All Audio Note System: Choosing between DAC 0.1x or 1.1x/II

Hi everyone! This is my first post here. Been reading and learning a lot here and there are some really great, knowledgeable folks here. So I thought I'd ask the question. I'm building an all Audio Note system and I already have the OTO SE Phono Sig and the AN-J/Spe Hemp. I'm eyeing a DAC for my next purchase and have narrowed it down to the 0.1x and the 1.1x/II. I play mostly redbook CDs and have not much interest in DSD and other high res files. The difference in price between the two is a few hundred dollars only. I can also consider the 1.1x/II Sig but that would be a more significant investment. I'm looking for one that can last me 5yrs (my typical upgrade cycle) or more.

Really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I will be buying an AN transport maybe next year. I'm using my Cambridge Audio CXC for now. Thanks in advance for all your answers. I'll be sleeping now. So fire away. I'll respond in the morning. Cheers!

Jo

 

I have no experience with Audio Note gear. But just from a general perspective, if I were buying a digital product and I hoped it would last me more than 5 years, I would buy the best I could afford. I wouldn't try to save a few hundred.

 

Thanks IanL. Point well taken. From that perspective, the 1.1 signature is looking to be the better or more practical option. I ask the two models above because they use different DACs. People here might have strong feelings on either one for redbook play. Cheers.

 

Thanks Steve. No apologies necessary. Anyway, I will do a search again in case I missed a thread or discussion on these two. I've read some but not enough to sway me either way. Cheers.

 

This is a easy one actually and it is the DAC 1.1xII. Audio Note for decades has been a kit based company as well as a manufactured product. The DAC 1.1 has the same case as the 2.1 and thus there is room for more upgrades.

The o.1x uses the famous TD1541/1543 chips (AN uses the latter) but this series is pretty famous for old school DAC chips and you will see them in expensive machines from several makers like Abbingdon Music Research (AMR).

But the 1.1 uses the same 1865 Chip that is used in ALL of AN's higher end DACs. This one usually costs a lot more so if you can get it for only a few hundred more this is the one to get out of the two.

The sig version adds better parts and black gate caps - BUT you can always do that sort of thing later if you have a repair tech nearby or you can do it yourself if you can solder.

The 2.1x is a big step up because it uses AN's famed I/V transformer coupling instead of being capacitor coupled. But the price rises quite a bit.

This site explains some of the AN DAC differences but is older and is missing some of the DACs
BigEars Audio - audio note


But then enters the Audio Note Kits (ANKits) which is now a separate entity but their DAC kits were still designed by Andy Grove and they still use AN parts (some not all ). And for a fee they will build the kit for you - so you might be able to get something better than the 0.1x and 1.1 for similar dollars. I have not heard them though so I don't know. I think they will be attending the California Audio show and so I will definitely listen to the kits because man some of those kits look positively drool worthy when it comes to parts quality and hey it's still AN designed!

For example the DAC 2.1 KIT uses the I/V transformer coupling at $1650US where you don't get that until the AN DAC 2.1 at $3200. Plus with the kits you can get USB for all the levels not just the o.1x.

It's worth a serious look - Just don't look at the mentor stuff - man those kits look awesome.

ANK Audiokits - DAC 2.1

 

This is excellent. Just the perspective that I was looking for. Many thanks Richard. Your name sounds familiar - I believe I have read some of your posts in other forums on AN products when I was doing my research. Anyway, appreciate the links. Cheers.

 

What’d you end up deciding to do, Jojo?