October 2026

World Premiere Review!
Cinnamon Audio Galle II DAC Review: A Reference-Level Digital Converter That Redefines Musical Truth & Seeks To Slay The Giants Of Analog With Next-Gen Digital
Inside the dual-mono, 27-bit resistor ladder DAC engineered to challenge analog supremacy and elevate hi-res streaming to deliver unprecedented tonal color, spatial density, and musical engagement for serious audiophiles and music lovers alike.
Review By Craig Clark

  "For me, it's really been about bringing the kind of sound to my clients that allows them to, even if just for a moment, suspend disbelief. To double-check their reality. Do you know what I mean?" — Colin King, Gestalt Audio, Importer of Cinnamon products in the USA.

Oh, yes, Colin. We audiophiles know exactly what you mean. Many of us have spent decades (I, personally, have logged five) pursuing the magical moments to which you allude. And we also know just how elusive this exalted experience can be, with occasional glimpses the rule and sustained looks far too rare.

We set out on a musical journey, typically from a very young age, full of hope, aspirations, and a dream of hearing our favorite music reproduced in our homes with the kind of realism that moves us emotionally, and in those beautiful moments, connects us at a deeper level with the artists intent, perhaps even with a greater understanding of our collective selves.  But then, reality. The inherent limitations. The costs, both personal and financial. Idealism gives way to sober practicality, and in many instances more (and more expensive) purchases bring us less of that "magic", of that "suspension of disbelief".

Disenchanted, some abandon the hobby, but others stay true, dedicated, and undaunted. If you are reading this review, you are almost certainly among the latter and with my debut review for Enjoy the Music.com, I intend to reward you with news of something truly special, something reliably capable (in the right setting) of the very reality questioning experiences Mr. King describes and the ones we audiophiles all seek.

Now, consider the fact Senor Ricardo Canelas, who holds a PhD in engineering, high-performance computing and fluid mechanics, one of the two brothers who co-founded the Portuguese hi end audio company Cinnamon Audio, whose Galle II DAC is the subject of this review, lives in a windmill. Yes, a windmill. Ricardo is a self-described dreamer and eternal optimist, a person whose aspirations towards musical truth, undoubtedly like many here, know no bounds. He is also a trained musician, more than capable on the standup bass. A visionary whose enthusiasm is undeterred by pedestrian matters. "Who says that can't be done?" He asked during a brief interview. "Why not?"

Trained as a scientist, Ricardo also believes the most interesting questions reside where the present models fail to account for all the observations, to explain all the data in front of him. Where the observations of trained listeners are NOT consistent with our current understanding. "Perfect sound forever?" Not just yet, my friends. Through this lens, Cinnamon Audio set out to redefine what the outer limits of hi-end digital audio can achieve. Ricardo, the windmill dweller, sees the analog giants on the horizon and charges forward, unfettered, unafraid.

To make the increasingly obvious metaphor concerning this Iberian partnership even more compelling, Ricardo is partnered with his brother Diogo, whose role the two describe as "keeping things grounded". "Ricardo is the dreamer. I am the skeptic, the realist," said Diogo with a playful, wry smile and nod toward his brother during our pre-publication ZOOM interview.

Indeed, Diogo's role, as explained on the company's website "about page" is very much to remain grounded, not only in the practical matters of the business aspects of the company and the viability of its products, but their adherence to the musical truth. "I've been called Chief Executive Critic at Cinnamon, and I suppose it's apt. I approach high fidelity with a very simple bar of whether the music moves me or not. Like certain albums and pieces of music, I want to make things that have a timeless and forever-lasting feel to them. And that's what we're about at Cinnamon."

In a world of programmed manufacturing obsolescence set in the context of a throwaway culture, Diogo boldly stated, "We want to make heirloom hi-fi. Things that can be enjoyed every day and in every way. Things that your grandchildren will prize as have you and they too will be proud to own." At this point I found myself deeply intrigued and struck by an obvious metaphor:

"Don Quixote, meet Sancho Panza. Sancho Paza, Don Quixote."

Part I: The Vision
"n a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind, there lived not long since one of those gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old buckler, a lean hack, and a greyhound for coursing." — Miguel Cervantes in Don Quixote.

Cinnamon Audio, who burst on to the audiophile scene just a few short years ago with the nothing-short-of-remarkable Cassia open baffle loudspeaker (and who have since quickly but very mindfully expanded their product line to include a universally well received phono stage, step up transformer, high performance subwoofer, and not one but two superb digital to analog converters, the second of which, the Hi-Res Audio capable Galle II, is the subject of the present review) have in a very real way set their sights on the windmills of perceived inherent digital shortcomings and by way of doing so, the giants of analog supremacy.

Grounded in their company motto: "Made to Matter" as well as a shared passion for music and the art form found in its enjoyment, these two Quixotic Brothers have initiated an all-out assault on what many perceive to be the inherent shortcomings of a format, and for this reviewer, challenged some very longstanding personal beliefs about just what is possible from a stream of ones and zeros. But will The Brothers Cinnamon simply descend into madness, or will they emerge better for the journey? And are we too to be elevated by their chivalry?

Part II: Tilting At Windmills
"Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our desires ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay… for this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."

Cloaked in a completely bespoke, literally unique to each piece, roughhewn armor of cast aluminum, and donning an inverted shield of bronze, the notion of form meets function is embodied in the two-piece Cinnamon Audio Galle II DAC. For example, the bronze "shield" and cast aluminum casement are not only present for their very real "aesthetic appeal" (my wife, Amy, a sculptor who has been featured in nationally juried shows, LOVES the look of the Cinnamon products, which she considers "elegant modern sculpture") but very much also serve the engineering vision by virtue of shielding and isolating the DAC both mechanically and electrically.

In terms of inputs and outputs, here too a fusion of science (first) and art. The complement of USB input up to DSD256 and PCM 384kHz/24-bit plus S/PDIF via RCA input PCM 24-bit/192kHz. Output is one pair each of unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR are all arrayed along a sculptural wooden backplate, whose exact specifications are selectable among dozens of options/finishes, each carefully finished and hand-rubbed with beeswax to ensure lasting beauty. The Brothers must have read Steve Jobs! Even the parts you can't easily see are elegant, finished, and engage the senses, both visual and tactile. They are "Made to Matter".

Within the first chassis, these modern-day Musical Knights Errant have forged a prodigious digital lance utilizing a proprietary, state-of-the-art, quasi-non-oversampling scheme, calling on Roberto's deep reservoir of knowledge concerning cutting-edge signal processing methods. This unique approach further utilizes a dual-mono, 27-bit differential resistor ladder, featuring over 430 precision resistors, each with a remarkable 0.01% tolerance. This approach to the construction of the conversion engine allows the Galle II to operate as a self-sufficient voltage source, eliminating the need for a traditional analog output stage and thereby shortening the seemingly always critical to ultimate musicality signal path. The audiophile Holy Grail, fusing the utmost circuit simplicity with cutting-edge modern technology.

But when one is possessed of true inspiration, and there are musical adventures to be had, why stop the quest there? Cinnamon did not!

The second chassis houses the power supplies, tethered to the Cinnamon Audio DAC itself by three custom balanced cables, themselves selected by ear for their commitment to the musical truth, utilizing three custom transformers to feed three individual power channels. The "music above all" design further employs just short of two thousand Farads of filtering capacitance. No, you didn't misread that: 2000 Farads, or just slightly more than two-hundred thousand times the usual values applied for these voltages and roughly 6.5 times that offered by a fully charged Tesla Power Wall. Sancho Panza might call it overkill. Don Quixote calls it inspired.

Part III: The Knight Meets The World
"...Don Quixote was amazed by what was happening; and that was the first day when he was fully convinced that he was a real knight errant, not a fantasy one, seeing himself treated in the same way as he'd read that such knights used to be treated in centuries past." — Don Quixote, Part II, Chapter 31

It was in the context of universal praise from music lovers and the high-end press worldwide, including an Editor's Choice Award from the-ear.net for the Cinnamon Audio Galle I, that the Galle II Hi-Res Audio DAC was installed in my reference system composed of a Scheu Das Lafwerk II turntable (with basalt plinth and clear acrylic platter), Tru-Glider tonearm, and Hana Umami cartridge feeding a VIVA Little Fono prototype phono preamp. For this review, I used Qobuz via Jplay as a streaming source and the mighty Cinnamon NT 2.0 network transport (review on the horizon) alongside a New Audio Frontiers Stradivari preamplifier, VTL MB 450 mono amps (primarily in tetrode mode), Wolf Von Langa Berlin, Sound Lab Ultimate 1 loudspeakers, and Cinnamon Cassia loudspeakers, all paired with a WVL Wagyu subwoofer array.

Cabling was Tchernov Ultimate from stem to stern. The room is 24.5' x 22.5' x 9.5' (WxDxH) and fed by three dedicated lines. Streaming digital devices and preamplification were plugged into a Puritan Power Conditioner. All components were further attached to a Puritan grounding system.  Power amps, straight to the (dedicated) wall. An Acustica Applicata Halifax Helmholtz radiator helps control bass resonances, and cable elevators round out the OCD. I also like to burn scented candles, or better yet, listen in the complete dark, as the room has no windows.

So, where are those windmills again? And will chivalry prevail?

Perhaps the first, and most often cited, digital grievance is a lack of sophistication in the highest frequencies. A kind of etching, glare, or absence of "liquidity" in the treble that screams "artificial" and renders instruments whose natural timbres add (when properly reproduced) detail, sheen, and "air" to the listening experience that is an entree to, and foundational for, engagement.

Cinnamon Audios' The Galle II produced a filigreed, nuanced, and wholly complete reproduction of this portion of the audio spectrum with an organic "rightness" that took the first of many steps towards its giant-slaying aspirations. Listening to the beautiful Rosary Sonatas by Franz Bieber as played by the Musica Antiqua Koln.

The violins' attack, decay, and glorious overtones rang out in my room, full of life, texture, and musically expressive detail. Likewise brushed cymbals, which with the Galle II existed in a kind of space occupying three-dimensional wholeness that I find difficult for ANY format to consistently reproduce, especially in the upper registers. While we may encounter this holographic quality in the midrange or bass frequencies, far too often there is a "wispiness" in the treble, even if it is extended, detailed, and non-fatiguing (the Galle II was, by the way, all three).

Further, for this lover of large-scale symphonic music, the Cinnamon Audio Galle II's portrayal of the uppermost frequencies managed to convey both the sense of "air over the orchestra" and resolution of spatial cues all the way down to the noise floor. Consider Paganini: Diabolus in Musica with Salvatore Accardo playing the Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major, Opus6, MS. 21 on DG.

With the Galle II, if the rest of your system is up to it, you will discover, as did I for the very first time, the multiple reflections off both the side and rear walls of Accardo's virtuoso violin solos. It really is a stunning effect, and one that immediately evokes a truly memorable "you are there" experience in the mind and heart of the listener. And what, you say, of the mill known as the sterility of digital sound? The lack of life and penetration of tonal color? The capacity to recreate a convincing "presence"?

In the all-important midrange, the Galle II's performance perhaps shone most and shone brightest. I am not a videophile, but if modern high-definition TV's offer 8K resolution, the Cinnamon Audio Galle II must be awarded at least a 16K for its amazing capacity to provide a seemingly bottomless reservoir of tonal color and shading. Yet, perhaps paradoxically in some ways, it is wholly uncolored, in that it is true to the source material and capable therefore of delineating even the smallest changes in the devices up or downstream from it. This quality, far from an audiophile "parlor trick", allows the Galle II to convey musically meaningful information that opens a window into the performance for the listener that is the diametric opposite of "sterile".

In this regard, I was honored to host another publication reviewer within my listening room earlier this year and to share a conversation with him over dinner. Knowing Andy had played trombone, I played a selection from "The Baroque Trombone" with Christian Lindberg and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, "Gigue".

Andy immediately noted that the instrument in question was, in fact, NOT a modern trombone, but rather a "sackbut" with its characteristic warmer, rounder, and more melodic tone! Still, no midrange test is complete without a female vocal, and one of my favorites is Buika's "Cancion de las simples cosas" on El ultimo trago (con la colaboracion de Chucho Valdes).

With the Cinnamon Audio NT 2.0 / Galle II and Cassia speakers installed, there appeared in front of me Buika, singing, NO emoting, as so few can, not only from her heart, but from her soul. Conjured, it seemed, via some form of digital voodoo, every nuance of her incredibly sultry voice and body emerged. Forgive the cliché, but goosebumps flooded my body as I felt my vagus nerve engage. This was not an ordinary audiophile "voice suspended in air between the speakers". The experience was one of such startling presence, depth, and truth as to cause me to question what may, if ever, eclipse this amazing moment of musical reproduction in my home.

Recall our Knight Errant, Ricardo Canelas, is not only a skilled engineer, but an accomplished bassist. Add to this the theoretical advantages as pertain to bass reproduction conferred by that "Tesla Power Wall" of filtering capacitance with which his lance is equipped. Perhaps then it should come as no surprise that the Galle II distinguishes itself by outputting a kind of 50 Fathoms bass while preserving every scintilla of detail, subtleties of pitch, and resonant overtones that instruments such as the bass, contrabassoon, tuba, or kick drum are capable of offering. And with the horn loaded and highly efficient Wagyu subs paired with the ridiculously fast and articulate field coil woofers of the Berlins, I was introduced to nuances in the lowest registers I simply never experienced in the past.

Listen to the tuba on the second track of Herold's La FilleGarde from The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, or if you prefer jazz, Christian McBride's "Night Train". You will quickly understand what I mean.

On the first, the "blat" of the tuba is on full out, nuanced, and unmistakable display, while also occupying a very distinct space within a vast soundscape. With the latter, there is distinct attack, decay, and a lovely, melodic collection of overtones, each perfectly integrated, both in time and in space, with one another. I hear finger sliding on fretboard, the vibration of the plucked string itself, the wooden quality of the instrument as revealed by McBride's "slap" technique, and of course the air inside its cavity. Other DACs (including the very accomplished offering in my BACCH-SP, as highly praised by the aforementioned AQ himself in his review of Dr. Chuieri's audiophile digital Swiss Knife and LampizatOr Big 7 SE come to mind) do some of these things as well in the bass. Neither do them all in the same ultimately convincing ways the Cinnamon manages to convey.

I am an unabashed imaging and soundstage addict, and what the Cinnamon Audio Galle II has to offer in these areas is absolutely reference level. As a lifelong music lover living in Nashville, I have attended many a live concert in my time, including classical offerings both abroad in locations like the Salzburg International Music Festival last August and at our home venue, The Schermerhorn. I've also taken every opportunity to perch myself front row as my bride, a former jazz musician, played at local venues and clubs in our beloved Music City. More recently, with teenagers in tow, I just love sitting in our living room, piano side, as my wife plays and my son, a student at Nashville School of the Arts, sings. Or listening to my youngest play the guitar (he has inherited his mother's musical gifts as well). In all these settings, I can't help but perceive a kind of spatiality that when lost by an audiophile product or system, brings the illusion of realism to a screeching halt.

Well, the Galle II "does space," and it does it in a way that is, in my experience, wholly unique. Consider Schubert's Ellens Gesang I, Op. 52, No. 1 D.837 as performed by Gundula Janowitz "The Last Recital: In Memoriam Maria Callas (Live).

On lesser DACs, Charles Spencer's piano appears as a collection of keys floating in space stage left, and shortly thereafter a haunting female voice emerges to the right and rear. With the Cinnamon Audio Galle II, the piano instead is manifest in its entirety-it is simply "there", in all its round, resonant glory with a preservation of both fundamentals and overtone that reminds one it is, after all, a percussion instrument. Likewise, Janowitz occupies a distinct, three-dimensional space, allowing one to not only experience her voice, but the body in which it resides. The experience so conveyed reminds us that talented singers produce tone with the whole of their vocal apparatus, not just their mouths, tongues, and cords. The effect is absolutely captivating and musically convincing. Everyone who has heard this track on my system with the Galle II installed has commented on the quality of image "density" and the consequent realism it creates.

But when art is great, it is something much, much more than the sum of its parts. A Picasso is not just a collection of canvas, oil, color, line, and shape. Not unlike the Cinnamon Audio Cassia loudspeaker, the Galle II distinguishes itself in a kind of musical engagement that is, in my 50 years as an audiophile, very, very rare and is a critical part of the portal to Colin King's "suspension of disbelief".

In the case of the work of art known as the Cinnamon Audio Galle II Hi-Res Audio DAC, by far the most impressive of its characteristics is the alacrity with which it weaves and seamlessly conveys complex musical truths in a manner that simply put, causes one to want to keep listening. To wit, shortly after receiving the review sample, I managed to stay up way past my bedtime on multiple occasions for no reason other than the fact I absolutely could not get myself to stop playing track after track after track. So, if you read no further, know this simple fact: The Galle II has slain the "giant" myth that digital reproduction inevitably produces listening fatigue. Nothing could be further from the truth of my experience with it.

Part IV:  Where The Armor Thins
So, is the Galle II "Perfect Sound Forever". Sadly, no, it is not.

In fact, my first impression of the Galle II DAC was, to be honest, a bit underwhelming in comparison to the Lampizator DAC I was using at the time. But I will spare you this disappointment and point out what later became crystal clear to me: this thing needs a long time to fully charge and "burn in". Days at least, and maybe a week or more are necessary before it "fully settles" and starts to deliver the kind of musically engaging magic of which it is more than capable. In my interview with Roberto and Diogo (The Brothers Cinnamon) this was briefly discussed and a reference to the need for that "Tesla Power Wall of a Capacitance Bank" to fully charge was mentioned, but candidly I did not explore the idea any further (perhaps The Brothers will comment in their response to the review?) Lacking any technical background, I will not attempt to venture uninformed guesses.

By way of forewarning, and for this review, suffice it to say that if you've only heard this DAC at a show, you probably experienced at best a fraction of what it is actually capable of doing musically (and recall, it has been very well received by both the press and, perhaps even more importantly, audiophiles themselves in these settings, even under what I can absolutely assure you are less than ideal conditions, if for this reason alone, not to mention the myriad of others) But, once fully up and running, prepare yourself, because you won't want to send it back (Gestalt Audio offers extended in home demos to potential owners-which should circumvent this issue quite easily). The DAC also sounds best when fed via its USB input. I found the Tchernov Ultimate cable proved an ideal match.

Head-to-head with the BACCH-SP internal DAC, I would honestly give the nod in the category of ultimate transparency to Dr. Chouieri's masterpiece. Perhaps not unexpected, since the BACCCH-SP eliminates a meaningful amount of cabling and signal transfer.  However, in the all-so-important midrange, and in particular in terms of texture, tonal shading, color, and "life" across these frequencies, the Cinnamon emerged the clear winner. In every other aspect, the Galle II also held at least a slight edge, with its top-to-bottom coherence, bass expressiveness, convincingly lifelike dynamics, and most of all, musically engaging presentation, serving the music in a uniquely captivating fashion. Impressive indeed, given the favorable comparisons to other reference devices the internal DAC of the BACCH-SP has received from trusted senior members of the audio press.

So much to praise, but given the premise of Quixotic inspiration driving efforts to confront digital windmills and slay analog giants, how can we conclude without such a comparison? We cannot. We will not!

In my own life as an audiophile, I (Don Quixote) have my very own Sancho Pana, David. David and I have known each other for more than 35 years and have shared our audio journey for the entirety of that time. British born to parents who were world class academics (and critics!), Ivy League educated and with an encyclopedic knowledge of classical music, he has been a mentor to me musically. He has also managed to curate an absolute world-class system himself (arguably the best I've ever heard, period).

David's system reflects his passion for analog, and is built around a Reed turntable, Tru-Glider arm, and the top-of-the-line DS Audio tube head amp and optical phono cartridge (The Grandmaster), utilizing New Audio Frontiers amplification and the exalted Alsyvox loudspeakers.

David prizes engagement and musical truth above all, so when I visited his home during the course of this review, I was afforded the opportunity to compare, side by side, his absolute analog giant of a system and the Cinnamon Audio Galle II Hi-Res Audio stereo DAC.

Suffice it to say, The Analog Giant lives. No, thrives!  With the best LP's, and with David's meticulous attention to every detail of the chain, the sound has a "rightness" and unrestrained freedom to it, including micro- and macrodynamic shadings, that not even the Galle II can match. But the cost of this analog front end is, of course, also substantially greater (double, or more) than the NT 2.0 / Galle II combination. And while some wax discs prove truly transcendent, for most recordings, the advantages are very, very small.

Part V: We Two Together Make But One
For me alone was Don Quixote born, and I for him; it was his to act, mine to write; we two together make but one." — Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, Part II, Chapter 74

As I constructed this review, I had a series of revelations. The Quixotic comparison was first born of learning that Ricardo dwelled in a windmill, but over time I came first to see Colin King, and then myself, and finally all we audiophiles, as Knights Errant.

We set off on a romantic journey to capture and attempt to recreate the beloved experience of live music in our homes. Chivalrous in this elevated purpose, we encounter the shortcomings of the tools and from time to time must be grounded by the sober reality of what is, and is not, yet possible. But it is the journey and the fusion of the dreamer and the realist in us all that really matters most because both are necessary to achieve our goals. 

Cinnamon Audio, Made to Matter by two Portuguese Brothers, who in a world of printed circuit boards and disposable everything, including audio, has given we audiophiles a rare gift in the form of a musical time machine intended to be enjoyed by all of your senses and for many years to come. Simply stated, their products make you want to listen to music. I can think of no higher praise for an audio product. If you are among We Knights seeking the highest levels of musical truth in digital reproduction, you are welcome at their castle (uh-hum, windmill). And while the price of admission is not modest, in the broader context of DAC's of this caliber, it might be seen as a relative bargain.

And oh, I almost forgot to mention, after hearing the Cinnamon Audio Galle II, David bought one. He found it allowed him to "truly consistently enjoy digital sound reproduction and streaming without fatigue for the first time". If you know David, you know this is as discerning an endorsement as one will ever find. The Galle II is also my new digital reference. The Brothers Canelas may not have slain the analog giants, but they now walk shoulder to shoulder among them.

Associated Equipment
Schue Das Laufwerk II TT
Tru-Glider Arm
Hana Umami Red Cart
VIVA Little Fono phono preamp
Cinnamon Audio Galle I DAC
Lampizator Big 7 SE DAC
NAF Stradivari preamp
NAF 211 SE Stradivari and Supreme 300B SE amps
VTL MB 450 mono amps
VTL Deluxe 140 monos (fully professionally refurbished and fitted with "Brown Base" 805)
Classé CA M600 monos
Coincident Technology 845 Turbo SE
BACCH-SP (no ORC or CC used)
Tchernov Ultimate USB/IC/Speaker cables
Wolf Von Langa Berlin loudspeakers
Leonardo 8 loudspeakers
Sound Lab Ultimate 1 PX loudspeakers (all upgrades/mods)
Sonus Faber Guanieri Homage loudspeakers
Wolf Von Langa Wagyu Subwoofers
Tekton 6-10 Subwoofers
(The Genius of) Bob Carver True Subwoofers
Puritan Line Conditioner
Puritan Grounding System
Acustica Applicata Halifax Helmholtz Resonator Device

Specifications
Type: Dual-mono digital-to-analog converter

Design: Two chassis DAC with separate, outboard power supply, quasi non-oversampling scheme, with conversion accomplished by a dual-mono 27-bit differential resistor ladder (~430 precision resistors with a 0.01% tolerance).

Inputs: USB up to DSD256, PCM 24-bit/384kHz and S/PDIF (RCA) PCM 24-bit/192kHz

Outputs: Unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR

Dimensions: 13.7″ x 13.7″ x 4.7″ (WxDxH)

Weight: 49 lbs.

Price: $32,995 

Manufacturer
Cinnamon Audio, Lda
Rua Casal A de Galinhas, nº 3, Cabeda
2590-503 Sobral de Monte Agraço
Portugal

E-mail: ricardo.canelas@cinnamonaudio.com 
Website: CinnamonAudio.com 

USA Retailer
Gestalt Audio
4305 Utah Ave B
Nashville, TN 37209

Voice: (615) 838-7178
E-mail: colin@gestalt.audio
Website: Gestalt.Audio