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Article: The Next Step in my Audio Journey — When System Synergy Trumped Individual Components


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Interesting read Austinpop, thank you for taking the time to write this all out.  Regarding Vinnie Rossi, I have thought, more than once, that a Brama would look great on my desktop. That is a seriously beautiful piece of equipment. A question though, what is the power output of the amp, and how does that effect how you use the volume knob on the easier to drive headphones you use.

 

And an edit: Are the transparent speaker to headphone cables you use a custom item from Transparent?

No electron left behind.

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1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

Interesting read Austinpop, thank you for taking the time to write this all out.  Regarding Vinnie Rossi, I have thought, more than once, that a Brama would look great on my desktop. That is a seriously beautiful piece of equipment.

 

Indeed, that Brama line is serious audio porn, at a price to match! Unfortunately, Vinnie did not provision it with a DAC module, likely due to the AKM supply issues. Maybe some day! I hope to hear it at AXPONA this coming weekend.

 

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

A question though, what is the power output of the amp, and how does that effect how you use the volume knob on the easier to drive headphones you use.

 

The amp is rated at 100Wpc at 8Ω, but there is also a jumper in the pre section to lower the gain by 6dB. With this low-gain jumper engaged, and even with my very efficient Meze Elite, I am typically at 25-35 on the volume knob, which goes to a max of 63. So, ample granularity of volume control.

 

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

And an edit: Are the transparent speaker to headphone cables you use a custom item from Transparent?

 

Yes, they are, but only because I seem to have been the first to request it from them. Now that they've spec-ed it out and built it, it's part of  their Transparent Ultra heaphone cable system. So if you already own the cable and headphone terminators, you are just buying an additional "source termination" adapter. The modularity of this system is what I find appealing.

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Really nicely done, Rajiv!

 

If I recall correctly, Emile had mentioned that by leaving the network disconnected, there may be some additional noise generated by the network adapter itself that will be reduced just by connecting it to a network where it can receive an acknowledgment of being heard.  This is my paraphrase, but it was my takeaway/interpretation of what he said at the time.  Kinda makes sense.

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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I happened to have "system" as gear + room on my mind, so I was expecting a story about room optimization but this was plenty interesting as well. Given my moderate tinnitus, I won't be exploring headphone soundstage, ever, but fascinating to read about network stuff from you, as usual.

 

I forced myself not to pull the trigger on a high-end network bridge because it seems these optimizations have so many combinations...at some point one decides enough is enough and goes back to listening to music. These kind of reviews from you help me a great deal in knowing where that point is. I appreciate your pro background/experience in IT as well.

Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes.

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I can only agree. I have used Vinnie R LIO and now L2i with the inbuilt DAC 2.0 card. I asked Vinnie if he thought an external

DAC could better it and he replied that one had to spend around 10K USD to better it. 

I bought the Merason DAC-1 wich I am very satisfied with, so this DAC has finally bettered my internal DAC card.

I saw that Vinnie will use the Merason DAC together with Brama at Axpona  btw.🙂

Vinnie Rossi LIO integrated amp with DAC, Sotm SMS-200 ultra/TX USB ultra, powered by an Uptone LPS-1 Audiostore Roonserver powered by a  HD plex PS. ASUS router AC 68 powered by a Teddy pardo PS, 

Speakers are standmounts Klångedang T1 with external crossover , Rega Planar 3 Lejonklou Slipsik phonostage

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@austinpop

Excellent report, thank you.

 

I am referring to this passage:

"Emile at Taiko Audio, whose ears we all trust, had a DAVE/DC4 ARC6/SRCDX setup in one of his listening setups, playing 24/16FS PGGB files, but despite all our improvements to the DAVE in place, it still did not engage him as much as his flagship DAC setup at Taiko HQ."

 

As Emile has several DACs which one did you mean as his flagship DAC in this context, the Pacific, the TotalDAC, the Aqua or another DAC?

Thanks

 

Matt

"I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe)

 

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2 hours ago, magnuska said:

I can only agree. I have used Vinnie R LIO and now L2i with the inbuilt DAC 2.0 card. I asked Vinnie if he thought an external

DAC could better it and he replied that one had to spend around 10K USD to better it. 

I bought the Merason DAC-1 wich I am very satisfied with, so this DAC has finally bettered my internal DAC card.

I saw that Vinnie will use the Merason DAC together with Brama at Axpona  btw.🙂

When I first read Austinpop review. I said wow! The internal VR DAC 4k is as good as Dave/DC4 AR6 combo. I appreciate cost is not a measure but a 4k DAC Module as good as 15k Chord/Dave combo. I was quite gobsmacked by this. Certainly got me thinking, could I downsize my chain. 5 boxes down to 1, 4 less powercords, endless Symposium feet and platforms. 
 

Then I seen your post. What did you not like about the VR DAC module? Or what do you like about Merason DAC-1 that the VR module didn’t have? 
 

@austinpop thanks again for a wonderful review. 👍

 

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3 hours ago, matthias said:

@austinpop

Excellent report, thank you.

 

I am referring to this passage:

"Emile at Taiko Audio, whose ears we all trust, had a DAVE/DC4 ARC6/SRCDX setup in one of his listening setups, playing 24/16FS PGGB files, but despite all our improvements to the DAVE in place, it still did not engage him as much as his flagship DAC setup at Taiko HQ."

 

As Emile has several DACs which one did you mean as his flagship DAC in this context, the Pacific, the TotalDAC, the Aqua or another DAC?

Thanks

 

Matt

 

It was a private conversation, so I'll leave it up to Emile if he wants to clarify. 🙂 Identifying his favorite is not the point of this article, it was merely what motivated us to look closer at the analog parts of the chain. 

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How much of a role does PGGB play here Rajiv? I unfortunately do not have a server quiet enough to distinguish the difference between PGGB and non PGGB files on my Gustard X26 pro (I hope to change this when I get the cash to do so). I would imagine on non PGGB files the Dave plus Arc PS beat the Vinnie Rossi? If so, it seems like PGGB is the big difference maker if you keep the server and related software constant. 

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1 hour ago, taipan254 said:

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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Just EXCELLENT !!!!

Because I did not see it somewhere, you finally used EtherREGEN before SOTM, because in the review of REGEN you had written that you preferred REGEN at the end of the chain.

Roon Rock (NUC10I5FNHN2)>Neotech NEET-1008 Ethernet Silver>UpTone EtherREGEN>Supra CAT8>UpTone EtherREGEN>Audioquest cat 700 Carbon>Melco N100>USB DIY>Rockna Wavelight>Mamalos Cables The Elite XLR Nanotubes>Mark Levinson No 380S>RAMM Elite8 XLR>ATC SMC 40A. Power Supply: Ferrum Hypsos, HDplex 300W.

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7 hours ago, ASRMichael said:

When I first read Austinpop review. I said wow! The internal VR DAC 4k is as good as Dave/DC4 AR6 combo. I appreciate cost is not a measure but a 4k DAC Module as good as 15k Chord/Dave combo. I was quite gobsmacked by this. Certainly got me thinking, could I downsize my chain. 5 boxes down to 1, 4 less powercords, endless Symposium feet and platforms. 
 

Then I seen your post. What did you not like about the VR DAC module? Or what do you like about Merason DAC-1 that the VR module didn’t have? 
 

@austinpop thanks again for a wonderful review. 👍

 

I use the standard version of L2i with 6SN7 tubes. The L2iSE with 300B tubes does sound better. So I guess this fact is the dividing point. In my system with the 6SN7 tubes the Merason DAC sounds a bit more airy, better layered, wider soundstage and better timing toe tapping. But maybe a little less organic. So these are my findings in my system but it would be really interesting to hear the 300B version.

Vinnie Rossi LIO integrated amp with DAC, Sotm SMS-200 ultra/TX USB ultra, powered by an Uptone LPS-1 Audiostore Roonserver powered by a  HD plex PS. ASUS router AC 68 powered by a Teddy pardo PS, 

Speakers are standmounts Klångedang T1 with external crossover , Rega Planar 3 Lejonklou Slipsik phonostage

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On 4/21/2022 at 10:23 AM, austinpop said:

 

Actually, it's the opposite. 

 

PGGB makes a very big improvement on the DAVE. Not surprising, since PGGB was conceived, developed, and fine tuned using DAVE as the target. It's only afterward, that PGGB was tried on other DACs, resulting in varying degrees of uplift.

 

The VR L2 DAC certainly benefits greatly from PGGB. but I wouldn't say it's to the same extent as PGGB uplifts the DAVE.


Hi Rajiv, so good to hear you’ve switched to VR equipment! I too have found that upsampling is optional and track dependent through VR’s DAC2 in NOS mode. Currently enjoying my music without using any upsampling at all and I’m still getting a very organic sound.

 

Have you had a chance to add a QSA purple fuse to the pre-amp section in the L2i-SE? I’ve found the improvement immediately noticeable, being even more natural sounding despite it already playing at a very high level. 

 


 

 

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@austinpop

Thanks for the system update, it's very surprising to hear you're moving away from the DAVE after all you've done with and around it. 

 

That's pretty funny to see the "build an effective team" leadership expectation thing crop up here again, but I guess in many walks of life that's the most rewarding approach. I'm happy to hear you're getting more from your system now, but I wonder how more recent VR offerings compare?

 

I wanted to specifically ask what you're doing with your HFC Trinity Helix now that the DAVE and it's SE output are out? 

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10 hours ago, taipan254 said:

Hey Rajiv. Hope you’re enjoying Axpona. Random follow up. Do you know if Emile plans on selling his driver? I’m sure a lot of folks have Xmos 2 based DACs. I’d be interested to see what it does even if I don’t have an extreme! 

 

You can post on the WBF thread and ask, but I would be very surprised if he were. These enhancements enhance the value proposition for Extreme customers.

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3 hours ago, Ben-M said:

I'm happy to hear you're getting more from your system now, but I wonder how more recent VR offerings compare?

 

I just listened to Vinnie's new Brama integrated amp at AXPONA, and while it sounded excellent in the system it was deployed in, I have no way to gauge how it would compare to my L2i SE. The expectation Vinnie sets is that the Brama is in another league of performance, with a price tag to match.

 

3 hours ago, Ben-M said:

I wanted to specifically ask what you're doing with your HFC Trinity Helix now that the DAVE and it's SE output are out? 

 

It turns out that the speaker outputs of the L2i SE are single ended, in that the L- and R- speaker terminals share a common AGND (analog ground). So even though I'm adapting the L+/L- and R+/R- banana outputs to 4-pin female XLR with the Transparent Ultra adapter, I can use the Helix in the path by using XLR to 6.3mm TRS adapters on both ends.

 

I hope the above is clear. Just to make it clearer: The Transparent Ultra cable is terminated with a 4-pin male XLR plug on the amp end. Keep that in mind. 

 

Here is the path without the Trinity Helix:

  • L2i SE > Ultra bananas-to-female XLR-4 adapter > Ultra cable > headphones

And here is the path with the Trinity Helix:

  • L2i SE > Ultra bananas-to-female XLR-4 adapter > male XLR-4 to male 6.3mm adapter > Helix > male 6.3mm to female XLR-4 adapter > Ultra cable > headphones

To make this Helix path even cleaner, I could have Transparent build me an Ultra bananas-to-male 6.3mm adapter.

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