Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Sweetest CDP I have ever seen!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Sweetest CDP I have ever seen! - Page 4

post #46 of 54
7/24/02 at 12:59am
Sorry to post twice in a row, but Dan's followup email I think sheds even more light on his design goals and I think maybe better states my own view on tube equipment:

Quote:
> Thank you--articulate as always. I posted your response to the thread.
> The argument is (in summary) "Would a tubed output stage on a CD
> player in conjunction with a tube amplifier be too much tube?" My
> argument was that I didn't believe your design goals to be "warm, tubey
> coloration" but rather to eliminate electronic hash. I think in the
> end, the definition of coloration itself may be the communication
> breakdown, but I still disagree that having a tube in the signal path
> of the CD player necessarily makes it inappropriate
> for user with a tube amp. I guess we'll see.

The trouble is that there is a lot of poorly designed
and implemented tube gear out there. Many "tubed" CD
players either have a simple tube buffer or a poorly
designed tubed output stage and either/both are
designed with heavy distortion and lots of feedback,
with the specific intent of creating a "warm" sound.

Good high-end tube gear IS detailed and DOES provide
good bass response. It is VERY common for people to
have all tube systems, including tube preamp and
amp(s). I am certainly one of them.

On the other hand, some people simply don't like tubes
and prefer solid-state. There is bad SS gear -
bright, hashey, etc., and there is bad tube gear -
overly warm, rolled off and soft on the bottom end.

The tubed output stage for the XA-777ES is GOOD tube
design and great sound .

Thanks Kelly,

Dan W.
Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #47 of 54
7/24/02 at 1:48am
Quote:
Originally posted by kelly




A large problem to me is that I've yet to hear any component lacking in signature so I suppose there is some debate as to what the word "coloration" should mean. If a tube amp to me sounds "clean" and "real", but a solid state sounds "harsh" then it's odd to me that the conclusions should be that the more realistic sounding component was the one we would call "more colored." Maybe I should refrain from using this word at all. I've already banned "musical" and "analytical" from my personal vocabulary.

In any case, our priorities seem rather dissimilar but I hope my descriptions of the Absolute Truth XA777ES are still useful to you when I finally hear it.
Yeah, I think we are cross-wired in terms of semantics more than anything else. I have a feeling our priorities and musical goals are not too dissimilar. Did you know that I was within a hairsbreadth of purchasing your RKV after having had a day long audition? 911 happened and the rest is history I guess.

Thanks for the posts from Dan. I'm even more intrigued if that is at all possible.
Reply
post #48 of 54
7/24/02 at 1:53am
Quote:
Originally posted by pigmode
Yeah, I think we are cross-wired in terms of semantics more than anything else. I have a feeling our priorities and musical goals are not too dissimilar. Did you know that I was within a hairsbreadth of purchasing your RKV after having had a day long audition? 911 happened and the rest is history I guess.

Thanks for the posts from Dan. I'm even more intrigued if that is at all possible.
pigmode
I thought you convinced me to buy the RKV because you felt guilty for backing out on Vertigo and decided you wanted a Melos instead?
Reply
post #49 of 54
7/24/02 at 1:58am
Now I feel guilty because the RKV got sick.
Reply
post #50 of 54
7/24/02 at 2:02am
Quote:
Originally posted by pigmode
Now I feel guilty because the RKV got sick.
It got well. No complaints here.
Reply
post #51 of 54
7/24/02 at 3:59am
I'm happy for ya!

For the record, I didn't back out to buy the Melos. 911 put all of our projects on hold, and I suddenly found myself on a loong vacation whereas I usually work 50 to 60 hours a week. I was in limboland. When I finally came back three months later with a couple of lucrative projects that actually put me waay ahead of where I normally would be, I found that it was time to get into the speaker system. The Melos was supposed to double as a preamp.
Reply
post #52 of 54
7/24/02 at 11:56am
Just say that I quite agree with Tim de Paravicini and Tweertinelle's comments.

And the most evident difference between tubed and solid state equipment, is that when tubes distort a signal, they do it in a "softer" manner, whilst when transistors distort a signal they do it on a "harder" manner. There are other issues that can have an additional influence on how the sound is distorted (amp topology, output transformers, output impedance).

However, as Tim de Paravicini notes, it is possible to build both a tubed amp or a ss amp having such low distortion that it is not perceivable as "softer" or "harder" in any of the cases.

It is also nice to see how de Paravicini has the guts to confess that he uses tubes just for marketing reasons. That's sincerity, something that I think that is lacking a lot on most marketing strategies.
Reply
post #53 of 54
8/1/02 at 6:25pm
Is anybody going to bid on this http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...em=1369389225]? I may stop by Decibel Audio this weekend to check it out.
Reply
post #54 of 54
8/1/02 at 7:14pm
Quote:
Originally posted by acidtripwow
Is anybody going to bid on this http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...em=1369389225]? I may stop by Decibel Audio this weekend to check it out.
Acid, it's at $1450.00 now. As far as I'm concerned, it's past the bargain stage for a used piece of gear. You can by them new for $1,800-1,900. The reviews have been luke warm at best...

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Dedicated Source Components

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Sweetest CDP I have ever seen!