[Christer]

  The problem with the DPA and Sanken is that there is very significant lift at 20 kHz - and I would prefer ruler flat at 20 k and "only" 50 kHz response. I have checked out gearslutz, and the earthworks has been used for classical to good effect. But to be honest, once I get to the point of testing with proper classical music, the real pro engineers we have lined up will take over.
 
Rob

Very  nice to hear.
I have heard rumours of  Sanken sounding too bright in typical spot/close mic situations.Mic ´ing I wish engineers wouldn´t use with any mics really.And I  also know of some who at least used to employ a typical 2dB treble lift where none was needed, just to beef things up a bit.
Really nice to know that you are above such cheap tricks.But it seems  Telarc´s former recording engineer liked the Sanken.
Anyway, very comforting to hear that this project has not been geared towards  the mainstream pop/rock studio scene.
Talking both bandwidth and transients : Indonesian/Balinese Gamelan music is probably the most demanding and most difficult music to record I can think of.
And like cymbals,triangle and some other percussion in the traditional symphonic orchestra there seem to be harmonics reaching the 100khz limit or even above from some of those gongs and bells and metal sheets  used in a Gamelan Orchestra.
It is also some of the most  rythmically complex music of all.
Absolutely intoxicating  music heard live.
I tried recording some on Bali, with a  16/48khz SONY DAT, but it certainly did not capture the amazing hf energy of some of those instruments anywhere near how they sounded live.
The only  really decent  recordings I have heard of that demanding music are  analogue.
I hope you will upload some test tracks from Davina here, in due time.
I am getting a bit busy downloading music for my coming winter in the Tropics. Mainly old classic recordings like Karajan´s Wagner Ring and today Böhm´s classic DGG Zauberflöte.

 

[Christer]

Have just been listening to Sinatra on his Platinum Collection CD compilation. The very last song on the third CD is a 2003 remaster of 'One For My Baby'. There is a wonderful distant recording of the piano in the far right of the recording hall. It shows off the depth capabilities of DAVE quite well I think. What I Was surprised by though is the vocal because it sounds modern in the frequency band and high resolution warmth and clarity. It is so good I thought it must be at least a 70's recording but upon checking it was recorded 25th June 1958. I think this vocal recording is almost up there with Buddy Holly's 'True Love Ways' and worth a listen if any Sinatra lovers do not already have it in their collection. A wonderful, intimate vocal recording with distant piano, occasional close recorded Alto Sax and soft strings

Just thought I would mention it for those interested

Among the  classic RCA recordings  from the late 50s I have the original Living Stereo LP of Belafonte  LIVE in Carnegie Hall.
It still sounds amazingly good for its age and beats most modern popular studio recordings in every respect that counts for me. It sounds like music and Belafonte´s voice sounds  both very realistic and three-dimensional via my electrostatic speakers.
One of those magic old recordings where you feel you could almost walk up behind the singer on stage.
Recordings like that are few and very far between these days of acoustically "dead as a dodo" studio takes.

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

Among the  classic RCA recordings  from the late 50s I have the original Living Stereo LP of Belafonte  LIVE in Carnegie Hall.
It still sounds amazingly good for its age and beats most modern popular studio recordings in every respect that counts for me. It sounds like music and Belafonte´s voice sounds  both very realistic and three-dimensional via my electrostatic speakers.
One of those magic old recordings where you feel you could almost walk up behind the singer on stage.
Recordings like that are few and very far between these days of acoustically "dead as a dodo" studio takes.

You must take very good care of your vinyl Christer but I guess I would if I had something so special.

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

A retailer recommend is to use the new excellent Chord SPM 1050 MKII Power amp with the Chord DAVE. He say this combination will be awesome.

In fact is this combination....

[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/ZGujLm-5wUw[/VIDEO]

Gomiki
If you do try the Chord SPM 1050 Mkii amp in your system I would recommend you use a couple of stillpoints or equivalent under the bottom plate. Chord isolation is very good but regardless, when you have a large thin metal plate across the bottom of a unit, no amount of damping on the chassis will stop vibration of that plate caused by airborn sound waves. I have found that anchoring the plate to some form of isolation gadget will have a profound affect on focus, punch and musicality. The Chord amps are imo superb technical designs and capable of great speed and insight. This small isolation assistance helps the amp shine imo.

I had the same problem with the big plate under the Red Reference III

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

To continue, if you are playing something as detailed as DAVE though the amp, this isolation measure is akin to upgrading your amp again. It is that noticeable (so long as the rest of your system is well isolated.)

Tbh I am surprised that Chord didn't engineer a single strut across the underside of the unit and fix the plate in the centre. The cost would be far outweighed by extra sales on sq grounds. However it can be easily remedied by the audiophile.

 

[Lotusman]

Further Isolation Using Acoustic Revive TB-38 Platform and fo.Q HEM-25 B and S Footers. PranaWire Photon USB cable.
 

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

You obviously take isolation seriously lotus man. I use VertexAQ granite platforms on pucks and stillpoints mainly

 

[EVOLVIST]

Tonight I experienced a weird thing with my DAVE. It was called Robert Johnson (1911-1938). There's this Centennial Collection of all of his recordings in the best sound quality possible. The are mono recordings, and decidedly not audiophile grade, as they were all recorded in portable gear, with one mic, in various hotel rooms in Texas.

I have heard these recordings many times.

Tonight, with the DAVE, they took on entirely different demensions. Indeed, they didn't even sound mono. You could hear the room, just plaster walls, covered in paper...and that voice? I've never heard it so plaintive, so stirring, and captivating, even with all of its flaws. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it.

So, yeah, the DAVE just elevated 1936 & 1937 recordings to something near miraculous.

 

[Smazz]

Tonight I experienced a weird thing with my DAVE. It was called Robert Johnson (1911-1938). There's this Centennial Collection of all of his recordings in the best sound quality possible. The are mono recordings, and decidedly not audiophile grade, as they were all recorded in portable gear, with one mic, in various hotel rooms in Texas.

I have heard these recordings many times.

Tonight, with the DAVE, they took on entirely different demensions. Indeed, they didn't even sound mono. You could hear the room, just plaster walls, covered in paper...and that voice? I've never heard it so plaintive, so stirring, and captivating, even with all of its flaws. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it.

So, yeah, the DAVE just elevated 1936 & 1937 recordings to something near miraculous.

Lurking in this thread is gonna end up costing me a lot of money. I'm doing my best to learn most of what you guys are talking about. At times I figure I don't deserve something like the Dave cause I don't understand everything in this thread. Then I read impressions like this and get the itch again. 

 

[analogmusic]

Hello everyone
 
Where can a friend of mine audition the Chord Dave in London, UK?

 

[gnomen]

I bought my Chord TT from these people: http://www.hifilounge.co.uk/   (And of course they have the Dave on demo as well).  Very helpful with space for good listening rooms and quiet backgrounds.  They are in the countryside about an hour's drive north of London.  They also have a fabulous range of high end headphones BTW.

 

[EVOLVIST]

Hello everyone

Where can a friend of mine audition the Chord Dave in London, UK?

In London.

http://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/?subcats=Y&pcode_from_q=Y&pshort=N&pfull=N&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&match=all&q=dave&dispatch=products.search

 

[Toolman]

+1 for Audio Sactuary

 

[STR-1]

Hello everyone

Where can a friend of mine audition the Chord Dave in London, UK?

Swiss Cottage Sound & Vision if you want something more in town http://www.scsav.co.uk

 

[Jawed]

Make sure to call the dealer to make sure it's actually there! Swiss Cottage Sound and Vision had recently sold one when I dropped in and so didn't have one for a couple of weeks. I was merely strolling past and enquired on the off-chance I could have a quick listen.