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Stock Voyager GaN amp (350/600) Contrasted with my EVS1200 (600/1200)

The Voyager (V) I received is well broken in, and as the title says, it is stock. An upgraded version will come later.


I let the V warm up for ~ 24 hours while I listened to my beloved EVS 1200 (~$2300) playing a wide variety of Redbook CDs; The Judds, Chris Issak Heart Shaped World, Leonard Cohen remastered collection, Willie Nelson Across the Borderline, the Eagles Hell Freezes Over, and Jennifer Nettles Playing with Fire (love the music, but the mastering has a few ear bleed cuts- or does it???). I capped the session off with Roger Waters Amused to Death SACD, a huge, occasionally very dynamic, and intentionally phasey recording. While I enjoyed the hell out this listening session, but afixed in my mind was reading others reporting on their not fully broken in V amps frequently mentioning detail/clarity, the music via the EVS 1200 wasn't as focused as I felt it should, but have accepted for 2 years, as it easily outperformed my PS Audio M700s (MSRP $4000), FYI, their M1200s are based on the same IceEdge AS1200 modules as my EVS 1200, but untouched. They simply added their own tube input stage (MSRP $7000), and Audio Alchemys DPA-1 ($2000), wish I could have tried the monos ($4000), but...


Could  the lack of focus be elsewhere, like the Wire World Electra 7 Power Conditioning cord ($240), connected to my Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5, which is IMO, my weakest PC, all the others are $700+, or my $150 Pangea XL coax cable? How would the V stack up?  Im thinking it can't be THAT much better, and what about the huge power disparity in my ~ 26 x 38 X 12 lively room with lots of glass and open beam ceilings, which adds up to brightness?


I connected the V, but didn't want to start with any of the same discs, just in case the V needed to see some signal before being ready for the comparison, so I chose Getz/Gilberto Jobim and Astrud Gilberto SACD as a nice way to ease into the Voyager. I haven't listened to this disc in months, so no recent memory to taint hearing it now. Did I say 'ease'. Silly me.


I'll cut to the chase hear/here, from the first note, it was obvious that this is a special amp, but at $3500 MSRP? OMG: What a steal!!! The focus reminds me of how much sharper and with greater depth of field pictures taken with Leica camera lens are, compared to all other cameras and lenses. GaNs magic is the equivalent of Tesla EV motor speed- immediate: The V grabbed me from the first note.


More  to come after I go through the Redbook CDs that I started with, but I already know it's a moot point. And wilder, still, LSA has already made a few tweaks, like the internal wiring for an additional $175.


Ric Schultz was right when he said expensive amps will be boat anchors
tweak1
cascadesphil
232 posts
 
Anyway - this is to follow-up a bit more.  Got too much to do to get to a video (I'm so far behind on listening to music I bought and I bought two more downloads today and won't get to them for a bit as I have a USB cable on the way as part of a tour and I'll just have a week with that) and it's not quite Halloween so we wouldn't want to scare that many people.  The modded Voyager is clearly better vs. the EVS 1200.  The only thing I would have done if I had the mod done is leave the switch in and that's just my personal situation with having an integrated AV system.  The Voyage has better soundstaging, tonality, bass, etc. On some of the recordings I heard things that were less present on the EVS.

The playlist used (we later listened to other things one the Voyager) was as follows (PCM recording were all in FLAC and anyone is free to look up the reccording chain to their satisfaction - one of the cuts was from one of my favorite record labels - Sound Liasons - https://www.soundliaison.com/index.php  and the cut used can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf_S2l3Y_lM).

1)     Private Investigations – Dire Straits 24/44.1

2)     Liberty – Anette Askvik 24/48

3)     I Remember You – Eilen Jewell 16/44.1

4)     Fistful of Swoon – Vandaveer 16/44.1

5)     Dance Me to the End of Time – Madeliene Peryoux 16/44.1

6)     A Fool for You – Carmen Gomes Inc. 24/352

7)     Tin Pan Alley – Stevie Ray Vaughan single rate dsf

8)     Eleanor McEvoy – Mercy Mercy Me single rate dsf

9)     A Case of You – Cristina Branco 16/44.1

10)   Shostakovich Symph 10 In E Min, Op.93 : 3. Allegretto – Nelsons Boston SO 24/96

11)   Libertango – Michel Camilo & Tomatito 16/44.1


The first two were used on Jay's comparisons and to get a bit of a frame of reference vs. his descriptions of the difference between the Rouge audio amp and his mystery 200W Class A monoblocks.  The next two involved artists I've seen live in my favorite small club (which is now out of business - https://www.arlnow.com/2017/09/08/breaking-iota-club-closing-this-month/).  I've listened to those cuts many times (as with most of the rest of them) and can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqu9MSfBPN8   and here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lby_GXOrNLU    since many probably have not heard those).  Tin Pan Alley is of course live.

On the Vanadeer cut for example, there was greater definition in the soundstage where the singers were standing (vs. what I heard before).  All in all it's a keeper for me and some of the more traditional (but now the ultra high end as in Jay's system) high end brands which cost more money are in for great competition for those interested in doing the comparison (vs. a brag factor that what they have costs more).
tweak1 OP
3,736 posts
 
Very cool review. Eventually I will get a modded V, but Im very happy with the stock one, especially once I lifted the chassis off the rubber feet with Nobsound springs and took the top off. It would still likely benefit from some damping material. Also, I would like to hear the stock V with the 2.8s as I am quite familiar with it


2.8s: Slight delay (I hope) to finally getting the 2.8s: quite possibly next week. For those who may not know, they are still at CDC warehouse in Miami after the truck they were shipped in was found to have BARRELS OF toxic illegal drug chemicals (the truck driver is doing time). This was just before the lock downs and January 6th, which had the CDC guy in charge quite busy
viber6
2,454 posts
 
cascadesphil,
How about midrange and HF clarity, speed, transparency from the modded Voyager vs EVS 1200 (approximately a modded Rouge Studio N10-DM)?

I am in touch with Rouge.  The Pascal modules are claimed to be superior to IceEdge for clarity/neutrality.  My Mytek Brooklyn Amp original version uses modified lower power Pascal modules.  The Mytek is a sharper, leaner sound than the Studio IceEdge Rouge, which is still neutral but fuller in bass with full dynamics, as Jay had found.  The upcoming Pascal MPRO2 module is stable to 2 ohms.  The available MPRO2 has the highest clarity with analytical quality, but it is designed for speakers with minimum load of 4 ohms.
cascadesphil
232 posts
 
All those things are better on the modded Voyager.  It is just in another league.  My friend thought I was crazy when I told him I'm buying it as my system sounded so good.  Keeping the EVS though.  Now in a secondary system.  At some point (waiting on roofing issues), the main system will be apart for a bit until painting gets done and I'll be using the secondary system as my main audio system for a bit.

I don't know how the Rouge sounds (or what they use for everything internally).  All I can say is I had a Mivera SE, (with the one half inch thick front and rear panels which were not made throughout the run of SE amps and he stopped making those) and everything possible upgraded, including two Synergistic Research Blue fuses (I added later) and the EVS was in a totally different league.  Others heard it as well over my place.  The (modded) Voyager is yet in another league.

I broke the EVS in using a secondary system (and for a drop before I got the EVS I tried the Mivera in there and the Mivera was in that system for well over a year and I sold the Mivera a bit over a month ago) and the Mivera which imaged nicely, sounded flat vs. the EVS.  So while I haven't heard the Rouge, which obviously did well in Jay's comparison (was it something like 43% thought it was better?  And yes I understand the internet can't capture what is in the room), I'd think the EVS would have done better as besides upgrades to the internals, the modules themselves were modded (by the mad professor).  There are others that Ric sold the amp to and compared it to the stock Mivera (I believe one of Ric's customers had a couple of Mivera amps and used them in mono to compare the to EVS).

Yyz, who sold me the modded Voyager informed me  he offered it to Jay and I'm not sure how much time elapsed, but when I bought it I don't believe Jay got back to him.  It was also noted in Jay's thread (by ricevs on October 7)  " What would be really cool is if Phil would bring over his EVS1200 and the modded Voyager he is about to receive to Jay’s place and they could do a four way shoot out with the stock Rouge and the Block Monos (make sure you use good footers under the class D amps....not the stock feet). You could do this in a few hours and then make a video where you both comment on the differences.....none of this silly 3 minute song A/Bs of unknown amps please. Just tell us what you hear. We trust you. You could then play a minute or two of the best of the three versus the Block....for reference. This would be very informational for many."  I also noted on that day (in Jay's thread) " So as far as any shootouts that Jay wants to do, that is up to Jay."  I'd guess I'm under 3 hours from Jay (and noted that)

So I guess we'll really never know the answer.  I appreciated what Jay did.  What it showed to me is that the Rouge performed very well and how much additional money got things to another level.  Jay also noted that everything before the amps contributed to the sound and it is the same in my place.  I use a Lumin U1 music server and an EMM Labs DAC 2X (version 2) along with a Modwright LS36.5DM.  I currently have the EVS in a system with a Sherbourn Pre-1 and a Teac UD-503 DAC.  Those just aren't in the same league as what is in the main system.
viber6
2,454 posts
 
Thanks.
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