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Echo's End
The Reference was introduced and I took the opportunity and pre-ordered it with the trading in of the Echo’s End original DAC. I thought to myself, what am I doing here, purchasing a DAC that is now the most expensive part of my system, am I insane?
Yesterday I unpacked the box. The DAC has the same size as the Echo’s End original, it made me wonder how all the parts can fit in this small box. And the Reference is heavy! With the Panzerholz case it is maybe four times the weight of the Echo’s End original, my impression when I changed the DACs.
I listened to six tracks from different CDs with the Echo’s End and replayed them in the same order with the Reference DAC without warming up or, hmm... run in for several hours.
Normally I don’t like to mention different CDs or files of music in my findings, as the reader may have never heard of some titles, and I’m not the one who's listening to „Audiophile“ tracks by Diana Krall, Norah Jones and the likes that are maybe well known to a wider audience. I got to move away then, sorry. But to do this DAC justice, I will note the titles of some tracks of CDs and try to point out short the differences.
First one that I tried was Sting - The Snow It melts The Soonest from "If On A Winters Night…“ His voice came through with much more ease, the voice clearer than before with a wonderful natural tone.
John Zorn - Novato from „ Alhambra Love Songs“ - Jazz. The piano on this track is so much more accentuated, bigger and unbelievable lifelike. It sounded not as a reproduction of sound, I got the feeling as if the piano is played in the listening room.
The Comsat Angels - Now I Know from „After The Rain“ - Indie Rock. I never hear this track that good. The CD outperformed the same track of the 7“ record or from the vinyl LP. The sound was much more detached from the speakers, the overall appearance is much more worked out with lots more details.
Mirel Wagner - To The Bone from S/T - Singer/Songwriter. Only guitar and voice. The subtle, fragile voice and the guitar come through in such a realistic way, it is as if she is sitting in front of me, playing live only one meter away.
Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - Darkstalker from „Sunset Mission“ - Doom Jazz. A track that's nice, dark and frightening all together with these deep vibrant bass in the background. The bass is filling the whole room, you can drown in it. I never had a feeling like this before when listening to this track.
Joseph Martin Kraus - Allegro Assai, Symphony in C-minor from „Four Symphonies“ Concerto Köln - Classical. What stands out here is the overall improvement in dynamics and clarity.
Martini Brös. - Electric Monk from „Play“ - Electronica. I liked only two tracks on this CD and it sounded excellent in the past. With the Reference DAC I notice now razor-sharp synth tones are and the voice filling the complete room. A big improvement.
Tiamat - Dust Is Our Fare from „Skeleton Skeletron“ - Metal. Before changing the DAC the music was somehow tacked between the speakers and were stuck to it. It sounded sort of flat. But that changed completely. Again, the sound uncoupled from the speakers, filling the room. I never thought that it could get that good.
Dub Spencer & Trance Hill - 103rd Street Boys - from "William S. Burroughs in Dub“ - Dub Reggae. A favourite of mine for a longer time. This recording sounds simply excellent. With the Reference DAC the music shifts to a whole new level, gobsmacked by a mass of new details to discover. Same as before here, room filling sound, wow!
Paul Leonard-Morgan - She’s A Pass + Mega City One - O.S.T from „Dredd“. I liked this O.S.T a lot with the title theme that is repeated in different forms here. But I never really connected to the music. With the Reference DAC it blew me away! The deep bass that sounds like a tone from a vinyl test record bolted me to to the sofa. The whole sound is thrown at me. Totally fascinating.
Front 242 - Headhunter from „Front by Front“ E.B.M. Here the CD sounded never as good as the 12“ 45rpm with the same title. And now? The CD outperformed the record.
So now I mentioned also a few tracks that I heard today, not yesterday. The DAC ran silently the whole night for eight hours until I listened further. It improved again.
I don’t believe that the Reference DAC could show its complete potential in my rig, because of some possible limitations with the rest of my gear.
But I feel lucky with the really great improvement. You may have read the somehow cryptical review at Six Moons. It was criticized that the Reference DAC comes without footers. I don’t have a problem with that. Mostly everyone purchasing Audio gear has his own preferred foot or spikes to use. I find it positive that there are no feet attached that are maybe in the way when the customer wants to use his own ones. It is also looking funny, when the item sits on three or four footers/spikes and the other ones that came solidly installed are hanging uselessly in the air.
If I understand this right, the writer marginalized the differences in reproduction of modern DACs and that he gets somehow bored. With all those gear running through your hands all the time, maybe it gets frustrating with time? How could I know, I don’t have other DACs in my home within this price class or above to compare the Reference with, but to the Echo’s End this new DAC makes a gigantic performance shift.
If we say that Vinyl replay is on the black side and digital on the white, the Reference DAC moved completely to the black side. Yes, it really sounds analog in the best way possible and beyond, please give it a listen. It’s an amazing DAC!
Thanks so much, I'm now one happy owner. I haven’t thought that such a difference is possible.
Excellent job, LessLoss, you've done it again.
Echo's End
I am thankful that the Echo's End has a sturdy carrying case, so that I can take my Echo's End with me when I travel. Was the inclusion of the sturdy case for the Echo's end part of LessLoss' plan not only to protect the Echo's End during shipment, but also to enable people to take their Echo's End with them when they travel between home and work, or relative's house? Brilliant plan LessLoss!
LessLoss History From the Very Beginnings
LessLoss started its business on Audiogon in late 2007. Within the first couple of month, word about LessLoss spread like wildfire among Audiogon members. Here is the feedback received from our clients during our first year of operation. This is from even before we had our own website.
Louis is one of the best in the business, truly professional and very fast production and delivery. I am very satisfied by your superb service. Many thanks.
Positive by Buyer Sebastian (135) on 07-29-2008
Excellent transaction with Lessloss on dynamic filtering power cord. Good communications & fast shipping. A+++++
Positive by Buyer Sennett (45) on 07-03-08
Bought 3 pc's from Liudas in Jan/08. Outstanding product as advertised. Performance is everything and more than I expected. Kudos to Lessloss cable for a great product. Very highly recommended...A+++
Positive by Buyer Phillykid (33) on 06-19-08