Review on 🎧 Enhance Your Audio Experience with Music Hall - C-DAC15.3 DAC/CD Player by Donald Vargas

Somehow I had high hopes for this CD player/DAC combination. I had never used Music Hall products before but assumed they were aimed at the audiophile market and expected them to be at least somewhat competitive in the most important area, sound quality. I think I got my first "warning" when I read the manufacturer's instructions. Brochure "DAC Wolfson WM8805". In reality, the WM8805 is not a DAC, but an S/PDIF transceiver that handles a variety of digital inputs. If they don't understand the difference, their audiophile endeavors will fail. And the word "flat" is what I would use to describe the sound. Flat not in the sense of neutral, but in the sense of small and dull, especially in the mid-range of the spectrum. The bass is quite good, the highs a bit harsh, the voices and lead instruments seem distant and irrelevant. The same story when the device is used as a DAC. Fortunately, the player has a digital output. When I hooked it up to the inconspicuous but well-received Emotiva TA-100, the sound got so much better I couldn't help but wonder how Music Hall managed to produce such poor sound when their goal was the audiophile market was. Because of that, the unit is nicely built, the remote feels solid, and the CD transport is smooth. It is a versatile device that can be used in many situations and looks great on any sound stand, but if you're looking for the ultimate in sound quality, Music Hall is way out of this league. Voices and leading instruments appear distant and insignificant. The same story when the device is used as a DAC. Fortunately, the player has a digital output. When I hooked it up to the inconspicuous but well-received Emotiva TA-100, the sound got so much better I couldn't help but wonder how Music Hall managed to produce such poor sound when their goal was the audiophile market was. Because of that, the unit is nicely built, the remote feels solid, and the CD transport is smooth. It is a versatile device that can work in many situations and looks great in any sound rack, but if you're looking for the ultimate sound quality, Music Hall is way out of the league. Voices and leading instruments appear distant and insignificant. The same story when the device is used as a DAC. Fortunately, the player has a digital output. When I hooked it up to the inconspicuous but well-received Emotiva TA-100, the sound got so much better I couldn't help but wonder how Music Hall managed to produce such poor sound when their goal was the audiophile market was. Because of that, the unit is nicely built, the remote feels solid, and the CD transport is smooth. It is a versatile device that can work in many situations and looks great in any sound rack, but if you're looking for the ultimate sound quality, Music Hall is way out of the league. When I hooked it up to the inconspicuous but well-received Emotiva TA-100, the sound got so much better. that I couldn't stop wondering how Music Hall managed to produce such a bad sound when their target was the audiophile market. Because of that, the unit is nicely built, the remote feels solid, and the CD transport is smooth. It's a versatile device that can work in many situations and looks great in any soundrack, but if you're looking for the ultimate in sound quality, Music Hall is way out of the league. When I sent it to the inconspicuous but plugged in the well-received Emotiva TA-100 and the sound got so much better I couldn't ask myself how Music Hall managed to produce such a bad sound when their target was the audiophile market. Because of that, the unit is nicely built, the remote feels solid, and the CD transport is smooth.