{"id":17994,"date":"2019-04-17T12:28:27","date_gmt":"2019-04-17T10:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=17994"},"modified":"2021-07-09T09:03:51","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T07:03:51","slug":"bricasti-m15-m21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/spdif-dac-reviews\/bricasti-m15-m21\/","title":{"rendered":"Bricasti M21 DAC and M15 power amp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample kindly supplied by\u00a0Ohm Audio
\n<\/a>Retail price in the Netherlands, including 21% VAT:<\/strong>
\nM15 stereo power amp 19.900 euro
\nM21 DAC 18.900 euro<\/h4>\n

Ohm Audio<\/a> in Groningen, the Netherlands is an audio store that stands out for having a non-typical assortment of equipment. Run by Derk Broos and his son Luuk, their inventory consists of new equipment as well as an ever-changing collection of occasions, rangings from Magico, Magnepan, Antipodes and lots of others to a brand that is still relatively unknown: Bricasti.<\/p>\n

Bricasti’s co-founders Casey Dowdell and Brian Zolner both worked\u00a0at Lexicon before Harman International ended these operations. Although the design is done in-house, some of the hardware engineering is contracted to AeVee Labs, a company founded by Bob Gorry, who used to be Chief Engineer at Madrigal Audio Labs. This goes some way toward explaining the visual similarity to Mark Levinson products and their Arlon circuit boards, which used to be exclusive to Mark Levinson “S” products. Similarities aside, the M21 and M15 technology and implementation are quite different from the Levinson classics and they are very much unique and modern products.<\/p>\n

The first Bricasti product that I reviewed was the M1 Classic<\/a>, a highly capable DAC that replaced my Wadia 521<\/a> at the time. The two DACs have very different characters but what made me switch was that the M1 was more transparent and refined, had higher resolution and offered USB and DSD decoding, which the old-school Wadia, of course, did not. The M21 adds an analog preamp section and promises to further advance the M1’s already stellar performance. Outside of Derk’s showroom, I’ve not yet heard a Bricasti power amplifier but I have to say that the M15 certainly looks the business.<\/p>\n

M21 DAC description<\/h3>\n

The M21 has two completely isolated fully differential channels, each with its own dedicated linear power supply, DA converter, clocking, and analog level control circuitry. With the twin DAC design, the dynamic range for each channel is optimized by using the stereo ADI 1955 PCM\/DSD DA converter in a mono configuration, or an optional Ladder DAC for PCM conversion. Clocking for each channel is done directly at each DAC with a technique called DDS (direct digital synthesis) which is said to take clock-induced jitter to immeasurable levels, and DSD is converted with a proprietary\u00a0one-bit analog converter. Network connectivity includes an electrically isolated synchronous USB 2 interface and an RJ 45 Ethernet connector for using the M21 as a DNLA compatible network player\/renderer\/streamer. Finally, the M21 is Roon Ready, meaning that it will work as a Roon endpoint.<\/p>\n

M15 Amp description<\/h3>\n

The M15 stereo power amplifier is based on the M28 monoblocks, offering extremely low distortion with moderate power and a truly balanced topology. With 125W into 8 ohms,\u00a0250W into 4 ohms, and 500W into 2 ohms, the amp promises to be highly stable into any load.<\/p>\n

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That big M15 text kind of gives away the surprise:-)<\/em><\/p>\n

Listening<\/h3>\n

To get the best grip on these two components’ individual performance, I will first assess them separately in combination with the resident CH Precision C1<\/a> and A1.5<\/a> components and then together as a system. Speakers, in all cases are the Kroma Audio Carmen<\/a>, topped off with a small dose of Magico Q5 at an audio buddy’s place as an addendum. Prior to delivery, Derk has run in the components for me in his showroom in Groningen for almost 2 weeks. After delivery, I gave them a couple more days to fully acclimatize. Once the listening started, I can’t say that I heard any changes in their character over the course of the review.<\/p>\n

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No uncertainty about the model on the amp itself, either. That ridiculously large font really is the only thing I do not like about this amp’s looks.<\/em><\/p>\n

As a side note, the A1.5’s sound can be adjusted using its feedback control. I find that the A1.5 most resembles the M15 in terms of bass performance and midrange fluidity when it is\u00a0set to 0%, meaning zero global feedback. Normally, though, I prefer the A1.5 with this setting at 10% and so that is what I refer to in the context of this review.<\/p>\n

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M15 amp with CH C1 DAC\/Controller<\/h3>\n

To start off, the CH Precision C1 DAC\/Controller is powered by a Belden 19364<\/a> cable with Oyaide 079<\/a> connector (same type as used on the A1.5), connected to the M15 with Final Touch Audio Ganymede<\/a> XLR interlinks and initially set up on the Artesania Aire<\/a> platform that bypasses the M15’s integral feet.<\/p>\n

The M15’s most striking quality has to be its combination of transparency and seductive midrange richness. It has a kind of delivery that is very easy to relax to.\u00a0Coming from the very neutral and super-articulate CH Precision A1.5, the M15 sure has a smoother and more full-bodied presentation. Especially the midrange has a highly organic delivery and an immediately lyrical quality. But the bass is also different, fuller, and rounder. Even if the M15 is very fluid and decidedly non-edgy, it is not quite as airy, as super-articulate, or as expressive as the CH Precision A1.5.\u00a0That’s a kind of basic trade-off in audio in my experience anyway: you want a smooth, full, and relaxing midrange? Inevitably, the bass will be a little bit smoother as well. Vice versa, if you want the tightest and most articulate bass, then the entire presentation also becomes cooler and cleaner, and this is also the case with the A1.5. This is not necessarily an absolute quality, much more it is a personal choice. But don’t think that the M15 sounds in any way rough, though, the A1.5 is just extremely<\/em>\u00a0precise and refined.<\/p>\n

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In terms of soundstaging, in all planes, I hear no meaningful differences, both amps can sound well-focused and room-filling. Although the M15 is definitely smoother and richer in the midrange than the CH, when judged on its own, I find the amp to be very transparent and linear and to sound essentially neutral. Precisely what makes it sound so rich I don’t know but it definitely does not strike me as a kind of coloration. A little bit relaxed overall, yes, but it is definitely not slow and certainly not thick or smoothed over. Some amplifiers with a similarly smooth sound lose pacing and\/or verge toward the overly smooth and creamy and in the process, they can lose track of the musical message but that does not happen here. In fact, even though the M15 has a full tonality, it is also fast-paced, dynamic, pure and very transparent.<\/p>\n

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I like my bass to be very articulate. This stems from my focus on melodies in the bass more so than vocals or the melodies played by the main instruments. I’m a Grundton-Mensch, so to say. Ideally, I’d like to have super-tight bass as well as a relaxed, free-flowing and gloriously harmonically rich midrange (the kind that only tubes seem able to provide) but that extreme combination seems impossible to achieve. For that reason, I have two main amplifiers: the CH A1.5 for the tightest, most linear and most refined delivery and the Ayon Spirit III<\/a> KT150 tube amp, which is less linear and less refined but has that tube magic, coupled to dynamics and bass power quite uncommon for a tube amplifier. In practice, I swap between these two amps depending on my mood and on the components that are under review at any time.<\/p>\n

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Transistors and tubes have very different qualities and, if you ask me, they will never sound the same.\u00a0 They just serve different purposes. However, both product types are getting better and better. Tubes are becoming ever more powerful and especially the KT150’s are extremely linear. The Ayon Spirit III can’t match the A1.5 in terms of transparency and precision but it has a delivery that is bold, dynamic, and powerful with just enough bass precision while majoring on that elusive quality in the midrange that makes music listening more involving than with typical transistor products. Note that I am not talking about coloration and definitely not about a euphonic warmth. Rather, I refer to a kind of realness<\/em> that can’t really be put into words but is easy to recognize. The A1.5 matches well with the harmonically rich Carmens,\u00a0but in an absolute sense, it definitely has less of this quality. Some even find it a bit cool and in some circumstances, I can understand that.<\/p>\n

Just like the A1.5, the Bricasti M15 does not sound like a tube amp but, in terms of midrange presentation, the liquidity and harmonic richness, it comes closer to the Ayon than the A1.5. It’s this aspect that makes me think that the amp’s unforced yet detailed delivery will likely fit well in a wide range of systems. Specifically, I think that it will absolutely work magic with loudspeakers that are themselves more like the CH A1.5, such as Magicos, as we will find out further below.<\/p>\n

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M15 on Artesania Aire rack, bypassing its integral Stillpoint feet<\/em><\/p>\n

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M15 on Artesania Aire rack, with thick MDF board on top, coupled to the rack’s outer frame via Neoprene pads, now using the amp’s integral Stillpoint feet<\/em><\/p>\n

Equipment Support<\/h3>\n

But wait, the M15 does not have those Stillpoint feet hanging under it for no reason and so I added a thick MDF board, coupled via Artesania Neoprene pads to the Aire’s outer frame and placed the M15 on top, using its own feet. This way, the amp does indeed gain more urgency. The amp’s overall delivery this way is slightly tighter, the bass profiting most by becoming more substantial and more punchy. The amp’s overall character is not altered much: it is still smooth and still relaxed but perhaps ever so slightly less so than before. Set up this way, the support still adds a bit of sonority to the sound. Further tightening the support by using the Artesania Digital Server Platform<\/a> yielded further benefits, the M15 becoming even more transparent and indeed a little bit more articulate, still, without changing its organic delivery. And even when set up this way, the M15 does not become as tight and articulate as the A1.5 but I don’t think that it is meant to be either. This amp is made for relaxation, not for analysis.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

M15 in another setup with Magico Q5<\/h3>\n

I can’t very well claim compatibility with another speaker, having an audio buddy who owns them, and not<\/em> try it out, can I? So, I hauled the M15 into my car and drove off to audio buddy Niels. I could have taken the opportunity to also include the M21 DAC and carry out all kinds of comparisons but this review is getting very long as it stands already so opted to stick with the amp.<\/p>\n

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Niels’s system consists of a Spectral 30SV preamp, Aurender S10 music server<\/a>, connected to the Zanden 5000 Signature DAC via an MIT Oracle MAX digital interlink, Soulution 711 power amp,\u00a0and Magico Q5 loudspeakers. Cables between Zanden DAC and preamp are MIT\u00a0Oracle MA cinch,\u00a0XLR interlinks between pre- and power amp are MIT\u00a0Oracle MA (with impedance setting “MID”) and speaker cables are MIT Shotgun Evo. The power cable for both amps is an MIT Z-cord II, which is basically a Belden 19364 with a ferrite ring inside that big plastic cover.<\/p>\n

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Prior to having been warmed up, the M15 sounds a little bit too soft and lacks incisiveness in the bass but even before being fully on song, the amp already delivers with such refinement and lack of hardness that it is really easy to get into. After only a couple of tracks, the M15 the aforementioned softness starts to disappear and the bass becomes tighter and more articulate, to a point after about 30 minutes where I would say it is spot on for this system. Sure, even when fully warmed up, the M15 does not achieve 711-levels of bass solidity.\u00a0 But if we’re honest, both Niels and I agreed that the difference was definitely smaller than we thought it would be.<\/p>\n

The Q5’s are in infamous for being hard to drive properly and even if the Soulution has a more solid and more controlled delivery, the M15 does not allow the speakers to become boomy or sloppy in any way, clearly, it has more than enough grip. As I suspected, with the Magico’s, there’s no shortage of articulation or transient sharpness. It’s just that the 711 does these things even<\/em> better. The 711 is not only about (bass) power and control, though. In direct comparison, it also unveils more of the inner structures, the texture and other tiny clues that make up seemingly simple but actually complex sounds while portraying these in a more expansive soundstage. But after listening to the M15 for a while, these considerations sort of fade to the background and the amp’s highly natural delivery makes you sit and relax, and just listen to the music.<\/p>\n

The M15’s biggest asset, for me, remains its super-organic and natural midrange.\u00a0There is something in this amp’s portrayal of piano and trumpet that is highly convincing for me. Fluid, tonally rich, and never edgy but with excellent dynamics and lots of bite. I also hear this in my own setup with the Kroma’s but here with the Magico’s, the effect seems even more profound, likely because these speakers can also sound, well, quite uninvolving, in lesser circumstances. The 711, by contrast, has a more solid delivery (squarer, if you will), making transients such as drum whacks or piano notes “pop” more. To me, and with the Magico’s, I sometimes found that to be a little bit too much even if it adds a certain excitement that can also be quite entertaining.\u00a0In terms of treble performance, the M15 is closer to the 711 then the latter was to the A1.5, although the M15 is slightly sweeter than the Big Swiss and smoother overall.<\/p>\n

This was a rather surprising little escapade and even though Niels won’t be trading in his 711 for an M15, we both came out respecting the M15 even more. Niels even admitted that if he did not have the 711, he could probably happily live with the M15.<\/p>\n

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M21 with CH A1.5<\/h3>\n

Just like the M15 amp, the M21 DAC is fitted with beautifully sculpted custom-made Stillpoint feet. Seeing as I had already heard the beneficial effect with the power amp, this was one of the first things that I tested and indeed: on its own feet, the M21 sounds most articulate and concrete and this is how I continued to review it.<\/p>\n

Connected directly to the CH Precision A1.5 amp, the M21 is used as a DAC and preamp. To start off, I set it to Ladder DAC decoding using a linear filter. Coming from the CH Precision C1 (also used with its own volume control), the Bricasti M21 is a little lighter on its feet with less obvious propulsion in the bass and slightly softer on the transients in generic (or less square, depending on your view) but it is definitely highly detailed and easily as transparent and refined as the C1. Its most impressive quality I would say is its fluidity. From my earlier experiences with the M1, I already knew that the DAC has a rare combination of smooth fluidity, supreme transparency,\u00a0and excellent resolution.<\/p>\n

Whether or not the M21’s analog volume control is superior to the M1’s digital control (I bet it is), that my taste has changed (I know it has) or that my current system is more agreeable for use without a preamp, it may very well be, I have a feeling that the M21 sounds purer and perhaps more dynamic than the M1. In any event, clearly, the combination M21 + CH A1.5 is working extremely well. Even if the M21 is more slender in the bass (but definitely not lightweight) and less explicitly differentiated (more rounded \/ less analytical, pick your favorite) than the C1 in direct comparison, it is highly transparent, very dynamic and very revealing nonetheless.<\/p>\n

But the bottom line is that in every listening session, the M21’s effortless and super-fluid musicality quickly takes me out of my head and I find myself just relaxing in the music.\u00a0And after a couple of tracks, my slight reservations relative to the C1 are gone. “Yup!”, I often found myself thinking. This DAC I could certainly live with!<\/p>\n

Normally, I would also make comparisons to other DACs using an external preamp but with the M21 I feel that this would be missing the point. From these results, it is abundantly clear to me that the M21 is born to be used without an external preamp. It sounds just perfect that way and I honestly can’t imagine what could be gained, without affecting any of its many positive attributes, by adding another gain stage.<\/p>\n

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DAC options and filter settings<\/h3>\n

The M21 has quite a unique range of features, one of which is the inclusion of three separate D-A Converters! There’s a Ladder DAC for PCM signals, a Delta\/Sigma DAC for PCM and DSD signals, and a proprietary discrete analog and filter-less DAC, purely for DSD. So, no matter the format, one always has two DAC options for playback. At Bricasti, the belief is that upsampling PCM to DSD is not the way to go and I wholeheartedly agree. I strongly feel that every format should be converted natively. Oversampling within the linear digital domain itself is no issue, as long as it is done in even numbers, which is how it is done in the M21.<\/p>\n

Changing the DAC from Ladder to Delta\/Sigma makes for a subtle change that, as far as I am concerned, serves nicely to demonstrate the Ladder DAC’s superiority. While the Delta\/Sigma setting appears to be just as open and detailed, perhaps even a little bit more precise, I find that it makes the M21 sound a little softer (more rounded) in the bass transients (or, again, less square, if you will) and slightly filtered throughout the midrange, less pure and direct. To me, the Ladder DAC setting sounds more crispy and more convincingly real. In a system that sounds a little bright or hard, however, one may well prefer the gentler Delta\/Sigma setting and that’s why it is so great to be given a choice between the two.<\/p>\n

For use with these two DACs and with PCM sources only, there is the option to choose between two digital filters: Linear Phase and Minimum Phase. As indicated, I started with the former as I found it to be my favorite. Switching to Minimum Phase, the M21 sounds a little darker and slightly less articulate and crispy. You could also say that Minimum Phase sounds more relaxed and Linear Phase sounds more dynamic. System synergy will dictate what sounds best in a given situation.<\/p>\n

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Proprietary non-filtered, analog DSD conversion<\/em><\/p>\n

For DSD conversion, one can choose to use the same Delta\/Sigma converter or use the proprietary discrete, analog, filter-less pure DSD output. For me, DSD is more a marketing thing than a format that I actively use. Of all the albums that I collected as files so far, most are upsampled from PCM masters and precious few truly sound good. But it has to be said, when using one of the few really good DSD files, the M21 can also sound quite incredible.<\/p>\n

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To enable pure DSD to pass through and the M21 to convert it directly without letting Roon convert it to PCM, be sure to set DSD Support to DoP in the RoonServer settings of the Antipodes settings (accessible in any browser via myantipodes.com).<\/em><\/p>\n

Using its regular Delta\/Sigma converter, the usual difference between PCM and DSD can be heard, meaning an airier and more continuous treble and higher resolution than with Redbook recordings. The downside usually is that the bass is less solid and has less propulsion and drive than it has when playing the same album in PCM, either Redbook or Hi-Res. The same is heard with the M21 and so this will very much be up to individual taste. However, where the M21 makes the difference, is when using its proprietary discrete and filterless DSD conversion method.<\/p>\n

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Pure DSD via Roon<\/em><\/p>\n

Used this way, the DSD recordings still sound less propulsive in the bass than with PCM but with an amazing sense of being utterly unrestrained from any technical influence. With good DSD sources and this output method, music simply fills the room with a sense of flow that has to be heard, and a soundstage that is entirely free-floating, seemingly with no relation to the speaker’s locations. I lack the words to more properly describe it but I’d be inclined to make the comparison with analog replay, even if these two formats will never really<\/em> sound the same. If ever a DAC came close to this ideal, though, the M21 is it.<\/p>\n

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Ethernet connection – Roon<\/h3>\n

The M21 is UPnP and Roon compatible and indeed, it works with Roon right away, without any fiddling. All one needs to do is to enable the output in the Roon Audio setup, in this case, the Antipodes CX, connect the M21 via Ethernet and that’s it.\u00a0When connected via LAN, the correct input is automatically selected on the M21 when starting music playback from the Roon application. What’s also very convenient is that the M21’s volume level can be controlled directly from the Roon app.<\/p>\n

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Sonically, the direct Roon performance is clean, refined, and pure but not at all analytical. The delivery does differ from the Antipodes delivery which itself is different depending on whether USB is taken directly from the CX (where Roon Server resided) or the EX (as a Renderer). Whether any of these methods sounds best or could be regarded as being<\/em> best, however, is very much a personal matter. All I can say is that Antipodes has always had a fuller and more sonorous sound and the CX and EX are no different, both having a more solid and full-bodied, and more obviously 3D sound via USB into the M21 than the direct Roon ethernet connection.<\/p>\n

Now, it could be argued that the M21 provides the most neutral approach and by extension, the Antipodes delivery could be regarded as deviating from neutrality.\u00a0Honestly, I can’t say if that is the case or not but I can<\/em> confirm that USB output from the CX sounds closer to the M21’s direct Ethernet sound than the CX via direct Ethernet into the EX and the latter via USB to the M21. Personally, I am very much tempted by the M21’s pure and clean delivery, especially now that I don’t really need the added bass heft with the Kroma’s anymore, but on the other hand, with the A1.5 at least, I quite like the deeper soundstage and greater sense of being engulfed in sound which the Antipodes combo does so nicely.<\/p>\n

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Ethernet connection – UPnP<\/h3>\n

Just like Roon, UPnP also works flawlessly, again, with no configuration required on the M21. When it is connected, it will appear in the streaming app as M21. I should note that there is a difference in performance depending on whether the M21 (or any streaming endpoint) is connected to a network switch or the server’s direct output (if possible). With the Melco N1ZH, for example, its dedicated player output sounds more solid and energetic than a connection via a network switch.<\/p>\n

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Using the same Ethernet cable as used for the Antipodes comparison, the Melco N1ZH now provided the server duties. As can be read in the Antipodes review<\/a>, I already compared these servers to the Melco using the CH Precision C1 DAC and I am glad to report that the M21 behaves pretty much in the same manner, meaning that it is very transparent to the source that feeds it. In this combination, too, the M21 sounds very pure and transparent and a little bit leaner\/tighter than with the Antipodes and Roon while the latter combination again counters with a richer and slightly more full-bodied sound. The usually more enveloping 3D effect of the Antipodes server was less distinct in this case, to the point of not being of importance. Both deliveries are simply very appealing and I can’t really decide between the two based on audiophile aspects. In my case, ultimately, the decision between the two is driven by the convenience of the Roon application itself.<\/p>\n

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Any UPnP app will do, either on Apple or Android devices. Hi-Fi Cast for Android works very intuitively and I like its slick looks. Another great app for Android is Bubble UPnP. BTW I wonder if Aakfe was inspired by Marvin Gaye for her album cover…<\/em><\/p>\n

Just as with the M15, I find it very easy to relax with the M21’s delivery. Its presentation is fluid, open, airy, detailed, dynamic, and very natural. No matter how you connect it, the M21 performs flawlessly and I have to say that I really am quite impressed with it. Of course, I am spoilt and have become removed from real-world, mass-produced equipment, but I don’t even find its price so crazy, considering that it combines a Streaming Endpoint, three separate DACs, and an analog preamp in a single component. The only component that I know that performs in the same league and also offers similar functionality is my CH Precision C1, which, complete with USB and Ethernet expansion cards tips the scale at an eye-watering 40K.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Power Cable Tweaking<\/h3>\n

The M21 DAC worked superbly with the\u00a0Belden 19364 power cable with Oyaide 004 connector and I had no desire to change this. Given that the unit is utterly fluid and has no inherent hardness, I would not use warm-sounding power cables.\u00a0If required, however, the DAC could subtly be tuned using warmer sounding connectors on the Belden cable such as the Oyaide 079.<\/p>\n

Although I have a preference for using a Belden 19364 power cable with the neutral yet refined Oyaide 004 connector with most amplifiers, the M15 amp included, it was powered throughout the review using a Belden 19364 cable with a warmer sounding Oyaide 079 connector because that’s the same combination that is used with the A1.5 (albeit in 20A version).<\/p>\n

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Vermouth Reference power cable<\/em><\/p>\n

The amp responds well to power cable changes and if desired, it can be further tweaked using a variety of connectors or cables. For instance, I also tried the Vermouth Reference power cable that is currently also on review and, although not cheap, it makes a world of a difference. More solid and powerful, more propulsive and expressive, this cable makes the M15 sound less obviously smooth and especially less velvety in the treble but it certainly maximizes its bass performance and dynamic capabilities.<\/p>\n

Interlink Tweaking<\/span><\/h3>\n

The CH Precision Balanced Link interlinks yielded the tightest and most articulate bass but at the expense of fluidity and tonal richness, the Vermouth Reference added heft and solidity with a propulsive immediacy that is quite impressive while eradicating the last amp’s last hint of softness but along with this came a reduction in the amp’s fluidity and subtlety. The Cardas Clear worked very well and provided perhaps the most well-balanced sound (smooth and refined yet articulate if not quite as pure and direct) but still, I preferred the Final Touch Audio Ganymede even if it has the most unassuming bass of all the interlinks that I tried, for it made the Bricasti’s shine precisely in the areas in which they naturally excel: an utterly free-flowing, decidedly non-technical delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n

M15 + M21 system performance<\/h3>\n

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For the final part of this review where the two Bricasti’s would be combined, I made sure to have the two components perform at their best. As it turned out, that would be when using the M21 with the Melco N1ZH server with a direct Ethernet connection\u00a0which provides a tighter and purer sound than the Antipodes combo with only a small reduction in the perceived depth of the soundstage, which, even as it stands is still utterly enveloping and in this case, ultimately and in light of the combined delivery, not really an important factor. Likewise, the cleaner \/ less colorful sound of the Melco versus the Antipodes was also not a sacrifice, since the M15 amp sounds so timbrally rich that this evens out perfectly. The M15 itself sounds best on an Artesania Digital Server Platform and I found that the interlink that most complimented these components’ inherent qualities was the Final Touch Audio Ganymede, which I had been using from the start. Power cables, finally, remained Belden 19364 but, in this case, both with Oyaide 004 connectors.<\/p>\n

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M15 on Artesania Digital Server Platform<\/em><\/p>\n

Sometimes, all one needs to hear is a few notes, to hear that a system is fundamentally right and that’s what happened here. While obviously different in character than my usual CH setup, this combination made music in an immediately involving and utterly convincing manner. Yes, if I wanted to, I could still point out technicalities here and there but the thing is that I really did not want to. Rather, I just wanted to listen to more music. The M15 is an excellent amp and I find the M21 to be quite amazing, but when combined, they really complement each other, providing arguably the most synergistic performance. I could go on about these two components’ individual strengths but that would result in a repetition of what I have already described in their individual assessments. If you dropped in to quickly read the conclusion and want to know more, please skip back and check the individual parts to find out precisely how they perform relative to other DACs and amplifiers.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

It baffles me why the Bricasti brand does not pop up everywhere, it certainly should. Beautifully sculpted and with immaculate build quality, these components are not inexpensive but in context, they surely are also not extravagantly priced. Audio times are tough and the cost of reference components is only going up. To find competitive alternatives that offer the same kind of functionality and perform on the same overall level, one has to turn to brands that cost at least 10K more per component.<\/p>\n

The M15 amplifier has an insightful yet\u00a0non-fatiguing, fluid and absolutely non-edgy delivery with a well-textured, organic, and colorful midrange. It has a well-timed, full-bodied and round bass that avoids being soft but is not as articulate and expressive as that of the admittedly extremely accurate CH Precision A1.5. Then again, the M15 also never sounds as cool as the A1.5 can do in some circumstances.<\/p>\n

The star of the show for me is the M21 DAC. The inclusion of no less than 3 separate DACs is unique and its ease of use is brilliant. Most impressive of all is its sound: pure, transparent, dynamic, and highly revealing, the M21 manages to combine all these aspects with an organic and effortlessly fluid delivery that makes one forget about audio lingo and just relax into the music.<\/p>\n

Combined, the two components have a delivery that is quite unique for being smooth and forgiving yet highly transparent, dynamic, and very engaging at the same time.<\/p>\n

Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

Try out Roon for yourself<\/h3>\n

Get Roon 1 month for free<\/a><\/p>\n

More Niels Setup<\/h3>\n

Apogee Full Range<\/a>
\nSoulution 711 compared to CH Precision A1.5<\/a>
\nNaiu Laboratories Ella<\/a>
\nGoldmund Telos 590 Nextgen<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Distributor for the Netherlands: Ohm Audio<\/a>
\nManufacturer: Bricasti.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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