The Reference DAC “Elsewhere at the show, I cued myself in with MSB’s friendly face Vince Galbo and his demo of MSB’s latest and greatest, the Reference DAC, complete with M204 mono amplifiers leashing a pair of YG Sonja 1.2 (review forthcoming). While the room was indeed small and generally filled with enthusiastic philes, one could easily hear the sublime quality the MSB / YG combo delivered. Stunning depth, a noise floor that was so low as to be indiscernible proved extraordinary in the system’s ability to portray dynamic swings both macro and micro, in a way not heard anywhere else at the show. Validating this experience was the fact that not a month prior to the show, MSB’s SoCal dealer, fronted by Fabio Storelli of Alma Music and Audio in La Jolla, had dropped off that very same Reference DAC for a quick drive-by listen at chez K. There, I felt so taken aback by the intrinsic qualities of the DAC that following the afternoon’s listening session I immediately reached out to MSB congratulating them on having created such non-digital digital sound, certainly the best and finest digital I had ever heard in my system. While the price point of MSB, given the extraordinary investments and virtually all in-house development and manufacture (similar to YG!), is without doubt elevated to say the least, it does go hand in hand with the experience one derives from just a single, afternoon listening session. A formal review request has been submitted and will hopefully be delivered sometime in 2018.” Danny Kaey Share 0
