[BournePerfect]

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Coloration itself is subjective.

Yep-including ss odd ordered harmonics to which most people turn a blind eye to, all whilst calling out tubes left and right. Funny stuff again.
 
-Daniel

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

Yep-including ss odd ordered harmonics to which most people turn a blind eye to, all whilst calling out tubes left and right. Funny stuff again.
 
-Daniel

 
Sure ss typically has more odd order harmonics than even order(though not always), they are typically several orders of magnitude lower in level than the even order harmonics of tubes

 

[BournePerfect]

Yes-but more irritatingly apparent to these ears. Don't get me wrong-there's still a lot of ss amps I love, and work well with the finicky HD800-at any budget.
 
-Daniel

 

[SoupRKnowva]

The master 7 is close to the top of the list of DACs im looking at upgrading too, but I would like to hear one of these known colored, but still awesome, dacs to compare as well. The Vega looks like one that is colored in a good way kind of like the DP-1, being described as having an inner energy of sorts and being lit up. Im gonna have to look into whether they have loaner programs...

 

[BournePerfect]

Is there a US distributor for the Vega yet?
 
-Daniel

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

Is there a US distributor for the Vega yet?
 
-Daniel

Im pretty sure they are just selling direct right now

 

[radik golovkov]

Master 7+ Master8 + Hd800 = Lifeless and bland (to BournePerfect and my ears) Nobody else seems to own this exact combi, so most remarks from others on this combi are purely speculating, yet they always imply us hearing the wrong things.

 
I own this combi and it's fantastic!

 

[preproman]

Listening to my HD800 + Master 7 + GS-X mk2 rig now with some of the best downloaded recording out there.  For all you Classical and Jazz lovers out there visit www.itrax.com.  
 
Some of you may have met Mark at your local Audio show.  He's a one man shop and is dedicated to providing high quality downloads.  He doesn't have very much at the moment but he is growing.
 
The Master 7 / HD800 is a great combo if you're looking to hear the recording as it was intended.  Add your choice of amp here for flavor.  This is one of the most revealing rigs I've heard thus far and these recordings sound great.  

 

[macrog]

Quote:

 
I own this combi and it's fantastic!

 
Me too. I also love it !
 
Macrog

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Hello all

I agree with all who hear the master 7 as a neutral DAC. In fact for the hd800 there is only 3 setup,s IMHO that sound great . I am not saying others do not have great setup,s too.

First is the REF10.32 great DAC and amp and drives the HE6 good too.

Second is the HDVD800 with the HD800
And third is the REF10.32 DAC and the WOO WA22 .

The point is the company makes really hi end equipment cheap by hii end audio prices. I am makeing an assumption here in that I do not think there is much better than his stuff even at ludicrous prices. I just ordered the master 7 and 8 as a combo and I will post the difference between them after a couple of weeks of burn in and listening .
There is one other point if you like to here all there is including the bad with the good then his stuff is great, if you do not like that kind of surreal sound then buy a DAC that is more musical or do not use the HD800 . As that headphone is very close to the speed and clarity of the stax009 or HE6 and to listen to headphones like that all the time is not the most appalling at times. So in the end it's all choice but facts are still real and the DAC although I have heard it as yet I'm sure will an improvement of the REF1032 .

Al D

 

[colour97]

when you have a chance to add cd-7 fv to m7 combo, you will feel your next step is to buy more cd.

 

[drez]

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I highly doubt the NFB 7.32 is as neutral as the M7-in fact Kingwa has told me that himself. And his 'small' differences as he claims with his products, are actually pretty large differences to us here in the real world, who've experienced quite a few of his 'gears'. Part of that is just his inherent humility imo, unwilling to hype the differences to a fault imo, in an attempt to not overstate anything. AHeck, even his sun/moon/?? opamps have easily discernible traits between them with just a simple swap out.
 
-Daniel

 
I think we are running into that syntax argument again, neutral to my understanding means even frequency balance.  NFB7.32 is dead flat frequency response, maybe more clean than Ref7.1 tonally, and more extended, but I don't think that should have anything to do with neutrality.  IMO both Ref7.1 and NFB7.32 were neutral DAC's, just one was more detailed and extended.

 

[BournePerfect]

You've heard the Master 7? I was specifically making that comment in comparison to that.-and Kingwa's own remarks regarding his flagships.
 
-Daniel

 

[Currawong]

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Quote:

Guys, relax. Remember Computerparts? He thought the Reference 7 sounded "hi-fi" and ended up with a NOS Audio Note DAC. Then on the totally opposite side you have Project86 who finds the Invicta perfect, which is as opposite as you can get.
 
With the HD-800s, I'd take the Eximus DP1 for sure, which made the Invicta sound cold and sterile. However, the Invicta in differential headphone mode with the LCD-3s is awesome and easily shows up the limitations of my ageing Phoenix. The M7 is more "organic" sounding than the Invicta and sometimes more listenable. 

 

 
What didn't you like about the HD800s from the Invicta? It seems to get high marks around here.
 

 
Never tried the combo. I used to listen with a Reference 7 and Phoenix combo with the HD-800s. I thought they sounded best out of a big OTL tube amp.
 
The whole thing about "neural" is funny: All the DACs are "neutral" -- that is they are ruler-flat if you measure them using conventional measurements but by some or other combination of factors they all sound very slightly different, especially when directly compared.

 

[drez]

Quote:

The master 7 is close to the top of the list of DACs im looking at upgrading too, but I would like to hear one of these known colored, but still awesome, dacs to compare as well. The Vega looks like one that is colored in a good way kind of like the DP-1, being described as having an inner energy of sorts and being lit up. Im gonna have to look into whether they have loaner programs...

 
What made you go with the DP1 over the Master 7?
Quote:

You've heard the Master 7? I was specifically making that comment in comparison to that.-and Kingwas own remarks regarding his flagships.
 
-Daniel

 
No, still haven't heard the Master 7, not sure if anyone local has one to bring to a meet.  I guess the term neutral is just one of those that tends to create a lot of misunderstanding where different people hold it to mean different things.  Also I guess what I was waffling about was that I don't expect the Master 7 to be that radical a departure from the Ref7.1, which I could be completely wrong, in fact I would like to be wrong so that I can upgrade my DAC without too much expense (relatively speaking when other equipment I'm looking at is $3000+).  Also I really like the bare bones sound of Sabre.
 
I guess as Currawong says the word neutral is a bit problematic when talking about DAC's as they all pretty much measure flat in terms of FR.