CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 09:41:50 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 3 [4]

Author Topic: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014  (Read 4923 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

n3rdling

  • Statastic
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +86/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 480
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #30 on: December 23, 2014, 05:12:38 AM »

Spectral, nice.  Who's is that?

OJ you were a good host on the mic.
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #31 on: December 23, 2014, 05:16:36 AM »

Belongs to Greed. Hey Greed, can I post your comments you sent to me on it? FWIW, he I heard that preferred the Spectral to his MSB Analog :-)
Logged

Greed

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +29/-2
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 195
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #32 on: December 23, 2014, 06:12:48 AM »

Wish I could have stayed longer.. had to head back though for a dinner date. No matter, had fun while I was there. Always a pleasure catching up and seeing the crew. Was really impressed with the Ygg, mostly with just how clean it sounded.

@Marv - Sure, go ahead.. and yes I feel the Spectral is better in almost every way versus the MSB. No bragging rights though or fancy case work. Also the need for a good converter is also something to consider.
Logged

OJneg

  • Audio Ayatollah / Wow and Fluster
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +120/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1245
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #33 on: December 23, 2014, 07:25:36 AM »

Spectral, nice.  Who's is that?

OJ you were a good host on the mic.

Thanks it was fun. Never done anything like it before.
Logged

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #34 on: December 23, 2014, 07:50:50 PM »

A bit sad I couldn't make it. Out of town for X-HF. Very tempting stuff by Schitt!
Logged

Colgin

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +18/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 138
Re: SoCal Mini-Meet Impressions December 20, 2014
« Reply #35 on: December 23, 2014, 08:07:35 PM »

Awesome that binaural/daft-punk podcast!
I'm glad I left just before, my french accent would have stood out too much  :)p8

Just going back to the Yggy quickly: while it is more resolving than the PS-Audio, I also thought it was smoother / less shouty. This is not an attribute I can notice on the UltraLink II when I don't have other references to A/B with, but with the Yggy around, I can notice an improvement all around. Pretty darn good for a modern DAC that retails for less than the PS-Audio in its time. That's PROGRESS, for what it seems to be the first time in decades... Good job Schiit, again!

I would get the Spectral for HD-800, Yggy for HE-6 (especially my "warm" version).

LCD-3F was  poo to me. Suffocating sound and rough/grainy treble with not much air. Pretty much what I felt with the LCD-X.
The OPPO was good. Very linear, not too mushy but still a warm headphone. Not the greatest soundstage, but still relaxing and enjoyable.

When you refer to "Oppo" do you mean a stock Oppo or the Audio Zenith (or whatever) "PM-X".
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Comparison Notes on Spectral SDR-2000, MSB Analog, Theta Gen V
« Reply #36 on: January 07, 2015, 05:31:59 PM »

PM from Greed on Spectral SDR-2000 DAC. I figured I'd copy it here since we've all had a chance to hear these DACs:

Anyways, I've been listening pretty regularly but maybe not as analytical as I'd like to compare or conclude anything solid. I'm really waiting for my Theta to be repaired but it is slow going. It seems like there are more and more things that are complicating the repair. Hopefully by Xmas I'll have the Theta up and running again for comparison.

What I can say is that the Spectral is just as solid, if not more so than the Theta. Build construction is tank-like and I'm actually quite fond of the old retro lighting and styling. In person it is much less fugly and the old styling is subtle which is nice. I also like how this unit is dual chassis with the PSU being external. Not only are sonics improved with this design but it also keeps the heat away because like the Theta, this thing gets pretty damn hot.

In regards to sound, so far I'm liking it quite a bit. Smooth, coherent and liquid sounding. I've noticed that it doesn't have that same slam or "toe-tapping" quality the Theta has, but instead is more understated in terms of presentation. It sort of gets out of your way and just lets the music flow rather than engages you like the Theta. It isn't as fast or dynamic but is more tonally sound in my opinion. It isn't "edgy" like the Theta in that it doesn't give you a smack in the head if you aren't ready. The Theta can be extremely enjoyable but also seems overly aggressive with slower or acoustic tracks like Jazz, Classical, or even some mellow electronic. I enjoy the Theta much more with my speakers and rock.  The Spectral seems to be better for headphones. It is also more intimate sounding (don't think closed in, but instead small jazz lounge instead of amphitheater; 3-4 row with the Theta).

That's it so far but at the moment the Spectral is a pleasant surprise. Next meet I catch I'll have to bring it to let everyone hear.

Btw.. using an OR5 with OTL and SPDIF Regs into a JCAT."

To add to that, I see the Spectral as a slightly more resolving and maybe better textured MSB Analog. It has that same ease of presentation, liquidity, and realness of instrumental timbre that sets it apart from most DACs I've heard specifically sabre and most sigma-delta. It also seems to be less grey sounding. The MSB was kind of rosey, murky sounding giving it instant appeal but over time being less and less enjoyable. I'm nitpicking really, because I don't think the MSB is a bad DAC... actually it is one of the most enjoyable DACs I've heard. Incredible resolution, wide and deep soundstage, and such a natural sounding tone and timbre.

Soundstage wise, the Spectral is decently wide but not as 3D or holographic as the Theta. Still it has very good staging with good sense of air and most importantly good depth because I love me some center image. Imaging is precise with a good focus.

Spectral's prime qualities are natural tone/timbre and amazing detail without being in your face like the Bricasti. It doesn't throw things at you but lays them out for you. I can pick up every nuance but in a liquid way. There is a realness without any hash or grain.. really just smooth like a cloud.

I'm still getting acquainted with it so I'll have more later but there you go.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 [4]