Accustic Arts Drive 1 Mk1 vs Mk2 driving DAC 1 Mk4

Great answer Hamburg. While I'm tempted by the PC approach for convenience sake, I'm not convinced it would sound better than a high quality transport; but I'm willing to give it a try when there is enough consensus from those whose ears I trust (more or less:)). It seems the magazines are starting to get behind the PC based storage, and cynic that I am I suspect that some of that is to create new, viable product categories (advertisers)and new stuff to write about. But, I'm open to the possibility that one day this will be the way to go for both convenience and ulitmate sound reproduction (when it is not vinyl), but I'm not there yet. I'll stick to my trusty (and handsome)AA transport for the forseeable future.

Pubul57 I use a computer transport via USB to Toslink (Roland U25) into Apogee BigBen Reclocker and then to Accustic Arts tube DAC. The software running the program makes a big difference. Foobar2000 on Vista is the best. Having said all that, pc transports sill do not sound quite as good as a good separate transport. Infact, I just purchased a very good transport to use in my system. Many on Audiogon seam to feel that the computer transport equals or exceeds and independent transport. I believe that it is possible that the system their using is not adequate to reveal the differences. Clocking is done by the primary transport. Therefore, if using the pc, then a cheap clock is being used. I reclock my pc digital connection but not my transport. When I tried re clocking a Levinson transport (old clock Ver. than BigBen), I did not prefer the sound. It maybe that Re clocking is not as good as good primary clocking. It is better for bad clocking i.e computer clocking. Richard

Have any of you ventured to testing the Computer Hard Drive approach for a transport? I understand their is a company named Trends Audio that produces a USB to AES connection? I'm curious as I think we are all owners of a pretty darn good transport if you have yet been tempted to try the "next wave" in storage? I know it won't look as good as my AA Tranport, but I do wonder about sonics. Maybe not this year, but....

Chuck, I think you will appreciate the upgrade from the Mk1 to Mk2. I had the Mk1 for about 4 years before upgrading to the Mk2. I was able to detect a wider soundstage, and a more refined presence with the Mk2. A clearer image of the music details was also noticeable. A feel there is a an uptick in synergy between the Mk2 Drive and the Mk4 DAC vs the Mk1. There are other features I like as well: The capability to turn-off the blue light in the well of the transport and the display window is updated.

Ken P.
P.S. I got your email. I'll follow-up with you on tomorrow.

Tabl10s and Teajay, thanks.

Teajay, I reread your review this morning before I posted this question hoping to have a point of reference before starting. In your review you said that you were more giving the differences between the Ensemble transport as it was your prior reference transport. I didn't think that you had even tried the Mk1, I thought that you went straight to the Mk2.

I'm hoping that the difference in the Mk1 and the Mk2 is like going from the Theta Data Basic and the Theta Data Basic II, that was a nice upgrade.

Chuck

Chuck, take a look at my review of the AA Drive 1 MK2 here on the GON. Yes, the MK2 sounded better then the MK1 with the MK4 DAC, that's way I upgraded to it in my system. The MK4 DAC still is a great reference piece, but what untill you hear the Tube hybrid reference sometime in the furture in your system, which goes to another total sonic level.

I think the PSU has been upgraded. If you can get a good deal, I'd go for it. Later down the road, you'll want the new tube dac and the Mk2 will be the perfect match.