SUMMER	2000
Page Three

BITS

DODSON AUDIO:  Hot on the heels of stellar reviews in both Absolute Sound and Ultimate Audio, Ralph Dodson has released an updated version of his incredible digital to analog converter. The latest iteration, DA-217MkII-D, is 24/96 capable and features updates to the analog circuit as well as a new upsampling module.  The unit also features a very precise circuit that virtually eliminates jitter.    

To give you an idea of the sophistication found in the Dodson circuitry, let’s follow a signal through the DA-217MKII-D. Digital inputs received by the Dodson are first stripped of the clock signal and then fed into a buffer via a precise Phase Lock Loop (PLL). This process isolates the incoming signal and eliminates any jitter. The signal is then upsampled to 96kHz using a state of the art algorithm. From there, the digits are oversampled to an astounding 768kHz (24 bit word length), before being sent to the DACs. This ultra-high bandwidth requires a very sophisticated analog circuit, in this case one with 100kHz bandwidth.\

I have waxed poetic about the virtues of the Dodson in these pages before, so I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, the Dodson is a spectacular digital to analog converter. As good as it gets, in my book. I doubt you’ll find a better sounding DAC anywhere, at any price. The Dodson was chosen for use in the Verity Audio suite at the Montreal Hi Fi Show. The room was heralded as one of the best sounding at the show by Sounstage!

The Dodson does so many things well, it’s rather hard to select the highlights, but let me try. The unit soundstages with the best of them. Here you’d expect the tubed units to do a bit better, but I’ll be darned if I can hear more air or dimensionality in them. Midrange, too, is usually the hallmark of tubes, and maybe there is tad more richness there on some, but the Dodson is so close as to render the point mute. Transparency is superb, and as good as I have heard from any processor. Bass, too, is excellent, and equal to or better than the best.

Tough to beat the Dodson DA-217MkII-D. It is allot of product for the money and is one of the best values in digital to analog converters today. $4995.00. Dodson

JOLIDA: Last time the guys at Jolida introduced a tube based CD player, they sold out of a 6 month supply in just sixty days! I hope they are prepared this time, because with the introduction of the new JD-603A, they will surely have another hit on their hands. Let me tell you why.

Modestly priced CD players sound to me like, um, modestly priced CD players. At best, nothing to write home about, at worst, well, let’s not go there. The JD-603A just might surprise you. It did me.

Using two 12AX7A tubes in the analog circuit, the JD-603A brings a welcomed lushness and warmth to digital reproduction. Ahhh, that’s better! You’ll find this piece a welcomed change from the grainy, harsh and two-dimensional presentation that is commonplace in this price range. Could you call the JD-603A colored? Maybe. But given the alternative, I’ll take that any day. And the soundstage, geez, it’s huge! Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the price, it’s only $550.00. A bargain, for sure. Jolida

 ANALOG

REGA: A replacement for the Planar 3? Imagine that! The Rega Planar 3 turntable has been a fixture on the analog scene for many years, so it was with some excitement that I learned of its new replacement, the P3. The two tables look rather alike on the surface, but there’s more here than meets the eye.

Rega has chosen a new ultra-light weight composite material for the plinth, replacing the MDF used before. This has reduced the mass by over 20%. Additionally, the P3 uses a passive form of motor tuning to decrease vibration, and allowing direct mounting of the motor to the plinth. According to the manufacturer, this change reduces both wow and flutter.\

Though I’ve had the new ‘table here for just a short time and listening has been brief, I have been impressed by its performance. Rega has preserved the best features of the previous model, while refining the design and enhancing performance. Wish I had a Planar 3 here to do a side-by-side comparison, but I don’t. Sonic memory tells me the new guy is a bit faster and more articulate with a lower level of background noise. Quite an achievement, considering the Planar 3 was already great!

Have a Planar 3? Want to get more performance from it? Consider sending it in to have the new motor installed. $155.00 will get you a nice upgrade. Rega Turntables

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