Hercules largely sounds the way it looks so positively classic. That was expected from its topology where already the digital heart belongs to a family of IC which at least in my experience come with a few well-pronounced sonic traits. Such products with the old R-2R ladders on a chip and their modern discrete counterparts present music in an elegant, pleasantly physiological and soft fashion whilst shunning extreme magnification. This is quite an oversimplification. Let's then envision a fast, lean, ethereal, open, distanced, detailed, cool, contoured, hard and bright sound on one end of the scale; and darkness, density, warmth, roundness, softness and spatial intimacy on the other. Here multi-bit DACs tend to sit closer to the latter. However, warmth, density, softness and intimacy shape their sound to a much lesser degree than elasticity, tonal richness, dynamics, tactility and that fine organic flavour which results. This particular mix unfolds into a specific tissue which boosts image mass, adds colour and rounds outlines but also makes them nimble and vivid, substantial, moist, palpable and easy on the ear. The organic charm in question is not the same as plain warmth and density which even slightly overdone compromise agility and expressiveness, choke off oxygen and kill particles floating in the air. The difference is fundamental though not exactly easy to put into words. Listening is the only way to fully grasp it. Let's just say that R-2R DACs are inherently a bit dense but not overly sweet, bulky or ultimately blurry. I tend to find their sound aromatic, expressive, resolving, moist and structurally complex. And Hercules has these traits in spades. More importantly, it charmed me such that the world beyond became irrelevant. Last time I checked, that was the main goal of our hobby.

Though it reads lofty, Hercules is for music enthusiasts who want to end up in an enchanted realm where the vibe is nice, pleasant and peaceful. Here this DAC fares exceptionally well. Its multi-bit nature is an excellent foundation for DHT which boast their own desirable traits when applied to such products. These tubes are the very reason we strap on our seatbelts, hold on and sweat. Their kind shows up mainly in amplifiers valued for their euphonic character and timbre. Applied in a DAC which merely drives a high fixed input impedance of a following preamp or integrated, not the low variable impedance of speakers, they yield something different but just as interesting. Here DHT still manifest their conventionally sensual qualities but also boost dynamics, openness, agility, shove, power and gumption. To simplify, direct-heated triodes in DACs make them both euphonic and sporty. The differences between DHT and to some extent their rectifier determines the primary direction by leaning towards one group of traits over another. Just so tube flavour on serious steroids will be the common denominator. My two previous LampizatOrs of Level 7 and Golden Gate plus the currently owned Pacific are my reference points which share a lot with Hercules. Hence it's not surprising that this Audio Reveal was a perfect fit for my taste.

Hercules combines qualities which show music from an engaging, appetizing and thoroughly enjoyable side then mixes in those which make it lively, direct and intense. While our repertoire will dictate the main angle, this DAC adapts brilliantly. Even though this did not affect my evaluation, I should mention that Hercules offers something I fell in love with years ago and still cling to. In many ways it sounds different than my Pacific but that doesn't take anything away from it. On the contrary, the LampizatOr has its own agenda. It presents each music type incredibly atmospheric. Here I mean its ability to highlight the most important elements of specific tracks and smoothly transition between them. I also see this as one of Hercules' strongest suits. A single vocal line against a small drum is basically the entirety of Rhiannon Giddens' "Little Margaret" cover. For most the time her voice holds our attention but the increasingly erratic beats steal it as time goes by. What matters is the heavy, intense, tense atmosphere that reflects rather sombre lyrics. Hercules showed this grim mood flawlessly, better than my reference partly because the latter's tuning is brighter. I observed and felt something similar while listening to Nick Cave's "Hand of God" and several other songs in which heightened anxiety and the associated sense of pleasant discomfort are essential. On such fare Hercules brilliantly toyed with my emotions and was highly evocative. I respect that.

In my listening room, Hercules did not have it easy though. The KR Audio 5U4G rectifier and LV300B make my reference DAC exceptionally insightful, open, immediate, athletic, contoured, direct and loaded with adrenaline. The short distance to the main images makes them larger inside a gorgeously aerated complexly layered sphere. A listener positioned near the middle of it is exposed to an awesome here/now experience. While the LV300B partake in making my DAC satisfyingly hefty, smooth and colourful, they also build a sunny, shiny, majestic and electrifying personality. Hercules with its stock tubes played it more distant and calm. Its tonal centre of gravity was lower, emphasis on colour, density, thicker outlines and centre fill. The effect was mellower, softer, somewhat dreamier and mainly geared towards relaxation and flow though still superb on articulation, clarity and openness. This is what I meant by describing today's sound as done "the old way". At its core, this voicing is groomed to squeeze a tear or two and keep fatigue at the door even after many hours of listening.