[OCC7N]

Do ACSS really make a difference? I am trying now with the NFB10.32 together with the Master19 but there is no difference in sound acss vs rca at all

honestly I wish they were no difference...

-

Swapped R1N to XLR. Initial impression not promising. Hoping it settles in 2 days. R8H2 has been swapped to ACSS/silver I will spent the next week, in hopes there is no difference, trust me, I hate how good ACSS is. R8H2 is much better performing than R1N on XLR. By far...I have not heard R8H2 on ACSS in a long time so I am excited to hear any difference.

 

[svmusa]

I am curious as well to hear your experiences on accs connection vs XLR.

 

[OCC7N]

I am curious as well to hear your experiences on accs connection vs XLR.

So far it is actually interesting to make these kind of comparison. Both XLR and ACSS have their strength as I have started to understand how they each sound, it comes down to preference.


XLR is very responsive, and feels technical superior with transients.
ACSS is “slower” more sustained, more whole noted. It does not let go of the notes as easy as XLR.

Even though R8H2 performs better in XLR/ACSS, the characteristics are the same.

For slow pace music:
ACSS and R8H2 is another level up with Susvara as the DAC has very controlled/still soundstage.

 

[sajunky]

Worth thousand bucks of expensive XLR/RCA cables too.

 

[matthia]

XLR is very responsive, and feels technical superior with transients.
ACSS is “slower” more sustained, more whole noted. It does not let go of the notes as easy as XLR.

How would compare RCA to XLR and ACSS?
Thx

 

[OCC7N]

How would compare RCA to XLR and ACSS?
Thx

RCA is atleast great as XLR. Sometimes maybe better. My preference.

ACSS is different. This is for the listener who is beyond technicalities or resolution. “It feels like a different band playing” - It takes a different approach of listening.

If one is not settled with their setup ACSS might be hard to hear

 

[oqvist]

Trying now with a bit more revealing headphone the hd 800S instead of the ether c flow. I don´t know if the master19 is designed around rca or ACSS primary but the difference I hear might actually just be based on power output. I am to lazy to get the spl metre but I suspect the volume difference is so small my spl metre would not be accurate enough Suspect the rca may be ever so slightly louder on same settings but cant say for certain.

For me I get the opposite of OCC7N ACSS may have tighter decays but that is probably due to spl but in a blind test I would be absolutely clueless on records I listened to a thousand times before. There is no change at all in the frequency response I can tell. Feels totally unnecessary to lock you in on ACSS from this comparison. Seems to be a more theoretical then practical "improvement"

As for xlr vs rca with the cable distances we tend to use at home yes rca is fine for my ears.

 

[OCC7N]

Trying now with a bit more revealing headphone the hd 800S instead of the ether c flow. I don´t know if the master19 is designed around rca or ACSS primary but the difference I hear might actually just be based on power output. I am to lazy to get the spl metre but I suspect the volume difference is so small my spl metre would not be accurate enough Suspect the rca may be ever so slightly louder on same settings but cant say for certain.

For me I get the opposite of OCC7N ACSS may have tighter decays but that is probably due to spl but in a blind test I would be absolutely clueless on records I listened to a thousand times before. There is no change at all in the frequency response I can tell. Feels totally unnecessary to lock you in on ACSS from this comparison. Seems to be a more theoretical then practical "improvement"

As for xlr vs rca with the cable distances we tend to use at home yes rca is fine for my ears.

call it just make-belief I can take it. I wish it was.

Read my post again and see if you understand what I mean without thinking of any sound measuring device…

-----
EDIT:
Now you know why yours sounds the same

"Master 19 is a true balanced design applying the newest ACSS design which can improve the XLR connection to sound as good as the ACSS connection"

Hint: Look at the ACSS input on HE-9 LE it is not at the same zone. So maybe thats the reason I hear the difference and you don´t

R8H2 into the HE-9 LE.
Initial impression(re-visiting the silver ACSS) - I have not listened to this cable since I have done the latest upgrade. It does sounds like it tames the forwardness of the R8H2 in the lowend pretty good.

Many things I could "spoil" but even the black background* changes. It sounds real, like the ears are touching an invisible "garment" in the music.

Susvara and HE400SE with ACSS is the perfect translation of emotions from the music. Almost brings tears to my eyes.

"ACSS opens a new field, it can offer a least coloration sound which is more neutral with very low distortion and high linearity. So it can retain the dynamics, detail and neutral sound but not sound bright or harsh."

Quoting myself here

*the main reason I keep the R8H2!

 

[oqvist]

call it just make-belief I can take it. I wish it was.

Read my post again and see if you understand what I mean without thinking of any sound measuring device…

I wouldnt Call it make believe

call it just make-belief I can take it. I wish it was.

Read my post again and see if you understand what I mean without thinking of any sound measuring device…

-----
EDIT:
Now you know why yours sounds the same

"Master 19 is a true balanced design applying the newest ACSS design which can improve the XLR connection to sound as good as the ACSS connection"

Hint: Look at the ACSS input on HE-9 LE it is not at the same zone. So maybe thats the reason I hear the difference and you don´t


R8H2 into the HE-9 LE.
Initial impression(re-visiting the silver ACSS) - I have not listened to this cable since I have done the latest upgrade. It does sounds like it tames the forwardness of the R8H2 in the lowend pretty good.

Many things I could "spoil" but even the black background* changes. It sounds real, like the ears are touching an invisible "garment" in the music.

Susvara and HE400SE with ACSS is the perfect translation of emotions from the music. Almost brings tears to my eyes.

"ACSS opens a new field, it can offer a least coloration sound which is more neutral with very low distortion and high linearity. So it can retain the dynamics, detail and neutral sound but not sound bright or harsh."



Quoting myself here


*the main reason I keep the R8H2!

Thanks damn well maybe the c-2 is a better test then

 

[OCC7N]

I wouldnt Call it make believe

Thanks damn well maybe the c-2 is a better test then

What is important is that you like it. R8H2 is not cheap, but comparing: it is beyond my endgame/satisfaction(overwhelming) and the R1N is right on the sweetspot, gives me a different objective observation than before.....then the R8H2 is damn cheap!, when R1N needs the DI20HE to elevate up from entry-level

 

[OCC7N]

@oqvist I really want to thank you for putting up this "challange" - I don´t want to spoil too much but R1N is noticeably different on XLR vs ACSS... R8H2 is also different, however not as R1N.

 

[Fibre101]

So far it is actually interesting to make these kind of comparison. Both XLR and ACSS have their strength as I have started to understand how they each sound, it comes down to preference.


XLR is very responsive, and feels technical superior with transients.
ACSS is “slower” more sustained, more whole noted. It does not let go of the notes as easy as XLR.

Even though R8H2 performs better in XLR/ACSS, the characteristics are the same.

For slow pace music:
ACSS and R8H2 is another level up with Susvara as the DAC has very controlled/still soundstage.

I wanted to add to the comparison as well. I think ACSS has a rich tonality that focuses on being a little more on the intimate side. Vocals and certain instruments are more solid and in your face but in a good way whereas with XLR, it feels a bit wider and laid back while keeping details intact.

 

[PeterCraig]

Of course cables matter and my ACSS and XLR cables are not made from the same material. I'm currently using Nimak Audio 3 Silver ACSS and this setup sounds better than any XLR cable that I have tried. The better my system became the more apparent that the ACSS cable was superior.

 

[OCC7N]

I wanted to add to the comparison as well. I think ACSS has a rich tonality that focuses on being a little more on the intimate side. Vocals and certain instruments are more solid and in your face but in a good way whereas with XLR, it feels a bit wider and laid back while keeping details intact.

I agree. There are so many things I wanna add, but it feels like ruining a good movie by over-spoiling it. ACSS should be a discovery for people who wants to enjoy the whole Audio-gd experience. DI+R2R+ACSS+AMP

Of course cables matter and my ACSS and XLR cables are not made from the same material. I'm currently using Nimak Audio 3 Silver ACSS and this setup sounds better than any XLR cable that I have tried. The better my system became the more apparent that the ACSS cable was superior.

Yes even though the hype are saying cheap ACSS can beat the more expensive XLR, I have noticed difference between the ACSS I have. Fundamentally the ACSS on HE-9 LE is very different repsonding than XLR. So I do believe even the cheapest ACSS cable will better(to my preference) XLR because of the ACSS design on the pcb

 

[svmusa]

Any experience here on "Tube" sound mode on the Master 9 models?