Abbas dac 2.1 se

[jespera]

The bargain store is a great song and good simple recording.

The others are good tunes but the recordings are very so-so.

Red shoes is a polished big studio recording but compressed.

Hush has this computer audio usb sound to it. Small band with limited funds mixing on their home computer.

Back to black is a musical triumph but the recording is sad, compressed and missing sparkle.

Strong sounds muddled.

Bojangles is better but very modern. Too clean and digital. Real big band has more life.

 

[Gjo]

Qobuz has so many versions of the same material. Different transfers, bit rates and masterings. On one hand confusing, on the other a challenge to find the best sounding version. An abbas dac is a good instrument for that.

Here are some examples.

Jazz at the pawnhouse is a great recording.
But you want to listen to the 1995 verdion. The remaster has lost sparkle. I have the 1995 version on cd. It sounds even better. Rivals my vinyl.

There are 37 versions of kind of blue on qobuz. I like the kob 1959 version.

For Chet i prefer the original version with tape hiss and mains noise. The horns have more rasp and realism than in the “cleaned up” 1959 version.

My experience with Qobuz versions is that remasters are almost always inferior to the original recordings in their native sample and bit rate.

 

[charles1dad]

I have CD versions of the latter two recordings (Miles and Baker) and they are very good. On “Chet” in particular the 2 cuts featuring guitarist Kenny Burrell (“It Never Entered My Mind “ and “September Song “) are gems of beauty. I wish those two had done more recordings together.
Charles

 

[jespera]

It gets worse.

Diana krall is a real certified 24 bit audio fool recording. Musically and sound wise dead.

Listen to nat king cole instead.

Musica nuda takes the audio fool concept to extremes.

Aretha sets it straight. Not the greatest recording though.

Some modern recordings suffer from the home recording situation — the monitors are too small. And they overblow and distort the bass. Either that or its mixed for funny effect headphone listening. James Blake is an example.

Tears in heaven sounds great at first listen but the guitars sound a little tad too detailed and clean. I suspect a digital recording and i wouldnt invest in it on vinyl.

I prefer “early in the morning” from another decade.

Not all modern recordings are rubbish. Give life back to music is an exception. Was done on ampex i read somewhere.

The rest: we like 60-70s motown/soul in this house. And many of the recordings are really good. However, good original vinyl can be difficult and expensive to source. Particularly in europe. But qobuz and an abbas dac can be a decent cost efficient alternative. At least to check it out before you buy on discogs.

 

[jespera]

My experience with Qobuz versions is that remasters are almost always inferior to the original recordings in their native sample and bit rate.

Almost always yes. But kob 1959 is an exception. Maybe just a better more careful transfer. Rather than the full protools digital fåckover.

My abbas only goes to 48/16 but even with other dacs i struggle to say something conclusive/consistent about higher bit rates.

MQA is a scam though. It adds some high frequent glitter to the sound. This may be confused with more “air”.

 

[Gjo]

Almost always yes. But kob 1959 is an exception. Maybe just a better more careful transfer. Rather than the full protools digital remaster.

My abbas only goes to 48/16 but even with other dacs i struggle to say something conclusive/consistent about higher bit rates.

MQA is a scam though. It adds some high frequent glitter to the sound. This may be confused with more “air”.

I find native 88/24 recordings sound best to my ears. I’ve never encountered a remaster done in 88/24. I suppose your Abbas does not support 88/24?

 

[jespera]

I find native 88/24 recordings sound best to my ears. I’ve never encountered a remaster done in 88/24. I suppose your Abbas does not support 88/24?

No the tda 1541 only does 44/16 or 48/16

 

[charles1dad]

“No the tda 1541 only does 44/16 or 48/16”

This will suit me fine. If done well, 16/44 can sound splendid.
Charles

 

[djsina2]

My CEC TL5 arrived from Japan. At first listen with the Abbas 2.4SE the sound was more rounded and softer compared to with the Marantz transport. I listened more closely the next day with a variety of tracks and it seemed congested in the mids at times. I went back to the National Union rectifier and that made a nice improvement. Still not quite at the level of the Marantz but it’s more engaging than with the JAN rectifier in this combo.

Abbas said my new 2.4SE is being burned in now. I also ordered interconnects and power cables. I’m already using his spdif cable.

 

[charles1dad]

@djsina2
I may have missed this if mentioned in a previous post. What do you think of the Abbas SPDIF cable compared with others you’ve heard/used?

I’m really looking forward to your impressions of the new 2.4SE snd and the additional Abbas cables .
Charles

 

[djsina2]

@djsina2
I may have missed this if mentioned in a previous post. What do you think of the Abbas SPDIF cable compared with others you’ve heard/used?

I’m really looking forward to your impressions of the new 2.4SE snd and the additional Abbas cables .
Charles

Well, I’m not a digital person. This is my first stand alone DAC. Abbas puts a lot of effort into voicing his DACs using his cables. That’s good enough for me.

 

[Samsoum]

Well, I’m not a digital person. This is my first stand alone DAC. Abbas puts a lot of effort into voicing his DACs using his cables. That’s good enough for me.

Hi guys,
I have my 3.1 se since more than a year nkw , and i m still in heaven.
I ve been following this thread now and then.
For the spdif abbas does is very good, i will compared soon to a new spdif from aurealis bases on silver duelend wire.
My friend is a dealer now in town, and is letting try different gear and stuff, now i have the primaluna evo 100 dac running…
Retail 3400 usd, well , first impression he certainly doesn t play in the abbas esoteric arena ….
I will compare to more dacs,in my system.
I compared the 3.1 se to rockna wavelight top of the range balanced, in my friend system,it killed it in 5 seconds.
Soon is going to be compared to the famous kassandra ref2 from aries cerat wich at some point owned for more than a year.
Also apl dac, rokna will pass again in my sysgem
My yt channel :

https://youtube.com/channel/UCu7tfDQa6C62LLiHS5i63rQ

Regards

 

[Artnet]

For the spdif abbas does is very good, i will compared soon to a new spdif from aurealis bases on silver duelend wire.

Hi Samsoum, good to hear and look forward to your comparison on spdif and the Kassandra ref2 .

 

[charles1dad]

Hi guys,
I have my 3.1 se since more than a year nkw , and i m still in heaven.
I ve been following this thread now and then.
For the spdif abbas does is very good, i will compared soon to a new spdif from aurealis bases on silver duelend wire.
My friend is a dealer now in town, and is letting try different gear and stuff, now i have the primaluna evo 100 dac running…
Retail 3400 usd, well , first impression he certainly doesn t play in the abbas esoteric arena ….
I will compare to more dacs,in my system.
I compared the 3.1 se to rockna wavelight top of the range balanced, in my friend system,it killed it in 5 seconds.
Soon is going to be compared to the famous kassandra ref2 from aries cerat wich at some point owned for more than a year.
Also apl dac, rokna will pass again in my sysgem
My yt channel :

https://youtube.com/channel/UCu7tfDQa6C62LLiHS5i63rQ

Regards

Abbas 3.1SE vs Aries Cerat Kassandra? The metaphorical David vs Goliath in the DAC realm (With respect to product awareness and cost). This could be very insightful and maybe even educational. Should be a fun endeavor at the least.
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

@Samsoum
Could you clarify who owned the Kassandra Reference II? Was it you?
Charles

 

[Samsoum]

@Samsoum
Could you clarify who owned the Kassandra Reference II? Was it you?
Charles

I owned the kassandra ref2 for more than a year yes.
2 of my friends owns it as well.
I will go and compare the 3.1se and his kass ref2 in his system.
For that i bought a descent mic coming tommorow…
Stay tuned to the yt channel…

 

[charles1dad]

I owned the kassandra ref2 for more than a year yes.
2 of my friends owns it as well.
I will go and compare the 3.1se and his kass ref2 in his system.
For that i bought a descent mic coming tommorow…
Stay tuned to the yt channel…

@Samsoum
Thanks for the clarification. I will stay tuned, quite interesting.
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

@jespera
A while back you had mentioned that your 2.1SE utilizes a current product Chinese input chip and you planned on replacing it with an original Cirrus input chip. Did you complete the swap? And if so, any noticeable sonic differences?
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

@Samsoum
1 Has the Primaluna 100 DAC evolved with additional burn-in hours?

2 Which SPDIF cable suits your system better, the Aurealis silver or the Abbas?

3 When you compare the Abbas3.1SE to the APL DAC and Kassandra Reference II, will it be with the Marten Duke 2 or Cube Audio Nenuphar speakers?
Charles

 

[Samsoum]

@Samsoum
1 Has the Primaluna 100 DAC evolved with additional burn-in hours?

2 Which SPDIF cable suits your system better, the Aurealis silver or the Abbas?

3 When you compare the Abbas3.1SE to the APL DAC and Kassandra Reference II, will it be with the Marten Duke 2 or Cube Audio Nenuphar speakers?
Charles

Hi charles,
1- yes , primaluna evo dac sounded way better with aroumd 100 hrs burn in.
2- i dont have yet the aurealis spdif cable, i will post a video when i receive it.
Abbas cable is killer for the price.
3- when i will review the apl dac it will be with marten dukes 2 .
For kassandra/3.1 se comparaison, it just happened in my friend system.
Videos will be uploaded tommorow probably!
Very very interesting!
Subscribe to my channel and hit the notification button!