Dangerous Music Convert-2 DAC Review - Stream of Consciousness

There's one over at audiocircle with choice of amps/processors all set up. The seller's a good guy.

Either this or the ATC SCM40 would be my second to last stop for speakers before I start selling kidneys and/or stare down the barrel of DIY again.

After K&H got integrated into Neumann, they also switched (or reverse engineered) to Chinese drivers. Technically measure better in some ways, but arguments flop back and forth over people who prefer the original o100 vs kh310.

Guzauski-Swist has the ATC mid-dome, and remains curiously very quiet about it.
http://www.gsstudiomonitors.com/
Then again, most people have never even heard of them.
edit: ooh there's one on ebay... ok this or the M2 or the SCM40 are on my wishlist.

 

So I’m not nearly as eloquent with my words as many here, nor am I as good at describing what I hear as some, so this will be short and to the point.

The Convert-2 is an excellent older sibling of the Gungnir DS and now I have @purr1n to thank for wanting one.

All comparisons are against the Gungnir DS using a Jotunheim feeding a pair of SDR modded HD800 headphones.

Also for reference I primarily listen to metal, of most sub-varieties, along with some pop. No classical/jazz/whatever stuff most audiophiles listen to

The best thing about the Convert-2 is that it maintains the intensity that Gungnir DS has while improving on it in several key areas.

- Noticeably improved clarity across the board
- Larger stage, with slightly improved imaging
- More articulate, particularly in the treble, slight treble nastiness is cleaned up vs Gungnir DS
- Slightly improved deep bass impact.

There are also downsides though.

-getting the USB working was a pain, had to turn off the dac and turn it back on after installing the drivers to get the computer to see it.
-In its best “master” clock mode, you have to manually change sample rates on the unit
- it’s f'ing huge

Overall though, I want one and it will almost certainly be my next dac

 

Nice review, and cheers to another metalphile I'm downstairs testing a new-to-me Saga and the first tracks I throw in are a Pantera album I'm intimately familiar with (bass and mids test) and then Rage S/T, Take the Power Back (bass, imaging, attack, treble). The more obscure, actual metal goes on later tonight.

 

Since we both shared similar thoughts on Gungnir DS vs MB (for the same music), how do you perceive the "up-frontness" of the DMC2 comparing to the Gungnir? The music still smacks you in the face in a very forward manner or is it more relaxed?

 

When you're into this style of gear, you start looking at specific rack mount furniture.

 

I makes for a good solid base for other gears

I too noticed the quality was better in master mode - even with USB* - which is mildly annoying. I wish someone would build a streamer with a good master clock output, or some sort of remote communication to set the DAC to the correct clock setting when change SR.

(*) This could be placebo, as I expect the USB input to leverage the JetPLL clock and be identical to master mode

 

I've been listening to the Convert-2 for a few days now, through an EC Aficionado (300B), and the 800S.

It's astonishingly good. I hesitate to repeat what has already been written about it, but the crystal clarity, the live transients, the natural bass... I felt I was being reintroduced to music that I thought I knew well (Ronald Brautigam; Christian McBride; Charlie Haden; Keith Jarrett; Laura Mvula etc)

I went back and listened to the same music, replacing the Convert-2 with my usual Yggdrasil A2, and while it more than held its own, I was hearing familiar music with fresh ears.

The odd soundstage/headstage that @purr1n described is a little weird, and you notice it more with time.

Very grateful for the comments here that led me to try a DAC I'd never have heard of - or considered - on my own.

 

Do have any DSP than can reduce the stereo width? @purr1n mentioned that might be a help. DMG's trackcontrol for example could do it.

 

i don’t, but i’ve wondered what the phonitor x matrix would do to it...

 

If you're buying a DAC for the sound and don't like the sound, don't buy the DAC

 

Just add some crosstalk with resistors, if that's what you're looking for.

 

It's just one element, maybe something you're happy to compensate for in order to gain the other benefits.

 

good thought, though i’m actually quite ok with it now

 

After a couple of times of serious auditions (one shorter, the other longer), I finally went this way.

During last a couple of weeks, there were really close competitions between Yggdrasil a2 (have considered this since last summer) and this one.. in my brain. Couldn't find a single shop or place to compare them side by side. My best shot was to hear both separately but multiple times.

It was not a battle of technicalities. During the limited and short auditions (and likely due to my less trained ears), both seem to be in the same league to me. Well deserved to each asking price.
So, the decision was made based on rather a philosophical inner-conflict -- "musics to want to explore more (what Y2 does better)" versus "musics to mostly listen (what CV2 does better)".

At the end of the day, I had to reiterate @cskippy 's assessment -- "Convert-2 changes my perspective regarding dacs" (while he intended more technical perspectives, mine is more about dac design philosophies). Note that I've long been an advocate of soft, delicate, easygoing but resolving dacs/sources.

Whatever, the die is cast!
A new beginning of honeymoon period with this lovely device has just started. Yeah.

PS. Indeed the deciding trigger was an attractive discount offer. haha

 

Some early impressions regarding the pre-concerns
( Convert-2 > Radial ISO twins with Jensen 1:1 transformers > BW2 > Ether 2; active components powered by PPP)

1. Zero hassle to install. My windows 10 automatically recognized CV2. Fulla2 easy. So quite different experience from @SoupRKnowva
2. I confirm no warm-up needed. This was indeed the hidden deal breaker for Y2 (I ultimately sold OG gumbyy for the same reason). Sounds good right out of the box. Kinda ds advantage.
3. Everything sounds a little overly vivid, clean, dense, and powerful. It reminded me of when I first saw earlier generations of amoled screen. This somehow works against CV2 for audiophile-ish tracks (naturally mic'd, fewer instrument, mostly not dense) such as a very classic example of "Spanish Harlem". Maybe brain should be accustomed to "Dangerous" way of realism.
4. Very well controlled and tightened bass. CV2, BW2, and Ether 2 all work differently toward bass. And these independent vectors make a great harmony overall. To die for.
5. Before hearing CV2, I thought it might have a little dark or rolled-off top. Because when CS Solaris was described as "a little tipped up top", CV2 was also said as the opposite. Indeed it wasn't. Maybe 0.2-0.5% tipped down. But nearly very neutral.
6. With the current upstream combination (CV2+BW2), I will take Ether 2 any day over HD800 for 1+ hours of listening. Alternatively speaking, I am much more motivated to get my800 heavily modded. Also for this level of super transparent sound, I don't want to include hw/sw digital eqs in the chain.
7. Head staging is interesting. I'd describe it as "the audio version of Screen-X" (see the below). IMO it is not a matter of staging width (like some criticize for hd800) but an issue of image placement "extension". Works against less-processed tracks (mostly jazz or classical) -- feel a bit unnatural, but favors modern pop/electronic tracks -- feel very immersive. YMM"f'ing hugely"V.

More impressions to come later. Also looking forward to comparing this with CS Solaris (I'm on the loaner program!).