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Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial Interests: click here
Source: 2TB iMac 27" quad-core with 16GB of RAM (AIFF) running OSX 10.6.7 and PureMusic 1.82 in hybrid memory play with pre-allocated RAM, 160GB iPod Classic, Pure i20 dock, April Music Eximus DP1, April Music Stello U3 [on loan]
Integrated amplifier: Bel Canto Design 5ci, Peachtree Audio iDecco
Preamplifier: Bent Audio Tap-X
Power amplifier: FirstWatt S2 prototype [on loan]
Headphone amplifier: Schiit Lyr, April Music Eximus DP1
Loudspeakers: Everything But The Box Terra III, Mark+Daniel Fantasia-S, Aries Cerat Gladius [on loan]
Headphones: ALO Audio recabled Audez'e LCD-2, Sennheiser HD800, beyerdynamic Tp5; stock HifiMan HE-500
Cables: Complete Zu Event loom
Powerline conditioning: 1 x Furutech RTP6, 1 x GigaWatt PF-2
Sundry accessories: Extensive use of Acoustic System Resonators, noise filters and phase inverters
Room size: 5m x 11.5m W x D, 2.6m ceiling with exposed wooden cross beams every 60cm, plaster over brick walls, suspended wood floor with Tatami-type throw rugs. The listening space opens into the second storey via a staircase and the kitchen/dining room are behind the main listening chair. The latter is thus positioned in the middle of this open floor plan without the usual nearby back wall.
Review Component Retail: $1.799
"We are shipping out the new DAC•iT in two weeks, a $449 three input ESS Sabre 9022 DAC. Would you be interested in having us send you one of these or any of the other new products i.e. iNova, iDac? I am personally interested in getting your take on the iNova vs iDecco since you are so familiar with the latter." - Jonathan Derda, Peachtree Audio


Asked what he thought the hottest product in the line was and how the iDac and DAC•iT differed, Jonathan answered as follows: "iDac vs DAC•iT is linear vs. switching PSU, 32-bit 'ultra' vs. 24-bit Sabre DAC, the pure digital dock for the iDac and 450 parts vs. a much simpler topology. In our testing the pure DAC performance of the DAC•iT is superior to what is built into all of our integrated units except for the iNova which basically has the iDac built into it.

"There are things that excite me about all of the products. The iDac was the world's first dedicated DAC with a built-in digital iPod dock. The DAC•iT represents a new low price point for us and is one of the few dedicated DACs that uses a Sabre chip. The iNova in some way represents the highest value product we have ever built. As a reader of your site I would enjoy an iNova review the most since there is certainly more to talk about."

Being the loquacious type, the iNova it was then.


With the $999 iDecco the recipient of our very rare Lunar Eclipse award, the iNova had some big shoes to fill.