Comparison to the Overall Market and Other Thoughts
I won’t go into direct comparisons here, because I don’t think there’s a direct competitor to the SG1 in terms of design and philosophy. The BT DACs on the market focus on USB functionality, and they give the wireless mode as a side feature. And, most wireless DAC/Amps are produced for extreme portability in a very small chassis, whilst the SG1 is like a full-size mobile DAC/Amp. The only difference is that it’s wireless and there’s no USB function.
So does it do a better job than other tiny wireless DACs? Yes, for pure sound quality, the SG1 is much better than many other BT DACs I’ve tried, especially this Special Edition. However, it’s not on the same level with higher priced DAPs or wired DAC/Amps in my opinion. So no, it’s not a high-end DAP killer. But it’s a damn good sound for a wireless unit. The price point of 549$ for the gold version might come a bit steep. If you absolutely need the portability without the cable mess though, then it might be the best possible solution from a pure sound quality perspective.
And it makes sense. Modern smartphones are much faster than audiophile DAPs. So when you’re streaming, you can use your phone with a very snappy response and listen to your music from the SG1 without any cables with good sound.
If you want me to name a few devices for an overall comparison, I’d say the Pegasus SG1 Gold is on par with the iFi Gold Bar, with much more output power. It just falls short of the xDSD Gryphon. As you can see, it easily surpasses wireless DAC solutions, whilst being on par or better than even USB-wired models. That’s quite an achievement.
Conclusion
The Special Edition SG1 is something serious about wireless music, and Anson continues to keep its unique position in the audiophile world. He’s always up to something and I think he’s going to release a desktop DAC/Amp soon.
Nevertheless, I’ve never been a fan of wireless ”audiophile” products. I always think that there should be some kind of a drawback with the sound quality. This is the first time that I think about actually using a wireless DAC at work or when commuting. The ease of use is hard to overlook, and you actually get a killer sound quality from a BT device.
The gold version, with its improved sound and power output, is a very special unit. Yet, if you already have the standard variant and you use IEMs most of the time, I don’t think it’s necessary to get it. But if you look for a premium wireless DAC, the SG1 SE is hard to beat.
I still think that Anson can come up with a new higher-end USB DAC/Amp with this more mature design and volume knob. Maybe a Mojo2 rival? Who knows. This guy is capable of making great-sounding units, so why not?
Page 1: About Dethonray & Pegasus SG1 SE, Design, Build, User Experience
Page 2: Sound Quality
