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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Hassel, I have compared the Accustic Arts Combo to Esoteric pieces and find the AA to be much more musical then the Esoteric gear. Take a look at my thread, Reference DACS: An overall perspective, for alot of details regarding the sonic differences.

Dev, it sure seems like your having alot of fun! Two questions: 1) Could you share more specific details concerning the sonics of the Oracle transport compared to the AA? 2) Would you share the rest of your system's pieces so I can have a context regarding the transports? Thanks in advance.

Hassel yes I compared 2000/1000, put it this way if the 1000 was the same as the 2000 I would have a 1000 and would have saved allot of money. They are not the same right from the get go, the design is totally different and the 2000 electronics is modded. They sound different, the four fancy posts on the 2000 are a part of the actual suspension system for vibration, the 2000 just floats in the air.

Hassel regarding Esoteric, read Teajay's review, very accurate and I also prefer the "AA".

Tab110s, 2000/1000 are totally different from design and sound. This is not my main system, I am not yet ready but pics will come once I am. I am still awaiting for my Supratek pre to arrive and still dealing with the guy who ripped me off regarding the Sistrum product so I don't even have the Stand for my gear set-up.

Teajay, I really appreciate your reviews although I have not had a chance to demo the the Bent Tap or conditioners you refer to. Your reviews on the "AA" gear and the Stealth product I give you a thumbs up, my findings are the same. You have taken the time to put together great reviews and used the words that I can appreciate to describe so I have borrowed a part of your review but modified and added so I hope you don't mind.

My findings between the "AA" and "Oracle".

1) A dramatic drop in the noise floor so micro-dynamics and fine details just float out of a totally black background.(Oracle just further improves these areas)

2) More extension on both the top and bottom end, with more precise details/speed/slam, but not in an "etched" or overly dramatic "HIFI" way.(Oracle just further improves these areas again)

3) About a 20 percent increase of the sound stage with more air and space between the individual players on the sound stage.

I can't say what the percent is but from the first piece of music that I listened to the music just flows and breaths completely without any effort or signs of artificiality, it's scary real leaving goose bumps. Every person who has heard the system is left in awe.

All I can say is if you are a "AA" Dac MK4 owner you need to get a Oracle 2000 to demo and find out for your self, you will be impressed.

My current set-up;

Oracle 2000 transport
Accustic Arts Dac MK4
Stealth Sextet AES Digital cable between the two
Stealth latest and greatest Indra (XLR Stealth connectors)from dac to pre, I have been told that not many people have this interconnect as of yet.
Audio Research Ref3 pre (Supratek Sauv. pre on order)
Virtual Dynamic Rev 2.0 from pre to amps, XLR connection.
McIntosh 501's
Eggleston Andra 2's
Sistrum SP1 platforms underneath (Amazing what they do)
Virtual Dynamic Genesis 6 ft bi-wire speaker cables
Shunyata Python, VD power cords
Richard Gray conditioner
BPT conditioner
5 designated electrical lines

When I put in the Stealth Indra brand new in my system, say good by to my VD cable.
I am now planning on getting another Indra to see if it further improves over the VD still in my system. In many conversations my understanding is from the pre to amp is not as critical as from say the source(dac)to pre. I just have to get one to find out for my self.

I would also like to get the Dream speaker cables and power cords, regarding the power cords I have been told that you need your complete system done to fully benefit from the grounding design. You can go to Stealth's web site to get further info. regarding this. I have to say that I am really impressed with Stealth product just make sure to get Stealth's connectors and not the cheaper ones.


Tab110s, I am a bit confused because after I sent my thread I then clicked onto your system and you have listed the Oracle 2000 as a piece but looking at the pic it is sitting on a Altis dac but the dac is then sitting on a box and not in the GPA Monaco equipment stand that you also have listed. So I then clicked onto the Ars amp it says "Don't have one... yet" and the Merlin speakers it says "Not my actual pair."

Kindly clarify
The CD puck provided in the Acustic Art Drive is a bit too small for stabilizing the CD. I now put a Boston Audio CD Stabilizer in between the puck and the CD before playing and the results are astonishing...
a) More silence, hence more details
b) More slam and extension
c) Bigger soundstage and more airy

The description of this CD puck is found here
http://www.boston-audio.com/cd.htm