Sound quality
Where do we start? Well, how about by revealing that we like the irDAC. A lot. Across all inputs, this small black box gives music a quite breathtaking sense of rhythm.
Play a CD-quality file of Ella Fitzgerald’s Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love) and the Arcam captures the vibe of the track perfectly. There’s detail aplenty, with the DAC picking out the delicate piano play, lazy double-bass and Ella’s silky-smooth and beautifully controlled vocal.
But not only does it allow you to pick out the fine details, it’s the way the machine knits, gels and intertwines all the various elements together that really gets your heart going.
Iggy Azalea’s My World has a couple of complex elements and the track can sound lost and confused with inferior kit. But the Arcam has no trouble with a 256kbps stream from Spotify through its USB connection.
The pounding bassline sounds tight and weighty, and while the Arcam sounds more rounded than it does neutral, highs still display sharpness and precision.
For timing and accuracy this DAC is going to be tough to beat. And for those of you wondering whether it’s better than the old rDAC? The words ‘different’ and ‘league’ spring to mind. This model sounds bigger, bolder, more detailed and more cohesive.
Verdict
Some products are impressive from the moment they’re powered up. The irDAC is one of those – the way it sucks you in and encourages to keep listening is a rare talent and one you can’t afford to ignore.
Former current class favourites such as the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC are well and truly outclassed.