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JVC AX-Z1010TN - Review (part II)

It's not just the DAC chip alone, don't get lead down the path that the 'DAC' in the JVC is not up to modern stds. It's better than almost anything sensible that you could buy.

There are something like 6 different parts to the 'DAC'. Data transfer method / transport / Clock accuracy / power supply noise / the actual DAC chip / output stage.

I say that the K2 interface is still unsurpassed

Borrow a Hugo or Hugo 2 from Richer Sounds or Audio-T and hear for yourself
 
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Yes the digital ability of the amp should be taken as a whole.

I have only heard it against a Topping D10 and a MoodLAB Dice, both of which do not sound as good.

I can't be bothered to try it against anything else as I am in that rare space, among audiophiles, where I enjoy music whatever the source and seek no 'upgrade' as it does it for me as it is.
 
Dan K said:
It's not just the DAC chip alone, don't get lead down the path that the 'DAC' in the JVC is not up to modern stds. It's better than almost anything sensible that you could buy.

There are something like 6 different parts to the 'DAC'. Data transfer method / transport / Clock accuracy / power supply noise / the actual DAC chip / output stage.

I say that the K2 interface is still unsurpassed

Borrow a Hugo or Hugo 2 from Richer Sounds or Audio-T and hear for yourself
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It has a fullness and a richness of tone that the dac in my Naim Streamer gets nowhere near.
 
flatpopely said:
That's interesting to know. Which NAIM unit is it?
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ND5 XS which is an older one. One thing though I do find a channel imbalance on a lot of tracks ie more sound esp with vocals, coming out of one channel. I can swap this over to the other speaker by changing the speaker cable over so not a speaker problem. I only use Tidal.

PS balance adjustment does not work when using the dac.
 
If you are talking about the JVC DAC don't run it in DA Direct mode and the balance control will work. However there should not be a channel imbalance.
 
No wonder The dac sounds good, those pcm63 are my favourite chips. I use the K version and they are simply sublime.
 
Dan K said:
It's not just the DAC chip alone, don't get lead down the path that the 'DAC' in the JVC is not up to modern stds. It's better than almost anything sensible that you could buy.

There are something like 6 different parts to the 'DAC'. Data transfer method / transport / Clock accuracy / power supply noise / the actual DAC chip / output stage.

I say that the K2 interface is still unsurpassed

Borrow a Hugo or Hugo 2 from Richer Sounds or Audio-T and hear for yourself
Click to expand...
I totally agree. I still find my old cd players detailed and musical.
Still, strange that in 2 part thread, no one had a serious dac to compare.
 
Rug Doc said:
Yes you are right they have 56, not 63, my mistake.

Well... if those that love the sound of this DAC, hunt out a PCM63k chipped dac and you’ll be even further sucked in.
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But that won’t be as implemented in the K2 system in the AX-Z1010.
 
Rug Doc said:
Yes you are right they have 56, not 63, my mistake.

Well... if those that love the sound of this DAC, hunt out a PCM63k chipped dac and you’ll be even further sucked in.
Click to expand...
I think the magic is all in the antijitter circuit or the famous K2, basically the spidf signal is transmitted as a code to the processor and then reclocked and send to the dac, something that modern dacs like Sabre are doing in the chip level, also in the digifine JVC brochure they mention of some kind buffer or ram used for the signal to be stored for some milliseconds, and then applying some dynamic bias, according to the signal.
This is truly some high tech for JVC at the time, strange that they were under the radar comparing to other japanese brands.
 
Sonci said:
Has anyone compared it’s dac performance to any modern dac or cd player? Something like the chord 2 qute or qutest. The K2 should be good but the dac inside is still an ancient PCM56p.
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Not against anything modern, but against my Linn Numerik which I ran into the 1010 for comparison.
The Numerik is a tiny bit more refined in the upper registers,
Miles Davis solo trumpet on 'Elevator to the scaffold' gives you goosebumps with the K2,
but swanbumps with the Numerik.
Billie Holiday lovers as well as fans of outstanding solo sound events, which Miles is probably best known-for example, will value that.
The K2 is a bit more Naim-ish...there isn't really that much in it.
A bit rounder, more James Brown-ish, but we're talking minimal nuances here.

Depends largely on which music you hear most..if you're a Bill Evans type ,you'll value the extra resolution and the little notch more in timing a Numerik or the newer and similar performing Metrum Musette has to offer.

Without direct comparison, I'd have been absolutely fine, and am in fact..it's clearly on the:
'I can live with that' -level.
Very nice dac the K2, basicly nearly worth what I paid for the whole unit.
Oh, and it sacks an MDAC+ with ease..all mentioned above do, in fact.

I hope that helps.
 
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Mine still sounds stupendously wonderful. Can’t see me ever selling it.

Soooo.... I’m thinking of it’s long term health and performance. I don’t use the phono stage or DAC. I can solder but have no tech knowledge. However I do live quite near Jez so a post-COVID service is possible. Just wondering what bits might need a service/replacement and are the exact same replacement bits still available? I don’t fancy changing anything that might affect the sound ‘cos it’s exactly how I like it right now.
 
I feel like I will have to try one of these at some point, such is the continued furore over this amp.

It doesn't look that different inside from a lot of other good Japanese amps of the time. Yet all the talk of the K2 dac keeps me interested. One of my current amps of similar vintage and origin has the same internal dacs and does sound good...but no K2 on the front, which must make a difference.

If anyone would consider me loaning one at some point, I'd be happy to loan something in exchange (I have a couple of exotic old amplifiers that are very interesting).
 
VanDerGraaf said:
I feel like I will have to try one of these at some point, such is the continued furore over this amp.

It doesn't look that different inside from a lot of other good Japanese amps of the time. Yet all the talk of the K2 dac keeps me interested. One of my current amps of similar vintage and origin has the same internal dacs and does sound good...but no K2 on the front, which must make a difference.

If anyone would consider me loaning one at some point, I'd be happy to loan something in exchange (I have a couple of exotic old amplifiers that are very interesting).
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Are you in the UK?
 
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