I’ve been experimenting with the Apos x Community Druid R2R and wanted to share the system I’ve ended up with, because the results have seriously surprised me.
My current chain is:
TIDAL → MacBook Air → HQPlayer → Druid R2R → ART DTI → First Watt F8
The Druid has two MUSES02 op-amps installed in the balanced XLR output positions and is powered by an iFi power supply.
The part that I think really unlocks the Druid, though, is HQPlayer.
I’m currently running:
1x: poly-sinc-gauss-long
Nx: poly-sinc-gauss-hires-lp
Auto Rate Family: ON
HQPlayer sends the Druid 705.6 kHz PCM for 44.1-kHz-family material and 768 kHz for the 48-kHz family.
To me, this is a particularly interesting way to use the Druid because it’s an R2R DAC without conventional internal oversampling filters. HQPlayer does the sophisticated reconstruction and interpolation upstream, then hands the Druid very high-rate PCM for the R2R ladder to convert.
In other words, I’m essentially using HQPlayer as the digital reconstruction engine and the Druid as the R2R conversion/analog stage.
And it sounds fantastic.
Solving the balanced-to-RCA connection
My First Watt F8 has RCA inputs, while the Druid provides a true 4V differential XLR output.
Initially I used an XLR-to-RCA cable. It worked, but I wanted a proper way to convert the Druid’s balanced output to single-ended without simply grounding or ignoring one half of the differential signal.
The inexpensive experiment was an ART DTI passive transformer isolator.
So the analog side is now:
Druid XLR → ART DTI → RCA → First Watt F8
The ART uses 1:1 transformers, so both legs of the Druid’s balanced signal drive the transformer primary and the secondary provides the single-ended output to the F8.
One important note for anyone trying this:
When I initially installed the ART, I had a significant 120 Hz buzz. The ART has an external chassis ground lug. I connected that lug to the F8 chassis, and the buzz disappeared.
Once that was solved, the result was excellent.
What am I hearing?
The first thing I noticed was definition.
Not brighter treble or an artificial increase in detail. Images simply seem better defined. Instrument separation is easier to follow, the center image is very solid, and there’s a clean, coherent quality to the presentation.
The Gauss filters seem especially well suited to this combination. There’s plenty of detail, but it doesn’t sound etched or overly analytical. Vocals retain body, transients sound natural, and the soundstage has a really convincing sense of continuity.
I’m not claiming that the ART transformer is magically “improving” the signal. It may simply be providing a better electrical interface between the Druid’s differential output and the F8’s single-ended input while isolating the signal grounds.
Whatever the mechanism, I prefer the system with it installed.
This has turned into a serious little digital front end
What amazes me is how inexpensive the core DAC is.
The combination of:
HQPlayer + high-rate PCM + Druid R2R + MUSES02 + ART DTI
is producing digital playback that has me questioning how much money really needs to be spent on a DAC.
I’m deliberately not saying this beats a Chord DAVE, dCS, Holo May, etc. I haven’t done those controlled comparisons.
But I will say this:
The Druid has absolutely no business sounding this good for what it costs.
And now I’m very interested in what Apos does with Druid V2.
If V2 retains the basic NOS/R2R philosophy while improving the board layout, power delivery and op-amp compatibility, I think the combination with HQPlayer could become something pretty special.
Next step: dedicated HQPlayer appliance
I’m now planning a dedicated HQPlayer transport so the computer completely disappears from everyday operation.
The eventual system should be:
TIDAL / CD / local music / internet radio
↓
Dedicated Ryzen HQPlayer server
↓ Ethernet
NAA network endpoint
↓ USB
Druid V2
↓ XLR
ART DTI
↓ RCA
First Watt F8
Everything would be controlled from an iPhone/iPad, with HQPlayer running invisibly in the background.
Basically, I’m trying to build a DIY high-end digital front end with appliance-like usability rather than a computer sitting next to the stereo.
At this point I’m comfortable calling the current setup a giant killer in terms of value. Whether it can actually run with the truly expensive DACs is something I’d love to find out through proper level-matched comparisons.
I’d be really interested to hear from other Druid owners using HQPlayer, particularly anyone experimenting with high-rate PCM, Gauss filters, MUSES02/Sparkos op-amps, or transformer-balanced interfaces.
This little DAC has turned into one of the most enjoyable audio experiments I’ve done in a long time.