Silverstone SST-EB03 Amp & SST-EB01-E DAC Review

Peter Donnell / 11 years ago

Final Thoughts

Price

There is no easy way of putting it, the SST-EB01-E and the SST-EB03 are expensive, clocking in at £166.00 and 169.99 respectively from Overclockers UK. Of course this is pretty high-end hardware, not really of interest to your average consumer. Compared to similar desktop amp offerings from brands like Teac and Arcam, the EB03 is pretty competitive and I’ve yet to find a single product that looks as stunning in terms of design. The EB01-E is competitive too, DAC prices vary wildly based on spec and brand-name, but again I can’t find anything as nice looking as the Silverstone or that has better specifications for around the same money. Combined you’re looking at an investment of £335.99, which is significantly less than AMP+DAC all in one units from the likes of Teak and AudioLab. There are a few slightly cheaper options out there, but their often black plastic boxes that lack the style of the Silverstone range.

Overview

Silverstone have long been known for their high quality products, they’ve got a great reputation for attention to detail. Every chassis, power supply, cooler or component I’ve ever seen them produce has been superb, regardless of how high or low down the price range it was. The build quality on both of these units is second to none, lavished with brushed aluminium that has been milled to perfection, easily one of the best examples of how great aluminium finish components can be. The materials used are thick cut, bolted together tightly and there is a quality feel and weight to each unit. The volume dial, the glow of the LED indicators, the tactile clunk of the power switch and the engraved Silverstone logos are all reminders that you’ve paid for a top quality product.

The sound quality on both devices brings noticeable benefits for your audio, it doesn’t matter if you’re gaming, watching a movie or listening to music, the DAC and AMP will each play their part at getting the best from your multimedia. Of course not everyone wants to spend this kind of money on high-end audio components and to be fair, most people don’t need to either. I’m sure there are a few people who couldn’t tell the difference, or simply don’t care either way. You’ve got to take your audio pretty seriously to even consider something like the EB01-E and the EB03.

As crazy as it may sound to some of you, I think Silverstone’s products are great value for money. Other amp / dac combos can escalate into seriously rich budgets, but diminishing returns in quality can be expected as you start to get into the real audiophile grade stuff. Silverstone have hit a sweet spot with sound quality, supporting high-end formats, great aesthetics and they’ve already got their reliable reputation behind them, so you would be a fool not to at least consider them should you be looking to beef up your desktop audio rig.

Pros

Incredible build quality
Stylish design
Easy to install and use
Noticeable improvement to sound quality and performance from both devices
Competatively priced
Trusted brand name
Audio relay and passthrough

Cons

More inputs on EB03 amp would have been nice

“In the past, Silverstone would not be the first name you would think of when asked about high-end audio products, but the EB01 and the EB03 may change all that. Their performance is on par with units that cost more (significantly more in some cases) and they’re also some of the best designed and constructed units I’ve seen. The high price may put some people off, but if you’re looking to push your audio and/or your headphones to the next level, you’ll struggle to find a better solution at this price range.”