This is a system that brings plenty of detail, speed and energy without loosing any musicality and truth of timbre - I have tried SET, SS, Planars, Ribbons, sealed baffles, ported designs and - IMO this is pretty close to my ideal setup.
Wow! Congrats!!!!!!!!! Please post when you are ready...looking forward to reading all about it and how it compares to other amps you've had!!!!! Enjoy!
Yes, "almost"...there is no perfect, and i have often wondered what my speakers would sound like with SETs (like Lamm ML2.2)...of course on some music, i suspect it would be incomparably good. Question is what happens when i switch to deep, powerful electronic bass.
I'll stick with what i have...but would love to hear SETs properly set up in my system some day.
Yes, totally agree too. This is very much about synergy. While i do not understand all the technical bits that help, i do know it when i hear it.
Also agree about giving speakers the right 'engine' to drive optimally.
One of the reasons i went with high powered Class A SS instead of the Lamm SETs (which are by all accounts a magical combination with my speakers)...was because: 1) i wanted endless reserves of power which my speakers will gladly use, 2) to give me flexibility in the event i found perhaps the only other speaker i would upgrade to...which would not work with an SET amp of 18 watts/channel (at all).
Wow! Congrats! I have heard great things about ACcuphase. Do let us know what differences you hear in the new system! Enjoy the music...while we enjoy reading about your system!
I will say, i think the new SF Amati under the new ownership, is excellent. I respected both earlier AMatis, but preferred Guarneris and Strads (both Guarneris) to the Amatis. This 3rd iteration however is, imho, better than both earlier versions. More linear, much, much tigher bass...and yet they managed to keep the special SF voice that is smooth, rich and musical that means the speaker remains a Sonus Faber. I think it is partly from speaker build (including the new base?) as well as slightly different cones...not sure.
Would be interesting to hear if the new Guarneri travels the same path!
HI Fernando. thanks for that. in a word, wow. that is a big statement given the quality of the Reimyo DAC. I have further heard many mods have been done (some of which take the Nuforce much further)...
In any event, i am contemplating a Mac to Empirical Audio Mod to the Zanden via its i2s input. Not yet, but hopefully in 2011 sometime...i would definitely seek to trial the server against a super transport (Zanden, Esoteric, Metronome) first before i invested the money. I will pounce the minute i hear a server that can match one of these.
Meanwhile, look forward to hearing more about the Gamut...sounds extremely promising. Enjoy!
congrats on your continuing evoluation! Great to watch it on your posts! Why did you replace your Apple TV with Oppo Transport? (I currently use Oppo BDP-83 as a transport-only too...but was thinking of going to MAC-based server!...possibly with empirical audio Pace Car for jitter reduction.)
Is the sound from transport better? BTW, i found that the Oppo benefited HUGELY from an upgrade to the stock powercable. I normally used PAD Dominus or Ann Contego across my entire system...but for the Oppo, i just bought a new cable from a new group...Sablon Audio. Their Robusto is stunningly good and roughly USD600. A veritable steal (i know the founder but am not affiliated in any way). they have a return/trial policy and mark coles (founder) is super-helpful. Good luck! and let me know please why you switched from MAC to Oppo. Thanks!
I found the same thing on my DD-18. I used them with my Guarneris (CJ MV60) and found it really, really helped in controlling the frequency response in a challenging room. Now i have SF Strads and Gryphon (you actually provided me with great advice on that score on my other post...thanks!). And i still use the Velodyne DD-18...though i have obviously reset many of the settings to match the upgraded system. I still think the DD-18 is amazing and when i feel the deep, controlled and pitch perfect bass, i enjoy it every time! And so should you!!!
