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Author Topic: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2  (Read 9305 times)

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Marvey

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2014, 09:03:44 AM »
I preferred the Hugo over the PSA DSD, but mainly because of its more agreeable tonal balance. The DSD was too tonally skewed to Paul's preferences which seem be to somewhere along the lines of the PWD1. But for technicalities, the Hugo was not nearly as good. Mediocre focus and precision. Coarser and less liquid. Just very mediocre.

My experience with the Bakoon was with non-modded HD800s.

Didn't care for Vioelectric 281. Yes, best Violectric so far. Agreed upon that. Still didn't care.
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Anaxilus

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2014, 09:46:39 AM »
Quote from: marvey on July 23, 2014, 09:03:44 AM
I preferred the Hugo over the PSA DSD, but mainly because of its more agreeable tonal balance. The DSD was too tonally skewed to Paul's preferences which seem be to somewhere along the lines of the PWD1. But for technicalities, the Hugo was not nearly as good. Mediocre focus and precision. Coarser and less liquid. Just very mediocre.

My experience with the Bakoon was with non-modded HD800s.

Didn't care for Vioelectric 281. Yes, best Violectric so far. Agreed upon that. Still didn't care.

Agreed on tonal balance.  Though if you only care about tonal balance in a DAC, you need not pay more than $100 for a DAC.  When we are talking thousands, it should be technicalities at that point which is why I think both ultimately fail in their own rights.

At their prices, I couldn't recommend either Bakoon or V281.  I just think the Violectric showed it was moving in the right direction.  I know Violectric, Benchmark and ODAC/O2 all claimed pure electronic transparency even though all three sounded clearly different from each other so their claims were always dubious at best.  Glad to see both Benchmark and Violectric getting off their asses rather than resting on mythology to sell hyper objectivism as koolaid.  So I guess I was happy to hear an improvement over the V200 from what I recall.  Then again, it might have been a DAC synergy of some sort.  Wasn't my gear or tracks. 
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Hroðulf

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2014, 11:40:15 AM »
I still remain unconvinced about battery powering desktop and other stationary equipment. There were measurements that clearly stated the inferiority of these supplies when compared to good shunt regulators.

Also I agree about the V200. It wasn't bad, but way waaay to coloured sound. Maybe it compensates for the thin V800 signature.
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Sorrodje

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2014, 01:22:41 PM »
Hi Marvey.

When you're talking about new pads . Do you think the PM1/2 will ver be sold with those pads from now ?
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prtuc2

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2014, 02:06:12 PM »
Sounds like all those upstream gear (1000+) doesn't match with the HD800 better than a Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball upgrade for much less money.  Although I don't own a HD800, pairs very well with my HD650.
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Marvey

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2014, 03:14:14 PM »
Quote from: Sorrodje on July 23, 2014, 01:22:41 PM
Hi Marvey.

When you're talking about new pads . Do you think the PM1/2 will ver be sold with those pads from now ?

Chris Vick @ Oppo seemed to indicate the new pads will be a separate purchase. Pricing hasn't been ironed down, but I think it should be reasonable.
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Marvey

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2014, 03:20:37 PM »
Quote from: prtuc2 on July 23, 2014, 02:06:12 PM
Sounds like all those upstream gear (1000+) doesn't match with the HD800 better than a Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball upgrade for much less money.  Although I don't own a HD800, pairs very well with my HD650.

Hard to say without a direct comparison, but the Bakoon produces much less heat and can be put into a backpack - not that I would want to do that. And no, I wouldn't pay $1700. I'm curious to see how much Massdrop can offer it for.

The Crack + speedball is good, but not epic good. There is a reason why so many people clamor for its ability with the HD600/650, but when it comes to the HD800, the same people are less vocal about it. The Crack doesn't scale. Even the Vali is more resolving, but the Crack has better timbre.

I understand where Anax is coming from with the Bakoon. The Bakoon actually imparts a certain coloration (the current mode output Z is high) to the stock HD800 which makes more pleasant and palatable sounding. The effect is somewhat similar to the HDVD800 DAC/amp combo. But I know Anax has little tolerance for amps which "Leben"ize the HD800, however small the effect.
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prtuc2

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2014, 03:30:48 PM »
I would agree in general tube amplifier produces much more heat than a solid state amplifier.  Off topic question for tube amp owner, is it ok to use the tube amplifier for more than 3 hours session?  The reason is that upon unplugging my headphone jack after 3 hours session, the jack is very warm to touch.
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zerodeefex

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2014, 03:50:20 PM »
If I still traveled the Bakoon would be on my short list.

That being said, CT and I both lament not being able to capture the EC house sound in a portable. A BA for BA CIEMs would be epic. I'm holding out for the Cavalli portable (and having money) before thinking of amps for a long while.
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Hroðulf

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Re: Bay Area Meet Impressions: Bakoon HPA-1, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Oppo PM-1/2
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2014, 03:56:05 PM »
A properly designed amp (tube or otherwise) should be operable indefinitely within reasonable environmental temperatures.
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