Esoteric P03 / D03 vs MSB Platinum Data cdIV transport plus Signature power base

[spiritofmusic]

Gavin, it's one of the harsher and more selfless tasks in life, bedding in a stellar sounding component. Gotta feel for Jack, Lol.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Jack, natural and organic, w fantastic texture and flow. That's how I'd sum up the Eera sound. With a spooky ability for real timbral accuracy and tonal variety disc to disc. Like the best analog, no two cds sound the same. That suggests plenty of resolution and ability to tease out instrumental flavour and micro inflections better than most.

I'm convinced had streaming not happened and right now in this parallel universe we had still all be buying our music on cd, Eera would be a very prominent name in the best systems, esp those vinylphiles like me who had struggled l/t to find cd playback an issue in even the top machines.

I have to say Marc, i am certainly with you on the cd vs streaming debate. As far as i am concerned, the biggest issue with cd - vinyl is the amount of new music that isn't released on either format, download only. As someone who had had a somewhat....ahem, inconsistent relationship with computers, tablets etc, the idea that when i do finally take a hammer to them i lose my music collection has made digital storeage less appealing

the more i read about the eera, the more i am determined to hear it. But the price isn't too high to prevent me thinking of acquiring both Eera snd Esoteric; after a period when I've always been one breakdown away from 'No Music', a bit of strength in depth is called for, as well as two systems being highly likely in the event that i move to Girona, as planned this year.
Something well built with plenty of headroom for parties and outdoor listening on a pa, along with something providing a different interpretation for inside has strong appeal

 

[spiritofmusic]

Sure, choice is nice. Eera was as close to love at first listen as you can get. Very few reviews nail the absolute core sound of a component, but the PF one did. And totally backed up JackD and A Von Schwiekert testimonies.

It was actually so impressive, it immediately put my analog to the sword, and it's taken serious spending, modding and optimising of my Trans Fi/Straingauge vinyl front end to properly pull ahead of the Eera.

Now I'm blessed to have two sources that complement each other, no wandering of attention to the other format, lp and cd are equally compelling on each medium.

Streaming? Why spoil a beautiful partnership?

 

[JackD201]

I remember going to Neuneustraat in Amsterdam to buy Dance music vinyl and spending hours on Satellite too. Now the street is cafe's and a massage parlor. I wanted to cry. For a time the DJ community was what kept the pressing plants open, now it is control discs and Serato or Traktor The hardships of getting new music had me finally box up my 1200 Mk2s and 1210 M5Gs and went the Pioneer 2000 route and later Nexus hoping thee SQ of the latter would be better. It was but not by much. Denon Prime sounded much better so that's where I am now but I stiil have a hole in my heart that no jog wheel can fill The Prime decks have done away with transport mechanisms altogether.

That is my parallel universe Marc, like Gavin, I have outdoor PA for the poolside parties (Turbosound) and once every couple of years will perform live but only for celebrations of very close friends. When playing it's not just the sound you want to deliver it's about the feel, the groove. It's that flow you mentioned that grabs us by our most primal instincts then takes us out of time and into the now and now only. Yes the EERA is affordable and can be had at thee same tiime as the Esoterics.

As for the Esoteric rigs, I would not characterize them the way they were in an earlier thread. thee higher up you go in the line, they get more and more refined and nuanced if they do err it would be towards politeness should the system and room they are in lack potential energy from the lower midrange down to scale up along with HF transient peaks. Theirs is a head and heart sound so it's up to the owner to supply the spine and gutts. Gavin's system surely has both. It would be interesting how Gavin will find the Esoterics in his system. I'm keen to see what tuning changes he will make coming from the YBA (and the Kodo Beat) which like the EERA has that primal tap.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Gavin owns the Kodo Beat? Now, that is a very astute choice. I have no idea if the Eera would complement it (I do believe to run analog and digital in a system, both sources should match more than they contrast). All I can say is I run a pretty driven sounding rim drive tt, and the Eera fits w it perfectly. Unlike in mid 2000s, where my Marantz SA-1 was so poor and strung out re my tt at the time.

 

[JackD201]

The Beats I have heard have idler, DD and Air Force drive and impact. Idlers IME have a rounder leading edge though. Astute choice indeed.

 

[infinitely baffled]

[

That is my parallel universe Marc, like Gavin, I have outdoor PA for the poolside parties (Turbosound) and once every couple of years will perform live but only for celebrations of very close friends. When playing it's not just the sound you want to deliver it's about the feel, the groove. It's that flow you mentioned that grabs us by our most primal instincts then takes us out of time and into the now and now only. Yes the EERA is affordable and can be had at thee same tiime as the Esoterics.

.

Turbosound.....nice.
I will be using EAW thx - rated full range cabinets - MC4973- along with subwoofers tbd, likely EAW Big Berthas aka BH883 aka Levan subs, or Danley Labhorns
Amps agsin tbd, but i lean towards mc2

 

[infinitely baffled]

The Beats I have heard have idler, DD and Air Force drive and impact. Idlers IME have a rounder leading edge though. Astute choice indeed.

Thank you Jack?
It makes a terrific foil for my AF 301 idler, and precisely as you say; a bit more leading edge emphasis, surprisiongly more explosive with percussion.
Really does justice to drum and bass, going from my 301, scale and power to die for, to the Beat which just rocks jumps and slamms
Handled right it can be a jaw dropping combo

 

[spiritofmusic]

Gavin, the Beat is one of the few tts that seem like an overwhelming technical success and SQ resulting from direct engineering choices. I've gone the extra mile in modding my tt/arm/cart, w the possibility of two choices on bespoke tt speed controller and air arm pump.

Can you compare and contrast in a bit more detail how yr AF301 and Beat match up?

There's no lack of PRaT in a well implemented idler, does the DD Beat really get any further here? How is the rest of the sonic picture in comparison? Tone, texture, imaging, microdynamics, small scale resolution.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Happy to do so Marc. But my dogs won't forgive me if i miss this weather window, after the rain and gales of the last two days, so will get back to you this evening, once my chores are done

 

[BruceD]

[
Turbosound.....nice.

Agree great "Party" speaker--a friend of mine bought a set from Dire Straits Sound man!

BD

 

[infinitely baffled]

Gavin, the Beat is one of the few tts that seem like an overwhelming technical success and SQ resulting from direct engineering choices. I've gone the extra mile in modding my tt/arm/cart, w the possibility of two choices on bespoke tt speed controller and air arm pump.

Can you compare and contrast in a bit more detail how yr AF301 and Beat match up?

There's no lack of PRaT in a well implemented idler, does the DD Beat really get any further here? How is the rest of the sonic picture in comparison? Tone, texture, imaging, microdynamics, small scale resolution.

Tbh Marc, i feel that you and me have very different ways of listening to music.
You have given a list of separate checkpoints, none of which would be on my mind as i listen. Instead of individual data points relating to different aspects of my components' performance, i just listen to the music, and allow any impressions to arise naturally.
And the biggest difference between the presentation of the Beat and AF 301 is the one that Jack has put his finger on; the Beat just has a more clearly defined leading edge to transients than 301, which means that some tracks that were enjoyable on 301 become spectacular on the Beat
I would say that 301 is better for reggae music, the big phat enthusiasm really captures the scale, swing and power of a well produced reggae standard like Ken Boothe's 'is it because i am black', it just sounds soulful, powerful and emotive.
Whereas on the Beat 'the city stinks' by small fish with spine, an old skool drum and bass stompfest just explodes from the first note. If i wanted to sum each presentation up in a word, for AF 301 it might be 'scale' or 'drive', for the Beat it would be 'timing' or 'percussive'

Ftr i have used the same arm, cartridges, phonostage and rest of system on each tt, so the differences i describe are down to the turntables themselves. Neither deck ever feels like you are wanting for any of qualities i prize, namely bass extension, dynamics, prat, and a fundamentally satisfying musical coherence that just makes music sound good

 

[spiritofmusic]

"Leading edge to transients" is another audiohile term. So Gavin, you're not immune from using them, and we're not so different.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Both tts sound hugely good fun. How's that for a non audiophile contribution Lol.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Ok well let's leave all that stuff well behind.
Given that were roughly the same age, do you remember a Sauturday morning cartoon featuring three heroes, a woman who could shapeshift into any animal, Hercules who was infinitley strong, and another dude who was 'an amazing athlete who can match the speed of light' ?
Well imagine Hercules and the runny about fella both keeping a steady beat on the drums.
The AF 301 would be hercules, the Beat would be lightspeed guy

There you go. Sorted

 

[spiritofmusic]

And the belt drive?

 

[infinitely baffled]

Now you've thrown me.
One's an idler, the other direct drive

 

[bonzo75]

The beat should do very well with a LT arm, as he gives it with Schroeder LT and Mik likes it with air tangent

 

[infinitely baffled]

The beat should do very well with a LT arm, as he gives it with Schroeder LT and Mik likes it with air tangent

Yep that's certainly my direction of travel.
Now if only other components would just behave themselves long enough for me to complete the task...

 

[spiritofmusic]

Now you've thrown me.
One's an idler, the other direct drive

Gavin, I meant what cartoon character best represents a wobbly, fuzzy belt drive?