Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (4GHz quad-core with Turbo boost, 32GB RAM, 3TB FusionDrive, OSX Yosemite. iTunes 12.2), PureMusic 3.02, Qobuz Hifi, Tidal Hifi, Fore Audio DAISY1, COS Engineering D1, Aqua Hifi La Scala MkII, AURALiC Vega, Aqua Hifi Formula [on review]
Preamplifier: Nagra Jazz, Esoteric C-03, Vinnie Rossi LIO (DHT module)
Power & integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs XA30.8; FirstWatt SIT1, F5, F6; Crayon Audio CFA-1.2; Goldmund Job 225; Bakoon AMP-12R; Aura Note Premier; Wyred4Sound mINT; AURALiC Merak [on loan]
Loudspeakers: Albedo Audio Aptica; Sounddeco Sigma 2; EnigmAcoustics Mythology M1; soundkaos Wave 40; Boenicke Audio W5; Zu Audio Druid MkV & Submission; German Physiks HRS-120; Eversound Essence
Cables: Complete loom of Zu Event; KingRex uArt, Zu and LightHarmonic LightSpeed double-header USB cables; Tombo Trøn S/PDIF; van den Hul AES/EBU; AudioQuest Diamond glass-fibre Toslink; Black Cat Cable redlevel Lupo; Ocellia OCC Silver speaker cables and power cords [on loan]
Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all components
Equipment rack: Artesania Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Krion amp stands
Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, Verictum Silver X block on preamp and amplifier
Room: Rectangular 5.5 x 15m open floor plan with two-storey gabled ceiling, wood-sleeved steel trusses and stone-over-concrete flooring
Review component retail: $2'850

Veritas. If in vino not vitro, it means 'in vine is truth'. Coined by Alkaios of Lesbos, the saying suggests that inebriation bypasses our mind's firm control. It reveals a person's true thoughts. The belief is that if you're drunk, you can't lie. With the Resonessence Veritas, we assume that no inebriation of colourations and other ad-liberties is required to get at the musical truth. Not only was Reson's head man Mark Mallinson former operations manager at ESS Technology, his brother Martin still works there as VP of R&D. Design DNA between OEM chip supplier and Canadian purveyor of turn-key hifi kit runs deep. If anyone knows Sabre's silicon inside out and upside down, it must be Resonessence. That would be good. Nearly every new DAC that crosses my desk seems to grin a sabre-toothed smile. BurrBrown and Crystal used to be popular players. Then Asahi Kasei gained some traction. Now ESS Tech seems to dominate. Against such widespread competition, holding a few tricks in reserve would be good MO.
Collage from Berlin contributor John Darko's show report for his DigitalAudioReview.com website


After their full-bore currently $6'000/ea. Invicta and Invicta Mirus decks which did and continue to do all the usual DAC things plus SD card and headfi, Resonessence went smaller and lighter with their $850 Concero models and smaller once again with the $350 Herus. At 2'850, today's Veritas moves up again. It aims smack at the until now unoccupied centre of this catalogue. At its heart beats a freshly minted eight-channel ES9028Pro, successor of the ES9018. The Veritas claims to be the first consumer deck to run it. Available in black, silver or gold anodize, its milled-from-solid alu chassis measures a compact 7.3 x 5.9 x 1.96". Digital inputs are via 2 x coax and AES/EBU (all three galvanically isolated via Mouser pulse transformers), Toslink and USB 2.0. ADA 4898/2-type opamp outputs are on 2V RCA and 4V XLR. The internal 5V/2A universal power supply module from China's Mornsun covers AC ratings from 110 to 250V. The Veritas supports 384PCM/DSD256 and promises dynamic range of >125dB. A small Oled screen, rotary controller for volume and menu functions including 7 selectable filters plus Apple's metal wand for remote control complete the features package. Without a power switch, the Veritas is designed to be always on. To decommission a preamp, its on-chip digital volume is based on 32-bit math. This wants to expand how much attenuation can be used before audible signal degradation occurs. (Alternately you could use a player software like PureMusic whose dithered volume controls use 64-bit architectures.)