OcUK Forum DAC Testing.

Soldato
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I have been working on this for a while and want to run it past you lot.

How open would some of you be to do a large scale test of some of the components recently added to our Audio range.

I can't pay you, You can't keep the products but I will find a suitable gift or discount offering to you for your efforts.


The plan would be to send out the

Essence STX II
Essence ONE DAC/AMP
Essence STU
Silverstone EB01 / EB03 combination

On Week long tests to different forum members and you use the item and provide feedback for them and then we will swap them around till you've all had each one for a week.

The purpose is not to convince you that ASUS is the best or anything but more to get feedback on the products how they sound value for money etc.

Is this something you guys would be willing to do? Obviously there will be some requirements to join the test and not everyone can participate but I figured I would ask you first before I go through the process of deciding how best to do this and sorting it all out.
 
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Hello mate,

As I spend most (if not all) of my professional working life using and experimenting with different microphones, speakers, audio interfaces and converters across a wide range of price points I would be happy to participate in this test.

Perhaps unlike some of the other candidates, I have access to several professionally treated listening/mixing/mastering rooms around Surrey and would be able to get some friends who work in the industry in to give their thoughts too...

Hit me up on Trust if you want to proceed and lets get the ball rolling if there is enough interest!

Best Wishes

Tom
 
Hi Thanks Just looking for 4 or 5 people to do this test with.

If you want to get other people involved while you have the products that's entirely upto you. A week is a pretty long time to allow you all to get to grips with the items and get a feel for how they stack up with your hardware and against your normal kit.
 
Great idea, I'll leave it to someone else though as I don't think I'd have the time in a week to test them all sufficiently and write reviews up.
 
I'd do it have HD600 , Fidelio X1, HD 558, HD 25-1 II and Q701 in post.

I also have an AUNE T1 and xonar dg to compare them to.

As well as several tubes and iem's.

Probably have other stuff I missed out too
 
Currently don't use a computer for my music but anything external would be fine.

I've currently got my AKG Q701 and 65th Annie's, HD650, DT770, K550 and a few other mid range-High range stuff(see sig)

I've also got Little Dot Tube amps and most of the fiios with the Schiit Vali on the way.
 
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Happy to, but I have few items to compare it to at the moment (short of comparing them to each other!) due to getting shafted with wages :D

Wouldn't mind getting a bit more into this reviewing lark, to be honest!
 
My 57 year old ears are not as sensitive as those of the others but I still know when something sounds good. One thing I have to ask, is how would the transportation between reviewers be handled? I can see that getting quite expensive and OcUK have a lot more money than me :D

If a workable transport system can be sorted then I'm in.

AKG K702, Beyerdynamic DT990, Sony MDR-V6 and Sennheiser PX100 headphones
Aune T1 DAC & Headphone Amp
Asus STX sound card
 
It doesn't matter if you have lots of stuff or a little. The main issue is that you need something to compare it with and to.

There is no point as previously stated me sending a £350 DAC and headphone amp to someone who has a £15 headset and has never used a soundcard. Whilst I'd love to convert as many people as possible to DAC's or high end audio soundcards the purpose of this is more to get some group discussion going and feedback on new additions to the range. It would be nice to know from the people who frequent this sub forum where our offerings stack up in your experiences.

Just as it doesn't matter if you favour gaming or music you can still provide some interesting and valid information.


we'll cover all shipping costs.

I'll be arranging that as I would want all items to come back to me before going out again. Whilst it means more work for me it protects you guys as I'll know the products are insured and the condition of them all.

I'll set about sorting it all out and working out the best practice. I'm on holiday for a week so we'll get this rolling towards the end of July and we'll run it for a while. Like I said I'll work out all the bits and make a thread when I've got a better idea about how best to do it.
 
Sending everything back to you definitely makes sense as it negates the problem of who is at fault should anything get damaged - that is of course assuming the courier doesn't play basketball with the packages.

Sounds like a plan then :)
 
well the courier can always do that and in which case we'll be insured and their would be no blame as I would be able to verify it's condition leaving me and if you tell me 24 hours later it's arrived battered the previous tester is clear.

But yes it does provide me with some security too.

Anyway I'll put all the details in another thread when i've done it all I'll probably sort that next week whist I'm off.
 
Up for it.
Currently have separates on my PC and main rig, hifi's been my thing for 20 years...

Using an old Audio Alchemy DDEv1 on the PC at present, interested to see if new DAC makes a difference!
 
Sounds good to me I used to have separates now just a pioneer LX72 and some decent head phones would be interested in seeing if spending something makes a difference. Would also convince the wife. I've not used a DAC in years one assumes they have come on well.
 
Another couple of things that need clarifying:

1) Would the resulting reviews have to be vetted (and possibly edited) by you before being posted?
2) How "brutally" honest do you want these reviews to be?

That might seem a little off but it's not meant that way, it's just that OcUK is a business and annoying a-list manufacturers is probably not something you want to do.
 
I wouldn't really want to test the internal sound card tbh.

I don't want to open up my system, happy to test external equipment though which doesn't involve me opening it all up, etc.
 
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