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5.1 USB interface: One group of consumers who might be more concerned with 5.1 amplification than audiophiles are computer geeks and gamers. Alas most audio manufacturers keep luring them with USB DAC or USB-ready integrated amps limited to two channels only. With a little 5.1 USB interface, the Dared DV-6C can fill that void. The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi 5.1 USB interface is one of those, a so-called external sound card that provides A/D and D/A conversion at 24/96 resolution with a >100dB S/N ratio. You can hook it up to a Windows XP or Vista PC via USB (which also provides the operational power) and output 5.1 analog audio signals or digital via S/PDIF Toslink.
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For my purposes, this was the perfect $50 interface between my notebook and the DV-6C. I played a few movies and concert DVDs on my Mark & Daniel system and was genuinely pleased. Given that Mark & Daniel might not be the easiest match for the DV-6C (nor my reference Winsome Labs Mouse quartet), I still enjoyed the kind of coherent soundscape and musicality that made the songs and dances in Moulin Rouge endearing to watch; and the kind of lightning speed and bass impact to make the battle scenes in Pearl Harbour, Matrix and The Dark Knight thrilling. In fact the DV-6V with its higher output power and more refined tube preamp stage was more dynamic and musical than my usual reference.
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Adding up to 6: My personal musical multi-channel affair began with the slim Panasonic SA-XR25S which I paid $425 Canadian for in 2003. (Their SA series went obsolete a few years ago.) I built a quite decent system around it with embarrassingly low-priced Quest speakers. Naturally I soon wanted to advance. When Tripath amps began to mushroom, I took the opportunity to assemble my ideal multi-channel music system without resorting to home theater receivers or those monstrous pre/power configurations. Obviously to put down little money and take up little space never ceased to be two big prerequisites. The Dared DV-6C now satisfied these very strict ground rules with the smallest of efforts. Let’s inspect the options I worked my way through thus far. For simplicity’s sake, let’s discount my obsession with bi-amping the front three channels and compare six channels against six channels.
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Here they are in more than one way to add up to six.
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| Trends TA-10.1 - $175 x 3 = $525 |
15/10wpc (4/8ohm) with standard 12V SMPS |
| KingRex T-20 - $269 x 3 = $807 |
22/13wpc (4/8ohm) with standard 12V SMPS |
| Virtue ONE.2 - $369 x 3 = $1107 |
30/25wpc (4/8ohm) with standard 24V SMPS |
| Winsome Labs Mouse - $399 x 3 = $1197 |
45/30wpc (4/8ohm) with standard 30V SMPS |
| Dared DV-6C - $650 |
65/35wpc (4/8ohm) with remote control |
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My all-tube mix ‘n’ match systems cost 6 to 7 times the price of the DV-6C. My hybrid 2-channel system is more than 12 times as costly ($999 Dared MC-7P $999 + $1.750 NuForce Ref 9 V2 x 4 = $7999) but that’s getting irrelevant because of the huge difference also in output power and performance.
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Concluding between 4 walls: I hate to make recommendations just on price. So let me simply say that the Dared DV-6C under-promised and over-delivered. This review contains enough spoilers to raise expectations but I’m quite sure this little gem will still exceed them in one way or the other. I’ve tested it against pure tube amps where it proved to be more spirited and better layered without losing the tube magic – but be sure to have some Mullard or Gold Aero Platinum 12AX7s standing by. I’ve compared it to Tripath amps where it demonstrated greater musicality without sacrificing transient speed and impact. Through these comparative auditions I involved a wide range of speakers from the highly efficient Klipsch floorstanders and Loth-X bookshelves to the mid-efficiency Opera mini towers and JMlab mini bookshelves to the rather intimidating Mark & Daniel and Apogee. That confirmed the adaptability—if not ascendancy—of Dared’s debut hybrid design.
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The real beauty is that here we’re dealing with a pure audio amp. Dared had the gumption to strip off all DTS, HDMI and related video junk and let that find its own way to the screen. How dared! The DV-6C was designed for music lovers yet its appeal transcends them. For those whose multi-media entertainment is focused on PC notebooks, a $50 Creative SB X-Fi 5.1 USB interface will connect them to the DV-6V for sound quality they never thought possible.
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For those who still harbor second thoughts about multi-channel music, the DV-6C offers exceptional value and performance as a bi-amping stereo machine. Just put the unused channels on reserve until you’re ready.
What I like about multi-channel music is how it has expanded my musical horizons without taking up too much real estate. My favorite room measures only 15’ x 13.5’ in a diagonal setup. Between those four walls, the DV-6C is a dream come true. This one’s definitely staying. I’m struggling only with the evil notion of getting one more to satisfy my wicked craving for 10.2 bi-amping. Is there anything I haven’t told you yet? Drive? Check. Musicality? Check. User-friendliness? Check. Remote control? Check. WAF? Check. BMA? Check. |
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Quality of packing: Cardboard box with foam cradle shipped in outer carton box.
Reusability of packing: A few times for sure.
Ease of unpacking/repacking: Entirely unproblematic.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Completeness of delivery: Amp with generic power cord and Shuguang tubes.
Quality of owner's manual: Informative and clear.
Website comments: Adequate facts, easy to navigate.
Warranty: Limited warranty for 12 months from date of purchase including tubes.
Global distribution: United States, France, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, HongKong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia.
Human interactions: Professional and friendly, timely responses to questions, adequate English skills despite being non-native English speakers, forthcoming about technical matters and anything else.
Pricing: Exceptional value.
Application conditions: Tube rolling recommended.
Final comments & suggestions: There’s no more reason to procrastinate with multi-channel pure audio. Assembling five identical full-range speakers together in one room seems to be the biggest hurdle. So try 3-channel. There have been suggestions that if a center speaker is impossible, the signal can be routed to the left and right speakers for a phantom center channel. I haven’t tried that but wager that you’ll probably miss the realism of true surround recordings cut with three or five microphones. My counter proposal would be to use paired center speakers spaced next to the left and right speakers. You’ll notice that’s more or less what I did with my Loth-X setup. I also tried a pair of Klipsch F1 standing next to a pair of F2 before putting forth this theory.
Related topics:
Contrasting ITU 5.1 and Panor-ambiophonic 4.1 Surround Sound by Ralph Glasgal
Surround-Sound Speaker Placement: Problems and Solutions by Jeff Fritz
Convert your MP3 to 5.1 surround - here
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Feedback from manufacturer:
We at Dared are delighted to join the honorable league of Blue Moon Award winners. The DV-6C is one of our most daring designs that have involved considerable efforts in terms of our R&D. Thank you for the time and effort in going through that journey with us and conveying our faith in multi-channel pure audio to the consumers!
Steve Zhou
Dared Tube Audio, China
Feedback from US Importer:
As you rightly pointed out, David, a large part of the sonic performance of the DV-6C hinges on the preamp drivers. We have worked with Dared on this issue for a long time. From our point of view in terms of North America market, we have to stick with most popular signal tubes, such as 12AX7, 12AU7, and 12AT7, etc. As we know, some Chinese tube amp manufacturers use 6N3 tubes for preamp stage. In our bench tests and audition, the sonic characteristics of 6N3 is far from ideal and hardly justifies the low cost due to abundant NOS supply in China left over from the 70's. Moreover, the many good variants of 12AX7 tubes make it so much more fun. Keep rolling! Thank you for the great work and the personal touches you put into the review. It's very useful and informative for a wide range of readers. Again, thank you for the incredible Blue Moon Award.
Joe Zhou
Dared Tube Audio, USA |
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