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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
231 posts
 
Viber - btw - the link to the Purifi mods (which I suspect would be similar if not identical) and review of them are on the EVS website - http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/Purifi_amp_mods.html   Ric also does mods to IcePower amps, including the Rouge - http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/IceEdge_amp_mods.html   

I believe when I talked to him last (probably about almost a couple of months back), he had done mods to other IcePower amp brands (e.g. Mivera) to essentially do to them what he did with the EVS 1200.

Everyone's priorities are different when it comes to upgrades.  Some may not want to keep an amp or not touch it until the warranty is over.  Others may want to upgrade what they perceive to be more important weak links in their system (or in the case of crazy me - systems) whether those are electronics (e.g. preamp, amp, DAC), cables or other tweaks (e.g. footers, fuses).

Everyone has different priorities and budgets (not everyone is named Jay and can do what he does).  A case in point is my friend who comes over most Thursday nights. We usually listen to music on the main system.  Once in a bit, we'll do a movie or we'll listen to music on a secondary system.  I'll also from time to time go over his place to let him hear something.  I did that with my Mivera SE amp (which I sold about a month and a half back) and he needed a case with shallow depth for his set-up and he ended up with an Apollon IcePower stereo amp like this one -https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/apollon-audio-as1200-review-stereo-power-...    I've also brought over tweaks and things like USB cables I've had in secondary system.  He was blown away last Thursday by the one I have on a tour now (Hapa Audio AerO) which blew away a very nice cable of another brand (which is now in the system with the EVS 1200 going from a small fanless PC to my DAC) and I have one of the cables I auditioned on order.

If I get over to Tweak1's at some point (he is waiting on new speakers), I'm sure there will be additional comments he can offer between the EVS 1200, stock Voyager and modded Voyager.  If he still has the stock one in his possession at that point, I can hear that as well.  The purpose of threads like this (and that's why I posted here vs. the others) is to give feedback on actual hands on experience with details about the music and components in play.  To me it is of no value to listen to someone rant why something is no good based on some theory they believe (and they are free to believe anything) vs. having real experience with a product.


tweak1 OP
3,645 posts
 
I doubt I will have both a stock and moded V, as I suspect the stock one will be sent elsewhere and another delay, which could easily be weeks. While I am most anxious, my EP 3.4s + 2 SVS powered subs ain't exactly meh. Hell, if my room was smaller, the 3.4s by themselves would be killer
cascadesphil
231 posts
 
Just let me know when and if you're ready.  No rush and no biggie.  Just had a job over the weekend cramming the components into the back-up system.  The EVS 1200 in that system had to sit in front of the entertainment unit and the little PC running JRiver behind the monitor/TV. All up and running and sounding really nice, although not in the same league as the main system.  Now I have a couple of more systems to adjust (hook up and move stuff) where all the shifting of stuff around.  Then I'm done for a bit (after the new USB cable gets here in a week or so).  The room where the EVS now sits is not big (about 11x13 and not rectangular - the doorway at the front and closet in the back are at angles) and the power is lots more than necessary.  Using Selah Audio SA2s (7 inch Seas woofer and Fountek ribbon tweeter) hooked to a Rel Strata III sub.
viber6
2,448 posts
 
Cascadesphil,
I just messaged tweak1, and I hope you get together and A/B the stock Voyager with your modded Voyager in each other's systems.  There are many variables you discussed, so if you guys can keep it simple and constant, you can figure out what the mods do, pro and con.
cascadesphil
231 posts
 
" I just messaged tweak1, and I hope you get together and A/B the stock Voyager with your modded Voyager in each other's systems.  There are many variables you discussed, so if you guys can keep it simple and constant, you can figure out what the mods do, pro and con."

As Tweak1 noted, he doubts he will have the stock Voyager but has heard the EVS vs. the stock Voyager and it should be a good frame of reference whenever he's ready (it's probably a bit over 2.5 hrs. south of me).  He's welcome to come to my place at anytime.  I'd imagine my new USB cable (leaving one off since it is a pain to do) will be here about a week from today.
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