Jungson 88D vs Dk Design MKII

From what you describe, it looks like a step back in my opinion. I can't imagine preferring the Jungson, unless you omitted some important details from your description.

Oz

Nice comparison Mark.

Hold down the "mode" button on the amp or remote. When the volume display begins to flash you can then rapidly change the volume.

It will default back to the slow setting after a short time.

BW Maxx

Ozzy, perhaps you are correct. Again, preference, taste, options, flexibility and perceived value are some of what makes this such an interesting hobby. Again, insisting on what is "better" doesn't really apply because what I like and what you like aren't necessarily the same thing. I also believe most components suffer at least one compromise when compared with other components. There is usually some trade-off or another when choosing one product vs. another. Cost vs. perceived benefit, power vs. refinement, big vs. small, high maintenance vs. low maintenance, good resale value vs. poor resale value, etc. The Jungson can be had for half the price of the DK and is a lot prettier to look at. It has a lush quality, a musical quality the DK does not. The upper end is better detailed too, which is important to me because of a slight upper frequency hearing loss I suffer from. Yes, I gave up some soundstaging and I am a tube lover, so I gave up some holography in terms of imaging. And though the bass of the DK is perhaps firmer and more controlled, the bass of the Jungson has a musical quality the DK does not. I may never get used to "knowing that the speakers are in the room", but I don't listen as much as I used to, so it is not as much of an issue for me. I am more of a casual listener now than before, so the differences are not as important. I can now buy $1000 worth of music and not have that cash locked up in equipment. I think they are both great products and both a lot of fun to listen to! What is really interesting to me is that these Chinese made products are very very good at a tremendous savings, really great sounding stuff at very affordable prices. I hear some of the speakers coming from China are truly excellent at modest prices. Check out the speakers on Sanctuary of Sound's site. Thanks Maxx for the tip on the volume control, nice to know!

I have to agree with Markmendenhall. Although I don't own the DK, I just purchased the 88D LE and have listened to it for 2 days now. I did have a chance to listen to the DK at the 2005 HE Show in NY. I was really impressed with the sound of the DK with NOS Mullards at the Show. It imaged and soundstaged like no tomorrow and was dynamic as hell driving the VS VR4jrs, but I did find some irritating quality to the high frequency (grit for lack of better word) that started to bother me a little after half hour of listening. I have heard this before and in the long run I can't live with this. The Jungson on the other hand has none of this grit. The highs are extremely detailed and smooth at the same time. The imaging, I find, is holographic although rarely I do hear what Mark refers to as sound comming from the speaker. But these are only initial observations and must be taken with a grain of salt as my Jungson has only about 20 hours on them with a new cheap Sony 595 SACD as the digital source for now. I still hear some fog to the sound which I attribute to new out-of-the-box sound without significant break in.

Maxx I posted a question for you on my original Jungson 88D thread. Please take a look.

In my system I don't hear the music from the speakers much either. Fact is that was one of the big improvements going from a CA500 to the Jungson. Sort of like changing from a 2 barrel Carburator to a Holly, just allowed the speakers to breath.

Still I don't doubt what Mark is hearing. Like he said in both of his excellent posts. There is no best and which will work better, is dependent on listener preferences and what system the amp will be placed in.

Drac question answered in other thread.

BW Maxx