Pilium Elektra DAC
REFERENCE AUDIO – WITHAM ESSEX
BOB’s Review Series - No 17 - PILIUM AUDIO - Elektra DAC
Introduction – Pilium is a company registered in Bulgaria but under Greek ownership. It was founded in 2014 and despite its registered address all its products are designed and manufactured just outside Athens. Their website gives a guide to their thinking by stating Pilium’s mission ‘is to achieve ultimate musical fidelity with no compromises, stunning resolution, exceptional transparency, organic vocals and sensational dynamics with cost no object build to last a lifetime’. Wow, no messing about there then, I would say this is more a vision than a mission statement for a long-term commitment. Just looking at the size, the build quality (inside and out) it’s easy to believe they intend to deliver on that promise. But has their vision lived up to their aspirations?
I must admit to never having heard of Pilium Audio before this review of the Elektra DAC, not having come across the brand or any of their products before. Now having lived with the Elektra for a week or so I’m keen to hear more of their products which currently seem to revolve solely around pre and power amplifiers. Their current range is the Divine Line which comprises a two-box and a single box pre-amp, two integrated amps, two stereo power amps and a pair of monobloc power amps.
All their products are immaculately constructed and come finished in Arctic White which is similar to a natural aluminium colour or Black Rock, which is, well, black. The Elektra DAC has the PILIUM name deeply engraved in its 20mm thick faceplate and its imposing build (read huge) gives every impression that it will outlive the cockroaches when judgement day arrives. To get an idea how big and heavy their products are the more powerful of the two integrated amps weighs in at 120Kg and the smaller one at 74Kg. The monobloc amps are 107Kg each.
Comparison of size against the Matrix Audio DAC
Technology – I have reviewed many DAC’s in recent months and unlike most other components they tend to come in all shapes and sizes although this not seemingly a guide to performance. Some are very small, and some are quite big, but the Elektra is very big. And Expensive. You need big pockets to seriously contemplate buying one and you need a bigger than standard equipment rack to sit it on. I use a custom made Quadraspire rack that has shelves 50 or 60mm wider than standard but the same depth as a standard shelf. It’s fine for most equipment, even the big stuff but the Elektra only just about fits and only then because its three feet aren’t located right at the edges of the box (see pictures below). It’s also seriously heavy at around 30Kg. It measures 480mm wide x 490mm deep and 178mm high. It costs a cool £32,000 (at the time of writing).
The Elektra is, for all its lavish build quality, just a DAC – It doesn’t have a volume control, nor does it have headphone outputs and it doesn’t have a remote control, quite refreshing in today’s marketplace where DAC’s tend to try and be a one box solution that many users just don’t need or want. It has no truck with MQA files and is not a Roon Ready device. It will play MQA files sent by Roon but not to their full unfolded extent (88.2 or 96kHz is the limit here), so you don’t get the full MQA Studio effect. Roon will recognise the Elektra as it does most DAC’s whether they are Roon Ready or not so I could still feed it music from my Innuos Zenith and USB Reclocker via USB using Roon and this is how I mostly listened.
The 20mm thick front panel incorporates a 5.2” LED dimmable touchscreen that enables source and filter selection, input and output modes and power on/off. There is also a settings menu available, but don’t get too excited, there are only two options, screen brightness and SPDIF ASRC Operation – whatever that is, the manual doesn’t say. All other panels are constructed from 10mm aluminium, not steel wrap here. It doesn’t even get warm after extended use.
Digital Inputs include USB, Toslink, BNC, RCA and AES/EBU on XLR and there is also an HDMI connection that appears to be reserved for future development. There are no analogue inputs. Outputs are on XLR balanced at 3.97v and RCA at 1.99v, spot on correct voltages to avoid pre-amp overload, something many source designers get wrong.
The Elektra DAC can handle PCM files via USB from 44.1 to 786kHz* at 16/32 bits and S/FDIF inputs from 44.1 to 192kHz. It can also handle DSD files from 64 to 512.
* Although it is rated for files up to 768kHz via USB I couldn’t get it to play anything above 384kHz although DSD files were played perfectly. Using the DSP settings in Roon it’s possible to upsample the data to the maximum capability of the connected DAC but in this case when set at 768 Roon thought it was playing and the Elektra showed it was receiving 768 data files, but no music was forthcoming. Perhaps this is reserved for a later update or when the HDMI input is activated or perhaps it’s because it is not designed to be a Roon Endpoint. In any event there are very few files available more than 192kHz and even less at 384kHz so 768kHz is only a nice to have unless you use an upscaler such as the one made by Chord Electronics.
The Elektra has 6 user selectable filters for PCM files selected from the front touchscreen. These are described as follows but the manual gives no clue as to what these filters actually do. After some trials I found that differences are as subtle as they usually are, but I ended up preferring Filter 3 and left it there for the duration.
- Sharp Roll-off
- Slow Roll-off
- Short Delay Sharp Roll-off
- Short Delay Slow Roll-off
- Super Slow
- Low Dispersion Short Delay
Internally, not that I looked, it has three transformers, one each for each audio channel and one for non-audio functions and 10 independent power supplies.
System Components – I used the Elektra DAC by taking the feed from the USB output of my Innuos Zenith Mk 3 and Innuos USB Reclocker and then via balanced XLR analogue output into my Michi P5 Pre-Amp and M8 Monobloc Power Amps, speakers were my usual Marten Mingus Quintet with mains, interconnect and speaker cables from Jorma Design. I also fed it data from the RCA S/PDIF output of a Primare DD35 CD Transport to very good effect.
Performance – I was informed by the distributor that this unit had only seen light use before finding its way to me, so I set about some running in by leaving it playing non-stop for around 100 hours before serious listening, but right from the off it was clear that the Elektra is a very special DAC.
Whilst there are a few DAC designers and manufacturers around who have their own bespoke take on how to convert digital signals to analogue, think Chord Electronics and MSB, most these days tend to use either Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) Velvet Sound or ESS Technology Sabre chips sets when designing their Digital Converters.
You can read a lot about the AKM and ESS Sabre chips used by digital converter designers and I currently have examples of both on review at home** and my resident Michi P5 preamp has a pair of AK4490 chips onboard. From listening experience, I find the AKM’s a little more laid back and inviting than the slightly harder edged sound of the ESS chips, although when used and exploited to their best by converter manufacturers they do sound remarkably similar. I guess much comes down to personal preference.
The Elektra uses 8 AKM4493EQ ‘Velvet Sound’ DAC chips, 4 per channel in a dual mono Class A configuration as part of its DAC design. I believe AKM’s very latest high-end chip is the AKM4499EQ and perhaps this will find its way into the Elektra in due course.
**The two DAC’s I have at home are the Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) at £2,000 and the Pilium Elektra reviewed here at £32,000.
Clearly using a £32k DAC into my Michi pre-amp at around a tenth the price is probably not where a DAC of this quality and price point would normally be used or feel at home, but it did work very well in this configuration. I am however looking forward to hearing it in our showroom where I can do it greater justice by pairing it with better peer sources and amplifiers in the playback chain. I guess a DAC at this price point would normally be a part of a £150k+ system.
I listened to a variety of music to assess the Elektra but Jazz and Classical is just not my thing so I apologise to those of you who might feel left out by my choices.
I started serious listening with a track from the early 80’s, ‘Go on and Cry’ by Bloodstone and immediately heard the best dynamics and stereo separation yet from this track. Much of these 70’s or 80’s soul tracks weren’t recorded at the best quality but the Pilium seemed to find every last ounce of detail where others have struggled to convincingly open up the soundstage.
‘I Feel Love’ by Donna Summer presents a wide soundstage as the track pans left to right and back again with the Elektra providing actual rhythm to the bass and for the first time there was no thought that she might actually be singing ‘nappy love’! ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ by the late Jim Diamond with his very distinctive voice was presented with greater emotional involvement, better warmth, harmonics, tone and depth of image than I am used to hearing. ‘Space Oddity’ by the late and great David Bowie (Qobuz 24/92 remaster) gave his voice ‘space’ and vibrancy not heard before in my system. Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits (UHQCD) via the Primare Transport had me wanting to explain just why the Elektra DAC sounds so right. I liken it to listening to recorded voice against live vocals or real piano against an electronic version. It should be easy, and it generally is in a live situation to tell the difference but not always in a studio recording situation played back via your Hi-Fi, but the Elektra DAC seems to bring recorded replay so very much closer to the live event. It gets the timbre, tone, mood and emotion just right. Just listen to the opening piano on ‘Game of Pretend’ by Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie to hear this effect or ‘Billie Jean’ by The Civil Wars.
Tommy Malone, vocals and guitar, on ‘Absolutely’ by the Subdudes was presented at its very best by The Elektra DAC. ‘Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson on Thriller (DSD64) opened with bass punch and rocked along full of detail and bass rhythm. Shawn Mullins on ‘Blue as You’ is a simple track that nonetheless has a lot of detail going on and the Elektra brought it all together into one recorded masterpiece. ‘Hotel California’ by The Eagles is a classic demo track that can be a bit bright and I always find the opening and closing applause is just to brittle to listen to, but not with the Elektra which presented this as a much more natural and relevant part of the recording. Regardless of listening volume ‘For What It’s Worth’ by Allan Taylor had full vocal clarity and emotion and the piano accompaniment was just so very real. ‘Oxygene’ CD3 on the Jean-Michel Jarre trilogy was dynamic and involving with the Electra bringing clarity and emotion (that word again) to the performance.
I’m sure many of us will have put together a Desert Island playlist and when I set mine up it was intended to have 10 or so of my favourite tracks, but it currently sits at 68 tracks and when I put this on to play, I ended up listening to the entire 5 hours + list in one long session. The Elektra DAC adding the audiophile delight to the experience and drawing me in for the long journey. I sang along to most tracks too.
I have included a couple of pictures below including one with the Matrix and the Pilium DAC’s side by side so you can get an idea just how big the Pilium actually is. The price difference is also great, I could buy 16 Matrix DAC’s for the price of 1 Pilium. Is the Pilium 16 times better? No, the law of diminishing returns has not been violated here but if you have the wherewithal to purchase the Pilium, the space to house it and a source, amplifier and speakers of similar price and quality to do it justice then it should definitely be on your shortlist because it does reach the parts other DAC’s can’t. In my experience there is only one other DAC at or near this price point that can compete on equal terms and that is the Nagra Tube DAC with Classic PSU, although I’ve yet to hear similarly priced DAC’s from Gryphon and even more expensive ones from MSB.
Buying HI-Fi is a bit like buying a car, generally the more you spend the better the experience. Lower priced cars will still get you from A to B but more expensive ones tend to get you there more refreshed and comfortable. Unfortunately, the same goes for audio equipment, in my experience the more you spend the better it gets, (it really does) providing your other equipment is on a par and able to deliver the full resolution mastered by the Elektra.
Summary – I would normally end my review with a reasonably lengthy summary but on this occasion, I really don’t need to. If you can afford it and if you can house it – Buy One.
Bob – Team Reference Audio