We have been testing DAC/Amp combos and all-in-one devices for a very long time, but only a handful of units nailed everything just right – the DAC section, the preamp, the headphone amp and the streamer. Some of them felt more like DACs with extra features that don’t perform that great, while others felt like headphone amplifiers with mediocre DAC sections. There is a reason why we’re using separate DACs, stand-alone headphone amps, and streamers, as all of them were chosen for maximum performance. Today, however, we will be testing an all-in-one unit that doesn’t feel like a random DAC with extra features, but something we would like to get and use in our environment for a very long time. This puppy is called HiFiMan Goldenwave Serenade and it goes for $999 in the USA or for €1.140 in Europe. Let’s have a look at it in the usual fashion 👀
