BRICASTI M1DAC DIRECT TO VAC PHI 300.1A OR...?

Thanks for the great responses. Audiooracle, those are great suggestions, but for this particular application, per the client's wishes, we're using these 2 brands.

Lustformusic, it seems like you've got a great system. Had you ever tried a preamp between your ARC and the VAC before you decided you preferred going direct? Also, does your VAC 300.1 run very hot? Another consideration of ours is determining how much difference in heat there is between that amp and the PHI 200, since the client's listening room is on the small side. Thanks again.

Liszt458,

I have a (and love my) VAC 300.1.

I'm looking at new DAC options and Bricasti is on my short list.

What was the final configuration of this system and what were the results...to your ears, and your client's ears?

I have owned all 3 and the Bricasti is hands down far superior in every way. The Vega has got the Directstream beat as well but doesn't hold a candle to the Bricasti ... Using a Simaudio I7 integrated and I toggle between using my Bricasti as preamp and I prefer it as a pre with my Zu speakers...

Liszt458,

The Bricasti will far outclass his speakers, IMO.

A little late here, I find that unless the pre-amp is of exceptionally good quality the sound suffers vs using a DAC with a quality digital volume control.

I have done rooms for T.H.E. Show Newport and RMAF and we did some tests fully expecting an audible Illusions pre-amp to be better with the VAC than using direct to DAC. It was not the case. Using very high quality Chapman speakers with Scan Speak Drivers.

Now I did another test. Using a reasonably good DAC, the HEGEL HD25 feeding a set of Genelec s30D ribbon tweeter solid state class a/b tri-amplified 120 watts per channel speakers being fed power by DH Labs Redwave power cables (these made huge difference too) . I went direct into them and then through a very high quality E.A.R. 912 Pre-amp. The 912 was clearly superior sounding, bass was better deeper, fleshed out more delineated, piano harmonics were correct.

So in one test we had a VAC PHI 200 using a Wadia 860x Both the DAC and AMP were of very high quality the Audible Illusions 2a pre-amp was of medium quality.

In the other test we had speakers of not quite as good quality , a high value DAC of almost reference quality, and solid state amplification. In this test having tubes from the 912 pre-amp may have influenced the test.

My personal take after this... spend your money on better speakers and amps until you hit the pinnacle and then , and only then consider a top quality pre-amp.