The heavens opened and I heard the stars sing (β22 tales) - Page 3

Day 1 - B22 w/ Plinius CD-101

Not that I'll necessarily be writing an installment for every day I listen, but my first day of critical listening officially started yesterday.

I decided to start things off with the Plinius CD-101, my reference CDP of the past few months. My previous amp references were the HeadAmp AE-2, Singlepower Square Wave, and HeadAmp Pico. Power cord on the Plinius was the Black Sand Silver Reference MKV, and LAT International AC-2 MKII on the B22.

I started listening in single-ended with the Analysis Plus Silver Oval RCA, with my APureSound V3-recabled Audio-Technica AD2000 and SAA Equinox-recabled K701 (each with appropriate V3 and Equinox XLR-1/4" adapters), to compare with the Plinius balanced output. Stunned disbelief followed - amazingly, the balanced output sounded clearly superior to the single-ended output! I was surprised, considering there are only two PCM1704 DACs in the Plinius, and not four (for a dual-differential config). The balanced output was clearly louder, more dynamic, and expanded the soundstage width & depth by almost 200%, as if the single-ended's soundstage was in a tiny bubble.

Once I heard this revelation, I then decided to do all my listening in balanced mode, and proceeded to spin The Crystal Method, The Prodigy, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Renee Fleming, A Fine Frenzy, and Porcupine Tree. I'll give you guys the short version here: I ended up staying up all night - literally. The music coming out of the system was beyond anything I've heard before and completely mesmerized me that I could not stop listening. I kept listening until I had to go to work!

How did it sound?

Well first I'll say that I swapped between the Analysis Plus Silver Oval XLR and VH Audio Symnmetry XLR fairly often, to get a better idea of the B22's sound, and also for a review of them I'm planning for Audio Asylum. (I ended up getting a page worth of notes on the sonic differences between the ICs.)

If these ICs were any indication, the B22 sounded completely transparent to my ears - I got very noticeably different sounds between them, on the scale of an amplifier or source change. This process was very enlightening and helped me discern the sonic qualities of the ICs.

I can't make any sonic assessments of the B22 at this time since I've only heard it on the Plinius so far, but if I were to make any statements, I would list these:

- The Plinius CD-101 is clearly massively detailed, I heard so many NEW things from CDs I've heard many times before, that I found myself playing tracks over and over to make sure that I was hearing right.

- The Plinius is also extremely holographic and provides a clear, open, and expansive culling of space within and around the musical layers. The experience of listening was literally like staring into space.

- The Plinius is fast and very agile, and very lean and cool, as if it's the thin layer of an autumn mist in the very early morning. No, it didn't sound bright, but it did have a "cold" edge to it that made it feel detached and not aggressive. Perfect crystalline definition at all times, that gave a big "taste of steel" sensation when guitar strings were plucked or rang out.

- The B22 is clearly an all-out assault on high-end audio. Never once did I get a sense that I was missing something, even a little bit. The music that flowed out of the K701 and AD2000 was pure sonic bliss and I couldn't find any faults with it. I'm sure I'll find some later after I hear the bel canto CD-1 and dCS P8i, but last night was all musical enjoyment and awe. I gave the system my toughest reference tracks and it never skipped a beat - it went through them all and produced perfectly amazing music. From the crushing, oppressive bass of The Crystal Method and The Prodigy, to the electricity of Porcupine Tree, to the rolling intensity of operatic singers, to the soft cooing of Alison Krauss' voice, it was all presented beautifully with the integrity of a live-music performance. More than once I felt like the performers were in the room with me.