CH Precision D1.5 Transport : Extension of a new horizon

[CKKeung]

I posted a comment on another WBF thread several days ago, saying that I would tell WBF brothers my views on the new CH Precision D1.5 transport.
#278 of https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/do-you-still-play-compact-discs.32309/page-14#post-770374



During the past few days, I have been considering whether to post the short review here or on the CH Precision Brand sub-forum.
Eventually I decide to post it here, because I think that it's an important product.


Streaming/CAS is wining the format battle definitely.
There are less and less CD transports and SACD/universal transports are even rarer.
Even though they have "retreated" to the really hi-end section of the market, I can still name a few : dCS, Esoteric, Metronome AQWO Series, Playback Design, EMM Labs, Accuphase 1000 and the previous CH D1 & current D1.5.
(MSB announced that their Select & Ref Transports were discontinued).

Before going into the details of my encounter with D1.5, I would like to say clearly on this #1 post :
The D1.5 Transport when paired with C1.1, gave me the most satisfactory playback of cd & sacd, second only to my MSB Select Transport+DAC combo!

I shall tell you more about it on the following posts.

 

[CKKeung]

The CH Precision office in Hong Kong received their first D1.5 around 10 days ago and asked me whether I had interest to have a home-trial.
I answered YES at once!

However I don't have a C1.1 to pair with the D1.5 so I suggested to let Kahw, a good friend of mine to have the D1.5 for a week.
It's because Kahw is a diehard fans of CH and has tweaked/finetuned his C1.1 to the extreme.

Another reason is that Kahw plays only LP and CAS.
IMHO his CAS system is one of the best in HK and he often says that silver discs are dinosaurs.
This time I want to challenge him/his CAS with the D1.5!


Arrival of the D1.5 :



It's not as heavy as the D1 and can be lifted by one person.
Ricky, the i/c of HK CH office told me that the stainless steel bottom of the chassis has been replaced with a less heavy aluminium plate. Not for cost-saving but is for tuning of the overall chassis vibration.


Again for better vibration modulation, the 4 internal pillars (for so-called Mechanical Grounding) are made of new materials : synthetic body and titanium alloy spike tip :


For the same reason, the spike-plates are proprietary too :


They are mandatory if the owner wants to stack several CH products up :


The CH-Link must be used to connect C1.1 for high rez playback. This is the new version with new connectors. Much more atteactive than the previous version which seems to be from a computer store.





We used CH clock cables to connect the D1.5 to C1.1 and a Cybershaft OP21 10M clock to C1.1 which acts as the master.
They are oem from Argento and made with silver internal wires.

 

[CKKeung]

As to how the D1.5 is improved when compared to D1, please do NOT mistaken that it's only replacement of the unobtainable Esoteric sacd transport mechanism with a Denon/Marantz mechanism.

Rsoteen1 of CH has given us very detailed explanation of the new features on #12 & #13 here :

CH Precision D1.5 sacd transport/player

www.whatsbestforum.com

Actually Ricky told me that CH has modded/replaced most of the parts of the D/M transport mechanism with proprietary and improved parts, particularly in vibration control.

The photo in CH website shows that it's very diff from the origianl D/M mechanism.

 

[CKKeung]

The D1.5 can be set up on a notebook/tablet/mobile phone.
This is much easier than turning its integrated knob/button and watching the display LED.

The yellow ethernet cable connecting D1.5 to Kahw's home network :


Setting the D1.5 up is easy on this Sony tablet :

 

[CKKeung]

Ready for audition and comparison with CAS now :



We compared cd/sacd vs ripped or downloaded native files of the same albums, both western/local/pop/jazz/classical.
Here are photos of only a few of them :





I can summarize the result easily :
The D1.5+C1.1 when playing cd/sacd, bettered C1.1 doing CAS playback by a huge margin!


Among audiophiles in HK, there is a joke describing such a situation :
"A Toyata Camry chasing a Ferrari can't see even the hindlight of it".


Not to mention sacd, even the cd gave density, micro-dynamics and musicality much much higher than the C1.1 CAS.
This happened on all kinds of music, but particularly so for classical music when it made us seemed to be inside that concert hall.
The sound and harmonics were longer yet cleaner and with higher resolution.
The music flowed with agility and intriguing continuousness.
The music was so real, so natural!

I immediately remebered I had had a similar experience when auditioning the L10/M10 amps in 2020.

Was it a Deja Vu? No it wasn't.

Ricky told me that Florian of CH has put some of the discoveries/technologies of 10 Series into the D1.5.
Not a total revamp so it is not labelled as D10 but D1.5 instead.

However the D1.5 is still not cheap.
I gave Ricky a humble suggestion of asking Florian to consider making a X1.5 with similar tech. We are sure most of the current CH owners will rush to get one or more of this X1.5.

Let's come back to the title of this thread :
The 10 Series has made a new horizon.
Trickling down the know-hows to the 1 Series has extended this horizon.

Both Kahw and I must give CH/Florian a big big applause!

 

[matthias]

I can summarize the result easily :
The D1.5+C1.1 when playing cd/sacd, bettered C1.1 doing CAS playback by a huge margin!

Thanks for your review.
Please can you describe exactly the CAS?
Thanks again.

Matt

 

[Mdp632]

It's 2022 and Quality (Physical Media ) trumps Convenience (Streaming, Computer File playback) every time

IMHO, Compact Disc media was never the issue.

The playback equipment was never the level of this CH or other like products.

Long live the compact disc

 

[matthias]

To be fair the CAS and CD transport should be in a similar price range, so a comparison with the much less expensive Taiko Extreme would be more appropriate.

Matt

 

[bryans]

What is CAS?

 

[matthias]

What is CAS?

Computer Audio System?

Matt

 

[CKKeung]

Thanks for your review.
Please can you describe exactly the CAS?
Thanks again.

Matt

New CH ethernet card.
NAS is a 4-bay Synology modded by Ediscreation. The plastic chassis replaced by an aluminium alloy chassis with internal LPS.
The HDs are Seagate 2.5" Firecuda.
Yhe cache ssd is modded by Paul Pang (ocxo clocked).
Several audiophile switches (Ediscreation and Japanese Buffalo) linked in-series and one of them modded by Ediscreation to have ocxo clock module to clock the Netgear router as well.
There are a optical fiber segment in the network path and the other ethernet cables are Dalby Audio Meda and Vertere HB.
Too many other tweaks for the CAS : Setchi D2 groundboxes, ext LPS for the Cybershaft 10M clock ..., LPS for router/switches ...etc.
The list goes on and on.
The total cost may actually be close to any top level servers/streamers from Aurender, Esoteric, Pink Fauns, even Extreme or Wadax.

IMHO Kahw's CAS is one of the best CAS systems that I have ever encountered.

 

[matthias]

IMO, at EUR 34k the D1.5 should be compared to an established server reference before claiming superiority or parity of CD playback.

Matt

 

[CKKeung]

IMO, at EUR 34k the D1.5 should be compared to an established server reference before claiming superiority or parity of CD playback.

Matt

Kahw and I have to return the on-loan D1.5 this week.
The CH office in HK was allocated a lot seven or eight D1.5 for sale. They have not arrived yet but Ricky told me that they were all pre-ordered by his customers.
I shall see if any of these D1.5 owners are my friends. If they own also a top level server/streamer, I must pay them visits.
Otherwise, it's quite difficult to borrow/take a heavy top server/streamer and do a direct comparison.
Yes, at this moment, both Ricky and us are only sure that D1.5 doing silver disc playback performs better than C1.1 doing CAS playback alone.

 

[matthias]

Just curious about a comparison between the CH D1.5 and the new Aqua:

Aqua La Diva M2

Ever since I was aware that a new model was coming, I had been awaiting its arrival with immense anticipation. Fortunately, the M2 delivers on its promise. It is not only a successor with a different CD mechanism but indeed a wholly different player.

www.hifi-advice.com

Matt

 

[zbub]

We used CH clock cables to connect the D1.5 to C1.1 and a Cybershaft OP21 10M clock to C1.1 which acts as the master.

Thank you for the informative user report of D1.5 CKKeung.
I am in the process of receiving a Cybershaft OP21E-D clock to use with my CH D1.1 and C1.1, so I have been reading about this pairing online. Can you clarify on the connection scheme? From your above description Cybershaft is the master and connect one of the clock outputs to C1.1 (C1.1 clock setting will become SYNCHRO 75 Ohm instead of INTERNAL because C1.1 is no longer the master), then C1.1 outputs clock to D1.5? If Cybershaft OP21 is the master, shouldn't 1 clock output to C1.1, AND another clock output to D1.5?
Any tricks/suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

 

[CKKeung]

Thank you for the informative user report of D1.5 CKKeung.
I am in the process of receiving a Cybershaft OP21E-D clock to use with my CH D1.1 and C1.1, so I have been reading about this pairing online. Can you clarify on the connection scheme? From your above description Cybershaft is the master and connect one of the clock outputs to C1.1 (C1.1 clock setting will become SYNCHRO 75 Ohm instead of INTERNAL because C1.1 is no longer the master), then C1.1 outputs clock to D1.5?

Hi zbub,
Your description is correct.
We tested the CH D1.5 + C1.1 with the clock signal going this direction : Cybershaft > C1.1 > D1.5.

If Cybershaft OP21 is the master, shouldn't 1 clock output to C1.1, AND another clock output to D1.5?
Any tricks/suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

The Cybershaft OP21 10M clock (with external PSU) of my friend Kahw is the single-clock-output version.
He has a Cybershaft Clock Distributor (https://www.cybershaft.jp/a-products/clockdist01.html ) but we didn't have time nor rack space to test the effect of a single Cybershaft clock synchronizing both the D1.5 and C1.1.
The D1.5 has already been returned to the dealer.
Please share with us your findings if you have done comparisons in this aspect.
Thanks!

 

[zbub]

Hi zbub,
Your description is correct.
We tested the CH D1.5 + C1.1 with the clock signal going this direction : Cybershaft > C1.1 > D1.5.



The Cybershaft OP21 10M clock (with external PSU) of my friend Kahw is the single-clock-output version.
He has a Cybershaft Clock Distributor (https://www.cybershaft.jp/a-products/clockdist01.html ) but we didn't have time nor rack space to test the effect of a single Cybershaft clock synchronizing both the D1.5 and C1.1.
The D1.5 has already been returned to the dealer.
Please share with us your findings if you have done comparisons in this aspect.
Thanks!

Hi CKKeung,
Understand now. Your friend had been using C1.1 without a transport that's why he went with a single clock output model. Yeah because I need multiple clock outputs so I assumed that's what your friend got as well.
Do you remember the clock source chosen on D1.5 and C1.1 when you did the test? C1.1 should be SYNCHRO 75 Ohm because OP21 is now the master, but when you connect C1.1 clock out to D1.5, because C1.1 is no longer the master so probably didn't control the clock signal of D1.5 at all? I am not a techie, but C1.1 and D1.5 were asynchonized at that time and D1.5 was running on its own internal clock. And the good news is that when OP21 can be the master clock for BOTH C1.1 and D1.5 the result should be even better than what you heard.
I can't wait to test the OP21E-D and the accompanied outboard power supply!

 

[CKKeung]

Do you remember the clock source chosen on D1.5 and C1.1 when you did the test? C1.1 should be SYNCHRO 75 Ohm because OP21 is now the master, but when you connect C1.1 clock out to D1.5, because C1.1 is no longer the master so probably didn't control the clock signal of D1.5 at all? I am not a techie, but C1.1 and D1.5 were asynchonized at that time and D1.5 was running on its own internal clock. And the good news is that when OP21 can be the master clock for BOTH C1.1 and D1.5 the result should be even better than what you heard.

Hi zbub,
Let me check with my frd Kahw.
It's he who held the tablet and set up the two CH pieces that evening.

I can't wait to test the OP21E-D and the accompanied outboard power supply!

Yes, the ext LPS is a must for Cybershaft clocks.
Very significant improvement when compared with using their internal powersupply sections.
The Cybershaft ext LPS is good but there are some better ones made by other brands.
For example, Kahe and I like the Deluxe Version of LPS made by Ediscreations of Hong Kong more.

 

[zbub]

Hi zbub,
Let me check with my frd Kahw.
It's he who held the tablet and set up the two CH pieces that evening.


Yes, the ext LPS is a must for Cybershaft clocks.
Very significant improvement when compared with using their internal powersupply sections.
The Cybershaft ext LPS is good but there are some better ones made by other brands.
For example, Kahe and I like the Deluxe Version of LPS made by Ediscreations of Hong Kong more.

I looked at the picture showing C1.1 and D1.5 and it appeared that the screens are showing both locked on to 10MHz clock. I would appreciate it if your friend can share what the settings were. Thanks so much!

 

[CKKeung]

I looked at the picture showing C1.1 and D1.5 and it appeared that the screens are showing both locked on to 10MHz clock. I would appreciate it if your friend can share what the settings were. Thanks so much!

I texted Kahw just now.

His reply :
Cybershaft Opt21 > C1.1
SYNCHRO high Z

C1.1 > D1.5
SYNCHRO High Z

C1.1 is still the master for D1.5
Cybershaft is the master for C1.1
C1.1 + Opt21 serves as a master for D1.5

Both SYNCHRO 75 Ohm or High Z were using external clock as well.

HighZ Should be the suggested setting from CH.