Birdland Odeon Ag DAC - how good is it??


I'm considering buying a DAC for my CD player. This CDP is an integrated CDP & has an internal 18-bit DAC but it operates only at 16bits/44.1KHz. The CDP does have a digital output which I can use to feed a DAC. Several DACs come to mind with price ranging from reasonable to unreasonable!
Some of the DACs under consideration are:
*Birdland Odeon Ag with & without clock jitter upgrade
*Wavelength Audio non-oversampling DAC
*Museatex Bidat DAC
*Meilor Bitstream DAC

The most affordable one appears to be the Birdland Odeon Ag. Does anyone out there have experience w/ this DAC? Can you please share w/ me how good/bad this DAC is? & what sort of sonic signature this DAC has? Also, I'm open to other DAC suggestions (as I'm quite sure that I didn't list some other potentially good DACs).

TIA!
128x128bombaywalla
Get yourself a CAL Audio Alpha. Nice tube DAC that can be found for very reasonable prices ($300 - $350 , add another $200 or so for 24/96 model). Makes CDs sound like music.
Call Paul @ "Ultra Systems" a Birdland authorized distributor located in New Hope, Pa.

I spoke with him last week, as the Odeon Ag is on my list also!

They have a loaner/trial w/ the reclocker which they will ship so you can try it out in your own system.

They charge your credit card, ship the unit, if you like it they will send you a new unit upon returning the loaner. If you do not, you pay for all shipping charges. Which isn't bad, as the unit weighs 3-4lbs.

They are listed on Birdlands authorized distributor page, & their price is too low to mention on here!

This is the only dealer I have every heard of who is so easy to deal with. I purchased a few Balanced Audio Tech. items off them, with the same try it at home route. Very satisfied, smooth transactions!

So since you can't find more than 1 or 2 reviews on this dac, what do you have to loose?

Good Luck!
Contact Perrotta consulting a dealer here on Agon. He has the DAC plus carries the Audio Note and Audio Logice DACs. He recently told me that the AL DAC was the best he heard so he may be able to help you understand the differences.

Hope this helps, he is a very nice guy to deal with and Happy Listening.
I'll have to retract my praise for Paul @ Ultra Systems, as he wouldn't honor the price on the Birdland he quoted me.

I second Bigkidz, as I bought one off Anthony Perrota at Perrota Consulting. Anthony is a very easy guy to deal with, friendly, helpful.

Very smooth transaction, & ABSOLUTELY NO DRAMA!
Folks, Perrota IS NOT an authorized Birdland Audio dealer. If Ultra Systems are of no help to you, the please let us know (Birdland Audio) at info2(at)birdland.com - We will be glad to see what we can do to help you get service.

The Odeon-Ag is still to this day the best sound quality/price value you can get, even if we say so ourselves. But don't trust our word on it, try it out! With the reclocker board upgrade installed, the Ag beats the Audio Note at 5x its cost. And if you really have money burning your pockets, then you should try our new Platinum DAC.
Interesting. Then why is Perotta listed on Birdland's site as an authorized dealer?

How much is the Platinum dac?

What D/A conversion technology is it using, the same as the Odeon Ag or is it something else?
info2@birdland.com, That's a mighty big horn you are trying to toot! Stating that your Dac beats Dac's costing 5 times as much? The Ag was one of last years digital flavors of the month, a Ugly Duckling in a very Fisher-Price type toy-ish enclosure. In my personal digital evaluation it is very comparable with dacs in it's SAME price range. I hoped what it lacked construction wise, would shine through musically. However there are no free lunches in this hobby, & no short cuts! Like anything else in life you get what you pay for!

Last I also checked Anthony Perrotta at Perrotta Consulting, was an authorized dealer on both your website, & his. I hope that he is aware of your slam posted here? Anthony was very supportive of your product upon my purchase. I hope that upon reading this, he drops your product line like a wet noodle. I wish you the best of luck with the peddling of your New Platinum Duck, through your now self-reduced authorized dealer/distributor network.

And if you really have money burning your pockets? Skip right over the Birdland product line, as Solid-Tube Technology is a Fantasy about as valid as the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, & Santa Claus combined!

Contact Anthony Perrotta with your hard earned cash in hand, who also distributes many Superior Digital 2 Analog converters by manufacturers such as the smooth solid state North Star Design 192, & Jerry Ozment's "suhwheeet" vacuum tubed Audio Logic 24 Mxl.

Both will blow the Birdland AG right out of the water like opening day of Duck hunting season!