Hi,
I have Simaudio Supernova about 2 years, it works with Simaudio W5 power amp and Klyne 7LX3.5/B preamplifier, Speakers Polish company Sound&Line - Enigma duo Excellence (new model). Cables: IC Harmonix HS101-GP, MIT Magnum MA both XLR, speaker MIT Shotgun S1, power MIT Oracle AC2 for preamp and 2x MIT Oracle ZcordIII for rest.
It is true that it need time to warm up, but that is way it has to be all the time in stanby mode. Than it needs maybe 15 min of working and is ok. Worse if you permanently take it out from power for some hours all longer. Than it needs about 48 hours to really worm up, and sound is changing from dry, a little grainy, black and white to smooth, colorful analog sounding.
If you afraid it can be to warm, don`t worry any Simaudio devices are not to warm. They are very neutral but not clinical and not cool. The higher class of device the more smooth, analog sounding it is. I would say Supernova go to neutral sound from warm side of sound reality and maybe stay a little before it reach real neutral 0. There are warmer CD`s like Accuphase DP78 or much warmer like Audio Aero Capitol.
Supernova as it has been written before is dynamic, very open and airy, with strong well stretched bass. It show a lot of details, guitars, harps and all string and tube instruments sounds fantastic. Sound is very lively. So if you want to add some live, rhythm, air, details to your system and do not want to change middle it is good choice. But if you do not need more of this things (or you want to get something extra on mids)than look for something different, maybe Accuphase or Audio Aero and so on. Supernova do not lure, do not make magic it say true story as it is on disc. It will not make music more beautiful. But if you want to get real sound a specially if you listen to classic and want to get real piano, violin or kettle drum that it is something what Supernova make really good (and Andromeda much better). In well composed system it will give you very neutral, smooth and musical sound. The best musicality I have got from it was with Magnepan 3.6 and all cables from MIT Magnum MA series (power cables MIT Oracle ). Than listen to this audio system we have just spoke only about differences in interpretations of music by different players (Beethoven sonates, Appasionata by Sviatoslav Richter, JVC XRCD and Emil Gilels, Deutshe Grammophon), no one has analyzed sound because there have not been sound, there have been music.
Best connection for pop and rock music it has been with Totem Forest speakers. Dynamic with strong bass punch. Bass at all is exposed in upper part what underline rhythm and make this line of sound very easy to follow. Very exciting sound but very unreal too as some one has spoken such stage performances sound.
In my opinion it is really good product in the money. I do not know if the best one in this category, have no to compare to many other CD`s on this level to make such valuation. One you can be sure, it very good engineered and has fantastic dot display and there is not many CD`s with such display solution. I do not know why producer think that audiophiles has a hawk eye and their displays are good enough? Guys faster we will get elephant size ears or bat hearing, most of us listen to music with close eyes or at least with mood light and there is nice distance to CD player!
I have Simaudio Supernova about 2 years, it works with Simaudio W5 power amp and Klyne 7LX3.5/B preamplifier, Speakers Polish company Sound&Line - Enigma duo Excellence (new model). Cables: IC Harmonix HS101-GP, MIT Magnum MA both XLR, speaker MIT Shotgun S1, power MIT Oracle AC2 for preamp and 2x MIT Oracle ZcordIII for rest.
It is true that it need time to warm up, but that is way it has to be all the time in stanby mode. Than it needs maybe 15 min of working and is ok. Worse if you permanently take it out from power for some hours all longer. Than it needs about 48 hours to really worm up, and sound is changing from dry, a little grainy, black and white to smooth, colorful analog sounding.
If you afraid it can be to warm, don`t worry any Simaudio devices are not to warm. They are very neutral but not clinical and not cool. The higher class of device the more smooth, analog sounding it is. I would say Supernova go to neutral sound from warm side of sound reality and maybe stay a little before it reach real neutral 0. There are warmer CD`s like Accuphase DP78 or much warmer like Audio Aero Capitol.
Supernova as it has been written before is dynamic, very open and airy, with strong well stretched bass. It show a lot of details, guitars, harps and all string and tube instruments sounds fantastic. Sound is very lively. So if you want to add some live, rhythm, air, details to your system and do not want to change middle it is good choice. But if you do not need more of this things (or you want to get something extra on mids)than look for something different, maybe Accuphase or Audio Aero and so on. Supernova do not lure, do not make magic it say true story as it is on disc. It will not make music more beautiful. But if you want to get real sound a specially if you listen to classic and want to get real piano, violin or kettle drum that it is something what Supernova make really good (and Andromeda much better). In well composed system it will give you very neutral, smooth and musical sound. The best musicality I have got from it was with Magnepan 3.6 and all cables from MIT Magnum MA series (power cables MIT Oracle ). Than listen to this audio system we have just spoke only about differences in interpretations of music by different players (Beethoven sonates, Appasionata by Sviatoslav Richter, JVC XRCD and Emil Gilels, Deutshe Grammophon), no one has analyzed sound because there have not been sound, there have been music.
Best connection for pop and rock music it has been with Totem Forest speakers. Dynamic with strong bass punch. Bass at all is exposed in upper part what underline rhythm and make this line of sound very easy to follow. Very exciting sound but very unreal too as some one has spoken such stage performances sound.
In my opinion it is really good product in the money. I do not know if the best one in this category, have no to compare to many other CD`s on this level to make such valuation. One you can be sure, it very good engineered and has fantastic dot display and there is not many CD`s with such display solution. I do not know why producer think that audiophiles has a hawk eye and their displays are good enough? Guys faster we will get elephant size ears or bat hearing, most of us listen to music with close eyes or at least with mood light and there is nice distance to CD player!