Spur07
28-04-2010, 08:54
Morning all
A Couple of weeks ago I spent a very pleasant Saturday afternoon in North West London with AOS member, ‘John’, listening to music on his system. Impressed as I was I thought I’d write this short (and rather basic) review/report for anyone who knows John and might be interested.
The primary reason for my visit was to compare John’s Copper Dac (early model purchased from Duncan), with my Beresford 7510. The best part of the day for me, however, was hearing John’s system in all its glory. Perhaps John will list the exact components if requested, but I guess many of you will be familiar with his set up anyway. The source was a laptop via USB into the Copper Dac, through to open baffle speakers with two SS amps for the bass drivers and a valve amp for the mid/treble.
The first thing that struck me was the tightness of bass – not an ounce of flab. The second thing that surprised me was the abundance of PRaT. For me this was home from home. I’ve only ever owned Naim equipment – not necessarily out of preference, just a reflection of the limits of my experience. So it’s flat earth in my house – if you sail a ship straight toward the horizon around here you’re more than liable at some point to fall of the edge. For many of you that metaphor may well be apt when considering some of the more unwanted traits associated with Naim equipment and flat earth in general, but that’s the beauty of John’s set up – he seems to have found the best of both worlds. The SS amps delivered tightness and grunt in the bass whilst the Valves kept the mid/treble sweet and palatable. The Copper Dac orchestrated plenty of detail with control and sophistication through a number of different recordings, (no hint of troublesome treble here). For me however the speakers were the star providing a fine sense of three dimensional realism and immediacy. In a confined space they delivered a clear, extended range with the kind of sparkle so often either lacking or over-stated in other systems I’ve heard.
Source may well come first, but this is first time I’ve realized how important speakers really are. Despite the rough and ready DIY look I fell in love with the open baffle Hawthornes, and what’s more, I fell in love with the price. You’d have to be an MP fiddling expenses to be able to afford anything this good in branded cabinets. John’s system is a testament to how far a little bit of knowledge in Hi-fi can go a very long way. It’s a celebration of ‘tinkering’ outside the box, a nod and a wink to the joys of Homebrew.
This is probably the best system I’ve heard. Practicality prevents it, but I’d love to hear this set up in a larger room, and the source could easily be improved. A SB Touch would take this system to another level, but John plans to introduce a TT at some point. None of the above, however, deters from such an engaging listening experience.
:guitar:
A Couple of weeks ago I spent a very pleasant Saturday afternoon in North West London with AOS member, ‘John’, listening to music on his system. Impressed as I was I thought I’d write this short (and rather basic) review/report for anyone who knows John and might be interested.
The primary reason for my visit was to compare John’s Copper Dac (early model purchased from Duncan), with my Beresford 7510. The best part of the day for me, however, was hearing John’s system in all its glory. Perhaps John will list the exact components if requested, but I guess many of you will be familiar with his set up anyway. The source was a laptop via USB into the Copper Dac, through to open baffle speakers with two SS amps for the bass drivers and a valve amp for the mid/treble.
The first thing that struck me was the tightness of bass – not an ounce of flab. The second thing that surprised me was the abundance of PRaT. For me this was home from home. I’ve only ever owned Naim equipment – not necessarily out of preference, just a reflection of the limits of my experience. So it’s flat earth in my house – if you sail a ship straight toward the horizon around here you’re more than liable at some point to fall of the edge. For many of you that metaphor may well be apt when considering some of the more unwanted traits associated with Naim equipment and flat earth in general, but that’s the beauty of John’s set up – he seems to have found the best of both worlds. The SS amps delivered tightness and grunt in the bass whilst the Valves kept the mid/treble sweet and palatable. The Copper Dac orchestrated plenty of detail with control and sophistication through a number of different recordings, (no hint of troublesome treble here). For me however the speakers were the star providing a fine sense of three dimensional realism and immediacy. In a confined space they delivered a clear, extended range with the kind of sparkle so often either lacking or over-stated in other systems I’ve heard.
Source may well come first, but this is first time I’ve realized how important speakers really are. Despite the rough and ready DIY look I fell in love with the open baffle Hawthornes, and what’s more, I fell in love with the price. You’d have to be an MP fiddling expenses to be able to afford anything this good in branded cabinets. John’s system is a testament to how far a little bit of knowledge in Hi-fi can go a very long way. It’s a celebration of ‘tinkering’ outside the box, a nod and a wink to the joys of Homebrew.
This is probably the best system I’ve heard. Practicality prevents it, but I’d love to hear this set up in a larger room, and the source could easily be improved. A SB Touch would take this system to another level, but John plans to introduce a TT at some point. None of the above, however, deters from such an engaging listening experience.
:guitar: