Latest News and Blog Posts
Can Mojo2 beat Dave for Transparency?
My comparison was a stock Mojo2 vs a Dave modified with a Sean Jacobs DC3 and capacitor board. I applied all my experience and kit to make each DAC...
Mojo2: My New Favourite DAC!
Out of the box I knew Mojo2 was special ...so I immediately applied my isolation kit to discover its ultimate sound quality. All I can say is wow! ...
Skin Effect Filtering Technology (Part 2)
I've repeated it many times: in the quest for endgame transparency, complete DAC isolation is required ...as close to 100% as possible. A responsiv...
Skin Effect Filtering Technology (Part 1)
Portions of this blog have been transcribed in summary from Wikipedia (page name: Skin effect)
In electromagnetism, skin effect is the tendency of ...
PGGB at the Montreal Audio Fest: A Revolution in Upsampling
PGGB is coming up to its 2nd anniversary and AudioWise has been a proponent of this technology from the start. I have a great relationship with the...
AudioWise at Montreal Audiofest, March 24-26
If you are in the northeastern part of USA or Canada, its worth your while to attend this show (https://montrealaudiofest.org). AudioWise will pre...
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Isolate Cables
Cables tethered to your DAC don't have a 'sound' — they are not tone controls nor a DSP. What they are is conductors and antennae for RFI/EMI. Consider ways to use optical fiber, filtering, shielding and short lengths to limit their impairment.Isolate Power
It’s impossible to completely filter RFI/EMI on AC mains. Digital components will inject more of same back into the wall where it will affect your DAC. For best sound, consider batteries with AC/DC inverters or DC power options.Avoid Crowding
Don’t stack digital components with your DAC; don’t overlay cables and don’t share digital/analog power. Radiated RFI/EMI is insidious …so use distance between components and the space in your listening room to advantage.Offload Oversampling
Content at maximum input sample rate will reduce a DACs workload for better sound with less internal RFI/EMI. Consider pre-processing with PGGB or HQPlayer for higher quality reconstructionPursue Net Zero
Interference from multiple RFI/EMI sources means that a single change to your system may only shift the frequency of emitted energy impacting your DAC. Be pragmatic and diligent — continue making changes to lower RF noise. Zero is your goal and you will be rewarded.Dan's Reference System Testimonials
Nicki N., Canada. Singer/Songwriter, Sound EngineerAn incredibly high ceiling and sense of space without any noise or hiss. Everything sounds so smooth and supple ...no harshness or fatigue at all. The individuality and nuances of instruments and vocals are quite identifiable.
Steven J., Canada. Music Teacher (Strings, Vocals)The music sounded as pure as a live studio experience ...truly present and immersive with incredible detail and dynamic range. If sound was water, it soaks you wet.
Michael K., Canada. Classically Trained PianistThe sense of space created was unique to my recorded listening experience. I could hear exactly what instruments were in what position and with excellent timbre. The impression was of a live performance ...a wall of music would engulf me and I would listen to the little intricacies as I never have before.
Mike B., Canada. Sound Engineer, MuchMusic, CityTV (Toronto)This is silky smooth conversion with crystal clear transients and spatial cues. Sounds like the bass amp is in the room! I find myself fully enjoying the music while also able to easily discern the mix effects and recording techniques used. Nice shit! This is as good as I have heard.
John S., Canada. Musician, Vocalist, Media & Entertainment ProfessionalI have finicky ears but when I heard the distinction and texture of voices, instruments and room atmosphere, my first thought was "Wow! This is not digital music, it is too clear and natural to be digital.”
John V.S., Canada. Musician, Recording Engineer, Live Audio TechnicianThe level of detail is quite nice ...I'm hearing things in the track I did not know were there. Vocals have a natural warmth and I can definitely sense the room and the space around the instruments.
Branko P., Canada. Musician, Master Transcriber, Lifelong Music LoverWhat an incredible experience. From Die Fledermaus to Buck Owens, I've never heard such dynamic range. Instruments and vocals just pop out ...violin, piano, xylophone, percussion ...all sound unbelievably real. Jumping Jesus!
What our customers say about OPTO•DX
Paul R., USAAll I have to say is "Wow!" OPTO•DX is absolutely amazing. I was skeptical but the way it cleans the sound is incredible. Highs in particular are less splashy. Bass is tighter but hits harder. I can listen at volume without sheen or harshness. Instruments have more impact and separation is surgical. My Susvara headphones are holographic as never before. I'm really so impressed! Blog Post
Anthony C., Hong KongMy system sounded great but with a hardness that gave me headaches. I tried ferrites on the BNC cable without much success. I then bought OPTO•DX together with RF•STOP Isolation Box and the hardness is completely gone! Now I have glorious sound and I can listen whole day without any headaches. Indeed this is one of the best purchases I have ever made.
Bharat P., UKOPTO•DX, for a modest investment and small footprint, has rewarded me with an emotive aural experience. My Dave goes deeper into the mix to reveal subtle details and timbre—I'm now more intimate with my favourite recordings! Less hi-fi, more flesh, blood and guts!
Ray G., USAWhen it comes to isolating your digital chain from your analog chain, there is nothing better than an optical air gap.
Michael D., UKTimbre and transients are off the charts. I'm picking up ambience that I never did before. OPTO•DX is un-muffling the f*ck out of the music. It certainly feels endgame.
Neil V.M., IrelandThe best way to eliminate the RFI issue completely is with OPTO•DX. It is one of the most significant upgrades that I have ever made to my Hi-Fi system.
Bernard H., Austria...much larger soundstage, better separation, better dynamics, more vivid sound ...it's the best I've heard my system.
Ken B., USA...the reduction in noise is profound. I’ve never heard a background this black. I honestly can’t believe the sound coming from my speakers.
Alfie M., CanadaI find it's just so easy to listen...lots going on in 3D too...the sound from OPTO•DX is pretty astounding!
Steve A., AustraliaOPTO•DX is a fantastic product...more depth and holographic representation of the music. I have truly never heard such good sound.
Cedric W., UKOPTO•DX is lifting up my system very nicely. The degree to which I can hear the benefits on instrument resolution is striking.
Todd N., USAIt was really hard for me to believe that there was still that much more information being blurred by RF noise. The optical isolation of OPTO•DX just takes things to a whole different level.
Dennis W., USA
Evan S., USAHaving spent multiple tens of thousands on AC power conditioning in the past to what I considered good effect, it’s now abundantly clear that RF contamination is the limiting factor in any system. Your great products combined with battery isolation have produced a music signal that’s cleaner and more pure than I imagined possible.
Richard E., SwedenOPTO•DX made a very big difference in my Dave! It was precisely as Audio Bacon described it in his review. I am very satisfied with the purchase and it was an inexpensive upgrade in terms of the improvement in sound quality. Thank you, Dan.
More Testimonials...
Brandon B., USAI'm loving Dan's upgrades to my DAVE and Qutest. OPTO-DX, DAC-WRAP, DC-BLOCK and RF-STOP Filters have brought new levels of clarity, soundstage and incredible imaging to my systems. Chord owners need this equipment!
Erik M., GermanyThe effect of DC-Block in my Mscaler+DAVE system is quite extraordinary, I'd even call it transformational. Clarity is improved by a massive amount, and transients sound super fast. 'Hard' sounds, such as percussion, distorted guitars etc. now appear almost frighteningly physical, with plenty of 'body' and great dynamics.
Zaphod B., USAThe benefit of adding SRC-DX to my Dave was immediately obvious. Transients and leading edges were more incisive with more heft. USB direct sounded soft in comparison. SRC-DX was quieter and I love how it made female vocals more present. Definitely a keeper!
Cedric W., UKWith DAC•Wrap and vibration treatment on my Dave I have elevated my system to class level detail retrieval combined with incredible smoothness and realism! I obtained far larger depth and a few spooky moments where it felt like someone was actually in the room. I am delighted!
Laurie H., CanadaSRC•DX was the missing link I needed. I use an Antipodes server with HQPlayer embedded. I am now able to pass maximum quality to my TT2 in the way Chord intended... Dual BNC. The signal is stable (no dropouts) and the sound has a black background with accurately reclaimed transients. Well done Audiowise!
Robert G., USA
Atilla G., GermanySRC•DX out of the box performance is more than anyone would expect. Very well done!
Albert O., USAWith my BluMk2 and Dave, OPTO•DX has been a revelation! Hugely transformative!
...Opened up soundstage ... more micro details ...smoother, more liquid and lush. RF•STOP filtered AC power cables replaced my uber pricey power cables throughout my digital chain so now my digital has a bigger soundstage than my vinyl rig. Blog Post
Andrew H., USAWow, it’s amazing! SRC•DX with HQPlayer is a big step up for my Hugo 2. So analog sounding and so incredibly detailed.
Cedric W., UKVery much enjoying SRC•DX with my Dave! It's definitely made a very positive difference versus USB - even with my Taiko Extreme. HQPlayer using the Sinc-L filter is a huge upgrade.
Rudolf L., SlovakiaOPTO•DX is fantastic. I can just say my hifi did not sound like some real high end until OPTO•DX was incorporated between HMS and Hugo TT2. I really enjoy listening to music now!
Peter F., ChinaPGGB•IT! is very good. The software is stable and the speed is fast. I am very happy with 768k 32bit WAV files and PGGB sound from my Gustard X26 Pro!
Ricardo P., USASRC•DX and DC•BLOCKs installed on my Qutest definitely adds more drama to my music. Latin jazz and high energy acoustic has much improved attack and brass bites like never before. I can pinpoint instruments easier and everything is clearly and discernibly better. Definitely a worthy addition!
David K., USASRC-DX just arrived and I’m listening to PGGB upsampled WAV files from JRiver to SRC-DX to Qutest to Anni. My initial impressions are 1) astonishment, 2) pleasure, 3) definitely an enormously worthwhile purchase. SRC-DX is, quite literally, enhanced musical delight to my ears. Thank you for everything, Dan—and bravo!
Evan S., USABravo, Dan - you’ve done it again! Your DC-BLOCKs sound amazing! A really big step up in transparency for my DAVE. I wasn’t expecting this level of clarity; I’m shocked. Thanks!
Mauricio, M., USAI am using LP-FILTER and DC-BLOCK filters with great results. I am noticing many areas of improvement. To my ears, the most evident is bass texture, particularly with well recorded songs that make use of acoustic bass.
Peter E., U.K.My impressions of PGGB 256 are unforced detail and incredible realism. Natural 3D solidity of phrases and elements. Clear discernment of variations in volume and tempo no matter the complexity. Colour me impressed!
AUDIOBACON Reviews OPTO•DX!
The RF Noise Killer...
Check out the review here!
"A much more nuanced, dimensional, and effortless sound ... Perfect resolution and transparency ... Natural soundstage width and depth ... Ambient and atmospheric cues are made more obvious ... Everything sounds consolidated & fully formed ... Neutral Tonal Variations"
