Imagine stepping inside a room where you were transported to any recording session or live performance anywhere in the world, from any time period you choose any time you wish.
Then suppose without sacrifice in performance, you could choose from more music than you could listen to, every hour of every day, in a hundred lifetimes, from the touch of an iPad.
Listening to music has become easy, relaxing and fascinating with my Totaldac system. I "can be anywhere" that music was made and get 100% of the emotion and passion the music was intended to create.

I will say that I am not a novice and I took the Totaldac "deep plunge". For my wife and I, every moment spent listening now is an extraordinarily satisfying affair, one that we crave and can't wait to get back to every single day.
Finally, after four decades of purchasing very expensive high-end gear, finding Totaldac is like having found our own "music time machine".

My suggestion to anyone with the means is to reach as high up the Totaldac ladder as you can, and then upgrade and add components later.
You'll be amazed at what Totaldac has achieved with their amp and speakers and especially in their D to A technology.
If you love to listen to music more than acquiring gear and reading specs, then Totaldac is the solution for the ages.

We can honestly say that our Totaldac system to us is totally priceless.


Second part added, when a d1-driver is added:

Hi Vincent,

So I'm very upset with you. You did not prepare me for what would happen once I removed the ------ preamp from the chain. Lol.

I should have known better that removing my $20,000 preamp would make such an incredible positive difference. Tonight we listened for three hours. Each song brought more disbelief and curiosity.
As we moved through some of our most familiar tracks the difference without the preamp set in more deeply and more profoundly.

I'm exhausted trying to find the words to explain myself. I am very curious as to why everything sounded so much more real, more detailed and yet refined if you care to comment.
The low end was more riveting, bass notes were more precise yet transparent. The dynamic range and balance across each presentation was staggeringly perfect.
Vocals were more alive with song and blatant passion. We found ourselves hanging on to every beat, word and note. Are we nuts or what?
The very things I thought that ----- preamp did well were magnified magnificently without the preamp. We are simply overwhelmed with joy, praise and appreciation.
I've said so many complimentary things already that I'm beginning to repeat myself. I apologize for these emotional outbursts, but I just needed to tell you before I went to sleep. I think I know what "being in shock" is now.


Third part added, when a d1-player is added:

With my latest addition of the d1-player, I can honestly say, I feel like more instruments and performers are in my room. As I listen, I've tried to capture the essence of these products to share my experiences with anyone interested.
I do not work for or with Totaldac, nor do I have a financial interest in the company. I am just an enthusiastic client who considers himself very fortunate to have met this proprietor of very high repute on the internet completely by chance.
I put in many hours listening since adding a second reclocker and now the d1-player. Now here I go again trying to explain a whole new level of performance.
The addition of the latter has made the most significant improvement to date. The second reclocker and d1-player turns each recording I listen to into my own personal "live performance".

A few other observations:

Tempo and pace are much more deliberate and rhythmically precise. Percussions stand out and cymbals shine like the sun.
More instruments are even more lifelike. All are larger than life, within a space that is now without boundary. This is a pattern.
Base notes reach deeper and just seem to bounce along with aplomb. The low end continues to add great finesse to the overall sound.
With each additional component more and more detail is revealed. The d1-player seems to manage the entire system with complete control. Clarity, channel separation and depth are perceived without limits.
IMHO these are game changing exponential advancements, not just minor incremental improvements. As long-time music lovers, we are simply thrilled and driven to listen every chance we get.
Voices command the listeners undivided attention in a most satisfying way. Vocals reveal diction, textures and nuances not experienced before and they are not just heard, they are passionately felt.
Everything sounds so engaging and airy. Before us we find a multi-dimensional "wall of sound" complete with the reverb and vibrato of a live venue.
Presentation is super relaxed yet brimming with enough energy to make me want to sing and dance without ever being edgy or labored.

All Totaldac products are startlingly present, only more so as more components are added. Dynamic range of a full Totaldac system is mastered to a point of disbelief.
Regardless of file resolution being played instruments and vocals are never out of balance or overwhelming. The synergy of these products creates a focused special experience by design and not happenstance.
It took me the last full year to acquire my full Totaldac system. After many large investments over the decades, finally the technology has evolved and someone with the creative energy has stepped up and put it all together.
My full Totaldac system is nothing short of breathtaking. All these attributes make the pursuit of a full Totaldac system a phenomenal quest.

Vincent makes it possible to prove that each investment is worthwhile. His business practices are very special and reassuring indeed.
Now I fully understand the benefits of following Vincent's advice, which BTW I never doubted from my first Totaldac purchase a year ago. Every step was cumulative, and each was frankly justified on its own merits.
As difficult as it seemed I put more and more of my other very expensive gear to the side in the process.
My sense is each Totaldac component allows the others in the chain to realize their full potential driving an unimaginable result that more music lovers (of means) should simply experience.
Glorious, if I had to choose just one word to define the sound. To sum this up Totaldac's offerings include a solution to the endless quest to please our ears and minds without wasting money on mismatched gear.
In tandem from the digital source to speakers all products form a chain designed to achieve optimal performance. Having been exposed to more than my share of high-end gear over the years, I have not heard any system that compares to a full Totaldac system.
I have found Vincent to be trustworthy and honorable. He is a special person willing to share is genius.
His comprehensive lineup of products is purposely designed to allow the consumer the option to take small steps until they are ready to eventually own their system of a lifetime.


Fourth part added, when a d1-switch is added:

After adding the d1-switch my Totaldac system is finally complete (for now). Once again, I am surprised with the improvement over what I thought was already over the top.
The pattern here is unabashedly repeated. So emotionally stimulating. Bigger, better, smoother and with more realism with every step.
Buckets of precious base, countless amounts of vocal clarity and rock-solid separation of onstage players of every instrument.
These products simply go beyond description to those of us trying to make music worthy of our time to actual listen for enjoyment for extended periods of time. The connection one gets to the performer/s and performance is to love music unconditionally.
The sense of space is abyss-like leaving the music to "just be" for the purpose the music exists in the first place. The effect of hearing raw talent "live" is beyond above this listeners ability to accurately state. Please forgive me for trying.

I would like to circle back to the D100 speakers. Totaldac is a world renowned for their line of DAC. However, all products exist to be "supporting characters" to each other. These products bond to form a chain that make all the difference to the result.
My system sounds like far more than the sum of its parts. These products speak to the listener like the choreography of The Paris Opera Ballet.
The D100 speakers speak and speak they do, without the ridiculous cost, size, and weight of the world "great" speakers. Speakers that need a crane to move and support from reenforced floor joists.
The d100's leaves the concrete and steel to build skyscrapers and let the front-end do the heavy lifting.
My easy-to-place d100s are both modest in cost and stature yet they completely disappear only to have my entire room explode with sound. Like turning on the lights in a dark room.
These speakers produce "rogue waves" of sound that I would imagine will improve most high-end systems, but when used in an entire Totaldac system like what I own the d100 speaker is remarkably absent and leave behind only the sheer joy of total coherency.
A full Totaldac system streaming with Roon with D100 speaker for me has rendered vinyl and CD playback obsolete.

My journey with Vincent has taking a full year and a goodly yet conservative investment. It was an educational experience to say the least.
The process allowed me to discover my own goals and really learn how to listen objectively, not critically, but instead for the sheer enjoyment of the music.
Finally, an end to the endless sea of expensive gear that does little to actual satisfy the honest listener. To Vincent, Merci beaucoup!
These products "punch" way above their weight class meaning their value is as extraordinary as the result. A full Totaldac system regardless of how long it takes to acquire is a without comprise solution for anyone with music running in their veins.
I am more than happy to share more about my experience directly with anyone interested. Please contact me through Totaldac.

Fifth part added, when a d1-twelve-mk3 and RCA12 interconnects are added:

With all that has been said about Totaldac it never seems to be enough.

The following are my out-of-the-box comments, now that I upgraded to the d1-twelve.

After fifteen months from starting with the Totaldac d1-tube mk2 dac, I now own a complete Totaldac system (see my Ambassador system listing, commentary and pics on the Totaldac website).

I must confess I'm an "all or nothing" type with lots of patients, love music and have a "few extra bucks a day to spare" on my one and only "vice", not to mention a very cooperative spouse.

Yes, I took full advantage of the Totaldac unheard of full credit DAC upgrade policy, not once but twice. No wasted money with this man. I also trusted and took Vincent's advice with each product in the line. The cost of each product paled in comparison to the improvement every time. My only wish is that Vincent had "sold me" but instead his marketing technique is all about "discovery" and discover I did.

Mine was a journey of passion and dedication to the learning experience. This man [Vincent] offers something incredibly special to the hi-fi industry and music lovers the world over. Since owning my first Totaldac product I am pleased with my decision to place my faith in these products. The products and Vincent's knowledge and sincerity are comprehensive and are truly life changing for his clients.

So why has the d1- twelve made my system so special now? It is because now my system sounds like "absolutely nothing" except musicians performing before me. Nothing but that! Remember these products are not mass produced. They are custom made one-at-a-time to meticulous standards. From design to fabrication Vincent (the owner) controls a small shop in the countryside of France and ships to your front door in about a month from order date. Satisfaction is guaranteed. That is special!

With the convenience of high-quality streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz as well as NAS play back through a software platform like Roon, in mid-2022 a better result is unimaginable, especially at this price point.

Then there is the motivation to discover music, that is the ever-present impulse to spend time exploring and enjoying new genres, artists, and their evolution. Reconnecting with our old favorites makes that music come alive with sounds and tempos not experienced before. Either way it is virtually impossible to step away once the music starts.

Total "neutrality" comes to mind. The pleasure realized from this complete "neutrality" is a remarkable experience. The sensation is captivating and deeply emotional. The sensation is of complete deliverance. Physical space is now transcendental. The channel separation of the monobloc DACS simulates the imagination. The sonic achievements here are something altogether different from expensive often mismatch sexy looking gear that never quite transports the performers into the listener's space. Imagine that being able to summon the players from any place in time to your listening area in the blink of an eye. So exciting, I was profoundly surprised with each added component I can say I'm thrilled to host "the entire world of music" in what was a semi-finished basement storage room of my two bedroom condo.

My last step was to let go of my old gear regardless of what I paid ten and twenty years ago (a pretty penny). But I knew there would be no turning back with the d1-twelve from all my prior purchases from Totaldac.

It's been said where there is the will….I found online a legit company who (honestly and very fairly) purchased all of my prized high end gear hassle free which helped me make sense of the final step up to the d1-twelve.

While listening to Dark Sky Island by Enya, my wife said quizzically "this sounds like heaven". I thought how profound to make that association. The d1-twelve delivers the most familiar music unrecognizably. Everything the Totaldac d1-twelve does to the sound ups the ante by a factor of ten, yet again!

Still there's "the cost". Right, that minor detail. Well, I would say what a bargain. Could the cost of not owning a complete Totaldac system be more than owning it? Absolutely yes! After doing basic math (selling), I took what my net investment would be and divided it by three hours listening a day on average over the next two decades (God willing) and for the cost of lunch I would have this unimaginable experience to look forward to everyday. That way I found the investment both attainable and justified! Well, that would depend of course on other priorities and your ability to sell the concept.

At the end of the day I figured life was too short not to get serious about the time I listen to music. This is a product that my son and his son will enjoy now and long after I am gone. For me I wondered what better gift to give to my loved ones than this level of musical perfection, and it was not the money. I simply realized there was none.

And Vincent, please allow me to publicly say THANK YOU! You are relentlessly available, patient, and informative. Your work is brilliant, and your professionalism and business acumen are unmatched. I hope you achieve all your goals as you certainly deserve them all for sharing your love of music with us fortunate few who dare to believe.

Perhaps I will be back to update these sentiments; in the meantime, I will be enjoying "heaven on earth" at least three hours a day.

July 13, 2022

These are my thoughts on living with the d-1 twelve beyond two hundred hours. I can say I want to listen more often and for longer durations than ever now. I cannot wait to get back to listening. I simply cannot pull myself away as the new DAC settles in.

The d-1 twelve changed the course of my listening pleasure yet again. My complete Totaldac system source-to-speakers affords me the benefit of your full intention. I would expect at these price points Totaldac is peerless. However, I would think adding the d1-twelve to any hi-end system would be life changing.

The tech guy I am not, but logic is logic. I am not going off the deep end here, but you have made it possible to convert digital to analog music with astonishing, no breathtaking, results. I started with the d1-tube mk2 (loved it), upgraded that unit to the d1-direct (loved it more) and upgraded it to the d1-twelve mk3 over the course of fifteen months and I did not lose a single dollar in the process. Remarkably savvy marketing I would say. While the Totaldac top end DAC cost serious money, incrementally it was easier to swallow in pieces. Physical space is not an issue for a complete Totaldac system as the footprint works anywhere. For me there are no sonic advantages playing records or CDs with the Totaldac d1-player and DAC. Most worthy speakers start at three times the price and are much larger in size and much heavier in weight than the brilliant sounding Totaldac D100 ($15,550 with custom speaker cables). This speaker is a must own product and an enormous value, even better than advertised. I can honestly say there is no need to spend more on speakers. Instead, I would suggest rather than blowing the budget on speakers, invest in a great Totaldac DAC and Totaldac Amp-1 (and other Totaldac peripherals).

I am pleased to have walked the walk as I took the steps and wrote the checks. I have made the investments one item at a time, each addition begged for the next it was so good. I have listened to more music in the last year than I have in two decades combined. I have documented my every thought in writing so others can understand my remarkable experience with these unique products.

I am a believer in synergy of design and execution. Consumers and manufactures are taking this direction and are turning to complete systems with products design to collaborate with each other. I know many audiophiles crave more from their Hi-Fi systems, as I did. Many of us have limited listening time and modest budgets. That is what is so viscerally exciting about Totaldac. Absolutely brilliant results at reasonable pricing are the standout differences, along with unheard of upgrade and satisfaction policies as well, as terrific customer support. I know you understand the market and designed a brilliant set of offerings. Audiophiles should not give up now, not after all these years. I know many pride themselves on finding a great bargain, only to find themselves not able to listen to what they purchased over the years for pennies on the dollar. That is not cool anymore, in fact, its wasteful. That approach is outdated, and it has failed miserably to deliver the goods. It is not the music that bores you to death it is lack of synergy in the technology. The science is moving ahead at breakneck speed. The scientific community refers to "digital information" as the fifth state of matter. Quantum computing and AI will redefine human capabilities in the decades directly ahead. My sense is the technology has finally broken through. Gone are the limitations of the past and flat two-dimensional sounding systems. For your readers, those of you with modest means and a need for great sound in your home it is a brand-new day. A joyful day at that. If you are ready to move on and make investments into your "pleasure factory" then I encourage you to step into the future. You will be amazed at what is on the horizon and how science and people like Vincent Brient and Totaldac are changing everything right before our ears and brains.

You see by building out a complete Totaldac system "one brick" at a time, I have learned that I can hear so much more than I ever thought possible. Gear that was and is still "good" by comparison sounds constrained by the science. What we really have here with Totaldac is superior innovation and a total lack of complacency.

It is safe to say our brains use only a fraction of their potential in this area, just like in every other. Just look at musicianship itself. The diversity of talents is endless. So, I asked myself the logical question. Can my brain bring me more pleasure with more data managed in a particular way? What if new pathways open-up to new sensations and higher levels of pleasure were possible by being exposed to live sounding music in our homes on demand with just an internet connection? What if all our brains needed was more raw data to process to give us a deeper more profound emotional experience? One that calls to us on a cellular level, one that understands and embraces digital technology. What I found with Totaldac was amazing dynamic range, perfect tempo, soft and supple bass, real human vocal reproduction, and staggeringly precise channel separation and staging. Other than vinyl recordings all other music is converted to digital data for playback (CD's NAS or Streaming) then converted back again to digital in our brains ADC>DAC>ACD for the best results. Did you know that there are specialized cells in the inner ear that have the responsibility of converting the vibrational waves of sound into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain? This sounds like an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) to me. So now what do we do for the recording - listening music process? The first step is the recording step, which, usually these days is in digital format.

I have owned and listened to some high-end gear. I am happy to share my experience with you, however unique it is. The idea of openly sharing my experiences is easy because it is so pleasurable to do so, as I listen. I decided to keep an open mind and an open wallet and forge ahead. As it turns out innovation is not cheap. But what if it were possible to retool and retrain our brains to go deeper with gear designed for such an experience. Like an explorer I went on a "pleasure hunt" and it seems like more data is better when managed properly.

Please note I am not in the Hi-Fi business, but quality music reproduction has been particularly important to me for five decades. I have no financial interest in Totaldac or any other Hi-Fi company. I am not intentionally marketing or promoting these products. In fact, I never met the owner of Totaldac (Vincent), but a have made ten separate purchases through email to build my complete Totaldac system with Vincent's guidance over the course of a year plus. I get it now and I trust Vincent completely!

The direction was always clear, but for sure as the d1-twelve breaks-in the greatest escape is the d1-twelve. These products are an early form of AI, (artificial intelligence). We all know where that is headed. The d1-twelve connects directly to my mind through my ears. It knows exactly what I need to hear to bring the music into line with perfect sound reproduction. As I log the hours, sure the sound is evolving and changing before my ears. Solidifying, melding with my mind through what I hear in a way that freezes the moment and creates "a window" with a view of infinity, where there was a wall in a closet before.

A complete Totaldac system comports digital data and electrons in a way as to tell a story that sets my mind on the path to escape this world completely. No really, sort of a bridge between the present and the future and to a place where the compatibility between digital data and our brains are better acquainted and finally understand each other. For me, after two hundred hours the D1-twelve on its own merit brings closure to a mission. I cannot wait to return to listen each day. I have never felt so compelled to listen so attentively before, period. For me life has new meaning with a complete Totaldac system. The d1-twelve can be a place to start or a place to finish. All you really need is the desire to experience the greatest escape more than you want to see your dollars in a traditional bank account and you will find your path too.

April 2023, upgrade to d1-sublime

When is good, good enough?

Apparently, for Vincent Brient NEVER! In less than two weeks (with shipping both ways) once again I'm listening to music at an unprecedented level.

I recently asked Vincent to upgrade my d1-twelve mk3 (for the forth time in two years) to his new d-1 Sublime version. Vincent's business model is a brilliant strategy that showcases his talents in the most client friendly way imaginable. More on that later.

I really wish there were words and I had to skill to explain this phenomenon, but I'll try. I'll be direct and to the point, not scientifically but from the emotionality of what is going on here. The new technology of the "Unity Architecture" is without question different by a very, very wide margin. The difference is without a doubt - larger than life. There is no way to overstate that everything is simply so much, much more open sounding and enjoyable. Clarity, focus and precision makes every moment, instrument and voice stand out. Layers on layers of music simply emerge flawlessly and are effortlessly balanced across the entire spectrum of what is so important to the music. So compelling that words really can't describe it. Everything sounds so much more like what instruments and voices actually sound like in-person. Vocals and harmonies are just ethereal sounding. The emotionality of each lyric is presented with the all the complexities of the human voice as an instrument. Timing and rhythm is impeccable. To say the result is even more enjoyable now is an understatement. Pronunciation, the silence between syllables and heartfelt vibrato that just seemed to blend together now smack you silly with independent reality from the instruments and vice versa. My sense is only time listening will bring full appreciation of this level of mastery, although I can see that everything that was, is about to become new (yet again) and that's a very good thing.

In the same way a live performance sounds more enjoyable than any attempt to reproduce that music the sublime upgrade is truly a profound other-worldly experience (actually baffling), it's so refreshing. It's impossible to comprehend what is missing until one starts down this new road that Vincent calls "Unity". Don't just go there - RUN!

My only source is the Totaldac d1 player and upgraded sublime D1 reclocker/streamer. I use Roon to stream from Tital and Oobuz. The selection of my other gear was entrusted to Vincent's products as well, so I have taken full advantage of Vincent's vision and what he has to offer (see my previous comments in the ambassador section). The result is this- more enjoyment and more listening to music which is supposed to be the point of this insane hobby in the first place. Given the level of customer attention and the access to incremental upgrades and improvements the Totaldac value proposition is unmatched.

I feel so fortunate to have landed here after five's decades trying to recreate live sound in my home. In the last two years my experience with Totaldac products and Vincent made the arduous journey and large investments all worthwhile. I can say, I finally have arrived beyond the hunt to the stage of pure enjoyment of live performances on demand.

Back to Vincent business plan, its simple, he just insists that he proves his products worth every step of the way. Vincent's patience and approach provides a simple ease to follow path to reach for the tippy top of the food chain in time. At least it did this for this listener.

No one deservers more credit, more trust and more respect than this man whose genius is indeed sublime. Vincent is so approachable and smart that someday (if not already) he and his work will be world renowned in these circles.

So when is good - good enough? Never! And in this case that is perfectly fine with me.

Another remarkable achievement from a remarkable human being.

Thank you God for this man.