SAT Comparison


MF has kindly provided unidentified needledrops of 2 new versions of the SAT arm (incl one priced at $48K).
These can be found in the latest entries on his Analog Planet web page.

Listening to the first few seconds of each track on iPad speakers I found the “winner” (for me at least...) to be “1” followed by “3” then “2” with “4” the least preferred.

Just for fun, I invited my wife, who has no audio experience or interest whatsoever, who knew nothing about the files or the hardware or anyone else’s preferences, named her order of preference as 1-3-2-4, again listening to only the first few seconds of each file. Unlike myself she didn’t need 1-3/2-3 double checks she just identified them straight off. Impressive!

I wouldn’t be so rash as to assume that “1” was the most expensive “SAT” or that “2” was the original model.
(For the sake of the expensive model I would hope so! ;)
See what you think...

It’ll be interesting to know what the wildcard “4” turns out to be...

moonglum

Showing 2 responses by folkfreak

 A very interesting experience and actually one that mirrors my own experience with analog. My tests were simply on an iPad via Campfire Andromeda’s but the differences were quite apparent

What made the winner to me stand out was the ease and naturalness of the sound and it’s ability to make different parts of the frequency range meld and play in harmony without anything sticking out. In the other tracks one part of the frequency band is prominent and while at first listen this is attractive, especially when it’s the bass, on subsequent listens you perceive the coloration.

So at first listen I thought track 1 was laid back and preferred 2 or 3 when I went back and listened again I heard details in the bass and pipes that were obscured in the others. 

Track 4 has an obvious hum which would suggest a different set up ... surely an analog guru should know better then to post a track with hum!

By the way this is a great LP and track I know intimately, the original Tara pressing is the optimal way to listen to it. In the flesh it has grunt and impact that will really impress
@lewm so you would have thunk but I'm astounded by how often one NYC dealer posts pictures of its "latest customer installations" of six figure systems into bare Manhattan lofts with lots of wood floors and glass windows -- not sure these customers are getting the sound they paid for!

But more seriously $48K will not go far in building a room unless you are a big time DIYer 😉