Dear Branislav,
I’ve auditioned the MPD-5 at my house in my system and it is an amazing DAC in High Rez (among my favorite) but compared to the CF-040 I confirm Teajay’s evaluations.
Best regards, |
Hi Husk01,
also my congratulations for your new CF DAC-040!
For your information (hoping this can help you) as power cord I use a Prana Wire Samadhi with amazing results too.
Regards, |
Hi Paul,
great news!
I'm waiting for your thought about it.
Best regards, |
Hi,
I've spent a lot of time looking for the best DAC for my drive MT (I've auditioned top line of DCS, Lavry, Métronome, Emm, MSB, Playback D., Danish Audio D., GTE, Zanden, AN, Kondo, Esoteric and more...); fortunately I've known the Concert Fidelity DAC-040 thanks to TJ's review. As soon as I've had the opportunity to hear it I've taken it and at the same time I've sold my reference SACD/CD Player.
In my opinion with my Métronome Technologie Kalista Référence as transport the CF Vacuum Tube DAC-040 sounds magically and better than all the others gears I've ever listened (combo or not, SACD or only RedBook)!
I've also heard a lot of hi-level analog front ends (included mine) so for my experience I think this DAC in this combo configuration sounds good like the best among them.
In short, I suggest all the audiophiles owned a RedBook collection to listen this DAC before purchase some other one because with a CF DAC-040 (equipped with the tubes you like more) they would be very happy as I'm now.
Regards |
Hi Paul,
I know very well how Wadia S7i sounds; it's a wonderful CDP (for me the best made by Wadia Digital) but IMO, without any doubt, the CF DAC-040 together with a good CDT (like MBL or others at the same level or more) is a better sounding solution.
In few words: the sound is more analog, less colored, the instruments body is focused like 7i but smoother and with a better live presentation.
Regards, |
Hi,
I use a Métronome Technologie Kalista Référence with my CF DAC-040 and the result is incredible; it's the best sound I've ever heard!
Regards, |
Hi Paul,
thanks for your feedback; what kind of MT have you been running today, is it the brand new series MT CD8? I ask you this because I heard it last week thanks to my MT french friend and it impressed me.
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
I understood that you made the comparison with ARC CD8, but I thought that you could do it with a MT CD8 as this is a new brand. The Kalista Integré is a stunning CDP but not at the same level as Kalista CDT with a good DAC. If possible, I suggest you to try a MT T2A Signature; It’s a beautiful transport with the same CDM PRO Philips of Kalista and an excellent external PSU. Take note: the best production of this gear is the last one, before its stop.
Best wishes for your expecting baby ;-)
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
the MT 3A is a very good CDT but, excluding the Kalista, the best MT drives are the T2A or the T2i used as transport: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue26/metronome_t2i.htm
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
I hope you are well.
Are there news about it?
We are waiting for your feedback.
Regards,
Piermauro |
Hello Paul,
good news, wonderful!
There are just few pcs of MT T2A CDT sold because it was a model essentially custom-made and the last one unit was made in 2011; anyway the best realizations born beginning from 2009. It’s not easy to find the T2A so you can also consider the T2i (it’s like the T2A but with an internal DAC and there are more quantities sold in the market) and use it only as transport.
Best Regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
I'm very happy for you!
Enjoy your CF DAC-040.
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Acresverde,
I've compared both DACs in the same system (a long time) and IMHO the Zanden is a good dac but the CF DAC-040 is light years better...
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Lloydelee21
thank you for your interesting answer.
The first sensation is that the sense of rhythm (more in general PRAT) is slower in the Zanden than in the CF. This is evident especially playing songs with a lot of groove. Another big difference is that the 5000S seems to lack the deep side of low, low frequency. The instruments body is lighter with less definition and the notes decay is shorter (notes seem almost to cut off) compared to the CF. The voices (female/male) are less lifelike with less harmonic extension; it’s the same thing about instruments that have a lower sense of physique presence and a timbre less close to reality. About ambient feedback (echo back from recording location) the Zanden lacks some information VS the CF. I think that Zanden Audio intention was to make a different converter from the last generation of hyper analytic DACs and actually it obtained a converter sweet and musical but, if compared to the CF or to a very good analog front end, also rather aseptic with less PRAT and lifelike emotion. IMHO. IME. YMMV. FWIW.
I hope this help.
About further questions, don't hesitate to ask me.
BR, |
Hi Lloydelee21,
Thanks for your kind reply ;-)
I’ve already listened the Stahl~Tek Opus DAC (with Opus CDT) and I’ve absolutely liked it and I think it's a good Converter (I’m speaking about RedBook only). Based on these my two experiences I still prefer my CF; anyway I know my opinion is not full reliable because I couldn’t listened it in my system (all was different) so I can't know how the Opus could play with my CDT, Pre, Power, Speakers, Cables, Room...; I would like to compare it VS the CF and listen it in my system asap (the problem is that at the moment, in Italy, there aren’t any S~T distributors).
Have a nice day and BR, |
Hi Lloydelee21,
PREGO ;-)
Unfortunately I’ve never listened the Emm Labs DAC2X, sorry…
The CF-040 sound seems (IMHO) more analog than S~T Opus sound (more density, the music simply flows in the space with body and presence). But I repeat that I’ve not compared them directly so I can’t be sure of this. BR, |
Hi Paul,
great news!!
With the 080LsxV2/ZL120's/040 (of course) and maybe MT top CDT, your system will be absolutely awesome ;-)
I would like to tell you my personal opinion about Kalista VS Calypso CDT; if possible, Paul, try to get a Kalista Ref.
IMHO, the Kalista features are better than Calypso; for example in the K. there are two acrylic plates, in the C. only one (also the K. Ultimate SE have one plate but its depth is about the double of the acrylic C. plate). In the K. the cones are in stainless steel, in the C. are in anodized aluminum.
In any case Paul, my suggestion is to choose the Reference version with the Elektra PSU and Silent Base.
Thank you so much for your NOS tubes advice.
Best regards, |
Wonderful news! Thank you so much indeed Paul. I will contact ASAP the italian distributor.
Pls, Paul let us know about the comparison.
All the best,
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
I hope you are well.
Do you have some news about the comparison? Pls, if possible Paul could you let me know the upgrade cost and if I can do the upgrade myself? Thank you so much Paul. All the best, Piermauro |
Thank you so much indeed for your kind and fast reply Paul. I contacted the Italy's distributor some days ago and I'm waiting for the answer.
I'm looking forward to know your impression on the upgrade ;-)
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi Paul,
great news!! I can't wait.. :))
All the best,
Piermauro |
Hi Hasan,
thank you so much for your advice.
BR, |
Hi All,
the upgrade cost sounds too expansive (IMO).
Best regards,
Piermauro |
Hi TeaJay,
thank you so much for your feedback!
All the best,
Piermauro |
Hi TeaJay,
thank you so much for your precious update.
All the best, |
Dear Branislav,
do you have some news?
Cheers, |
Hi Branislav,
we will stay tuned for sure ;)
Greetings from Italy, |
Hello Branislav,
thank you so much!
Greetings from Italy, |
@Branislav:
...Concert Fidelity slightly more impressive, for what its worth, with electronic music...
Branislav, you are right - this is one of the reasons why I chose the CF among a lot of DACs; It’s perfect with all kinds of music but with electronic music it's wonderful!!
Abstract, Ambient, Deep House, Disco, Downtempo, Drone, Dub, Dubstep, Electro, Experimental, Grime, House, IDM, Leftfield, Minimal, Modern Classical, New Age, New Wave, Synth-pop, Techno, Trance, Tribal….all these styles are awesome played by the CF!!!
Regards, |
Hi all,
in the last months I tried a lot of PCs and (IMO/IME) for my CF DAC -040 the best are the Pranawire Samadhi and the Shunyata King Cobra V1-i. I would like to know your experiences and what is the PC that you preferred for this DAC.
Thank in advance for your reply and best regards, |
No reply? No feedback about CF DAC vs PCs? Regards, |
Hi Agriculturist, thank you very much for your kind and helpful feedback! No one else wants to talk about his experience on the PCs vs CF-040DAC ? Regards, |
Hi Agriculturist, thank you so much once again for this suggestion! I will try them ;) All the best, |
Great news TeaJay! I can't wait to read your review :) Regards, |
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