New Rotel DAC

[pcking]

Anyone know when Rotel will list there new RD006 Dac on their Website.
I only seen it on their Japanese Web site.

[gfcf42489]

When was this DAC released? I e-mailed Rotel around two months ago, asking about a possible DAC model and they said there were no plans at this time of designing a DAC.

[Swimmerbird123]

It seems to have been released in places down under first. Google is your friend here for pictures and specs:

http://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2011/08/rotel-about-to-launch-new-dac-and-more/

http://www.paulmoney.co.nz/shop/digital-to-analog-converters/rotel-rdd06dac/

http://absolutesound.co.nz/product.cfm/ProductId/197/CategoryId/34/BrandID/8

Swimmer

[gfcf42489]

It seems to have been released in places down under first. Google is your friend here for pictures and specs.

.

It indeed is, looks like a nice unit. How do you think it'll compare to the Rega DAC?

[Swimmerbird123]

I don't know much at all about DACs in general and nothing at all about a Rega DAC. My digital player is a Squeezebox Touch feeding into Rotel's RC-1082, and my library is in FLAC format. The Touch has pretty good sound by itself, and other than trying out the RDG-1520 (which I had to use as a DAC since it doesn't accept FLAC directly) I haven't tried out any others yet.

This RDD-06 apparently does accept FLAC files directly from a PC now, so I am very curious to try it out. A review of an unrelated loudspeaker on the witchdoctor.co.nz site has the following comment:

"For digital media I used a Rega Apollo CD player and a Rotel RDD-06 DAC (review pending) playing FLAC files from my laptop."

So perhaps you too will look forward to reading that site's upcoming review of this DAC.

Swimmer

[sasami]

I own the Rotel RDD-06, bought it from Paul Money few weeks ago. It's the only reasonable sounding DAC that play back from a flash drive or portable HDD.

One warning this thing don't connect to your PC without a driver. It is not plug and play like other USB DAC. I tested on both Win7 32 and 64bit both gave me a box saying no driver found for this USB device. And Paul Money told me they packed the wrong drive in NZ so in NZ you don't have the CD to go with it. So until now I still have not try it as USB DAC.

At the moment I play back mainly via USB flash drive and a little coax. Frankly for me USB flash drive with 320k sound pretty dam good compare to 192k Flac from coax, not as good but very very near. I use NAD C352 and Polk Rti6 maybe it's the limit of my other gear.

The play back from flash drive is very primitive, actually less control then your CD player only forward, back, stop, pause and play. It will play all playable files in the drive even ones under folders.

As for the sound it is basically the same DAC section as RCD-1520 that is WM8471 with 3 sets of OPA2604/DIP. As I don't have RCD-1520 I can't comment anything. But from a short review in Japan the guy think RDD-06 does much better job then RCD-1520, he said RCD-1520 digital out to RDD-06 sound better image, clean and open then RCD-1520 by itself. As all Rotel gear it more on the cool side match nicely with warmer gear I have. Depending on personal taste it can sound very fast and clean match with cool gear like Rotel, B&W, Paradigm. Or open and lay back with warm gear like NAD, Proac, Nami.

Fact is it's RCD-1520 DAC section without all the noise source (CD player, transport, transformer) around it pack inside a metal case with external power supply, even less noise. The only noise source is the switch mode power supply's square wave. Put a ferrite core on the exit end of the switching power supply and roll as much DC cable around it, you will get a dead silent DAC powerful bass and very clean high. Don't put ferrite on AC power cable but DC it's better off with one DC don't get effected by impedance load. For me it took about 100 hours of play back to settle it down nicely. Not huge difference but defiantly more bass and cleaner after 100 hours.

If you search for RDD-06 image you will found it the most fully packed DAC in it's class. And the only DAC in it's class actually use real analog output stage large caps and loads of metal oxide resistors.

Rega DAC I think it might be better in output stage but it cost nearly twice as much. Frankly I don't believe it will be twice as good, as any audio gear's rule of thumb. For DAC new babe the company can say they use the best DAC available like push pull twin WM8471 but if you got a cheap output stage like most DAC under NZ$1k do, they sound crap due to all the high frequency in digital sound processing. Fact is a twin WM8471 DAC only cost less then NZ$100 to make as a home electronic hobbyist, analog output stage is the expensive stuff. That is why a lot of old 16bit DAC can sound so much better then today's cheap 24/192 DACs.

Anyway I like RDD-06, simple yet very flexible and sound great. Since I don't use it as USB DAC without the drive it's not that much a big deal for me.

Ah, nearly forgot about this. It comes with a clear blue plastic bluetooth USB dongle at least the one I bought from Paul Money does. Some Korean version has the much smaller black dongle which match the color of the DAC. Anyway it works like magic. Plug it in turn DAC on then use your media player, pad, PC, laptop, nettop, phone, any thing with bluetooth function search for Rotel Bluetooth type in bluetooth matching code in the manual. Set your player to play sound via bluetooth done. I try play back music via my android pad and phone works like magic. Sounds bad though as anyone would have expected from bluetooth. Why would anyone use this instead of plug USB flash drive or HDD is over me.

[Swimmerbird123]

The review of the Rotel DAC that I mentioned earlier is now up:

http://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2012/05/rotel-rdd-06-dac-review/

In a nutshell, the reviewer likes it, gives it 5 stars, says that playing .flac from his laptop to the Rotel DAC is just a tiny bit better than the Rega Apollo CD player. He echoes sasami above that the bluetooth works but doesn't sound so good.

In the conclusion he writes:

"The RDD-06 delivers a full-bodied and lively soundscape with a well balanced frequency range and precise imaging. Despite ever so slightly lacking the last degree of attack, it is still a very gutsy performer, feeding the amplifier with a powerful signal, and the low level of digital “glare” adds to its analogue qualities. ... While it has all the attributes most audiophiles look for in a hi-fi product – detail, imaging, soundstage – the Rotel first and foremost allows you to sit back and enjoy music."

Swimmer

[fozzer424]

Rotel is late to the game, but nonetheless I am very happy to see a DAC available. I will definitely buy one if they plan on releasing the RDD-06, or a similar offering, in North America.

[sasami]

Yes, or No I guess. I have been hunting for a future prove and good source for over the last 2 years.
Looking from PC/portable stuff like HRT/uDAC, Fiio E10/17.
To old school dacs like Consonance DAC, Audio Research DAC.
Even with media steamers like Squeezebox Touch, NAD C446, Mortaz NA7004, CANP30.
Also those in the middle ones Arcam rDAC, DacMagic.
None of them fits what I need and price is just crazy for some of them.

The thing is I finally settle on Rotel because it play file from USB stick,
and it support all DAC connection up to 24/192 to date.
So I don't have to buy a primary source like PC/laptop/nettop/Squeezebox.
Which cost a fair amount as well also I have the option to upgrade.
So frankly for me it ends up even cheaper then Squeezebox with better sound.
Also I like the components I saw on the photo and the price is right for me.
So I went out and bought it.
I think I was lucky it actually end up sound very good, and I like the sound as well.

[BWLover]

Does anyone know what the exact model of the Wolfson DAC inside the RCD-1520 is? According to the articles on the RD-D06 DAC it has a Wolfson 8471 DAC. I was curious what the new 15 series CD Player has and how it stacks up in comparison to the new Rotel external DAC. I am very interested in this new DAC as it could be a nice addition to be used with my PS3 and also my HD PVR. Maybe even my RCD-1072 Thanks

[Swimmerbird123]

The RCD-1520 apparently has the Wolfson WM8740 DAC chip, which seems to be the predecessor of the RDD-06's WM8741 DAC. The WM8741 is apparently still Wolfson's top of the line, although it was introduced in 2007. Wolfson introduced the WM8742 in 2009, but despite the higher number some claim that it is essentially a budget version of the WM8741.

For comparison, the 8741 is also used in the high end Linn Klimax and the Arcam rDac. The WM8740 is used in the original Cambridge Audio DacMagic and the Rega Saturn CD player. The WM8742 is used in the newly released DacMagic 100 and the Rega Apollo-R CD player and Rega DAC. Of course, the end-result sound depends on lots of factors other than the chips themselves. Other high-end DACs often use custom-designed hardware.


WM8741:

http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8741/

WM8740:

http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8740/

WM8742:

http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8742/

[gfcf42489]

Thanks for the excellent information, Swimmer.

I just saw a pic of the RDD-06 under the hood and the first thing I noticed was the lack of a toroidal transformer? I believe they use a torodial in the RCD-1072 I had; I think the newer RCD-1520 uses it as well. Do you know what kind of transformer Rotel is using in this DAC? Thanks again for the knowledge.

[sasami]

Link for RDD-06 un-boxing.

http://porcaro.exblog.jp/17825129/

As I mentioned above it's using a external switch mode DC power supply.
In another word AC/DC adapter, you know the big black plug that charge your phone.
This is the reason I said you need to get a ferrite core to get rip of switching ripple that degrade the sound.

There is plus and minus using a switch mode DC power supply.
It introduce high frequency switching noise.
Current draw for these AC/DC adapter are usually much lower then a toroidal transformer.
Having said that it remove a huge vibrating and EMF noise generating component completely.
Both the toroidal coil and capacitor vibrate and generate EMF when in charging and discharging.
Also DAC don't use power like amplifiers so no need for the high current draw.
On top switching noise can be deal with by simply adding a ferrite core properly.
Since DC power is not effected by impedance load so unlike a AC supply it won't be effect by ferrite core.
For lower power device like DAC DC is actually a better choice if done properly.

Having said all these people in Bel Cantor make switch mode power amplifier that sound great.