Sp3000 CU ordered
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Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000
- Thread starter JasonNYC
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arftech
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I’m still enjoying my SP3K and when connected to the WA8 for that tube flavor it’s even more enjoyable. The DAC within the SP3K is impressive.
Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
Thought I'd try out the SP3K Cu with a TPU case.
what’s your impression of the Cu? If I recall you too owned SP2K in copper. I’m thinking of pulling the trigger on it myself. Just not too sure though as my experience owning the previous gen wasn’t that all impressive (not the same level of detail retrieval as SS). I am hoping that with adding silver (Ag) to the alloy would improve “fuzziness”. LolThought I'd try out the SP3K Cu with a TPU case.
I'll be getting my pre order in for the CU on May 1st, so hopefully soon after that I'll have both to compare, ss vs cu.what’s your impression of the Cu? If I recall you too owned SP2K in copper. I’m thinking of pulling the trigger on it myself. Just not too sure though as my experience owning the previous gen wasn’t that all impressive (not the same level of detail retrieval as SS). I am hoping that with adding silver (Ag) to the alloy would improve “fuzziness”. Lol
Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
what’s your impression of the Cu? If I recall you too owned SP2K in copper. I’m thinking of pulling the trigger on it myself. Just not too sure though as my experience owning the previous gen wasn’t that all impressive (not the same level of detail retrieval as SS). I am hoping that with adding silver (Ag) to the alloy would improve “fuzziness”. Lol
Thus far it has been excellent. Well… it all depends on what you are seeking. For me, the Cu brings with it musicality and lushness. Of course, SP3KCu is a step up from SP2KCu, just as SP3K is a step above SP2K generally. However, if you prefer clinical details above all else, then perhaps SS is for you.
Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
Getting some listening in with FitEar DC and Eletech Aeneid to start the long Eid weekend.
kel77
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Here's a comparison of SP3000ss vs SP3000cu
https://www.dcfever.com/news/readne...SRP3BXLC9oAoFnN4eqgyXOpnzPKsxx8Vlj_9CfjyNdnwU
In brief, CU is a jack of all trades that work well with classics. SS still has the edge of providing better details at the expense of sounding fatiguing to some people.
https://www.dcfever.com/news/readne...SRP3BXLC9oAoFnN4eqgyXOpnzPKsxx8Vlj_9CfjyNdnwU
In brief, CU is a jack of all trades that work well with classics. SS still has the edge of providing better details at the expense of sounding fatiguing to some people.
Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
And the Cu is better at conveying emotions and nuances, rather than just details. Interesting that it references the similarity in tonality to the Sony 1ZM2.Here's a comparison of SP3000ss vs SP3000cu
https://www.dcfever.com/news/readne...SRP3BXLC9oAoFnN4eqgyXOpnzPKsxx8Vlj_9CfjyNdnwU
In brief, CU is a jack of all trades that work well with classics. SS still has the edge of providing better details at the expense of sounding fatiguing to some people.
Will Qobuz version 7.0 be released on SP3000? Current version’s Qobuz (6.10.0.0) is so bad for offline listening
Would you agree with the statement that Cu is inferior to SS/Black when it comes to micro details reproduction? Thanks!And the Cu is better at conveying emotions and nuances, rather than just details. Interesting that it references the similarity in tonality to the Sony 1ZM2.
Thankfully I’ve now got the opportunity to do so using a friends SS unit and I can confirm that my suspicions were true, they do indeed sound marginally different. I asked my wife to help me with blind testing and I could pick out the SS and Cu quite easily, so the differences are certainly there as far as I’m concerned, however I wouldn’t say that one or the other sounds better per se. Just a matter of taste and preference. That said, now that I’ve heard both and compared them, I’m tempted to buy another SS for myself because I can see situations where I might prefer one over the other. RIP wallet
SS has a slightly cooler tonality, and a more pronounced mid-bass emphasis. Vocals and mids sound a touch more revealing and treble has a little more upper treble emphasis.
Cu has a deeper sub bass extension and a generally fuller lower end, with lusher mids and a slightly heavier note weight. Treble still is very airy and well extended, but has a slightly more textured feel to it at the expense of a small amount of clarity and detail retrieval.
For my tastes and preferences, I think Cu works a little better for me. I mostly use an UM Multiverse Mentor which already has a mid-bassy bass response and can use the extra sub bass emphasis to balance it out. It also has a strong mid and upper treble response that can get a bit fatiguing if used with the wrong source, and I find Cu does a slightly better job at taming those highs and bringing a more natural tone to the overall sound.
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Thank you for this, basically confirms what I was expecting out of the CU based on older variants. Also means I need to get one for my intended pair up (to be paired with UM Mest Indigo and Cleopatra II Octa) while my SS stays with my Viking Ragnar and Magnus 8w. RIP Wallet indeed.This weekend I had a chance to compare the SP3000 Cu with the SS version. I sold my black SP3000 and upgraded to a Copper LE a couple weeks ago and I’ve been absolutely loving it. I suspected there were some minor sound sifferences from the SS version, however I couldn’t say for certain because I hadn’t heard them together to perform an A/B test.
Thankfully I’ve now got the opportunity to do so using a friends SS unit and I can confirm that my suspicions were true, they do indeed sound marginally different. I asked my wife to help me with blind testing and I could pick out the SS and Cu quite easily, so the differences are certainly there as far as I’m concerned, however I wouldn’t say that one or the other sounds better per se. Just a matter of taste and preference. That said, now that I’ve heard both and compared them, I’m tempted to buy another SS for myself because I can see situations where I might prefer one over the other. RIP wallet
SS has a slightly cooler tonality, and a more pronounced mid-bass emphasis. Vocals and mids sound a touch more revealing and treble has a little more upper treble emphasis.
Cu has a deeper sub bass extension and a generally fuller lower end, with lusher mids and a slightly heavier note weight. Treble still is very airy and well extended, but has a slightly more textured feel to it at the expense of a small amount of clarity and detail retrieval.
For my tastes and preferences, I think Cu works a little better for me. I mostly use an UM Multiverse Mentor which already has a mid-bassy bass response and can use the extra sub bass emphasis to balance it out. It also has a strong mid and upper treble response that can get a bit fatiguing if used with the wrong source, and I find Cu does a slightly better job at taming those highs and bringing a more natural tone to the overall sound.
I can't wait for SP3K Copper orders to open, will be my first A&K
Yeah, similar to SP2K Cu and SS, although I remember the differences between those two being more obvious. I went the other way with SP2000, started with Cu then migrated to SS. SP2K Cu sounded great initially but over time I felt it became too warm and lacked treble sparkle. SS remedied that.Thank you for this, basically confirms what I was expecting out of the CU based on older variants. Also means I need to get one for my intended pair up (to be paired with UM Mest Indigo and Cleopatra II Octa) while my SS stays with my Viking Ragnar and Magnus 8w. RIP Wallet indeed.