The relativity of Balanced Connections
I often found that the impact of balanced versus unbalanced connections can differ depending on the preamplifier used. CH Precision routinely achieves the best sound when using balanced connections. But I’ve also encountered situations where there is a unique synergy when using unbalanced connections. That’s why I always recommend trying all connection methods and simply siding with the one that sounds best in that situation.
A word of caution: listening to the DAC III Balanced SP for a prolonged period can spoil the listener! The DAC III still sounds excellent and remains an infectiously upbeat, propulsive, and enthusiastic performer, but its bigger brother makes it sound comparatively more straightforward and down to earth. Once listened to, it’s added value is abundantly clear!
Although the other DAC III versions will have their specific strengths, my experiences highlight what I think will be some of the more prevalent differences between the SW1X performance levels.
The DACs were listened to on an Artesania Aire floor platform with carbon fiber linear arms and a KSH2 Krion Shelf and on an HRS EXR rack. Both racks worked really well, which is another indicator of the DACs’ carefully balanced nature. Nevertheless, the racks have different sonic properties, affecting the DACs’ performance either to a more delicate and airy rendition (Artesania) or an earthier, meatier, and more sonorous rendition (HRS).
Aftermarket Footers
The DAC’s footers are made of soft silicon material, explicitly chosen to combine harmoniously with the lively-sounding powder-coated aluminum chassis. Indeed, my tests confirmed that although its sonic signature can be steered in another direction using Ceramic couplers such as Finite Ceraballs, Ansuz Darkz, or StillPoints, these footers pulled the sound to a less natural direction. Ansuz Darks provided an exception, especially the T2S, that improved the overall performance while adding a gentle touch of air. Perhaps this is due to its Titanium balls instead of Ceramic, or maybe it has more to do with its resonance control coatings. This remains a little mystery. In any case, I must add that unless funds permit without breaking a sweat, the improvement does not really warrant spending the required sum. It’s not that these footers don’t make a positive difference, but the DAC also sounds beautifully balanced when standing on its integral footers.
Although system synergy remains an essential factor, and different systems need different measures in terms of tweaks and accessories, it’s worth noting that more expensive models from the Classic and Signature lines employ a selection of Brass Wood composite and solid wood for their footers, which is another indication that natural materials likely work more synergistically than rigid coupling via Ceramic balls.
Power Cables
So far, I used a Belden 19364 with Bals Schuko and Oyaide C-004 IEC connector for my initial listening, and throughout all the sessions, this worked so well that I had no desire to try other cables. But when experimenting with this to know the effect, I found that the DAC is quite responsive to power cables. The sound could be steered more toward smooth and voluptuous (using Oyaide Tunami V2 or GigaWatt PowerSync Ultra) or more toward controlled and focused (using GigaWatt LC-2 EVO). Ultimately, I felt the Belden provided the best balance of virtues.
Perspective
The differences between the two DAC III versions are evident in my comparisons, and the extra expenditure for the Balanced SP version is absolutely justified. Both DACs provide the kind of musical presentation that makes one want to keep listening for hours on end. The DAC III may be slightly more exciting, but the DAC III Balanced SP is ever so much more seductive, as well as being endowed with much-elevated performance in many audiophile aspects. When focusing on specific technical aspects, such as articulation, ultimate resolution, and air, however, the SW1X DACs have to hand it to the other DACs present. Of course, the question is whether musical enjoyment resides in these technical details. Although I am indeed a detail-fanatic, I, too, must admit that these DACs do something very special that I like to call the “human” aspect. It’s how it allows musicians to take on more of a flesh and blood approach and acoustical instruments such as strings to be portrayed with more realism than the best DACs here manage.
For example, I love tightness and crispness in the bass, but these matters become relative when I listen to the DAC III Balanced SP for a certain amount of time and then switch to the CH or Aqua. These are the best alternatives I have available, yet both sound relatively sober and down-to-earth. The solid-state DACs’ articulation and precision do please my technical ear, but the tube DACs speak more directly to my heart and more effectively convey the emotion of the music.
In all matters audio, achieving a certain balance of virtues and relative vices is crucial. This is true to a large extent regardless of the price class. With that in mind, it is up to the listener to decide on the preferred balance. Does one prefer a more analytical and ultra-revealing performance or a more emotionally pleasing musicality? The beauty of SW1X is that the balance is very carefully chosen, emphasizing seduction and musicality while retaining excellent PRaT and dynamic impact.
Conclusion
The DAC III is a remarkably well-planted, robust, and impressively dynamic performer. The DAC III Balanced SP provides a lusher and gentler presentation with significantly increased resolution, precision, and refinement. These differences aside, both possess the unusual capacity to provide a decidedly continuous, non-electronic, emotion-inducing delivery while retaining superb neutrality, upbeat pacing, and excellent dynamic impact. The result is that they encourage long listening sessions, evoking a deep emotional connection while never failing to make the foot tap.
External Links
Distributor for the Netherlands: Live Fidelity
Manufacturer’s website: SW1X Audio Design
HI Christiaan, you ALMOST gave it a full glowing review, so I guess ‘almost’ means it cannot go onto the recommended list? More comparison with the Aqua LA Formula would have been useful for me, just to get a better grip of what makes the Formula recommended and the SW1X not. On the other hand in your quick comparison you highlighted the deficiencies I guess, so that should cover it!
Hi Luke, preferences regarding musical and emotional elements or resolution and precision are subjective, as different listeners may prioritize one approach over another. The Aqua provides a more defined and higher-resolution presentation, which aligns with my preferences which, in turn, define my recommendations; however, I also appreciate the strengths of the DAC III and DAC III Balanced SP, as reflected in the review.
“While the DAC is not setting new records in detail retrieval, bass precision, articulation, or transparency and the similarly-priced Aqua Formula xHD pulls ahead in these areas, the DAC III is not far behind in terms of resolution and is actually airier, more fluid, and more refined.” this is an earlier statement of the quick impression review of Christiaan-it contradicts his comment
Hi Christiaan, thank you so much for the review.
All our DACs are extremely airy sounding by design. The amount of air heavily depends on several factors such as the time the DAC has been operating continuously partly because BG capacitors, open up significantly but this requires some time to get charged. The other factor is the choice of tubes. All our equipment we make is extremely airy and 3D sounding, so we sometimes deliberately tune the sources to be sounding on the darker side.
Last but not least resolution is an overhyped and overemphasised aspect, which is absolutely meaningless if a DAC sounds flat and lifeless.
Thanks Christiaan for your very honest reply. That’s the exact answer I was hoping to hear and why I value your reviews so highly and find them so accurate especially when I have actually bought the product in front of me to test. Of course you have illustrated how good this DAC can be especially with its emotionally communicative ways. So with reference to your system and your tastes which i have become so very accustomed to I know exactly how to place this product in my mind and whether its for me not. Your reviews are such that we are never led to believe that just because something is not in the recommended bracket that it cannot be the right and best product for a certain system with certain musical priorities.
Thanks for another insightful and well-written DAC review!
Is there a typo in the Conclusion? You wrote, “both possess the unusual capacity to […] without retaining superb neutrality, upbeat pacing, and excellent dynamic impact.” I wonder if you meant to write either “without losing” or alternatively “while retaining”? If not, my apologies.
Hi Lee, whoops, indeed, that was a typo, thanks for catching that!
Hi Christian another thorough and excellent review however it appears that the SW1x designs and overall design ethos are pretty well copied from Audio Note UK. I’m sure they are excellent sounding DACs but that is worth pointing out.
Cheers,
Jon
Hi Jon, I’m not familiar with AN designs, but I do know that Dr. Slawa puts a lot of effort into sourcing, matching, and implementing precisely the ideal components for his designs. So, even though a design may appear similar to another, it can still sound very different.
HI Christiaan, I thinks its also worth mentioning the Dacs built by Mr Abbas, which are great value for money and which I believe were the forebearer of some design ideas also found in some of the SW1X DACS. No doubt I will be corrected if I am wrong. I will be auditioning one of his DACs in the not too distant future. Luke
May have missed it – did you mention that these two dacs are limited to 24/96?
Now that you mention it, I noted this specification in the DAC III SP Quick Impression that preceded this review, but indeed not in this review.