magiccarpetride
17-05-2010, 16:24
I've spent some time yesterday comparing the Caiman preamp with my DSP 200s preamp. After fiddling around and setting up the volume of both preamps to be at the approximately same level, I've played familiar music through both preamps, and made comparative notes.
But first, the level matching: not sure why, but the Caiman preamp is much, much quieter than the DSP 200s preamp. If we imagine the volume knob to be the face of a clock, I typically listen to music at the levels between 9:00 o'clock and 9:30. Rarely do I ever go up to 10:00 o'clock (things get really loud at that point). In this experiment, I had my DSP 200s at approximately 9:30 o'clock.
Oddly enough, the Caiman preamp had to be set all the way up to between 2:30 and 3:00 o'clock to match that volume. For any louder music, the Caiman would have to be pretty much maxed out.
On to the sound quality: no spectacular differences to report here. On the first listen, it sounded to me like the Caiman had more openness in the highs, as well as more depth in the bass. As soon as I switched over to DSP 200s, however, that proved not to be the case. I think that both preamps operate at approximately same level of their ability to render faithful highs and lows.
Resolution: in a busier, more dynamic passage, I heard previously unnoticed details with the Caiman preamp. Playing back that same passage through DSP 200s I was surprised to hear different details that I couldn't catch through the Caiman. But the details I heard through the Caiman were absent in DSP 200s. Hmm, this is the point where I've started to scratch my head. Then, upon repeat listening, I kind of realized that the difference in the details boiled down to the difference in how two preamps played the phrase on the electric keyboard: The Caiman played it more staccato, while the DSP 200s played it more legato. But it was the same phrase, only played in somewhat different styles.
Interesting, eh? At this point, I wouldn't know which of the two styles I'd prefer. Both sound super musical to me, both are very pleasing. Just the fact that here we have two components rendering the exact same music material with slightly different styles is very intriguing. If I had to choose, I'd be hard pressed to go with one or the other.
As a matter of fact, if switching between these two preamps wasn't such a hassle, I wouldn't mind flip-flopping as the mood hits me, and listening to the Caiman on one day, and to the DSP 200s on another day. Or even switching back and forth in the midstream. If only that were doable from a remote control, I think it would actually be fun. Lot's of fun!
So basically it's a toss-off for me. But the deal breaker is the quietness of the Caiman preamp. I don't think I could live with that.
Now, I'm left wondering if there is any particular reason for such huge discrepancy between the two preamps in terms of loudness?
But first, the level matching: not sure why, but the Caiman preamp is much, much quieter than the DSP 200s preamp. If we imagine the volume knob to be the face of a clock, I typically listen to music at the levels between 9:00 o'clock and 9:30. Rarely do I ever go up to 10:00 o'clock (things get really loud at that point). In this experiment, I had my DSP 200s at approximately 9:30 o'clock.
Oddly enough, the Caiman preamp had to be set all the way up to between 2:30 and 3:00 o'clock to match that volume. For any louder music, the Caiman would have to be pretty much maxed out.
On to the sound quality: no spectacular differences to report here. On the first listen, it sounded to me like the Caiman had more openness in the highs, as well as more depth in the bass. As soon as I switched over to DSP 200s, however, that proved not to be the case. I think that both preamps operate at approximately same level of their ability to render faithful highs and lows.
Resolution: in a busier, more dynamic passage, I heard previously unnoticed details with the Caiman preamp. Playing back that same passage through DSP 200s I was surprised to hear different details that I couldn't catch through the Caiman. But the details I heard through the Caiman were absent in DSP 200s. Hmm, this is the point where I've started to scratch my head. Then, upon repeat listening, I kind of realized that the difference in the details boiled down to the difference in how two preamps played the phrase on the electric keyboard: The Caiman played it more staccato, while the DSP 200s played it more legato. But it was the same phrase, only played in somewhat different styles.
Interesting, eh? At this point, I wouldn't know which of the two styles I'd prefer. Both sound super musical to me, both are very pleasing. Just the fact that here we have two components rendering the exact same music material with slightly different styles is very intriguing. If I had to choose, I'd be hard pressed to go with one or the other.
As a matter of fact, if switching between these two preamps wasn't such a hassle, I wouldn't mind flip-flopping as the mood hits me, and listening to the Caiman on one day, and to the DSP 200s on another day. Or even switching back and forth in the midstream. If only that were doable from a remote control, I think it would actually be fun. Lot's of fun!
So basically it's a toss-off for me. But the deal breaker is the quietness of the Caiman preamp. I don't think I could live with that.
Now, I'm left wondering if there is any particular reason for such huge discrepancy between the two preamps in terms of loudness?