Computer Audio Asylum: REVIEW: Ultra Fi Musicstream DAC Processors by ejlif

Model:	Musicstream
Category:	DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price:	3495.00
Description:	USB DAC
Manufacturer URL:	Ultra Fi

Review by ejlif on May 28, 2009 at 21:12:24
IP Address: 76.204.224.137 Add Your Review
for the Musicstream

This is USB DAC thing is becoming the wave of the future. I've fully graduated from CD players to a music server via Mac Mini feeding a USB DAC. I find the convenience of having 5000 CD at my fingertips to much of a good thing to ever go back to putting in one CD at a time. I've had some pretty good CD players over the years too (Audio Aero, Ayre, and Wadia to name a few)

I initially heard rumblings of a very good USB DAC from Robert of Ridge Street Audio. I had been in contact with him since I tried a couple of his USB cords he makes and ended up buying one of them (the Alethias) Anyway, Robert talked so high of this USB DAC from Ultra Fi that I had to investigate it further. I called and talked to Larry Moore and he agreed to let me buy one and I would have a 7 day return policy. He offered it to me for 2995.00 (retail is 3495.00) I initially decided not to do the deal but Larry offered the DAC for 2495.00 and 15 days to check it out. I agreed and placed the order.

I received the DAC about 3 weeks later. The packaging was ahemm, terrible. He basically wrapped my 3500.00 DAC in a piece of paper and shoved it in a USPS priority mail box. When I first hooked it up it had a noticeable distortion. I contacted Larry and he had me send it right back. He fixed it quickly and returned it. I received the DAC on a Saturday.

The DAC is a relatively simple affair, in a sheet metal box with the Ultra Fi logo on the front. You hook it up via USB cord and go to system preferences on the Mac and select the DAC (it comes up as C-Media USB DAC) The distortion was now gone. The first thing I noticed right off the bat was that the output level was pretty low. My other USB DAC on hand, the MHDT Paradisea + had a much stronger signal. This was of concern since I was now turning my preamp up from about 11 to almost 2 o'clock to get the same level. I contacted Larry about this and he suggested that my preamp (Ayre K1x) was a bad design, that it had to low an input impedance. I told him that I had never had a problem with any other gear. Larry's tone was a little on the rude side. I brushed it aside and continued with my evaluation.

I personally favor a strong dynamic sound. I listen to a lot of powerful music and it demands strong dynamic base. The Musicstream was very lacking in this regard. The bass was certainly on the weak side in my system. I sum it up this regard as lacking in drive. I feel that the Ridge Street Audio Alethias USB cord also lacks a little drive and maybe the combo was to much of a bad thing I don't know. Larry told me that I absolutely should be using the Alethias USB cord on the DAC, but my findings tell me they are both a little bit of a snoozer sound, although they both excel at spaciousness and 3D. The tone was very smooth as well as extended in the treble. Whenever I listened to very delicate music such as Morton Feldman or Arvo Part I was very happy with the sound. Throw on some hard driving jazz or rock and I was like what the heck. Compared to the MHDT Paradisea + DAC the sound of the Musicsteream had a startling sense of space. It was very alluring, but in extended listening sessions I always found my mind wandering which I sum up to that it just didn't get the pace and rhythm right. Overall I rate the MHDT Paradisea+ a better DAC. It may not be as strong in a couple of areas but it a more well rounded performer, not to mention the fact that it retails at about 1/6th the price of the Musicstream. I listened a lot for a week and came to the conclusion that this DAC was not for me. I kindly told Larry what I thought (being very careful not to offend) He suggested that I let it play some more and give it a chance to break in better as well as try some other power cords. I did this for the next week. One week later I was still hearing the same stuff, so I told Larry I would like to return it.

I don't want to take this part of the review to far since this is actually a review of the DAC not the business, but Larry refused to honor his return policy and refused to answer any emails or phone calls. I was even given the story that he was out of the country to South America indefinitely when I called.

I realize that usually when you read a review it is not a strictly bad one. I thought about it before I posted this review and I decided that yes the audiophile community deserves to know my honest assessment of the Ultra Fi
Musicstream DAC and the business dealings I had with Larry Moore of Ultra Fi.

If this review was available to me I would have taken into consideration even dealing with Ulra Fi. I think my negative findings of the Musicstream are quite possibly mostly an issue of system matching and that quite possibly this DAC is better in other systems than it was for me. What is mostly of concern here is the fact that I made a deal with Larry Moore and he dishonored it. I hope my review is helpful to anyone thinking about buying a Musicstream from Larry Moore of Ultra Fi.

Ryan Stratton

Product Weakness:	no drive, weak bass, pace and rhythm lacking
Product Strengths:	spacious and delicate sound

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Parasound Jc-1
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Ayre K1x
Sources (CDP/Turntable): MHDT Paradisea + USB DAC, Nottingham Dais table
Speakers: Proac D two or D-15
Cables/Interconnects: Verbatim speaker, Oritek and Argent interconnect, Electraglide, Elrod and Harmonix power
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock, Jazz, Classical
Room Size (LxWxH): 26 x 18 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): BPT 3.5 sig
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Parasound Jc-1
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Ayre K1x
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	MHDT Paradisea + USB DAC, Nottingham Dais table
Speakers:	Proac D two or D-15
Cables/Interconnects:	Verbatim speaker, Oritek and Argent interconnect, Electraglide, Elrod and Harmonix power
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock, Jazz, Classical
Room Size (LxWxH):	26 x 18 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	BPT 3.5 sig
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner