Quote:
Originally Posted by ranma172 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
That was me.
In fact, it arrived yesterday. It crossed the ocean really fast!
I gotta go to the post office to pick it up.
Thanks to NewMexiCat and Vinnie!
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I'm glad my old Isabellina HPA made it across the pond to you! I know you will enjoy it.
As for me, my Isabella arrived from Vinnie a couple days ago and, after getting out from under a bunch of work I had to get done, I finally hooked it up and gave it a listen last night, trying out both Apple Lossless files via USB from my Mac Mini and SACD from my Denon APL 3910. I'll post more after I get a few more hours of critical listening under my belt, but out of the box the Isabella is stunning and appears to be a very worthy upgrade from the Isabellina HPA. It drives the HD800's effortlessly.
I will be the first to admit that I am an "inarticulate audiophile", but my first thought when comparing the Isabella to the Isabellina is the sense of more "air" and "space" around the notes of the music and the placement of the instruments. All the while, the Isabella presents the full frequency spectrum with an authoritative quality. I've only had the HD800's a short while, and my hesitancy to purchase them revolved around the many "bass-shy" comments littered around the many HD800 threads. My brief impression is that anyone listening to the HD800's driven by the Isabella would be hard pressed to conjure up the notion of "shyness" when describing the bass. To me, the bass is authoritative and plumbs oceanic-like depths while maintaining an accuracy rarely found in the low frequencies. The mid-range is as meaty as a prime bone-in ribeye, and the high end is very extended and sweet without a trace of sibilence. Some tube-rolling is probably in order down the road, but for now I'll enjoy things stock as I delve further into the sonic nuances of the great Isabella.
Back to the Isabellina HPA--I loved the synergy so much between the USB DAC and HPA, I was crossing my fingers that the Isabella would bring a similar result. I knew that it should, since we are talking about the same parts under the hood, but in the back of my mind I worried whether the sum of the Isabella parts might present things differently. No worries, as the USB implementation is, just like the Isabellina HPA, phenomenal. I've always been disappointed in the past by sonic comparisons between my Apple Lossless files and SACD or DVD-A from my 3910. Not a fair fight, I know. SACD or DVD-A should win every time. However, I had always hoped I could find a setup that would at least close the gap between the two and not result in a blow-out victory for the high-rez formats. Well, the Isabella seems to have done just that. I was able to compare versions of Dire Straits' "Your Latest Trick": an Apple Lossless file ripped from the XRCD version of Brothers in Arms, and the SACD version on my 3910. I would have to give the sound quality nod to the SACD version, but the ripped version on my Mac Mini was incredibly close and I had to switch back and forth numerous times to pick up subtle differences.
In short, I'm very happy with the Isabella and my upgrade path is hopefully at an end for some time. My wallet says it has to be!
However, for those who can't or won't justify the cost of a fully-maxed Isabella, I think the Isabellina HPA is a near steal at its price, particularly for those looking for a no-compromise one-box solution for a computer audio rig.
