"it was striking how the Ulysses' provided a window on what was happening upstream. The invidual characteristics of the amplifiers were easy to discern".
Jazdoc: I couldn't agree more. In the past six months I've upgraded my preamp (from an Audio Research SP16 to an LS26) and my amp (from an Audio Research 150.2 to an SD135) and in each instances my DA-1.1's told me EXACTLY what was going on. In a way, the Daedalus speakers manage to square the circle by being both "ruthlessly revealing" and "utterly non-fatiguing". A lot of speakers that provide such a clear window on upstream changes can be unlistenable on a day to day basis. They may be a good "reviewers tool" but not not necessarily something you want around for the pure enjoyment of music. My DA-1.1's are now a year old and I continue to be impressed by their ability to raise their level of performance as you put higher quality components in front of them. It's like getting an extra $50 for every $100 invested in the signal chain. Fabulous speakers and it's great to see others joining in the fun.
Jazdoc: I couldn't agree more. In the past six months I've upgraded my preamp (from an Audio Research SP16 to an LS26) and my amp (from an Audio Research 150.2 to an SD135) and in each instances my DA-1.1's told me EXACTLY what was going on. In a way, the Daedalus speakers manage to square the circle by being both "ruthlessly revealing" and "utterly non-fatiguing". A lot of speakers that provide such a clear window on upstream changes can be unlistenable on a day to day basis. They may be a good "reviewers tool" but not not necessarily something you want around for the pure enjoyment of music. My DA-1.1's are now a year old and I continue to be impressed by their ability to raise their level of performance as you put higher quality components in front of them. It's like getting an extra $50 for every $100 invested in the signal chain. Fabulous speakers and it's great to see others joining in the fun.