I, too, was at the Audio Unlimited demo in Denver (I live here) and have counted AU's owner John Barnes as a personal friend for a number of years--so there's no holds barred between us when it comes to audio. I heard the new Accuphase DP-75v 24/196 player (reviewed by S'Phile's J-10) at length in Barnes' reference system: Avalon Eidolons, Accuphase A-50 amps, 290 preamp, Accuphase power conditioner and assorted cables and ICs in his largest dedicated and acoustic-treated listening room. I will say the 75v is spectacular and far above any other RED Book player I've auditioned, including Wadia, Levinson and Krell, among others. The weekend of the audition in question, Art Manzano of Axiss, distributor of Accuphase, brought in the new 100-101 SACD, CD, DVD transport-dac combo for demo. The pair were new and running with minimal breakin, as was the Tara cable and associated wire. I told John later that I felt as Keis and a number of others did--I heard things I liked, but I felt there wasn't enough there to drive me to SACD Nirvana and I felt the lack of break-in time contributed to a less tha top-drawer experience, as it should have been. As an owner of Accuphase equipment (after lengthy auditions of other "name" gear over the years), I can attest (with the usual owner bias) to the incredibly musical presentation associated with that make. Our speakers are Avalon Arcus cabled with SYMO; ICs and PCs are NBS. Quite stunning and most listenable in a non-dedicated living room of 16'x16'-8"x8'--hardly the classic Golden Dimensions for "the serious audiophile" as laid forth by George Cardas and others. That said, my wife (a serious listener and component critic) and I spent more than an hour after most had left Barnes' listening to and through the 100-101 and the 75v. SACDs recorded specifcally for the format were heads and shoulders above anything else, including 24/196, but only if they were SACD direct--they weren't 16-, 20- or 24-bit masters remastered once again for SACD. This is critical, IMO: the SACDs out there NOT freshly done, but reengineered precanned stuff done earlier and maybe more than a few times. Take a look at what's available; it speaks for itself. In the final analysis, I believe the format is valid, but I'd sooner buy the 75v, which immediately upgrades every Red Book CD I've heard into another audio realm, and add an SACD transport later (expensive), or preferably, wait until Accuphase comes out with an SACD, CD one-box player (they're working on it). With all due respect, I'm not buying any SACD gear that needs to be modded to upgrade the sound--I've done that and find it no longer worthwhile. I'll save for better gear and to see what's happening with software. Remember guys, most of our CDs, let alone vinyl, ain't gonna be available in SACD or DVD-A. In the meantime, our system gives us many exceptionally enjoyable hours of music. And I can live with that, especailly when I'm not payong $25 a pop for a disc. Enjoy the music!
SACD Demo
Went to Denver two weeks ago to hear an Accuphase demo system playing SACDs. I went wanting/expecting to be impressed. Etalon speakers, sound treated room, top end Accuphase amp, pre and SACD players. Lots of fellow audiophiles sitting around going owww ya. After moving from chair to chair and keeping my mouth shut and ears open for 30 minutes I said out loud the sound was indistict, bloted, and lacking highend detail. All of a sudden several of the other listeners declared they too had reservations. Actually I still don't believe what I heard. It's tough listening in an alien room through an entire system that your not familiar with so I will try again sometime at a different store/room etc. What concerns me is the number of golden ears that were ready to accept what I was hearing as the best they had ever heard. I have a system that most of you would rank as good but not great Sonic Frontiers SFD2M2/Line3/Krell KSA200s/Thiel 3.6s, and it was clearly better then what I heard. I really want the new technology to be better, I'm ready to buy but demo's can really dance on your head.
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- 10 posts total
- 10 posts total