Audio-GD Singularity 19 DAC - Comprehensive Review and Impressions

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Hands, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. DigitalMaven

    DigitalMaven Acquaintance

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    Stereophile panicked ...what right does Schiit have selling such a good thing for $2300...that'll destroy our advertising margins from the big boys...that's what I think happened there. They know it's good but they won't admit it cause it will hurt them somewhere else...
     
  2. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    We want to know what the absolute f**k is going on with this thing- intellectual curiosity is driving the discussion, not avarice. Nerds gonna nerd, thankfully.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
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    We could buy another set of the R2R modules.

    I don't want to stir up trouble by posting in HF. But someone extend on HF the $150 + one way shipping offer for a one week loaner of the S19.
     
  4. Ziva

    Ziva Friend

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    $150 is super generous for renting a Pinto/Yugo DAC equivalent. At least get a few weeks for multiple ears/measurements and to mitigate the inevitable "you didn't do X" nonsense. (Heck, offer the dude above a state of the art SBAF 2k hour burn in in lieu of compensation).
     
  5. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    All the jumpers are removed by default. So whatever that matches up with on the site.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL.

    My bet is that they will all refuse. The truth is hard.
     
  7. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    3 months of burn in??

    "The beatings will continue until morale improves."
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL. The beatings are figurative, not literal. I would hope that any S19 owners on HF considering a loan to us would not think that we would burn and stomp on the unit upon receipt. We are not ISIS of audio. I would like to think that we treat guest equipment with utmost care and hospitality.
     
  9. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    Does burn-in work faster if you leave it out in the sun?
     
  10. SKiring

    SKiring Friend

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  11. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    It's sort of amusing as in Chinese culture when you burn stuff you are burning them to your ancestors in the afterlife. In essence those wielding flame throwers in this thread are suggesting you want to offer your forebearers the S19...
     
  12. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Ack, while my paternal grandfather enjoyed his stereo equipment, I am disinclined to offer him my DAC this way.
     
  13. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    He might dump it back on you in the form of poison-chemical ash
     
  14. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Having had the S19 loaner for a few days...I don't like it. I don't want to listen anymore. I do most of my listening at night after work, a time I get to relax and wind down. This is really putting a sour note on that.

    I almost dropped out of the loaner, but figured it would be a good learning experience since I've been fortunate enough to not be duped into buying truly terrible gear. An occasional miss? Sure, but not something that was truly crap no matter if it was $1000 or $1.

    The S19 is very fatiguing for me to listen too. Even after 15 mins I can feel a headache coming on and just want to stop listening to music. I'd try and pinpoint exactly what is causing this, but it seems to be a sum of multiple issues. Flabby bass, wonky upper mids on up. It's doing something rather terrible with female vocals. I think I'm hearing distortion in the bass and mids. No kidding, I caught myself wondering wtf instrument was playing in the background on some more complex sections that I know very well, this thing is having issues rendering some instruments correctly I think. I struggle to find something positive as the issues keep bringing attention to themselves.

    Plugging back into my Gungnir Multibit is a relief and makes me truly appreciate having good resources like Sbaf that has helped me to steer clear of of equipment like the S19.

    The unit is quite large:

    [​IMG]
     
  15. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Money would be far better spent on a Rednet AOIP addition to that rather fabulous Sonett GuMB HD800S setup (minus the S19).
     
  16. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Good grief. It seems like it would take some serious DSPing to achieve that!
     
  17. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Currently using a Mutec 1.2 -> BNC -> Gungnir Multibit right now. With my Sonett 2 arriving tomorrow, I'll be looking into other ways to improve my rig, haven't looked much into Rednet.
     
  18. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

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    Honestly, I'm a little disappointed to see this. I have a lot of respect for Kingwa, when I got my NFB10ES2 back in 2013, he was beyond helpful! An I love my unit, I've really only considered another upgrade from him as I'm excited to hear one of his PCM builds! I'm interested in listening to this... might be a sobering moment for me... I've had a lot of those lately, and they are proving to be a good learning opportunity
     
  19. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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  20. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    "fool functional" sounds like a good description for the S19.
     

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