Calling AC Kassandra Owners

[WLGMuzza]

Good evening

I took delivery of the AC Kassandra 2 Ref. yesterday. I was unable to audition so wasn't sure what expect.

It is different from the previous DAC, but before I draw / post any conclusions, I'd appreciate fellow owner input on when your units sound stabilised to its final state. 1 day, 5 days, 10 days etc.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[morricab]

Good evening

I took delivery of the AC Kassandra 2 Ref. yesterday. I was unable to audition so wasn't sure what expect.

It is different from the previous DAC, but before I draw / post any conclusions, I'd appreciate fellow owner input on when your units sound stabilised to its final state. 1 day, 5 days, 10 days etc.

Thanks for your consideration.

What was the previous DAC and what are your initial impressions given that it may change with longer burn-in. I can't honestly remember how long it took ours to reach "opitimal" sound. It didn't seem to be that long as it has been burned in a bit at the factory. You can also adjust the tube bias, which has a pretty big impact on the sound character.

 

[WLGMuzza]

Thanks Morricab

Previous DAC was a G4/L5+ Lampizator.

There has been a change in sound after 48x hours. I'll wait another week to collect my thoughts and conclusions, and post them here when the sound has stabilised.

Cheers

 

[RdW]

Thanks Morricab

Previous DAC was a G4/L5+ Lampizator.

There has been a change in sound after 48x hours. I'll wait another week to collect my thoughts and conclusions, and post them here when the sound has stabilised.

Cheers

it is a while ago but am interested in your findings and if you still own the Kassandra?

thanks.

 

[WLGMuzza]

it is a while ago but am interested in your findings and if you still own the Kassandra?

thanks.

Hi RdW, apologies, it has been a while.

I still own the Kassandra. There was a delay in getting the unit up and running due to an intermittent fault likely caused during the journey to New Zealand, then Covid and other factors has seen the last months fly past.

That issue was fixed and Kassie has been translating great music for a few months now.

My system consists of the Kassandra being fed via USB from a server running JRiver, and directly into a VTL S400 power amp via balanced connections, and then to Genesis G2Jr speakers.

When I sat down for the first serious listening session I instantly cracked a massive smile. I finally understood what all the fuss was about. I have gone to the next level of reproduction - the previously impressive sounds became impressive music.

Kassie is completely silent in operation, and improved the depth of space between the notes to allow more detail, and more natural flow of those details. For example I was able to distinguish the decay signatures of different instruments that are playing closely together in space on the Buena Vista Social Club album. This means I hear more of the interplay between the musicians and therefore better understand the story they are telling.

I have had nights with certain music where I close my eyes and see the entire musical palette in front of me. I don't get pinpoint imaging with the G2Jrs, but I do get a strong sense of a person / instrument filling their own space, and that image is rock solid, palpable and believable.

I don't get to much live music so can't comment on timbre wrt live music. What I can say is where the recording allows it, there is a purity I wasn't getting with the older model Lampi. Simple recordings can be startling in their immediacy. I've had a number of friends over to listen to music and when Tom Jones - Tower of Song, Johnny Cash - Hurt came on their attention was drawn from the conversation about equipment to listening to a three dimensional singer in the room with all the inflections and interpretation they brought to these outstanding covers.

A couple of tracks that previously were unnecessarily harsh (Simple Minds - Waterfront) are way more listenable as the 'hash' that makes up some of the treble appears less distorted.

Dynamics are great. Bass, which with 4x 12 inch woofers wasn't anemic to start with, now has more texture and gravitas.

I don't get the opportunity to listen to similar systems as there just aren't that many in NZ, and I doubt there is another DAC or set of speakers like mine in the country. This means I haven't had the opportunity to plug Kassie into a similar system to corroborate my findings, or compare against DACs of a similar lineage.

Not that I really care - this is the end game in terms of DACs for me.

Cheers

 

[RaChiK]

I have kassandra ref II since 3-4 months. I stream from Aurender N20 via USB to Kassandra II, which goes to Aries Cerat incito S preamp and then to octave RE320 feeding Fyne F-12. I bought them new and it sounded excellent right from get go. But it took 1-2 weeks to reach its fullest potential and has remained like that since then. They are pretty responsive to power cables and seem to deliver best timber with silver cables. You should also try tube biasing that gives little different flavors. I am currently set at 250 bias which gives good balance of tube magic and dynamics. Every time I listen to them, I am in "wow" and surprises me with its dynamics, PRAT, soundstage and being most "musical". Kassandra just brings out "pure music" is what I feel every single time I listen to my system. Did I mention the looks and build quality- top notch.
I am now looking to upgrade my preamp to Impera ref II and amp to Ianus essentias: Full Aries Cerat is the way to go. No looking back.

 

[RdW]

Hi RdW, apologies, it has been a while.

I still own the Kassandra. There was a delay in getting the unit up and running due to an intermittent fault likely caused during the journey to New Zealand, then Covid and other factors has seen the last months fly past.

That issue was fixed and Kassie has been translating great music for a few months now.

My system consists of the Kassandra being fed via USB from a server running JRiver, and directly into a VTL S400 power amp via balanced connections, and then to Genesis G2Jr speakers.

When I sat down for the first serious listening session I instantly cracked a massive smile. I finally understood what all the fuss was about. I have gone to the next level of reproduction - the previously impressive sounds became impressive music.

Kassie is completely silent in operation, and improved the depth of space between the notes to allow more detail, and more natural flow of those details. For example I was able to distinguish the decay signatures of different instruments that are playing closely together in space on the Buena Vista Social Club album. This means I hear more of the interplay between the musicians and therefore better understand the story they are telling.

I have had nights with certain music where I close my eyes and see the entire musical palette in front of me. I don't get pinpoint imaging with the G2Jrs, but I do get a strong sense of a person / instrument filling their own space, and that image is rock solid, palpable and believable.

I don't get to much live music so can't comment on timbre wrt live music. What I can say is where the recording allows it, there is a purity I wasn't getting with the older model Lampi. Simple recordings can be startling in their immediacy. I've had a number of friends over to listen to music and when Tom Jones - Tower of Song, Johnny Cash - Hurt came on their attention was drawn from the conversation about equipment to listening to a three dimensional singer in the room with all the inflections and interpretation they brought to these outstanding covers.

A couple of tracks that previously were unnecessarily harsh (Simple Minds - Waterfront) are way more listenable as the 'hash' that makes up some of the treble appears less distorted.

Dynamics are great. Bass, which with 4x 12 inch woofers wasn't anemic to start with, now has more texture and gravitas.

I don't get the opportunity to listen to similar systems as there just aren't that many in NZ, and I doubt there is another DAC or set of speakers like mine in the country. This means I haven't had the opportunity to plug Kassie into a similar system to corroborate my findings, or compare against DACs of a similar lineage.

Not that I really care - this is the end game in terms of DACs for me.

Cheers

Thanks @WLGMuzza for the detailed feedback. Very helpful. And great to hear that you are enjoying the Kassandra. It is not the first time I hear this DAC is a great musical performer.

I did gave it a serious thought to audition the Kassandra. But first I got this weekend the opportunity from my dealer to listen to a fully equipped new MSB Premier dac. That was impressive in my set-up.

Might I decide to give the Kassandra a try, I will let you know.

Thanks again.