Yulong DA8 DAC (USB) Tidbit

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Sep 30, 2015.

Tags:
  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    I was expecting the Yulong DA8 to be another nasty sounding SABRE DAC, but I was surprised. It's actually somewhat listenable. The DA8 has a warmth in the upper bass and lower mids, but it also has a slight glare, silbance, and grain in the treble (it's still SABRE after all) which makes it not as tonally coherent and other SABRE DACs like the comparatively leaner X-SABRE or brighter Vega. The mids and treble are precise and focused. One of the DA8's weaknesses is the muddy indistinct bass which can be described as sort of monotonic muddy thud sound. I find this behavior distracting. The X-SABRE has some of the same indistinct bass issues, but it's bass is more punchy; and the X-SABRE is overall more lively sounding.

    Other shortcomings are the compressed macrodynamics and lack of microdynamics. The DA8 renders soft and medium level sounds closer in terms of volume. While I wouldn't say the DA8 is flat or boring, something I've leveled against other DACs, the DA8 just doesn't suck me into the music. The jitter fixer option needs to be turned off. Leaving it on actually does make the music sound flat and boring. Soundstage is upfront with lack of depth. More like zero depth. Localization isn't precise either. Center image isn't stable and wavers. With headphones, everything sort of sounds inside my head. Extension of the extremes (sub bass and air) also seem lacking.

    If the DA8 was cheap, then I would recommend it. Unfortunately, it's not. Considering the sonics and that Yulong is a Chinese brand, the street price of $1350 is highway robbery. It's not a horrible DAC, and on some recordings the DA8 sounds good, but the aggregate of the little not-so-good things do pile on. Sort of the inverse effect of how the Beatles were greater than the sum of its parts, instead we have 8 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 3.

    Associated Equipment: Schiit Mjolnir (tweaked) -> Madisound Fostex BK-21 kit with Fostex T90a Super Tweeters. JRiver MC/Windows 7/USB. . All DACs were left on for at least 48 hours before evaluation.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2015
  2. mickeyvortex

    mickeyvortex Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    18
    IIRC, Yulong gear used to be more reasonably priced a couple years back.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    That was before the HF hype train. I cannot tell you how many people who previously owned the DA8 told me how they wished they read my comments on the DA8 before their purchase.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2015
  4. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,464
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
  5. Judeus

    Judeus Facebook Friend

    Banned
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    202
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    summit-fi purgatory
    yu-dong
     
  6. mickeyvortex

    mickeyvortex Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    18
    I was one who did. In fact, the Yulong interest led me to Changstar :D. I remember emailing Grant Fidelity and almost pulling the trigger.
    Just a thought but are there non-transducer products out there that measure wonderfully but sound downright awful? If you think there's mileage in that notion, maybe a separate thread or a list would help.
    Mate, I've always wondered about the pyrates thing but I think you (and Changstar) were more like Robin Hood and others your merry gang. Let me know if you need someone to write you an obituary in case this forum ends up killing you. Maybe a fund for your kids and family.....
     
  7. dark_energy

    dark_energy Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,040
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Forest
    DA8 has a tendency to produce fake detail, that is not really there. This would maybe come out on a square wave measurement?
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Probably not. DACs tend to measurement close to perfect.
     

Share This Page