AQUA La Voce S2 DAC...In Da House!

CDLehner

CDLehner

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So...this/these DACs; have been on my radar, for some time now. I say this/these...because I first took notice, of Aqua's "flagship" La Scala mkII. The reviews are stellar, one and all; and I happen to worship, at the alter of John Darko. So...when JD, has to make an entirely new category; with one, singular occupant...for the La Scala. I take notice!

But...I'm also a fan, of trickle-down; getting 90% performance, for half the price...from a company's "2nd-tier" offering. And the La Voce, is no slouch itself, in the fanfare department.

I have to first thank, Mark Sossa of Well Pleased A/V; Aqua's sole North American distributor. Mark and I have done business before, and he has doggedly been after me...to give the Aqua a try, for some time now. Again...I was interested; but I had 2 reservations.

1) These DACs, don't do DSD...and that is a necessity, not frivolity, for me.

2) While these DACs are certainly media darlings...I don't see them, filling the cyber-shelves, of sites like Audiogon or USAM, et al. Those of you, who know how I roll; I like to in-home audition, and live with a product. Which essentially means...buy it on the used market, really get to know it; and if it's not my cuppa...sell it, without losing my shirt for the luxury of trying it.

So my concern with the Aqua was...while I knew it would, at the least (very, very least) be "good"; was that not enough 'philes knew it, for it to be a hot re-seller. Well...Mark has agreed, to graciously provide me with a "loaner" of sorts. He's confident in these DACs...and doesn't think it's coming back, lol; but we've agreed for me to put it through its paces, and for me to share my thoughts with some of my fellow enthusiasts.
 
The unit arrived late Friday...and as I had a million things I was juggling; I saved un-boxing and set-up, for this past Saturday.

I have to say, right off the bat; the thing is a real beauty IMO. Retro good looks, and sexy but simple, Italian styling :cool:



Mark had remarked, to use the power-cord that was included. Even though ALL of my PCs, are of suitable after-market quality; I can see why he encouraged. Hardly, your typical...$2-buck throw-in.



Around back...the La Voce, is nicely equipped (take note...single-ended RCAs are standard. Some of the other ins and outs...I know, balanced outs, for example...and I'll have to check with Mark, on some of the others; are optional)



I'll be conducting listening tests...with the Aurender N100H feeding it (as usual...the Aurender, just grabs EVERY DAC's driver...that I've EVER thrown at it!)



...with the Aqua feeding a Luxman L-550AX, driving PMC Twenty 26s (I'm using the Luxman right now, because I'm expecting Twenty 23s any day now...and its A/B switching, will make for easy testing...of 23s and 26s side by side. But, at some point...I will probably break-out the C-J ET-3SE/2550SE combo, and Wyred STP-SE/ARC VT50 pairing; and see how the Aqua responds, in those systems.)



Also...while I find DAC A/Bs, a little tedious; I might compare it against, several others I have in house at the moment.

Marantz HD-DAC1 ($800)
Resonessence Labs Concero HD ($850)
LH Labs Geek Pulse ($1000)
AQUA La Voce S2 ($2700)
Ayre QB-9 DSD ($3300)

(Not to mention...maybe using the swiss-army knife, Auralic Aries Mini ($550); as stand-alone DAC only. So yes, technically...I really do have 6 different DACs in da house, at one time :weird: :P ;))

I mean...I'm Mister DAC (there's an inside joke there); meaning only...that since I'm a single, digital-source 'phile, the DAC plays a HUGE role in the signature of my system. But even I can't deny...there are probably only small, subtle differences between the "best" on this list, and the "worst" (given the fact, that I don't buy sh*t gear to begin with, lol :P)

I mean...the only one, that really counts; is my current reference...the Ayre QB-9 DSD. But...before I p u r g e a few of these other units; I could put a set of test-tracks together...and give some quick opinions, on the other units.

Stay tuned guys; all that's been happening through the weekend...is I've been letting things, run-in :audiophile:

 
Looking forward to your take on the La Voce. Mark told me you had one to test. The La Scala Mk. II is on the agenda for me in the Spring. As I don't do DSD yet that is no big deal to me. If I decide to move in that direction the Nuprime DAC-10 can handle that.
 
Awesomely enthusiastic preview of things to come. Can't wait for the follow up. Jack recommended the company to me and you are right, reviews are stellar.
 
CDLehner said:
But, at some point...I will probably break-out the C-J ET-3SE/2550SE combo, and Wyred STP-SE/ARC VT50 pairing; and see how the Aqua responds, in those systems.
Click to expand...

Oh...and one other thing I forgot to mention: the seemingly superfluous phase switch; will be a god-send, if/when...I pair this DAC with the C-J kit.

As C-J owners surely know; Messieurs Conrad & Johnson...love to mess with phase. ET-3SE is out of phase...2550SE, is not!

So...a simple flip of the Aqua's switch, will save me from digging behind my kit and swapping speaker cabling (and risk, forgetting to switch it back...when I'm non-C-J out-of-phase).
 
So...last night, I spent my first significant amount of time; listening to the La Voce S2. About 2 hours, as yes...it was one of those sessions, where I just started wanting to play EVERYTHING! :audiophile:

Well...first of all; after letting it run-in, for about 10 hours x 2 days...I had to pull it out briefly, and give another one of those DACs in the previous list, some rack time. Now...I don't know if it's a) that DAC (which shall remain nameless), b) it's synergy with the Luxman L-550AX, or c) the Aqua is just that good; but I can now throw this statement out the window...

...there are probably only small, subtle differences between the "best" on this list, and the "worst".

The difference, when I inserted the Aqua into the loop; was HUGE, and you'd have to be deef not to hear it (yes...maybe the other DAC, is broken LOL).

So...my expectation, of this unit; was smooth, smooth, smooth. I don't remember the reviews, word for word; but my overall impression was a) it was excellent!, and b) it was analog-like in its sound. Not that the later, was really a positive for me. I'm not a wax guy; I don't want my digital...to sound like analog. But I think that's the Vinyl audiophiles, colloquialism for "this sounds really good"; "it sounds analog", lol. :rolleyes:

So...anticipating this smoothness (and in fairness, when I'd popped my head in...from time to time, during run-in...things did sound rather smooth. Now...we are talking a class-A Luxman, at low volume here...so, lol); I did, as I tend to do when auditioning new kit. I started, by throwing it some softballs; the kind of material, I thought it would make sing (or vice versa).

It didn't disappoint! It was absolutely lush, full...delicate, yet detailed; with Malou Beauvoir's new title of covers, Is This Love

I like her voice, and the album; but I have heard some of these songs, done better. But I think her Fragile, is a stunner; and the La Voce S2, certainly brought out that magic.



Then...another title, I thought would be in the Aqua's wheelhouse; Charles Lloyd & The Marvels' I Long To See You. Another winner



But the DAC, was also giving me...something I wasn't expecting. It had great drive...top-tapping pace; and a real grip, on the bass I was just so surprised by. This seemingly hothouse flower, had some get up & go in 'er :lol:

So...I started not, being so particular; about what I played. I played what I wanted to hear; some Rock, some Indie...some Classical. Some audiophile-type recordings, some not-so-stellar recordings. I was the proverbial, kid in a candy-shop, and it all sounded great (I perhaps, caught a little ringing, here or there; but this thing, doesn't even have 50 hours on it yet).

I ended the night, with one of my favorite albums; meaning I know it, like the back of my...

Fleetwood Mac's TUSK; but the stellar, 2015 re-mastering...for the 5-CD Deluxe Box Set. (this is the inner sleeve, of Disc 1...which is a re-mastering of the original album. If you know the album...you know, it's a pretty perfect image ;))



On this title...the Aqua, showed ALL its strengths! From the Pop masterpiece Think About Me, to the delicate and haunting balladry of Storms, and playful harmonies of Honey Hi. But again...what really makes this DAC, for me; is the force and propulsion, it displayed...on the cocaine-fueled romp, that is its title-song.

WoW; forget all those other DACs. I gotta log, some more serious time with this...and then see, where the Ayre stands.

Believe the hype; this thing is the real deal!
 
So lemme translate...you are actually saying that Tube Dacs rule??? LoL

Enjoy.
 
La Scala does and I assumed La Voce did too.

Nevermind, it was a joke anyway.
 
Yah...that is its claim to fame.

http://www.audioreference.co.nz/pro...tube-dac-24192-r2r-ladder-dac-usb-rca-xlr-etc

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From 6moons:

Their regs are executed fully discrete with Mosfets, Jfets and BJTs. That's for both the analog and digital power supplies. For single-stage voltage gain, the La Scala goes class A and hybrid by direct-coupling LED-biased ECC81/12AT7 triodes to high-voltage current-buffer Mosfets. Without coupling capacitors or feedback, there's wide bandwidth, low output impedance and "no overshoot or ringing". High-speed opto-couplers create galvanic and magnetic isolation between the digital stage and analog ground. The power supply gets two EI trafos for digital and analog respectively. The regulated soft-start anode supply is a "virtual battery" Mosfet design. Finish is grey Nextel for the casing with a clear-anodized fascia whose controls switch power, inputs and phase.
 
More time, with the La Voce S2 tonight; only...using the Wyred STP-SE and ARC VT-50, as the front-end instead! :audiophile:
 
CDLehner said:
More time, with the La Voce S2 tonight; only...using the Wyred STP-SE and ARC VT-50, as the front-end instead! :audiophile:
Click to expand...

Huh...I thought I already reported back about this. Maybe I was waiting...for CPP to tell me, what he was looking for.

In any case...no great surprise; LA Voce still sounds great! As I mentioned before...and this switch in gear, only reiterates the point; the La Voce is more "forward" than I would have thought. Maybe I should say, more "dynamic".

Much as I love, the rich and lush presentation of Class-A; this DAC, into the Luxman L-550AX...really cut through some of that, and made the IA a PRaT champ. Going to the Wyred/ARC combo...a pairing, I am really starting to take to; showed the Aqua to still be lively...as this system, showed more top-end, than the smooth Lux. But of course, never etched or fatiguing.

Now...I have (FWP), to log some time with the C-J kit; find out, what stays...and what, unfortunately, will have to look for a new home.

For the record...I've already conceded; the Luxman, is not a luxury I can afford anymore. Did I mention I love class-A, lol; so having this guy around, when I'm looking for a change of pace. With its impeccable 70s style and build...and sweet, but still driving sound; it was a blessing.

But I can't keep, a $5400 IA...for the occasional dalliance anymore. So...if anyone is interested.

More to come, on the La Voce and C-J match!
 
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