Difference between La Scala and Verdi Encore ?

Hi Sean,

The main difference is the transport. Verdi Encore uses a Philips transport (it's important to note that this generation of Philips SACD transport is later than the one that caused all the drama for Musical Fidelity, Krell and others).

I believe the LaScala used a Sony, which obviously was from an earlier generation of SACD transports.

The Verdi Encore also has digital inputs so you can upsample an external source and output as DSD. These inputs weren't supported by the initial Encore software release (ie they were there but didn't function).

I haven't followed up whether the later software has activated these inputs as I don't have an interest in external sources.

If this is important to you I'm sure dCS will clarify.

In all matters dCS my advice is to go for the later model.

The LaScalas are getting long in the tooth, so your chances of a transport failure are higher and the availablity of spares is probably worse.

gtfour45 thankyou for the answers. DCS follow up and customer service is an "on your own" situation.

Hi Sean,

I had a hunt around and was able to find the dCS documentation for the Verdi Encore software release v1.10 (Aug 2006).

The digital inputs are activated in that release.

To quote the doc: "A source menu page has been added to give access to the AES and RCA digital inputs. These will accept data up to 24 bits at 32, 44.1 or 48 kS/s, convert it to DSD and output the data on the 1394 interface."

("kS/s" is kiloSamples per second.)

So if that feature is important to you check the software version loaded (turn the Encore on and scroll through the menus).