Digital Drive: REVIEW: Neko Audio D 100 MkII DAC Processors by Awe-d-o-file

Model:	D 100 MkII
Category:	DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price:	$1395.00
Description:	Upsampling DAC w/ coaxial and optical inputs
Manufacturer URL:	Neko Audio
Model Picture:	View

Review by Awe-d-o-file on February 17, 2010 at 11:41:41
IP Address: 24.125.135.203 Add Your Review
for the D 100 MkII

If you go to Neko Audios website you can sign up to audition their D100 DAC. Yep there's a list and you just get in line and you receive it free and get to try it in your system. So don't trust me, try it yourself.

I had a Musical Fidelity Trivista for over 6 1/2 years before the Philips transport gave out as many or most did. There are no replacements. Since then I have been looking to upgrade my digital rig. I tried a Cary 306 SACD before my Trivista died thinking buy this and sell your Trivista while it still works. Man that thing just didn't do it for me. The SACD playback was like my Trivista but the redbook was harsh and edgy. I couldn't take it. That surprised me from a piece of Cary gear.

I tried a friends Meridian (can't remember which one) and that was too sterile and not to my liking, too much HF. I actually prefer the Sherwood an AA member gave over all of them. It is quite modded with ps mods, internal tweaks and I bypassed all the crap before the primary to the transformer and use my P-300 as the on/off switch.

OK, that was a brief recent history: the Neko now arrives. I have a concern that the Neko, a passive DAC, will not have enough output to work in my system that has a passive linestage. No problem! I noticed no difference there. Bear in mind the loaner unit is the Mk II with 6db higher output than the standard D100. I used a $140 retail Vampire digital cable and the XLR to RCA cables supplied by Wes at Neko Audio.

Listening right away proved to be a pretty big shock. Never have I heard a digital rig anywhere reproduce HF as well. It was a very vinyl-like experience but w/o the phono stage and surface noise. And this thing with its passive design is dead quiet.

Every area of music quality improved. Bass, which was another concern with a passive DAC and passive linestage was actually better. The image improved by getting both wider and bigger from front to back. Like I said there was no area this thing was not superior in every area of playback you would rate.

Finally after several days decided that it was a calmer presentation
yet it retained all the dynamics of the original recordings. I think it just does a better job of reducing digital crap. This also surprised me a bit as I would rather have a DAC that uses a native sampling rate or a multiple thereof.

Anyway you owe it to yourself to try this unit, it is really something. And of course you have nothing to lose except a little return shipping money.

ET

Product Weakness:	Don't know any other than it does clang when you tap on the units metal cover
Product Strengths:	Sound Quality, Price, Build Quality, Engineering

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: CJ MF2500A, 2100
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Placette Passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sherwood CDP as transport
Speakers: Magnepan MG-1, Polk SDA SRS 1.2TL
Cables/Interconnects: Speltz and Richard Gray for power
Music Used (Genre/Selections): jazz,world,fusion
Room Size (LxWxH): 14 x 30 x 12.5
Room Comments/Treatments: plenty
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio P-300, Richard Gray 600
Type of Audition/Review: Home Audition

Amplifier:	CJ MF2500A, 2100
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Placette Passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Sherwood CDP as transport
Speakers:	Magnepan MG-1, Polk SDA SRS 1.2TL
Cables/Interconnects:	Speltz and Richard Gray for power
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	jazz,world,fusion
Room Size (LxWxH):	14 x 30 x 12.5
Room Comments/Treatments:	plenty
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio P-300, Richard Gray 600
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition