07-12-14: Glory
Bhobba is blinded somewhere in a corner doing A/B listening. nice zinger Gary. |
Bhobba is blinded somewhere in a corner doing A/B listening. |
@Bhobba,
I am wondering whether you ever managed to get to hear the full Phasure NOS1 / XXHighend / Optimised PC set up? Either in isolation, or as part of another multi DAC GTG.
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If i may - Official release of the new Orelo MkII.
Plus of course the Orelino by Bert Doppenberg of BD-designs and PeterSt of Phasure.
As far as i know Peter and Bert will be releasing plenty of delicious info regarding these unique beauties on their respective sites slowly over time.
check it out guys
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?board=24.0 |
Oh i forgot to include in my first post - what about room acoustics?
This always effects things including HF to a large degree. In my room it seemed like the main thing effected.
Then if we are maybe not hearing HF very well anyway, for one reason or another, room acoustics will obviously make things even worse. Obviously in some rooms certain individuals will be affected even more(considering my first post suggesting more variables) changing their perception of the components/component or w/e.
What a fun hobby!
Hopefully i wont have to worry about room acoustics too much when my Orelo MkII`s arrive as with these speakers there is much less room interaction such as standing waves.
In effect these speakers could potentially be saving us so much $ outlay time effort etc messing with room treatments.
Peter elaborates on these speakers and `standing waves` etc in a few threads such as the one below, as only he can.
This is a old thread regarding the original Orelo high pressure speaker design from a couple years ago.
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2283.0
Peter/Bert`s design has come a long way since then with the Orelino and recent birth of Orelo MkII which are still improving to some extent. Still a interesting read though.
For those who havn`t read this thread regarding Peter/Bert Orelino speakers at X-fi show http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2708.0
See the effects of room acoustics totally messing up HF here.
There were a few major problems in this room apparently inc mains supply.
Still this room apparently was one of the best of show and some indicating still their favorite room.
This says allot for this speaker design and of course the rest of Peter`s gear IMO.
Anyway, i do notice a wind of change starting to sweep the shores.... or should i say..... phashores.
Great stuff Peter! |
Nice NOS1 review here for those interested.
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2892.msg30505#msg30505 |
NOS1 and Teo going strong.
Firstly, I have been meaning to write a review on NOS1 DAC here on Audiogon for a while but never got around to it.
My friend Gary beat me to it here. Well that`s not hard considering i get abducted all the time lol
So I decided to just add some more thoughts here in Gary`s thread.
Yes i realize i`m no doubt looked as one of those "over the top Phasure guys" or a "Phasure w**ker" and i`m content to wear those labels. As i`m sure most other NOS1 owners are.
From my experience tuning a full monty and optimally set up NOS1 front end fully addresses comments such as "lacks warmth" or being "emotionally bland" or "lacking harmonic richness" or "lacks life" etc or even "too neutral" ......... Too neutral????
I hope some people really take note of this point.
Guys such as Gary(Glory) who btw is the only other guy i know of with a similar NOS1 set up as myself using Teo liquid. He uses other similar SOTA cables and isolation too.
One of Gary`s last thanking comments to me after getting rid of his latest lampi tube DAC setup -
"i owe you big time" and "you are da man" no PeterST is da man. But of course i appreciated Gary`s words whole heartedly and i was very glad, even kinda proud, to have helped persuade him to buy the full NOS1 bundle.
Only took a year and 101 long Emails hay Gaz lol
I talked my butt off convincing this yankee cookie muncher to get rid of lampi and buy full Phasure set up.
Teo liquid.
My preferred method of "tubing" NOS1 up.
I`ve mentioned Teo many times. Something like Teo is still quite a unknown in mainstream audio. Especially away from the US and Canada. Such a wonderful mate for such a accurate front end. Heavenly match! Beats adding electronics to the chain IMO. And how.
Almost like divine liquid simplicity.
Just 1 upper tier Teo IC in itself IMO erases virtually all possible concerns as mentioned above.
NOS1 and Teo is such a special pairing. Yes there is now more warmth(of the good kind)delicacy, harmonic bloom, richness of timbre..... what natural timbre!, decay , naunce, weight, beautiful detailed lushness yes lushness whilst somehow losing NONE of NOS1 well known unrivaled attributes. If anything these are somehow slightly enhanced too. All these enhancements are pure sophistication.
Not exactly huge but that depends on ones perspective.
Basically a welcome added bloom of beauty and articulation to all instruments and voices now set in a larger dimensional stage. Enhancement in the ways many of us crave and yet, most importantly, allowing accurate NOS1 to breathe!! No tube euphonics here. Tube magic yes. No ifs or buts. Everything just sounds real!
And as Gary has mentioned - NO added CDN color noise distortion. This is of course even more noticeable when NOS1 is on a good platform.
So natural and full of vibrant life. Never fake or fuzzy.
As Gary states after i send him Teo
" Pete,
Great move !!!!
Teo/Phasure heaven's sound.
OOTB and cold it sounded stellar!!! Tubes with no noise/distortion.
How much you want for your XLR MM2?"
Only thing is havn`t decided is whether i like NOS1 with or without Teo for some rock and heavy metal music.
Ok upper tier Teo liquid is one of the most esoteric expensive cables available and just about never available on the used market but if guys out there are interested in modern day SOTA cables to impart that tube magic to your precious accurate source without any added CDN well this is the ticket as far as i`m concerned. Gary will attest.
If you wanted to do something wild with your tube gear then i recommend Rick Schultz new line of magnetic cables.
When Peter/Bert 114db `high pressure` Orelo MkII speakers arrive.... maybe cables like Teo won`t quite be appropriate anymore in the full Phasure system.
Doubt it but who knows my mind is open.
I would just like to add that from all the experimentation and auditioning we have done here involving endless nights serious listening with familiar albums became clear that NOS1 proved just very very right.
The moment i heard full monty NOS1 my ears and everything inside told me - gee this thing is really worth seriously building a system around.
Things have just grown from there. Such as adding Teo and SST and Elrod etc.
Oh and a few people have asked me about NOS1 burn in time. For me i think it was about the 2 month mark i stopped noticing improvements after constantly playing.
Also leave mine on 24/7. Not good to turn off IMO.
I notice sometimes a whole day for things to sound the same again.
Cheers
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Thoughts on HF and more ramblings
We all know some individuals do not hear higher frequencies properly to some degree. Some aware of it some not. Naturally in many of these circumstances one may put extra emphasis or importance on the mid-band frequencies.
Maybe in some cases he "prettier" this mid-band artificially is, maybe the more this would compensate for the lack of our ears processing high frequency as they should. Of course there are always many factors but i am sure this is one of them in some cases.
Many of us think we have good hearing. But do we?
Blood type: If you happen to have the less common rhesus negative blood(this means so much more too) then my bet is that you are the most likely to appreciate something like NOS1 even more. Maybe not much more in most cases but it could be a factor. There may actually be reasons for it.
I wont go too much further into this topic but one of my research interests is blood/blood typing and how blood type and rhesus factor dictates many processes in our body even affecting our senses. Good general health topic too!
Some say people with rhesus negative blood, especially if type O as well, will more likely have the best HF hearing. Especially if we are in good health eating organic food and not so full of chemicals etc. If any of this is true, and i believe it is, then it may help shine extra light on why we all seem to hear things different in this hobby.
(PeterST and myself both happen to be negative type O btw)
Consider other modern day human variables such as heavy metal toxicity, bacteria over-growth or systemic effect, sinus, pineal gland health(fluoride build up disconnecting our awareness)of course age etc etc can all play a part to some extent.
Personally i can not listen to any component or cable or anything which noticeably truncates or destroys HF.
One of the reasons i use a quality Space Tech Labs variable sine wave Schumann resonator in my room as well. Way better than the more common AR77 unit. Anything to help those delicate HF`s from being negatively affected in any way.
As we get older we lose our HF hearing at different rates. It's not really that you can't hear the HF. It's that you can't hear them as well. So, when you were 30 you didn't need to turn up the 16,000hz slider, now you might. By making the highs LOUDER, you bring back the sound you used to hear. But of course we don`t want to use typical EQ in out systems for obvious reasons so now we limit ourselves thus make things a bit more complicated.
Hearing HF positively effects our hearing of any frequencies bellow. Of course including the all important mid-range.
I did some experimentation a while ago with a few people. This involved NOS1 and some very nice Tonian Labs Ribbon super tweets using well burned in Russian SSG-3 Silver Mica caps. Also had them easily set-up to change the X-over point and attenuation.
Results proved very interesting. Even opinions regarding how their impressions on mid frequencies changed.
Add something like upper tier Teo liquid and minds were almost boggling. These people were novice listeners.
Yea NOS1 surely does invite us to hear what is really going on up there. It is as clean, real, extended as they come. Something that most components never get right.
The design then is usually compromised.
And for the record i am NOT in any way suggesting any of you guys who think NOS1 may be lacking something have impaired hearing to any degree. Just putting some alternate thoughts out there for us to think about or at least keep in mind which may explain some of our diversity.
IMO NOS1 not only has pure HF but has very pure mid-band - lower frequency as well.... regardless whether some of us can hear HF`s properly or not. Once again i believe proper set-up and even tuning is key to really hear what this DAC can do in any given individuals system.
Nine times out of ten anyone who thinks NOS1 is lacking anywhere is just not hearing this DAC at it`s best at all due to inappropriate set-up. Yea yea yea?...... well yea!
Once everything is set-up using properly configured XXhighend(very important) and some complimenting high end computer(Peter`s is best obviously)and then settled properly. Enable unattend mode... well... those of you who know.... KNOW.
It seems people may also underestimate the effects of XXhighend configuration. Personally Peter configured my whole XXcomputer and i havn`t touched the settings. Not only do i not really know what i`m doing but it just sounds so right that i have zero desire at all to mess with it.
Guys please try to set this DAC up as it is intended as much as possible then give it some time to settle and keep an open mind for variable factors before passing too much of a judgement.
This is a very special DAC and needs to be respected as such!
And to you tube guys or guys that may have doubts over NOS1 mid-range or harmonic ability and think tube output stage or adding more unnecessary electronics is the only answer ... i dare you to try tuning NOS1 with upper tier Teo liquid.
Well, as Gary will attest to i`m sure, it`s not really necessary especially if everything is set up properly but boy oh boy there really is some magic with this pairing!
I will add more comments on this in another post inc a few comments Gary Emailed me regarding NOS1 and Teo(cable i loaned him).
So there`s possibly some reasons NOS1 or w/e equipment wont always sound quite the same to everyone.
Then again if what i read and understand is true. And I`m sure it is. Every person who has had the opportunity to visit Peter at his home of recent times in the Nether regions that hear his system with full Phasure set up correctly.... well.... all apparently leave in the same mind-set - Best sound ever heard on any audio system regardless. Always the word unanimously is "best".
So if Peter`s gear truly is set up correctly in a tuned system our own limitations logically would become less of a factor.
Technically this DAC is very correct IMO.
NOS1 is accuracy and neutrality personified. And this was the full intent of the design. Peter`s whole design concept and part selection(which some have knocked)is based on that.
What a way to set a solid component foundation for any high end system. What potential now beckons too.
If Peter wanted to build a SOTA colored tube DAC or tube output stage etc then he would no doubt have excelled here too. But he has no interest in doing so. I totally understand this now as a former tube lover and owner of very high end tubed gear. Also had NOS1 hooked up to what i considered to be a great add on tube output stage - Space Tech labs tube buffer103. Designed with Short signal path and all point to point wiring etc. Intent being to instill big tube sound with some gain and with least interference. Around 3K worth of many rare NOS tubes later(large and small) the combo of Teo direct to amps quickly rendered this very nice tube buffer for sale. I, like Gary, am now simply not interested in bottles touching my front end gear any more.
I have gone one further and refuse to have them anywhere in my system at all. Teo liquid is much better option IMO.
Another thing regarding HF - I am a self confessed cable enthusiast as many of you know. I can very confidently say right now that AC or power cables are the biggest offenders here(HF and beyond) so anything to do with AC should be one of the FIRST things upgraded in a system. No one will ever convince me otherwise.
I have about 15K(used market value) currently invested in select AC after years of buying selling and upgrading from street to components PSU. I could not put a total figure on it all not to mention all the time and effort. No regrets here either.
I'm no way alone. Many audio guys are exactly the same.
Our organic cookie man, Gary, is of similar mind-set.
Everything is about the source and AC is the true source.
I remember when i was younger. My first serious system had about 4K(used market value) worth of components, vintage modified Kef speakers, Marantz and NAD silverline components, but about 6K(umv) worth of power cabling. Many who heard this system were gobsmacked. I have very very fond memories of this system and still have most of it here collecting dust.
Anyway here is a quote i read a long time ago which interested me and inspired to research this area a bit further -
"no, humans can't hear the actual frequencies above the 22khz mark or closely thereabouts.
but the presence of those frequencies in a given sound does interact with the other frequencies in the audible range, performing as it were a bit of frequency modulation on them, which has the result of creating resonant bands of additional frequencies that "fill out" the sound in the audible range.
But this is just for me armchair speculation - I have no handle on the actual science. But of one thing I'm convinced - psycho-acoustics is a young science that has proven to be full of surprises, and the smart money is on the assumption that further surprises are in store as the field develops."
Quantum mechanics - "the conditions of any observation effect the outcome of the observation."
I think some of you know where I`m going with this one....
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'I take it from your answer that it was felt that the Phasure was "benefiting" from the Preamp. And that without the Preamp the Phasure would be rated lower'
No.
All DAC's benefited from the pre effect.
We would have liked to check all DAC's without the pre, but, since all experienced the effect what I think the most likely outcome would have been they all have maintained their relative position, but simply didn't sound as good.
Of course the Phasure may have been the best, or the Killer was a lot better than the Phasure instead of it being a personal preference, or the order may have been reversed, all sorts of things are possible. There is no way of knowing.
Also there is the issue of personal preference. There is obviously some kind of euphonics going on with the pre. To me its subtle and I couldn't get a grip on it, but some may simply not like it.
Thanks
Bill |
I guess a lesson here is, if you have a top notch tube pre, then if your DAC is tube or not isn't that important. Very true. Thanks for the report Bill. I have experienced similar things trying to go direct in comparison to a TRL Dude and it was night and day. Maybe it is a tube euphonic thing, but (like adding subs) you get more grace and ease, depth, etc. You get more music. |
Bill, thank you for your reply. I take it from your answer that it was felt that the Phasure was "benefiting" from the Preamp. And that without the Preamp the Phasure would be rated lower. If that is correct then...
IMHO that is an unfair assumption and one that goes against the design and intended use of the Phasure NOS1 DAC. It was specifically designed to be used WITHOUT a Preamp.
I understand you were running out of time but then if you all thought there was a "Preamp effect", and the Phasure is designed to be used without a preamp, I would think it would be the one to try and see if not using a preamp made a positive or negative gain.
I am not trying to criticizing you and I appreciate the feedback from the GTG. I am just pointing out, IMHO, some oversights or missteps.
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'Did you try the Phasure direct to Amp also and if so what were the impressions?'
We ran out of time.
But there is zero doubt it was experiencing' the pre-amp effect and would have dropped away. Exactly how much - don't know.
Thanks
Bill |
Bill, thank you for your impressions.
I see that you tried the Killer direct to Amp (sans the Pre).
Did you try the Phasure direct to Amp also and if so what were the impressions?
Al. |
Hi Guys
Was at a comparison yesterday between:
1. The Phasure
2. The Killer
3. Playback Designs MPD 5
It was with Adam Tensor active speakers fed by an Audio Research Reference 5 SE pre.
Different outcome than I expected. It should have been the AR pre triumphant comparison.
It was amazing. All the DAC's sounded great through this pre. People have been telling me about it for ages - the soundstage widens and envelops you - voices just sound great. But its not dripping in honey etc - its undoubtedly some kind of valve euphonics, but what its doing is subtle - the effects aren't - but what it's doing to achieve it aren't clear to me - not clear at all. I am going to have to eat crow - I originally thought it was just hype about this pre - it isn't. Still at nearly $20k here in Aus I wont be getting one any time soon - but its good to know you are actually getting something special for that type of dosh.
Anyway I liked all DAC's in this system, but my ordering (worst to best) was the Playback Designs, then Phasure, then Killer - but I would have to say I could see that my liking the Killer over the Phasure was purely the harmonic richness - it didn't sound uninteresting at all - it's just I found the Killer a bit more interesting. But in compensation it had greater detail - which is better - can't say - I liked the richer sound - but that's just me. The PD still sounded too polite for my tastes, but one guy thought that was because it presented stuff in proper perspective - other DACs may have been emphasizing things.
Just to see what the pre was doing we fed the Killer directly into the active speakers. Its the most harmonically rich of all the DAC's and it was thought it was experiencing the lift of the pre the least. It simply dropped away - dull and uninteresting in comparison.
I guess a lesson here is, if you have a top notch tube pre, then if your DAC is tube or not isn't that important.
Thanks
Bill |
Ha, Pat! You were my partner in crime on that fated speaker shootout. God bless Bob (formerly Sp Tech), Dale (Intuitive Design) and Duke (Audio Kinesis). All fabulous people and fabulous designers.... |
Bill, I also enjoy your thoughtful and thorough approach. It appears you are demonstrating signs of early PTSD, but please persevere. I have performed a fair number of blinded tests (thankfully they went unpublished) and understand they are a hassle. I have been in the process of "trying" to set up a blinded dac shootout in Atlanta this fall between the Phasure, L7, and the newer AMR. People do get cagey, but still it's fun and illuminating.
I "tried" to do the same thing many years ago with a set of speakers (Intuitive Design, SP Tech, and Audio Kinesis), but it flamed out and got a little tribal. You can find that soap opera documented on Audiocircle if you are morbidly curious.
To be honest, I would be proud to own a Killer dac, or L7 or Phasure. There is too much hand wringing on the mountain top. On a personal note, I am shopping for a dac that sounds like a good turntable. I share your enthusiasm Bill for NOS and vintage chips. The two dacs that are on the top of my list are the L7 and the Totaldac, but my mind is still open and thus the impetus for "hearing" things before I drop a lot of cash. |
Bill,
I'll join the choir as well, I appreciate your continued efforts and well reasoned opinions. Many things are easier said than done, blind testing is but one glaring example.
Charles, |
Hey Bill .. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I've read many of your posts across numerous forums and quite appreciate your insight. Perhaps your own blog should be a consideration :) |
Dont sweat it Bill. Just do what you can. We grateful people are appreciative of the effort, such as it is. |
Well articulated and LOGICAL reply, Bhobba. Thanks for sharing your results.
Boy, can't keep up with all the new DACs and precisely reason I don't chase the latest and greatest. |
Bill was upfront about the fact that a Mac was used, so he cant be faulted ther. Furthermore, he recalls it sounded the same to him, but he will soon hear it with XXHE and A+ at the same time and can fully confirm.
I wont knock Bill at all for his kind service of relaying his impressions, even if the setup was sub-optimal. its the best we have at the moment.
On the otherhand, it seems that several people in Oz have NOT heard a properly setup Lampi. In one case, I know they used one with a dying tube and in other cases, no care and attention was paid to the Transport and we all have concluded that the Lampi reward proper Tansports, mechanical grounding and quality cables with spectacular playback.
Having said that, the sonic signature of the NOS1 sounds very different and if I could afford to have another Dac (I already have 2 Lampi boxes, a Qute HD, a Geek USB Dac on the way and a Dspeaker ADC/DAC) it would most likely be a Phasure fo its different sound. Dacs for courses and all that. Unlike Peter and Thorsten, I LOVE DSD. LoL |
'I know there are a few Aussie Lampis floating about.'
And precisely how does that equate with me being able to get a hold of one easily? Getting a hold of stuff often involves me forking out my own dosh. Even professional reviewers out here like John Darko have to do that. He has posted that's the case but evidently still gets heaps of requests - compare this to this etc etc as if the fact he is a professional reviewer means he has any gear you can think of on hand.
This is the annoying thing I find about peoples suggestions, I should do this, compare this, bla bla bla - exactly why they think I, or others who also post about comparisons, have access to all this gear is beyond me.
The reason they are posting it is probably they aren't able to do it, so want someone else to. That's fine - but assuming others are able to is the bit that has me scratching my head.
Over on Computer Audiophile they also have a Phasure discussion. A person went to a lot of trouble to post a comparison - but what was one persons comment:
'do a blinded shootout of the Exasound, Phasure, MA-1 (and possibly Lampizator?). That would be interesting'
Amazing.
Even more amazing is the requests for blind tests. They have probably read that blind tests show all gear sounds the same etc etc and want to see tests done blind. My answer is no one should ever ask someone to do a blind test until they have done one and posted about it - that way they will appreciate how hard they are to do. That's the reason there is a dearth of them - not that people are scared etc etc. They are simply so damn hard to do properly.
Thanks
Bill |
'If that's true, the shootout was worthless. The XXX is an essential part of the Phasure equation.'
Can I ask if that's from actually hearing it?
I have heard it both ways, admittedly not side by side, and that would not be my assessment. It has this super clear, clean and pure sound both ways to my ears. I know Peter says he cant even listen to it via Audirvana but I didn't find it like that.
If its simply from what you have read then I have found that is not always the most reliable way to form hard and fast opinions regarding the sound of audio gear.
In due course I will probably be able to hear such a side by side comparison between Audirvana and XXHighend into the Phasure and see what the go is. So far however I wouldn't say it chalk and cheese at all - still one never knows.
Thanks
Bill |
'Several AMR owners converted to Lampis (L4s) in the US, so your information is incomplete. From what I have been TOLD, the L7 could dance with any of the chosen participants. I know there are a few Aussie Lampis floating about.'
That's not what everyone found. But the answer is still the same - have one sent over.
'If that's true, the shootout was worthless. The XXX is an essential part of the Phasure equation.'
It wasnt a shootout - simply a GTG with a guy who wanted to hear some DAC's to help his choice in an upgrade. A person was supposed to bring his optimally set up computer with XXHighend but wasn't able to make it.
A gathering much more along the lines of a shootout will happen on the 15th of March and that will have the Phasure fed optimally.
Again if people don't like the GTG's I write about, for whatever reason, feel free to organize your own and write about it. Then you might get an idea of what it feels like to go to this trouble and have people nit pick it that it didn't include this or that DAC they would like to know about, or some DAC wasn't used optimally.
Thanks
Bill |
'Bill, what was asked for was a comparo to a Lampi LEVEL 7. It uses DHTs and is a very different beast to the other Lampis.'
The answer is again the same. I personally find nothing about it enticing enough to fork out my own dosh and get one. If you, or anyone else, wants to send one over - feel free. Or if you, or anyone else, is tight enough with the Lampi people get them to send one for comparison.
Thanks
Bill |
... comparisons I have heard of with the Lampi doesn't want to make me go out and get one - eg in one comparison I read an AMR was considered better, so for me the AMR comparison is a bit more interesting and that will happen at a blind GTG on the 15th March along with the Phasure, Killer, and new PDX. Several AMR owners converted to Lampis (L4s) in the US, so your information is incomplete. From what I have been TOLD, the L7 could dance with any of the chosen participants. I know there are a few Aussie Lampis floating about. The Phasure at the GTG I posted about was not set up optimally (it used a Mac Mini with Audirvana and not their preferred XXHighend) If that's true, the shootout was worthless. The XXX is an essential part of the Phasure equation. |
Bill, what was asked for was a comparo to a Lampi LEVEL 7. It uses DHTs and is a very different beast to the other Lampis. |
Sounds like it was a fun get-together. For clarity, can the three other DACs use the Off Ramp? Was that tried?
That wasn't tried.
The Phasure is USB only.
The PD had its own external USB and the Minerva was firewire only.
Thanks
Bill |
Ok - a few clarifications seems to be needed.
The Killer is a hand built DAC made in minuscule quantities to a customers requirements and in fact 'tuned' to their system. The price varies depending on options but mine cost $5.5k.
It's built around the legendary Phillips Double Crown chips, but the single crowns are also used if they are deemed better than the double crowns available - mine is a single crown.
Mine accepts I2S only and so can only be used with a I2S source like the Off-Ramp or an I2S Transport. Normally the Off-Ramp clobbers any transport but I have heard a very highly upgraded battery powered transport that sounded better - to my ears anyway - but it was the only one and the difference wasn't enough to entice me away from the Off-Ramp - in fact in some areas like bass extension and detail retrieval it was better anyway - where the transport was better was in harmonic richness and layering.
Everyone wants to compare it to the Lampi. If someone wants to send one over to our group on the Gold Coast feel free, but comparisons I have heard of with the Lampi doesn't want to make me go out and get one - eg in one comparison I read an AMR was considered better, so for me the AMR comparison is a bit more interesting and that will happen at a blind GTG on the 15th March along with the Phasure, Killer, and new PDX.
The Phasure at the GTG I posted about was not set up optimally (it used a Mac Mini with Audirvana and not their preferred XXHighend) as I have been totally blasted for over on Computer Audiophile, as well as using crap speakers, being deaf, and all sorts of other rubbish for simply having the temerity of, horror of horrors, suggesting to everyone's ears in some systems the Phasure may not be the god of all gods.
Amazing. I know some gear engenders a very loyal following, and I have been caught up in that sort of thing before and have learnt to tone it down a bit, but some Phasure guys do seem a bit over the top.
Thanks
Bill |
Sounds like it was a fun get-together. For clarity, can the three other DACs use the Off Ramp? Was that tried? |
Bill, that is interesting. We audiophiles are like cats, and our behavior and responses to things are inscrutable and unpredictable.
What is the MSRP of the Killer? From the little I understand, it is a 1541/43 NOS beast? I like the NOS sound and understand why people chase it.
It would be interesting to hear the Killer and Lampizator 7 side by side.
When you take away the Offramp, what happens to the Killer's sound? I have always "thought" that the transport is AS important as the dac itself. I think that is part of the reason why the Phasure is a monster (+ the software). Peter gets it.... |
Glad to hear Glory likes the Phasure so much, and having heard it on quite a few occasions now it's a great DAC - no question - easily accounting for a number of DAC's like the MSB, PDX and Playback Designs.
But yesterday I was privy to a 4 way comparison:
1. A Killer DAC driven by an Off-Ramp
2. A Phasure
3. A Playback Designs MPD5
4. A Wiess Minerva
My ordering was the Killer, a tie with the Wiess and Phasure, then the PD.
The Killer was harmonically rich and real sounding. The Wiess was surprisingly like the Killer but not quite as harmonically rich, the Phasure was, just like every other time I heard it, extremely clear, clean and pure, but lacking in realism and life to my ears, the PD was far too polite, recessed and relaxed for my taste.
Strangely, the person who held the event to help him decide on his DAC upgrade liked the PD best - precisely for the reason I didn't like it. This is really a funny hobby isn't it.
Thanks
Bill |
I guess there`s not much point with me chiming in here lol
We all know what I`m gona say........
Anyway, Gary is a very very happy and lucky "phasurite"
I know only too well!
Nice review Gaz |
The crowning glory of my system is now the full Monty Phasure. From glory unto glory....transformed into a Phasurite... |
Shore,
Yes Destin is paradise for us. Folks pay big $$$ to vacation here.
I hear a more realistic sound and because of lack of CDN, (color/distortion/noise) each instrument had a massive space in the sound stage so I get to hear each note/pattern with no clutter than any other machine I've had.
If a track has a lot of instruments and complicated such as Charles Mingus type pieces the. It is all layed out so you are not robed of each performer. No music information is lost so it's like a wild ride where songs you know so well take on a whole new meaning.
Unless there is a well known digital CHEAP $$$ breakthrough down the road that kills all that we have today then Phasure is my end of story Dac.
How long does the "Phasure" computer last? 3 to 6 years? Yes maybe I will have it repaired or retire it and out goes more $$$for a new one but oh what glorious music I have going on so not to worry about all that right now.
I have to say my Bel Canto D amps are crazy good for a hot climate like FL. I think in the next 5 years these types of amps will pave the way for even better SQ than the big space heaters of class A amps. The way our "America" is going $10K amps used price are not going to be looked at by many Philes. This hobby of ours needs to get the prices down in order for it to continue to live. But then again I am done with it all LOL.
The crowning glory of my system is now the full Monty Phasure and I am glad I found it.
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Glory, could you describe what it is you are hearing that has you so content with digital playback also what is the music you listen to ?
BTW you live in the nicest part of Florida ,just beautiful,... |
Congrats Gary. Whatever brings joy and keeps you free from audio witchcraft. |
I really wish a lot more folks could hear this guy. All I can do is write about Mr. Phasure in a way that doesn't kill what's out there including the Lamp. This is the very best sound I have ever heard out of my system! Realistic sound that is captivating.
No need for HiRez DSD 128 and the rest. RB is enough for me with Mr. Phasure. |
Congrats Gary, I guess you found a winner. The 6Moon review is very interesting. |
Ro,
First time I changed my Dac is almost 3 years.
Re read the front part of my thoughts on Phasure. Lamp Dac for a long time.
Nice system you have. |
I'm glad you've found something you like. Why don't you listen to it for a year and then update everyone on how great it is - assuming you haven't gone through 3 other players by then. Best of luck. |
King,
Have the Phasure 40 days. Takes 6 hours to know....
N,
Yes that may be true but we're talking about color/distortion and noise. When you hear the Phasure you "get it".
Mr. Phasure made me realize I know stool about audio playback machines. I am now in grade school knowing very little. Thought I knew a lot of stuff but turns out I am nothing but a clanging cymbal. |
Pardon the typos.
Approaches, not approches. |
Gary, I had one before you and still do.
The latest iteration was the best and now I wait to hear the latest mod from December, made by Lukasz himself in my presence.
Your last Lampi was distributor modded, not by Lukasz, so I fear you didnt hear the full Lampi magic. For sure you never heard the Lampi DSD chipless module. I can assure you that its is the BUSINESS!
Now, I also know Peter St as well and have delved into his design and thus have the utmost respect for his work. I am sure it sounds great, BUT, you dont have a fair basis of comparison. Trust me on that!
My favourite Dac brands out there would be Phasure and Lampizator (and Chord to a lesser extent), based on their innovative approches and reasonable prices for the SQ offered. The approches are very different and likely the sonic signatures will vary significantly, but both should delight their owners. |
Glory, everything is colored. It all depends on ones FAVORITE color. LOL!
Usually when I replace a tube with SS unit, I have similar conclusions but can't make final conclusion until living with the new unit for a while. How long have you had the Phasure? |
Glory,
Thanks for all the details. I could not agree more about clean power supply. |
No one has had a Lamp as long as I have.!!!
L3/L4 and finally L5
Great Dac !! If you buy you will be blessed.
Now the Phasure is another beast. When you hear it and I mean the full Monty then you look back at the Lamp and you "get it"! Take away noise/distortion and color and you are left with music/sounds you never heard before in the digital domain.
You know when you clean up AC power how you get a better SQ ? Things open up and became more musically convincing. Well the Phasure sounds like the whole system is on a clean power supply where the Lamp comes out of the noise and distortion like unclean dirty power. Best I can describe it right now.
This Phasure guy is some kind of A$$ kicking digital playback machine. Try it for 90 days. I knew in 6 hours what was going on when I hooked up the guy to my system.
So all the tweaks and footers and games kind of get lost with this Phasure guy.
Phasure A
Lamp B-
Now that gap is big in audio.
Now we have L7 out with SET tubes. I bet it sounds great!!! But then again Phasure is in another league IMO. |
Glory,
I have been sifting the sand for a new DAC -- budgeting for next year. So many choices. I have narrowed down my search to the Lampizator G4/L4 and the Audio Horizons 3.1. This is the first time I have heard any comments regarding Lampizator being colored. Kindly elaborate. Are there others who share your opinions here? |
