Digital Drive: REVIEW: North Star Design DAC 32 DAC Processors by Crebert

Model:	DAC 32
Category:	DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price:	$2,500
Description:	32 bit D/A converter
Manufacturer URL:	North Star Design

Review by Crebert on July 05, 2011 at 17:39:31
IP Address: 58.179.32.228 Add Your Review
for the DAC 32

I cannot really write an exhaustive review of this device, so will try to convey its' characteristics as best as I can. This was a home demo / audition situation so I was able to hear the player in a home- setup. My system runs completely on valves, (Dynaco stereo70 plus a line-stage - speakers are full-range Supravox + Aurum Cantus ribbon tweeter)this very analytical setup tends to show up all the shorcomings of a source. I listened to this DAC -North-Star Model 192 top-Loading Transport combination for about 4/5 days. It is exceptionally detailed especially in the midrange. It lacks the harshness and excessive brighness generally associated with CD's. Strings on Beethoven's String quartets for example are extremely well defined and well detailed. Vocals have great clarity and depth, say, on Randy Newman's 12 songs, or Nick Drake's Pink Moon, the breadth of the recording comes out extremely well. I've listened to The Fall (our Nation's saving grace) Rowland S Howard, Belle and Sabastian (the BBC sessions)and I'd have to say that the reproduction of these recordings comes out cleanly without being masked or smoothed over. drums bass and guitar come out really well on Bowie's BBC sessions album, but they do not drown out the singer, the voice really maintains presence. High treble is extremely well defined clear and musical. Solo piano performances also are truly wonderful, Joanna McGregeor's Scarlatti Keyboard Sonatas for example, and Schiff's Well Tempered Klavier cd's have a wonderful presence and the player exhibits the counterpoint and intricate texture and depth of the works really well. Not only that but of cd's and works that I really knew very well, I was able to hear new things in them that I had not heard before, and in that sense the player gave the music I heard greater definition. I was also really impressed by the build quality of the transport it is extremely solid (and quite heavy), at first I was skeptical about the top-loading cd concept, but the sliding door mechanism is really solid and operates smoothly. I understand that the transport uses a high quality Philips L1210/65 mechanism. This seems to work very well as does the 12S cable that connects them - it is much faster than Coax cable. There is a small round magnet weight that holds down the cd and this setup works well. This is not to forget the quick acting electronics of the transport which rapidly flip to the selected track when required. The musical reproducion and level of resolution is extremely high and the music has pace and great presence without grainy harshness. I will have to say that I was greatly impressed by the musicality of this Transport / Dac combination.

Product Weakness:	None that I can name.
Product Strengths:	Wonderful musical presence, solidly built. It is a balanced- Non fatiguing player.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Dynaco Stereo 70
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Ross Giles Line Stage amp.
Sources (CDP/Turntable): J.A. Michell Gyro SE -t.t.
Speakers: Supravox full-range/Aurum cantus ribbons
Cables/Interconnects: Cardas Quadlink
Music Used (Genre/Selections): chamber/classical/post-rock/post-punk/Rock
Room Size (LxWxH): 8M x 6M x 4.5M
Room Comments/Treatments: None
Time Period/Length of Audition: 4 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Not using special power cords etc.
Type of Audition/Review: Home Audition

Amplifier:	Dynaco Stereo 70
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Ross Giles Line Stage amp.
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	J.A. Michell Gyro SE -t.t.
Speakers:	Supravox full-range/Aurum cantus ribbons
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas Quadlink
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	chamber/classical/post-rock/post-punk/Rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	8M x 6M x 4.5M
Room Comments/Treatments:	None
Time Period/Length of Audition:	4 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Not using special power cords etc.
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition