[immtbiker]

Just finished listening to Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" - Featuring "Take Five" in SACD out of the 2 channel outputs of the Esoteric, using an SR-71.

I can definitely say, that out of all the times I've listened, through various component combinations, using the Qualia has offered me my most enjoyable listening session. My Esoteric is in my speaker/HT setup, and is the only SACD source I have. The only way to use it with a headphone amp, was to run my Kimber mini to RCA to Ray's amp, and then, a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter to the 010's. The 6 channel outputs are reserved for multichannel, but the DV-50 offers high quality 2 channel output for other applications, without disturbing the multichannel output. I was pleasantly suprised with the realism, of Dave's piano manipulation...it was clear and concise. There is a bit of hiss from the original recording, which is a little distracting, but that's always the case.
I was eagerly awaiting Joe Morello's drum solo, in "Take Five" and I was not disappointed. Each strike of the snare was cleaner than I am used to. I compared the cymbal strike length to what the R-10's portray, and they definitely lasted longer and sounded more defined.
Usually Eugene Wright's bass lines are a little quiter than I prefer on the SACD re-release, but the Qualias had a way to give them their own space in the presentation.

Enough with the review type verbage. With two $45 Kimber 6" adapters, and a SR-71 portable amp, the Qualias made this cd sound like...as my 12 y.o. daughter now says...WOWZER!

On another note, with the same set-up, I was suprisingly disappointed with Diana Krall's - "Girl in the Other Room", which lacked shine and the cymbals got swallowed up. I then listened through speakers and realized, it's the SACD recording. I love Diana, but Costello's influence dulled this one out (the recording, not the music...the music is fantastic). So, these headphones are not a magic box. If anything, they amplify a poor recording.

IMHO, of course.


EDIT: This is really freaky...but as soon as I posted this, "Blues Rondo a la Turk" another song on "Time Out", came on, on the Jazz digital cable music station I have playing in the background. SCARY.

 

[ayt999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romanee ayt999 - Are you able to provide any comments here about your experience hearing the 010 via the 007 system, either that experience by itself or related to any other 010 auditioning you might have had with other systems -- if you've had the opportunity?

I had about 10 minutes or so with the 010 with unfamiliar music (and rig) so I don't think my comments would mean anything at all. I should note that the 010 I used was a preproduction model (but they said it was basically the same as a production unit).

that's the only time I spent with the 010 so hopefully this winter I can try out different combinations over several visits to the ginza store. I'm relatively interested in buying them so hopefully they will accomodate me.

 

[Jahn]

Well do you guys remember my friend who was asking about the $10,000 to blow before? Since he's coming up to NYC this weekend I made an appointment for him to check out the Qualia. Apparently there was a customer similar to him that brought in his RS-1/RA-1 combo and they A/B'd it with the Qualia - I guess you know the outcome, the guy walked out with the Qualia. How interesting, my friend also has a RS-1/RA-1 combo...I'll make sure he brings it to the store this Sunday so he can get the "treatment" hehe...oh and just for my personal edification I want to check out that awesome Blue-ray again.

I'll leave impressions here after the mini-trip on Sunday! (I might bring my Solo too, who knows...)

 

[lan]

[size=xx-large]![/size]

You can't go back in there without some of us to tag along.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan [size=xx-large]![/size] You can't go back in there without some of us to tag along.

We are such audio leeches

!

 

[Jahn]

Haha! Well the appointment is for "Party +2" so that means one more freeloader can pile in

Poor Sony guy will be trying to make the sale and we'll be chattering in the background about microphonics and dynamic versus electrostatic, and how my friend likes to use the bowls on the RS-1 and why didn't he bring any flats, etc...

Anyhow, party at the Sony Store this Sunday at 2pm!

BTW my friend sniffed at me and said it was a $5K rig not a $10K rig that he was looking at - hey, the qualia still fits in budget, right?

 

[meech]

hmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what am I doing Sunday ??????

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Haha! Well the appointment is for "Party +2"

Gotta call them to jack up the # of attendees

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker We are such audio leeches !

holics. audio-holics

wha hhaaa. where's my audio fi fi fiixxxx.

 

[Romanee]

Meech -- "what am I doing Sunday?" [ROFLMAO!!!]

 

[1911]

yeah....
i thought i would be done after i got the rs-1 and ra-1 but you know the rest of the story....that just feeds the beast.
anyways i am interested in the qualia and see what it can do..although goredwings thread has been very interesting as well as tempting but sheesh.......20k just like that....the experience would have to be near orgasmic or at least eargasmic...

 

[lan]

goredwings also spent a lot of time and effort looking for a source

you'll be needing one also

 

[Sovkiller]

Guys wait for the RP33.....

 

[Jahn]

i keep telling him that lan but he's so stubborn that his 80's CDP and monster cable are the shiz! hmm, maybe if you guys do partycrash on sunday you can make him splurge on a source too lol.

 

[DenTing]

does anyone kno when the Sony SA1000's are slated for US release or if any company is importing them to the US?

-DT