XACT S1. The music server you've been waiting for

[Marcin_gps]

New Review Alert: XACT S1 reviewed by Marshall Nack, Positive Feedback



Hi everyone,

A new review of the XACT S1 Music Server has just been published over at Positive Feedback.

"XACT S1 music server tends to break the rules. As Marcin Ostapowicz, the designer and proprietor of XACT, explains:

XACT S1 delivers on my vision of audiophile sound: natural, organic, with analog sophistication and lifelike imaging. It's hard to believe it's digital.

He succeeds more than you'd expect. This solid-state digital music server inspired thoughts of the Golden Age of Stereo, that high-water period in tube analog recordings dating from sixty years ago. It has the kind of frequency response and comfortable ear-feel that tends to make people smile. There's even a bit of the golden glow.

The way the S1 reproduces space will make you do a double take. Digital has well-known issues regarding image depth, in particular roundness in space. The S1 overcomes that by fleshing out the missing dimension. Then it goes a step beyond and projects the images into the room, creating the kind of spatial holography we associate with tubes. To say the S1 is unlike other digital components is an understatement."

Check out the full review here.


Best regards,
Marcin

 

[Young Skywalker]

New Review Alert: XACT S1 reviewed by Marshall Nack, Positive Feedback

View attachment 128380

Hi everyone,

A new review of the XACT S1 Music Server has just been published over at Positive Feedback.

"XACT S1 music server tends to break the rules. As Marcin Ostapowicz, the designer and proprietor of XACT, explains:

XACT S1 delivers on my vision of audiophile sound: natural, organic, with analog sophistication and lifelike imaging. It's hard to believe it's digital.

He succeeds more than you'd expect. This solid-state digital music server inspired thoughts of the Golden Age of Stereo, that high-water period in tube analog recordings dating from sixty years ago. It has the kind of frequency response and comfortable ear-feel that tends to make people smile. There's even a bit of the golden glow.

The way the S1 reproduces space will make you do a double take. Digital has well-known issues regarding image depth, in particular roundness in space. The S1 overcomes that by fleshing out the missing dimension. Then it goes a step beyond and projects the images into the room, creating the kind of spatial holography we associate with tubes. To say the S1 is unlike other digital components is an understatement."

Check out the full review here.


Best regards,
Marcin

Great review. Are the subjective observations the result of signal manipulation (digital processing) or simply due to a considerably cleaner (lower noise) computing environment (hardware and software)? If it is the latter, would you expect the benefits, over other music servers/streamers, to remain in conjunction with an MSB Technology Digital Director’s very effective galvanic isolation ahead of their DAC?

 

[Lee]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post, I usually don't participate in forums. However, after listening to and purchasing the XACT music server, I decided to post an opinion about Mr. Marcin's device because he deserves a good word for his work and effort in creating something outstanding.

My system is quite transparent, I can hear the slightest changes. For several years I have been using Taiko in combination with Horaizon, Hyperion amps and Wilson Audio XVX loudspeakers. I tested a lot of different streamers in my system.

I must admit that this XACT music server product surprised me very much. I don't know how to write reviews, but I decided to post a few words from myself because this product deserves it.

Maybe I'll start with what I compared it to and what was the reference source. My reference sound is a Techdas Air Force One with a SAT tonearm and a Etsuro Urushi Gold cartridge working with a CH precision preamplifier. I won't go into details, I will write briefly and let people who have TAIKO know how it plays. I chose TAIKO because it reflects music in a way very similar to a turntable. It is dynamic, selective, has microdynamics and differentiates recordings very nicely. If we spend enough time on refining the system with the right set of cables, we can get as close to vinyl recordings with good DSD files. Of course, please do not confuse that they are the same thing. These are slightly different sound presentations, but very similar, provided that we have good DSD files. In blind tests, less experienced people are unable to tell whether the sound is DSD or vinyl.

XACT, on the other hand, takes us to a completely different dimension. Taiko can be said to sound similarly to vinyl, and XACT goes towards mirroring the reproduction of music recorded on tape and played from a reel-to-reel tape recorder. The sound is more natural and softer, more pleasant and a little more rounded at the ends. It has more weight and mass and is meatier. This works incredibly well in Jazz recordings, both instrumental and classical music, and the vocals are lively and very emotional.

I recommend everyone to listen to this XACT music server, there are few devices on the market that can make such a surprise in the eyes and ears of an audiophile in his home. An even bigger surprise is its very affordable price. XACT has become a permanent fixture for me and I am very pleased with it. I recommend everyone to try it if they have the opportunity to listen to it. Please bear in mind that XACT is sensitive to power cables and selecting the right cable will depend on the rest of the components in the system, but it is worth experimenting until you achieve your dream sound.


View attachment 124952

View attachment 124953

Wow!

 

[Marcin_gps]

Great review. Are the subjective observations the result of signal manipulation (digital processing) or simply due to a considerably cleaner (lower noise) computing environment (hardware and software)? If it is the latter, would you expect the benefits, over other music servers/streamers, to remain in conjunction with an MSB Technology Digital Director’s very effective galvanic isolation ahead of their DAC?

Hello,

There is no DSP processing, only bit-perfect playback.

The benefits are consistent with any USB DAC tried so far, so is the feedback from the customers and reviewers.

Best regards,
Marcin

 

[Marcin_gps]