Stock Voyager GaN amp (350/600) Contrasted with my EVS1200 (600/1200)
One of my previous class Ds was Emerald Physics 100.2 SE monos with custom fuses, which were better than the then W4S class Ds, but outdone by the PSAudio M700s and further outdone by my EVS 1200: none holding a candle to the Voyager, but if your budget is under $1500, well...
It was incredibly enjoyable to read the Stereo Times review of the LSA Warp 1, mentioning that it bettered the old EP 100.2SEs which were ~ twice the price
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A week ago I sold my~ 10 yo SVS powered subs. While they added weight, they weren't high quality 2 channel subs. I didn't realize how much they set my sound back until they were gone, and I moved he speakers back ~ 2ft, now ~50" from the front wall. Tonite, I finally got around to taking my Emerald Physics 3.4s off the Harbor Freight dollys which they've been on since I got them over a year ago. Each base is resting on 4 full spring Nobsounds. Quite an improvement |
About a week ago I decided to reinsert my Marantz HD-CD 1, purchased to use as a transport and possible backup player, when/if the Oppo dies. It was fuller sounding, with more bass, but sadly developed scratching issues in the magnetic clamp. The entire mechanism needs replacing @ $150+ shipping, and I didn't want to spend that much to repair (it's available for anyone who provides a pickup slip). Anyway, I scored a great deal on a Audiolab 6000 CDT, which I won't have until late next week, but based on the reviews and owner comments, it should be a huge upgrade |
The Audiolab 6000 CDT is supposed to be a great transport. If I still played discs, I'd definitely consider one. I still have four Oppo players (sold my 203 about a year back, which, at that point was residing in the upstairs bonus room, which is basically a guest bedroom). The Oppos don't see much use. Occasionaly will use one Oppo 103D in my bedroom to watch a movie or play music files outside (the bedroom system feeds the outdoor speakers) and occasionally another 103D which I have hooked to a modded Carver C-9 Sonic Hologram Generator in another spare system. |
Morning Phil!
FYI I should, could might.... finally get the EP 2.8s next week. In the mean time, what I learned from reinserting the Marantz HD CD-1, especially after taking the cover and side panels off was revelatory. I could easily have lived with that sound, but, I guess it was supposed to die, just so I would finally upgrade to a real transport. What I especially like is the 6000 has a buffer AND it will go into standby should I forget to hit stop when a CD is being played, then paused. A situation that happens all too often here, and could likely hasten the demise of my Oppo, or the Marantz
Tracking says it will be here Thursday. It's supposed to be virtually brand new, so will need to insert a break in disc in advance of my audio buddy's arrival Friday night. I hope it has a replay button |
IMO, the manual SUCKS, but DAMN, it’s ability to extract data from red book is amazing at this price point It is sturdy, and it seems to have a tribe of happy users, so, Im confident it will last. I think the problem with all my previous players when used as transports, is that I watch sports while listening and often hit pause, and forget to unpause, eventually falling asleep, leaving the disc spinning all night- many nights, so the auto standby is a HUGE plus for me. It really has taken redbook playback to a whole new level for me. Obviously the power cord (custom from TekLine $795, which I already owned), coax cable (AudioQuest Premier XL @ $169/2m from Audio Advisor) and iso devices (Nob Sound @ ~ 25/4) will help to extract its capabilities. My dac is in a Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5. The review I posted is spot on (link below). I have played a wide variety of music, all revealed musical ques previously hidden to me, none more jaw dropping then listening to an oldie Chet Atkins and Mark Knoffler Neck and Neck. So much more everything to make me wonder about SACDs, though I have ~ 80, currently I use my Oppo 105 for them, but looking to get a Technics SL-G700 (see link below).
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That's one of the reason probably 11-12 years back I finally went to file playback. Different disc formats and I think at one point I had 4 or 5 transports in the main system at one point at the same time. Then it was universal players (still have my Modwright solid state modded BDP-83 (which only sees use if someone brings over a disc at this point) and a few other Oppos (sold my 203 and have a couple of 103Ds but they are all barely used except in secondary systems for file playback from my NAS as the Panasonic players are better at video). Had the Modwright full tube mod to my Sony XA-777ES in the late 1990s. My Lumin U1 network file transport just goes to sleep after 15 minutes of no use and the files are on my NAS in another room. All my audio discs are in Can Am (http://www.can-am.ca/) storage cabinets in a closet. |
There are audiophiles who have taken apart the Voyager GAN amp and have been critical of its construction. I don’t know if they listened to it or not. I have a modded (by EVS) and can say unequivocally that for just under 3K invested, including mods, that this amp is phenomenal. And has some excellent amps sitting on the bench. This amp has my Spatial X5s producing an unbelievable sonic soundscape. And, I don’t herniate a disc or get a hernia when I move it. |
Thanks for chiming in. Never have I appreciated more the sentiment "what's upstream makes a huge difference". When I first installed the Voyager I was using a Marantz HD CD-1 as a transport. Fortunately (seems odd to say) it developed issues in the spinning mechanism. Marantz no longer carries parts, but, they were kind enough to provide the part number. I searched and found ONE in Asia for $150 + shipping. I decided to look for a transport. Being retired with limited funds, I am forced to be frugal. After reading an amazing review, I located a barely used Audiolab CDT6000. Immediately I was transported (NPI) to a multidimensional sonic world, which has only gotten better over 100+ hours. Case in point: last night I decided to spin Annie Lennox Medusa, which I owned for a decade++, but no matter my kit, it had always been a tough disc with only a couple listenable songs. Well, last night, the entire disc sounded really good. Ditto lots of other discs that sounded similarly meh until the 6000. Best of all MSRP is a ridiculous $599, but mine (including shipping) was considerably less |
"I don’t know if they listened to it or not. " Of course not. They just don't get that they don't have the requisite knowledge and/or experience (and there's no sense in engaging someone who is at best at novice level in the hobby) to offer anything of value. The definition of audio (from the dictionary) is "sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced." The key word being sound. They're entitled to any opinion from the actual experience of dismantling anything as long as it's from first hand experience (vs. just parroting a website that's known to be there to prop up their own sponsors and which they've foolishly constributed their own money to - no different than an audiophile who buys something silly expensive for the bragging rights vs. how it may actually sounds and just wants to justify what they spent as equating to something that's worth it). Audio is a funny hobby in that way. When my friend worked at a high end shop for about a 6 year period, I did virtually every set-up and install with him. I'm also going back about 20 years in time or a drop more (when I was 8 years old of course 😀). I started off as more of a home theater guy and when one is hearing systems in excess of $100k (back then) or close to it and then goes home to their very nice home theater and it does music passably vs. anywhere in the league of a nice 2-channel system which they just heard, it is an eye opening experience. All of the components in my home theater system producing the 2-channel audio I heard in the expensive systems measured around the same (as done by labs and magazines - just pick your favorite audio entry level brand and then something silly expensive and look at the graphs). If one just wants to look at the measuremetns, then just go ahead and buy the cheapest thing you can find that measures to your liking and enjoy. Some music has complex structure (not to mention soundstage height and width) to it and unless one compares how it sounds vs. something else (whether that is more or less money is irrelevant) in a particular system (as all things don't necessarily work well together) you have no knowledge of what it sounds like. We all have different tastes and preferences as well in both music and what that should sound like in an audio system (and of course there's nothing wrong with that). |
