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Accustic Arts

Does anybody have any experience with the new Drive 1-MK2 and the DAC 1-MK4? Your opinions please.

Thanks
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dev's avatar
dev
832 posts
 

Tbg, I was not personally attacking you but the fact making a true statement of my experience with H-CAT. so your sarcasm has no merits.

You seem to be so deffensive and sensitive when talking about H-CAT so there must be more to it than you are letting on.

Anyways enjoy, this thread is suppose to be for "AA" not H-CAT.
teajay
1,721 posts
 
Dev, there's no doubt that the Dac1-MK4 was a vast improvement over the MK3. When I got the MK4 I was still using a reference transport from Ensemble, that's still a great piece, however when I auditioned the AA Drive1-MK2 every thing got better(transparency, details, soundstage, extension) but in small increments compared with the Ensemble. So, you might have to let the transport break-in awhile to see if there are significant sonic gains compared with your ARC player used as a transport to make the change.

Also, I don't know what digital cable you are using, but regardless what transport you decide on, I highly recommend you listen to a Stealth Sextet cable. I tried a bunch of highly regarded cables and nothing came close to the Sextet when it came to allowing the Acoustic Arts combo sing to total sonic abilities.

Finally, I use the Ensemble Duo Isolink digital transformer with the the AA combo and it improves all sonic factors by around another 10% to 20% in my system. The rest of my system downstream goes through the Running Springs Jaco power conditioner.
jeffreybowman2k
216 posts
 
This thread seems to be begging to be hijacked ...

Tbg: I recently purchased a Wavelength Cosecant USB DAC. I reached the conclusion, as many around here have, that it no longer makes sense to continue investing in CDPs or CD transports given the decline in this media. I experimented a bit before i settled on this b/c i didn't want to take a step back just for the convenience of a HDD front end. I am happy to report that I blown away by the Cosecant -- and that is even before i convert from a PC to a Mac. It is every bit as resolving as my AA Drive and DAC and, in some respects, it may be more so. Add to that the convenience of having all of my digital music at myfingertips, and i find the Cosecant nothing short of revolutionary.

Dev: Some free, unsolicited advice: if you are going to start a thread, you likely will get better results if you do not harass those who offer you a response. We're not responding to you under oath pursuant to a subpoena; we're voluntarily offering an opinion that you can either take or leave. Questioning the motives of those who do you the favor of responding to your thread is not productive.
dev's avatar
dev
832 posts
 

Teajay thanks you for the info. I am using Stealth Sextet digital, my favourite. You are correct I do need to give the Drive time to break-in I have just been spoiled by the Dac. Regarding the conditioners you are using thanks for clarifying.

Jeffreybowman2k, firstly I did not start this thread as you have stated, secondly I was not trying to harass anyone so you are obviously very confused and need to review before you make such a allegations.

I love opinions of others but you need to get your facts straight.

Enjoy I am.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I got my AA Dac Mk IV and Drive 1 MkII today. After four hours it is sounding much better than at first. I expect it will be several days before I can make any real conclusions. It is very quiet and has very nice extension at both ends, but the soundstage is what most pleases me. I have the Drive 1 on the Halcyonic active isolation base and the Dac on an Acapella base. I ultimately will try the Dac on the Halcyonics and the Drive on top of it. Not having a drawer transport makes the use of the Walker Talisman more difficult.
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