Mr Poon:

I've had a few days to live with the model 33. Your modification and shipping was impressively quick. My only annoyance was the alignment of the thick aluminum front panel and the volume knob. The knob dragged at high volume settings. I played with it for a few minutes and it's now happy. And no, I'm not dangerous with mechanical stuff - I work on one of a kind multi-million dollar reseach equipment for a living, so I treated it nicely. 

First off, I plugged it in instead of my Levinson 38s and internal decoder on my Sony SCD-1. 

Wow. VERY nice. Smooooth  with great soundstage. I then plugged the DAC outputs into my 38s. Not quite what I expected. Perhaps I'm imagining it, but I think your line amp blows away the 38s.

 The 38s does everything but make pop-up toast, but seems cold and uninvolving in comparison. As a result, the 38s is going up for sale. Hey, at least I didn't buy it new.

 I'll be able to run the SACD output from the SCD-1 and the surround processor into the auxilliary inputs of the model 33. I just need to set the 33 for unity gain for the surround processor. However, I need to check the maximum output voltage on the processor to make sure I don't overload the input stage of the 33. What is the maximum input voltage on the 33? I can always cut the front channel output a bit from the processor and make up for that with the line amp in the 33.

The line amp is now set for 20dB gain, and that works well with the SE-160s. 

I'm still diddling around and sorting things out, but am very happy thus far. 

Thanks for some great products and service. 
 

Tom
 
 
 

From: RONNYBOYCUDA@aol.com 
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 04:43:34 EST 
Dear Mr. Poon, 
I  received the SE-100 Delux and 22C a couple of weeks ago and I just wanted to thank you and your staff for handling my order in a timely and professional fashion.  I have the system up and running and have allowed for some "run in" time.  The only way for me to describe the sound of the SE-100 Delux and 22C combo is "REMARKABLE"!!  My only complaint is that I am trying to find the time to "rediscover" my CD collection........they are that good!  I am also surprised at how cool they run; they do get warm to the touch, but not as hot as I thought they would being single ended Class A. I guess the substantial heat sinks really do the job.  I have Athena Technologies AF-S2 speakers and the combination is wonderful. The Athena's simply came to life after the amps were connected!  I could go on and on about the sound of these amps but I believe I would not be adding anything new to all the wonderful reviews previously written about these products. Thank you again...I plan to enjoy the sound for a long time to come!! 
Ronald A. Grosso 
(ronnyboycuda @aol.com) 
 
 
 

From: TTOTPT@aol.com
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 23:32:45 EST
Subject:  22C and SM70
To: monarchy@earthlink.net

Mr C.C. Poon,

I really like your products 22C and SM70 mono's.
They have really exceeded my expectations. 
Does the 33 have the same volume increments as the 22C? 
I like how smooth it is and the number of steps. 
I have had over 20 preamps and the 22C is killer. 
This is also the best DAC I have used.  Thanks for your support

Tim 

From: "Luc Benac [CTF Systems 2001 Inc.]" <lbenac@ctf.com>
To: "Microwise" <microwisesystems@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 12:12:10 -0800

Dear Ming,

I have received the SM70 and DAC33 and enjoy them very much. I found the
combination outstanding for the price paid.
I intend to purchase another SM70 when I am back after new year, could you
let me know by -mail of any offers or sale discount on the SM70 in January.

Thank you.

Regards,

Luc.

Luc Benac
Director of Finance
CTF Systems 2001 Inc.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

From: TTOTPT@aol.com
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 23:32:45 EST
Subject:  22C
To: monarchy@earthlink.net

Mr C.C. Poon,

I really like your products 22C and SM70 mono's.  They have really exceeded my expectations.
 Does the 33 have the same volume increments as the 22C? 
I like how smooth it is and the number of steps.   I have had over 20 preamps and the 22C is killer. 
This is also the best DAC I have used.  Thanks for your support

Tim 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Subject: Model 33

Dear Mr. Poon:
Just wanted to write to tell you how pleased I am with SM70 pro's, 24/96 Dip 
and Model 33 combination DAC/preamp. The first SM70 Pro was doing quite well 
all by itself in combination with the 24/96 dip and the model 33 Dac/Preamp. 
I was impressed with how easy it was to listen to CD's which now sounded 
smooth, and more natural instead of the compressed highs and tinny sound that 
has bothered me about this format from the beginning. Then when I received 
the second SM 70 Pro and the balanced connectors the improvement was 
incremental again. The transparency of the inner voices, airiness of the 
upper strings became even more pronounced. Most importantly for me as a 
professional musician I did not get "ear fatigue." I auditioned many 
components during my search for equipment but nothing was as pleasing to my 
ear, (and I might add the ear of friends) including equipment that cost 3 and 
4 times as much and which was supposed to be more "powerful." My thanks for 
your patient answers to my many questions and for the prompt and well packed 
way the equipment was shipped to me. 
 

Regards,
Brad Buckley
Bassoonist, Contrabassoonist the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

From: "Mark and Lorie Sloan" <sloanml@email.msn.com>
To: "C.C.POON" <monarchy@earthlink.net>
Subject: 18B Dac/Pre
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 21:49:25 -0700

Dear Mr. Poon,
I'm impressed that you answered me - thank you very much. I checked and the piggyback upgrade is indeed there.
It was very exciting to finally hear the words to songs thanks to your DAC - it is attached to the cheap 50+1 Sony jukebox. Right now it's running through two preamps (cheap Sherwood AV receiver and vintage Sansui integrated) most of the time. When noone is around, I just go straight to the Sansui. I CAN'T WAIT TILL MY MONOBLOCKS ARRIVE AND I CAN GO STRAIGHT TO THEM! I assume it is only then that I will really benefit from all the 18B has to offer.
Feel free to extract any remarks from the following which I posted on Harmonic Discord's digital forum after the first day listening with the 18B (the reference to the "6.9" below is a nOrh speaker which I really like). I think it's borderline criminal the quality system I will have for <2000 when the monoblocks get here - you and the nOrh founder have similar ideas about audio value and I wish you both the very best. You're both bringing high quality sound at an affordable price.
It's good! It's good! I can hear the words now icon_smile.gif  Climbing out of the primordial audio soup is really fun. 
When I got my SM 6.9, I experienced imaging, clear highs, tight bass, and head some new sounds in the music (like Steven Tyler saying "hoot hoot" during Rag Doll - stuff like that which I'm sure everyone with a decent system is used to hearing). This with a Sherwood receiver. 
Kind of tizzy sounding on (Sony jukebox) CD though with empty gaps between the instruments - holes in the soundstage I guess, so I got the Monarchy DAC. Didn't know what to expect. 
The tizziness is gone, soundstage is filled up, and I can hear lyrics suddenly. Ballad of John and Yoko = "the way things are going" not "the way that you're going". Tiny Dancer = "You had a busy day today", not "you had a better day today". (and by the way, if I'm in fact wrong about these lyrics, I don't care. They sound a lot clearer anyway.) 
Like a baby learning his first words. 
Wonder what LeAmp will add to the mix? Hopefully it will let me play louder and keep the clarity? It will cut a pre-amp out of the mix which I guess should help in some way too? 
Anyway, I don't know if the Monarchy is "good" or not. I know it blows my mind after using the DAC in the Sony jukebox or the Sherwood. Both of those suck. So it was a good $228 upgrade for sure! Even if the Sony is a sub-par transport, just upgrading the DAC brought me a LONG LONG way. 
Just thought I'd share... it worked out. 
btw: I haven't opened it up, but I'm pretty sure the volume is passive - but there look to be hella power supplies in there. It's heavier than the Sony with 50 CDs in it.

From: HighSpeed1@aol.com
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 21:39:34 EDT
To: monarchy@earthlink.net

Dear Mr. Poon,
Thank you for the prompt reply. I will be watching for the release of the
DIP plus DAC and look forward to installing one in my system. A quick word
of "kudos" for your products; I have been "into" high end audio for about 4
years now. Since that time I have owned 5 pairs of speakers, 6 amps, 3 CD
players and one transport, and countless cables. . .the one constant all this
time has been my Monarchy 18B. One day I'll upgrade to the 22B.

Thanks for a great product!

Best Regards,

Rick

 From: HaraldFeller@cs.com 
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 12:34:23 EDT 
Subject: 18B
To: monarchy@earthlink.net (C.C.POON) 
X-Mailer: CompuServe 2000 32-bit sub 35 

Dear C.C.POON, 
again many thanks for your kindness and help. 
The 18B arrived well. Everything works very good. And the sound is tremendous. 
This DAC is a bargain. The 18B makes so much good in quitness, factor of 
time, correctness of reproduction in dynamic and color of instruments. 
I am really sad, Monarchy Audio does not have any distributors in Germany or 
other european countries around. 
Again all best wishes and further on a good hand for you and your company 
Harald Feller 
 

From: HaraldFeller@cs.com 
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 19:16:26 EDT 
Subject: 18B/audioreview 
To: monarchy@earthlink.net (C.C.POON) 
X-Mailer: CompuServe 2000 32-bit sub 42 

Dear C.C.Poon, 
as I understand your e-mail you post my lines on this site audioreview.com. 
So let me add to what I wrote in August:
The 18B ( specially with Monarchy's DIP!) is a bargain. It makes so much 
good in 
quitness, factor of time, correctness of reproduction in dynamic and color of 
instruments. 
I use it in two different audio-systems: 
an elderly Kenwood DP1100-SG as CD-Transport 
Stax Lambda Pro headphones with 
Stax tube-amp 
french "Le Tube"-preamp developed by L'Audiophile-Magazine 
Bedini cd-clarifier and Blacklight.
TQWT-"Roiene"-full-range-loudspeakers 
Uchida 300B-tubeamp (6 watt per channel)
Kaneda preamp.
Classical music (Chesky's Leibowitz-Beethoven or Leonid Kogan's violin on 
EMI) and jazz (ECM) are played with a richness of musicality even much higher 
expensive components cannot do. 
A most critical listener said to me after an audio-session with my system, 
those who want more must give good reasons for their wishes. 
The Monarchy-combination 18BplusDIP bring peace and harmony into the 
listening-room. Forgotten the test- and audio-magazines. Disappeared the 
restless search for the next "better" component. There is only you and the 
music.
 

Another comment from Audiotweak:
'

Reply-To: "Robert Hart" <rrhart@bellsouth.net>
From: "Robert Hart" <rrhart@bellsouth.net>
To: "C.C.POON" <monarchy@earthlink.net>
Cc: "Alan Eichenbaum" <alanlaw@gate.net>,
        "Peter Bizlewicz" <symposiumusa@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: 18 B vs Bel Canto DAC 1
Date: Sat, 3 Jun 2000 20:43:58 -0700
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600

Hi Poon,

More good news!

I just came back from Andy Bartha (Andy Bartha Audio) he does
 component mods (he's also South Eastern Lowther rep). His name
 frequently appears in BFS, and Positive Feedback. He has been playing 
around with the MSB dacs, upgrading board parts and power supplies. 
He also does a great Pioneer 525 /606 DVD player MOD.

He wanted to see inside the 18B. Upon inspection, we removed the ac
 filter (these things suck). Before we put the 18B into his system ,
 I replaced a Seismic Sink and several levels of brass cones with 
3 Symposium Shelfs, This was the first time in all the years he's 
owned the Lowthers that they exhibited some decent weight. 
Frankly, all the great reviews I've read of Lowthers had me
scratching my head because his did not live up to the hype. 
His always sounded anemic- almost totally lacking lower mid/upper bass.
 

Now that we had decent sound, we hooked up the 18B. The results were 
similar to what happened when I replaced the Bel Canto DAC 1. 
More body, extremely clean sound stage, which meant greater depth. 
The music was more organic! So even a heavily modified MSB does not 
compare!

Robert Hart
Audio Tweakers

----- Original Message ----- 
From: C.C.POON 
To: Robert Hart 
Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2000 10:26 AM
Subject: Re: 18 B vs Bel Canto DAC 1

At 11:29 PM 6/2/00 -0700, you wrote:
Hi Poon,

Just thought I would update you on our impressions of your 18B vs the Bel Canto DAC1. My partner came over to hear it for the first time tonite. He confirmed what I heard brand new, right out of the box. This was really no contest at all- your 18 B is much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! This comparison was done using my Klyne 7.3 LXBP ($5600 preamp). Next, we hooked the 18B direct ( I forgot I had a pair of Monster Y connectors)- the sound was cleaner and deeper. As soon as I sell the Klyne, I'll order a stereo 70. I'll only need one for the 103 dB efficient Avantgarde Duos which I'll be getting in about one month. Even the 25 watts will be overkill.

Do you have any DSD/SACD tricks up your sleeve?????????

Thanks for making such a terrific product. Assuming the amp sounds comparable, I'ld like to talk about carrying the line.

Robert Hart
Audio Tweakers, Inc. 
Here's our website www.audiotweakers.com 

Audio DAC M22C   Consumer reviews from:   http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/DAC/product_4488.shtml
Average Rating:        5.00/5
Number of Reviews:  3 

Ed, an Audiophile 
Date Reviewed: 10/7/99 

Review Summary:
This is a review for the 22B with Stan Warren's modification.Monarchy has so many DACs,
it's easy to get confused. The following DACs
belong to the same family. They all use the BurrBrown PCM63P
22A: older generation, NOT upgradable to the rest of the family
22B: super fine DAC
22B limited edition: 22B + Jennifer Crook modification
22C: 22B + line amp + piggy back BurrBrown DAC
33: 22B + Monarchy 10A line amp

I am not using any audiophile words and phrases, here is what I convey.
I upgraded from the Cambridge Dac, which itself is a pretty good bargain.
While not expecting a huge improvement, I was stunned. It was like moving 
from a box speaker to a Maggie. It's day and night. no exaggeration, 
no nonsense here. The very first thing I noticed was the smoooooooothness 
of a female lieder played thru the system. I could not believe my ears. 
Then it was the ability to pick up all the low-level noise I never heard. 
Another layer was added to the soundstage, now vocalists and solo 
instruments were closer to me. The bass was also improved. 

Cambridge transport
Monarchy 22B
EVS Nude Attenuator
Monarchy se100 delux
Celestion SL700

When time allows, I'll experiment with the piggyback DACs.

Thanks Monarchy!

Overall Rating: *****

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 

Submitted by: Keith , an Audiophile 
Date Reviewed: 6/17/99 

Review Summary:
The best DAC I have ever heard for under 3k.
I agree with the previous review.

This unit is very difficult to find used... there is a good reason for this.

Also, Monarchy has been designing DACs for many years, only recently have they delved
into Amplifiers. I think this DAC is relatively better than any amplifier they make.

This DAC mates quite well with outstanding passive preamps (i.e. Referenceline 2A) due to
the extremely high output of the DAC.
 

Overall Rating: *****
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 

Submitted by: Robert Raville, an Audiophile 
Date Reviewed: 3/17/99 

Review Summary:
The latest DAC from Monarchy Audio is worth auditioning. The model M22C with line
amplifier and separate volume control is absolutely stunning in perforamnce and musicality.
For the reasonable cost of a high grade DAC with the latest Burr Browm 20 bit processors
with built in class A buffer amplifiers is well worth the elimination of the separate preamp.
You can run your amplifiers directly off the DAC, tube or solid state work excellent with this
unit. All the musical detail with excellent sound staging is reproduced with EASE. The
enjoyment of music can be appreciated all over again. If I could give this unit a six star
rating I would. Highly recommended, tired of all the audio hype see the Monarchy line and
enjoy music all over again with reasonable pricing for the working man or woman.

Overall Rating: *****