mattigol
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Posts
- 924
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- 10
Hi all,
though very busy at work I have - over the last couple of weeks - put enough hours on the Aqvox to add some impressions.
Note that I am coming from a rather warm source, the Rega Planet Mk1. Also, while I think my downstream equipment is very decent and well balanced, it is not a reference system. So YMMV.
I bought the Aqvox straight from the manufacturer over the web: www.aqvox.de It was a very pleasant experience. Communication both with Susanne Candeias the owner, and Norman Luebke a sales rep, has been outstanding. They take much pride in their products and go the extra mile to make sure the customers are really happy with their purchases. The current line-up also includes a reference-quality phono amp and a microphone amp and A/D converter. Their list of stores that carry their products grows by the week (in the 2 months that I have been watching it)and includes some of the best stores in Germany by now - which for a small startup is quite an accomplishment.
As I stated elsewhere I burned-in with mp3s from my ibook for about 60 hours before doing any critical listening. And stopped that right away, as the sound was still much too polite with some grainyness that I didn't care for either. However a positive trait showed as well - the DACs capacity to throw an immense soundstage. So I continued burn-in to 120 hrs and eventually ended up at 150 hrs before sitting down with it again.
I went through some of my reference discs (Diana Krall - Live in Paris, Chesky 10 year anniversary compilation, Paco de Lucia - Scirocco, and many more) and found so much detail and spacial information on them it was a real eye-opener. Extension at both ends seemed endless, with good bass control (better than Planet) and sweet, never-shrill treble. Mids were less pronounced than the Planet, but not in a bad way. Unlike during my first audition, there was much more texture, liquidity, sense of reality after extended burn-in. Like on a big panorama painting, I was able to listen-in on the main instrument or voice, or divert my attention to other instruments or simply sit back and listen to the echos and atmosphere of the venue. Quite a ride!
On the minus-side it doesn't quite have the boogie-factor of the Planet - which is kinda important to me listening exclusively to the Rega for so many years. Enters the Berendsen CDP1, which by the luck of the draw, I was able to aquire just two days ago from someone nearby my hometown through ebay Germany. Given the fact these units pop up on ebay only a couple of times a year, I went for it to have a true reference machine for this shootout. Within my financial constraints of course. Granted it's not the newest model at about 5 years of age but I still think it serves its intended purpose well.
So where do I place the Berendsen sonically? There is a clear difference between all three sources. The Berendsen sounds not dissimilar to the Rega, extends more at top and bottom ends and has clearly a higher soundstage. It yields an effortless, liquid sound that is very natural on occasional listen. PRaT isn't quite as good as Rega or Aqvox. It sounds a tad warmer than the Aqvox hence puts vocalist more upfront, while the Aqvox gives more instrument separation and offers a wider and most of all deeper stage than both CDPs.
Take home messages:
1) The Rega Planet is the mother of analog-sounding digital which so many companies are shooting for these days. Sure it lacks a bit of detail, but it definitely has soul. At current used prices, top notch build quality and Rega worldwide support a no brainer for the budget minded. For even more refinement go the Rega Planet 2000 Mk1/Mk2 route.
2) A big step up in many ways the Aqvox DAC, with USB connectivity also catering to the computer-as-source people. I thought I was listening to some new high res format instead of redbook at times. So much more spacial information and detail lurking on these CDs! Not cold sounding. And an enthusiastic company supporting it. Highly recommended! Aqvox, if you are listening - please consider a black version!
3) The Berendsen came from nowhere and was a bargain for me so I will keep it for now unless I get an offer I can't refuse.
It is a step up from the Rega retaining some of the traits that I have grown accustomed to over the years, adding in the detail and soundstage department. A very liquid, organic, real sound - but slightly more tranquil (for the lack of a better word - it's still involving) than the Rega or the Aqvox.
I am quite certain I have auditioned some of the best sources available below 2k, 1k and .5k US$. They all bring certain skills to the table that make them unique - the Aqvox more so than the Rega, more so than the Berendsen I think. However the overall balance may very well be what makes the Berendsen so enjoyable.
I am interested in hearing comments on the Aqvox by other head-fiers as well.
Hope this helped some of your source-hunters out there.
Matthias
though very busy at work I have - over the last couple of weeks - put enough hours on the Aqvox to add some impressions.
Note that I am coming from a rather warm source, the Rega Planet Mk1. Also, while I think my downstream equipment is very decent and well balanced, it is not a reference system. So YMMV.
I bought the Aqvox straight from the manufacturer over the web: www.aqvox.de It was a very pleasant experience. Communication both with Susanne Candeias the owner, and Norman Luebke a sales rep, has been outstanding. They take much pride in their products and go the extra mile to make sure the customers are really happy with their purchases. The current line-up also includes a reference-quality phono amp and a microphone amp and A/D converter. Their list of stores that carry their products grows by the week (in the 2 months that I have been watching it)and includes some of the best stores in Germany by now - which for a small startup is quite an accomplishment.
As I stated elsewhere I burned-in with mp3s from my ibook for about 60 hours before doing any critical listening. And stopped that right away, as the sound was still much too polite with some grainyness that I didn't care for either. However a positive trait showed as well - the DACs capacity to throw an immense soundstage. So I continued burn-in to 120 hrs and eventually ended up at 150 hrs before sitting down with it again.
I went through some of my reference discs (Diana Krall - Live in Paris, Chesky 10 year anniversary compilation, Paco de Lucia - Scirocco, and many more) and found so much detail and spacial information on them it was a real eye-opener. Extension at both ends seemed endless, with good bass control (better than Planet) and sweet, never-shrill treble. Mids were less pronounced than the Planet, but not in a bad way. Unlike during my first audition, there was much more texture, liquidity, sense of reality after extended burn-in. Like on a big panorama painting, I was able to listen-in on the main instrument or voice, or divert my attention to other instruments or simply sit back and listen to the echos and atmosphere of the venue. Quite a ride!
On the minus-side it doesn't quite have the boogie-factor of the Planet - which is kinda important to me listening exclusively to the Rega for so many years. Enters the Berendsen CDP1, which by the luck of the draw, I was able to aquire just two days ago from someone nearby my hometown through ebay Germany. Given the fact these units pop up on ebay only a couple of times a year, I went for it to have a true reference machine for this shootout. Within my financial constraints of course. Granted it's not the newest model at about 5 years of age but I still think it serves its intended purpose well.
So where do I place the Berendsen sonically? There is a clear difference between all three sources. The Berendsen sounds not dissimilar to the Rega, extends more at top and bottom ends and has clearly a higher soundstage. It yields an effortless, liquid sound that is very natural on occasional listen. PRaT isn't quite as good as Rega or Aqvox. It sounds a tad warmer than the Aqvox hence puts vocalist more upfront, while the Aqvox gives more instrument separation and offers a wider and most of all deeper stage than both CDPs.
Take home messages:
1) The Rega Planet is the mother of analog-sounding digital which so many companies are shooting for these days. Sure it lacks a bit of detail, but it definitely has soul. At current used prices, top notch build quality and Rega worldwide support a no brainer for the budget minded. For even more refinement go the Rega Planet 2000 Mk1/Mk2 route.
2) A big step up in many ways the Aqvox DAC, with USB connectivity also catering to the computer-as-source people. I thought I was listening to some new high res format instead of redbook at times. So much more spacial information and detail lurking on these CDs! Not cold sounding. And an enthusiastic company supporting it. Highly recommended! Aqvox, if you are listening - please consider a black version!
3) The Berendsen came from nowhere and was a bargain for me so I will keep it for now unless I get an offer I can't refuse.
I am quite certain I have auditioned some of the best sources available below 2k, 1k and .5k US$. They all bring certain skills to the table that make them unique - the Aqvox more so than the Rega, more so than the Berendsen I think. However the overall balance may very well be what makes the Berendsen so enjoyable.
I am interested in hearing comments on the Aqvox by other head-fiers as well.
Hope this helped some of your source-hunters out there.
Matthias
