Most unexpectedly, I feel compelled to heap more deserved praise upon this (deceptively) humble, ridiculously cheap offering...especially as it still has me in total disbelief months later. You can of course choose not to believe it, but perhaps my own experience might just get some folks to take this upstart more seriously lol!
EDIT...to clarify, the following refers to using TT2/HMS as pre-amp to the Drop One of course!
Given a youtube reviewer of budget SS amps' conclusion that he regarded its performance better than direct out from his Chord TT2/mscaler duo; my ensuing curiosity, and a hardly used example going for £80 on ebay(UK), it was a no-brainer for checking in my own Chord combo setup - feeding Meze Empyreans. As other reviews have already given plenty of info on its performance, I shall confine my own impressions to how it surpasses said duo alone, with caveats re how I'm sure the rest of the system has also helped in a massive transformation of its capabilities.
At first, I was pleasantly surprised to find it at least matching direct out, and in fact marginally better in most areas of sound delivery...apart from 'holographic' stage. I personally believe the oft quoted 'wider' stage of the Drop is more down to increased detail presented in far left and right channels, rather than wider per se...ie more an impression of. But at the expense of depth...or, once again, impression of.
HOWEVER, I suspected that its lowly looking wall wart 30V power supply wasn't doing it any favours...and we all know the importance of a good PS, no?!
So, cue my spare Chinese 120W 15V LPS plus a cheap DC-DC Buck step up/down converter (also from China) and...the aforementioned transformation - to a whole new level...viz :
1. Bass - more solid/extended/detailed/textured/controlled, and without dominating the upper frequencies.
2. Treble - Extended, detailed with exquisite 'sweetness' - ie no harshness/excessive sibilance, but with a presence that still gives a delicious sparkle and liveliness to the overall, non-fatiguing sound...Genesis's 'Duke' has never been so easy - or pleasant! to listen to, even at raised volume.
3. Mids - Just how/where they should be, in both degree and positioning...not too dominant/forward. Vocals - for me - sit beautifully, so as to be intimate when intended, and/or just where the recording engineer actually placed them.
4. Stage - this is where I was especially taken aback, not expecting it to match the Chord duo's direct out. In fact, 3 dimensional hardly covers it - the significantly increased overall detail is, more importantly IMHO, separated and placed within a much enhanced space... not just in L/R 'width' as mentioned previously but in every dimension. And all presented in a clear/distinct/precise/controlled way, but without being coldly clinical. These are qualities intrinsic in the Chord combo already, but further in evidence here...along with an even greater feeling of sublime, refined cohesion and total mastery.
5. Dynamics handling - Again, everything in supreme, effortless control. With high detail still at lower volume and unforced but boldly progressive crescendo handling to forte level, this reduces the sometimes necessary reaching for the volume control...nice! And when more 'impact' is wanted (and the ears are up to it!), volume can go a good bit higher without any untoward effects whatsoever...doubly nice. Interestingly, this quality highlights to perfection (for me) the otherwise only slight edge that WAV files can normally have over FLAC...in my own system at least.
And, despite a more dynamic presentation overall, it is also manages (where applicable) the most delicate, refined, smoothly 'organic' sound I've yet had from my system...or any of my tube setups.
6. Transients - I now appreciate more than ever Chord's Rob Watts's years of toil at mastering this area of sound reproduction...along with the extended tonal range/harmonics, the precise attack/sustain/decay and immaculate PRaT - all within a ZERO noise/distortion background, must surely put all but the very best tube amps to shame. And given my Chord setup easily outperformed already my £2000 tube amp, my astonishment is compounded by just one tube alone costing more than three times the Drop!!
And so in conclusion, seldom have I been this amazed at such an unexpected leap in performance in my quest to (hopefully) maximise what my incessantly 'tweaked', relatively modest system can achieve.
As I alluded to at the beginning, perhaps not all systems will be similarly fortunate in attaining quite the same results...it appears (most?) everything I personally have done over the years matches wonderfully this modest amp and helps bring its full potential to the fore. I list below those I rate most highly :
1. Mains conditioning - (PowerInspired Mains Regenerator - EDIT : Now failed, to the benefit of the AT next actually!); AirlinkTransformers ASF 3000 Balanced Conditioner w/Advanced Filter System.
2. Source - Antipodes DX server/integral CD copier to its SSD playback function.
3. DAC/Amp - Chord Hugo TT2 + mscaler.
4. Cables - ALL : AC mains/DC power; BNC & RCA ICs; USB - DIY highly screened, dual construction (ie. separate cables for pos/neg, signal/return), using Neotech mono crystal UP-OCC solid silver, copper and gold-infused (Edit): silver in various combinations. And upgraded plugs - Neotech UP-OCC copper IECs; MS-HD AC mains; gold plated/carbon fibre shell DC plugs.
5. DC power supplies - 1x120W 15V LPS feeding both TT2 and mscaler; another (with added 15V to 30V converter) for the Drop ONE.
6. Headphones - Meze Empyreans (with replacement DIY cable - dualled as mentioned; UP-OCC silver/copper/AG-GD combo, Furutech CF-763SM R 6.3mm).
7. Miscellaneous - Dynamat Xtreme sound deadening mat to reduce ringing effects from metal equipment rack + glass shelves; oak cone isolation feet and solid oak platforms for all units. Network Acoustics UP-OCC silver Ethernet filter (passive).
I applaud you for staying with me this far - if you have! - and hope that this tome may at least prove of some interest to anyone as curious as myself in seeing just what this mini marvel is capable of. But...ditch the stock PS!!!
ps. One doesn't need to spend a fortune on an LPS...my £50 Chinese (Ultra Low Noise) model has performed flawlessly for years now with my Chords, and it appears one can even specify it for required voltage.
pps. Obviously, my DIY cables would cost a small fortune for anything comparable commercially. But I highly recommend experimenting at making your own, or beg an appropriate acquaintance to make them for you...using mono crystal OCC wire (I personally prefer silver, but copper is still very good indeed and much cheaper).
GOOD LUCK and HAPPY LISTENING...
EDIT...to clarify, the following refers to using TT2/HMS as pre-amp to the Drop One of course!
Given a youtube reviewer of budget SS amps' conclusion that he regarded its performance better than direct out from his Chord TT2/mscaler duo; my ensuing curiosity, and a hardly used example going for £80 on ebay(UK), it was a no-brainer for checking in my own Chord combo setup - feeding Meze Empyreans. As other reviews have already given plenty of info on its performance, I shall confine my own impressions to how it surpasses said duo alone, with caveats re how I'm sure the rest of the system has also helped in a massive transformation of its capabilities.
At first, I was pleasantly surprised to find it at least matching direct out, and in fact marginally better in most areas of sound delivery...apart from 'holographic' stage. I personally believe the oft quoted 'wider' stage of the Drop is more down to increased detail presented in far left and right channels, rather than wider per se...ie more an impression of. But at the expense of depth...or, once again, impression of.
HOWEVER, I suspected that its lowly looking wall wart 30V power supply wasn't doing it any favours...and we all know the importance of a good PS, no?!
So, cue my spare Chinese 120W 15V LPS plus a cheap DC-DC Buck step up/down converter (also from China) and...the aforementioned transformation - to a whole new level...viz :
1. Bass - more solid/extended/detailed/textured/controlled, and without dominating the upper frequencies.
2. Treble - Extended, detailed with exquisite 'sweetness' - ie no harshness/excessive sibilance, but with a presence that still gives a delicious sparkle and liveliness to the overall, non-fatiguing sound...Genesis's 'Duke' has never been so easy - or pleasant! to listen to, even at raised volume.
3. Mids - Just how/where they should be, in both degree and positioning...not too dominant/forward. Vocals - for me - sit beautifully, so as to be intimate when intended, and/or just where the recording engineer actually placed them.
4. Stage - this is where I was especially taken aback, not expecting it to match the Chord duo's direct out. In fact, 3 dimensional hardly covers it - the significantly increased overall detail is, more importantly IMHO, separated and placed within a much enhanced space... not just in L/R 'width' as mentioned previously but in every dimension. And all presented in a clear/distinct/precise/controlled way, but without being coldly clinical. These are qualities intrinsic in the Chord combo already, but further in evidence here...along with an even greater feeling of sublime, refined cohesion and total mastery.
5. Dynamics handling - Again, everything in supreme, effortless control. With high detail still at lower volume and unforced but boldly progressive crescendo handling to forte level, this reduces the sometimes necessary reaching for the volume control...nice! And when more 'impact' is wanted (and the ears are up to it!), volume can go a good bit higher without any untoward effects whatsoever...doubly nice. Interestingly, this quality highlights to perfection (for me) the otherwise only slight edge that WAV files can normally have over FLAC...in my own system at least.
And, despite a more dynamic presentation overall, it is also manages (where applicable) the most delicate, refined, smoothly 'organic' sound I've yet had from my system...or any of my tube setups.
6. Transients - I now appreciate more than ever Chord's Rob Watts's years of toil at mastering this area of sound reproduction...along with the extended tonal range/harmonics, the precise attack/sustain/decay and immaculate PRaT - all within a ZERO noise/distortion background, must surely put all but the very best tube amps to shame. And given my Chord setup easily outperformed already my £2000 tube amp, my astonishment is compounded by just one tube alone costing more than three times the Drop!!
And so in conclusion, seldom have I been this amazed at such an unexpected leap in performance in my quest to (hopefully) maximise what my incessantly 'tweaked', relatively modest system can achieve.
As I alluded to at the beginning, perhaps not all systems will be similarly fortunate in attaining quite the same results...it appears (most?) everything I personally have done over the years matches wonderfully this modest amp and helps bring its full potential to the fore. I list below those I rate most highly :
1. Mains conditioning - (PowerInspired Mains Regenerator - EDIT : Now failed, to the benefit of the AT next actually!); AirlinkTransformers ASF 3000 Balanced Conditioner w/Advanced Filter System.
2. Source - Antipodes DX server/integral CD copier to its SSD playback function.
3. DAC/Amp - Chord Hugo TT2 + mscaler.
4. Cables - ALL : AC mains/DC power; BNC & RCA ICs; USB - DIY highly screened, dual construction (ie. separate cables for pos/neg, signal/return), using Neotech mono crystal UP-OCC solid silver, copper and gold-infused (Edit): silver in various combinations. And upgraded plugs - Neotech UP-OCC copper IECs; MS-HD AC mains; gold plated/carbon fibre shell DC plugs.
5. DC power supplies - 1x120W 15V LPS feeding both TT2 and mscaler; another (with added 15V to 30V converter) for the Drop ONE.
6. Headphones - Meze Empyreans (with replacement DIY cable - dualled as mentioned; UP-OCC silver/copper/AG-GD combo, Furutech CF-763SM R 6.3mm).
7. Miscellaneous - Dynamat Xtreme sound deadening mat to reduce ringing effects from metal equipment rack + glass shelves; oak cone isolation feet and solid oak platforms for all units. Network Acoustics UP-OCC silver Ethernet filter (passive).
I applaud you for staying with me this far - if you have! - and hope that this tome may at least prove of some interest to anyone as curious as myself in seeing just what this mini marvel is capable of. But...ditch the stock PS!!!
ps. One doesn't need to spend a fortune on an LPS...my £50 Chinese (Ultra Low Noise) model has performed flawlessly for years now with my Chords, and it appears one can even specify it for required voltage.
pps. Obviously, my DIY cables would cost a small fortune for anything comparable commercially. But I highly recommend experimenting at making your own, or beg an appropriate acquaintance to make them for you...using mono crystal OCC wire (I personally prefer silver, but copper is still very good indeed and much cheaper).
GOOD LUCK and HAPPY LISTENING...
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