Anyone else with the JCAT XACT S1??

[davide256]

Umm, this reads like an influencer post.

I suggest you talk to what you had before if you want folks to understand where on the scale

of audio equipment quality this falls. If one were replacing a Bluesound node it would likely generate same opinion....

[davide256]

43 minutes ago, celebrat said:

Hello David. You ae absolutely correct and you make a valid point. I guess I am an influencer wanabee. because I do beleive in the Xact S1. The least I can do is let people know where I come from. I just posted my equipment on my profile but I do not know how to put in that cool Audio System button you yhave on your reply. How do you do that? Thanks

 

 

Nothing complicated.

1) Copy the url for your profile audio system tab

2) In profile/ account settings edit your signature, past in the url 

      then right click the url so that you can edit its properties to make whats displayed a title instead of the actual url

 

nice complex system but still mystified what your y axis origin was for prior equipment comparison. Innuos.. Taiko?

[davide256]

1 hour ago, celebrat said:

I did evaluate an Aurender and felt that was not even close while similar in cost. I like ROON and used that through MusicVault the most of the time. I enjoyed the sound, but honestly the SQ on both streaming and local files was vastly superior to any of my previous listening. I am enamored with the SQ of The JCAT Xact S1.

 

How do you like that Linear Tube Audio Micro Pre?? I have heard they are great. That may be able to drive my horns 😁 Do you use ROON? I am not familiar with your software.  Thanks

 

 

Audio System

Speakers: Omega Super Alnico High Output Monitors w/ Audiosmile Super Tweeters; GR Research NXotica; Mulcahey Horn System - Altec 288B 16ohm Field Coil Conversion /Azura horns/Jamboree Bass Box; Sub Woofers - GR Research Open Baffle; Amplification: Mastersound Dual 845 Monoblocks; 2 Decware SE84UFO25 set up as monoblocks; Arriving soon Alan March Audio Purifi based 421 monoblocks; Preamp: Denafrips Athena; Digital: Denafrips Terminator+; DDC Gaia; Bricasti M3 w/network card; Musicvault Diamond Ultra; OPPO205 Universal Player; JCAT XACT S1; Power Conditioning: Jena Labs Sequoia Seedling; Denafrips BIC500; Video: LG 85" oled; Cables: various including; Speaker; Echole Passion; Silversmith Audio Fidelium; Dueland Silver Tinned; Interconnects: Echole Passion; Teo Audio Kronon; Room treatments: VariousExtensive: Real Traps; Gik Acoustic Michael Green; 4 Stein Music H2 Harmonizers; Room 15.5'x24' 12' cathedral ceiling, open in back to 25'x30' No treatment-WAF

 

Aurender is pretty respectable so that bodes well for others who are interested /considering. I had Roon for a while, keep re auditioning it but as soon as anyone starts singing I lose interest, it loses resonance/articulation. Euphony Stylus is nice but tends to lose articulation in loud complex orchestral passages with NOS mode, its up-sample modes are recently offered and I think still a work in progress. HQPlayer up-sampling is very popular here and while it loses some imaging detail compared to Stylus it also cleans up the mud and occasional treble glare that I hear with Stylus alone. Roon using HQPlayer  up-sampling was it’s best sound and I suspect that once I get a better DSD section I may go back to Roon using DSD upsampling as PCM is so temperamental and Stylus prone to odd bugs.

Quite like the MZ2, its only flaw is that it isn’t a MZ3 so loses something at the frequency extremes and is a bit wonky for knobs and connectors. Have used it + a higher amperage  LPS as an amp to drive my Magnepans, quite nice sound but no dynamics, really needed a 95db efficiency speaker or better for that to work with the 1w of power it has. Their integrateds are nice too but the sound quality is mainly due to using the same David Berning derived pre section design