Longdog Audio VDt1 24/192 DSD DAC

If you have embraced the new digital age with your music and listen to hi-res music files through a laptop, music server or desktop computer, then the chances are you are using a digital to analogue converter more appropriately known in hi-fi as a “DAC”. These come in all shapes, sizes and configurations from small portable devices costing under £50 to cost no object ones costing several thousands of pounds. All do the same fundamental job, converting the digital signal from your music source into an analogue signal that your amplifier can interpret to play music through your loudspeakers.

The Longdog Audio DAC which is the subject of this article is designed and manufactured in the UK, the design is the brainchild of Nick Gorham, a well know UK DIY designer, famous for his regulated linear power supplies sold under the MCRU brand and with many of those designs receiving 5 star awards in the UK hi-fi press, Nick has become quite famous in the niche market he operates in. Here is a short video all about the DAC.

The VDt1 DAC has been made for one reason, to get the best possible sound quality from a DAC, it has no superfluous features or gadgets, it has the required number of inputs and outputs, everything else under the lid has been designed to sound as good as possible. The DAC is capable of handling file resolutions up to 24/192 and also DSD up to 64 bit. It also excels when connected to a CD transport or a CD players digital output, in fact listening to a CD played through the DAC via a good transport may make you forget computer audio altogether.

Recently reviewed in Hi-Fi Choice magazine, David Price the reviewer commented that the DAC is surely one of the best sounding in it’s price range and awarded the DAC 5 stars and a recommended badge. The review can be downloaded and read from this link.  There is also a technical paper about the DAC which can be read on the MCRU website here.

The DAC was also on demo at the recent National Audio Show, Whittlebury Hall, where Longdog Audio were exhibiting for the first time in their own room. The DAC was playing through a Music First pre-amp feeding a Conrad Johnson tube power amp, Sonu Faber speakers and the music source was an MCRU music server playing DSD and 24/192 for the 2 days of the show, all cables used were from Tellurium Q and MCRU with the Isotek Nova mains conditioner handling the mains feed. The DAC was well received with many visitors to the room commenting on the excellent sound quality which is usually quite hard to achieve in a hotel room.

The Longdog Audio VDt1 DAC is available exclusively from Mains Cables R Us in Huddersfield where it is on permanent demo and can be shipped worldwide, a 30 day money back guarantee is offered so customers can hear the DAC in their own system. No one has sent one back so far. The DAC can be supplied with silver or black front panel in 240v and 120v versions with a power cord to suit your country (as standard an IsoTek EVO3 Premier power lead is shipped with the unit). The connections as standard are 2 x co-axial (s-pdif) inputs , 1 x asynchronous usb input and one set of stereo rca outputs, bnc and xlr sockets can be supplied on request.

If you are looking for the best sound quality possible in a DAC we are confident the VDt1 will meet and exceed your expectations. Finally a word or 2 about the DAC from the first owner Mr Martin Johnson…

I have recently taken delivery of my VDT1 dac from MCRU, made by LDA.

The physical build of the unit is impressive, with full size dimesions and solid construction. High quality connections for power and xlr are fitted (mine came without phono plugs which is good, I never use them). Inside is the same, with immaculate wiring. I requested blue leds and got those too. You can specify what isolation feet you want, to help with accommodating the unit. PSU is inside the unit, read the spec to see why you don’t need something external!

NB. the dac has a protection circuit built in, so when you turn it on, it warms the valves 1st and will also deactivate them after a few minutes of idling, which is a great way to help prolong their life span.

The service I received was top notch (as per). David even leant me his while mine was being made!

So, how does it sound? This is of course very subjective (before this I had an M-dac with upgraded mcru psu).  This thing absolutely destroys it (and the Mdac is a great little unit).

Its hard to describe the sound, it’s very natural with voices, instruments have a fluid, effortless presentation about them; Nils Frahm’s album “Felt” sounds sublime, with the piano decays hanging in the air infront of me forever. But don’t mistake this to mean it’s soft or polite, it’s not! The White Stripes, Ball and biscuit’s guitars sound dirty, grungy and visceral, with Jack’s voice never sounding so real. It can hold your hand and whisper to you, it can grab you by the scruff and shake you!!

Everything I’ve thrown at it, from Drum and Bass, to Classical, to Ambient to Rock, it just shows me more of it.

I think what I’m trying to say is it conveys emotion. There’s not a technical measurement for this and I don’t care; it sounds bloody amazing!

People say that valve output stages can be used as a band aid, to hide flaws in the design elsewhere. I’ve heard people say that the Mdac is too digital and coarse sounding with detail retreival.

The VDT1 dac has neither of those blights, it digs deeper than anything i’ve heard in this price range (or many times above it for that matter) and it doesn’t sugar coat; if your recording is poor, you’re going to hear that.

I’ve actually started making purchases as investments, I don’t want to keep changing components and worrying about what might be better. That’s why I demoed this dac (and subsequntly requested  my own,10 minutes later).; it’s a keeper and has helped bring me a few steps closer to the music.

If you’re in the market for a new dac (even one costing 4/5 times this) I challenge you to give it a listen; I think you might just be surprised with what the chaps have achieved here.

Kind regards,

Martin