Originally Posted by
MasterTape
Hi Adam, happy to answer but keep in mind these are my "12 hours in" impressions.
It's the older DAC. With a power chord upgrade that reduced the noise floor (Supra SPC using a IEC to mickey mouse adapter).
Co-Axial, in both cases from an Allo Digione streamer with S-Booster linear power supply. It's a nice and clean source.
Filters the same in both instances.
As for differences,
You catch the bass difference every time in A/B. The SEG trades "bloat" for power, extension, definition. The bass is notably cleaner and tighter. Switch back to Rega and you spot the wet immediately.
The SEG has a resolution edge. I think it's mainly due to a lower noise floor that also shows up as better separation between parts of the mix.
The SEG is more airy. It's part extension, part just having a slightly lifted treble compared to the Rega I think.
I don't find the sound stage bigger, in direct A/B switching things stay put. But I think the L/R separation must be significantly better in the SEG. If you have a track with say a cowbell far right, it stays in the same spot but loses focus when direct switching from SEG to Rega. The same goes across the sound stage but I find those extreme placements make it more clear.
I don't think there is a lot of difference in overall character. Both are warm, analogue sounding Dacs. I just think the Rega now sounds wet, doesn't place instruments with the same confidence, isn't as sure footed, comes off as slightly fuzzy around the edges. Lower resolution. Something like that.