Mentor arrived today finally and I did my best (so far) to place it into my existing stack (see photo). Still not ideal and I'm sure I will rearrange it several times.. Until now I was only listening to my speakers from here, so I need to find some new setup.
I was curious what that claim of "almost like listening to speakers" means, and well it's not the same as listening to my speakers
but I get that statement.
Usually, I start with Please Read the Letter from Rober Plant & Alison Krauss (this whole album is such a good recording) and I was satisfied right from the box. If this is the start, wondering where it will go. I'm actually not sure whether to call it neutral, bright or warm or whatever. It was just right. Bass where it needs to be and holographic enough to hear everything I know and then some.
Then going to Brother from Alice in Chains (the MTV unplugged album) I swear the right headphone speaker will eventually melt from the overblowing portion of musicality and energy coming out there, it's amazing. I like how this song resonates in the room from my speakers, now it is just around my head.
Now listening to some clean piano and vocals in Stay from Matt Rollings (again) with Alison Krauss again confirmed I will like this setup. The silent background helped to stand out all the instruments there. They are presented here always in small pieces at a time, but well balanced. The piano here is just perfect to my ears.
I still hear a bit of sharpness from time to time, for example in Metallica's Turn the Page, but that I hear even from the speakers. It is probably caused by the source (from iPhone to DAC) I guess here I will just need to solve it with some DDC like Iris, maybe.. Let's see how this will burn in.
What surprised me the most so far was however when I played Show Me Heaven from Maria Mckee. That is now a completely different song as I knew it. On the one side, too much of new information coming out, but I like it. It's not like it would be too much on me, the opposite actually. Didn't know this all was on the recording.
So in summary, not bad for the first 2 hours
. I'm quite happy I have Mentor home. I'll never know how it would be with MJ3, but who cares, I not.
Puritan will arrive only tomorrow, so let's see how that will shake with all this.