[Revolution1]

Where I live we don't have store to demoing HDV820.

As a combine, the 820 is not bad.
But, think yourself, Sabre and op-amp, what sound will you get?
Aerial and skinny as a pencil drawing.

 

[silversurfer616]

...to some ears, yes.

 

[bumpyhead]

I also have no complaints whatsoever with my HDV820 + HD800S pairing.
Just about perfect.

My question is am I doing justice to my Adam Audio A77X by pairing them with HDV820 as DAC.
I use either Foobar/USB or SP1000/optical line out to HDV 820 but I am constantly tempted to the idea of adding on either Brooklyn Plus or Matrix X Sabre Pro for my studio monitor speakers although I've never had an opportunity to test either of those in comparison with my HDV820

 

[maii]

As a combine, the 820 is not bad.
But, think yourself, Sabre and op-amp, what sound will you get?
Aerial and skinny as a pencil drawing.

Thank you for your response. I don't know any technicals what I assume to understand was sp1000 us more hi end dac. What do you mean by sabre vs op amp?

 

[Revolution1]

What do you mean by sabre vs op amp?

DAC- ESS Sabre ES9018, amplifier on operational amplifier
I listened to it several times with HD800s - it plays in detail, on-air, but not musically compared to tube OTL amplifiers.
There is no feeling of the fullness of the timbre of voice and instruments, music does not fill the space.

 

[maii]

DAC- ESS Sabre ES9018, amplifier on operational amplifier
I listened to it several times with HD800s - it plays in detail, on-air, but not musically compared to tube OTL amplifiers.
There is no feeling of the fullness of the timbre of voice and instruments, music does not fill the space.

I see you mean HDV820 sabre dac on amplifier operation compare to Tube OTL amp.

 

[Revolution1]

That 's what I mean.
HDV820 is better HDVD800 and amplifier very close to the Questyle CMA800R.
But significantly inferior to my Lynx Hilo + Unison Research SH bundle.

 

[maii]

That what I used to have unison research tube OTL amp years ago drive HD800 when they first launched hd800. You may find my post in one of the earliest thread of HD800 about this amp. I have been traveling so much moving around so I gave all my audio gears away until recently start again with HD800s. Thanks for your advises. I agree with you.

 

[HigherFidelity]

My HDV820 was the perfect mate for my 800S's. I auditioned Woo Audio Fireflies (terrible pairing), a Grace SDAC / THXAAA789 combo (a bit better), and even plugged them into the Marantz receivers I had at home. HDV820 was exactly what the doctor ordered for me. Sold my HD800S's just last week, and I'm holding on to the HDV820 until I decide which ZMF's I want in case they mate that well with it too.

 

[silversurfer616]

After 2 days burn in of the HD800S/HDV820 combo I am quite relieved that it sounds so good.
Internal Dac is pretty good in comparison to my Pavane or Border Patrol; despite being a Sabre Dac it is musically engaging with outstanding 3D stage.

 

[iDesign]

After 2 days burn in of the HD800S/HDV820 combo I am quite relieved that it sounds so good.
Internal Dac is pretty good in comparison to my Pavane or Border Patrol; despite being a Sabre Dac it is musically engaging with outstanding 3D stage.

I'm glad you also found it to be a good system-- anything more is excess. And now you can see why adding an outboard DAC needlessly changes the sound, increases the costs, and distracts from the tidy design of the HDV820. For those on a budget and looking for the best integrated amplifier solution for the HD800S/HD820, the HDV820 almost unanimously has been the pick of many members and with few complaints.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

To each their own, I like it much better with the DAC upgraded. Without the DAC upgrade it is still good enough.

 

[silversurfer616]

By the flick of a switch I can change between internal dac and Pavane and I seriously wouldn‘t be able to tell them apart in a blind test.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

By the flick of a switch I can change between internal dac and Pavane and I seriously wouldn‘t be able to tell them apart in a blind test.

I find that shocking. What about after more prolonged listening? The Pavane is the real deal.

Is the HDV820 masking the differences? Is it capable of scaling to the Pavane? I ask with full ignorance, not presuming anything. I just find that odd the two are indistinguishable.

 

[silversurfer616]

Well, the internal dac is slightly brighter and there seems to be more clarity because of this.
The Pavane is seriously not more resolving and is a tad more analog sounding but as said I am certain I couldn‘t distinguish them in a Blind Test.