2. digital
  3. 149034-118117

If you still spin CDs, this may be the cost no object best option.

On 25th, May, I went to Yongsan Electronic Land, Seoul, Korea.

With this combination, it sounds effortless, very detailed with clear focus, deep and wide soundstage.

It is one of the best high end sound that I had ever heard.


The front end was Metronome Kalista Reference 30 year anniversary model.

Ypsilon Aellus monoblocks and PST100 pre amplfiers was used to drive 150K$ Avalon Saga speakers.

http://www.avalonacoustics.com/models_saga.html

The specification of Saga is

Driver Complement:
1" Concave Carbon/Glass Neodymium Tweeter
7" Concave radial magnetic Ceramic Midrange
(2) 13" Nomex Kevlar Generation II Composite Woofers
All drivers utilize proprietary neodymium magnetic technologies.

Sensitivity:
92 dB

Impedance:
4 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum)

Frequency Response:
20Hz to 45kHz

Recommended Amplifier Power:
25 to 500 watts

Wiring Methods:
Dual binding post

Dimensions:
68" high (178 cm)
14.5" wide (37 cm)
17" deep (43 cm)

Weight:
260 pounds each (118 kg each)



 

Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac with two separate power supplies look grand.

https://www.hifiplus.com/articles/kalista-dreamplay-cd-transport-and-dac/

This 30 year Anniversary Reference  Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac is not cheap with price tag of 100K$.

But it seems to match the sound of MSB Select II with transport.

I am getting strong temptation to snatch this beauty.

I have to check my bank balance after going back to my home in US.



This is my first encounter with Ypsilon amplifiers and I am also deeply impressed with the quality of its sound and relatively affordable price.

PST100 pre amplifier has both active and passive mode.

Passive give more transparent sound while sacrificing little bit of dynamics.



Yongsan Electronic Land used to house more than 200 high end audio shops about 15 years ago, while it had dwindled to around 100 shops now.

But it is still one of the best place to audition high end audio and vintage audio.

As I go through the top digital systems in Korea, it is getting more difficult to choose one to replace my 10 years old EMMLab Dac2( new price was 9k$).
128x128shkong78
shkong78's avatar
shkong78 OP
1,463 posts
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0791WDZTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had tried above Li ion Battery pack on Mscaler.

It sounds slightly more transparent than included power supply.

But the difference was minor than I had expected.

It may be because included power supply had been connected to separate isolation transformer.

I have no plan to add external power supply to  Dave.

But Dave had been connected to separate isolation transformer.

That may be the way to go.


Although I have three different pairs of BNC digital cables, it will take time to give opinion on them.
shkong78's avatar
shkong78 OP
1,463 posts
 
@ bigkidz  

I had heard many CD transports.

Thus I do not claim that Jay's CDt2 is the best one but pretty good for the price.

That may be my last transport.

I will go up to music server which seems to give more natural sound than most of the CD transport.
bigkidz
3,311 posts
 

@shkong78 I did not think that you were saying the Jays was the best one, you mentioned 30% for the Metronome or so.  I was just saying that in the comparison to the older Metronome, what the differences were.  I have not yet heard a server that competes with a good transport and DAC combination but I would like to.  I do not want to sink money into a spinner when I guess less companies are making them especially in the future so I have been buying the older top of the line CD Transport for cheap.

If you find something that you feel is really good, please send me a message.  I have a friend that is really into this and I am pushing him to built something for me to hear.


Thanks.  Peter

shkong78's avatar
shkong78 OP
1,463 posts
 
@bigkidz

Frankly speaking , the possibility to buy Kalista at 100K$ is almost zero unless I win some big lottery.

As I had been impressed with natural sound from nice music server like SGM, I am not interested in getting more CD transport.

Jay’s CDT2 will be my last one.

I am going to save money to buy top music server.
tubes444
91 posts
 

@shkong78 

    Not all manufactures of CD players are in the DARK concerning

I.e. Scattered light/ flutter/vibration. Look at the number of higher end

Transport Mfg & Players now offering (Top loaders with clamps/ weighted clamps to boot.) Scattered light. Same! with those like Cord Dave the reader is so close to the CD light leakage is almost a non issue.

As far as the Best Dac for playback irritation control.

 If a given CD was badly engineered. Try a different artist/different label same songs.

After say $4K for CD player the next 2to 9K+spent you may half to listen to the same song over & over just hear a 2 or 3% improvement.

                                  "That's a Bet."

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