I appreciated the in-depth description of your impressions both positive and negative. I recently purchased the 390 and have been been impressed. I owned the Moon 280D and initially chose it over the 390 because I already has a preamp with a good phono stage. As I upgraded the other parts of my system the upgrading of the digital chain using the 390 was something I resisted because I figured the non-DAC functionality and features would not be up to the performance of the DAC. Your review gave me confidence to trust my ears! Thanks!
I watch and read many hifi reviews. The really good and informative ones are rare. You have done an outstanding job with this review, with many detailed explanations and descriptions. You deserve to have 100K subscribers. Great job!
I listened again to this review - I had listened shortly after buying one in May last year - so nearly a year. I’m really very pleased with the sound - it goes into two monoblocs Bryston 7b SST from 2006 and Wilson Audio Sophia Serie 1 (2001). The result is a non fatiguing sound, even when played very loud for extended period of time. It’s almost as if it makes the music more beautiful.
I heard it here first... a lossy file is a constipated file... that cracked me up but it is the perfect description. This review was brilliant, I will never read another review again. Thank you!
Placing my order for one next week. Had one on loan. I'm using it with a pair of Martin Logan ESL11A and Parasound A21 :) Wonderful sounding piece of gear.
It is a good product indeed, only I hope that the mind 2 app/system (in possible firmware updates) will allow better integration of your music collection (now you have to navigate between various sub libraries. The phono amp has lots of possible settings and does sound good. It works best with the Moon 330A or if needed the 400M. Is does benefit from power conditioning. Strange is that if you use headphones, you will have to switch of the speakers. It works good as a Roon endpoint, although I prefer my upgraded Oppo 205.
I've had mine for a few months and am overall very pleased with it - the sound is excellent. I'm not too worried about having to go into the settings menu to alter the gain for the phono stage as I've only done it once and I like the uncluttered UI. I have a few other gripes - one big one for me is that the 12v trigger isn't de-asserted when the SPK OFF button is pressed, so your amps are left to operate when using the trigger when there is no audio from the outputs. I've raise this with Sim but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. It's a decision that I don't quite understand. I'd love someone to explain why this would be a good idea..... Second niggle is that it doesn't support Samba password/user logon details for network shares. Why? To be honest, this isn't a problem as I don't use the Moon app and use the device mainly as a Roon endpoint for digital media. Third niggle is a lack of inputs, both digital and analogue - OK I've managed to fix this to an extent by feeding an unbalanced analogue input into the balanced input across pins 1 and 2 and with the AES/EBU input - not perfect but at least it works. Fourth (and probably main) niggle - remote control quality - it's crap! The day I bought mine home it fell a couple of feet off a table onto a laminated floor and broke a number of the pegs that hold the case together and spilled it's guts. OK I fixed it with some superglue, but when you are spending £5k on a piece of high-end audio kit, I expect better than that.
Great points, clearly listed, rjy8960. Thanks for providing insight. I hope Simaudio is reading all of these points, they would provide an ideal blueprint for a Mk.II!
Had the exact same experience with the standard remote; fell from less than 2 feet onto hardwood flooring (off the arm of my listening chair) and the back separated 1/3 of the way up the case! Gorilla glue to the rescue. I’ve a Moon 340iX and 260D CD transport. Just ordered the 280D with Mind 2. Moving up to 390 in time. Thanks for the great detailed review.
Hello, loved your review, quite honest and knowledgeable. Would you recommend the Moon neo 380D, as far as SQ? I don't need the preamp, only the dac and streamer. Thanks a lot!
Have you ever heard any of the SimAudio Evolution series mono blocks amps? SimAudio 400m monoblocks, which I have on loan from my local dealer are in a word, spectacular and very powerful in a smaller but very heavy package. In a piece that you are paying over 5000 pounds or in the US over 6,000 dollars for, you have the right to complain. I usually like having separates because if one part of the unit has problems and if it has to go in for service, you lose the whole unit. From what you described with the streamer, I will stick with my Aurender N100h and my Ifi Bluetooth streamer. I do own the Simaudio hd230 headphone amp, which has been great and I have used it as a preamp just to check it and it was surprisingly decent. I have also heard their hd430 headphone amp and it was spectacular, it also can be used as a preamp. Sim Audio as a company offer great products and a long 10 year warranty, but they aren’t cheap, but neither is any high-end audio, but SimAudio competes very well with the big boys.
I own this unit and it's brilliant unit in terms of sound quality. In terms of Bluetooth, I don't use it all that much, but I can connect to my S8 phone under 5 sec. Honestly I do not want to pay for more idiot proof user interface...
So I’m unclear is this a preamp or not and if so why did you connect it to a preamp in the first place. Also, for that price there should be some analog inputs if not a phono stage too...
Bluetooth sucks including atpX HD. If I was the engineer of this device I would do the same thing by hiding the Bluetooth connection process in the sub menu (given that this is an entry level high-end DAC). Push the bits over TCP/IP or optical disk-PCM or nothing. It's the dealer's responsibility to explain the pros and cons to the customer. High-end vendors should remove Bluetooth all together and save themselves $9.00.
If you mean measurements? Then you need a different critic. As far as I’m concerned, criticism and reviews are all about opinion. And if/when you demo any HiFi? And I hope you do. Then you will buy off opinion. I created a video about this very thing: th-cam.com/video/-NWuE-1yFJ8/w-d-xo.html
I appreciated the in-depth description of your impressions both positive and negative. I recently purchased the 390 and have been been impressed.
I owned the Moon 280D and initially chose it over the 390 because I already has a preamp with a good phono stage. As I upgraded the other parts of my system the upgrading of the digital chain using the 390 was something I resisted because I figured the non-DAC functionality and features would not be up to the performance of the DAC. Your review gave me confidence to trust my ears! Thanks!
And thank you, Kevin. Thanks too for the update.
I watch and read many hifi reviews. The really good and informative ones are rare. You have done an outstanding job with this review, with many detailed explanations and descriptions. You deserve to have 100K subscribers. Great job!
That's very nice of you to say, Virgilio - thank you.
For over a year I’m a proud owner of a 390. Amazing versatile piece of gear.
I listened again to this review - I had listened shortly after buying one in May last year - so nearly a year. I’m really very pleased with the sound - it goes into two monoblocs Bryston 7b SST from 2006 and Wilson Audio Sophia Serie 1 (2001). The result is a non fatiguing sound, even when played very loud for extended period of time. It’s almost as if it makes the music more beautiful.
I heard it here first... a lossy file is a constipated file... that cracked me up but it is the perfect description. This review was brilliant, I will never read another review again. Thank you!
One of the best reviews I’ve seen.
That’s very civilised of you, Joe. Thank you.
Excellent review as always
Simaudio makes excellent Moon products, my 2 Moon 400m monoblocks run my pair of EgglestonWorks speakers with ease, highly recommended.
Placing my order for one next week. Had one on loan. I'm using it with a pair of Martin Logan ESL11A and Parasound A21 :) Wonderful sounding piece of gear.
All these stuff in new amps, but no modern amp has the one feature that is vital for me, Tape Loops.
It is a good product indeed, only I hope that the mind 2 app/system (in possible firmware updates) will allow better integration of your music collection (now you have to navigate between various sub libraries. The phono amp has lots of possible settings and does sound good. It works best with the Moon 330A or if needed the 400M. Is does benefit from power conditioning. Strange is that if you use headphones, you will have to switch of the speakers. It works good as a Roon endpoint, although I prefer my upgraded Oppo 205.
I've had mine for a few months and am overall very pleased with it - the sound is excellent.
I'm not too worried about having to go into the settings menu to alter the gain for the phono stage as I've only done it once and I like the uncluttered UI.
I have a few other gripes - one big one for me is that the 12v trigger isn't de-asserted when the SPK OFF button is pressed, so your amps are left to operate when using the trigger when there is no audio from the outputs. I've raise this with Sim but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. It's a decision that I don't quite understand. I'd love someone to explain why this would be a good idea.....
Second niggle is that it doesn't support Samba password/user logon details for network shares. Why? To be honest, this isn't a problem as I don't use the Moon app and use the device mainly as a Roon endpoint for digital media.
Third niggle is a lack of inputs, both digital and analogue - OK I've managed to fix this to an extent by feeding an unbalanced analogue input into the balanced input across pins 1 and 2 and with the AES/EBU input - not perfect but at least it works.
Fourth (and probably main) niggle - remote control quality - it's crap! The day I bought mine home it fell a couple of feet off a table onto a laminated floor and broke a number of the pegs that hold the case together and spilled it's guts. OK I fixed it with some superglue, but when you are spending £5k on a piece of high-end audio kit, I expect better than that.
Great points, clearly listed, rjy8960. Thanks for providing insight. I hope Simaudio is reading all of these points, they would provide an ideal blueprint for a Mk.II!
Had the exact same experience with the standard remote; fell from less than 2 feet onto hardwood flooring (off the arm of my listening chair) and the back separated 1/3 of the way up the case! Gorilla glue to the rescue. I’ve a Moon 340iX and 260D CD transport. Just ordered the 280D with Mind 2. Moving up to 390 in time. Thanks for the great detailed review.
Hello, loved your review, quite honest and knowledgeable. Would you recommend the Moon neo 380D, as far as SQ? I don't need the preamp, only the dac and streamer. Thanks a lot!
Yes, I find Moon products to be consistently excellent.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks a lot!
Have you ever heard any of the SimAudio Evolution series mono blocks amps? SimAudio 400m monoblocks, which I have on loan from my local dealer are in a word, spectacular and very powerful in a smaller but very heavy package. In a piece that you are paying over 5000 pounds or in the US over 6,000 dollars for, you have the right to complain. I usually like having separates because if one part of the unit has problems and if it has to go in for service, you lose the whole unit. From what you described with the streamer, I will stick with my Aurender N100h and my Ifi Bluetooth streamer.
I do own the Simaudio hd230 headphone amp, which has been great and I have used it as a preamp just to check it and it was surprisingly decent. I have also heard their hd430 headphone amp and it was spectacular, it also can be used as a preamp. Sim Audio as a company offer great products and a long 10 year warranty, but they aren’t cheap, but neither is any high-end audio, but SimAudio competes very well with the big boys.
Yes, the brand offers some excellent products. I've never tested the Evolution series, though.
I own this unit and it's brilliant unit in terms of sound quality. In terms of Bluetooth, I don't use it all that much, but I can connect to my S8 phone under 5 sec. Honestly I do not want to pay for more idiot proof user interface...
I think you're right. The clumsy menus and app would absolutely put me off.
So I’m unclear is this a preamp or not and if so why did you connect it to a preamp in the first place. Also, for that price there should be some analog inputs if not a phono stage too...
.... Ofcourse it's a great product, it's of Greek origins! 👍🇬🇷 ....
the mind app is complete crap paul, I have the neo ace and use it heavily almost daily and it is really bad I really hope they do improve it.
Bluetooth sucks including atpX HD. If I was the engineer of this device I would do the same thing by hiding the Bluetooth connection process in the sub menu (given that this is an entry level high-end DAC). Push the bits over TCP/IP or optical disk-PCM or nothing. It's the dealer's responsibility to explain the pros and cons to the customer. High-end vendors should remove Bluetooth all together and save themselves $9.00.
we need actual performance instead your private opinion
If you mean measurements? Then you need a different critic. As far as I’m concerned, criticism and reviews are all about opinion. And if/when you demo any HiFi? And I hope you do. Then you will buy off opinion. I created a video about this very thing: th-cam.com/video/-NWuE-1yFJ8/w-d-xo.html