Massdrop RDAC Airist Audio R2-R DAC

Any idea upgrade power supply?

 

Is this the first official drop of this product? I was under the impression that they had already sold a couple batches?

 

I just stumbled on to this R-2R DAC again.
Had a Modi Multibit at some point, but found it to be slighly harsh anda bit dull. Swopped over to the Modi 3 and have been happy with it ,but miss that R-2R touch. I knew a few members here have heard these DACs I own and could perhaps give a bit of a rundown on how they stack up, especially agains the Modi 3.

 

It's the first drop that has been shipped of this one. There were at least two delays maybe three, probably the reason of your confusion.

 

I see, so all the first hand reports that can be found online were early testers? Or do people actually have production units in hand at this point? People were suggesting this DAC to me almost a year ago, I just assumed there were production units in circulation lol.

Well, against my better judgment I joined the drop thats suppose to ship in August. Im just too curious to pass it up. Im hoping for a less dark Modi MB with smoother treble (fingers crossed). I just hope its not a complete flop to the point that I can't sell it if I don't like it.

 

Im in a very similar situation. Had a Modi MB for a couple years but ultimately decided I didn't like the dark tonality or harsh treble (thats how I hear it anyway). Went to a Modi 3 a while back and Im also fairly happy with it... but still looking for something better. I'll let you know what I think when I hear the Airist!

 

Yep. For general review and interest generating purposes

 

this might not be a fair comparison but, in term of sound signature; whats the closest DAC from schiit is Airist similar to?

 

I spent some time between Gungnir MB A2 and Airist. Maybe 10 -20 hours? Gungnir MB A2 bests the Airist in immediacy, punch, and overall macrodynamics. Gungnir MB A2 beats it by a small margin in resolution/realness and by a wider margin in the planktons. Tone wise, they're close, the Airist is a little rolled off in the 8khz+ region compared to Gungnir Multibit. In the bass, Gungnir has more grip and power, but not by a huge margin. It seems BeefroastMB underwent a silent revision, so I can only compare by memory to old early production BimbyMB I had for a bit. Older Bifrost Multibit was quite a bit looser in the bass than Airist. NB: going on memory on the Bifrost Multibit, so, more fallible. Have not heard the Modi stuff.

 

Would you say the Airist comes across as having more or less "air" than the Modi MB (subjectivly)?

 

@Hands When you say that it's like a NOS DAC, that's relative right? It wouldn't blend into a crowd of Metrums?

I'm concerned the soundstage is 100% NOS. Flat, close, and without projection or ambiance.

 

Take this with a grain of salt as it's been a few years since I fooled around with NOS, but the last NOS DAC I had in my system was an old cheap Philips 1541 based Chibi DAC. It was definitely closed in. Airist doesn't present the same way. It's expansive, but it's more a body-presence of the instruments versus a purely high frequency "from the top down" illumination of instruments in a 3D space. Conversely, Gungnir MB presents a little more "top down" illumination to my ears, but it still keeps the midrange body and impact and immediacy. Personally, I think this is where even tonality (i.e., smooth frequency response and time domain silly business across multiple octaves) can have positive affects on the perception of detail/clarity in octaves at the opposite ends of the spectrum, like lower midbass emphasis/bloat masking body image specificity, or midrange hash masking or exacerbating lower treble sibilance. NOS just doesn't get atmosphere and recording venue acoustics right to me.

Airist seems to trade some high frequency definition/maybe planktons for better midrange definition/physicality.

I'm in no way discounting Airist's presentation, as it's quite pleasing. Generally more involving than things should be at it's price, but, when I compare directly to Gungnir MB, Gungnir Multibit has the "expansive wall of sound" thing going for it that, listening through speakers at least, is quite a bit more engaging. Compared to any DS based stuff i've heard at the $300-500 price point, I'd take the Airist for it's smoother but better detail, and better body.

 

Thank you, I'm familiar with the multibit thickness. It sounds like it shares the standard R2R traits with the Flint & DAC1321. I've not owned a Schiit MB.

What I focus on in listening for stage is overall size, lack of congestion/overlap of instruments, and lack of forward shout. I don't listen for and tend to forget about the trebly bits of echo, outlines, and room/placing specifics. So far I'm thinking I'd prefer Airist over Schiit.

Are you saying that the thickness helps pull apart instruments as separate entities? It's smoothness helps lay back the stage? I don't understand what makes it sound expansive, I'm understanding more what it doesn't do than what it does.

 

You won't like Schiit for this very reason then.