[doraymon]

I've been looking around for a stereo power amp to couple with Dave to drive a pair of B&W CM9.
I am considering the new Ètude but can't find any review or impressions anywhere online.
Please let me know if you have any additional information other than the press releases aired in May.
Thanks

 

[Mojo ideas]

I've been looking around for a stereo power amp to couple with Dave to drive a pair of B&W CM9.
I am considering the new Ètude but can't find any review or impressions anywhere online.
Please let me know if you have any additional information other than the press releases aired in May.
Thanks

The Etude Amplifier will be released for production in a few weeks we’ve a large number on order so they should be readily available for you to listen to one in one of our dealers shortly.

 

[Triode User]

The Etude Amplifier will be released for production in a few weeks we’ve a large number on order so they should be readily available for you to listen to one in one of our dealers shortly.

I heard the Ètude linked to a Dave at the North West show a few weeks back and it sounded good. I would say it is well worth a listen.

 

[Arcabonne]

I'm doing the same research. At present I would be directed to the Pass Labs 30.8, 30 watts in class A.

 

[Triode User]

I'm doing the same research. At present I would be directed to the Pass Labs 30.8, 30 watts in class A.

And I cannot disagree as that is what I have.

 

[dakabali]

And I cannot disagree as that is what I have.

Tomorrow I'm going to audit a First Watt SIT-2 and an F7 with the BluDAVE. Any thoughts how they compare to the Pass Labs 30.8? I mean the SQ not the technical specifications that I am aware of. Thanks.

 

[Triode User]

Tomorrow I'm going to audit a First Watt SIT-2 and an F7 with the BluDAVE. Any thoughts how they compare to the Pass Labs 30.8? I mean the SQ not the technical specifications that I am aware of. Thanks.

No, sorry I have no experience of those. I compared the pass labs 30.5 and 30.8 before buying the 30.8.

 

[dakabali]

It is definitely not a big-money competitor but I've got a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ on which I spent big-money to improve. I bought the Mutec MC3+ reclockers, the Mytec balanced headphone extension cable etc. and I managed to bring the SQ close to DAVE's. Then Blu2 arrived and the gap became huge again. Since then the only devices besides the BluDAVE in my chain have been the Entreq boxes to ground the PS Audio P10, the Mutec REF10 to provide masterclock to the SOtM boxes plus a LAN switch and my LPSU I built based on some LT3045 Stammheim boards.
All the USB reclockers, filters etc are in my 2nd system with the Brooklyn+ A fine tuned system comparable with DAVE imo. It has no chance agains the BluDAVE.

Yesterday I built a 1m AudioQuest Dragon HC between the P10 and the wall socket and two AudioQuest Dragon Sources between the P10 the Blu2 and the Dave (see above the parts of my 1st system chain). I certainly expected some improvement in the SQ for the money these cables cost but I was simply SHOCKED what I heared. If the SQ was 100% before then the improvement has been
+20-30% with the AQ HC cable. It's been like upgrading the loudspeakers. Wow - a huge!!! audible difference.
+5-10% with the AQ Source to the Blu2. Still a positive audible difference.
+2-3% with the AQ Source to the DAVE. Almost no improvement, if any maybe placibo effect

For everyone who has a regenerator in his/her system and is willing to spend a fortune on high quality source cables - definitely the way to go.

 

[dakabali]

No, sorry I have no experience of those. I compared the pass labs 30.5 and 30.8 before buying the 30.8.

No worries, thanks anyway. I'read some reviews about F7 vs X25 where the X25 won by a hair (no surprise at all) so I expect the 30.8 to be superior. Without hearing them I tend towards the SIT-2 as a better choice with BluDAVE.

 

[Triode User]

Yesterday I built a 1m AudioQuest Dragon HC between the P10 and the wall socket and two AudioQuest Dragon Sources between the P10 the Blu2 and the Dave (see above the parts of my 1st system chain). I certainly expected some improvement in the SQ for the money these cables cost but I was simply SHOCKED what I heared. If the SQ was 100% before then the improvement has been
+20-30% with the AQ HC cable. It's been like upgrading the loudspeakers. Wow - a huge!!! audible difference.
+5-10% with the AQ Source to the Blu2. Still a positive audible difference.
+2-3% with the AQ Source to the DAVE. Almost no improvement, if any maybe placibo effect

For everyone who has a regenerator in his/her system and is willing to spend a fortune on high quality source cables - definitely the way to go.

Very interesting but of course the one thing about anything to do with mains is that a healthy YMMV is inserted and to be taken into account because of the large variation in mains quality around the world and also within individual countries.

I am lucky that there is only me and two other houses served by the high voltage step down transformer in our village. Perhaps that is why I found that a regenerator actually inserted more measured noise into the mains than was there without it. YMMV accepted of course in relation to that though.

By the way, I love your used of 'Shocked' in relation to mains cables. Maybe you shouldn’t have touched those bare wires!

 

[doraymon]

I heard the Ètude linked to a Dave at the North West show a few weeks back and it sounded good. I would say it is well worth a listen.

For £3,900 I would hope it's more than only good.
thanks for the first impression.

 

[paul2qute]

I've been looking around for a stereo power amp to couple with Dave to drive a pair of B&W CM9.
I am considering the new Ètude but can't find any review or impressions anywhere online.
Please let me know if you have any additional information other than the press releases aired in May.
Thanks

Can't find any myself, I could be wrong but reviewers don't seem to get their hands on any of the Chord kit until it's released.I love Bryston amps,if I won the lottery I would go with the massive mono blocks, I had the 7 sst mono blocks and they were superb

 

[miketlse]

For £3,900 I would hope it's more than only good.
thanks for the first impression.

Perhaps pause and remember the british use of understatement when describing things.

 

[Triode User]

Perhaps pause and remember the british use of understatement when describing things.

Haha, yes, I wondered whether I should point that out.

Quite good = amazing.

 

[miketlse]

Haha, yes, I wondered whether I should point that out.

Quite good = amazing.

Yes, that sort of thing.
I have many laughs over a morning coffee with my french colleagues, about how they need to learn that a brit can mean the opposite of what he literally says.
Not bad = very good