Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming C15/ Bricasti DAC settings correct?

Hi everyone, happy to share that I just purchased by first Sooloos equipment, C15, and am scouting around for a DAC to feed from my C15.

I am fortunate enough to get a Bricasti DAC loan set to try at home but was disappointed that I didn't find the sound quality as impressive as the rave reviews claim it to be. The music sounded very unnatural and unenjoyable.

I experimented with the Bricasti across the range of its 15 filters, and music files (rebook, hi-res) but couldn't come to terms in describing this DAC anywhere near A+ rated.

I later read that inputs into the Bricasti should not be up sampled and be fed at its native rate. Hence I set the C15 to "force output x1", presumably bringing the digital output rate from the upsampled 24/96 down to 16/44. This was also confirmed by the lock in sample rate on the Bricasti display panel. The music sounded much more like it should, closer to how the reviewers described it (with some pinch of salt).

Notwithstanding, listening through the Bricasti (fed by C15) wasn't quite as good as when I listened through my CD player (Mark Levinson 512). The image from the Bricasti was less focused and bass is not as tight and defined, compared with my ML512. (FYI, I used the same CD and ripped it into the C15 so that music source is as comparable as can be.)

At the price one may spend on the Bricasti DAC, I would like the sound to be at least comparable to what I can get out of my CD player. Noting Stereophile articles on the Bricasti by John Marks where he used the same C15/Bricasti combination, I'm presuming that there is some merit marrying the two together. (Do let me know if I'm wrong though!)

I would like to get advice, especially those who have/had a Bricasti in their Sooloos system, on whether my setting on the C15 or Bricasti is correct? Or perhaps pairing the C15/Bricasti is not a good idea?

Alternatively, I'm considering the MS600 as my "DAC" and feed the balanced analogue outputs into my preamp. Have anyone compared the MS600 vs Bricasti? If they sound close, and given that the MS600 is much cheaper, it's surely with considering. (Only problem is that I may not have the chance to test the MS600 at home).

Thanks in advance for your advice!