Rega Saturn

[bifcake]

I was listening to the Cowboy Junkies "21st Century blues" album yesterday when I posted the message. I took a few tracks and ripped MP3's from them at 320k bit rate. There is a difference. The MP3 loses depth and a certain amount of involvement. So, there is a difference that I could discern playing it on a computer, much less a $2k player.

 

[newguru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bifcake /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was listening to the Cowboy Junkies "21st Century blues" album yesterday when I posted the message. I took a few tracks and ripped MP3's from them at 320k bit rate. There is a difference. The MP3 loses depth and a certain amount of involvement. So, there is a difference that I could discern playing it on a computer, much less a $2k player.

Wow! If you can tell the difference between 320Kbps and the CD, you have better ears than me. I guess the subtle differences are beyond my hearing when you are recording at this high bit rate of MP3.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguru /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow! If you can tell the difference between 320Kbps and the CD, you have better ears than me. I guess the subtle differences are beyond my hearing when you are recording at this high bit rate of MP3.

on complex music (say Mahler 5th for example), the difference is easy to tell. but on the kind of pop 'junk' CD I have, the convenience of playing 4/5 CDs in one sitting outweighs the sound quality (well..if you can even call that).

 

[bifcake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif on complex music (say Mahler 5th for example), the difference is easy to tell. but on the kind of pop 'junk' CD I have, the convenience of playing 4/5 CDs in one sitting outweighs the sound quality (well..if you can even call that).

That's fair enough, but then why spend $2k on a CD player? You may as well get a $50 DVD player and play your CDs and MP3's. The whole point is fidelity and if you play the type of music that either doesn't require such fidelity or if you can't hear it due to noisy environment, not having the time to sit and actually listen and so on, then spending that type of money on a CD player seems like a big waste to me.

 

[HumanMedia]

Bifcake, Chesebert doesnt listen to compressed pop all of the time, just those occasions when he wants to harmonize with Kylie and practice his dance moves.

My new Saturn is burning in on 24 hour rotation now. It started off sounding like the previous unit I auditioned (mid range good but no bass or treble extension, detail-less bass and lower treble peak). It has just started changing with the bass starting to drop, the peak diminishing and the high end opening up. Im very happy so far.

 

[bifcake]

Keep us posted!!! Write a detailed review when you get a chance.

 

[909]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanMedia /img/forum/go_quote.gif My new Saturn is burning in on 24 hour rotation now. It started off sounding like the previous unit I auditioned (mid range good but no bass or treble extension, detail-less bass and lower treble peak). It has just started changing with the bass starting to drop, the peak diminishing and the high end opening up. Im very happy so far.

Any update?


Another Review

The Saturn is still knocking my socks off.

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 909 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any update?

Actually yes.

Its been playing 24/7 for the last 3 weeks and its well and truly burned-in now.

Initially the player had rolled off and detail-less bass and rolled off upper treble with a lower treble peak. Its midrange was very nice but in retrospect it sounded like it was 'plodding' clumsily in the midrange and upper bass.

The change in sound after a good 400hrs+ is that the upper treble filled out becoming very detailed, the bass rose and also became more detailed and unexpectedly the midrange has become dramatically more dynamic and punchy and more detailed also. Much better PRAT now, which gives me the new perspective that initially it had a 'plodding' sound.

The end result is a very musical, detailed player with lost of driving microdynamics and a very even presentation across the frequency range. The only criticism I could level at it is that it doesnt plumb the depths of subterranean bass like my previous Burr Brown 1796 based DAC did (perhaps unnaturaly). This is just me trying to be critical and shouldnt detract from the multitude of things this player does right.

Just a couple of days ago I swapped in some new tubes (with known low extension) into the preamp the sound is heavenly. Happy as a pig in the brown stuff. Apart from a minor grounding issue in my preamp i dont even feel like tweaking the audio system anymore(!).

So Im now focussing on getting my video projection system fixed up after my house move and its time to give some attention to the video side of things.

 

[HumanMedia]

BTW Anyone tried any tweaks and mods on the Saturn?

Looking at the internals in that last review, Id say that further shielding of the toroid, some ERS cloth and connection replacement might be a good thing. (I wont touch mine till its out of warranty though)

I tried some Herbies feet on the Saturn, which made it sound a tad loose and uncontrolled in the bass, and went back to the stock feet.

 

[Bu11dog]

I bought a demo Rega Saturn from a dealer and it arrived today. It has about 50 hours of play time already. After let it plays for 2 hours for warm up, I started listen.

Wow, I can truly hear the sound stage and position of instruments. Currently I am using a Headsave Classic with RS-1 and HD600. Hopefully after I received my Gilmore GS-1, I will hear more details from my headphones.

One quick question, does all Saturn come with interconnection cable? Can someone post a picture on how it looks like? Mine came with interconnection cable but it looks really cheap. I just wonder for CDP at this price range, should the cable be a little bit better quality.

Thanks.

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bu11dog /img/forum/go_quote.gif One quick question, does all Saturn come with interconnection cable? Can someone post a picture on how it looks like? Mine came with interconnection cable but it looks really cheap. I just wonder for CDP at this price range, should the cable be a little bit better quality. Thanks.

Yeah it comes with a really crappy interconnect and mentions in the manual that you will probably want a better one (they recommend a Rega one of course).

Leave it on 24/7 as the microdynamics improve greatly.

 

[909]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bu11dog /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought a demo Rega Saturn from a dealer and it arrived today. It has about 50 hours of play time already. After let it plays for 2 hours for warm up, I started listen. Wow, I can truly hear the sound stage and position of instruments. Currently I am using a Headsave Classic with RS-1 and HD600. Hopefully after I received my Gilmore GS-1, I will hear more details from my headphones. One quick question, does all Saturn come with interconnection cable? Can someone post a picture on how it looks like? Mine came with interconnection cable but it looks really cheap. I just wonder for CDP at this price range, should the cable be a little bit better quality. Thanks.

Congrats!

The Apollo and the Saturn come with interconnects. But I don't believe most high end cd player include RCA cables; in fact, I can't think of any other. Yes, the Rega interconnects are dirt cheap like something that would come with a $99 Sony DVD player.

Grover Huffman makes some great RCA cables at a fairly reasonable price. I think they are call the "S" cable; my favorite cable I've tried so far on my system. Also DiMarzio M-Paths are a great reasonably priced cable as well.

 

[Bu11dog]

Thanks HumanMedia and 909. Personally I don't think Rega should include the RAC cables. It just make the package looks bad.

Since I got the Saturn, I have been feeding it with APE burn music and MP3 CD-R. I have say it did not have the long initiation time that some other users reported. It takes about 5 seconds to initiate those CD-Rs.

One other I found so far is how great those 320K MP3 sounds. Wow, I can hear the details and layers. Cannot wait to feed it my XRCDs.

Not yet critical listening but I am already floored by this CDP.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif First day or two I thought Saturn was a bit polite and overly smooth missing a bit of treble extension and attack...........then after a week or so the sound opened up and came into sharper focus with more detail and extension in treble, now has nice natural clean balance with great leading edge attack......so I say need about 200hrs to fully hear what Saturn can do

HM
I mentioned the same effect with Saturn.........it turns from pet cat into tiger after about 1 week

The light bass you hear may just be getting used to greater speed and clarity instead of a softer more opaque bass offered by other CDPs........I listened to Kyuss, Isis, Tool etc and Saturn really clarified bass details previously buried in mix.

 

[Fairbanks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bu11dog /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought a demo Rega Saturn from a dealer and it arrived today. It has about 50 hours of play time already. After let it plays for 2 hours for warm up, I started listen. Wow, I can truly hear the sound stage and position of instruments. Currently I am using a Headsave Classic with RS-1 and HD600. Hopefully after I received my Gilmore GS-1, I will hear more details from my headphones. One quick question, does all Saturn come with interconnection cable? Can someone post a picture on how it looks like? Mine came with interconnection cable but it looks really cheap. I just wonder for CDP at this price range, should the cable be a little bit better quality. Thanks.

Hey Bdog,I'm also using the Saturn as a source for my headphones.The only difference is I'm using a Chinese tube amp and the AKG 701.As a source it does'nt get much better.Happy listening