2. digital
  3. 149034-118117

If you still spin CDs, this may be the cost no object best option.

On 25th, May, I went to Yongsan Electronic Land, Seoul, Korea.

With this combination, it sounds effortless, very detailed with clear focus, deep and wide soundstage.

It is one of the best high end sound that I had ever heard.


The front end was Metronome Kalista Reference 30 year anniversary model.

Ypsilon Aellus monoblocks and PST100 pre amplfiers was used to drive 150K$ Avalon Saga speakers.

http://www.avalonacoustics.com/models_saga.html

The specification of Saga is

Driver Complement:
1" Concave Carbon/Glass Neodymium Tweeter
7" Concave radial magnetic Ceramic Midrange
(2) 13" Nomex Kevlar Generation II Composite Woofers
All drivers utilize proprietary neodymium magnetic technologies.

Sensitivity:
92 dB

Impedance:
4 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum)

Frequency Response:
20Hz to 45kHz

Recommended Amplifier Power:
25 to 500 watts

Wiring Methods:
Dual binding post

Dimensions:
68" high (178 cm)
14.5" wide (37 cm)
17" deep (43 cm)

Weight:
260 pounds each (118 kg each)



 

Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac with two separate power supplies look grand.

https://www.hifiplus.com/articles/kalista-dreamplay-cd-transport-and-dac/

This 30 year Anniversary Reference  Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac is not cheap with price tag of 100K$.

But it seems to match the sound of MSB Select II with transport.

I am getting strong temptation to snatch this beauty.

I have to check my bank balance after going back to my home in US.



This is my first encounter with Ypsilon amplifiers and I am also deeply impressed with the quality of its sound and relatively affordable price.

PST100 pre amplifier has both active and passive mode.

Passive give more transparent sound while sacrificing little bit of dynamics.



Yongsan Electronic Land used to house more than 200 high end audio shops about 15 years ago, while it had dwindled to around 100 shops now.

But it is still one of the best place to audition high end audio and vintage audio.

As I go through the top digital systems in Korea, it is getting more difficult to choose one to replace my 10 years old EMMLab Dac2( new price was 9k$).
128x128shkong78
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shkong78 OP
1,482 posts
 
I had listened to "The Trinity Session" by Cowboy Junkies for more than 50 times since 1990.

On 1990, my system consisted of Apogee Duetta Signature, Krell KSA 150, Passive Attenuator, California Audio Lab CD player.

This albums sounded spooky with transparent background on 1990.

Today, I played this album again with Lansche4.1, Line Magnetic 508 SET int amp, Chord Dave and M scaler with upsampling to 768 KHz.

It sounds as transparent as back on 1990, but with more details, wider and deeper soundstage.


I am happy with Chord Dave and M scaler after 20 hours of listening.

It may sound hot or analytical in bright system.

But with 4 separate isolation transformers, SET amplifier and plasma tweeter,, Chord Dave and M scaler sounds perfect not being too analytical.


I had auditioned MSB Select II, Premier, Discrete, Total Dac 6, Chord Dave and M scaler, Lampiziator Pacific, Metronome Kalista, Trinity, Aqua Formula XHD during last 6 months in the shops (not my home).


My guess is that In my system, only MSB Select II will sound significantly better than Chord Dave and M scaler in organic details, soundstage width and depth.

Trinity, Lampiziator Pacific, Metronome Kalista could be slightly better than Chord Dave and M scaler in my system but not worth upgrade from Chord Dave and M scaler.

Chord Dave without upsampling sounds just ordinary.

But with upsampler, its soundstage width, depth and transparency, details are extraordinary.


I think I can live happily with Chord Dave and M scaler for next 3 years or more.


If some innovative Dac with reasonable price of under 50K$ come out and crush all existing products in the future, then I will upgrade to it.


Thomas
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shkong78 OP
1,482 posts
 
Some hot discussion is going on my thread in WBF.

www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/if-you-still-spin-cds-this-may-be-the-best-option.28108/page-6

My final response is as follows.

It is known that tube amplifier tend to show higher distortion No. but with benign second harmonics.

SET tend to have less crossover distortion due to class A operation.

But important thing is how it sounds with your speaker.

I am happy with my current combination.

In Korea, most shops use SS amplifiers for auditioning product.

The reason is to reduce warmup time and heat in small soace.


I like the sound from Lampi Pacific coupled with SS amp.

But I get the feeling that it could be too full with tube amp.

Audio is personal choice.

I prefer transparent soundstage with lot of details but not lean or analytical.

With combination of Lansce 4.1, Line Magnetic 508 SET, Chord Dave and Mscaler, I am happy to get the sound that I want.

Please also note that I am using Spiritual Audio power conditioner and 5 separate isolation transformer for each components and LI battery pack for Mscaler.

With wrong combination, Chord Dave and Mscaler could sound analytical and lean.

My 9 years old EMMLab Dac2 is no slouch in details, dynamics, wide and deep soundstage.

But Chord Dave and Mscaler is better in more details and transparent and deeper soundstage.

Thus I am happy with this combination.

I am playing with several digital cables that I have.

R2R Dac s are very popular with organic sound.

But some of them has shortage of bass slamm (not MSB Select II and Pacific).

Chord Dave and Mscaler, could give excellent result with proper system matching.

If I could stretch my budget to 100k$, then I would have wandered between MSB Select II and Metronome Kalista.

But within budget of 20K, I am happy to get the sound that I want.
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shkong78 OP
1,482 posts
 
I am doing experiment on different combination of digital cables.

Chord Dave and Mscaler and Jay’s CDT2 MK2 combination appears to be sensitive to digital cables,

With some combination of digital cables, it sound too analytical and hot.

It is going to take a week or more to get the best combination.

But I enjoy the sound of Chord Dave and Mscaler combination so far.

It sound very transparent and detailed with 3D soundstage.

Also with Li Battery Pack on Mscaler, it sounds slightly more clean and transparent.

But my big Li Battery Pack (76000ma) lasts around 5 hours to keep 16 V.

Then I need 5 hours to charge fully.

But it is worth the try while it still sound ok with supplied PS connected to isolation transformer.
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shkong78 OP
1,482 posts
 
https://www.ramelectronics.net/BBP.aspx

This is really bang for the price.

This one give warm and round sound with deep and wide soundstage.

While Blackcat Silverstar II is pretty good for the price with lot of details, it tend to show slight hard edge.

Now pair of Ram BNC cables are placed between Dave and Mscaler.

I use Sablon Panetta BNC between Jays CDT2 and Lyngdorf 2170( just room correction only ).

I also use Zenwave D4 digital cable between digital output of Lyngdorf and Chord Mscaler.

This combination give best overall sound to balance details and warmness with super wide and deep soundstage.

I am pretty happy with sound out of Chord Dave, Mscaler, Jays’CDT2 combination.

Top music server like SGM or Innous give very natural sound.

I have not decided yet whether I will go for top music server this year.



Thomas


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shkong78 OP
1,482 posts
 
https://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Tannh%C3%A4user-Bernard-Haitink/dp/B0048P1IOK

Today I listened to all 3 CDs of this wonderful performance.

Lucia Popp is one of my favorite Soprano with clear voice.

I never heard of Klaus Konig before but his performance is also excellent.

The last time that I had attended Tanhauser Opera was back to 1981 (38 years ago).

I started playing this CD to test soundstage performance of Chord Dave and Mscaler.

But I ended up playing all 3 CDs.

Chord Dave and Mscaler is very excellent at giving deep, wide and transparent soundstage.

With Li battery feeding Mscaler, human voice has enough fulless not too bright.

I am happy with Chord Dave and Mscaler.

This one can last 3 years or longer in my system.

By the way, Sablon Panetta BNC digital cable work well with good balance of details, warmth and refinement.


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