The Weiss DAC 501 MKII Review. Heavenly Sounds.

The Weiss DAC 501 MKII Review. Heavenly Sounds.

By Steve Huff

Weiss 501 MKII: A high end DAC and a streaming one at that when using ROON. Beefy, Full Bodied, Details emerge from the inner depths of the music, mega resolution, studio like vibe, wide stage but very focused imaging. Then there is the DSP (which you can enable or disable) which opens up this DAC for many uses, fixes and applications if so desired.

The Weiss Experience

Almost three years ago now (Feb 22) I reviewed the original Weiss DAC 501 and loved it so much I made it my reference DAC for a while. As a guy who gets in new audio gear almost every week or two I do change references every every now and again (usually) to keep current and because hey, why not? When I hear something I like better than what I have, well I put it I place if I can swing it and the old moves on. Sometimes though, I am so smitten with a piece that comes in I keep it for a long while.

Trying out new gear is fun for me and I also enjoy learning about new brands, old brands as well as new ideas and products. As a reviewer of audio these days, it is my “job” to hear as much as I can, to learn from these listening sessions and to then describe my experience to all of you here who care to read or watch a review.

Let me thank all of you now for reading this, I do appreciate it. 

My Video Review of the Weiss DAC 501 MKII

Learning Every Day

All of this music listening that I do is also like an education for me as I get to hear as much gear as I can for future reference. Heck, if I did not do these reviews I may have still owned the Weiss 501 MKI due to just how stunning it was/is. Yea, it is still fantastic today.

Honestly, that original version of the Weiss 501 was one piece of gear that  I had often wished could have stayed. I really did miss it over the last 2 years at times, mainly the sound it brought, which is very easy to miss once heard.

I also reviewed the Weiss 204 DAC a couple of years back. This one is a scaled down Weiss, no DSP or fancy features. It sounds quite a bit like the original 501 but not quite as fleshed out. 

There is the Weiss 204 DAC ($3500) that I reviewed a while back that is very very close to the OG 501 for much less cash (No DSP, smaller enclosure, slightly different sound) but this new MKII version of the 501 ($12k) takes the older 501 up to new levels, and it surpasses the 204 when it comes to solidity, richness, transparency and depth.

Fond Swiss Memories.

When I had that original 501 three years ago it was the finest DAC I had heard up until that point. I loved the fact that it had DSP “just in case” I ever wanted to EQ or bring on a vinyl emulation. In fact I never did use the DSP other than testing it out but I am certain there are more than a few reading this that would love using these DSP features. Also, headphone users get a lot of features here as well as the 501 is a full on headphone amp too, and a very good one at that. Testing it with my Verum II headphones the sound is precise and energetic with some body and groove behind it all. I am not a headphone aficionado so that’s as deep as I will go with the headphone section but for those looking for a high end DAC that can also stream via ROON as well as bring a great headphone section then what is NOT to like?

After that original 501 left I truly did miss the sound it brought, which was such a refined, clean and luscious sound. A studio tape like vibe as I stated in that review. It was as if I was listening to master analog tapes or a reel to reel setup. Is that a good thing? Well, yea, if you value what is “right” rather than what is “altered”. I do not mind a HiFi piece adding some soul and color, but the Weiss 501 MKI did not really do this very much. It had its own sound and vibe, yes, but it’s more honest to the recording than not with a density to the sound I just do not hear in other DACs.

The Weiss MKII stays refined, clean and studio like but also opens up the transparency more, lifts the energy a touch and yet has a percieved warmth and full bodied sound that makes it all come together as a whole. It’s pretty remarkable what this little DAC can do and yea, it does keep the soul of the music intact. Very much so though this is not a DAC that paints a huge 3D soundscape, rather the music stays composed and separated just as it should within a normal stage between the speakers.

Not all DACs sound the same. In fact I have never heard two DACs sound exactly alike unless they were of the under $600 variety.

Even DACs up to $3k usually have a very similar vibe but not exactly the same sound quality. Sure, so many DACs out there sound similar but there are some out there that are pretty special and do their own thing. The ones that I call special almost always will cost more but hey, we have to get something for the extra dollar spent, right?

Once you get up to the Weiss 501 MKII territory ($12k) all bets are off and DACs in this territory become very refined, smooth and at times even a bit surreal in the way they bring the music forward. Yes, price does seem to dictate quality most of the time when it comes to digital to analog converters. It’s the refinement along with the lowering of the noise floor, which can bring more resolution to our ears and brain. This takes a great designer/engineer as well as using high parts quality.

It also seems to these ears that more resolution  = more magic. Notice I didn’t say “detail” but rather “resolution”. The Weiss digs deep and pulls out stunning resolution which allows us to hear everything deep within the recording a little but easier than other DACs you may have heard. 

Listening NOW

As I sit and listen (as I type) to the Weiss 501 MKII being sent music from a brad new Nagra Streamer via it’s COAX output I also have the incredible T+A 3100 HV Integrated amp in action for the power section. This power is being sent to the Audio Craftsmen Victoria Speaker, which is a set of two way bookshelf speakers built to a stunning high quality level in Canada. These speakers are super nice in looks, build and sound and excelled with this album when the Weiss was running the show.

Looking to sink into your chair and let your stress melt away? Listen to this album by All India Radio

I am listening to the new album from All India Radio called “Tranquil Motion”. This music allows the stress to melt away as I sit in my chair and focus on life, love and all of the good that has come into my life since birth. I do this sometimes where I just sit back and let it all soak in. After a few minutes it feels as if I am within the music.

The Audio Craftsmen Victoria

As I get deep into the album I appreciate the incredible 3D soundstage with sounds coming from all sides that sound more like I just entered the pearly gates than my back room. By the end of this album I have a tear from each eye coming down my cheek. Not because the music is sad or a downer, rather it was the opposite. It was refreshing, positive and the sounds I heard were among the finest I have heard from any system when it comes to an intimate and beautiful reproduction of quiet. Music was emerging from the blackest of backgrounds, and every note, noise and instrument was heard with ease, even those that sounded more “hidden” with other DACs. This was an exciting listen, immersive and soul stirring.

I believe the Weiss 501 MKII brought much of this sound quality forward. It is after all what was decoding the digital signal to bring forth the analog goodness to the amp and then speakers. When I swap out for a very good $3k DAC I hear some of the same but there is something missing, massively missing. It seems now that when listening to the same tracks there are gaps in the top to bottom sound wall. As it’s not as solidified, full bodied or rock solid. The bass is lighter with this more affordable DAC and the treble is crisp and more extended.

I then swap the Victoria speakers for the Pure Audio Project Duet 15’s. The Duet’s are an easier drive and with the Victoria at 88DB efficient and the Pure Audio Project at 96DB I am getting much more volume at the same level on the volume dial. As I turn it down to match what I was hearing with the Victoria I still get an amazing sound but in a bigger more projected kind of way. These are speakers that IMMERSE YOU inside of the music when all is right and with the Weiss I am hearing big drums, sweet rich full bodied violin and stunning instrument separation.There is a bit more warmth with the PAP speakers as well, so I am not hearing the details float as with the Victoria but what I get in exchange is an amazing big scale and more immersion into the music.

When listening to the latest album from Angus MacRae called “Prologue”. With the Victorias I was treated to a more intimate and realistic presentation. With the Duet it was as if the music was reaching out to touch me with a big wall to wall sound.

Yea, the DAC really does matter but the Weiss is performing well here in a system with one hell of an amplifier running the show in the $25k T+A PA 3100 HV. When I switch to the 1/3 priced $7500 Electrocompaniet ECI 6DXII the sound is slightly smaller, slightly more elevated in the treble, and there is less depth but even so (nitpicking/comparing) the sound is incredible and once again, with the Weiss 501 MKII in play, the emotions are here, the soul is here. It’s beautiful.

This Weiss digs deep and pulls out a stunning amount of information from digital music files, wether you are serving them or streaming them. Resolution is different from detail and for me, resolution is king. The Weiss digs very deep into the recordings to reveal things we may have never heard before so easily yet it offers up the best bass performance I have ever experienced in a DAC.

Sure, an amp usually dictates the bass performance but I am telling you now that no other DAC I have ever tested gave as big of a performance increase to the bass of my speakers, no matter which speakers I used. The Weiss 501 MKII does everything very well but what it does for the bass in my system is ridiculously good. If you have been looking for a bit more oomph, a bit more punch and maybe even more resolution, the Weiss 501 MKII may be the one you have been searching for.

The Best I Ever Heard 2024?

The best DAC I have ever heard in my life up until this point in November of 2024, is the insanely priced $48k retail Nagra Tube DAC with Classic PSU and VFL plate. The DAC alone is $29k or so without the extra “options”.  I found mine used from a dealer for much less of course but this DAC is special for what it doesn’t do. It’s a long term DAC, one that you appreciate more over time vs right out of the gate. The Nagra DAC sounds quite different from the Weiss DAC 501 MKII.

I have been listening to this six year old Nagra Tube DAC setup side by side with the many years newer $12k Weiss 501 MKII. Yes, the Nagra is still the best I have ever heard when it comes to a natural analog vibe type of sound but the Weiss 4 Channel (4 DAC chips inside, MKII) is a premium balls to the wall musical experience and indeed, a bit different… but honestly? It’s really just as enjoyable as it does its own kind of magic as well but it’s a little bit more forward or “lit up” vs the Nagra and some will prefer this. The Weiss is not trying to be a Nagra and the Nagra is not trying to be a Weiss. They are their own thing and both do their thing wonderfully.

The Weiss is harder hitting, has more excitement up top and is also more dynamic. The Nagra is a DAC that makes it seem as if a DAC is not even in the system. Just the music. The Weiss brings fireworks, the Nagra brings the inner feels.

The Weiss is also more muscular in the bass. One that is a tad more punchy vs the older MKI version and the Tube DAC. One that is more about being super clean sounding without even sounding 1% sterile or cold. The Weiss has more of a dense solidified sound but the magic is here as well.  It’s another one that sits on the “special shelf” and I can not imaging anyone disliking the sounds this Weiss DAC 501 MKII produces. The Weiss soundstage sits more in between the speakers vs the exotic territory Nagra but what the Weiss does within that space is precise and fluid with every instrument being in its rightful place in the stage.

Swiss Made 

I wonder why my two favorite DACs (if cost no object) were both made in Switzerland. The Weiss 501 (MKI + MKII) and the Nagra Tube DAC. Oh yes, the Weiss 501 MKII has inched its way into my top 2 fave DACs of all time (of what I have heard), regardless of price.

Does this mean I love the “Swiss Sound”? Well, I do but there is also something going on here with the Swiss made pieces that make me feel they are more like working functional pieces of engineering art. The Weiss and Nagra DACs are both made in Switzerland and both have a stunning quality to them in design, parts, build and sound.

The Weiss of course is more, well…pretty basic in design with just a small squat metal box and a touch display but even this looks nicer in the flesh than images online. It does exude quality from the packaging to the unit itself. Even the feet on the Weiss are superb, and it is able to kill vibrations in their tracks. Some charge a fortune for special feet, the Weiss feet are top notch already here and included.

Swiss pieces also seem to be tops in reliability due to the quality of parts used in these builds. The Weiss 501 MKII is no exception. I do not foresee any issues here with reliability. I expect the Weiss 501 MKII to last for a long time, and yes, the sound will still be amazing in 10 years just as it is from the OG Weiss 501 MKI today.

The MKII looks exactly the same as the MKI

QUICK TAKE: Does the Weiss DAC 501 MKII improve upon the MKI? OH YES.

The Weiss 501 MKII, what has changed since the MK1?

The Weiss 501 MKII looks exactly like the 501 MK1. In fact, I see no changes to the box, the display, the print on the box, the feet or well, anything. That is because there have been none in the looks of the product, at all. Why change what works? The packaging is lovely as the MKI was but now the product box is white vs black. I will say that I feel the Weiss packaging is pretty sweet. Even the DAC is cocooned in a silky wrap that has elastic to keep it on the DAC.

The original 501 MKI sitting atop a now gone Nagra Classic DAC from a few years ago

The 501 is small but Weiss also makes the 502 which is the same DAC but in a full size chassis. Both are basic, clean, and have powerful guts inside of them. Take your pick as both sound exactly the same.

The Weiss 502 MKII comes in a larger chassis and does cost a bit more as well

What is new here in the MKII is that the DAC chip has changed to the ESS SABRE PRO 9038 chip but there are now FOUR of them, two for each channel. When I first heard about this four channel version a while back (what they are calling it) I thought it was being made strictly for some kind of four channel listening. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s called 4 channel because of 4 DAC chips and this does indeed enhance two channel listening. There is also a new board inside but everything else is the same. As it is, the four chips do enhance the sound from the original.

Also, there is much more to a DAC than the chips. Much more. The sound of a DAC is not related to the DAC chips as much as is to other things within the design. A really good DAC has so much more that goes into it besides the chips themselves.

Thanks Bluebird! 

The DAC was shipped to me and offered up for review by Bluebird Music. They are a distributor for Weiss and offer up many top tier brands of HiFi. You can check them out HERE but I want to thank them personally as without them, I would have never been able to even hear the Weiss 501 MKII. 

Big Time Listening 

I listen to music. A lot. In fact, I use three streaming services (Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz) for my digital music sessions. Check out this image from my end of year spotify for 2024. It shows how many artists and tracks I listened to in 2024, just on this Spotify service alone. Phew!

In 2024, just on Spotify, I listened to 2,838 artists and 6,518 songs. That is a lot of listening! Spotify tells me I am in the top 6% in the world for amount listened! 

Whenever I review a product I listen to it as I write the review, which comes after 4-6 weeks of listening, night after night.

I love sitting in silence as the music emerges and immerses me within it. Sometimes I get lost in it, when everything is just right. So right now I am listening to the Weiss and it is sounding pretty incredible.

Before we get onto the listening experience I want to touch on the DSP features as they are the same as what is in the original MKI. Some will appreciate these features greatly and others not so much but I love that they are here. Again, these are defeatable and not always on. So you can listen with or without DSP features.

The DSP functions of the Weiss 501 MKII are still the same as before and include:

• Room Equalizer – to suppress room modes for more accurate bass reproduction.
• Creative Equalizer – a tone control with low boost/cut, high boost/cut, and mid boost/cut. Very useful to correct those recordings which do not quite sound right.

• De-Essing – the automatic removal of overly bright sibilances from human voices. The sibilance effect can be more or less pronounced depending on your speakers or room acoustics.
• Constant Volume – adjusts the audio volume (loudness) to a constant value across all tracks played. Useful for “party mode” when the volume control should stay untouched.
• Vinyl Emulation – get that special sonic character of a record player based playback chain. We also employ an emulation of the DMM-CD procedure offered by the Stockfisch label.
• Crosstalk Canceling (XTC) – for the playback of dummy head recordings or live recordings via speakers for an incredible live sensation. Dummy head recordings usually are listened to via headphones because they only work properly if the left channel goes to the left ear only and the right channel to the right ear only. With speakers this is difficult to achieve as the left channel goes to the left and the right ear. But with some clever signal processing of the speaker channels is is possible to suppress the crosstalk, i.e. the audio going from the left speaker to the right ear and vice versa. If that works properly then the recording sounds as if one would be in the space where the recording has taken place. All the reverberation and 3D representation of the sound sources is there.(For speaker based playback only.)

• Loudness Control – a listening volume dependent equalization of the audio.
• Headphone Equalizer – to adapt any headphone to the listener’s ears in terms of frequency response.
• Crossfeed – to emulate a speaker based playback impression on headphones.

The Listening Experience 

As already stated, I am listening with two sets of speakers with the Weiss for my evaluation. The Pure Audio Project Duet 15’s and the Pahmer Audio Craftsmen Victoria. Both are lovely, beautiful and very unique.

I am listening right now (Duet 15/Electrocompaniet ECI 6DXII) and Hania Rani just came on with “Hawaii Oslo” (which is a live version) and it sounds so good. It’s almost as if she is here playing in the room, but just almost. In reality we can get close to having performers in the room, and for me, this is a goal. While we will never hear an artist in the room as if they were REALLY there, I have heard some hifi products that help make this as close to reality as possible. The Weiss is one of these pieces.

The tonality of her piano is stunning and the dynamic shifts are quite incredible. We hear the inner workings of the piano, and if I close my eyes I can almost see her fingers flying over the keys. It is such a clean yet full bodied sound and the MKII seems to be a bit more open and expansive vs the 501 MKI. It also feels a little more punchy and dynamic.

The spatial reproduction of the MKII is now absolutely top tier, and sits with most exotic DACs I have heard that cost upwards of $20k+. There is a very nice fleshed out and dense stage, which is to be expected. It’s not as deep, wide or layered as the $50k Nagra but I am splitting hairs here really. Each of these DACs have qualities the other does not, yet some are very similar. This is a good thing.

As the Hania Rani track progresses the energy builds and it brings sense of excitement and energy right to my ears. There is more energy with the Weiss vs the Nagra Tube DAC and even more clarity up top. It’s solidified in sound, very.

Switching from the $7500 Electrcocompaniet amp to the top tier $26k T+A 3100 HV Integrated brings more fireworks in the way of bass, power, heft and even delicacy. Details are now sweeter and the immersion is even greater but this amp does wonders to whatever I hook up to it. No matter the amp, the Weiss keeps the same character which is all about solidity, foundation, detail, punch, dynamics and there is also a slight thickness to the sound that in no way hinders details from popping out into space.

Worth it to upgrade for 501 MKI owners?

Well, the MKII doesn’t sound like a different DAC vs the MKI. It sounds like a better and even more refined version of the MKI. It brings more of everything (the good) that the MKI did, and yet again, this is good. This is how product is supposed to work. Over time the designer learns more and more, uses new parts available and therefore improves the product as the years go by. Instead of a new MKII, III, IV or V coming every year Weiss take the slow boat approach and only seems to release a new version when it is worth doing so.

I have tested over 50 DACs within the last 2-3 years and the ones I really loved have been reviewed here. I do not review gear I do not like, why waste my time?

There were many standouts that were pretty special for one reason or another and I was sad to see them leave my system.

DACs like the T+A DAC 200 (wish I could have kept it), The Weiss 501 (missed it when gone), The Nagra Classic and Tube DAC (still have the Tube DAC for now), the Holo May KTE (analog velvet like), etc.

There are so many great DACs on the market today, and many that cost way less than the Weiss. Those looking for something that is truly very special though, well, these DACs usually cost us much more. Just the name of the game. Some feel we should not equate price with quality but honestly, in my experience, 96% of the time that we pay more we do get more in build, parts quality and yes, sound. Then there is the 10% that can be rip offs, and yes these rip offs exist in HiFi today. I do not review the rip offs nor gear that I do not like or feel is worth the cost.

But of course a $12 DAC will not sound nearly as good as a $500 DAC and that $500 DAC can not match the sound of a $12k DAC (it doesn’t even get close). That is just reality yet I sometimes get emails telling me I am nuts and any DAC no matter the cost will sound the same. Ummm, no, that is not true.

For fun I put in the $12 DAC that I have here (from Amazon) and that lasted one song as everything sounded flat, dull, boring and there was even a slight hiss coming from the speakers! Going to an older version of the budget king that measurement folks seem to love, the Topping D90 brought back the life, the zing and the excitement but even it was somewhat flat, a bit hot up top and sounded like most DACs in its price range…digital.

Yes, it is digital music we are working with here but the really good DACs take that digital noise, hash, edge and sound away, laving just the music behind without the digital nasties.

Weiss 501 MKII next to the lovely little Nagra Streamer. This is a $17k, very high end sounding digital streaming front end combination and one that is so easy to use, plug and play. 

Then I moved to a Denafrips Pontus 15th from the $12 special and old Topping and there it was, some wow factor! Even so, the Denafrips it was still a tad lean in the mids vs my faves but it has that R2R sound I hear in some other R2R designs.

In goes the May KTE which is awesome for what it costs (around $6k). The sound was richer and more expansive than even the Pontus 15th but it’s double the cost so to be expected.

Just as I suspected, as I climb the ladder in price I am getting better and better sound.

I then go up to the Weiss 501 MKII and BOOM goes the Dynamite! Now I hear more of the refinement, the details, the richness, the solidity, the top to bottom coherence. There is still warmth but it’s like a “clear warmth” that is quite honestly a bit magical. Reverb trails are also improved with the MKII vs the MKI.

Right now a song popped on from Strand of Oaks called “Galacticana” from the “In Heaven” album and this track always brings a huge wall of sound effect for me in my room, no matter the DAC used. It’s a big sounding track and while not an “audiophile” track, it’s music and music that makes you sway back and forth. Music that make you feel good and the Weiss 501 MKII is delivering in all of its full bodied and detailed glory with an extra layer of details being exposed and heard much easier than before, all of which have body and heft to them as well as clarity.

If you want a DAC that will let you hear each track sound like it was meant to be heard, studio atmosphere and all, the 501 MKII can do this in a well set up system.

The Nagra Streamer

STREAM

Using the USB out from my 2023 and 2024 streamer reference, the Rose RS130 and then the COAX out from the Nagra Streamer or the Eversolo A10 Audio USB out the sound is beautiful with the Weiss yet every streamer changes the sound a little bit here.

The HiFi Rose RS130 is all about clarity and imaging performance. It does a thing with instrument separation and imaging that is fantastic.

The Nagra Streamer is more organic and spatial somehow but just has such a clean smooth vibe where sounds pop out with life and beauty.

The Eversolo flagship is also doing a great job and while being a couple grand less expensive ($3600 but is also a DAC and Pre) than the Rose or Nagra it doesn’t reach the streaming heights of the other two, but it does get very close and offers up its own flavor. The A10 sounds just a little bit flatter with the soundstage performance, as in, not as 3D as the other two, yet it has life, gusto and flair which makes things a touch more exciting.

There is no I2S output on the Weiss and for me that is OK as I tested I2S on a few other DACs and always went back to Coax or USB. I am not sold on I2S personally (not yet anyway) but many are and the Weiss does NOT have this connection. If you need I2S, this one doesn’t have that option for you.

As Adele comes on right now with “My Little Love” the sound is pure silk, and yet powerful as all get out when the chorus hits. It’s a bit more impactful with the Weiss vs the Nagra Tube DAC which has a more soft handed organic flow that also is heart touching and super immersive. Two different flavors with one being more exciting an the other more of a chill vibe.

As Adele talks with her child in this recording it’s as if we are a fly on the wall in her living room with the Weiss. Then when she sings the verse the vocals are full but so clear and again, right. The music sits behind her voice and her background vocals do as well. That Chorus kicks in and we now have the backing vocals coming out into the room while her main vocal is dead center with the speakers and it’s POWERFUL with IMPACT with Weiss. I ended up listening to 3/4 of the Album in full it was sounding so good.

This Weiss brings a full bodied sound but with beautiful imaging that leans to the natural vs analytical. The imaging is not surgical here but rather, it’s more natural… though not to the level of the Nagra. It’s not as 3D as the Nagra Tube DAC but the Weiss brings a bit of both of these within its flavor of sound. It has the resolution and detail one craves but also has the all out musical nature of some of the more natural and musical DACs.

DIRECTLY COMPARED

Holy May KTE

The May KTE is the flagship DAC from Holo Audio based in China. The May may be made in China but it is sold in the USA by Kitsune Audio. Stereophile gives it a Class A rating. This is a serious DAC for around $6k+. It’s a dual chassis design and much heavier than the Weiss, Nagra, Dave, etc. The looks are stunning with the black and orange/copper contrast. As for sound, I found the May to have a warmer leaning smooth vibe that reminded me of vinyl, like a really nice vinyl system.

It offered this kind of sound for me in my room and I really enjoyed it. The May is a smooth operator and if that is your jam, it may be the one but even though it was warm leaning it was not as forgiving to not so great recordings as the Weiss and Nagra are. The Weiss 501 MKII in comparison does sound like a more refined DAC somehow, in its much smaller case. The Weiss, again, is more studio tape like, more dense in sound and also more refined/smooth yet keeps the energy going.

The Weiss 501 MKII wins this battle in my system as it just has a more effortless flow and yes, the Weiss does sound like a $15k DAC where the May is my choice for a DAC under $10k. Both are superb music makers but the Weiss, for me, edged out the KTE for refinement, clarity, midrange purity, punch and bass. Then again, the May is a different kind of DAC (R2R) and offers up its own unique sound that so many love. I do as well as DACs in these price ranges are usually very very excellent.

Nagra Tube DAC

The Nagra Tube DAC is like my muse right now. I will be able to enjoy it for a while but then it has to go to a new home as I just can not afford to keep it. It’s out of my price range, and yes, I did buy it used (still out of my range) but now have to pay the debt. In any case, I needed to experience this DAC and am glad I did as it allowed me to understand why a DAC could cost as much as it does.

The Nagra Tube DAC is about as natural as I have heard digital music sound. Talk about analog? The Tube DAC sounds like a big money analog rig to me, or bests it if I can be honest, for a number of reasons (cost, easier and yes, sound). When set up with top end gear (like the Nagra Streamer) the Nagra has a trick up its sleeve and that is making the music larger than life. That fiber connection from the Nagra Streamer to the Tube DAC is lovely.

Each instrument sounds like a real instrument in the room, even the ones hiding in the background, but this also can depend on your speakers and amp as well. With the Nagra music flows like honey coated water from a hose on a fresh warm spring morning. There are layers of music and the overall character is very detailed with high resolution all while staying smooth as silk and very three dimensional. The Nagra’s weakness (if you want to call it that) is that with all of this beauty to the musical flow it’s not as impactful or dynamic as the Weiss. Drum hits hit harder on the 501 MKII. Piano is a tad more solidified.

The stage width is slightly smaller with the Weiss, and not as deep, but the 501 MKII has this dense detailed sound with high resolution, and the way each vocal and instrument is separated is quite nice. The Weiss is smooth but never “too smooth” as while there is mo edginess to the Weiss, it has a touch more of that electric energy that wakes up my brain. I love it and there have been days where I said to myself “I like the way this track sounds on the Weiss better than the Nagra” and vice versa. So yes the Weiss is another special DAC and for the price difference almost a no brainer.

LAIV Harmony 

One DAC I loved for 2024 was the Laiv Harmony at $2700. It punches well above its weight but when comparing it to the Weiss or Nagra it doesn’t really compete with them as is to be expected. When listening side by side, one after the other, it is clear the Laiv does not have the complexity, solidity or refinement of these two powerhouses but should it? The LAIV is really amazing for what it costs (or even under the $5k price point) but I feel the Weiss and Nagra easily best it (as they should for the $$). With that said the Harmony is superb for its price and has an energetic sound that I compare to the Chord DAVE more than the Weiss or Nagra. If your budget for a DAC is under $3k look at the LAIV or the Denafrips Pontus 15th. Both are superb with the energy going to the Harmony and the Sweetness going to the Denafrips.

Conclusion. 

I started this review listening to the Weiss 501 MKII and here I am, many weeks later finishing this and still listening to the Weiss 501 MKII. I have switched back and forth to other DACs and have declared the Weiss 501 MKII to be my 2nd fave DAC of all time under the desert island end game supreme $48k Nagra Tube DAC package. I do indeed prefer the 501 MKII to the OG 501 version as I hear the extra bit of magic, life and expression. It’s really good my friends.

Regrets Suck

I remember with clarity when I removed special DACs from my system and replaced them with lesser DACs as I did not have the funds to keep or own the more exotic type of DACs. When I took these pieces out my system the sound collapsed a bit. Music was smaller, thinner, less immediate, less in the room, less refined and more digital sounding. It just didn’t connect with me in the same way and I listened less. Yes, I notice my listening enjoyment and time goes down when the system is not sounding right, or when it loses that magic it once had. In audio, once you hear something special it does get hard to go back to something that is not as special.

It’s why I believe that the source for your digital music is so important, just as important as speaker choice and amp choice. The DAC or Streamer for a digital system is no less important than the rest of the system.

If one wants a top tier digital serving or streaming front end to enjoy digital music from various services or your own server, the Weiss DAC 501 MKII is up to the task and then some. It’s got it all really. Small size, not heavy, DSP features for those who want them, two DAC chips per channel, etc. It’s super clean, super silent, has a great power supply and is about as refined as it can get when it comes to a DAC. Yes, it sounds better than the Weiss 204 with more solidity, richer midrange, smoother top end and a more powerful energy. It’s also warmer.

The Weiss 501 MKII is also a preamp for your digital source and a great one at that. I tested it with a couple of amps and was blown away really. One could use the 501 MKII as the centerpiece of the system. Add a stereo or mono amps and use the Weiss volume control to adjust the volume. The preamp sounds awesome with a sense of power and drive. Fits right in with the sound of the DAC.

Oh, the 501 MKII also has a ROON READY mode and works extremely well with ROON. I used to run ROON full time but since I mainly stream vs serve, it was a bit overkill for me. For those who use ROON (and I fire it up from time to time) the Weiss 501 MKII works very well with it in ROON mode just as the MKI did. Yes, this DAC can stream with ROON so no separate streamer would be needed.

The cons of the 501 MKII are few. If I could have my way I would like to be able and turn off the display as it doesn’t really do much of anything besides show you what input is being used as well as the volume (which one should leave maxed out to use as a DAC only). I’d also like the display too maybe have more pizazz. That’s about it. BTW, the display does dim very low and very well but never goes fully off.

The Flagship from Weiss is the Helios at $22k. It is said to bring even more of the good stuff vs the 501 MKII. 

The Swiss

The Swiss seem to know what good music sounds like, and the Weiss 501 MKII is no exception. If I gave awards this DAC would get one for what it brings to the table in the under $15k price point. I am as impressed as I could be with the 501 MKII and it is incredible how something so small and light could sound so so good. It’s the engineering, the implementation and parts quality I am sure. It’s also Daniel Weiss who designed it and yes indeed, he won a Grammy for technical merit in 2021, so there is that 🙂

For me this Weiss 501 MKII has the performance of some of  those $20k DACs but it costs thousands less. This is where the value lies, if you want to call it that. I do, and will. As for the retail cost of the MKII ($12k) I know of no other DAC I would want to own in this price bracket, even up to $15-18k. I mean if I had $15k to spend on a DAC I would know instantly which one I would buy. The Weiss 501 MKII, no contest really.

I have heard DACs I prefer to the 501 MKII that cost 4X the amount of this MKII, but at the same price point? I do not think so. While not in the “affordable:” category, the Weiss DACs are built to deliver performance in a high end system and they usually bring performance that sounds like it costs more. This holds true for the little 204 as well.

The Weiss 501 MKII would feel right at home in systems costing anywhere from say $20-$150k. You can spend a lot more for a DAC, as well as a lot less but the Weiss sits in the sweet spot where the performance is near the top of the mountain yet costs thousands less than others that can be compared to it. It’s a high end DAC and it has made me very curious about the top of the chain DAC by Weiss, the Helios. Maybe one day I will take a look at it and share my thoughts here again, for all of you.

You can see more on the Weiss 501 from Bluebird Music HERE.