Zavato - Did the audio store have the amp paired with suitable components/speaker/leads?
I was auditioning an amp/DAC combo, and after hearing a pretty run of the mill reproduction of my audition tracks, I asked they use their very best cables and some really good speakers in order to allow me to hear the amp and not the effects of the original less capable cables and speakers.
It sounded much better, but still left me wanting. But at least I felt assured the other components were not impeding or colouring the performance of the amp.
Wanna laugh? - Same guy had $35k Avantgarde speakers hooked up out of phase - and he just kept asking, "how do you like them?"
He was quite embarrassed when I told him - LOL
And it's not the fist time that's happened to me either :-(
Much like your own experience, a review of another amp/DAC combo in the same week had me wondering if the reviewer had actually tried the onboard DAC, because what I heard was pretty poor compared to what the review reported.
When I purchased my current speakers, after an initial audition, which impressed me very much, I actually took my amp, Speaker cables and Power cable to the store - :-)
This particular store was one of the few that make the effort to ensure connected components and cables are compatible.
So, I am more of the opinion that the stores are actually more at fault than the reviewers.
Regards...
I was auditioning an amp/DAC combo, and after hearing a pretty run of the mill reproduction of my audition tracks, I asked they use their very best cables and some really good speakers in order to allow me to hear the amp and not the effects of the original less capable cables and speakers.
It sounded much better, but still left me wanting. But at least I felt assured the other components were not impeding or colouring the performance of the amp.
Wanna laugh? - Same guy had $35k Avantgarde speakers hooked up out of phase - and he just kept asking, "how do you like them?"
He was quite embarrassed when I told him - LOL
And it's not the fist time that's happened to me either :-(
Much like your own experience, a review of another amp/DAC combo in the same week had me wondering if the reviewer had actually tried the onboard DAC, because what I heard was pretty poor compared to what the review reported.
When I purchased my current speakers, after an initial audition, which impressed me very much, I actually took my amp, Speaker cables and Power cable to the store - :-)
This particular store was one of the few that make the effort to ensure connected components and cables are compatible.
So, I am more of the opinion that the stores are actually more at fault than the reviewers.
Regards...