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purite audio
22-05-2008, 10:00
Over the last year or so, I have been trying to discover exactly what digital ( initially just plain CD ) is capable of, this was driven partly by curiosity ( to discover whether digital could get near vinyl ) and partly because as a 'dealer/distributor ' I wanted to find some exceptional products at different price points that I could sell. I have and continue to listen to as many players /dacs here at home as I can lay my hands on, at this moment I feel that while there isn't a huge difference between players/dacs there is enough ,and that a really good DAC CDP can really make you wan to listen to CD.
I am interested to hear your experiences of players at different price points, and especially if you have heard something really exceptional, here are some of the players I have listened to in no particular order, Meridian 507 588 808, MF Nuvista, Naim 555, Audio Note UK transport and Dac5 ( expensive any way ) Audio research CD7 DCS Scarlatti DCS Verona elgar plus ( old reference system ) Tascam cd pro ,ACK DAc, MSB Platinum Lavry 924 Beresforsd AMR cd77 Nagra Consonance something or other Pink Triangle Da Capo , current favourites are the Lavry MSB and my new Stahl -Tek, ( shoot out coming up ) .
I really would be interested to hear your thoughts , Keith.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb255/coopie_photo/P5212241.jpg

Marco
22-05-2008, 11:07
Hi Keith,

If you were nearer I'd bring down my Sony DAS-R1. It's a truly exceptional piece of kit that has an uncannily natural way with music, which is rendered without the 'edge' or 'grain' normally associated with CD; in fact it has all the attributes of good vinyl. Consequently one can listen to music for hours on end without any fatigue factor whatsoever, and yet the sound is also very dynamic and detailed. It's about the nearest digital sound you'll get to that of vinyl when done well.

Basically, I'd try to listen to anything that uses Philips TDA1541 S1 or S2 multi-bit chips, as I feel they are the catalyst for the type of reproduction I have described. Obviously though much depends on correct implementation. Hopefully Leo will comment on this as he has much experience in this area. Meanwhile here's an interesting link showing which CDPs and DACs used the TDA1541:

http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TDA1541%20corner/TDA1541.html

Marco.

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 11:13
So far the most natural digital source I've heard is the dCS Scarlatti transport/clock/dac running via Halcro amps into a pair of Verity Audio Parsifal speakers. It was at the Scottish hi-fi show last year and I genuinely thought a live band was playing before I walked in the room.

However, the importance of setting up components properly was demonstrated with finesse this year as the full Scarlatti system at the Manchester show was downright murky sounding, presumably from the components being balanced on some faux Tudor oak furniture and partnered with some 'better looking than sounding' amps and some unknown speakers.

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 12:18
By the way Keith, have you tried that gorgeous DAC on a stand at all?

Togil
22-05-2008, 12:32
In the Far East MBL is very popular because of its analogue sound. I have the 1531. I'm not sure which chip it uses, the player is very heavy and seems to concentrate efforts on the transport section.
Unfortunately because of the strong Euro MBL seems to be finished in the UK

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 12:45
MBL?

Nick
22-05-2008, 12:55
MBL?

Here you go -

http://www.mbl-germany.de/english/start.html

:)

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 12:58
WOW! Now that's a nice player:

http://www.mbl-germany.de/bilder_reference_line/1622mbl01_gross.jpg

Cheers for the link, I'll have a thorough read later. :)

purite audio
22-05-2008, 12:59
Marco Hi, I will have to look at some older machines using the crown and double crown chips, I think the Audio Note UK transport and dac ( which was a £30k combo ) may have used one ,but that was dull and soft as s**t , another disappointment was the Abbingdon Musical research cd77, I had very high hopes for that sadly no.
A fair number of the systems I hear have very strident treble ,I wonder if that is why some NOS dacs are popular rolling off the treble would help in those cases.
Off topic, JC not remembering who he was posting as, is the funniest thing I ahve read for a long time.

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 13:11
Off topic, JC not remembering who he was posting as, is the funniest thing I ahve read for a long time.

Hehehehe, it's hilarious! :)

purite audio
22-05-2008, 13:29
Rob and I have tided up my 'stand' I have placed 'Rembrandt's drawings' under the DAC, it has bought a real sense of chiaroscuro to the sound! Keith.

Marco
22-05-2008, 13:29
Hehehehe, it's hilarious!


You don't know the half of it! He was caught red-handed yet the sick f*ck still swore on the lives of his children that it wasn't him... :mental:

I'm speechless, and that's saying something coming from me!

Keith,

I agree, not all NOS DACs are wonderful - far from it, but when you get a good one, boy is it good! :)


Rob and I have tided up my 'stand' I have placed 'Rembrandt's drawings' under the DAC, it has bought a real sense of chiaroscuro to the sound!


Hilarious!

Marco.

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 13:30
Rob and I have tided up my 'stand' I have placed 'Rembrandt's drawings' under the DAC, it has bought a real sense of chiaroscuro to the sound! Keith.

LOL! Nice one. It's all about the support Keith. ;)

leo
22-05-2008, 13:37
Never heard of this dac but it looks a nice bit of kit, any tech details of its guts?

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 13:43
Here is a bit of info from their site. (http://www.stahltek.com/vekian_da.htm)

Audiocom AV
22-05-2008, 14:51
another disappointment was the Abbingdon Musical research cd77, I had very high hopes for that sadly no.

Hello, the AMR CD-77 has received good press and our customers who have heard it say it needs a least a day to come on song, from cold it was a disappointment. Where did you here the CD-77, what was the set up?

Regards,
Mark Bartlett

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
22-05-2008, 14:52
Here are my digital experiences for you;

Current
• CEC – TL1x
• Audio Logic – 34 MXL

Past
• Audio Research DAC 3 mkII
• PT De – Capo
• PT Cardinal Tx
• Audio Note DAC 5
• MF Nuvista
• Meridian 207

Togil
22-05-2008, 14:54
A current DAC that uses the 1541 Double Crown is the Zanden. They bought up a large quantity of chips and maybe it's also used in their new single-box player 2500

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 15:02
Here are my digital experiences for you;

Current
• CEC – TL1x


Is that the one based on the Sanyo unit, or am I getting muddled?

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
22-05-2008, 15:17
Is that the one based on the Sanyo unit, or am I getting muddled?

Here you go, not sure if it's based on a Sanyo mech but it's a belt drive unit.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll246/HyCoignitor/Audio%20Art%20of%20Sound/CECTLix.jpg

Andy - SDDW

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 15:26
That's the one, the belt driven job. Awesome machine!

Gets great reviews too, I particularly remember the Stereophile write up. (http://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/793cec/)

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
22-05-2008, 16:00
That's the one, the belt driven job. Awesome machine!

Gets great reviews too, I particularly remember the Stereophile write up. (http://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/793cec/)

I've had the transport for a good few years now and is a great Tx, plays fantastic and has the AT&T optical O/P I like. This one's the keeper. I have had a couple of people try and pursuade me to sell but never did or ever intended to. They are well worth searching out, and they are becoming more affordable judging by ones sold on Audiogon. Power supply voltages are adjustable internally too, which is a bonus.

Andy - SDDW

Filterlab
22-05-2008, 16:03
Indeed, a very well thought out machine, especially with the belt driven platter.

How does it fare on the service side of things though, have you had yours serviced at all? I'm guessing that the belt at some point will need tensioning correctly to avoid speed fluctuations which I believe would cause major league jitter (although I don't know for sure). I'd like to hear it one day in a back to back comparison with a similarly priced conventional model.

Mike
22-05-2008, 16:08
I've had a listen to it. Very nice too, but not a patch on Andy's analogue front end! ;)

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
22-05-2008, 16:15
The story behind mine is, a good friend of mine bought it new in the UK, then returned home to Hong Kong. He decided to treat himself to the TL0. So I bought the Tx from him. During transport back to the UK it was damaged and required a completely new transport and front face plate. So it was well and truely serviced then. CEC are still imported in the UK but not sure who does it now. But judging by previous experience they fully support the machines. Lets just hope I don't have to find out eh :eyebrows:

Andy - SDDW

purite audio
22-05-2008, 19:04
Hello, the AMR CD-77 has received good press and our customers who have heard it say it needs a least a day to come on song, from cold it was a disappointment. Where did you here the CD-77, what was the set up?

Regards,
Mark Bartlett

Mark Hi, I borrowed the AMR from Matthew ( who is a great guy ) , had it here for a few weeks , it ticked every box for me except sound , my system at home is Allnic L4000 pre A5000 parallel single ended monos and cessaro Alpha horn loudspeakers, www.puriteaudio.co.uk regards Keith.
CEC TLO I would like one of those but Euros 13.5k!!!

purite audio
23-05-2008, 21:58
I have been comparing the MSB Platinum DAC III 'Signature' to the Stahl-Tek , my first thoughts are that the MSB pulls things apart somehow, treble and bass seem emphasized perhaps at the expense of the mid, the Stahl is much more together it is very relaxed yet not at all dull or soft , more ( if you can stand it ) tomorrow.

Complin
31-05-2008, 20:53
Try the Italian North Star Design 192 and Extremo Dac's, I find them to have quite a smooth analogue sound but not rolled off in the treble.

http://www.northstar.it/northstar_eng.html?audio=model192.html

Another interesting Dac i have not heard is the new 32bit APL Dac
http://www.aplhifi.com/DAC1-product-page.htm

NOS Dac's were mentioned earlier. One that caused a stir was the Altamann Dac. Very unconventional. Has anyone tried it?

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/attraction.htm