Bakoon Friends, sorry again for the delay. Basically, I had to send my HDA-5210MK4 back to Japan as it developed a fault (channel imbalance and some kind of motherboard issue). A new unit is on its way back to me and I will report back with a full post soon. In addition, I also ordered the Bakoon CAP-1005 with the Bakoon FIL-3102 for a trans-portable set-up to be paired with HDA-5230. I will offer impressions on this soon.
In the meantime, some broad thoughts:
- Having now heard the Bakoon circuit in its Satri entirety, it is clear to me what kind of vision Akira Nagai is striving for. I would describe it as something like high-definition analog sounding without any digital artefacts or glare. In a sense, you can tell Akira Nagai has a great veneration for the audio reproduction from the past, but is attempting to translate this to a contemporary context with modern standards (my sense is that Bakoon operates in its own eco-system unaware and perhaps uninterested in other brands, which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing at all).
- While the 5210MK4 has been away, I've been pairing the DAC 9740 with either Bakoon-5230 or a recently acquired Phatlab Phantasy II. As I hear it, the 9740 sounds very much like an R2R source, and I think anyone who cares for R2R sounding sources will greatly appreciate the 9740. When I first received it, I thought it sounded a tad soft and smooth. I think this was due to (i) I am basically very accustomed to Chord's house tuning; (ii) the need for some burn-in on the 9740; and (iii) I would finally add that the 9740 is very sensitive to interconnects and power cords. On the last points, I can say now that the 9740 is a very dynamic sounding DAC which is faithful to the music but without any glare or harshness. I do think it has opened up with use and I also think power cords are worth attending to. I am now using Crystal Cable Micro Diamond power cables which no doubt help with dynamics and transients. I'd also say, the 9740 pairs very well with each amp I've connected it to. (BTW: as a testament to how much the Bakoon DAC tuning has charmed me, my Hugo2Go is now on classifieds....)
- On voltage vs Satri connection on 5210MK4 and 9740, sadly the 5210MK4 developed a fault before full test. But in short -the difference was not night and day. Satri has a blacker background, a slightly smoother presentation, but with more precision. It was also difficult to do a direct A/B between these modes, as Satri output seems to be a few DB quieter than voltage, so adjustment on the amp was necessary. More on this soon.
- On the Bakoon-5230, I have to say this little amp has really impressed me on all levels. If you want the 5210MK4 on the go, this amp doesn't disappoint. It has all the richness, punch, and holographic presentation of the 5210MK4 albeit on a smaller audio scale. Build is remarkably good as is battery life - at least 10 hours on a single charge and it takes only 2 hours to charge. Of course, pairs beautifully with planar headphones, with dynamic headphones it's more picky. I'm sure HD800s would be stellar, as it can drive 600ohm DT990 with ease and sounds phenomenally good.
- Finally, I want to recommend Moonsoo Park from
Bakoon Mania. If you are going to buy a Bakoon product, personally I would go via Bakoon Mania. I'm not going to make comparisons with other sellers and distributors (and please note I have not ordered direct from
Bakoon themselves), only to say Moonsoo Park is excellent to deal with, friendly, highly knowledgeable, and very rapid in communication.
Hope this was helpful!
