced interconnects connected the DAC9’s output to ARC’s LS28 line stage.

Linux and Apple’s Macintosh macOS don’t normally need audio drivers to work with USB 2.0, but all versions of Windows do; I had to download and install the DAC9’s Windows USB driver. Installation instructions are available on the website and in the manual. After I’d installed the driver on the computer, it appeared in JRiver as “DAC USB ASIO driver (ASIO),” and I selected it. Since the ASIO driver doesn’t use the DSD over PCM (DoP) protocol to play DSD files, be sure that the box labeled “DSD bitstream in DoP format” remains unchecked.

The Menu buttons on the DAC9’s front panel and remote control take you to the Setup menu. Press Menu several times to step through the various settings. When you get to a setting you want to change, press Option (front panel or remote). After you’ve made the change, press Enter to accept it. Easy! I changed the one feature of the DAC9 I didn’t care for: automatic turn-off, which shuts down the DAC after a specified period (the default setting is two hours). As I said in my review in March 2017 of the LS28 line stage on SoundStage!Hi-Fi, automatic turn-off is great for a coffeemaker, less so for a hi-fi component. Fortunately, it can be turned off entirely, which I did.

The DAC9’s two digital filters, Fast and Slow, can be selected on the fly using the remote, making it easy to compare their effects from the listening position. I preferred the more relaxed sound of the Slow filter, which I used throughout the listening sessions. The filters apply only to PCM recordings, so the obsessive audiophile has relatively few settings to fret over. Sloth that I am, I decided on a single setting and lived with it for the duration, but I can envision the truly obsessive writing down his or her preferred setting for each recording. (Hey, I know about obsession: I reset my cartridge’s vertical tracking angle for each LP I play.)

Several readers have assured me that the notion of breaking in equipment is some sort of evil conspiracy, but for a long time now ARC has recommended that their gear be broken in for 600 hours -- and, like any competent reviewer, I always follow manufacturers’ recommendations. So I was surprised when I opened the DAC9’s carton and found no page making such a recommendation; apparently, it was scaring people. Here’s what Dave Gordon, ARC’s director of sales, advised: “Generally, the first big break is around 85 hours or so, and the next one is probably closer to 175. It still continues for a few hundred hours, but it is incremental.” Those are still long times, but should assuage your guilt if you start listening before 600 hours are up. For what it’s worth, I broke in the DAC9 for over 600 hours. It took about 500 hours for it to sound its best.

Sound

I began with an old standby: “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez,” from La Folia 1490-1701, performed by Jordi Savall and his band of renaissance and baroque specialists (16-bit/44.1kHz AIFF, Alia Vox). This improvisation based on the tune, which was written about 1490, begins with three strokes on the cascabels, or sleigh bells. Many DACs I’ve tried make all three strokes sound identical, but through the DAC9, each was distinct in tonality and in intensity -- a good start. When the rest of the band begins to play, the DAC9 presented a wide-open soundstage with a pure and expansive treble. Details were plentiful but not analytical. The output of busy percussionist Pedro Estevan was audible throughout -- sometimes, his softer passages fade into a background haze. The drum, which descends into the mid-20Hz range, extended quite deeply, but with a smidgen less heft and definition than through the best DACs I’ve heard. Savall’s viola da gamba carries the main melody, and Savall continually varies his loudness and speed, making it challenging for a hi-fi system to follow. The DAC9 didn’t break a sweat, effortlessly capturing even the slightest changes in rhythmic power. The ARC also portrayed a full, accurate harmonic picture of the viola da gamba, further revealing the realism of the recording.

Out came another fave: Shelby Lynne’s Just a Little Lovin’ (DSD64, Lost Highway/Analogue Productions). The title track opens with kick drum, followed by guitar and bass stating the melody. The bass is quite powerful, and the DAC9 captured it realistically, if perhaps a tad less powerfully than some DACs. I suspect the bass level of this download is overdone; the LP sounds more realistic. The DAC9 easily captured the delicate nuances of Lynne’s vocal phrasing; I could more fully appreciate her interpretation of this popular song.

I followed that recording of a gal with a guitar with one of a guy with a guitar: Neil Diamond’s Dreams (24/192 AIFF, Neil Diamond/ProStudioMasters). A longtime fan of Diamond’s, I’ve been tickled to see him continue to interestingly sing interesting music as he ages (he’s now 76). Primarily a singer-songwriter who performs his own compositions, for Dreams Diamond launched his own eponymous label to offer covers of songs mostly by others, though he sneaks in his own “I’m a Believer.” While I like several songs on this album, I particularly enjoyed his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” one of my favorite songs. A gifted poet, Cohen wrote lyrics far more interesting than the insipid verse found in so many songs. The DAC9 accurately captured the many subtle shades of Diamond’s gravelly baritone as he slowly spins this somewhat mystical lyric about music and spirituality -- I think. I don’t know a lot about guitars, but Diamond’s sounds a bit unusual to me, and unlike the many natural guitar recordings I’ve heard: mostly jangly string sound, with little contribution from the guitar’s body. The DAC9 shouldn’t be blamed for that; it reproduced the recording with plentiful detail and harmonic accuracy. But the DAC9 does deserve credit for its portrayal of the music’s urgency and flow, making it easy for me to follow Diamond’s engaging interpretation.

Another review fave is the Tallis Scholars’ recording of Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere (24/96 FLAC, Gimell), an a cappella choral setting of Psalm 51. The performing forces include a solo tenor, the main chorus at the front of the soundstage, and a smaller chorus some distance behind them. The DAC9 spread the main chorus across the entire front of the soundstage, with bloom and air around the image of each chorister. The solo tenor’s voice was free of the wee bit of hardening that some components impose. The small solo group in the distance was clearly separated from the main group, but individual voices in the smaller chorus weren’t as distinct as I’ve heard with a few other DACs. However, the reverberations of the large recording venue, which clearly reveal the size of the space between the two choruses -- an aspect of this recording that some DACs butcher -- was not at all smeared.

Comparison

For several years, my go-to reference DAC has been PS Audio’s DirectStream ($5999), which unquestionably earns the description innovative. I won’t go into the details of its circuit, except to say it replaces the usual off-the-shelf DAC chip with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) using code written by digital guru Ted Smith. It also dispenses with an output section; the transformers in the output filter directly drive the interconnects. So there’s no need to debate whether tubes or transistors sound better in the DirectStream’s analog section, because PS Audio uses neither. My favorite feature of the DirectStream is that the operating system used to code the FPGA is upgradable by the user. PS Audio has issued several upgrades to the OS, each of which has made an audible improvement. My DirectStream DAC used the Torreys OS, the latest available at the time of this review. And here’s the best part: all PSA OS upgrades are free.

The DirectStream DAC plays DXD and DSD128 files. Although it won’t play the few DSD256 files currently available, it will convert them to DXD and then play them. PSA’s DirectStream Memory Player is a CD transport that, when connected to the DirectStream DAC via its proprietary I²S input, will also play SACDs. The DirectStream DAC has a built-in volume control, so it can drive one power amp directly, though not two (e.g., a stereo amp and a powered subwoofer). A remote control lets you control the volume, and such DAC functions as digital input selection. An optional digital bridge card plugs into a slot on the back of the DirectStream DAC, to turn it into a streaming network player.

When I began “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez” I heard less difference between the initial strokes on the cascabels, a point in favor of the Audio Research DAC9, but the first bass-drum whack told me the PS Audio DirectStream not only went somewhat deeper in the bass, but had better definition. Then, when Jordi Savall’s viola da gamba entered, I had a stronger impression of someone bowing a stringed instrument, and the playful castanets were more audible throughout. I could also easily follow the fading and swelling of microdynamics that convey the fun these musicians had as they improvised on this ancient tune. “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez” was just more fun to listen to through the PS Audio DAC.

In Shelby Lynne’s cover of “Just a Little Lovin’,” the kick drum and bass that open the song projected more power, impact, and detail with the PS Audio. The differences weren’t subtle -- those instruments reached out and poked me in the chest. Nor was the bass merely weighty; it also had excellent pitch definition. The DirectStream hasn’t always been lauded for its bass performance, but PS Audio’s latest upgrades have improved that. The rest of the percussion also came through with noticeably better transient snap, creating a more believable impression of a drum kit. Then, when Lynne began singing, things got even better. The DirectStream’s reproduction of her voice was deeply engaging, stunningly realistic, and beautifully detailed. Sometimes I have difficulty distinguishing between how two components present this track; in this case, the differences weren’t hard to detect.

Neil Diamond’s cover of “Hallelujah” sounded a bit more organic and natural with the DirectStream. The guitar still sounded a bit weird, but perhaps a little more like most guitars I’ve heard. The sound had a slightly greater sense of physicality, of the singer being present.

The PS Audio presented Allegri’s Miserere with a wide-open sense of space -- if not quite the best I’ve heard, then still a convincing re-creation of a large venue. The PS Audio reproduced the solo tenor with considerable nuance and shading; his excellent enunciation convinced me that if I could speak Latin, I would have easily understood him. The small chorus at the rear of the soundstage sounded more focused and more detailed, and the sense of the space they occupied was more precisely defined.

Bottom line

The DAC8, which preceded the DAC9 in Audio Research’s line, was innovative in its day in having an asynchronous USB 2.0 input capable of playing hi-rez PCM files up to 24/192. Many new DACs that temporarily occupy my rack can play DSD256 files, but the DAC9 plays only up to DSD128. Since few DSD256 files are available as of yet, I don’t think this is a big deal, and it’s clear that ARC has chosen to stick with a proven, conservative approach to digital playback and focus on its core competency: analog circuitry. The addition of tubes to the DAC9’s analog output section is an example of this, and it pays off in the sweet, detailed, organic sound that’s typical of ARC gear.

I had only two Linux-based music streamers, but if the DAC9’s inability to work with them indicates a general incompatibility with Linux streamers, it means that the DAC9 will be limited to systems in which the source component is a Macintosh or Windows computer -- a limitation, as there are several Linux servers or streamers on the market, and more seem to come along every day. However, I know several audiophiles who spurn any prepackaged server/network player, preferring to optimize their systems’ sound by tweaking the system parameters; if that’s the way you feel, the DAC9’s very good sound quality and gorgeous looks make it an easy recommendation.

. . . Vade Forrester
vadef@soundstagenetwork.com

Associated Equipment

• Speakers -- Affirm Audio Lumination, Syzygy SLF-870 subwoofers (2)
• Amplifier-- Berning ZH-230
• Preamplifier -- Audio Research LS28
• Digital sources -- Toshiba Satellite laptop computer (i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB hard drive) running 64-bit Windows 10 Home with JRiver Media Center 22; QNAP TS-251 NAS; all servers and digital players connected to PS Audio DirectStream DAC
• Interconnects -- Audience Au24 SX (balanced and unbalanced), CablePro Freedom (unbalanced), Crystal Cable Piccolo (unbalanced)
• Speaker cables -- Crimson RM Music Link
• Power cords -- Audience Au24 SE LP powerChord and powerChord e, Clarity Cables Vortex, Purist Audio Design Venustas
• Digital link -- Audience Au24 SE USB
• Power conditioner -- Audience aR6-T

Audio Research Foundation DAC9 Digital-to-Analog Converter
Price: $7500 USD.
Warranty: Three years parts and labor; 90 days, tubes.

Audio Research Corporation
3900 Annapolis Lane N.
Plymouth, MN 55447-5447
Phone: (763) 577-9700

Website: www.audioresearch.com

Audio Research responds:

We are aware of the USB interface shortcomings [of the DAC9] and have been working diligently on a replacement interface since we first discovered the limitations late last year. Unfortunately, our original design placed the priority on Windows as our primary platform for validation testing. Moving forward, the focus and majority of our validation testing will be on Linux and macOS platforms. We are committed to releasing an update this year. Original owners who have registered their product will be notified and given preferential treatment.

We are happy to report we recently completed our first round of Linux compatibility testing with a new USB solution. The real challenge is ensuring any new solution we develop will retrofit all of our current products such as the DAC9 as well as much of our legacy product. Our engineering team is working to rectify the issue quickly.

The DAC9 has great architecture and the proof is in the listening. We care deeply about our customer’s happiness and when we find limitations such as this, we take finding a fix very seriously. For those facing these limitations, we recommend the following workarounds:

For macOS platforms: set your player software to only use PCM up to 192kHz

For Linux platforms: use a USB-to-S/PDIF converter such as the Aurender UC100

For Windows platforms: enjoy the full capability of the USB interface

Thank you, again.

Diane Thomas
Director of Marketing

March 2020

Audio Research DAC9 Digital-To-Analog Converter(DAC)
An organic sound that draws you into the music.
Review By Tom Lyle

Drivers Audio Research Sound Cards & Media Devices Using

Thispast summer I was in a showroom auditioning a new line of speakers that includeda system that was made up of mostly Audio Research components. Even though Iheard four other products from that same line of speakers that day, it was theirsmallest model that impressed me the most. As it just so happens, this systemincluded the Audio Research DAC9 digital-to-analog converter that is the focusof this review.

I heard Audio Research's DAC9 within other systems that day,too, and I was so impressed that the next day I sent a request to obtain areview sample. Those who know me are aware that I'm mostly an analog kind ofguy, and to have a music epiphany that included a digital component surprisedme. Although the DAC9 had already been on the market for a while,the part of my brain that controls, or at least tries to control, my audiophilefantasies that included a picture of this converter in my system, auditioning itfor review.

The problem was that Audio Research's DAC9 is a very popularcomponent. I had to wait a while before a sample was available for me to review,which wasn't until the winter of 2019. As they say, good things come to thosewho wait.

Series
The DAC9 converter is from Audio Research's latest Foundationseries, which was created by the same team that wasresponsible for their Reference Series, which I never heard, but read many, manypositive reviews, and just about every audiophile I've ever had contact withthat had any experience with a Reference Series components speak of it as if ithad some sort of supernatural powers. Audio Research's DAC9 has a vacuum tubeanalog section that uses a pair of 6H30 tubes, and this combined with thecompany's latest digital design that can decode DSD, plus PCM files up to 384kHzaccording to Audio Research. It does this with superior musicality.

Audio Research designed two separate data paths to the DAC9'sconverters, one for the PCM files that can decode the signals up to 384kHzsample rates, and the other to handle serial DSD files at 1x and 2x DSD clockrates. This ensures that the conversion of the signal is free of distortionerrors, and which pretty much guarantees 'sonic purity'. The DAC9's PCMnative sample rate is upsampled to 384kHz, and there are also selectable digitalfilters available for all the incoming digital signals.

The DAC9 has an asynchronous USB input, which I used for mostof the review period, with four other 'galvanically isolated' inputsincluding, RCA (coax), BNC, AES/EBU, and TosLink. Audio Research claims thatthey pioneered implementing quad D-A converters with each channel using dualstereo DACs running in mono and provides a balanced digital signal. They saythat this architecture increases the component's dynamic range and at the sametime lowers the noise floor.

Looks
What may appeal to many audiophiles is the fact that thisAudio Research component looks very much like an Audio Research component. Eventhough the DAC9 is also available with a black finish, to me, thearchetypal Audio Research component has a silver finish. Regardless of thecabinet's finish, critical to its appearance are the large handles on eitherside of its front panel. To my surprise, the DAC9 only weighs only 14 pounds,making these handles for the most part decorative, although the handles did makeit a little easier to carry it and set it up on my equipment rack.

Below its easy to read vacuum fluorescent display on the frontpanel are 6 push-buttons – power on/off, menu, option (used with a menu), enter(used with a menu), input, and mute.

The DAC9's remote also has all the front panel controls, alongwith six controls that are accessible only with the remote. The first one ofthese is its 'Hours' button, which displays the total accumulated hours ofoperation. This can come in handy because Audio Research recommends changing thevacuum tubes after their approximate 4,000-hour life-span, so this display willcount these hours off for the user. On the remote is also the 'Input'selector, a 'Display Brightness' adjustment, 'Upsampling' (for PCMsignals), 'Invert', so absolute phase can be switched between 'normal'(in-phase) and 'invert' (180° inversion), and 'Filter' (fast and slow).

The DAC9 is a full-function, modern DAC. It is certainly nicethat the DAC9 digital-to-analog converter decodes most current formats with 'state-of-the-art vacuum tubetechnology', but to me, the manufacturer cantout any design elements it wishes, but the most important thing about anycomponent will end up being its sound quality.

Arrived
As soon as the DAC9 arrived at my doorstep I unboxed it andset it up in my system. I placed the DAC9 on my Arcici Suspense equipment rack,which replaced my solid-state reference, the EMM DA2 converter. I connected aUSB cable from my computer-based music server's USB output. On my music server, Iuse both Foobar2000 and J. River Media Center software to play music files thatare stored on hard-drives, which are also accessible through my home network. Ialso had on hand an OPPO UDP-203 Blu-Ray/universal disc player to spin theoccasional 5-inch silver disc, the player's digital coax output connected to theRCA coax input on the DAC9's rear panel.

I connected the DAC9's analog output to the Nagra ClassicPreamp, which was connected to the Pass Laboratories X250.8 power amplifier. Theamp's speaker outputs were connected to a pair of Sound Lab Majestic 545electrostatic speakers. Even though Sound Lab claims that these speakers arefull-range (their specifications say that they reach to 32 Hz (+/-3dB) in thebass), I augmented them with two SVSound SB16-Ultra subwoofers that each has asingle 16' driver, an internal power amp that puts out 1500 Watts, and israted to a subsonic 16 Hz (+/-3dB).

The speaker cable, USB cable, digital cable, and all theinterconnects in the system were made by KimberKable, which I reviewed at the end of last year, their Carbon 8interconnects, Carbon 18 XL speaker cables, Ascent power cables, and SelectCopper USB cable. Speaking of power cables, the listening room has two dedicatedpower lines that run straight to our home's circuit box in the basement.However, much of the front-end equipment uses a battery power supply, the GoalZero's Yeti 400, while the power amp uses a separate, more powerful batter powersupply, the Goal Zero Yeti 1000. I only use the power amplifier's battery powerduring the daylight hours, other times the power amp is plugged directly intothe wall receptacle made by Virtual Dynamics. Even with the battery powersupplies, there were still some more power cables, such as those coming from thesubwoofers that were connected to a Chang Lightspeed ISO 9300 power supply thatwas plugged into the wall outlet.

Drivers Audio Research Sound Cards & Media Devices Online

The listening room has acoustic treatment panels on its side,back, and front walls, as well as LP shelves throughout. Commercial-gradecarpeting covers the floors, and the walls are painted with Sherwin Williams'Sky Fall' blue indoor acrylic-latex. Psychology Today says 'the color blue affects us both cognitively andaffectively making us feelmore comfortable'.

Understanding
Now that you know all about the system in which this digitalconverter was used, I hope this will lead to a greater understanding of anysonic descriptions I will use in this review. My system is very revealing, eventhough it isn't an esoteric one, but still, I think it is more than good enoughto appreciate the sound of the Audio Research DAC9, and also let me hear thenuances that differentiate this digital converter from others.

The Audio Research DAC9 costs $8500. After my showroomaudition I was surprised! I expected it to cost much, much more. Istill wanted to hear it within my system. As my reference DAC costs a littlemore than three times as much, I was expecting this Audio Research converter tosound good, but not as good as the converter that I was using daily.And, that is one of the reasons why I was practically floored when I firstplayed some music through the Audio Research DAC9.

What I heard when playing music through the Audio ResearchDAC9 was a sound that distinguished itself from my reference, not in huge nightversus day, yin versus yang sort of way, but there was a large enough difference thatI don't think it would take an audiophile with trained ears to hear thedifference between the two. Still, there was not a huge differencebetween the two, and that is one of the reasons why I stated above that I was sosurprised.

I played the DSD file of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' with David Zinman conducting Zurich's Tonhalle OrchestraI was amazed that the Audio Research DAC9 could make me not only forget that Iwasn't listening to my reference converter, and at the same time sound so goodthat it reminded me of the times I heard this piece played live. There wasn't atime that I was listening to the DAC9 when I would think to myself that this DACcouldn't handle any of the many complex passages that are in Mahler's complexmasterpiece. Compared to my reference I think that the female soloists mighthave sounded even better than my reference! The midrange of the DAC9 was itsstrong point, and I think that when the female vocal soloists entered, in thiscase, Julianne Banse, and especially when Swedish contralto Anna Larsson sangtheir parts in the fourth movement, it was as if the DAC9 was purposely takingadvantage of my speaker's midrange prowess. Reality occasionally showed itsface, as a huge stage in a large hall with a gigantic orchestra on its stage innothing that will ever be able to be replicated in my listening room.

Yet the DAC9 was able to capture the gestalt of Mahler'soverly long and exhausting piece, despite this not being the greatestperformance of Mahler's Resurrection in my collection. However, its soundquality might be one of the best in my collection. I love it when I haveeverything dialed in, and my system can transport me to the original event. Thissymphony is one that I've always loved, as its a tour of Mahler's neurosis, asthe piece is full of funeral music and many orchestral complexities. During thislistening session, the DAC9 made me also realize that I was hearing one of thebest string sections I've ever heard captured with a bunch of microphones and aDSD recorder.

On this masterpiece, the DAC9 demonstrated that its bassresponse was excellent, its upper treble, too, was excellent. Mentioning thatthese traits weren't as good as my reference isn't the point here, even thoughthere was a scintilla of softening in the frequency extremes. I bet there arelikely many audiophiles who would be willing to trade-in the ultimate infrequency extension for these organic sounding frequencies that the DAC9delivered to my preamplifier. But, also for a midrange that is practicallyunbeatable at any price. The tubes in this unit are what is at least partiallyproviding the listener with a sound that draws one into the music that willeventually be emitted from their speakers.

Audio Research's DAC9's rendering of the vocalsand string sound was second to none, as the bass, upper winds and cymbals werenot only stripped of any stealth digital nasties, but these instruments andvocals were brought into my listening room as for all intents and purposes real-sounding instruments and voices, to the extent that any high-end audio systemcan. No, my reference DAC's treble does not sound like it has any digitalartifacts in its treble. It does expose any of these types of sounds that may belurking in the background due to the recording it is processing.

It's no secret that I've been listening to lots of types ofmusic that make up the genre that is called metal for at least the last coupleof decades. More than ever, young rock musicians choosing this genreover all others. I've been told by many who practice this art that they do sobecause it lets them use as many of the technical skills on their instrumentsthat they've acquired over the years, and perhaps even more than this, they arein love with the volume and distortion that the band Black Sabbath conceived inthe late 1960s that they can bring into countless modern sub-genres.

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There is a band from Montreal formed in the early 1980s namedVoivod that plays metal with overtones of punk, progressive rock's unusual timesignatures and atonal guitar chords with plenty of tri-tones. Their lyrics areinfluenced by post-apocalyptic literature, politics and science fiction. I know,on paper this might sound weird, but in actuality, this band is very engaging.Most of their fans consider Voivod to be part of the progressive-metalsub-genre. That they are still releasing records to this day, despite the deathof their original guitarist in 2005 is a testament to their appeal.

One of their recent albums, Target Earth, from 2013 isone I've been listening to often, a plain vanilla 16-bit/44.1kHz file I playthrough my music server via Foobar 2000. The complex arrangements of their songsmake for a good test of a high-end audio system, but especially the converterthat along with my power amplifier seems to me to be the component that is doingthe heavy lifting (pun not intended). Even though the addition of reverb to thevocals that make it seem as if he's performing in an arena, it sounds like forthe most part the instruments are recorded with very little signal processing.The drums pound, the bass guitar growls, and the guitar sounds as if it mightdamage one's speakers if turned up too loud. These are all positives whenconsidering what makes a good sounding metal album.

Despite the reverb added to the vocals, the Audio ResearchDAC9 places them apart from the din of the raging band, on a recording thatseemed to occupy every frequency that my speakers can reproduce. Thevocals were still clearly audible, and if I preferred to pay attention to thelyrics rather than the rest of the band, I could easily do so. The DAC9 had noproblem separating the instruments in its large soundstage, and so, as I didwith the vocals, I could follow each one if I wanted. The DAC9's overalltransparency drew me into the music, and honestly, it made it more difficult toanalyze its sound for reviewing purposes when attempting to listen to thebarrage of music at the same time. This album is a great recording that usesstereo imaging not only by simply placing of instruments and voice in the leftor right channels, but using digital processing to fill the soundstage bymultiplying the guitars with delay, and then routing the delayed signal to bothchannels.

With all this going on, it was still tough to miss the DAC9'sability to project a vast soundstage between, around, and behind the speakers.The background vocals added to the huge soundstage with engineering and mixingtechniques beyond my understanding, with the lead vocals centered between thespeakers as if it was a three-channel recording… and system with a centerspeaker. Imaging was also provided via the drums in a big way – its' ridecymbal locked in space as the crash cymbals exploded into an expanding spacearound the speakers and throughout the soundstage. Listening to this albumthrough the Audio Research was a blast. Literally.

Review
I'm sorry I haven't reviewed the Audio Research DAC9 untilnow, with my only excuse being that I wasn't aware of its presence until Ivisited World of McIntosh Townhouse to audition the latestSonus faber speakers. The components used for one of the speakers includedthe DAC9, and it was obvious that its presence in this system was making a majorcontribution to the excellent sound I heard that day. The Audio Research DAC9has been on the market for a while. As Audio Research is a manufacturer thatdoesn't replace models very often, one shouldn't hesitate in considering thisconverter for one's high-end audio system. This digital-to-analog convertershould be considered if shopping for a converter anywhere near its price. This component should also be considered if shopping for a converter quitea bit higher than its asking price, as it can easily compete with converterscosting much, much more.

The DAC9 takes advantage of its vacuum tube innards. Itsmidrange is its strong point. Although I commented about its slight softening ofthe frequency extremes, this shouldn't be taken as a pure negative, as itsorganic sound is one that many will be drawn to. In fact, the sound of the DAC9is one that draws the listener into the music. It has enough power in itsfrequency extremes to contribute to the lifelike reproduction of all instrumentsregardless of where its major frequencies lie, as this is the nature of theAudio Research DAC9. It is obvious that the DAC9's raison d'être ismusic, converting signals in the most transparent way possible, at the same timethe DAC9's innards somehow realize that these signals are of music. It is as ifthe designers of this digital-to-analog converter included sonic magic as partof its design. Recommended.