ack's system - end of round 1

ayreman said:

Ron, first of all, I'm not done modding my Stentors yet. The photos you saw is work in progress. A lot more is coming next spring...
Secondly, wouldn't it be wrong to post about my mods in ack's thread? I mean... that would be violation of the forum's rules, wouldn't it?

So, what I suggest is when all of the mods to my pair of Stentor III are completed, I'll create my own thread about it, posting all the details. What do you think? Feel free to PM me on this.

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Yes! I agree completely. I apologize ack!

In Vivaldi threads I've been saying Transparent sucks...and have been ridiculed for it. Even when they work, they sound like crap....

ack said:

Not a problem Ron. But I also need to vent now... the Vivaldi was supplied with the Transparent Reference XL digital cable, which everyone raves about; the Vivaldi has lost the signal a number of times, and I assume its PLL is very tight. I finally switched my MIT onto it. Then I moved the Transparent to my Alpha which I know for a fact has a very tight PLL, and it also lost the signal and much faster than the Vivaldi - and lost it permanently. The XL appears to be in mint condition. Ugh! What unbelievable junk Transparent products are - and, yes I am probably in violation of forum rules. Who the h* builds products like these... well, the same people who claim that their power conditioners "the OPI has a non-magnetic, epoxy-loaded, fully damped carbon-fiber enclosure which blocks vibrations and allows electromagnetic fields to fully expand. The OPI center of gravity is also low and wide, which further ensures that any excess energy broadly dissipates away from the filter circuitry." Such unbelievable crapola.

The Alpha run is now wired with a spare Canare, which, surprise surprise, works! What a concept! I'll have comments on the Alpha vs the Vivaldi this weekend.

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Wow. That's rough, loss of signal? I guess my humble MIT Proline cable must not be so bad after all, I never lost signal with that one on the Alpha DAC. Also never had a problem with a Nordost cable that I had on loan while the MIT was in repair.

Makes you think about how some famed devices are actually faulty, and have problems just like this with the wrong cables. They're famed for sounding different, but really they're just so noisy and bad they barely work.

great post, great reading...looking forward to reading more about your adventures with the Spectral when that day comes! Big fan of RBCD here, and enjoyed reading from someone with such experience and the ability to compare various sources. Thanks for taking the time.

ack said:

Al M was kind enough to visit again today to listen to my analog, and given the opportunity, to the Vivaldi - he hoped - as well, as he's expressed interest in the Rossini in the past.

But first, analog... we were able to confirm a number of things:

1) Modified Alpha vs Analog: this modified Alpha sounds exceptionally clean and analog-like to both of us. We agreed that, with recordings at their best, they are both truly exceptional sources, with a very high degree of timbral and dynamic accuracy. I had not listened to my analog rig literally for a couple of months post the Alpha mods, as I was so immersed into the music from the DAC, and continue to be. So I had used a single LP - the Janaki Trio's Debut - to gauge the differences, and clearly that was a mistake. We compared the LP to the HDCD, and it was so clearly evident that the LP was slightly veiled compared to digital; however, as more LPs were played, the picture evened out. So the Janaki LP was apparently the wrong reference to be using. By contrast, all kinds of D2D and other LPs sounded a lot clearer than the Janaki; might be the LP's pressing. At this point, overall my digital is on par with my analog, and vice versa, and that's a great achievement for RBCD. Consequently, I have incorrectly recently claimed that my digital surpassed my analog - it was incorrectly based on only one data point

2) Can RBCD be considered hi-rez: I think we both agree this is the case, and that RBCD has come of age, and able to seriously challenge analog. The amount of resolution coming out of both this DAC and analog rig is just phenomenal

3) Magnetic stabilization of the tonearm: Major improvements in dynamics, imagining and presence. I was actually astonished myself

4) Subwoofer mods: tighter bass; it's always on now

5) The Spectrals: Out of the 8-hour session, we must have spent at least half an hour critiquing and praising the Spectrals, as completely free of electronic artifacts, exceptionally linear and accurate, ultra dynamic, ultra transparent to the input signal, with all of the best tube qualities and none of the shortcomings. We remarked at how the entire system's character changed based on the recording, from soft to aggressive and dynamic, from dark to just-right in the treble, from veiled to transparent. Al thinks Spectral is in a league of their own in the solid state domain, at least based on everything else he's heard. I just continue to call this my Spectral Lab. Above and beyond everything else, when the recording is right, the sound is exceptionally clean, and I've waited decades to be able to say this. Yet, I am sure there can be further improvements, especially in the phono section.

Regarding the Vivaldi, it had to be urgently returned to its rightful owner yesterday, so Al could not confirm what I am about to say: The Vivaldi 2.0 DAC is an incredible achievement, but with RBCD and at -7.5dB to match the Alpha's output, it could not surpass my modified Alpha; in fact, the DACs are identical, with the upper hand going to the Alpha on HDCD (which the dcs does not decode) - however, the differences were minute at best, another achievement for the Vivaldi w/o a special decoder. I settled on Filter 5, as recommended in the manual. From what I have read and been told, the Vivaldi should benefit from using its own transport in slave mode, and possibly the upsampler and external clock - i.e. the entire stack. I would expect that stack to outperform the modified Alpha with RBCD, but at what price.

At the same time, the Vivaldi's exceptional build quality and flexibility renders it the unmistakable winner, all things considered. Because it left my system prematurely, I had little chance to assess its full potential with the volume control now at 0.0dB. The one CD I did manage to play - my favorite Mahler 2nd - had subjectively more body than the Alpha, and during a very critical passage in the first movement, where the bass drum is repeatedly hit very softly solo, the Vivaldi was able to render the body of the instrument in all its glory, something that the Alpha just cannot do. That alone got my juices flowing and was eager to listen a lot more over the weekend at that volume level, and if everything else equally improved, I would have likely purchased the DAC. Alas, it really had to go, and I just cannot confirm what this DAC is truly capable of.

And this brings me to my final comment: I've been told by two sources that the Spectral SDR-4000SV player outperforms the Vivaldi 2.0 DAC/solo with RBCD, but I will not share details at this time, as I really need to find out for myself, firsthand. The 4000SV is inching closer to being a realistic upgrade path, considering that my Vivaldi evaluation was cut short.

Al, thanks for the wonderful company and the great discussions!

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Thanks for this report. You are correct in one aspect - when playing RBCD the Vivaldi DAC sounds much better with its matched transport, accepting either a separate master clock or the clock from the transport. This is sometimes driving me crazy - I own the upsampler and a NAS, but the spinning disk has more presence and articulation - it is better in all aspects. The same for SACDs!

Thanks, Ack, for a very enjoyable day!

You summarized things very nicely, so let me just add a few observations. While the DAC continues to impress mightily, I am also pleased that the analog can hold its own (and I say this as a digital guy, so I have no stake in this). It was just nice to hear on what elevated level the analog set-up can deliver music, in particular also shining in the areas of transient energy and speed. Yet neither from the DAC nor from the analog transients sounded over-etched -- they sounded just right, quite close to what you would expect to hear live. That was something where the Janaki LP disappointed; the sound was not just slightly veiled but the transients were markedly softened compared to the HDCD that sounded much more like the real thing. Or perhaps an adjustment of the SRA for the LP might improve things? Anyway, there were plenty LPs that delighted us with their focused, fast, clean and transparent sound.

A few highlights:

a) Stockhausen's Zyklus (Cycle) for one percussionist (with a whole battery of conventional and outlandish percussion instruments), an LP from 1970. Resolution was first class, and especially the vibration of drum membranes after being hit with the stick was enormously resolved -- you really got a front seat to the performance, as it were, so much you could hear 'into' the sound. You rarely get to hear such resolution in upper/mid-bass. Also some of the other percussion was striking in its immediate presence with enormous transparency to the sound source.

b) Beethoven's Kreuzer sonata for violin and piano, an audiophile LP reissue of a 1961 recording with Jasha Heifetz, violin and Brooks Smith, piano. Piano transients were fast, powerful and clean, and the violin sound was as good as I have heard from a system. The transparent and palpable presence in the room, right in front of the listener, was remarkable. The stability of the image of the violin in front of us was amazing; Ack commented that here his magnetic stabilization of the unipivot arm made a great difference.

c) For Duke. This D2D recording sounded with great brass bite, dynamics and enormous power of the drum kit.

As for the Spectral, Ack already summarized our discussion. I was once more amazed at how well cymbals were rendered through the Spectral amps, with not just correct transient speed but also with impressive metallic body of sound, just like a great tube amp would. If I needed a high-power amp and had the resources, I would go with Spectral in a heartbeat, no further questions asked. And I say this as a tube lover.

On another note, I was surprised at the shift in tonal balance of Tasos' system. The last time when I had been so impressed with the sound I had found the tonal balance to be lighter and brighter than in my system. Yet given the spectrum of timbres that live music can exhibit, it sounded just as believable, there was no right or wrong. Today the tonal balance had considerably more weight and body. Perhaps the recent brick stabilization of the panel frames was responsible, or the higher humidity compared to last time; Tasos told me that panels react to humidity quite sensitively. In any case, the brass of the 'James Bond' CD 'For Your Ears Only' on the Dorian label with the Proteus 7 ensemble sounded with great body in the lower midrange, at least equal to or perhaps even more so than in my system, even though Peter A. had positively commented on the body of brass sound on my system thread. The 'golden' brass sound on "Goldfinger' (no pun intended) was really something. And the resolution of brass textures was phenomenal. When I came home I was actually pleased that my system (after the recent Deoxit contact cleaning) was much closer to that than I had feared, but the resolution of Tasos' system surpasses it. In any case, this is one remarkable CD!

Dynamics on that CD were easily as good as in my system. Ack's modified Martin Logan's on these recent generation Spectral amps prove that also panel speakers can dynamically just explode, despite what some say about restricted macrodynamics of panel speakers. They just have to be driven right. And microdynamics of course were outstanding as well.

Talking about explosive dynamics: That foot work on the flamenco CD that Tasos also played last time was just outrageous, not just musically but also in its dynamics. And the timbre of the nylon-stringed guitar was as jaw-droppingly natural as I had remembered. In fact, I had been so impressed last time that I specifically asked Ack to hear the CD again; it was the first thing we listened to.

Ack, can you please provide the data for ordering? I think everyone should have that flamenco CD.

Thanks, Ack, for posting those LPs/CDs! Yes, that's the flamenco CD. Incredibly good.

ack said:

This is my new CD reference for extraordinary rendering of cymbals with relentless liveliness and energy, percussion, piano, tenor sax; Chesky JD51

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ack, that you for sharing these! Could you share some more titles from you personal reference list?

Hi

I hope soon to listen to Ack's system. In the meantime I am reading with satisfaction a few things on this thread. One of themis that RBCD is as good as analog given comparable recording/mastering. The other is how truly good Spectral is. Spectral takes no back seat to any brand.Their technical approach is somewhat iconoclastic, their commercial approach could charitably termed, whimsical: The products are not announced but produced, produced but not on the website, the website sucks, etc... You may need to use MIT cables but some people don't... but they, Spectral always sound right .. consistently, reliably.
The Alpha is another gem that is little discussed when it comes to great DACs ..perhaps its lowly (in audiophile land ) price. Compared to quite a few DACs I have heard, albeit in other systems in most cases but a few head to head comparisons .. it is to me one of the most transparent and accurate DAC out there...Perhaps The best I have heard to date. I am not one to modify anything if I don't fully understand what the mods bring from an engineering viewpoint. I truly question (but don't necessarily) reject sighted, in-the-know observations. I can however say that unmodified, as it is the Alpha surpasses many of the darlings out there IMO and IME. It doesn't sugarcoat nor beautify anything and this is to me the most important trait of a great component or system: There has to be that ability to change with the recording venue or the recording , period. Things are not always as nice as some system paints them. To return to the violin an instrument which is regularly violated by many systems... Solo in a small setting, a violin is not sweet in most of its register... That is not what this instrument and its siblings which span the globe by the way play .. the very fact of moving the bow on the strings needs extremely accurate treble reproduction to sound right, true , sweet when it is (finally) elicited from the instrument but meowing in most of its register... that treble information, the Alpha DAC is one of the few that reproduces it well with no artifact... This is one DAC that doesn't strike of anything much.. Some will find it , unspectacular, unromantic , even flat ... It ain't . Once you compare its bass to anything else then you begin to understand what it does down low that most don't.. the ease of the low bass and the clarity and power of its mid bass while its midrange and treble remain sparkling and true ( if recordings allow it ). Same throughout the Audio band.. anywhere in the audio band .. it not only acquit itself but in a way that is truly truthful (if recordings allow) ...One of the best DAC on the market at any price... In my case used without preamp. I hope to hear what its big brother does... ....

I will bow out , it is Ack's thread after all. I congratulate Ack for taking the time to document his works and observations in such honest and , yes, courageous fashion. It has been my contention for a while, I am again repeating that I am pleased to see that more and more people are acknowledging that digital has arrived, perhaps did arrive a while ago. There has been a resistance to acknowledge the fact. Such resistance is slowly and ineluctably crumbling.


P.S Thanks also for the Playlist. Will try to get the digital ones if they're not on Tidal.

FrantzM said:

Hi

I hope soon to listen to Ack's system. In the meantime I am reading with satisfaction a few things on this thread. One of themis that RBCD is as good as analog given comparable recording/mastering. The other is how truly good Spectral is. Spectral takes no back seat to any brand.Their technical approach is somewhat iconoclastic, their commercial approach could charitably termed, whimsical: The products are not announced but produced, produced but not on the website, the website sucks, etc... You may need to use MIT cables but some people don't... but they, Spectral always sound right .. consistently, reliably.

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My experience with Spectral as well.

The Alpha is another gem that is little discussed when it comes to great DACs ..perhaps its lowly (in audiophile land ) price. Compared to quite a few DACs I have heard, albeit in other systems in most cases but a few head to head comparisons .. it is to me one of the most transparent and accurate DAC out there...Perhaps The best I have heard to date. I am not one to modify anything if I don't fully understand what the mods bring from an engineering viewpoint. I truly question (but don't necessarily) reject sighted, in-the-know observations. I can however say that unmodified, as it is the Alpha surpasses many of the darlings out there IMO and IME. It doesn't sugarcoat nor beautify anything and this is to me the most important trait of a great component or system: There has to be that ability to change with the recording venue or the recording , period. Things are not always as nice as some system paints them. To return to the violin an instrument which is regularly violated by many systems... Solo in a small setting, a violin is not sweet in most of its register... That is not what this instrument and its siblings which span the globe by the way play .. the very fact of moving the bow on the strings needs extremely accurate treble reproduction to sound right, true , sweet when it is (finally) elicited from the instrument but meowing in most of its register... that treble information, the Alpha DAC is one of the few that reproduces it well with no artifact... This is one DAC that doesn't strike of anything much.. Some will find it , unspectacular, unromantic , even flat ... It ain't . Once you compare its bass to anything else then you begin to understand what it does down low that most don't.. the ease of the low bass and the clarity and power of its mid bass while its midrange and treble remain sparkling and true ( if recordings allow it ). Same throughout the Audio band.. anywhere in the audio band .. it not only acquit itself but in a way that is truly truthful (if recordings allow) ...

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So true, Frantz! As I discussed with Ack last time, the fact that the Alpha DAC changes with every recording and recording venue was one of the big selling points for me when I heard it in my system. I had heard other DACs that always sounded 'nice' but also always the same on every recording. Boring. Live music isn't that way. Its timbres vary greatly depending on acoustics of the venue, distance from the players, etc.

I also agree that the Alpha DAC does not beautify anything. I want the raw truth, as much as it is possible with reproduction, not a 'polished', sanitized version of the real thing.