Yesterday we had a day at a friends comparing the title to this thread.
System consisted of:
- Speakers — Wilson Alexia series 2
- Amplifier — Gryphon Audio Antileon EVO
- Preamplifier — Supratek Cortese or Lightspeed Attenuator LDR passive or source direct (we used the Supratek for instant a/b ability)
- Sources — Digital: 432Evo Music Server Roon Core (owner has found Roon to be the best)
- Yamaha CD-S2100 as transport,
- Totaldac d1-core DAC.
We A/B both (levels matched) CD to 432Evo (streamed, saved and/or to H/D) with a number of albums same versions, classical, jazz, soft rock, hard rock.
The overwhelming consensus of all 5 listeners (some that "were" originally very pro streaming) was that the CD was firstly clearly more dynamic, had better separation and was blacker background between notes and it was also clearer through the vocals that were hard to hear what was being said, than what came out of the 432Evo.
This is the third time I’ve sat in on this kind of A/B on different systems all were similar on how the differences came out.
I can say the streamer would be a slightly better late night low volume level system to play, as it’s dynamics wouldn’t wake other people in the same building. Where the CD you’d be running for the volume every time there was a big dynamic passage.
Cheers George
