SONCOZ SGD1 DAC Detailed Review

[@stevendavis1135]

Always a treat when a audio piece I'm looking at is already covered by one of my favorite reviewers. Hell yea

[@NisuUuno]

Got mine yesterday. Quite a nice upgrade from a SMSL SU8. Seems clearer and wider, but not as unnatural as the SMSL. SMSL SU8 sounded really dry, this doesnt.

[@HiFiGOAudio]

Great review!!! The SGD1 looks really elegant on your table, we hope you liked the sound quality out of it. The best part about the Soncoz DAC's according to us is its price to performance ratio. Their LA-QXD1 is one of the only fully balanced DACs at its price segment.

[@ychilds99]

I had almost forgotten how go your reviews are. Very thorough and informative. Thank you.

[@Currawong]

Glad you like them!

[@krmatiu]

Hi mate, are you going to get the smsl su9 dac for review? Would be great to hear your thoughts of it against the D90 and others

[@TorToroPorco]

By now there are more than a few competent DACs in the $1000 and below class. Generally speaking you get a clean sound with good detail retrieval and low distortion. So my question would be at what price point do you get a more emotionally involving sound beyond being merely analytical, with convincing tone and a greater sense of weight and presence. The little micro details that create that a greater sense of realism.

[@Currawong]

For that, you would probably want an R2R DAC, or one of the Chord models.

[@humanitech]

Best way is get a very good analytical dac such as a D90 or RME, then get a modest tube preamp and then feed either class d, SS A/B or tube power amp or monos. Then you'll get the best of both worlds. Even a full tube integrated amp would add that musicality digital is still not quite able to get

[@Seiserism]

Please answer my question. Which dac would you personally choose?: sgd1, bifrost 2 or topping d90.

[@Currawong]

Personally, the Bifrost 2.

[@RathOX]

Bifrost 2 hands down

[@mensrea1251]

@@Currawong Could you elaborate why you personally prefer the Bifrost 2? I’m looking to upgrade from the SU8. Each reviewer seems to have preferences and I’m curious to know why you prefer the Bifrost 2 over the sgd1 and D90. Thank you.

[@mensrea1251]

@@RathOX Why? Curious to know your thinking here. I’m looking for an upgrade to my SU8.

[@xsouldriverx]

I like the black box look. Like its something from an imperial ship

[@MichaelZuskin]

Thanks for the review! Does it send the upsampled signal to the digital output? I mean, can I use it as an upsampler only with my active speakers which have digital input?

[@Currawong]

No.

[@eduardosalgado6598]

Hello, I have a pair of JBL eon612, a cerwin vega subwoofer cva 118 and a soundcraft mixer efx12, would this DAC improve the sound of my gear? Will you recomend it? Or with the mixer I have should be sufficent? Many thanks

[@tcc5750]

I use to have this DAC, it arrived with a bad USB-C port. Wouldn't work on any computer no matter which USB-C cable I used. Had to return to amazon, but Currawong how does it compare to Topping D90?

[@Currawong]

What a nuisance about the USB-C port. I mentioned it in the review, but I felt that the Topping D90 is a bit better.

[@tcc5750]

@@Currawong I love that despite how large your channel is you still reply to people. Much love to my favorite reviewer :).

[@NeilBlanchard]

It seems like the two toroidal (O type?) transformers and linear power supply onboard, is unusual in this price range? It is nudging up against the Bifrost 2 price.

[@Farazao]

Great review! Really great to see this sense of perspective you always bring in your reviews.

[@Currawong]

Glad to hear it!

[@chrisharper2658]

Most importantly, what are the part numbers on the Op-Amps?

[@marjanvalentincic6203]

I would like to know to

[@Currawong]

OPA1612 in mine.

[@marjanvalentincic6203]

@@Currawong thanks 🙏

[@aceofspades6667]

great review on great measuring products at a value.

[@williamnaman3570]

The anti resonance devices on the tubes can be sourced where?

[@Currawong]

Search for Herbies Tube Dampers.

[@tomas_m]

For those who need digital output, Topping D10(s) had been the only option up until these two appeared. Awesome to see a high-grade review besides the measurements.

[@Omegga26]

Greetings from across the pond. I just picked up an SGD 1 and had a question about the USB input. It worked fine with my laptop but couldn't get it go work with my nvidia sheild media player's USB output to SGD 1 USB input. I was able to plug and play the nvidia shield with my "lo fi" Sundavo DAC no problem. Do you know if there's a driver I need to install on the nvidia sheild which is currently running android 10?

[@Currawong]

Why not ask the manufacturer?

[@Omegga26]

Got it to work!! Had to adjust a few settings on the Nvidia Sheild. Thanks.

[@amirjubran1845]

Spotify is not MP3, it is 320kbps Vorbis.

[@cillyede]

Sehr gut, dankeschön.

[@idanmaman]

is that a SMSL m200+sp200 stack you got there? how are you liking that stack?

[@rendyg1176]

Nice review. What about the cheaper Soncoz LA-QXD1? It´s supposed to be a successor to Khadas Tone Board which was pushing the limits of price/performance :)

[@bryantwilsbb]

I don’t intend to buy this DAC but I will say that chiefly I do not like the caps being right next to the Toroidal’. Too much heat can get to them that way

[@navinadv]

I came here from your D90 review. The D90 and M400 are a bit too pricey for me so I am looking at he Soncoz SGD1, D70 or the SMSL SU-9. All 3 retail for under $500. If one had to choose between these three (I have to buy without an audition) which one would one get?

[@Currawong]

I have the SU-9 in for review, and so far I like it quite a bit.

[@navinadv]

@@Currawong Thanks so much. I like it’s aesthetics best too.

[@navinadv]

@@Currawong did you finish the review of the SU9 yet? Would love to see it compared with the SonCoz SGD1. Thanks

[@Dinasuke]

@@navinadv Me too.

[@krucacing]

No hype review..boring but maybe its the truth. Everyone wish they get bargain of the century.

[@RathOX]

Its informative vs Zeos whos really a sales person and just rants on etc. Hes funny but he isnt a person to go to for advice.

[@djhmax09]

Nice pen/pencil you got there!