Merason DAC1 grassroots segment DAC

In a time where extreme high sampling rates and lots of features seem to reign, the Swiss company Merason brings a very basic DAC that does 192 kHz over SPDIF and AES/EBU, uses a seven year old DAC chip, has no remote control and no display. What are they thinking?

Contents of this video

00:00 - Intro
00:28 - Start of program
02:24 - The outside
03:32 - The inside
05:46 - In use
06:39 - How tested
07:57 - Sound quality
09:55 - The wrap

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[markkraft]

Hans, another great review - thanks. I respect your approach and objectivity - a class act for sure! About 2 weeks ago, I switched back to a 23 year old DAC using similar topology (Burr Brown PCM1794 chips) - the Mark Levinson 360S. And, I experienced similar results - so musical; especially extended hi-frequency details which were neither harsh nor etched - just musical. Okay, to be fair, I didn't just reinsert the DAC. I connected it via AES/EBU to a USB Interface similar to the Singxer SU-6; a Xingcore AF200 using the same Crystek CCHD-957 clocks but in my case powered by an external linear power supply. For this very old DAC it made all the difference - the Mark Levinson 360S never sounded this good even connected to it's own Mark Levinson No. 37 transport. I'm also limited to 24 bit, 96kHz on this setup - not a hardship for me. In fact, I prefer it - it had always been annoying to readjust the volume whenever 192kHz material streamed over Qobuz. So, why buy a new DAC at all?

[RamBalajiVW]

Very professional review… Merason Dac is an excellent unit… When you see it musically... All the technical stuff about it… disappears..!

Thanks Han


I use
1. Synergistic Research Maxell12 Power Conditioner
2. SOTM Transport Sme200 ultra, USB regen
With Roon integrated with Nas
3. Merason Dac
4. Ayon Stratos Tube stage preamp
5. McIntosh MC611 600w @8ohms Monoblocks
6. B&W 802 D 500w @ 8 ohms
7. Kimber Sp cables
8. Signal projects XLR’s
9. Siltech Power cables
10. Sotm Cat6 Isolater cable
11. ddHiFi - TC09BA USB-A to USB-B USB Cable
12. Tidal Source to roon

—-x——-

[joel_hifi]

Hans, thank you for this review 🙏 Another Merason DAC1 owner here, I confirm it is a very musical no frills DAC 👍

[atavachron]

Great review as always Hans
! I'd be interested if you could do a review of the Lab12 dac 1 reference. I recently bought this dac and it's absolutely incredible for the money. It's a tube based Nos dac using an array of 8 x Phillips 1543 chips . I've never heard a dac that sounds as natural and musical. Still very detailed and has super bass too. Very nicely configured and designed dac....with Vu meters as well!

[nyev-txwp]

Hans, according to Merason, the AES and TOSLINK inputs of the DAC1 are not limited to 96k. Here is what Daniel of Merason told me:

“the information that the AES input is limited to 96k is wrong. In fact, the AES input (like the SPDIF and USB inputs) understands 192k.”

I do see in the specifications, “(USB)” appears next to 176k. I’m not sure what this means, and I am waiting for Merason to confirm this.

[TheSineAssociation]

Hans, thank you very much for all your instructive, detailed and rigorous reviews. Being, for many years, an studio user of RME and as you, an audio evangelist, I really would love a review on the RME ADI-2 DAC fs, which is loaded with functions and high sample rate, but how about sound?. Thank you again for your great work.

[nyev-txwp]

Hans, will you be reviewing the new, totally redesigned MK2 version of the Merason DAC1? The company claims improvements in almost all areas of sound and I don’t see that anyone has reviewed it yet, anywhere.

[pukensan]

Have MERASON DAC1 for month now, what a lovely dac!!! Just curious now, what is better for this dac - spdif or usb? and xlr or rca?

[kurt]

I keep hearing that in hi end music reproduction there is no difference between DSD and PCM, while at low end side, let's say 1400Euro (Chord Qtest) there is a very distinct sound difference between DSD and PCM; that is both in same song comparison and general music presentation. While comparing the same song I hear details being far less apparent and lost in the song, while general assessment over multiple songs I feel in instant veil over the songs when switching between PCM and DSD. I am just starting my DSD collection but I just go for native DSD recording (usually from Native DSD or Blue Coast Music), no PCM to DSD and may that be why there is a difference? Also I need to ask if one of hi end audio benefits is it compensate for the shortcomings of a format, or low end DACs are just bad at PCM reproduction.

[magnusblom]

Thank you for the review, I have bought a one years old Merason dac 1, what usb cable can you recommend that's not so super expensive ? :)

[lennym]

Please sir, I have followed your setup classifications, but what is the meaning of "classifies in the lower quarter of my setup 1a"?

[wouterkolkman]

I enjoyed your weekly review Hans. You make some valid points regarding theoretical playback sample rates. I wonder how many subscribers to your channel dared to take Mark Waldrep’s challenge: listen to the same track in proper high resolution and red Book CD quality - I only just managed to identify more high res files, but from his large sample there was no significant correct identification of the high resolution files, not even by those with very expensive equipment.

[steveneastburn]

If you get a chance, can you review the IfI Zen Streamer. Your videos are appreciated.😀

[dominicvalois]

Hi Hans, I posted a comment earlier about this DAC design being from a design from 10 years ago and had posted reference links. Why was my comment deleted?

[saafranstudioportugal]

Sorry Hans. I think that the only input limited to 24/96 is the Toslink-Optical?
I plug in a request: MERASON ferot vs DAC1!

[g.elbert]

Hans, I stumbled across this nice review just recently. Somehow I must have missed it when it came out. I am interested in either the Merason Dac 1 or a Chord Hugo TT2 without MScaler. How would you rate the Hugo when the Merason is "just" in the lower Quarter of your setup 1? Similar level or higher? Thanks in advance, Gottfried

Btw: my distributor told me that 192 khz via s/pdif should work just fine. Also the homepage of Merason does not mention any limitation to 96 khz.

[ericelmore]

Is the merasonDAC 1 a step up from the merason frerot? I would love to see a chart on how you tier what ends up at top, middle and bottom of your system one list. Great insight as always!

[doublefivetwo]

Hans, are you losing your "damping factor"? Looking good buddy!

[ryanacree]

I know what they were thinking....create a good DAC that is actually affordable without all the extra stuff nobody needs, like a display or DSD playback. Thanks!

[magnuskarlsson]

Thanks Hans for this review. I agree its a very nice dac. Having One myself. Did you compare it to Dave for example?