Detail retrieval and sense of space are top notch

"There are few reasons to not go for the DACport. It is plug-and-play via USB, does not require an external power source, and is compatible with all major operating systems (PC, Mac, and Linux). DACport shines when it comes to sound quality. Packed within the unique-looking capsule is a slightly warm sound. Detail retrieval and sense of space are top notch. In terms of tonality it is slightly warm of neutral."

The Portable Audiophile DAC – CEntrance DACport LX

"I found the overall tonal signature to be very balanced... If you call your computer or laptop “the place where music comes from” and are looking for a USB-powered one-stop shop for digital to analog conversion to apply to your favorite headphone amp, then you owe it to yourself to check out the DACport LX by CEntrance. Its clarity and black backdrop make it a top performer in this price range."

CEntrance DACport: WorldClass Headphone Amp

"Our mind is made up: we're listening through the DACport. This is a dense, lovely, totally portable unit that doesn't need drivers and works equally well at home or on the go. There's no jitter to annoy or irritate you over time, and the details are impeccable…this is a dead-simple option, without any complicated features."

- Greg May

DACport LX- A New Reference in Cost-Conscious D to A Conversion.

"If you're looking for a remarkably good-sounding USB DAC at a more than reasonable price, I'd look no further than the DACport LX. People are right... this thing's the bomb!

- Tom Gibbs

"My Mac connects to studio monitors, and the difference using DACport compared to the internal audio is a revelation. If you have the bucks, this is the ticket to audiophile computer playback."

- Craig Anderton

"I wholeheartedly recommend CEntrance’s DACport: A great-sounding product at a great price! Its clean, grain-free presentation with airy high frequencies provided me with hours of fatigue-free headphone listening. The CEntrance DACport demonstrates superb audio engineering in both the digital and analog domains."

- John Atkinson

We are proud that DACport won Stereophile Magazine prestigious nomination for Product of the Year runner up in total of three categories:

- Headphone Product of the Year

- Joint Computer Product of the Year

- Joint Budget Product of the Year

- Stephen Mejias

"The CEntrance DACport LX seems to fly in the face of audiophile tradition and expectation. It is not overly large or heavy. It doesn't have a half-inch thick, brushed aluminum faceplate or rare, exotic materials. It doesn't possess any mysterious newfangled take on the world of physics. It doesn't have a power supply big enough to operate industrial power tools. What it does have, based on a couple months of daily listening, is some solid, sound engineering. In other words, this little thing works, and works well."

- Steve Lefkowicz

"A very handy playback system for anyone who needs to travel light without compromising audio quality — and it could also be a perfect replacement for an audio interface for the musician who prefers to work totally ‘in the box’."

- Martin Walker

"DACport manages to sound like a much more expensive product than it actually is. DACport's class A amp offers sonic refinement that is a gift that keeps on giving, delivering a precise, suave and sophisticated sound that will appeal to many listeners."

- Chris Martens

"I was literally floored when I put on my Sony MDR-7509's and listened to a track. Detail, depth, space... There were all the details I loved in the music, down to instrument string noise and vocal rasp at the end of some of the words and the tails on the reverbs that lasted until they decayed... For music listening alone, this is a huge leap up... I would say unreservedly, buy this and match it with your best headphones and retire to a dark room to listen in bliss... If you mix or master on headphones exclusively, I give it another "must-have" rating."

- Mark Kondracki

"DACport is a moveable feast... Assuming an excellent set of headphones is on hand to make the most of its skills, the DACport provides a thrillingly audiophile all-in-one file-to-phones solution with the astounding additional gift of easy use on the move."

- MYM

"I was instantly struck by the amount of level available… real enthusiasm and a surprising amount of detail. CEntrance DACport can be considered a fine package, especially when it's build quality, ease of setup and use is considered… an interesting concept that is very well executed."

- TJ

"DACport sounded far better than any of the portable headphone amps."

- John Sunier

"The DACport (as a DAC/amp) beats ALL the portable DAC/amps that I have had come through here for review, but some by a larger margin than others.... The DACport bass and treble extension are very good, while the mids are full and rich without becoming forward. Overall I find it to sound very balanced and refined. I liked it right out of the box and only felt it open up slightly and smooth out a little with a few hours."

- Larry Ganz

"The resolution and detail offered with the DACport was nothing short of amazing with good source material. The DACport had the ability to reproduce intricate instrument characteristics not found with mainstream D/A converters.... We can easily recommend the DACport to customers wanting the best performance from a portable DAC."

- Kevin Nakano

We are proud to have won this prestigious award from the Australian Sound and Image magazine, which singled out our DACport, naming it "Highly Commended for 2011"

“CEntrance certainly did their homework and the DACport is exactly what the company says. Comparison was made with a [DAC] that costs many times more (and weighs much more) and I think it says a lot for the little “cigar” shape!”

- HT Staff

“DACport  is something of a no-brainer. It’s easy to use, sounds like it should be far, far more expensive, can drive difficult headphones with relative ease, is portable enough to use almost anywhere. DACport can form the backbone of a fantastic sounding, budget-friendly system. If you’re an audiophile with a computer, you want one.”

- Aaron Marshall

"The DAC and the headphone amp are quite good - even compared to more expensive separates. No AC plugs, no batteries. Just plug it in to the computer, and sit back and listen. I never take my Apple laptop anywhere without it. A Stellar Sound Award for the DACport."

- John Gatsky

DACmini CX was featured on the cover of Stereophile Magazine in December of 2011 and was also named "Recommended product".

"DACmini retained its big, bold character with every kind of file it played. Clearly, the DACmini PX was able to realize the potential of hi-rez files."

"DACmini allowed the 24/88.2 files to easily draw the outlines of the piano’s direct sound, delineating it from the surrounding acoustic of Goshen College’s Sauder Hall. In high resolution, I felt I could hear the interaction of each string on the piano. I could more easily hear the beating in the chords of a piano tuned with equal temperament. (Pianist Robert Silverman’s works by Brahms)... I do a good deal of headphone listening....I can’t deny that the CEntrance made for enjoyable listens... The DACmini had a sort of grace in music making... DACmini...makes listening to USB/computer-based audio a pleasurable experience."

"I recommend the CEntrance DACmini CX. It’s...easy to set up and use, and has a rich, enjoyable sonic fingerprint."

"The DACmini represents the next generation of hifi component, offering high performance, versatility and a small form factor for those of us that don't want a huge rack full of gear. That it does so at such a reasonable price, puts great sound in everyone's reach. The DAC accomodates source material up to 24/192 files, has a killer headphone amp on board and offers an analog input, should the need to turntable arise, so the DACmini offers plenty of expansion capabilities.

Future audiophiles, this is the begginning of your journey."

Publisher's Choice Award

"The ears say there are instruments in the room, the eyes say there aren't... That's where [DACmini] scores highly. It's a very visual performer. It excells in handling of micro detail.

DACmini is surprisingly advanced. It fires up lights at the rear of the soundstage to illuminate it from behind for great visibility and clarity whilst nearly backlighting the actors for strong front-to-back contrast. Depth of field and layering are very developed.

No matter how I slice it, this DAC has high value written all over it. I call that realsization. It's downsizing expense and box count to do more with less whilst getting very high return on performance. It's a good thing we have just the right award for that."

Realsization Award

"The DACmini™ sounds so good on so much musical material that it creates a problem for the reviewer because you end up focusing on the music rather than the DACmini itself. When pressed to characterize it, the standout sonic quality is a basic sweetness, coupled with a superb rendition of instrumental layers within recordings. This ability to be clear and detailed, without being etched or bright is the hallmark of low distortion and is a signature aspect of the DACmini.".

"The CEntrance DACmini PX is a very attractive and complete solution for those with challenged real estate who want a clean integrated, head amp and DAC that support an analog source. Real assets are a high-quality converter that plays it clean, articulate, quick and dynamic and a first-rate headphone stage. The class D power stage is a size up from typical desktop fare and... should cut a good figure also in the living room.

The DACmini easily slips into a laptop bag to accompany mobile folks so they’re prepared for any potential ‘tone situation’. Particularly for those who produce or mix on a notebook the CEntrance will make a lot of sense."

"The DACmini from CEntrance is a great audio value in a gorgeous package. A lot of engineering expertise went into the design and it shows… sounds? You know what I mean. I'm a big fan of leveraging pro-audio for home systems and it seems like CEntrance is on the case... You'll see the passion that was applied to the DACmini development. My listening told me that passion was well placed, enabling the musical enjoyment that is the reason we're all into this stuff."

"The front panel layout of the DACmini is both comfortably ergonomic and at the same time gave me the feeling that CEntrance really cares about the quality of the controls used in this unit... In both the systems the CEntrance DACmini proved that it can be compared not only similarly priced DACs, but those priced much higher.

The CEntrance DACmini is a fine digital-to-analog converter that is well worth its asking price. It is actually quite an amazing little box – the fact that it was designed primarily for use in a desktop audio system, yet still held its own in two different dedicated two-channel systems is quite a feat. In both of these systems the DACmini not only didn't embarrass itself, it sounded good enough to forget about the component and instead concentrate on the music. It is not only very good-looking, well built, and can decode not only hi-rez signals, but offers a choice of inputs including USB – and for good measure includes a decent headphone jack. Definitely check this baby out before spending more on a DAC."

"I did prefer the DACmini’s more natural presentation of the details. DACmini’s transients were faster, it has a more natural decay than the [more expensive product], another area that I prefer the DACmini’s presentation.

The DACmini has a more coherent sound where different notes blend together more to produce the music. The DACmini also has better extension on the top and bottom, slightly longer decay, and slightly better ambiance."

"In my long-time fave recording of Donizetti’s opera L’elisir d’amore on DG, Ms. Battle joins another ‘larger’ touchstone of mine, the big man himself, Luciano Pavarotti (God rest his soul). Here via the CEntrance, the full measure of Pavarotti’s metal overtones and resonances could be appreciated right alongside all of Kathy Battle’s silver. In short, listening to opera and vocal recitals over the CEntrance DACmini was sheer delight. No jacket or ticket required. Just sit back, relax and enjoy.

DACmini is physically un-obtrusive, silent and cool enough never to be noticed except when you want to plug into it, and it is sonically and functionally on par with or superior to any sanely priced head amp I have heard in the past, from Grados to HeadRooms to iCute Beyonds etc. It’s also extremely solidly built, lightweight and relatively portable, and does nothing sonically wrong."

From an article "Headphone Amplifiers That Offer Truly Affordable Excellence":

"Although the DACmini looks deceptively simple from the outside, there’s a wealth of deep and careful thought applied on the inside. As a DAC, the DACmini is very sophisticated and versatile, is about as future-proof as it can possibly be, and sounds ultra-refined, finding the neat balance point between a full-bodied sound and a sound that is full of subtlety and finesse. This is one of those components that sounds more and more “right” the longer that you listen to it."

" I was moved by an almost analog-like quality I got from the DACmini; in fact, I found myself enjoying it so much that I paused to finish the entire CD, even though I had quite a bit to do that day."

"For nearfield listening, I think CEntrance’s MasterClass 2504s are tough to beat; in fact, they are among the most sophisticated and satisfying desktop monitors".

"With the MasterClass(tm)™ 2504, there’s a sense of enjoying gain (natural neutrality) without pain (an overly clinical sound), which is an appealing combination of virtues... It’s the CEntrance speakers’ ability to “go 3D” on command (when recordings permit) that gives the 2504 a real touch of greatness.

Imaging and soundstaging together become this speaker’s crowning achievements. Few desktop speakers manage to unfold into full-fledged audiophile-grade three-dimensionality or to deliver the kind of precisely focused imaging the 2504 provides. On good recordings, the MasterClass speakers produce soundstages whose width extends well beyond the outer edges of the speaker cabinets, and whose depth extends far behind the speakers (and sometimes far behind the rear wall of the listening room). As you listen, then, you become less and less conscious of the speakers, and increasingly focused on whatever happens to be unfolding within the soundstage. This is the real magic of the 2504’s—the quality that makes them different from and better than many of their competitors.

You may find these to be some of the most satisfying, well-rounded, and impressively three-dimensional small monitors".

"Paired with the MasterClass coplanar speakers, the DACmini PX excels at creating an incredibly textured and defined soundstage. The expansion and articulation of the soundstage is immediately palpable. Tonal accuracy and seamless control throughout the frequency range also characterize the MasterClass speakers, a finding wholly appropriate to a company keenly familiar with the attributes of fine studio monitors.

Summary: For anyone looking for a high level computer audio desktop system that is well built and delivers a true audiophile experience, then the Audiophile Desktop is certainly a great way to make it so."

"The full name of the 'bundle' is apt. Why can't audiophiles have great sound wherever they are? With companies such as CEntrance, we can. My desktop never had it so good. Highly recommended.

Summary: It is with great pleasure that we award The Audiophilia Star Component Award to the CEntrance Audiophile Desktop. Congratulations!"

"Those lusting for transparency will find much to enjoy from the PX, particularly with suitably efficient loudspeakers. Hooked up to the MasterClass 2504 the sound is clean and lean. Each musical layer is thinly carved - not a criticism, but a compliment. The A.D.S. has a polite formality. Being upstanding and correct is its modus operandi..

I lived with the PX/Masterclass combo running together without ever feeling I were missing something; or missing OUT on anything. This CEntrance system needs to stand together alone...and it stands its ground.

With an audiophile system-in-a-suitcase, CEntrance have done something that's so face-palm obvious that it has us collectively muttering (as we often do about the very best innovations) "Why didn't I think of that?". It's the Weber Baby-Q of the hifi world. Students - wake up! The A.D.S. has university dorm-room written all over it. With the A.D.S. one can take a GREAT sound into the nooks and crannies of the world with ease - for these are the places that need it most. Hats off!"

"CEntrance’ focus on utility and construction quality is practically myopic; there is simply nothing they leave to chance. While I don’t suggest dropping or blending your DACmini, I do believe that it could withstand quite a beating. But the killer feature for audiophiles on the move, is that it serves as a decent power amp as well. Bought as part of the ADS package, the PX takes centre stage. Through speakers or headphones, it is a level-headed, reference-quality machine that has my full recommendation."

"The CEntrance DACmini PX is a very attractive and complete solution for those with challenged real estate who want a clean integrated, head amp and DAC that support an analog source. Real assets are a high-quality converter that plays it clean, articulate, quick and dynamic and a first-rate headphone stage. The class D power stage is a size up from typical desktop fare and... should cut a good figure also in the living room.

The DACmini easily slips into a laptop bag to accompany mobile folks so they’re prepared for any potential ‘tone situation’. Particularly for those who produce or mix on a notebook the CEntrance will make a lot of sense."

"I cranked up a 16/44.1 FLAC of the title track of King Crimson's Red and was shocked by how ballsy the little system was. A little integrated amp like the DACmini PX makes a whole lot of sense. It really is an impressive-sounding little system, with sterling performance across the audio spectrum. "

"This is a system aimed at those willing to pay a prem­um for greatness. A truly bespoke solution for amazing audio in a pretty small package. It's the best all-in-one system we've seen, paired as well as any amp/speaker system we've seen, and offering the best overall DAC that we've tried. Available now, and highly recommended."

"If you like music that has a groove, and you enjoy being in it, and taking it on the road no matter the weather, CEntrance may have a package deal for your inner traveler.

The new and improved speaker cables improve bass response (it goes lower and is more controlled/less boomy), deliver improved transient response, and overall there appears to be a lower noise floor because music sounds more dynamic and sexy. Pretty much better in every way with not one noticeable downside."

"The most noticeable characteristic of the PX ... is how absolutely quiet it is, and how this absence of surface noise becomes strikingly evident when compared to other DACs. DACmini PX works very hard to be detailed and accurate, yet retains just enough warmth to appeal to those who enjoy a less fatiguing, more forgiving approach. Still, it must be noted that this is a very accurate, honest DAC in many ways, so you can expect better sounding results from well recorded high res files. Paired with the MasterClass coplanar speakers, the DACmini PX excels at creating an incredibly textured and defined soundstage. The expansion and articulation of the soundstage is immediately palpable. Tonal accuracy and seamless control throughout the frequency range also characterize the MasterClass speakers, a finding wholly appropriate to a company keenly familiar with the attributes of fine studio monitors.

Summary: For anyone looking for a high level computer audio desktop system that is well built and delivers a true audiophile experience, then the Audiophile Desktop is certainly a great way to make it so."

"Vocals in general had a depth around them that I had never been privy to before, and the soundstage had a tangible sense of being out in front of me instead of being between my ears. High frequencies were handled with ease. I got the sense that sounds originated from specific, coherent point sources. Instruments and their ambience seemed to float a little above the speakers, and vocals were nearly holographic in their placement. My ears kept telling me, “someone is singing in front of you,” but my eyes knew otherwise.

Summary: As I got to know the system, I felt spoiled by it. The AudiophileDesktop won’t overwhelm the available space on a desk, and it will quickly raise your expectations of what all small systems should sound like."

"The DACmini™ sounds so good on so much musical material that it creates a problem for the reviewer because you end up focusing on the music rather than the DACmini itself. When pressed to characterize it, the standout sonic quality is a basic sweetness, coupled with a superb rendition of instrumental layers within recordings. This ability to be clear and detailed, without being etched or bright is the hallmark of low distortion and is a signature aspect of the DACmini.

With the MasterClass(tm)™ 2504, there’s a sense of enjoying gain (natural neutrality) without pain (an overly clinical sound), which is an appealing combination of virtues... It’s the CEntrance speakers’ ability to “go 3D” on command (when recordings permit) that gives the 2504 a real touch of greatness.

Imaging and soundstaging together become this speaker’s crowning achievements. Few desktop speakers manage to unfold into full-fledged audiophile-grade three-dimensionality or to deliver the kind of precisely focused imaging the 2504 provides. On good recordings, the MasterClass speakers produce soundstages whose width extends well beyond the outer edges of the speaker cabinets, and whose depth extends far behind the speakers (and sometimes far behind the rear wall of the listening room). As you listen, then, you become less and less conscious of the speakers, and increasingly focused on whatever happens to be unfolding within the soundstage. This is the real magic of the 2504’s—the quality that makes them different from and better than many of their competitors.

You may find these to be some of the most satisfying, well-rounded, and impressively
three-dimensional small monitors that $700 can possibly buy".