October 15, 2008
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TWBAS 10/2008
Speakers: Rockport Technologies Altair
Amplifier: Boulder Amplifiers 860
Preamplifiers: Simaudio Moon Evolution
P-8, Boulder Amplifiers 810
Sources: Apple MacBook running iTunes,
Stello DA220 Mk.II D/A converter
Cables and power conditioning: Shunyata
Research: Aurora-IC interconnects, Aurora-SP speaker cables, Hydra V-Ray power
conditioner; Anaconda Helix Alpha/VX, Python Helix Alpha/VX, Taipan Helix Alpha/VX power
cords |
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Sea Change: Weiss Minerva
Digital-to-Analog Converter
As I write this, several e-mails from readers sit in
my Saved folder waiting to be answered, all regarding the Weiss Minerva D/A converter
($4500 USD). Seems audiophiles are curious about this little jewel from Switzerland for
myriad reasons, not least because its just about the only standalone high-end DAC
that can accept an input signal of 24-bit/192kHz resolution from a music server based on
an Apple MacBook computer. That fact alone makes it special.
Some background
I was converted from a CD- to a computer-based audio system
about a year ago. I wasnt breaking new ground in using a server as my primary source
of music -- many others blazed this trail long before me. I remember Peter McGrath, of
Wilson Audio Specialties, using a laptop years ago at the annual Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Survey the landscape right now and youll see that a
great change is taking place -- one that began at the turn of the millennium but is only
now maturing.
Most audiophiles I know are either experimenting with music
servers to augment their CD-based systems, or replacing their disc spinners altogether
with hard-drive-based products. You could point to the Slim Devices/Logitech Squeezebox as
the landmark piece of hardware in the latter category, but if I had to pick just one
product that has had a greater effect than all the others, it would be a software program:
Apples iTunes. Millions of consumers, audiophiles and non-, embraced the iTunes
revolution en masse. For the average person, iTunes -- in conjunction, of course, with
Apples iPod -- offered the most useful user interface ever designed to access a
music collection. It was the coolest thing theyd ever seen, and the game of digital
music delivery changed forever.
Once the audiophile world took notice, it wasnt long
before serious music systems began popping up that used iTunes, iPods, and other Apple
products, such as MacBook laptop computers. Of course, Apple products didnt corner
the market. Systems using PCs were also growing in number, as well as setups that included
such products as those from Sooloos, Sonos, Slim Devices/Logitech, and more. Although many
converts will admit that their initial reason for adding a music server to their systems
had everything to do with the way they accessed their music collections, something
else happened. You couldnt escape reading about it in online forums, where a common
thread began to emerge: My music server sounds better than my CD player. It was if
thousands of audiophiles had come to the same conclusion all at once: music servers were
outperforming CD players, and often at a far lower cost.
Its obvious that were in the waning days of the
CD. I remember, about five years ago, and perhaps up until just recently, that slews of CD
players were being introduced that were priced in the stratosphere: high-end companies
seemed to decide that they would offer a final statement-level CD player that incorporated
"everything weve learned over the past 20 (or 25) years." (Variations of
the phrase seemed to be used by just about every maker of digital audio equipment.)
Reviewers followed suit, with such conclusions as "If you want to buy one CD player
for the ages, this is it." It seemed the pinnacle of CD playback had been reached.
From my perspective, this all but concluded a chapter in
the product-development cycle of the CD player. This isnt to say that you wont
see more CD players, and possibly even better ones than we have now. But it is to
say that the focus of many companies and consumers is shifting. Over the past year or so,
it has become clear that high-end audio equipment makers are setting their sights on
products that will help audiophiles push the digital-music envelope via hard-drive-based
music servers.
The challenge
Multiple interfaces are available through which your
computer can talk to your audio system. A huge advantage that computers offer is the
ability to go wireless -- streaming music from a central computer to a device(s) connected
to your audio system(s) rooms away is a convenient way to do it, particularly if your
computer is set up in an office or remote bedroom. But we in the audiophile world all know
that if theres a way to get better sound, well gravitate toward it -- even if
it means giving up something as cool as wireless connectivity. In this case, the quest for
better performance means piping music directly from the computer to the big rig via a
wired connection. As a result, the choice of products available to make such connections
has expanded quickly.
One product segment that has grown by leaps and bounds is the standalone D/A
converter equipped with a USB input. USB outputs are available on most every modern
computer because it is a reliable interface for transferring data from point to point. USB
DACs range in price from a couple hundred dollars or less to many thousands, and Im
sure well see even more options introduced at next years CES in Las Vegas. The
technical limitation of USB, at least as I write this, is that very few such DACs can
accept greater than a 16-bit/96kHz signal (one that I know of is the Benchmark DAC1 USB,
$1275), with most stuck at 16-bit/44.1kHz. For CD resolution, 16/44 is no limitation
-- thats CDs native resolution -- but it precludes higher-resolution
downloads. Search the Internet and you can find higher-resolution music -- thats one
of the exciting aspects of computer-based audio. One such example of hi-rez music is the
HRx series of recordings from Reference Recordings. These discs, billed as
"digit-for-digit copies of the original Reference Recordings 176.4kHz/24-bit digital
masters," are shipped as DVD data discs that must be loaded onto the consumers
computer. The 24/176.4 resolution means that more data space is devoted to the music --
each HRx disc uses about 4GB of your hard drive, vs. the 500MB of a standard CD. But how
to play them?
The Minerva
The Weiss Minerva D/A converter is the brainchild of Swiss
electronics guru Daniel Weiss, and its specs are impressive. It will accept sampling
frequencies of 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192kHz, and word lengths of up to 24 bits.
Its inputs include two FireWire, AES/EBU via an XLR jack, RCA, and TosLink. The outputs
are stereo RCA and XLR. The Minerva itself is smallish -- about 9"W x 2"H x
12"D. The front panel has a selector button and corresponding LED for each digital
input. When an input is chosen but no signal is present, the LED blinks continuously; it
glows continuously when the Minerva locks on to a digital signal sent to that input. Other
than the selector buttons, the only other thing on the front panel is the Power button.
The Minerva comes with a driver that must be uploaded to
your computer via a CD -- versions are included for Apples OSX and Windows. I found
installation to be straightforward, with no drama or hiccups. In fact, the Minerva worked
perfectly and without glitch, from the day I unboxed it to the day I reluctantly shipped
it back to Switzerland. In the comprehensive manual, Weiss includes as much technical
information as youd probably ever want to read about the design aspects of his DACs.
Much of that info is also available on the Weiss website, to which I refer the more
technically minded. I found the Minerva to be built to very high standards.
Getting started
After installing the Minervas driver on my Apple
MacBook, I connected the Minerva to the computer with a FireWire cable. This is the key: Instead
of USB, Weiss uses FireWire, which is also compatible with Apple products and can be used
to transmit greater-than-CD resolution. I then selected the Minerva in Apples Audio
Midi settings and away I went.
A slight frustration with the way Apple has configured its
audio settings: You must shut down iTunes each time you change the source resolution. For
instance, for CDs loaded onto my MacBook -- the vast majority of my music collection -- I
set the Apples output to 16/44.1. If I want to listen to a Reference Recordings HRx
recording, though, I have to shut down iTunes, manually choose 24/176.4 in the Audio Midi
settings, then reopen iTunes. At first this seemed a huge oversight on Apples part,
but a little research turned up why they do it. Youd think the Mac would be designed
to default to the native resolution of the file youre playing, whatever that might
be. The thing is, most people dont have a Minerva, or any device that accepts
greater than 16/44.1 -- but many people download music to and play it from their
computer. Apple therefore made their digital output compatible with most devices out there
-- so the default is 16/44.1. For just this reason, the MacBook will sample-rate-convert
everything to the setting chosen in the Audio Midi settings, so that compatibility with
external devices is never an issue.
Music
Once all was set up, I rolled along, listening to hundreds
of songs. I was never less than immensely impressed. One of my first observations was that
voices, particularly male, sounded more present than I was used to hearing. The Fairfield
Fours I Couldnt Hear Nobody Pray (CD, Warner Bros. 46698-2) sounded
spookily real, the singers placed closer to my listening position than with the Stello
DA220 Mk.II DAC ($1650), which has long been my reference. It was almost disconcerting at
first, but as I listened more I came to appreciate that the Minerva was simply more
transparent than the other digital sources Id been using, and that that transparency
resulted in better separation of instruments and voices. The separation, in this case, let
me scrutinize the harmonizing of these old gents. Vocals, both male and female, were more
palpable, with perfect scale and soundstage presentation.
Regardless of what music I played, the results were
similar: the Minerva was supremely transparent, and I found myself paying closer attention
to the music I know and love because I could get more involved in what I was hearing. I
could make out fine details within the small details that I hadnt noticed
with the Stello DAC. For instance, the natural decay that comes at the end of the bass
notes in "Norbu," from Bruno Coulaiss music for the film Himalaya
(CD, Virgin 10127), had more texture and nuance. Not only were the tiny details better
resolved over the Minerva, but the bigger picture improved as well. "Norbu"
contains powerful, extended bass blasts, and has become one of my go-to references for
bass depth, power, and the decay that comes after the heavy drum whacks. With the Minerva,
the drums were just a touch more extended in frequency while remaining tonally perfect. If
youve ever listened to a good amplifier, then to a really great one, and experienced
the increased bass control that can result, you have a good idea of what I was hearing.
Going from the Stello to the Minerva was a significant improvement.
I guess at this point youre wondering if there was anything
about the Stello DA220 Mk.II that I preferred to the Weiss Minerva. Basically, no: The
Minerva was more transparent, more resolving of fine detail, had greater impact and
extension in the bass, and was better controlled over the entire frequency range -- all
without any penalties that I could hear. The Stello did sound just a touch more distant
than the Weiss, but I dont think that aspect of its rendition was any more or less
correct, and this very subtle difference in sound was evident with only a few recordings.
For instance, one of my longtime references is "Tall Trees in Georgia," from Eva
Cassidys Live at Blues Alley (CD, Blix Street 10046). With the Minerva, I
moved closer to the clubs stage by a table or two, gaining a more intimate sonic
view of the singer. I cant say I preferred one presentation to the other -- but
after hearing both, you might feel differently.
But beyond the Minervas somewhat
upfront sound -- which can be a matter of taste -- I cant imagine anyone preferring
the Stello in any other area of sound reproduction. Voices were clearer and more
full-bodied with the Minerva, tonality was always spot on, and the high frequencies seemed
to extend into infinite darkness without any harshness or grain. Although its a
somewhat odd adjective to use in describing a DAC, I thought the Minerva sounded more powerful
than any digital source Ive heard. The soundtrack album of The Dark Knight
(CD, Warner Bros. 511101) contains some of the most intense music youll hear -- this
score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard fits the kinetic nature of the film
perfectly, and the Minerva added horsepower to the score in all the right places. At any
second, I expected Batman to crash through the wall of my Music Vault.
One of the few hi-rez recordings I have on my computer -- Crown
Imperial, with organist Mary Preston, conductor Jerry Junkin, and the Dallas Wind
Symphony (DVD-R, Reference RR-112 HRx) -- was arresting in its crystalline clarity and
delicious detail. This is what high-end audio should be about, and where the Minerva
really shone. I could listen deep into this recording, hearing such details as
tinkling bells with absolute clarity -- something Ive not heard bettered by any
system. It has whetted my appetite for more. If youve not heard this degree of
resolution over a really good audio system, you owe it to yourself to do so -- though you
might then be spoiled for anything else. Now, if only I could get all of my
favorite recordings at this kind of resolution, Id be set.
Conclusion
The Weiss Minerva is the best DAC Ive used with my
Apple MacBook, though thats not saying much -- until this review, Id used only
the Stello DA220 Mk.II and the very inexpensive Blue Circle Thingee ($189). More relevant
is that, without any qualification, the Minerva-MacBook combination provided the best
sound Ive heard in my system, which has included the best CD player Ive heard,
the Audio Research Corporation Reference CD7. The Weiss-Apple also handily beat my prior
disc-spinning reference, the Esoteric UX3-SE SACD/DVD-Audio player. Hands down, this is
the real deal.
As I sit back and chill to the sounds of Sea Change
(CD, Geffen 493537), the recording Beck made after breaking up with his longtime
girlfriend, I realize that Im coming to the end of my own long love affair -- with
the Stello DA220 Mk.II. The Weiss Minerva has changed my view of how good it can get, and
now Im spoiled for anything else. This is the golden age of digital sound.
. . . Jeff Fritz
jeff@ultraaudio.com
Manufacturer contact information:
Weiss Engineering Ltd.
Florastrasse 42
8610 Uster / Zurich
Switzerland
Phone: +41 44 940 20 06
Fax: +41 44 940 22 14
E-mail: weiss@weiss.ch
Website: www.weiss-highend.ch
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