DIGITAL SOURCE COMPONENTS

go to: Contents | Feature | On The Horizon | DACs | CD Players | Music Servers | Integrated Amps with DACs | Portable | Our Top Picks
In 2010 I reviewed the original version
of the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2. Besides
excellent sound and ergonomics
the DAC-2’s features included
upgradeablity. Over the years I’ve seen
many products that were supposed
to be upgradeable, but never fulfilled
their promise of a longer, more useful
lifespan. In 2014, four years after its
initial release, the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2
is still going strong with three versions—
the base model, a DSD model, and the
DSDse. And if you purchased one of the
original DAC-2s back in 2010, it can be
upgraded to the latest, most advanced
model for $1299. That’s kind of nice,
don’t you think
All the DAC-2s use the same chassis with
the identical number of inputs, outputs, and
hardware connections. The base-level DAC-2
costs $1495 and supports PCM formats up to
192/24 via USB or SPDIF. The DAC-2 DSD is
only $100 more and adds asynchronous USB
support for up to 384/32 PCM and 128X DSD.
According to Wyred 4 Sound, the DAC-2 DSD
also offers “improved audio quality through
USB input” and “galvanic isolation,” which are
two features not listed in the basic DAC-2’s
feature set. Given what you get for the extra
$100 upcharge, I can’t imagine why anyone
would still buy the base model.
Wyred 4 Sound’s top model is the DAC-2 DS-
Dse. It costs $1050 more than the base model,
which brings it to $2549. Added features
include custom Vishay Z-foil resistors with a
0.1% tolerance, a “Femto” clock that reportedly
has just 82 femtoseconds of jitter, ultralow-noise
discrete regulators that are over
100x quieter than the regulators on the other
two models, Schottkey diodes, premium-grade
inductor coils, a rhodium-plated Furutech
fuse, and improved galvanic isolation with a
further refined USB interface.
The review sample used throughout the review
was the original 2010 DAC-2 upgraded
twice by Wyred 4 Sound. First it was changed
into a DAC-2 DSD then converted to current
DAC-2 DSDse specifications. These upgrades
are not something that a local dealer or enduser
can do “in the field,” since they require
firmware upgrades in addition to replacing
circuit boards. But Wyred 4 Sound has a simple
order form with complete instructions on
its Web site to make the upgrade process as
quick and painless as possible. Upgrades start
at $495 to convert an original DAC-2 to a
DAC-2 DSD. For an additional $125 the Femto
clock option can also be included in that upgrade
package.
Tech Tour and Ergonomics
The DAC-2 DSDse uses a 9018 ESS Sabre DAC
at its heart, which is the same chip found in
the base and DSD models. The “secret” to
the DAC-2 DSDse’s superior measured performance
and sound isn’t necessarily the chip,
although the 9018 ESS Sabre is considered
to be one of the top current options. No, the
formula for better sound in the DAC-2 DSDse
is all the other parts and design that surround
the Sabre DAC. My recent experiences with
the Antelope Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD with
its external rubidium atomic clock reinforced
my opinion that the clock is a critical element
in a DAC’s overall sound. The new Femto-grade
clock option in the DSDse lowers phase jitter
by over 80% when compared with Wyred 4
Sound’s original DAC-2 clock.
The front panel of a DAC-2 is simplicity objectified.
It has three centrally located pushbuttons
arranged in a triangle. Above the
buttons is a two-line OLED display. That’s it.
On the back of the DAC-2 you will find an on/
off switch, two RCA coaxial SPDIF inputs, two
TosLink inputs, one AES/EBU input, one I 2 S input
(via HDMI), and one USB input. The DAC-2
also has a pair of balanced XLR outputs, a pair
of unbalanced RCA outputs, and a pair of “Bypass”
analog inputs.
The I 2 S digital input technology seems to be
making something of a comeback these days.
The DAC-2 DSDse’s inclusion of this input allows
it to connect to I 2 S sources that also use
an HDMI connector. PS Audio supports I 2 S
output on its Perfect Wave Transport, as does
Empirical Audio in its Off-Ramp USB converter.
The primary disadvantage of using HDMI
connection hardware is that a naive user could
assume it’s a standard HDMI connection and
wonder why the audio output from his HDMIenabled
Blu-Ray or DVD player doesn’t work
when plugged into the DAC-2’s “HDMI” input.
Fortunately, if you do mistakenly plug an HDMI
cable into the HDMI connector on the back of
the DAC-2, nothing bad will happen except silence,
which has a history of being golden.
Setup and Daily Use
The DAC-2 DSDse is capable of accepting up
to a 384kHz/32-bit signal. It accomplishes
31 Buyer's Guide to Digital Source Components 2014 www.theabsolutesound.com
previous page
NEXT page