OB- The owner's manual is referring to the fact that the amp is ALWAYS drawing a small amount of electricity and maintaining a "charge". After depressing the "POWER NOSE", which takes it out of standby (this is NOT a power switch that disconnects it from the mains), the amp will reach 95% of its potential after five minutes of actual playing time. The amp could be left on all the time and require no five minute warm up, but that would be a waste of electricity.
I read it as Mike referring to the improvement over other amps he has heard in his system (or other systems) and hence the differences the Dart combo brings. Certainly you wouldn't say you have the "same emotional involvement" in your system as when you had the Ref 2 and 600s versus the Ref 3 and 2.1 would you? Or the X-1 versus the X-2s?
Also- what if Jeff Fritz had written a review of the Wilson X-2s or EMM DAC 6/CDSD and it was basically the same "tone" as the Dart review- honest, good reporting of what he heard, but felt these components were not competitive at their given price range. Fair enough?
But how would you feel about those same reviews if you found out Jeff never adjusted the X2 upper modules for his listening position or ran an RCA digital cable between the Meitner pieces and never used the fiber optic connections? Still an honest review, but not totally accurate and representative of the products full potential. *IF* Jeff never removed the DC compensation on the Dart or allowed proper break-in, then he never heard the amp at its full potential and made his comparisons against other amps slightly compromised.
From the Dart manual:
"The third jumper, labeled DC Offset COMP, is the most important since it does affect the sound of the amplifier"
"In doing so, you will fully benefit from the very philisophy of the NHB-108 model one, which is to refuse any compensation or global negative feedback which could impair the sound."
I read it as Mike referring to the improvement over other amps he has heard in his system (or other systems) and hence the differences the Dart combo brings. Certainly you wouldn't say you have the "same emotional involvement" in your system as when you had the Ref 2 and 600s versus the Ref 3 and 2.1 would you? Or the X-1 versus the X-2s?
Also- what if Jeff Fritz had written a review of the Wilson X-2s or EMM DAC 6/CDSD and it was basically the same "tone" as the Dart review- honest, good reporting of what he heard, but felt these components were not competitive at their given price range. Fair enough?
But how would you feel about those same reviews if you found out Jeff never adjusted the X2 upper modules for his listening position or ran an RCA digital cable between the Meitner pieces and never used the fiber optic connections? Still an honest review, but not totally accurate and representative of the products full potential. *IF* Jeff never removed the DC compensation on the Dart or allowed proper break-in, then he never heard the amp at its full potential and made his comparisons against other amps slightly compromised.
From the Dart manual:
"The third jumper, labeled DC Offset COMP, is the most important since it does affect the sound of the amplifier"
"In doing so, you will fully benefit from the very philisophy of the NHB-108 model one, which is to refuse any compensation or global negative feedback which could impair the sound."