The third sister

By LIM JUAN

DIY Paradise Monica 3

What it is: A digital-to-analogue converter

Lust factor: True high-end audio the working man can afford. Off-the-scale value for money.

Reality check: Low output voltage mandates care in system matching. Quality partners required to really show capabilities.

Price: RM1,400 (with power supply)

Manufacturer/Distributor: DIY PARADISE (E-mail: yeo@diyparadise.com / website: www.diyparadise.com)

JUDGING by the volume of Internet forum discussions and favourable foreign reviews generated, one would believe DIY Paradise’s Monica 2 digital-to-analogue converter has been a worldwide bestseller. That DAC, based on Philips’ TDA1545 chip, implemented with asynchronous re-clocking, no over-sampling and no digital filter, has been the subject of both praise (from the “just listen” camp) and brickbats (from the “its engineering and measurements suck” camp).

TRUE HIGH-END: The Monica 3 DAC from DIY Paradise ... very basic looks, but you don't have to work hard to own one!

DIY Paradise has now released the third iteration of Monica, and unlike previously, when overseas audio scribes alerted the world to Monica 2, we AudioFile yokels get to take her for a spin before she makes the rounds elsewhere.

Monica 3, which retains the Philips TDA1545 chip and filter-less approach, was tested fully assembled with an outboard switched-mode power supply (she runs on 18V DC). There has been significant redesign to her digital section, the asynchronous re-clocking scheme being ditched for a new input receiver.

Also, a new current-to-voltage conversion stage has been integrated into the output section (this part of the design is to a customer who had generously allowed DIY Paradise to use it). Other improvements include construction with surface-mount components, gold-plated PCB traces, and use of lead-free solder.

I’d been using the earlier Monica 2 for more than a year now. She never made it into the pages of AudioFile so, to set the context, here’s the 2’s sound in brief: warm, laidback, fluid and having an involving quality that eludes a vast majority of CD hardware. She shines on most material, but is a mite polite and lightweight for heavy stuff, with noticeable limitations in dynamics, slam and bandwidth.

Monica 3 was tested with Meridian 200 and CEC 5100Z as transports. My observations are based mostly on her pairing with the latter.

I’ll get one caveat that needs noting out of the way first – while Monica 3 has improved output voltage, the level is still quite low. I had to use the active buffer fallback on my otherwise passive Euphonic Research ATT600 line controller to avoid an insubstantial performance. In terms of connectivity, if TOSLINK optical is paramount, you’re out of luck as she only accepts a coaxial digital link.

Hooking up Monica 3 immediately after her predecessor is like meeting the more gorgeous and enchanting sister of the girl you’ve been dating (and you could kick yourself for thinking the latter might’ve been the love of your life!). Monica 3 could make the 2 sound a little flat and bland in many respects.

The new version has not lost her predecessor’s warm and tonally fulsome, near-seamless feel (for what CD can achieve, in my experience), but immediately noticeable was a clearer, tauter, more energetic presentation, with much improved dynamics, attack and sense of immediacy. Bass rhythms were so much firmer that you’d wager someone ticked off the bass player to buck up, or get the boot.

There was also a better sense of presence, with more depth and spatial information. Singers and acoustic instruments could sound eerily present in the room and she was very good in conveying their timbre, fine nuance and textures.

On the debit side, there was a hint of untidiness in the highs, but not enough to impede on musical enjoyment, for me at least. For low frequency impact, tracks like The Dance at the Gym from West Side Story showed that a more conventional, if ancient, Monarchy Audio 22A DAC (8x oversampling) could still better her.

Substituting a Stereovox XV2 coaxial link for my old XLO Type 4s late in the review period took things to the next level – I could scarcely believe the improvements this length of wire made! Every sonic parameter just got better. While Monica 3, hooked up with a decent digital link to some hypermarket-grade DVD player as a transport would probably still beat most budget players, she fully justifies high quality partners.

I think many a punter would prefer Monica 3 to her predecessor. I did, and voted with my wallet.

SHOWING HEART: This is where Monica 3's soul lies ...

Malaysian specialist-audio components seem to be building positive reputations worldwide and Monica 3 will, in my view, only add to the momentum. The price may have increased over Monica 2, but DIY Paradise has convincing reasons to justify this.

With such an accomplished sonic performance, level of finesse and overall engaging musical quality that transcends expectations at the price, I think DIY Paradise should have another bestseller on its hands here.