I had the fortunate opportunity to audition the Audio Aero La Source, their SOTA digital and pre in one. Comparison was using the BNC digital out of the La Source into my Zanden into my CJ GAT vs 1) La Source into CJ GAT vs 2) La Source directly into my Gryphon Colosseum amp.
Observations:
Preamp
- Both Dealer and I could see why i preferred CJ GAT preamp stage over the one within the Audio Aero. With just the Audio Aero, the music flattened out a bit and stiffened as well. It was enough of a difference that neither of us felt particularly compelled to try the Zanden thru the Audio Aero preamp stage (which we could have done by using my Oppo as a Transport). There was a life, tonality and ease which the CJ GAT delivered which did not come alive with the Audio Aero (for me...i should not speak for the Dealer).
Digital
- Switching back and forth between the Zanden and the Audio Aero (using the Audio Aero as the Transport)...was easy to do by just flipping my CJ GAT from one source to the other
- Surprisingly similar...i personally preferred the Zanden in the uppermost treble where there is a slight hardness across the board with the Audio Aero...but we are talking about personal differences
- Detail retreival, decay, speed of bass, etc...the Zanden was the equal or a few areas the better of the two (to my ears). Certainly the areas where one would have thought the Zanden would have fallen (bass, slam, etc)...it did not. (The key with Zanden is HRS/EAT isolation inside and out, as well changing all tubes, powersupply and the main tube (7308). Bass is transformed by better tubes in the powersupply.)
- The Oppo Transport (83) acquitted itself very well...but not surprisingly, it got killed by the Esoteric transport in the Audio Aero.
The biggest surprise came from putting Stillpoints Ultra SS underneath the Audio Aero...even as just a transport...the change was transformational...suddenly there was a magic to the transport into my DAC which was shockingly cool. String tones on older recordings (violin)...became pure and without the haze that older recordings can sometimes have...wow.
The Esoteric + Stillpoints Ultra SS was stellar...and created a whole new level of magic in my system. Quieter, more accomplished and capable of detail, notes made more sense, you name it. The oppo is perfectly acceptable but essentially banal by comparison as a transport
Conclusions?
- The Audio Aero is one impressive piece of equipment for an all-in-one
- The 6-year old Zanden is still my favorite...and given the fact that it is not the latest model (1 generation of upgrades old...2007), and also has a faulty choke filter which allows transformer hum to come thru at super high volumes (which we did not approach today)...i am keeping my Zanden
- SACD is not for me a superbly better option when you are talking RBCD of this quality...i am SURE certain SACDs are better than their CD counterparts...but the few we played was negligible.
- I am now exploring the Stillpoints Ultra 5 for my Wilson X1/Grand Slamms. After hearing what a $60 Auralex Subwoofer isolation platform did for my Velodyne DD18...i am convinced some of the upper bass/lower mid thickness is a result of the speakers' interaction with the floor. Before the Auralex, my sub was a volume 9-11...now it is 31!!! And the bass is far, far cleaner.
- And yes, for those who are not already sick of hearing it...i am more stuck than ever on 2nd hand Zanden Transport when the budget allows.
Learn something every day.
-
Observations:
Preamp
- Both Dealer and I could see why i preferred CJ GAT preamp stage over the one within the Audio Aero. With just the Audio Aero, the music flattened out a bit and stiffened as well. It was enough of a difference that neither of us felt particularly compelled to try the Zanden thru the Audio Aero preamp stage (which we could have done by using my Oppo as a Transport). There was a life, tonality and ease which the CJ GAT delivered which did not come alive with the Audio Aero (for me...i should not speak for the Dealer).
Digital
- Switching back and forth between the Zanden and the Audio Aero (using the Audio Aero as the Transport)...was easy to do by just flipping my CJ GAT from one source to the other
- Surprisingly similar...i personally preferred the Zanden in the uppermost treble where there is a slight hardness across the board with the Audio Aero...but we are talking about personal differences
- Detail retreival, decay, speed of bass, etc...the Zanden was the equal or a few areas the better of the two (to my ears). Certainly the areas where one would have thought the Zanden would have fallen (bass, slam, etc)...it did not. (The key with Zanden is HRS/EAT isolation inside and out, as well changing all tubes, powersupply and the main tube (7308). Bass is transformed by better tubes in the powersupply.)
- The Oppo Transport (83) acquitted itself very well...but not surprisingly, it got killed by the Esoteric transport in the Audio Aero.
The biggest surprise came from putting Stillpoints Ultra SS underneath the Audio Aero...even as just a transport...the change was transformational...suddenly there was a magic to the transport into my DAC which was shockingly cool. String tones on older recordings (violin)...became pure and without the haze that older recordings can sometimes have...wow.
The Esoteric + Stillpoints Ultra SS was stellar...and created a whole new level of magic in my system. Quieter, more accomplished and capable of detail, notes made more sense, you name it. The oppo is perfectly acceptable but essentially banal by comparison as a transport
Conclusions?
- The Audio Aero is one impressive piece of equipment for an all-in-one
- The 6-year old Zanden is still my favorite...and given the fact that it is not the latest model (1 generation of upgrades old...2007), and also has a faulty choke filter which allows transformer hum to come thru at super high volumes (which we did not approach today)...i am keeping my Zanden
- SACD is not for me a superbly better option when you are talking RBCD of this quality...i am SURE certain SACDs are better than their CD counterparts...but the few we played was negligible.
- I am now exploring the Stillpoints Ultra 5 for my Wilson X1/Grand Slamms. After hearing what a $60 Auralex Subwoofer isolation platform did for my Velodyne DD18...i am convinced some of the upper bass/lower mid thickness is a result of the speakers' interaction with the floor. Before the Auralex, my sub was a volume 9-11...now it is 31!!! And the bass is far, far cleaner.
- And yes, for those who are not already sick of hearing it...i am more stuck than ever on 2nd hand Zanden Transport when the budget allows.
Learn something every day.
-
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