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1: Cable Asylum, Has anyone heard the new... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-09-03, 21:58:47 (108.247.147.111)
Audience-av AU24-SX interconnects? Pete .......
2: Hi-Rez Highway, Are there any Beethoven Piano Concertos on SACD... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-08-09, 21:58:30 (108.225.239.247)
with top notch sonics? Were they recorded recently? Are they part of a cycle? Thanks, Pete .......
3: Hi-Rez Highway, Taking my original post to the extreme... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-04-28, 09:17:20 (108.247.147.242)
of all the versions of Handel's Messiah available on SACD, which has the best sonics, independent of the quality of the performance. In other words, which comes closest to reproducing the music with c .......
4: Hi-Rez Highway, Between the Ohrwall disc on FIM and the Butt SACD on Linn... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-04-26, 08:53:28 (107.194.22.251)
which would have the better sonics? Thanks, Pete .......
5: Hi-Rez Highway, What is the best Handel's Messiah availble on SACD where... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-04-23, 10:51:39 (107.194.22.251)
the sonics are absolutely first rate. Given the number of recordings of the Messiah available, there must be one or two where the performance is excellent and the reproduction to-die-for. Thanks. Pete .......
6: Hi-Rez Highway, The Bychkov discs seem to be the uniform choice among... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-04-03, 11:28:30 (107.194.22.251)
Brahms Symphoy choices on SACD. I assume this is based primarily on performance. Performance aside, how are the sonics? Second question: are their better cycles where the sonics are superior? Thanks, .......
7: Hi-Rez Highway, Who has the best Brahms Symphonies available... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-04-01, 15:00:07 (107.194.22.251)
on SACD? As usual, first rate sonics are as important to me as performance. Thanks, Pete .......
8: Hi-Rez Highway, I recently ordered three sets of late Haydn Symphonies... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-02-28, 13:24:32 (108.247.158.194)
based on the input obtained on this post plus reviews published in Gramaphon and in the Guardian. Two have arrived and have been auditioned. The third has been shipped (from Japan). Here is the breako .......
9: Hi-Rez Highway, It's too bad that that there is not more late Haydn... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-02-21, 09:43:44 (108.247.158.194)
recorded on hi-rez. I know nothing about the Rattle/BPO Sym. 88 - 92, either on RBCD or the recent Japanese release on SACD/BluRay. Has anyone heard the Rattle recording in either format? Are there an .......
10: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: I just checked Amazon and I don't see any (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-02-20, 08:21:40 (108.247.158.194)
Thanks for you feedback. As you might guess, I am trying to fill out my high rez collection with late Haydn Symphonies that are well recorded and have superior sonics. This project was triggered when .......
11: Hi-Rez Highway, What is the best set of Haydn Paris Symphonies... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2016-02-19, 07:24:27 (108.247.158.194)
available on SACD? There are many recordings of the Paris Symphonies available on PCM, but I am unaware of any that have come out on SACD. As always, I am as interested in outstanding sonics as I am i .......
12: Hi-Rez Highway, It should be noted that at least one 2L pairing ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-06-30, 21:24:28 (108.225.236.144)
consists of a Blu-ray disc and a companion SACD disc, both first rate performances and sonics. The title is "La Voie Triomphale", a collection of 19th and 20th century wind orchestra performances, rec .......
13: Tubes Asylum, Pinched Tubes (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-06-14, 18:16:04 (108.225.238.194)
I was recently shopping for replacement tubes for my universal player, specifically E182CC/7119's. One offer included a pair of NOS tubes that were made in Holland over 40 years ago. They were describ .......
14: Tubes Asylum, Thank you for your posts and e-mails. Second Qustion:. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-06-09, 10:25:14 (108.225.239.183)
Are their any tubes available in the marketplace today that are not only compatible replacements for the E182CC/7119, but due to newer technology, materials, etc. are superior to the best of the NOS t .......
15: Tubes Asylum, Best Replacement NOS E182CC Tubes ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-06-06, 09:37:35 (108.247.147.240)
for installation in my APL NWO-M universal player. I am looking for NOS tubes made in Holland and am willing to pay for the best model and vintage. My current tubes are Mullards which have served me w .......
16: Hi-Rez Highway, Musical Fidelity M6si (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-03-11, 11:29:31 (50.113.77.114)
Has anyone heard the new Musical Fidelity M6si? It is advertised as a significant improvement over the well-received M6i, and has may attractive features at least on paper -- 220 watts per channel, se .......
17: Hi-Rez Highway, It's interesting you should mention SHM-SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-02-10, 10:12:31 (108.225.237.188)
I have a fair sized collection of SHM-SACDs, all remastered by Universal in Japan. Four of them, to my mind, convey outstanding sonics and qualify in every way as demonstation quality discs. They are: .......
18: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree, and I will probably order these two discs... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-01-27, 08:01:09 (108.247.159.90)
based on the positive feedback received so far. My only point in stressing the quality of the sonics is to strive to have the best of both worlds. In the real world, assuming that performance, musical .......
19: Hi-Rez Highway, If performance and instrumentation are no longer the issue (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-01-26, 20:53:14 (108.247.159.90)
based on published reviews and comments in forums such as this, then the sonic quality of the reproduction become the ONLY remaining major criterion that matters. I must say that in truth, from my own .......
20: Hi-Rez Highway, Notwithstanding the harpsicord and the performance... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-01-26, 14:51:02 (108.247.159.90)
does anyone have a feel for the sonic quality of these two discs? .......
21: Hi-Rez Highway, Bach Harpsicord Concertos --Aapo Hakkinen (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2015-01-25, 09:20:08 (108.247.159.161)
Has any one heard this pair of two new SACDs? These are relatively new and were recorded by the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra. How good are the performances, and more important how good are the sonics? T .......
22: Hi-Rez Highway, Based on your recommendations... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-10-13, 22:30:59 (107.194.22.33)
I just ordered six SACDs through ArkivMusic. They make the catelog look-up so easy, and best of all, they had each of the discs I wanted in stock -- unbelieveable. In any case, I want to thank each of .......
23: Hi-Rez Highway, I do enjoy chamber music and ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-10-09, 14:39:45 (76.176.209.144)
have many in my collection. (I totally agree with your assessment of the excellent Trout on Pentatone). My current focus on orchestral music (symphonies and concertos) has more to do with the apparent .......
24: Hi-Rez Highway, Although I am a dedicated stereo listener, I have fould... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-10-09, 14:24:10 (76.176.209.144)
many of my favorite classical SACDs offer multi-channel. I'm sure the multi-channel offers a entirely different sense of ambience, but I find that if the disc is well engineered, the stereo output can .......
25: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your recommendations. I know of a few of these titles,,, (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-10-07, 15:49:19 (107.194.22.33)
by reputation, but of course you know nothing of the quality until you have actually listened to them. I am certain that some will find their way to my want list. Your list focuses on Romantic and Mo .......
26: Hi-Rez Highway, Demonstration Quality Classical SACDs -- Recommendations? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-10-07, 11:12:02 (107.194.22.33)
In recent years, I have been building a collection of well-recorded demonstration-quality SACDs. These discs feature above-average to excellent performances, but in my eyes to qualify as "demonstratio .......
27: High Efficiency Speaker Asylum, Replacement tweeters for B & W speakers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-09-21, 17:58:32 (107.194.22.33)
I have owned a pair on B & W Nautilus 802 speakers for a number of years and am quite satisfied with their performance. Even compared to some of the latest and greatest recommended in the mags and the .......
28: Hi-Rez Highway, Ideally, I would like to own all nine, but... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-08-29, 07:46:49 (107.194.22.33)
would take fewer (and/or multiple discs) to get the best performance/sonics. Pete .......
29: Hi-Rez Highway, Is Bachianas Brasileiras available... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-08-28, 22:27:07 (107.194.22.33)
on disc, either RBCD or (less likely) SACD? I would appreciate your recommendation on which version contains the best performance AND especially the best sonics. I realize that this task is complicate .......
30: Speaker Asylum, A Possible Alternate Approach (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-03-24, 15:39:42 (108.225.236.221)
An stero technician who is a member of our local audio society (and who helped me analyze the frequency responses produced by my B&Ws before selecting any appropriate sub-woofer)came up with an altern .......
31: Speaker Asylum, Overall, I have been very satisfied with my... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-03-23, 09:16:16 (108.225.236.221)
B & W 802's. Even though they are 15 years old, in my opinion they still sound very good to me, and frankly I'm not anxious to go through the hassle of selling them and the expense of replacing them. .......
32: Speaker Asylum, Tweeter Replacement (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2014-03-22, 09:34:52 (108.225.236.221)
Is is possible to replace the tweeters on my B & W 802's with more modern versions, either OEM or B & W, in order to significantly improve performance and overall sonics? If so, what brands are the be .......
33: Cable Asylum, Does anyone make a solid splitter that comes... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-12-28, 10:32:52 (76.212.132.65)
close to the performance obtained using a single direct connection. My situation is this. I have a first rate universal player and have just added an up-scale sub-woofer. Currently, I am using two fle .......
34: Hi-Rez Highway, I just received my Silverman box set of ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-10-17, 09:27:20 (50.113.79.41)
the Mozart sonatas and so far have listened to only one of his performances. I must say that, based on this very preliminary exposure, I am very impressed with both the sonics and the performance. I a .......
35: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks, John, for the confirmation of... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-10-06, 21:51:24 (76.212.129.165)
your role at Stereophile in the recording of the Silverman Beethoven sonata cycle. Regarding the Silverman Mozart boxes set, can I assume that you also orchastrated this cycle, this time mastering and .......
36: Hi-Rez Highway, Did Robert Silverman also do... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-10-06, 12:57:56 (76.212.143.147)
a cycle of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas? It seems to me that I recall something about a special project sponsored by Stereophile Magazine some years back featuring Silverman performing on a specially c .......
37: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: Robert Silverman (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-10-02, 17:28:40 (50.113.79.41)
Just how good are Robert Silverman's SACDs of the Mozart Piano Sonatas? Let's take it step by step: 1. How good are the performances, interpretations, phrasing, etc.? 2. How good are the sonics? In pa .......
38: Hi-Rez Highway, My Favorites (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-09-29, 11:50:03 (76.212.140.132)
Late Symphonies: Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on Linn (first rate performances and sonics) Symphonies on original intruments (complete cycle): Jaap ter Linden and the Mozart Akademie A .......
39: Hi-Rez Highway, In your opinion, which of these has the best sonics? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-09-24, 10:35:59 (76.212.142.255)
Do any of them have demonstration level sonics? Thanks for you comprehensive set of recommendations. Pete .......
40: Hi-Rez Highway, What is the best Brahms symphonies and other orchestral works ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-09-24, 08:11:16 (76.212.137.135)
available on SACD? Are their any good traversals? If not, what are the best individual disks? As usual, I am as interested in the sonics as in the performances. Thanks. Pete .......
41: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your suggestions. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-07-12, 11:01:45 (76.212.141.58)
You didn't comment on the sound quality of the three Tchiakovsky Symphony discs. For purposes of this post, demonstration quality sonics is an absolute prerequisite. Thanks. Pete .......
42: Hi-Rez Highway, Anyone else? This is EXACTLY... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-07-07, 11:47:52 (76.212.136.23)
the type of feedback I am looking for. Ampifius, are you still on line? Two years ago you responded to a post of mine stating that you have "a near complete collection of classical SHM-SACDs". I'd lo .......
43: Hi-Rez Highway, Classical Recordings on SHM-SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-07-05, 09:13:42 (76.212.129.24)
I own six SHM-SACDs made in Japan which contain vintage jazz and pops. Of the six, four exhibit excellent sonics -- clearly demonstation quality. I would like to pick up some selected vintage classica .......
44: Hi-Rez Highway, Liszt Piano works -- Claudio Arau on SHM-SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-06-28, 08:52:55 (98.155.39.147)
Has anyone heard this particular Japanese disc? I like this selection of Liszt compositions and am normally pleased with Arau,s playing. But I am not familiar with this particular recording. Before I .......
45: Hi-Rez Highway, Kal, I took your recommendation earlier... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-04-24, 09:13:08 (98.155.33.23)
and acquired the Nott/Bamberg boxed set of the Schubert Symphonies. I found the performances to be excellent and the sound well above average. Do you feel the sonics on the Dausgaard set are at least .......
46: Hi-Rez Highway, What are the best recordings of Schumann's... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-04-22, 21:58:32 (76.212.130.118)
symphonies available on SACD? Do any of them achieve (or approach) demonstration quality? Thanks. Pete .......
47: Hi-Rez Highway, I want to thank you for... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-04-11, 08:58:15 (98.155.33.23)
the responses I have received to date. Your informed recommendations are EXACTLY the kind of feedback I had hoped for. I too have a number of classical SACDs that I consider to be of demonstration qua .......
48: Hi-Rez Highway, Demonstration Quality SACDs -- Classical Symphonies (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-04-09, 16:03:31 (98.155.33.23)
I suspect like most of us, I consciously or unconsciously categorize my SACDs purely from a pure sonics perspective into three groups: 1) those equivalent to a well recorded Redbook CD; 2) those that .......
49: Hi-Rez Highway, Kal, I am still unclear as to the time line here. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-02-05, 08:55:06 (76.212.142.222)
My assumption is that the DCD discs were recorded in the 80's and the 90's on their original label, that they were later re-issued by 4AD on both RDCD and SACD, and that finally Mobile Fidelity remast .......
50: Hi-Rez Highway, Given the above, I'd really like recommendations on... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-29, 12:11:25 (76.212.128.61)
which of the various released, reissued or remasterd DCD albums on SACD has the best sonics, other than the MoFi remaster of Into the Labyrinth, which I'd purchase tomorrow if it were not for its $100 .......
51: Hi-Rez Highway, I need some clarification (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-28, 16:33:04 (76.212.136.47)
I guess I am somewhat confused due to the fact that this is not my ordinary genre, and, before hearing Into the Labyrinth on an outstanding vinyl disc, I had never heard of Dead Can Dance. But what I .......
52: Hi-Rez Highway, Dead Can Dance on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-27, 09:41:30 (76.212.139.114)
I recently heard Dead Can Dance's Into the Labrinth on vinyl on a first rate system and was very impressed with what I consider to be top quality demonstration level sonics. It was apparently a 2008 r .......
53: Hi-Rez Highway, Weil Haydn London Symphonies (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-24, 22:52:49 (76.212.138.81)
A year ago I sent an e-mail to ars and got a reply from the owner. Her comment was that, although their original plan was to complete the cycle of the London Symphonies, they were operating under tigh .......
54: Hi-Rez Highway, Janet Glover, RPO, Haydn London Symphonies (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-20, 15:32:34 (76.212.128.161)
Has anyone heard either or both of the two SACDs conducted by Janet Glover, containing Haydn's London Symphonies Nos. 101, 102, 103, and 104? There's not much competition out there since ars produktio .......
55: Hi-Rez Highway, Schubert Symphonies (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-12, 07:53:44 (76.212.133.211)
What are the best Schubert Symphonies available on SACD from the point of view of performance and, equally important, the sonics? I'm particularly interested in the Unfinished Symphony and the Great S .......
56: Hi-Rez Highway, Carole King Hybrid SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-11, 11:32:15 (76.212.136.187)
Has anyone heard the Carole King's SACD on Mobile Fidelity containing cuts from the 1971 Carnegy Hall Concert with James Taylor? If so, how would you rate the performance, and as important, how would .......
57: DVD-Audiobahn, Steele Dan Gaucho (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-11, 10:56:57 (76.212.136.187)
I recently ran into a store that had a Steele Dan Gaucho DVD-A (new) in stock at its original price. Although I am not at all a fan of rock music, this disc seems to have a mystic about it that transc .......
58: Hi-Rez Highway, Addendum: Beethoven Symphony Cycle (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-09, 22:17:27 (76.212.140.117)
In my December thread, I concluded that the Tilson Thomas Beethoven Symphony No. 7 was the best of the Beethoven Symphonies I had heard on SACD. Now that I have purchased and heard the Beethoven Symph .......
59: Cable Asylum, I agree that your suggestion would be superior IF... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-06, 13:18:28 (76.212.137.181)
I had any integrated amp that included a pre-out architecture. Unfortunately, my pre is older, does not have this capability and has already been highly modified. In fact the only outputs from my pre- .......
60: Cable Asylum, AudioQuest Hard Y-Adapter (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2013-01-05, 13:48:49 (76.212.141.92)
I just bought a pair of AudioQuest Y-Adapters (each has one male to two female RCAs)which I intend to use to to split the signal from my universal player, running one pair of left and rights to my int .......
61: Hi-Rez Highway, I can live with a cycle of just the odd numbered... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-25, 13:30:13 (76.212.141.7)
Beethoven Symphonies by the SFS, based on their top-notch performance and sonics. The additional Overtures, Concertos, etc are an added bonus. I agree with you on the distraction posed by including th .......
62: Hi-Rez Highway, Emerging Beethoven Cycle maybe the winner. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-24, 11:38:41 (76.212.129.141)
I just received the Michael Tilson Thomas and San Francisco Symphony SACD released just this year containing Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 accompanied by the Leonore Overture No. 3. Taking into account b .......
63: Cable Asylum, Y-Adapter (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-23, 14:42:32 (76.212.136.173)
Dave, thanks for your input. My concern is this. The AudioQuest Hard Y-Adapter description states that "metal construction amd plated connections ensure optimal signal transfer". My alternative would .......
64: Cable Asylum, RE: Volume Control (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-23, 14:23:38 (76.212.136.173)
I do have the ability on my univeral player to control volume in the digital domaine. However, on experimenting with different volume control alternatives, I have determined that what works best is to .......
65: Cable Asylum, Thank you for helping me clarify my terminology. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-20, 22:39:29 (76.212.143.49)
You are right, what I need is what you describe as is two "quality Y-Cables" which will attach to the right and left RCA outputs exiting from the back of my highly modified universal player. The only .......
66: Cable Asylum, Exactly right, except... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-20, 13:32:06 (76.212.141.109)
I want a bi-wired interconnect running from my player outlets to two separate amplifiers -- one is my integrated amp which drives my speakers, and the second is my sub-woofer which amplifies every thi .......
67: Hi-Rez Highway, Second Question: (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-19, 09:14:23 (98.155.40.26)
Of all the Beethoven Symphony cycles mentioned in this thread, which has the absolute best sonics, irrespective of performance. Thanks for all you comments. Pete .......
68: Cable Asylum, Good suggestion, but unfortunately... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-18, 16:10:17 (98.155.40.26)
my universal player has been heavily modified, and there is just no room left to add a second RCA output circuitry. It seems ironic that we think nothing unusual in bi-wiring speaker cable, but no on .......
69: Cable Asylum, Does anyone make a quality bi-wired interconnect? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-17, 16:28:02 (76.212.139.161)
I'm looking for a first-rate pair of bi-wired interconnects, so that I can exit my Universal Player with one right RCA plug and one left RCA plug, both of which bundling two interconnect wires, each w .......
70: Hi-Rez Highway, Beethoven Symphony cycles (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-12-17, 13:17:42 (76.212.140.116)
I currently own the Jarvi cycle on SACD, and others on RDCD including Norrington, Gardiner, Von Karajan, Kegel and Abbado. The best of the lot is John Eliot Gardiner set recorded live in 1994. Does an .......
71: Hi-Rez Highway, Help me identify a mystery disc (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-11-14, 18:47:32 (98.155.40.26)
A friend recently played for me a first rate CD, which was obviously a copy of a previously released SACD/RBCD. My immediate impression was that it was really first rate, both sonically and performanc .......
72: Hi-Rez Highway, I'm listening to two discs that just arrived... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-07-22, 13:10:07 (75.62.204.255)
this week: Benny Waters; "Live at the Pawnshop" Previn, Brown &Pass; "After Hours" (What a collection of talent) Neither are quite as good sonically as the ones I picked up at THE Show and recently re .......
73: Hi-Rez Highway, Bill Evans Trio on Universal SHM-SACD vs. on Analogue Productions SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-07-12, 11:08:32 (75.62.204.255)
I have not heard the Village Vanguard disc either from Analogue Productions or the Japanese SHM-SACD. I have heard its companion disc (same recording session) Waltz for Debbie on both in a head-to-hea .......
74: Hi-Rez Highway, Two other Ike Quebec SACDs available (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-07-11, 10:34:05 (75.62.204.255)
Analogue Productions has two additional SACDs in their current catelogue: "It Might As Well Be Spring" "Blue and Sentimental" Does anyone have an opinion as to their sonics and their performance? Than .......
75: Hi-Rez Highway, I purchased a new UX-1 a few years ago... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-07-09, 21:44:20 (75.62.204.255)
and immediately handed it over to APL Hifi to be modified. Actually, the word "modified" is probably misnomer, since APL promptly removed nearly all of the major electronics and rebuilt an entirely ne .......
76: Hi-Rez Highway, Two Comments (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-06-26, 08:57:29 (75.62.204.255)
First of all, in my opinion, a top of the line Universal Player playing well recorded, engineered and mastered SACDs (and DVD-As) can be the equal of a first rate vinyl rig also playing quality materi .......
77: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for the tips. I already own the original... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-06-19, 08:00:19 (76.212.129.84)
Louis and Ella, and plan to order the "Again" disc when it becomes available in July. I'm not familiar with the Illinois Jacquet title. Do you feel it is demonstration quality? What is the name of the .......
78: Hi-Rez Highway, Of the ten discs, seven were SACDs. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-06-19, 07:53:24 (76.212.129.84)
The other three were: K2HD, XRCD24, and UltraHD. I realize these are technically Redbook CDs but since they were originally mastered at higher bit rates and samplying, I consider them hi-rez. ::: TOPI .......
79: Hi-Rez Highway, Part 2 of my list of hi-rez discs that... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-06-18, 15:02:06 (76.212.140.71)
I purchased at The Show. My prior post had disc Nos. 1 to 3. Here are the other 7: 4. Gary Carr: Super Double Bass (XRCD24) -- FIM 5. Miscellaneous: The TBM Sounds (UltraHD) -- FIM 6. Maria Winther: D .......
80: Hi-Rez Highway, I returned from THE Show with ten outstanding... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-06-18, 14:47:20 (76.212.140.71)
hi-rez discs. In addition to cruising the demo rooms checking out all the latest and greatest audio equipment, I spent quite a bit of time with the various disc distributors and manufactures. My quest .......
81: Hi-Rez Highway, If you liked this dics... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-21, 11:21:53 (76.212.129.151)
try her "Body and Soul", also on Analogue Productions, which is everybit as good (perhaps slightly better). These two discs once again illustrate the outstanding SACDs that AP has been producing using .......
82: Speaker Asylum, I talked to North Creek Music (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-08, 08:51:32 (76.212.139.178)
Unfortunately, the replacement cross-overs they made at one time were for the B & W Matrix series, not the Nautilus. But thanks for the suggestion. Pete .......
83: Speaker Asylum, My present configuration consists of... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-07, 17:57:58 (75.62.204.28)
the APL NWO-Master universal player with digital volume control, which enables me to attach dirct to the APL Intergrated Amp. Pete .......
84: Speaker Asylum, Is it possible to modify older high-end speakers? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-07, 12:45:03 (76.212.134.51)
I have owned a pair of B & W Nautilus 802's since they were first produced in the late 1990's and have been extremely satisfied with their performance over the years. During that time, I have made num .......
85: Hi-Rez Highway, I just received my copy of the Joe McQueen IsoMike disc ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-07, 12:26:52 (76.212.134.51)
and have spent quite a bit of time auditioning it. Overall, it is an excellent SACD. The tonality is very accurate and natural sounding, the detail excellent, the instruments well delineated, and the .......
86: Hi-Rez Highway, Overall, I have been very impressed... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-07, 07:51:41 (76.212.130.191)
with quality of SACDs that have come out of Analogue Productions. But it seems to me that, strictly from the point of view of sonics, some of the AP releases have been much better than others. I have .......
87: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree, this is an outstanding disc. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-06, 23:00:35 (76.212.129.76)
In my opinion, this is much better from both a performance and a sonic point of view than any of the Nat Cole discs. Whenever Analogue Productions starts with an excellent master -- a large number of .......
88: Hi-Rez Highway, The Mozart sonatas set (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-05-03, 07:54:03 (76.212.134.194)
Do you this complete traversal of the Mozart Sonata is worth the $250 price, considering both the quality of the performances and the sonics? I may be able to find someone here in the San Diego area t .......
89: Hi-Rez Highway, Opinions: Ray Kimber - IsoMike Hybrid SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-04-30, 18:32:25 (76.212.134.0)
I am not familiar with the Kimber IsoMike discs, but after listening to one cut(Mozart piano sonato from the Silverman collection), I was impressed. I'm thinking of buying the only jazz disc he has on .......
90: Hi-Rez Highway, Clearly, SHM-SACDs a high percentage of... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-04-23, 22:00:18 (75.62.204.188)
what we have come to call "demonstation quality" SACDs. I have participated in a number of listening tests which included high quality SHM-SACDs pitted against the same cuts from other quality SACD an .......
91: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for the tutorial. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-04-04, 08:05:49 (98.155.40.26)
As you can tell I am new to the idea of installing earphones and was interested in getting an idea of the pluses and minuses which you gave me in a very net fashion. One additional fundamental questio .......
92: Hi-Rez Highway, Can a Quality Set of Earphones do Justice to... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-04-01, 11:33:08 (98.155.40.26)
the best demonstration quality SACDs (or SHM-SACDs)? What are the pluses and minuses compared to top quality stereo speakers? What are the important considerations in selecting a particular brand of .......
93: Hi-Rez Highway, Two Outstanding Analogue Production SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-03-11, 18:46:26 (75.62.205.126)
I definitely agree with your assessment of the Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section. Compared to the AP version, the Universal SHM-SACD has the edge (although the AP is very good). When it comes to the .......
94: Hi-Rez Highway, K2HD discs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-03-08, 08:28:09 (98.155.40.26)
Smart... Thanks for you input and your recommendation of K2HD discs. I happen to own the FIM K2HD version of the Oscar Peterson We Get Requests, and although I think it is very good, it does not to me .......
95: Hi-Rez Highway, Two Outstanding Analogue Production SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-03-01, 11:45:45 (76.212.136.173)
I just received in the mail two SACDs from Analogue Productions, which are the first that I have heard that in my opinion are in the same class as the best Japanese SHM-SACDs. These discs are: Ella Fi .......
96: Hi-Rez Highway, Do you think that the Bohm Requiem is... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-02-24, 09:30:53 (76.212.141.125)
worth the $60.00 charge for the remastering to SHM-SACD? I am impressed with most (but not all) of the Universal SHM-SACD releases, and if the Bohm Requiem takes full advantage, I might be willing to .......
97: Hi-Rez Highway, Demonstration Quality Hirez Discs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2012-01-19, 09:32:19 (75.62.207.17)
Has any member of the Asylum, or any web site, ever compiled a list of Demonstation Quality SACDs or DVD-As? My focus here is on life-like sonics. This is mandatory, where as performance, while import .......
98: DVD-Audiobahn, Haydn Symphonies on DVD-A (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-28, 17:04:30 (76.212.134.226)
Are their any exceptional Haydn Symphonies available on DVD-A? I'm particularly interested in the later symphonies, especially the London Symphonies. Pete .......
99: Hi-Rez Highway, I quite agree that ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-27, 16:22:44 (76.192.217.170)
there are multiplee cycles of the Haydn's London Symphonies available on RBCD, some of them quite good. I personally own sets by Von Karajan on DG, Hogwood on L'Oiseau Lyre, and (my favorite) Colin Da .......
100: Hi-Rez Highway, Hadyn London Syphonies on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-26, 09:48:47 (76.212.128.205)
Dave, like you, I am a big Haydn fan, particularly his symphonies. And like you I own a large collection, although mine are almost all in RBCD. With a rather eclectic combination of performances by Do .......
101: Hi-Rez Highway, That's exactly what I have been doing... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-25, 09:48:44 (75.62.207.70)
for the last couple of years. That, and sending the owner at ars e-mails beseeching her to complete the London Symphonies cycle. Each time her reply is: Yes, I'd love to do it, but I'm not willing to .......
102: Hi-Rez Highway, Hadyn London Syphonies on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-24, 11:09:18 (98.155.40.26)
I own the first half of Haydn's London Symphonies (Nos. 93-98) on two ars produktion SACDs featuring Bruno Weil and the Cappella Colonionsis. They contain outstanding performances with excellent sonic .......
103: Hi-Rez Highway, The player we used for the comparison was the... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-20, 14:10:49 (76.212.136.107)
NWO-Master, manufactured by Alex Peychev at APL Hifi. I have owned four iterations of Alex's "cost no object" Universal Player, and the NWO-M is the last and by far the best. For purposes of our SACD .......
104: Hi-Rez Highway, Scoring Clarification (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-19, 08:02:57 (98.155.40.26)
Sorry for the confusing scoring matrix in my original post -- for some reason the margins colapsed. Here is a more readable table: Evans - Waltz For Debby -- Universal SHM-SACD ----------------------1 .......
105: Hi-Rez Highway, Comparison: SHM-SACD, SACD, Computer download (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-18, 12:33:18 (76.212.139.161)
Earlier this week, a fellow member of the San Diego Music and Audio Guild and I did a head-to-head comparison of two hirez performances in each of three formats. First, we listened to Bill Evans Trio: .......
106: Hi-Rez Highway, My player is the... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-07, 15:00:50 (76.212.137.232)
top of the line APL NWO-Master, which does a superb joy of reproducing hi-rez music, both SACD and DVD-A, plus well recorded RDCD. In particular, the level of detail is outstanding, tonality extremely .......
107: Hi-Rez Highway, Diana Krall on SHM-SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-11-05, 10:49:19 (76.212.134.21)
Are any or all of the Diana Krall discs on Universal SHM-SACD recorded directly onto DSD masters, or are they recorded first on analogue master tapes and then converted to DSD masters? Which is the be .......
108: Hi-Rez Highway, Thank you all. As a result... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-10-22, 08:46:35 (98.155.40.26)
of you recommendations, plus Ozzie and rembrandt's comments, I have decided to 1)special order My Funny Valentine In Concert (Sony Japan SACD), 2)pick-up one or more of the Analogue Production SACDs, .......
109: Hi-Rez Highway, What is the best Miles Davis on SACD... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-10-19, 09:00:06 (98.155.40.26)
considering both the performance and (especially) the sonics. I would specifically like to get feedback on four discs that I am now considering: -- Someday My Prince Will Come (Analogue Productions) - .......
110: Hi-Rez Highway, As I said in my review... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-10-05, 09:40:15 (98.155.40.26)
I thought that the SHM-SACD Art Pepper disc was clearly superior to the AP version, primarily because it better conveyed a sense of being present with live music, spatial cues, "air", etc. And I would .......
111: Hi-Rez Highway, I do plan to do another comparison between SHM-SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-10-04, 08:15:07 (76.192.217.113)
Hi Rembrandt... I have managed to locate a copy of the Analogue Production SACD of Bill Evans Waltz for Debbie and will be doing a similar comparison against my Japanese SHM-SACD. I also own the Japan .......
112: Hi-Rez Highway, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section: Comparison (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-10-03, 14:24:01 (75.62.205.250)
Over the years, I have accummulated fair sized collection of hi-rez recordings, mainly jazz and classical. This includes a wide variety of media, mainly SACD and DVD-A, plus a few other variants (DAD, .......
113: Hi-Rez Highway, Good News! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-08-09, 08:42:17 (76.192.216.169)
I was at Fry's Electronics the other day and found that they are actually increasing the discs available in their SACD section. First, of all, Fry's deserves credit for never phasing out their SACD se .......
114: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for you input. I definitely plan to... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-08-07, 10:34:36 (64.134.170.190)
order the Way Out West SHM-SACD based on your (and several other) recommendations. (I too own a copy of Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section on SHM-SACD, and I agree, it is an outstanding disc). I wou .......
115: Hi-Rez Highway, SHM-SACD: Two Questions (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-08-05, 08:40:59 (208.54.4.43)
1. What are the best SHM-SACD releases todate from perspective of hi-rez sonics? 2. Has anyone done a comparison of the same identical performance, recorded both on SHM-SACD and by some other quality .......
116: Hi-Rez Highway, Has anyone compared the SHM JSACD versions of.. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-08-03, 14:35:28 (75.62.206.104)
Way Out West and Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section to the Analogue Productions issues? I have the SHM JSACD version of the Art Pepper disc and it is truly outstanding. But at $53 vs. $30 for the Ana .......
117: Hi-Rez Highway, Analogue Productions SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-08-02, 10:13:26 (75.62.206.104)
What are the top Analogue Productions SACDs taken from the point of view of the best in sonics? Of the AP discs I own, I have found that their hi-rez performance level is quite variable. For example, .......
118: DVD-Audiobahn, You raise an excellent point. How do you tell... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-07-25, 14:44:41 (75.62.206.104)
if a DVD-A disc is upsampled from a master tape, or recorded directly to digital at 24/96 or 24/192. One label that I know of -- AIX -- definitely records directly to digital at 24/96, and the sonics .......
119: DVD-Audiobahn, DVD-A mastering (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-07-21, 08:28:21 (66.27.97.16)
Are most DVD-A discs simply remastered from older an original analogue master tape, or were some based on new recording sessions and mastered directly onto 24/96 PCM? I would be interested in seeking .......
120: Hi-Rez Highway, Question Number Two (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-07-07, 09:15:08 (66.27.96.185)
Are DSD mastered SACDs more likely to offer a consistently higher level of sonic reproduction than SACDs mastered off an original analogue master tape? Obviously, the quality of the recording engineer .......
121: Hi-Rez Highway, DSD mastered SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-07-06, 14:33:08 (75.62.206.104)
Is there an on-line source available for determining easily and quickly what SACDs were originally mastered in DSD? Thanks, Pete .......
122: Hi-Rez Highway, What makes the Martynova discs so great... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-07-06, 14:29:46 (75.62.206.104)
boils down to three things: 1. The performances are a good as any I have heard. 2. The sonics are outstanding (DSD mastered, well miked, well engineered). 3. The harpsicord itself is a level above mos .......
123: Hi-Rez Highway, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-23, 10:53:02 (66.27.101.125)
Many thanks for the feedback on your comparison of the two SACD versions. You just saved me a $30.00 purchase from Analogue Productions. I guess what it comes down to is that for any given high qualit .......
124: Hi-Rez Highway, My prelimiary evaluation of SHM-SACD. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-18, 09:49:45 (66.27.101.125)
As a result of the thread I initiated in this forum a few weeks ago, I decided to purchase two SHM-SACDs that seemed to be well recommended in feedback I received. Due to the high price involved, I on .......
125: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for you insight. Which leads to the question: (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-08, 19:24:35 (98.155.35.8)
What are the three or four best discs you would recommend from a sonics point of view. I'm particularly interested in jazz. Pete .......
126: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your input, which provokes the question: (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-08, 19:20:34 (98.155.35.8)
What are you three or four favorites? Pete .......
127: Hi-Rez Highway, Just how good are the new Japanese SHM-SACDs? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-08, 10:28:05 (98.155.35.8)
The new SHM-SACDs have been in the market now for a few months. Selected posts on this forum (see the recent thread initiated by Smart) suggest that this new techology, combining expert mastering, spe .......
128: Hi-Rez Highway, I did a similar comparison on... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-06-05, 09:54:08 (76.194.66.164)
a more limited basis. I bought two versions of Diana Krall's Look of Love, and found that the SHM-CD sounded much more lifelike than the SACD. I'd really like to contrast these two with the SHM-SACD. .......
129: Hi-Rez Highway, Eva Taylor SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-05-31, 09:28:34 (76.194.66.164)
Does anyone know anything about an SACD on Opus featuring Eva Taylor Live at the Pawnshop? The titles sound interesting -- all old blues standards from the era of Bessie Smith and other blues greats o .......
130: DVD-Audiobahn, Thanks for the recommendations. I do think that... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-05-17, 22:07:35 (76.212.142.246)
well made 24/192 DVD-A's are superior. Here are a few more that I have recently purchased: Ray Brown Soular Energy Hi-Res HDCD LA4 Just Friends Hi-Res HDCD Cannonball Adderley Some .......
131: DVD-Audiobahn, 24/192 DVD-A (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-05-13, 08:58:01 (66.27.103.64)
I have run across a selection of DVD-A compatible discs from Classic which have been taken directly from the master tape, converted from analog to digital and remastered at 24/192. They are coded HDAD .......
132: Computer Audio Asylum, 24/192 hirez downloads (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-05-11, 11:06:43 (66.27.103.64)
Can anyone recommend a web-site through which I can down load the following two albums at 24 bits and 192k samplying? -- LA 4: Just Friends -- Cannonball Adderley: Somethin' Else What I'm loading for .......
133: DVD-Audiobahn, firstimpressionmusic.com (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-05-02, 19:16:08 (76.212.139.108)
What do we know about FIM dics and their sonic quality? They appear to offer a variety of formats, but except a few SACDs, are based around DVD-A specs. Frankly, in the world of DVD-A, I've recently .......
134: DVD-Audiobahn, AIX DVD-A. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-04-25, 21:45:11 (76.212.139.108)
Kal, if my memory serves, you reviewed one or more of the AIX DVD-A products in the past. Could you comment on the sonic quality of those or other specific AIX discs? Thanks. Pete .......
135: DVD-Audiobahn, When I refer to "demonstration quality" DVD-A, (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-04-20, 09:23:35 (98.155.37.228)
what I am really looking are discs that exhibit top level sonics with good to excellent performances. Specifically, my interests are classical and jazz, plus perhaps a few pop standards. I am not inte .......
136: DVD-Audiobahn, Yes, I'd be interested in some of the "rugular music" ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-04-17, 09:56:55 (76.212.139.108)
DVD-A discs that you think have outstanding sonics. Thanks. Pete .......
137: DVD-Audiobahn, Demonstation Quality DVD-A (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-04-16, 10:42:03 (76.212.139.108)
Can you three or four titles DVD-A discs that you feel are truly of demonstration quality, particularly from the point of view of the sonics? Thanks. Pete .......
138: DVD-Audiobahn, I just discovered the hiresmusic.com web site and... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-04-11, 11:58:28 (76.212.139.108)
am very impressed. Are there any other sites that specialize in, or at least stock, hires DVD-A discs? Thanks, Pete Watt .......
139: DVD-Audiobahn, Are quality DVD-A discs still ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-02-24, 07:54:33 (66.27.103.20)
being recorded, manufactured and marketed by any major label? Even with the decline of SACD discs, there are still a few quality labels in the USA and especially in Europe that are still producing qua .......
140: Hi-Rez Highway, Has anyone compared a SHM JSACDs to ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-02-18, 08:50:51 (76.212.139.108)
a well recorded SACD containing the same performance? At $53.00 the SHM JSACD would have to represent a significant improvement over its prior version on regular SACD to justify the considerably highe .......
141: Hi-Rez Highway, Mozart Piano Sonatas complete on SACD... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-01-24, 22:10:53 (76.212.138.121)
by Robert Silverman. This release was very favorably reviewed in the current Stereophile. Of course, Stereophile has produced a number of discs by Silverman in the past. My questions: 1. Has anyone he .......
142: Hi-Rez Highway, Haydn Symphonies - Recommendations Please (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2011-01-12, 17:42:27 (98.155.35.94)
I am in the process of replicating selective portions of my extensive RBCD classical music music inventory with high quality SACDs. In particular, last year I acquired Vol. 1 and 2 of Bruno Weil's exc .......
143: Hi-Rez Highway, Handel's Concerti Grossi on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-12-22, 23:07:17 (76.194.64.202)
I am looking to purchase the best hi-rez versions of Handel's Opus 3 and Opus 6 available on SACD. Performance is important, but top-notch sonics is an absolute prerequisite. Any suggestions and/or cr .......
144: Hi-Rez Highway, Additional Info on the Glover SACDs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-09-15, 09:12:37 (66.27.96.139)
There was a review in Fanfare Magazine in 2008 of Glover's recording with the RPO of Haydn's Symphonies 101 and 103. This was a conventional RBCD on what appears to be the RPO's own label. In any case .......
145: Hi-Rez Highway, Thank you all for your comments. I think... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-09-12, 16:01:30 (76.212.138.217)
we would all agree that Haydn's Symphonies are terribly under-represented on SACD, particularly as compared with the other major classical era composers, i.e. Beethoven and Mozart. This makes Ars Prod .......
146: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: Weil's Haydn (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-09-07, 14:33:57 (76.212.138.217)
I am familiar with some of the earlier Redbook releases of Haydn's London Symphonies, i.e. Bruggen, Von Karajan, Davis, Hogwood, and I prefer the recent Weil SACDs to them all. Weil may not sound quit .......
147: Hi-Rez Highway, Haydn's London Symphonies on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-09-07, 09:55:09 (66.27.96.139)
I purchased Volumes 1 and 2 of Bruno Weil's proposed cycle of Haydn's London Symphonies, and they were truly outstanding, both the performances and the sonics. (Volume 1 just won an award in Europe as .......
148: Hi-Rez Highway, Potential Problem (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-08-24, 11:44:32 (76.212.137.236)
In reviewing the catelogue more closely, Zacharias cycle appears to be a mixed bag from a resolution point of view. Two titles are designated SACD hybrids, two appear to be RBCDs, and one is a DVD-A. .......
149: Hi-Rez Highway, The only cycle of Mozart Piano Concerto on SACD... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-08-24, 08:43:05 (76.212.137.236)
appears to be the one underway by Zacharias. The most recent release was reviewed positively in a recent edition of FanFare. Has anyone listened to any of his output? If so, how do you rate Zacharias' .......
150: Hi-Rez Highway, Mozart Piano Concertos on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-08-22, 12:29:18 (76.212.136.212)
Who does the best job on the Mozart Piano Concerto (particularly the later ones) of all the performances on SACD. In defining "best" I weight performance and sonics as equals. There does seem to be on .......
151: DVD-Audiobahn, For a variety of reasons, including... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-08-17, 11:43:52 (76.212.136.212)
the desire to avoid cluttering up my listening rack and room with the computer paraphinalia, dealing with the various software and protocol interfaces, cabling, etc. I want to stay with the spinning d .......
152: DVD-Audiobahn, How do I burn hi-rez iTunes downloads onto a DVD? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-08-17, 10:02:38 (76.212.136.212)
In the August 2010 Stereophile, John Marks makes two assertions which, taken together,raise some very intriguing possibilities: "The most decisive factor in the future of high-performance audio ... is .......
153: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for the tip. I just placed purchased... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-21, 22:08:31 (76.212.143.47)
this SACD on Ebay like you did. Have you by any chance heard any of the other Joe Pass Virtuoso (#'s 2,3, and 4) which are available on RBCD? If so, how do they measure up sonically? Thanks again, Pet .......
154: Hi-Rez Highway, Joe Pass Virtuoso on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-20, 11:48:44 (76.212.136.152)
I have heard from others that the first volume of Joe Pass's solo guitar series is available on SACD, but so far have been unable to find a retail source. The disc shows up on sa-cd.net, but without a .......
155: Hi-Rez Highway, Starker's Mercury recording (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-08, 14:20:45 (76.212.141.42)
Kal and Chris... The fact that the recording was originally made almost 50 years ago causes me some concern. Specifically, how good are the sonics. As I said in my post, my first requirement is that t .......
156: Hi-Rez Highway, Bach Cello Suites (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-08, 12:33:28 (76.212.141.42)
Is there a sonically superior version of Bach's Cello Suites available on SACD? Performance is important, but secondary. Pete .......
157: Hi-Rez Highway, Thank you all for your informed and... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-08, 12:25:17 (76.212.141.42)
informative posts on a subject -- the future of SACD -- which has been worked over so many times in this and other forums. I don't pretend to have the level of technical expertise that many of you pos .......
158: Hi-Rez Highway, Beethoven Piano Concertos (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-06, 09:49:44 (76.212.131.137)
To my ears, the Beethoven Concertos by Brautigan/Parrott are definitely "demonstration quality". BIS has currently released Concertos numbers 1 through 4, plus a piano transcription of the Beethoven V .......
159: Hi-Rez Highway, Criteria used for judging the quality of recorded sonics (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-05, 10:22:23 (76.212.131.137)
In my listening tests, both for equipment and for individual discs, I use a set of criteria that in one form or another I'm sure are familiar to all serious audiophiles. And this applies to both RBCDs .......
160: Hi-Rez Highway, An Example (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-05, 10:11:56 (76.212.131.137)
To do a thorough survey of my SACD collection will take some amount of time and analysis, but in the interest in replying to you immediately, let me give just one example. Last night, I was listening .......
161: Hi-Rez Highway, Future of SACD -- a Personal Perspective (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-06-04, 10:11:44 (98.155.36.190)
After amassing a fairly large collection of Red Book CDs (mainly classical) over the years, I began buying hi-rez software, when SACDs were first introduced into the market place. Because I already ha .......
162: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-05-12, 09:22:17 (76.212.138.131)
I have an extensive collections that includes all of the Haydn symphonies, and among the later symphonies I do enjoy the Berstein very much (also Davis and Von Karajan). But as I have moved into supp .......
163: Hi-Rez Highway, Late breaking news. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-05-11, 07:28:18 (76.212.138.131)
I just received an e-mail from Annette Schumacher, head of ARS Produktion in Germany. She indicates that they are working on producing Volume 3 and Volume 4 of the Bruno Weil Haydn London Symphonies. .......
164: Hi-Rez Highway, Two additional pieces of Information (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-05-10, 21:50:27 (76.212.138.131)
First, these two Weil SACDs are labeled Vol.1 and Vol.2 of the "London Symphonies, so inferentially there maybe more to come. (I have e-mailed ARS Produktions in Germany to see if we can get an answer .......
165: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks Kal (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-05-10, 12:52:06 (76.212.138.131)
Do you know if he has plans to complete the cycle and record the later London Symphonies? .......
166: Hi-Rez Highway, Haydn Symphonies (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-05-10, 09:32:51 (76.212.138.131)
I have nearly all of Haydn's symphonies on Redbook CDs, but none in Hi-Rez. I would like recommendations as to the best Haydn symphonies that are available on SACD. While performance is always importa .......
167: Hi-Rez Highway, Has anyone actually hear an SHM - SACD and ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-04-23, 09:16:55 (66.27.101.30)
evaluated it from a sonic perspective? The background information I am getting is not to encouraging: 1) there are 20 discs that are to be released by Universal Japan; 2) the release date has slipped .......
168: Hi-Rez Highway, I was able to order the Jarvi Piano Concertos ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-04-13, 09:30:39 (76.212.141.9)
here in the USA through EastWindImport.com for significantly less than the price offered by Amazon Japan. Deliver time is longer, but I agree that this SACD is well worth waiting for. In addition, I .......
169: Hi-Rez Highway, I own all of the Jarvi Beethoven Symphony SACDs and... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-04-09, 10:41:38 (98.155.50.64)
I agree with you -- they are outstanding. I would love to find the Jarvi/Nakamichi SACD you refer to but have been completely unsuccessful in locating in through any source in the USA. The sa-cd.net s .......
170: Hi-Rez Highway, Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-04-08, 07:32:50 (76.212.142.242)
What is the best version of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto currently available on SACD. The highest quality sonics is a absolute must. Thanks. Pete .......
171: Hi-Rez Highway, Brautigam's Beethoven Piano Concertos (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-04-02, 16:25:50 (76.212.134.125)
I have just finished listening to Ronald Brautigam's Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle (except for as yet unreleased Concerto No. 5) on BIS, and found them outstanding! I must say that they are totally d .......
172: Hi-Rez Highway, Thank you all. As a result of your feedback... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-03-23, 17:02:52 (98.155.39.101)
I have ordered one of the Brautigam SACDs (Concerto No. 2 plus the youthful concerto) and am anxiously awaiting to audition it. If it sounds really first rate, I will probably purchase the other two d .......
173: Hi-Rez Highway, Beethoven Piano Concertos (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-03-22, 15:22:50 (76.212.137.39)
What is the best Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle available on SACD, either individually or in a boxed set. Thanks. Pete .......
174: Hi-Rez Highway, Willie Nelson Stardust SACD vs. new RDCD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-24, 19:09:49 (76.212.138.140)
Many audiophiles feel that Willie Nelson's "Stardust" is an outstanding sonically recorded SACD. Perhaps that's true, and that because it is out of print, the high price it commands on the internet wo .......
175: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree by and large with all your qualifiers regarding... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-18, 10:01:52 (76.212.143.195)
what constitutes a "demonstration quality" disc, with the possible exception that I am not quit so disposed to exclude the best stereo-only candidates. Even if you buy into the superiority of multi-ch .......
176: Hi-Rez Highway, I really like your terminology i.e. "demonstration quality" (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-17, 15:43:06 (98.155.36.26)
Congradulations, Robert. We have long needed a descriptor for an SACD disc that is so stunning and extraordinary that it belongs in a league by itself, along with very limited number of others. Clear .......
177: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks, guys, this is exactly the type feedback I wanted! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-07, 12:13:05 (76.212.142.90)
Any one else willing to share their top five sonic realism SACD without reference to performance? I just want to see how good GOOD engineering and reproduction techniques can be. Thanks, Pete ::: TOPI .......
178: Hi-Rez Highway, I really did get what I had hoped for from this post. Can anyone give me... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-05, 13:24:27 (71.136.229.107)
a list of their top five favorite SACDs measured ENTIRELY on the basis of sonic reproduction, withour regard to the level of performance. I simply want to hear what a top flight producer and recording .......
179: Hi-Rez Highway, Maybe I didn't make it entirely clear but... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-02, 09:56:41 (76.212.142.90)
my priority is to identify truly outstanding sonic reproduction on SACD. The level of musical performance is notworthy but entirely secondary .......
180: Hi-Rez Highway, I read and appreciate MIRT, but in addition... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-02, 09:37:38 (76.212.142.90)
I was hoping to get some specific suggestions as to SACDs with standout production/engineering credentials at this point in time. Pete .......
181: Hi-Rez Highway, Kal Rubinson's Review of Strauss's Eine Alpensinfornie (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2010-02-02, 07:37:05 (76.212.142.90)
Kal's review of this work by Strauss underscores the importance of top flight sonic engineering in taking full advantage of the potential of Hi-Rez. To quote the review, "the recording team has captur .......
182: Hi-Rez Highway, Compromise position (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-10-16, 15:23:17 (76.212.130.239)
I have a very large RBCD collection and a reasonable sized HiRez collection (mainly SACD). To me, given my own tastes and priorities, I have gravitated to an organization that merges my classical SACD .......
183: Hi-Rez Highway, Count me in on the Swap Meet (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-29, 19:04:14 (98.155.63.192)
I also bought a bunch of Concord jazz SACDs and have the following duplicates available for swap (at $5.98, its almost not worth the money to try to sell them): Gene Harris/Sheppard quartet Carmen Mac .......
184: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your reponses. Two observations. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-26, 09:22:10 (98.155.63.192)
First, in my original post I was not claiming to have conducted a rigorously controlled, double blind, highly structured listening test. Given my own curiousity regarding the reproduced sonic of the s .......
185: Hi-Rez Highway, Comparison of CD, SHM-CD, and SACD playback (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-22, 11:35:59 (207.200.116.66)
On June 3, I posted on the Digital Drive forum the results of my listening tests comparing playback of the same performance (Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights") on two different media -- a standard Red Book .......
186: Whiner's Woad, I address this to both Theresa and her critics. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-10, 16:40:44 (98.155.63.192)
A famous American jurist, Oliver Wendell Holmes, in discussing the concept of freedom of speech once made an critical point. He said in a Supreme Court opinion that it's easy to favor free speech when .......
187: Digital Drive, SHM-CD vs. standard RBCD -- Same Performance (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-06, 08:59:18 (207.200.116.66)
There are several titles by Diana Krall that are on both formats. I have ordered the "Look of Love" on SHM from East Wind Import. When it arrives, I plan to do a listening comparison and evaluation of .......
188: Hi-Rez Highway, I bit the bullet and today purchased ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-05, 08:37:32 (98.155.63.192)
the SHM version of Diana Krall's "Look of Love". I plan to compare it in listening tests to the RBCD and SACD versions I already own. The comparison should be a good one since the SHM was not remaster .......
189: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree 100%. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-05, 08:24:09 (98.155.63.192)
My player is the APL NWO 3.0 SE on which SACD was judged in a blind test by a group of us from the San Diego Music and Audio Guild to be equal or better than vinyl on identical performances. Interesti .......
190: Hi-Rez Highway, It looks like I may have answered my own question. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-03, 23:00:25 (207.200.116.66)
It appears that many of the Diana Krall performances that originally came out on RBCD and on SACD are now in the process of being released on SHM-CD. They are available through East Wing Import at $31 .......
191: Hi-Rez Highway, Help me find a SACD to compare to the same performance... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-03, 15:14:52 (98.155.63.192)
on Red Book and SHM-CD. Today I posted on the Digital Drive forum the results of my head-to-head analysis of the RBCD vs. SHM-CD versions of Diana Krall's latest disc "Quiet Nights". In my opinion, th .......
192: Digital Drive, SHM-CD vs. standard RBCD -- Same Performance (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-06-03, 09:24:21 (98.155.63.192)
I spent considerable time recently listening to two versions of Diana Krall's excellent new release "Quiet Nights". One was on a normal CD made in the USA and the other was on a SHM-CD pressed in Japa .......
193: Digital Drive, Thanks for the tip on Amazon as a great source of... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-05-23, 09:01:10 (98.155.63.192)
SHM-CDs. I just received my first three from East Wind Import and they are truly outstanding. I will review them after some additional listening. .......
194: Digital Drive, Try eastwindimports.com (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-05-15, 14:23:31 (207.200.116.66)
They are located here in Southern California, and typically deliver within 2-3 days. As the name implies, they are totally committed to imports from Japan and the discs are not cheap ($30+), but their .......
195: Digital Drive, How do SHM-CD, HDCD, and XRCD compare... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-05-15, 09:34:45 (98.155.63.192)
to ordinary RBCDs, assuming equivalent engineering and mastering? I recently asked this question relavent to SACDs on the High Rez Highway, but found that the discussion soon degenerated into the time .......
196: Hi-Rez Highway, Could it be that in comparing these different formats, we are missing... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-05-12, 08:17:53 (207.200.116.66)
a second variable that is independent of technology (format, bit density, disc fabrication, etc.)? Are we missing the fact that recording engineering and mastering techniques have an equal or even gre .......
197: Hi-Rez Highway, Can SHM-CD, HQCD and XRCD be classified as Hi-Rez? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2009-05-10, 21:39:26 (98.155.63.192)
Numerous high-end software providers on the web (e.g. East Wind Imports) are selling these enhanced CDs, often at premium prices. I would like to get some informed opinions on whether these specially .......
198: Hi-Rez Highway, APL Hifi -- A Personal Perspective (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-11-20, 12:39:27 (207.200.116.66)
Like many of you, reading some of the postings in this forum in the last few weeks regarding APL Hifi has been a painful experience. I have been a committed customer of Alex Peychev's since 2003, and .......
199: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: "Ella and Louis" SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-08-27, 10:14:51 (66.75.19.39)
I want to thank you all for the invaluable information and suggested sources you provided for this SACD. In particular, the Japanese-produced Verve 60th Anniversary Edition sounds like a real winner. .......
200: Hi-Rez Highway, "Ella and Louis" SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-08-26, 09:21:09 (207.200.116.66)
I was going to order this Verve reissue on SACD until I discovered that the quoted price on Amazon was $52.99. Two questions: 1) Is the SACD version as good sonically as it's reputation would indicate .......
201: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for the tip. Do you have... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-07-04, 09:30:38 (66.75.23.11)
any other suggestions re sonically superior jazz on SACD? Pete Watt .......
202: Hi-Rez Highway, Robert, do you (or anyone) have any other recommendations... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-07-02, 09:36:35 (66.75.23.11)
for truly outstanding jazz SACDs with first rate sonics? Pete Watt .......
203: Hi-Rez Highway, I just received my copy the Benny Carter Jazz Giant and ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-07-02, 08:49:05 (66.75.23.11)
it is truly any outstanding disc. Both the performance and sonics are superb. (I love the "I'm Coming Virginia" cut). I would greatly appreciate any further recommendations for similiar top notch, so .......
204: Hi-Rez Highway, Barney Kassel SACD just received... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-07-01, 11:50:15 (207.200.116.66)
and I have listened to it in comparison with the Benny Carter Jazz Giant disc multiple times. Although I enjoy the Barney Kassel on Supreme Jazz, it is definitely not in the same league as Jazz Giant. .......
205: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks Robert for your impressions. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-06-29, 23:05:27 (207.200.116.66)
I have the Barney Kessel SACD on order. He is a favorite of mine and I have other well recorded discs of his. I also have the Benny Carter "Jazz Giants" SACD (which was well reviewed recently in this .......
206: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your feedback, but... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-06-28, 22:08:28 (207.200.116.66)
notwithstanding whether these SACDs are pirated or not, are they sonically superior or not? Pete .......
207: Hi-Rez Highway, Supreme Jazz label (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-06-26, 11:39:58 (207.200.116.66)
Supreme Jazz is a label that I am unfamiliar with, but they appear to have put out single volume anthologies on SACD for all the major jazz figures of the last 50 years. Does anyone know this label we .......
208: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: Beethoven's 9th (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-05-25, 22:08:07 (207.200.116.66)
The first two SACDs of Paavo Jarvi's planned cycle of Beethoven Symphonies have recently been released on RCA. They were recorded with a smaller orchastra, the German Chamber Philharmonic of Bremen. I .......
209: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Similar Story (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-02-13, 08:46:02 (66.75.28.112)
I bought a CJ PV-12A (includes phono stage) which I later sent to Audience AV for extensive modification. I also upgraded the tubes to Mullard old/new stock, and the result has been outstanding. Conra .......
210: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: Hank Jones" “July 6th The Great Jazz Trio†(0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-01-08, 12:32:38 (207.200.116.66)
Can someone suggest a web site that I can go to in order to order this SACD? Thanks. Pete .......
211: Amp/Preamp Asylum, RE: Conrad-Johnson PV14 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2008-01-01, 19:40:53 (66.75.36.190)
I own a PV-12A which has been extensively modified by Audience's chief engineer (all quality components, step attenuator for volume control, reduced noise, etc.) and which I have repopulated with qual .......
212: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: July 6th, Live at Birdland New York - The Great Jazz Trio, Hank Jones (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-12-13, 20:21:00 (66.75.36.190)
I have tried to locate the SACD version this disc by the Great Jazz Trio on various Internet sites and have been totally unsuccessful. Can you give me a link or a phone number where I can order the SA .......
213: Hi-Rez Highway, CORRECTION (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-11-20, 10:37:27 (66.75.36.190)
I found this disc on ElusiveDisc, NOT AcousticSounds. Sorry. .......
214: Hi-Rez Highway, RE: Top Music's "Break-In" SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-11-20, 10:33:54 (66.75.36.190)
Thanks for your suggestion. As far as I can determine, this is the only break-in disc designed for SACD. To order it direct from its Hong Kong distributor is a bit of a hassle, but I was able to find .......
215: Hi-Rez Highway, Telarc 1812 Overture (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-11-16, 08:51:41 (66.75.36.190)
My player is wired for two channel stereo, not multi-channel. Will the pink noise component you mention show up in my system in any case, or not at all, or must I make some type of set-up change? Pete .......
216: Hi-Rez Highway, Burn-in Disc for SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-11-15, 18:44:15 (66.75.36.190)
I have been using an IsoTek disc to accelerate the burn-in of new audio components when playing Redbook CD's. The disc claims to accelerate the burn-in process at a 20 to 1 ratio, and it seems to work .......
217: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Spectron Musician III Signature Edition Upgrade (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-06-19, 08:55:43 (66.75.36.190)
I purchased my Musician III in December 2004, after six years of experience with the original Spectron Class D amplifier -- the Digital One. My original impressions can be found in a review I posted i .......
218: Vinyl Asylum, Turntable allowing multiple LP stacking (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-06-01, 12:43:59 (207.200.116.66)
I confess that the main focus of my system is digital, but I do still own a large collection of LPs. They are in are of varying ages (some quite old) and exhibit varying degrees of ware, but every now .......
219: DVD-Audiobahn, Reprogramming the Default (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-24, 17:56:05 (66.75.36.190)
Kal, I'm not sure that reprogramming the Denon 3910 to Stereo is possible, but I'd like to hear more. My impression is that the Denon defaults to MC automatically on each new disc, and that the logic .......
220: DVD-Audiobahn, My Player (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-24, 08:49:21 (66.75.36.190)
My player is an APL Denon 3910, which I don't think can be configured from the player to default to stereo. But I'll try you technique in any case. .......
221: DVD-Audiobahn, Re: Why do you think DVD-A is superior to SACD? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-24, 08:36:50 (66.75.36.190)
I agree totally with your point that top quality mastering (and recording engineering) is a prerequsite to great audio reproduction. This is true whether you are talking about RDCD, SACD or DVD-A. And .......
222: DVD-Audiobahn, Re: A small (LCD) display will help (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-24, 08:23:22 (66.75.36.190)
My player is an APL Denon 3910, and this may be part of the problem. The Denon's default option Multi-channel. But I must say that when the DVD-A plays in stereo mode (e.g. Linda Ronstadt, Diana Krall .......
223: DVD-Audiobahn, Frustrations of a New DVD Audio Convert (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-23, 10:06:32 (207.200.116.133)
Since my posting on 1/14/07, I have received numerous suggestions in this forum on quality DVD-A and DAD discs (much appreciate) and have purchased a small selection. My conclusion: In many (but not a .......
224: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Matching the right amp to difficult-to-drive speakers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2007-01-04, 09:41:19 (207.200.116.133)
What factors should be considered in matching the right amp to difficult-to-drive speakers, other than just raw Wattage? I am driving a pair of B&W Nautilus 802's, which are rated at 550wpc into 8 ohm .......
225: Amp/Preamp Asylum, To the Bored (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-12-17, 21:29:36 (207.200.116.133)
What happened to Sodapop's review of the Spectron Musician III originally posted in the SACD Forum on 12/12/06 (and which I posted a reply to)? It was deleted from the SACD Forum, never was reposted i .......
226: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Spectron Reliability (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-12-15, 12:50:54 (207.200.116.133)
The problems that Spectron experienced with the Musician II (serial #2000 or lower) are well know and freely admitted by Spectron. They were caused by poor quality contron with one of the sub-contract .......
227: Amp/Preamp Asylum, To the Bored: Missing Spectron Review (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-12-15, 08:53:16 (66.75.36.190)
Earlier this week, Sodapop posted an excellent review of his new Spectron Musician III Signature Edition. Unfortunately, this review was posted in the SACD forun, not here in Amps/Preamps. Since then, .......
228: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Chopin on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-28, 18:20:03 (66.75.36.190)
Part of my problem in asking for recommendations is that Romantic era music is not my main forte. Most of my classical collection is Baroque and Classical. In this context, I like Perahia, Serkin, Gil .......
229: Hi-Rez Highway, Chopin on SACD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-28, 09:02:25 (207.200.116.133)
What is the best Chopin solo piano works currently available on SACD? I'm most interested in the quality of the performance, but obviously would like your comments on the SACD sonics as well. Thanks. .......
230: Hi-Rez Highway, Great Suggestion!! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-25, 12:41:30 (24.148.61.59)
I went down to MusicDirect today and found an enormous selection of SACDs segregated in their own separate section. This is not a retail outlet -- it's actually the central warehouse location for Musi .......
231: Hi-Rez Highway, Purchasing SACDs in Chicago (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-22, 07:14:25 (70.225.46.64)
Are there any retail outlets in downtown Chicago that have a large selection of SACDs in stock? Specifically, I'm looking for stores that have their SACDs, both pops and classical, in separate bins. E .......
232: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks for your input. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-07, 08:23:20 (207.200.116.133)
I do own several versions of Mozart's late symphonies that I really enjoy, i.e. Bernstein, Marriner, Bolm, etc. I also own the full set of mid to late symphonies by the Academy of Ancient Music. Frank .......
233: Hi-Rez Highway, Mozart Symphonies on Brilliant Classics (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-06, 21:55:39 (207.200.116.133)
Has anyone done any critical listening to the 11 disc SACD set of Mozart symphonies done by Jaap ter Linden on Brilliant Classics? I'm most interested in the quality of the performances, but would als .......
234: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree with your premise... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-04, 14:55:18 (207.200.116.133)
it is a pain to search for SACDs that are stored together with the regular CDs. Here in San Diego, in the past Tower had a separate SACD section for pop and classical -- for the past year it's been ju .......
235: Hi-Rez Highway, Tower Records (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-04, 10:50:04 (207.200.116.133)
Have the two Tower Records stores in New York City gone out of business along with all the rest? What a tragedy if true -- I probably bought two-thirds of my entire classical collection at these two o .......
236: Amp/Preamp Asylum, I agree 100% (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-11-02, 09:03:48 (66.75.36.190)
I have owned my Spectron Musician III for almost two years and am extremely pleased with its performance characteristics across the board. For a detailed analysis, see my review via this link: http:// .......
237: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Does anyone remember Stereophile's Project K622? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-07-15, 10:47:50 (207.200.116.196)
I just revisited my Review of Project K622 posted in this forum in August 2004, and although my assessment has changed slightly over the intervening two years, my conclusions remain essentially the sa .......
238: Hi-Rez Highway, Does anyone remember Stereophile's Project K622? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-07-13, 16:30:00 (207.200.116.196)
Alex's comments hit a resonant chord and caused me to review my analysis done over a year and a half ago after listening to Stereophile's Project K622 disc. For those of you not familiar with this dis .......
239: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Power Conditioning for Amplifiers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-06-18, 22:12:31 (207.200.116.196)
I use an Exact Power 1000 power regenerator in support of my Spectron Musician III Class D digital amp. The M3 is a high current amp, and delivers 650 wpc into 8 ohls (1200 into 2 ohls). John Ulrick, .......
240: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-06-18, 18:56:39 (207.200.116.196)
Kal, thanks for the recommentation. The Jansons release is particularly appealing since it is paired with the Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances, another favorite. Sounds like a winner. .......
241: Hi-Rez Highway, What's the best Petrushka available on SACD... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-06-18, 10:06:11 (207.200.116.196)
first of all from a performance point of view, and second from a sonics point of view? Thanks .......
242: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician III (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-03-14, 10:10:11 (207.200.116.196)
I purchased my Musician III in December 2004 and am extremely happy with it. The Musician III represents much more than just an incremental improvement over the Digital One and the Musician II. It is .......
243: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Furtwängler's Beethoven Ninth (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-03-13, 09:56:16 (207.200.116.196)
I don't know the Dreamlide SACD, but I do know that the Ninth Symphony included in the Music and Arts set is the March 1942 recording, which the critics seem to feel is his best version. The M&A set w .......
244: Hi-Rez Highway, Follow-on Question (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-02-26, 17:36:19 (207.200.116.196)
Thanks for the suggestion on the Denon 1920. I checked the specs out and for the price they seem impressive. My only concern is that the box appears to be primarily focused on DVD-V and DVD-A. Since m .......
245: Hi-Rez Highway, What's the best performing low cost Universal Player ... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2006-02-25, 17:35:22 (66.75.36.129)
currently available on the market? I've got my APL Denon 3910 in for upgrades, so I need something inexpensive but with reasonable quality sonics that I can use for a few weeks and probably as backup .......
246: Amp/Preamp Asylum, The Spectron Musician III is an outstanding fit (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-10-27, 07:45:35 (207.200.116.6)
I have been running my B&W Nautilus 802s for the past six years driven by a Spectron Class D amp and have had excellent results. Within the last year I have replaced my Spectron Digital One with the n .......
247: Hi-Rez Highway, I may have misspoke. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-10-15, 09:54:15 (207.200.116.6)
What I'm looking for is a list of non-classical SACD's that inmates feel are sonically superior with quality of performance important but secondary. Thanks. .......
248: Hi-Rez Highway, I can't find the thread recently posted referencing... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-10-13, 12:33:31 (207.200.116.6)
sonically superior SACD discs. Can some one provide me with a link? Thanks. Pete .......
249: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Input just received from JVC (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-08-05, 09:06:38 (66.75.149.36)
Kevin at JVC just e-mailed me saying that by definition XRCD' were manufactured in 2003 or earlier using 20 bit technology applied to older high quality analog masters. He seems to imply that they hav .......
250: Hi-Rez Highway, Question (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-08-03, 08:46:16 (66.75.149.36)
I've noticed that most of the XRCD's listed on the various internet sites seem to be old titles originally recorded in the 50's and 60's. This would imply to me that XRCD is a technology primarily des .......
251: Hi-Rez Highway, XRCD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-08-02, 09:25:22 (207.200.116.6)
Does anyone know of a data base referencing currently available XRCD's, similar to Stephen's site for SACD's? If not, what are your favorite XRCD's? My primary interest is in sonic superiority and sec .......
252: Hi-Rez Highway, Lessons to be learned from the recent attack "review" targeting the APL Denon 3910 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-05-21, 10:57:47 (207.200.116.6)
BACKGROUND Let me say up-front that I am currently an APL customer. Over the past four years I have purchased products from APL plus three other modders, all but one (whom I won't presume to name) pro .......
253: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Good Points (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-04-21, 11:20:18 (207.200.116.6)
Notwithstanding Alex's previous preferences, I know he experimented with a variety of linear and non-linear upsampled rates and concluded that 44.1 sounded best. .......
254: Hi-Rez Highway, Lester, you raise some very good points. Let me... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-04-21, 11:01:52 (207.200.116.6)
offer some additional comments. First of all, as you know from my earlier reviews of individual CDPs, I had concluded that the performance of the great majority of players always seemed to involve tra .......
255: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Good Points (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-04-21, 09:21:21 (207.200.116.6)
Sorry for the poor choice of words. What I meant was a comparison of the APL Denon player running in 16 bit mode directly connect to my amp (having removed the preamp), and the same APL player running .......
256: Hi-Rez Highway, Good Points (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-04-20, 08:22:17 (66.75.153.169)
The reason we did not test APL CD direct and Meitner CD direct was simply the fact that we ran out of time. The original groundrules for the shootout called for inclusion of the preamp in all our test .......
257: Hi-Rez Highway, Shootout in San Diego (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-04-19, 14:22:37 (207.200.116.6)
On April 10, I met with four other members of the San Diego Music and Audio Guild to conduct listening tests on four CDP's. Alex Peychev, who had just brought down from the Bay Area the latest version .......
258: Amp/Preamp Asylum, My experience with Spectron exactly the opposite of yours (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-03-30, 07:57:51 (66.27.110.207)
I have had six years of trouble free performance from my Digital One, and so far nothing but pure delight from my Musician III. (I must admit as I said in my review that I skipped the Musician II.) F .......
259: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: That's good because my Musician II is now a doorstop (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-03-28, 19:34:33 (152.163.100.7)
There was a quality control problem with certain serial-numbered Musician II amps caused by faulty assembly by a certain sub-contractor. I suggest you call John Ulrick directly. I'm sure he will make .......
260: Amp/Preamp Asylum, REVIEW: Spectron Musician III Amplifier (SS) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-03-28, 13:26:43 (152.163.100.200)
Model: Musician III Category: Amplifier (SS) Suggested Retail Price: $3995.00 Description: Power Amp Manufacturer URL: Spectron Manufacturer URL: Spectron Review by Pete Watt ( A .......
261: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: APL Hi-Fi Denon 3910 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-02-27, 12:49:23 (66.27.110.207)
For my direct connect to my Spectron amp, I'm using the same unbalanced Audience AU24 IC's that I previously used from my pre-amp. The AU24's are best I've heard in unbalanced. Their balanced version .......
262: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: APL Hi-Fi Denon 3910 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-02-27, 12:45:12 (66.27.110.207)
Kenji... As I said in my review, I owned the APL SACD 1000 prior to acquiring the APL Denon. The 3910 does contain all the mods that Alex had implemented in my Philips (digital board, tubed output sta .......
263: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: APL Hi-Fi Denon 3910 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-02-27, 12:37:40 (66.27.110.207)
The APL 3910 is two channel stereo only. All the multichannel outlets have been removed. I honestly don't know if Alex plans a MCH version. Pete .......
264: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Do you have to have TV or a monitor connected to (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-02-27, 12:28:56 (66.27.110.207)
I have to admit that I don't know the answer to your question, as I don't own any DVD-A discs. All I have run to date has been DVD-Video, Red Book and SACD, none of which require a TV monitor. Althoug .......
265: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: APL Hi-Fi Denon 3910 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2005-02-26, 14:28:20 (64.12.116.200)
Model: Denon 3910 Category: SACD Player (Modded) Suggested Retail Price: $4200 Description: Universal Player Manufacturer URL: APL Hi-Fi Manufacturer URL: APL Hi-Fi Review by Pete .......
266: Speaker Asylum, B & W PV1 subwoofer (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-12-11, 12:44:18 (64.12.116.7)
Has anyone auditioned the new PV1 subwoofer from B&W? I'm particularly interested in whether it might add (or detract) from my current B&W Nautilus 802 speakers, playing almost entirely classical redb .......
267: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: APL Hi-Fi Philips SACD 1000 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-19, 08:03:34 (64.12.116.7)
Steve, I don't know about writing a review, but I would love to here your APL 3910 some time. I will be in Chicago the week before Christmas, so maybe we can set up a listening session. Why don't you .......
268: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: APL Hi-Fi Philips SACD 1000 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-17, 09:21:22 (66.27.106.216)
As I said in my review, I believe that with this last set of mods Alex has taken the SACD 1000 just about as far as it can go. In addition to the new Crystal 4398's and digital volume control on the d .......
269: Hi-Rez Highway, Dave is right on. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-17, 08:47:11 (66.27.106.216)
The Spectron might better be described as a Class D switching amp. This is true of both my current Digital One and my soon to be delivered Musician III. An interesting alternative is the new Musician .......
270: Hi-Rez Highway, Check out my prior reviews involving the SACD 1000 posted here in the Asylum (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-15, 18:53:32 (198.81.26.7)
I think you'll find that when I reviewed the Philips unit in this and earlier configurations (as well as other equipment), I have taken pains to point out both the pluses and minuses that are rolled u .......
271: Hi-Rez Highway, 13 measurement criteria I use in documenting listening tests (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-15, 16:43:58 (198.81.26.7)
The measurement criteria I use in listening tests, which I score on a simple one to ten basis (with a rare eleven for something truly extraordinary), are as follows: Bass 1. Extension 2. Clarity Trebl .......
272: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: APL Hi-Fi Philips SACD 1000 SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-11-15, 13:39:40 (198.81.26.75)
Model: Philips SACD 1000 Category: SACD Player (Modded) Suggested Retail Price: $2500 + player Description: APL Base Mod plus Extensions Manufacturer URL: APL Hi-Fi Manufacturer URL: .......
273: Hi-Rez Highway, This is an interesting and I think useful classification scheme. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-08-22, 22:02:17 (198.81.26.7)
On a more fundamental level, does anyone know how to determine if a given SACD is reproduced from a DSD vs. Analog vs. PCM master tape? I know Stephen's sa-cd.net site lists the Pure DSD SACD's separa .......
274: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: A Key Question You Need to Ask is... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-08-09, 15:28:09 (198.81.26.7)
The Michaelson Mozart Clarinet Concerto was directly mastered from a single live performance onto two separate master tapes simultaneously -- one an analog master and the other a DSD digital master. F .......
275: Hi-Rez Highway, Bottom Line: Poor Engineering Trumps Hirez (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-08-03, 10:27:52 (198.81.26.7)
In my review I separated my comments on audio playback between Fidelity driven by record engineering (miking, mastering, mixing) from Fidelity driven by SACD or CD formating (DSD vs. PCM). In my opini .......
276: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: Project K622 SACD/CD (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-08-02, 14:11:46 (198.81.26.7)
I recently purchased from Stereophile the new Mozart Clarinet Concerto hybrid SACD/CD, and have spent quite a bit of time over the past week listening to the four versions (two SACD and two CD) it con .......
277: Cable Asylum, Re: How are you using your PS Audio Ultimate Outlet? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-23, 12:46:37 (198.81.26.7)
I bought the PS Audio UO specifically to support by Spectron (300wpc) Class D amp, and the sound became so constricted that I returned it. I replaced it with an ExactPower 1000 power regenerator and t .......
278: Hi-Rez Highway, I want to congradulateJohn Atkinson... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-22, 15:47:42 (198.81.26.7)
for producing what will undoubtled become a ground breaking benchmark in understanding the merits (and demerits) of various digital and analog alternatives for recorded sound. The recording of Mozart' .......
279: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: XLR to RCA adapter....Which brand is best (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-20, 13:02:21 (198.81.26.7)
I have talked to various dealers and received recommendations for XLR to RCA adapters made by Balanced Audio Technology, Cardas or Pierce Audio. Has anyone done any comparison testing to determine whi .......
280: Digital Drive, Re: What is the P-5A? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-16, 07:26:01 (198.81.26.7)
The P-5A is a unit that as far as I know Mark still has in plan ready to go and will announce as soon as he finally gets the production version of SOCS off the ground and supporting most of the popula .......
281: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: I'm confused. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-14, 23:22:47 (198.81.26.7)
Addressing your points: 1. Our listening comparisons (and my measurements)were primarily based on Redbook CD's, although we did some general listening to pure DSD recorded SACD's. 2. Both the APL SACD .......
282: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: CJ and balanced power conditioners (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-13, 21:37:18 (198.81.26.7)
I auditioned the BP Junior with my CJ PV-12 pre-amp and found it added nothing. However, when I replaced the balanced power unit with a Exact Power regenerator, it made a big difference. In fact, it m .......
283: Hi-Rez Highway, Listening Test between the APL SACD 1000 and the Meitner DCC2 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-13, 16:33:28 (198.81.26.7)
nt .......
284: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: Philips Electronics Philips SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-13, 16:24:12 (198.81.26.75)
Model: Philips Category: SACD Player (Modded) Suggested Retail Price: $2250.00 Description: APL Hi-Fi SACD 1000 vs. Meitner DCC 2 Listening Test Manufacturer URL: Philips Electronics M .......
285: Digital Drive, Re: Is Mark Shifter still in business with the P-1A? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-13, 12:46:18 (198.81.26.7)
Although I no longer own my P-1A/P-3A/ModWright with the Beta version of SOCS (which I review here on AA), I really liked the products. I sold my units only because I wanted to go back to a single box .......
286: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: SACD 1000 repair recommendations 7/04? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-07-12, 06:31:34 (209.74.147.172)
Alex Peychev has repaired two of my SACD 1000's -- replacing the defective chips and in one case replacing a noisy transport. In both cases, the units have performed without problem over long hours si .......
287: Cable Asylum, RCA to XLR conversion (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-06-25, 09:28:40 (198.81.26.7)
I'm planning to connect my preamp with RCA outputs to my Class D digital amp with balanced XLR inputs, either via a conversion interconnect or possibly an adapter or transformer. Specifically, I'd app .......
288: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: PS Audio Ultimate Outlet (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-06-10, 15:33:44 (198.81.26.7)
In my system, I found that the winning combination was to: drop all filter-based line conditioners, go with quality power cords (in my case Harmonic Tech Fantasy's), and add a power regenerator that i .......
289: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: PS Audio Ultimate Outlet (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-06-08, 21:26:31 (198.81.26.7)
I tried the high current version of the Ultimate Outlet in support of my Spectron Digital One Class D amp, and the results were very disappointing. The addition of the UO had the immediate impact of c .......
290: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD produced from directly recorded DSD masters (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-05-20, 16:41:51 (198.81.26.7)
I have only a limited number of SACD's, and among those I have, their quality compared to Red Book CD's seems to vary dramatically. The best SACD's are often those produced from directly recorded DSD .......
291: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Feedback from anyone who has Beta tested the new Spectron Musician III? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-05-14, 09:10:21 (198.81.26.7)
nt .......
292: General Asylum, "Raved" is an understatement (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-05-01, 13:21:20 (198.81.26.7)
The review is quite lengthy, addresses many of the most popular sonatas in depth, and compares the performances with those by several big name artists (Gilels, Kempff, Arrau, Kuerti, etc.). Just a few .......
293: General Asylum, Question for John Atkinson at Stereophile (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-05-01, 07:36:17 (198.81.26.7)
John, is the 10 CD set of the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven reviewed in this month's Fanfare the same performances that you produced a few years ago? The review in Fanfare indicates that the set .......
294: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Tubes replacement for Conrad Johnson PV-12L (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-04-28, 08:11:44 (198.81.26.7)
I replaced the stock tubes in my PV-12 two years ago with Mullard New Old stock military spec tubes and they have been outstanding. .......
295: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron amps running in monoblock configuration (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-02-02, 07:51:11 (198.81.26.7)
John told me that the Digital One (which is what I own) can be modified (by him, or by me using his schematic) to function as a monoblock. I believe there are monoblock D1's and 1KW's in operation tod .......
296: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Spectron amps running in monoblock configuration (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-02-01, 10:39:06 (198.81.26.7)
Does anyone have any experience in running two Spectron amps (1KW, Digital One, or Musician II) as monoblocks? If so, can you help me with the following questions: 1) Is the difference in performance .......
297: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Any McCormack DNA-225 amp owners in the San Diego area? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-27, 14:32:57 (198.81.26.7)
Three questions: 1) What brand/model speakers does it drive? 2) How do you like the DNA-225's performance? 3) What dealer did you buy it from? I'm interested in obtaining a loaner that I can audition .......
298: Amp/Preamp Asylum, What I'm looking for is what I've already found in the Spectron... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-23, 12:15:04 (198.81.26.7)
only more so. Over the last four years of living with the Spectron Digital One, I have been very please with its overall performance. It's a very fast, muscular, neutral sounding amp that provides gre .......
299: Amp/Preamp Asylum, What I'm looking for is what I've already found in the Spectron... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-23, 12:15:04 (198.81.26.7)
only more so. Over the last four years of living with the Spectron Digital One, I have been very please with its overall performance. It's a very fast, muscular, neutral sounding amp that provides gre .......
300: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Thanks for the suggestion. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-23, 11:50:35 (198.81.26.7)
As you would expect, the reviews on audioreview.com cover a wide spectrum of comprehensiveness and expertise. What I found missing were detailed head comparisons of the Spectron with specific models o .......
301: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Thanks for the suggestion. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-23, 11:50:35 (198.81.26.7)
As you would expect, the reviews on audioreview.com cover a wide spectrum of comprehensiveness and expertise. What I found missing were detailed head comparisons of the Spectron with specific models o .......
302: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Has anyone auditioned a Spectron D1 or Musician II vs. a quality high current traditional amp... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-21, 14:03:56 (198.81.26.7)
such as a Levinson, Krell, Classe or other? I'm about to do a set of side by side tests in my system utilizing my Spectron Digital One vs. a Classe CAM 200 and a McCormack DNA-225. Any information on .......
303: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Has anyone auditioned a Spectron D1 or Musician II vs. a quality high current traditional amp... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-21, 14:03:56 (198.81.26.7)
such as a Levinson, Krell, Classe or other? I'm about to do a set of side by side tests in my system utilizing my Spectron Digital One vs. a Classe CAM 200 and a McCormack DNA-225. Any information on .......
304: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Questions for anyone bi-amping with Spectron Digital One's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-15, 10:51:29 (198.81.26.7)
I have been utilizing a Spectron Class D Digital One amp for the past four years and am very pleased with its performance, especially since I connected to an Exact Power regenerator. Given the challen .......
305: Hi-Rez Highway, In tribute to Alex... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-13, 08:17:44 (198.81.26.7)
When my SACD 1000 quite working, Alex repaired it, even though it had been originally modified by Dan Wright! .......
306: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Thanks all for your knowledgeable and I think very balanced evalulation. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-05, 17:26:40 (198.81.26.7)
I come away from this dialogue with the following conclusions: 1) The Class D Spectron is a very different animal than a Krell or a Levinson. From my own experience, I can attest that the addition of .......
307: Amp/Preamp Asylum, What you point out makes a lot of sense. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-02, 15:13:31 (198.81.26.9)
It's interesting that the Spectron, which is rated at 300wpc into 8 ohm and 500wpc into 4 ohm, has both the power and high current characteristics, but shows a marked improvement with the addition of .......
308: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Will a Power Regenerator benefit a conventional high-current Amp? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2004-01-02, 10:04:18 (198.81.26.9)
I am currently driving a pair of B&W Nautilus 802 speakers using a Spectron Digital One Class D amp (300wpc). In September 2002, after auditioning three regenerators with sufficient power to support t .......
309: Cable Asylum, This represents my experience with the Audience AU24 also... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-28, 11:40:46 (198.81.26.9)
nt .......
310: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD 1000 -- Mods by Dan Wright and Alex Peychev (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-28, 08:09:21 (198.81.26.7)
Earlier this mouth, I posted a review based on a series of head-to-head listening tests I conducted, which included both an SACD 1000 modified by Dan Wright and another modified by Alex Peychev. You c .......
311: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Spectron amp and Von Schweikert speakers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-28, 00:03:58 (198.81.26.9)
John Ulrick of Spectron indicated that Spectron and Von Schweiker would be paired again in their demo room at CES in January. This should tell you something about how these manufacturers feel about th .......
312: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Digital 1 for $900 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-27, 23:54:36 (198.81.26.9)
The Spectron Digital One is a great Class D amp -- very fast, very accurate, very muscular. It represents the proven architecture that Spectron has evolved into the current Musician II and III, and wh .......
313: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Help me understand the difference... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-24, 12:16:01 (198.81.26.9)
Thanks for the explanation on how to compute Current. Given that the N802's run below 4 ohms impedance between 70 and 435 Hz, and run below 5 ohms impedance between 65 and 900 Hz, how would I go about .......
314: Power Forum, Re: Paul, do you have an opinion on the above (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-24, 09:29:26 (198.81.26.9)
As I indicated in my original post, I'm currently driving my Nautilus 802's using a Spectron Digital One Class D amp (300wpc). I'm concerned, does the HCA2 at only 150wpc at 8 ohms have sufficient pow .......
315: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Help me understand the difference... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-24, 09:17:17 (198.81.26.9)
between Current and Watts, and why Current is more important in driving difficult speakers like the N802's. I have to admit that I'm not that technical, but its seems easy to measure an amp's output i .......
316: Amp/Preamp Asylum, What's Best Amp for B&W Nautilus 802's... and Why? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-23, 12:03:36 (198.81.26.7)
The Nautilus 802 speakers are notoriously difficult to drive. Their rated sensitivity is 91dB, and although their rated impedance is 8 ohms nominal, the minimum is 2.8 ohms. In fact, the 802's run bel .......
317: Speaker Asylum, Re: Question for B&W Nautilus 802 users. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-22, 10:28:02 (198.81.26.9)
My Spectron Digital One delivers 300wpc at 8 ohms and 500wpc at 4 ohms. That's not a bad ratio but now nearly as impressive as the 2 to 1 you're getting on your Classe. What I'm really interested in i .......
318: Speaker Asylum, Question for B&W Nautilus 802 users. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-21, 07:25:27 (198.81.26.9)
I have been driving my Nautilus 802's using a Spectron Digital One Class D amp rated at 300wpc into 8 ohms. At a recent listening test one of my guests stated that he felt that my speakers would open .......
319: Hi-Rez Highway, The objective is to encourage active but responsible dialogue... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-21, 00:16:50 (198.81.26.9)
between modders and the rest of us interested inmates here in the Asylum. The best way to do this would be to enforce the current groundrules with more latitude for give and take, BUT with greater str .......
320: General Asylum, I've tried Bybee filters in my system twice... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-18, 11:01:22 (198.81.26.9)
once as a mod to an outboard power supply driving both a DSP and DAC, and the second time as part of a mod to my SACD player. Both times the addition of the Bybee's caused the sound to become more con .......
321: Amp/Preamp Asylum, You raise an interesting point. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-18, 10:17:57 (198.81.26.9)
When John Ulrick ran some measurement tests for me (it makes it nice that Spectron and ExactPower are in the same area), he told me that the Digital One was at the top of the ExactPower 1000's capacit .......
322: Power Forum, Paul, do you have an opinion on the above (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-18, 09:54:09 (198.81.26.9)
The B&W Nautilus 802 speakers are speced at 91dB sensitivity with an impedance of 8 ohms (3 ohms minimum). The B&W manual says they need an amplifier rated somewhere between 50 to 500 wpc, which is an .......
323: Power Forum, HCA2 driving B&W Nautilus 802 speakers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-17, 14:31:09 (198.81.26.49)
Does anyone have any hands on experience using the HCA2 to drive Nautilus 802 speakers? I currently am using a Spectron Digital One Class D amp to drive my 802's. The Spectron is muscular (300wpc), tr .......
324: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: I am exploring the same question... got a different answer (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-17, 10:39:01 (198.81.26.9)
Last year I ran a series of listening tests with my amp plugged directly into the wall (dedicated circuit and FIM outlets) vs. plugged into an ExactPower 1000 regenerator. The results with the regener .......
325: Hi-Rez Highway, Audience AU24 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-16, 09:16:18 (198.81.19.138)
Last year I auditioned nine analog interconnects and found the Audience AU24 to be the best. The AU24 is exceptionally transparent, detailed and natural sounding. It works very well with my custom Mod .......
326: General Asylum, Be Careful (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-15, 15:26:45 (198.81.26.9)
I bought a high-current Ultimate Outlet specifically to support my amp (Spectron 300wpc digital) and was very disappointed. The Ultimate Outlet uses a balum filter and at least in my system the sound .......
327: Cable Asylum, Re: jena Labs Trio digital (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-15, 09:53:17 (198.81.26.9)
I owned the Jena Labs Trio digital interconnect and found it to be excellent. However, it was not as good as the Audience AU24 balanced digital which I now own and which is nothing short of outstandin .......
328: Hi-Rez Highway, Mine was modded by Dan and repaired by Alex, and works like a charm. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-15, 07:28:44 (198.81.26.9)
NT .......
329: Hi-Rez Highway, Thank You (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-13, 07:49:23 (198.81.26.9)
I want to thank you for your informative and measured response. Frankly, as I said in my Recommendations, I feel that the spirit of the rules regarding self-promotion can still be observed while allow .......
330: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Ever heard of email? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-11, 21:33:47 (198.81.26.9)
My e-mail was included below my moniker in the post. But for the record it's: mmpetewatt@aol.com .......
331: Hi-Rez Highway, Recommendations for this Forum (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-11, 16:52:43 (198.81.26.9)
Notwithstanding all of the recent discussion, my views remain essentially the same as in my earlier posting: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/159442.html The fundamental purpose of the .......
332: Hi-Rez Highway, Let's remember what is fundamental purpose of the Asylum (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-04, 07:56:00 (198.81.26.9)
The fundamental purpose of the Asylum is to share information on audio technology amoung interested parties. These interested parties -- these inmates -- vary widely with regard to knowledge level, in .......
333: Hi-Rez Highway, I agree. In the right hands, the SACD 1000 is anything but... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-03, 08:59:10 (198.81.26.9)
an Ugly Duckling. Even as a stock unit, the Philips exhibited a degree of musicality and naturalness that I had not heard in any other player anywhere near its price range. Notwithstanding some the ex .......
334: Hi-Rez Highway, Alex's preamp (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-02, 12:15:18 (198.81.26.9)
Although my review of the three players was written entirely within the context of my existing system, we did spend some time listening to his "exploded" preamp. I would say that across the board it w .......
335: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Spectron (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-02, 11:33:53 (198.81.26.9)
I agree with your assessment of the Nautilus 802's, but find they work best (especially on classical music) with a muscular, very fast and accurate amp like the Spectron. The necessary warmth to balan .......
336: Hi-Rez Highway, You are exactly right. . (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-02, 11:24:59 (198.81.26.9)
The $2300 price I quoted in my review included both the hardware (SACD 1000 and Superclock II) and the mods from ModWright. .......
337: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: Philips Electronics ModWright SACD 1000 Listening Test SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-12-02, 09:40:25 (198.81.26.136)
Model: ModWright SACD 1000 Listening Test Category: SACD Player (Modded) Suggested Retail Price: $2300.00 Description: SACD 1000 with Enhanced Signature Truth Mod Manufacturer URL: Phil .......
338: Cable Asylum, Re: Digital Cable Recommendations, Please? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-11-08, 15:42:14 (198.81.26.9)
After a series of listening tests last year, I found the Audience AU24 interconnects, both digital and analog, to be superior. Specifically, on the digital side, the top-of-the-line AU24 (balanced) be .......
339: Hi-Rez Highway, DVD-A vs. SACD listening test (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-11-07, 09:23:58 (198.81.19.138)
My collection is almost entirely of redbook CDs, but I do own a handful (4-5) of SACDs (hybrids) and the same number of DVD music videos. Based on this limited amount of exposure to hirez, I must say .......
340: Hi-Rez Highway, Additional comments based on followups (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-11-02, 14:08:08 (198.81.26.9)
The following comments are based on followups received via postings and e-mails: 1) My objective in pursuing a variety of mods to my SACD 1000 was not to produce a player that was the "Best" in the in .......
341: Hi-Rez Highway, I stand corrected -- and to think my wife proof read my post. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-31, 17:22:57 (198.81.26.9)
nt .......
342: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Misunderstood your pricing... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-31, 17:18:34 (198.81.26.9)
The just-under $2000 price I mentioned includes both the Signature Truth Mod (minus Bybees) plus the new Custom Mod Dan did for me (which also includes the price of the Superclock II). My cost on the .......
343: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Cost? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-31, 15:31:59 (198.81.26.9)
The cost of the two mods (Signature Truth minus Bybees, and the recent Custom mod) was just under $2000. The price of the SACD 1000 is not included in this number, but the price of the Superclock is. .......
344: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: ModWright Philips SACD 1000 / ModWright SACD Player (Modded) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-31, 08:23:26 (198.81.26.145)
Model: Philips SACD 1000 / ModWright Category: SACD Player (Modded) Suggested Retail Price: $1650.00 Description: Philips SACD 1000 with ModWright Signature Truth Mod Manufacturer URL: .......
345: Cable Asylum, Re: I finally found what my AU24 lacks. . .Recommendations? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-30, 10:25:37 (198.81.26.9)
I have been using AU24 digital and analog interconnects in my system for quite some time and find them to be better than any others (nine total) I auditioned. I did audition the AU24 speaker cables an .......
346: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Sorry (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-28, 21:48:34 (198.81.26.9)
I really don't know the precise technology used for volume control on the stock CJ PV-12 preamp. All I can tell you is that it was some form of variable analog with no precise steps or gradients. I re .......
347: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Advice on used Conrad Johnson Pre-amps (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-28, 14:50:17 (198.81.26.9)
I have owned a Conrad Johnson PV-12 tube preamp for seven years and have been very satisfied with it, both line stage and phono stage. Two years ago I decided to upgrade this unit. First, I replaced t .......
348: Hi-Rez Highway, Crystal CS4397 DAC chip (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-22, 10:42:42 (198.81.26.9)
I have been very pleased with the performance of the Crystal 4397 chip in my last two player configurations -- the Perpetual Technologies P-3A DAC and the Phiips SACD 1000. Does anyone have a list of .......
349: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Try Audience-av in San Diego (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-19, 14:10:55 (198.81.26.9)
I had my CJ PV-12 modified by Audience-av and the results have been truly outstanding. They upgraded all the major components, added a power cord receptical and a DACT attenuator volume control, and g .......
350: Hi-Rez Highway, Slick salesmanship should be based on sterner stuff! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-19, 14:00:14 (198.81.26.9)
May I say from the outset that, in my opinion, Alex has conducted himself very well in his postings on the Asylum, and has made significant contributions to our level of knowledge and the technical st .......
351: Hi-Rez Highway, San Diego Area -- Anyone running a Sony SCD-1, SCD-777ES, or XA-777ES with mods? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-11, 08:17:56 (198.81.26.9)
If so, who did your mods? Thanks, Pete .......
352: Inmate Systems, Pete Watt's Pete Watt -- System (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-09, 10:21:50 (198.81.26.73)
To add your system, you must register .">
Audio Asylum Inmate Pete Watt's Pete Watt -- System System
Home
/ FAQ
/ News
Classifieds
/ Event .......
353: Hi-Rez Highway, Exactly the same experience (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-07, 16:27:43 (198.81.26.9)
I too bought the 563 to tide me over until I get my SACD 1000 back from being modified. And like you, I found that redbook reproduction was poor (bass, detail, soundstage) to mediocre (mids and highs, .......
354: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Using a Power-Regenerator to Drive an Amp - Help (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-05, 13:22:26 (198.81.26.9)
I'm using an Exact Power 1000 (which technically is a partial regenerator) to drive my Spectron Digital One Class D amp (300 wpc). The results are excellent. In addition, this unit handles my preamp a .......
355: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Which used Conrad Johnson Preamp? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-04, 22:58:04 (198.81.26.9)
I have been using a CJ PV-12 for six years now and find it to be an excellent unit. Two years ago, I considered replacing it with the Primier 17, which CJ assured me was their best, but decided that t .......
356: Cable Asylum, Re: Power conditioners vs. cable upgrades??!! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-04, 17:35:58 (198.81.26.9)
The fundamental answer is, as indicated in the post below, is that you need both. However, since the two can be somewhat complimentary, there are some trade-offs to consider. The most obvious is price .......
357: Cable Asylum, Re: Power cord recommendations?? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-10-04, 07:59:54 (198.81.26.9)
After a series of head to head comparisons, I found the Audience PowerChord to be superior to my Harmonic Technology Fantasy's. The interesting thing was that when I added a power regenerator (the Exa .......
358: General Asylum, Re: Furutech e-TP80 AC Line Conditioner (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-26, 15:52:18 (198.81.26.9)
I had the Furutech in my system for over six months and during that time conducted several listening tests, both in support of individual components and in groups. Interestingly, the Furutech's greate .......
359: General Asylum, Re: Furutech e-TP80 AC Line Conditioner (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-26, 08:44:52 (198.81.26.9)
I agree totally with your assessment. Before going to a power regenerator, I had all my key components (amp, preamp and digital front end) on an earlier model of the Furutech. With the Furutech, the s .......
360: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: For $5500, best amp and preamp to mate B&W 802 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-26, 08:32:01 (198.81.26.9)
I have had my B&W Nautilus 802's for four years, and find these sound best driven by a powerful amp -- in my case, the Spectron Digital One Class D amp with 300wpc (the current generation Spectron is .......
361: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician II users? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-24, 21:56:20 (198.81.26.9)
I own the Spectron Digital One, which is the 300wpc preedecessor to the Musician, but utilizes basically the same architecture. The best matches on power cords for the Spectron in my system are: 1) th .......
362: General Asylum, MODERATOR: Can you explain why... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-24, 09:39:07 (198.81.26.9)
... occasionally (but with increasing frequency) when I attempt to access a particular Forum from the AA home page, all I get is a screen full of garbage (i.e. row upon row of special characters and s .......
363: Cable Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician II PC? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-23, 21:50:55 (198.81.26.9)
I own the Spectron Digital One (the 300wpc predecessor to the Musician) and have found the the best matchs on power cords are: 1) the Audience PowerCord, and 2) the Harmonic Technology Fantasy. Both a .......
364: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: alex's sacd 1000 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-18, 08:50:43 (198.81.26.9)
The points you make in your comments on Alex's modified SACD 1000 touch on many of the strengths which I also find in the Philips unit (although my mods were done by Dan Wright). These strengths inclu .......
365: Hi-Rez Highway, Once again, Alex, Congradulations on a Great Job! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-17, 15:20:30 (198.81.26.9)
Dan Wright is in the process of finishing up on some custom extensions to my earlier modified Signature Truth SACD 1000, and based on his conversations with you, he will be including the high grade ca .......
366: Cable Asylum, Similar experience with my B&W Nautilus 802's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-17, 13:45:08 (198.81.26.9)
On my Nautilus 802', I found that high quality speaker cable in a true double-run bi-wire hook-up made a big difference. I agree with your point that the Nautilus' seem to need the extra muscle. In ad .......
367: Cable Asylum, Evaluate the Audience AU in context of the total system (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-14, 21:24:08 (198.81.26.9)
I utilize the Audience AU24's both for my analog and balanced digital interconnects, and find their overall strength is in their accuracy, transparency and overall detail. Given this, in the total sys .......
368: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician II needs a nice pre-amp (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-10, 14:01:52 (198.81.26.9)
I own the predecessor to the Musician, the Spectron Digital One, which is not quite as powerful (300wpc), but is built on the same architecture. In my case, I found that it was best to match the power .......
369: Hi-Rez Highway, The SACD 1000 is quite simply the best price/performer in CD players available today. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-03, 05:33:17 (65.88.81.236)
I picked the SACD 1000 after auditioning several stock and modified Sony units because I found that it simply sounded to me more like real music in a concert hall than all the others. After adding Dan .......
370: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: How much does an Exact Power run? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-02, 13:47:41 (65.88.81.238)
The Exact Power 1000 which I own is a 7.5amp unit, which is more sufficient to power my 300w amp, tube preamp and digital sources. This unit is now longer current, but can be had on the internet for a .......
371: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: PS Audio Ultimate Outlet on Amp or no? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-09-01, 13:24:52 (205.188.208.9)
I auditioned a High Current PS Audio Ultimate Outlet solely in support of my Spectron Digital One Class D amp (300w per channel) and foung the results to be very disappointing. Compared to simply plug .......
372: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD 1000 reliability (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-08-07, 05:58:45 (65.88.81.235)
I agree with your assessment 100%. My SACD 1000 (with Signature Truth mods plus some custom mods from Dan Wright) has worked perfectly since I purchased it last December. Interestingly enough, I talke .......
373: Digital Drive, Re: Best digital Mod. Co. or person? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-07-31, 09:15:10 (65.88.81.235)
In my experience, the thing that makes ModWright superior is that Dan goes beyond the traditional approach to mods. In addition to offering a variety of modular component upgrades, Dan takes the time .......
374: Hi-Rez Highway, Excellent Review (and Tutorial) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-06-15, 05:45:11 (65.80.215.250)
As usual, David, your review covers more than a specific product -- it is a thorough, precise and balanced tutorial on what is involved in obtaining the most life-like reproduction of digital recordin .......
375: Hi-Rez Highway, Excellent Review (and Tutorial) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-06-14, 15:14:23 (65.80.215.250)
As usual, David, your review is covers more than a specific product --it is a thorough, precise and and balanced tutorial on what is involved in obtaining the most life-like reproduction of digital re .......
376: Cable Asylum, Audience Au24 Speaker Cable Cable (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-06-13, 12:48:54 (65.80.215.250)
I have been running with Audience Au24 analog and balanced digital interconnects for some time and am very impressed with their sonic signature -- very natural, detailed and completely transparent. Th .......
377: Cable Asylum, Some power conditioners work, some don't, some hurt (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-06-06, 09:34:34 (216.135.242.62)
After auditioning many power conditioners based on filter technology, I found that they did more harm than good. Specifically, I tried the PS Audio Ultimate Outlet between my Spectron amp and the wall .......
378: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD 1000 / Sony SCD-777 / Sony 9000ES Shoot Out (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-29, 17:19:15 (198.81.26.10)
Between you guys in Grand Rapids and Dallas/Fort Worth, and me in San Diego, this is going to be a difficult shoot out to orchestrate. One question: did we all have out units modified by Dan Wright? : .......
379: Hi-Rez Highway, My Review of the SACD 1000 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-29, 09:23:45 (198.81.26.10)
Dave The point I was trying to make in my review was that, in my opinion, the stock SACD 1000, while not perfect, was the best stock unit I listened to and was therefore an excellent base to build on. .......
380: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Consider reliability in addition to warranty period (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-28, 22:33:01 (198.81.26.10)
Before you rule out the SACD 1000, you should understand that Dan Wright's warranty on any unit he modifies is: 1) Repair any failure on his mods - No Charge; 2) Repair any failure on an unmodified fa .......
381: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Ultra-detailed, neutral sound vs. sweeter, richer analog sound (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-27, 15:21:18 (198.81.26.10)
You touch on a distinction I have been wrestling with for some time in my listening tests, component comparison, system signature, etc. Convertional wisdom seems to assume that reproduced sound must e .......
382: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Preamp to mate with Spectron Digital One (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-24, 14:28:58 (198.81.26.10)
I have been running my Spectron Digital One amp since 1999 and have found that the best match is in fact a tubed preamp. In my system, I use the Conrad Johnson PV-12, which has been highly modified an .......
383: Hi-Rez Highway, REVIEW: Philips Electronics Philips SACD 1000 / ModWright CD Player/Recorder (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-24, 12:46:43 (198.81.26.172)
Model: Philips SACD 1000 / ModWright Category: CD Player/Recorder Suggested Retail Price: $1650.00 Description: Philips SACD 1000 with ModWright Signature Truth Mod Manufacturer URL: Ph .......
384: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Valve pre-amp suggestions (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-12, 09:45:28 (198.81.26.10)
I'm running a Spectron 300wpc Digital Amp (Class D), which is a very fast, accurate, neutral amp. Like you, I felt the need to add some degree of warmth and musicality to my system and was able to sol .......
385: General Asylum, Re: Audiophile group in San Diego (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-09, 13:54:28 (198.81.26.10)
Can you give us a idea of how the group is organized, i.e. discussion vs. presentations, focus on music vs. audio reproduction, topic areas most of interest to the group, etc? I'm definitely intereste .......
386: General Asylum, Other Audio Web Sites (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-03, 17:18:02 (198.81.26.10)
What are the names of other quality Audio web sites/forums? Other than Audio Asylum, the only other internet site I'm familiar with is www.harmonicdiscord.com. .......
387: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Is it possible to run long runs of interconnects with the Conrad Johnson PV 12? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-03, 12:44:46 (198.81.26.10)
I have been running my Conrad Johnson PV-12 for over a year using Audience AU24 interconnects with RCA connectors, both as input and output on the PV-12. Although my runs are only 1 meter in length, t .......
388: General Asylum, Re: Accurate vs. euphonic? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-02, 07:49:04 (198.81.16.156)
I'm not sure I agree with the premise of your question, i.e. that accuracy and euphonics are at opposite ends of a continuum and there is a trade off between the two when it comes to the implementatio .......
389: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Bi-wiring alternative (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-05-01, 17:43:07 (198.81.26.10)
I have found over the last four years that driving my Nautilus 802's via a powerful and very fast solid-state amp, bi-wired using two sets of low impedance speaker cables, is an excellent choice. In m .......
390: Cable Asylum, Re: Revelation Audio Labs Silver i2s Cable (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-23, 22:09:22 (198.81.26.10)
I suggest you ask Brad Vojtech at Revelation Audio. His e-mail is: vtech007@juno.com .......
391: Cable Asylum, REVIEW: Revelation Audio Labs Silver i2s Cable (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-23, 11:26:05 (198.81.26.172)
Model: Silver i2s Category: Cable Suggested Retail Price: $399.00 Description: i2s Digital Cable Manufacturer URL: Not Available Manufacturer URL: Not Available Review by Pete Watt .......
392: Cable Asylum, REVIEW: Revelation Audio Labs Silver i2s Cable (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-23, 11:21:03 (198.81.26.172)
Model: Silver i2s Category: Cable Suggested Retail Price: $399.00 Description: i2s Digital Cable Manufacturer URL: Not Available Manufacturer URL: Not Available Review by Pete Watt .......
393: Digital Drive, Perpetual Technologies SOCS CD Player/Recorder (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-16, 09:14:58 (198.81.26.10)
As I referenced in my Product Review, it's easy to understand the frustration caused by the continued delay in the release of the production version of SOCS. I share this frustration, as I'm sure Perp .......
394: Cable Asylum, Re: How would DIY Cat5 speaker cables mate with B&W Nautilus 802? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-12, 15:51:20 (198.81.26.10)
I have been using Alpha Core Goertz MI 2 bi-wilred speaker cables with five meter runs to my B&W Nautilus 802's for the past three years, and they sound excellent -- very accurate, very neutral very t .......
395: Digital Drive, REVIEW: Perpetual Technologies SOCS CD Player/Recorder (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-04-12, 09:12:09 (198.81.26.201)
Model: SOCS Category: CD Player/Recorder Suggested Retail Price: $399.00 Description: Speaker Correction Software running in the Perpetual Technologies P-1A Manufacturer URL: Perpetual .......
396: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Second the motion (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-31, 17:06:42 (198.81.26.10)
I have been running my B&W Nautilus 802's for four years now with a solid state amp (Spectron) and a tube preamp (modified Conrad Johnson PV-12). The tubes are an excellent complement to the rather fo .......
397: Cable Asylum, Re: Audience Cables - Additional References (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-31, 16:59:15 (198.81.26.10)
Following up on my previous post, you might want to check out the following reviews of the Audience interconnects, both of which are very favorable: On the Internet: http://www.stereotimes.com/cables1 .......
398: Cable Asylum, Re: Audience Cables (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-30, 20:55:01 (198.81.26.10)
I have both the Audience Conductor and AU24 digital balanced cables in my system, and find that the Conductor, though not up to the AU24, is very good and is an excellent value. Specifically, I use th .......
399: Hi-Rez Highway, Try the Philips SACD 1000 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-26, 18:10:13 (198.81.26.10)
If you can find a Philips SACD 1000, grab it and then have it modified by one of the very capable techs who specialize in SACD mods. I send mine to Dan Wright and had the ModWright Signature Truth mod .......
400: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Tried the Ultimate Outlet and didn't like it (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-18, 22:18:51 (198.81.26.200)
I've had both a similar and a different experience. First, I had great expectations when I installed the Ultimate Outlet between the wall and my Spectron amp (300wpc), but found that the sound became .......
401: Amp/Preamp Asylum, How to hold down the cost of an Exact Power regenerator (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-18, 09:21:40 (198.81.26.200)
I was able to hold down the cost of the Exact Power regenerator by going with the predecessor to the current model. The current model is the Exact Power 15A, which is rated at 15 amps and, as you poin .......
402: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Power Conditioners: Filters vs. Regenerators (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-16, 13:09:38 (198.81.26.200)
It's interesting your mentioning filters. Before I went with the Exact Power regenerator, I tried a variety of power conditioners based on various filter technologies, both inboard to various componen .......
403: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Conrad Johnson tube preamp is an excellent match (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-15, 10:42:04 (198.81.26.200)
I am using a Spectron Digital One (the predecessor to the Musician II) to feed a pair of of hard-to-drive B&W Nautilus 802's. The analog sound of a top quality tube preamp seems to be very complimenta .......
404: Cable Asylum, Re: Audience AU24 interconnects and speaker cables (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-15, 10:20:46 (198.81.26.200)
Last year I conducted a series of head to head listening tests involving both analog and digital interconnects, and consistently the Audience AU24 did very very well. Overall, they attained a level of .......
405: Digital Drive, Perpetual Technologies SOCS -- Listening Tests (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-12, 10:01:37 (198.81.26.200)
It occurs to me that I am the only contributor to this thread that has ever actually listened to Perpetual's SOCS software and attempted to measure its impact on performance. By way of background, I h .......
406: Digital Drive, Don't pass judgment on P-1A until you've added SOCS (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-10, 22:25:35 (198.81.26.200)
I've had my P-1A/P-3A/Monolithic combo for going on three years and overall have been impressed with the performance improvements beyond the base units available through a variety of upgrades. In my s .......
407: Amp/Preamp Asylum, A better solution -- the Exact Power 1000 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-10, 12:44:07 (198.81.26.200)
I also considered using the PS Audio 600 to drive a 300wpc amp (in my case the Spectron Digital One Class D amp) and ultimately concluded that I needed more horsepower. Since the PS Audio 1200 was far .......
408: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: spectron musician II (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-06, 23:00:24 (198.81.26.200)
The reason you need a pre-amp with the Spectron Class D it to achieve some needed balance. The Spectron is very fast, accurate and muscular. I've found that the best synergy is to match it with a top .......
409: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Spectron Class D digital amp (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-03-04, 09:38:14 (198.81.26.200)
I have been running a highly modified Conrad Johnson PV-12 for the last four years with the Spectron 300wpc Digital One and find the combination to be outstanding. The Spectron is fast, accurate and v .......
410: Digital Drive, Cal Audio Delta transport (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-02-27, 16:34:34 (198.81.26.200)
I have used a Cal Audio Delta transport with my Perpetual P-1A/P-3A combo for the last three years and am very satisfied. The Delta is well constructed, has been error free and has a very accurate tra .......
411: DVD-Audiobahn, Music DVD vs. DVD-Audio (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-02-21, 14:22:58 (198.81.26.200)
Until today I never heard the term "Music DVD". What's the difference between a Music DVD disc and a DVD-Audio disc? How do the compare in sound quality? Thanks. Pete Watt .......
412: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: CJ PV2a mods... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-02-18, 08:48:51 (198.81.21.53)
I suggest you contact Roger Sheker at Audience-av. In addition to manufacturing first class cable and interconnects, Audience does a considerable business in custom audio mods. Roger extensively modif .......
413: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: amplifier for B&W N803 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-02-17, 09:05:52 (198.81.18.189)
For the last four years I have been driving my B & W N802's with the Spectron Digital One Class D amp and have been very pleased with the result. The Spectron Digital One is rated a 300wpc and has mor .......
414: Digital Drive, Re: Attention Perpetual Technologies Users! (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-02-01, 23:50:47 (198.81.18.161)
In a recent listening test, I concluded that the new I2S digital interconnect from Dan Wright was far superior to the Audio Magic Reference and was very close in overall performance to my current refe .......
415: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Muscian II break in time? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-30, 17:36:23 (198.81.26.200)
I have been running my Digital One for 4 years now and have found that it does not function well with any kind of power conditioner that is based on filter technology. I have tried the PS Audio Ultima .......
416: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Muscian II break in time? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-29, 22:13:37 (198.81.26.200)
I have owned the Spectron Digital One for four years, and although it is less muscular (300wpc vs. 500wpc) than the Musician II, it is build on the same Class D architecture. First of all, I found tha .......
417: Cable Asylum, Yes, the Audio Magic Mystic I2S was the Reference version (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-14, 10:28:47 (198.81.26.200)
Since I do not use I2S Direct on my P-3A, all digital interconnect options are in play, and at various times I have tested all types. In the past, balanced always seemed to work out better in my syste .......
418: Cable Asylum, REVIEW: ModWright I2S Cable (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-13, 12:00:30 (198.81.26.232)
Model: I2S Category: Cable Suggested Retail Price: $99.00 Description: I2S Digital Interconnect Manufacturer URL: ModWright Manufacturer URL: ModWright Review by Pete Watt ( A ) .......
419: Hi-Rez Highway, Quality mod to the 9000ES (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-10, 14:28:51 (198.81.26.200)
I have additioned a quality mod to the Sony 9000ES sold as a standard offering by Audience-av here in San Diego. Audience upgrades a substantial number of parts and completely rebuilds the analog outp .......
420: Digital Drive, Check out the Philips SACD 1000 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-07, 10:26:03 (198.81.26.200)
I have found that the SACD 1000 off-the-shelf does an excellent job on redbook CD playback. Adding Dan Wright's Absolute Truth mods will potentially elevate it to near world class (I will be auditioni .......
421: Hi-Rez Highway, Sorry for ambiguous questions - let me restate (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-04, 08:43:30 (198.81.26.200)
I intended my questions to be technical, and not asking for subjective comparisons. Let me restate them: 1) I have been told that the SACD 1000 (and many other hi-rez players) converts PCM data into s .......
422: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD 1000 playback of redbook CD's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-03, 10:11:11 (198.81.26.200)
I have two questions: 1) Does the SACD 1000 playback of redbook CD's differ from that of a regular CD player? 2) How does SACD 1000 redbook playback differ from that of a regular CD player that has up .......
423: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: So... what pre-amp to partner the Spectron Musician II?(NT) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-02, 17:31:52 (198.81.26.200)
I have paired a highly modified Conrad Johnson PV-12 tube preamp with my Spectron Digital One (the predecessor to the Musician II) and the synergy is outstanding. The Spectron is very muscular, accura .......
424: Digital Drive, Re: Perpetual Technologies P3 DAC (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2003-01-01, 11:35:02 (198.81.26.200)
The P-3A is an excellent DAC to start with, and its modular design permits numerous upgrades and improvements. A few that I have implemented are: 1) Replace the "wall wart" power supply that comes wit .......
425: Hi-Rez Highway, 57636222, Tweeter, runs like a jewel (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-30, 11:59:25 (198.81.26.200)
I plan to have this unit modded by Dan Wright. .......
426: General Asylum, There's a better solution if you want to support your amp too (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-29, 10:26:09 (198.81.26.200)
I looked at the PS Audio power plants and concluded that I could not support my 300wpc amp plus preamp and digital sources on anything less than the P1200 due to the capacity required. Unforturnately, .......
427: Amp/Preamp Asylum, The Stereotimes review is right on target (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-28, 11:09:47 (198.81.26.200)
I have been running a Spectron Digital One Class D amp in my system for the past four years and have have become totally addicted to the extradinary level of performance it delivers. The Digital One i .......
428: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: What are the easy to do mods? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-27, 07:41:45 (198.81.26.200)
You are absolutely right. At this very low entry price, the SACD 1000 has some outstanding componentry and solid build quality. Given its above average performance as it, the SACD 1000 is an outstandi .......
429: Hi-Rez Highway, Additional contact info re modifiers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-25, 13:02:48 (198.81.26.200)
In addition to the web addresses Ron provided, here are some of their phone numbers. I found it very informative to talk directly with each modifiers, as they are each very knowledgeable professionals .......
430: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: So, is there a SACD player that has the detail of the 999ES and the euphonic sound of the SACD10 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-24, 10:00:05 (198.81.26.200)
The premise behind your question is in my opinion right on target i.e. the SACD1000 and the 999ES are both excellent players, both have some outstanding characteristics and their strengths are for the .......
431: General Asylum, Re: I've got two 100W valve Power amps, valve pre amp and valve DAC; no problems with PS P600 [nt] (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-23, 14:18:32 (198.81.26.200)
My concerns regarding system and capacity matching were entirely focused on combining the P-600 and my Spectron 300wpc digital amp, and had nothing to do with my CJ tube (valve) preamp. As I mentioned .......
432: General Asylum, Another alternative to the PS Audio power plant (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-23, 11:50:24 (198.81.26.200)
Interestingly enough, my system also contains a Spectron Class D amp (the Digital One) and tube gear (a highly modified Conrad Johnson PV-12 preamp). Although I had looked at the P-600, I had serious .......
433: Hi-Rez Highway, Thanks to everyone for your feedback and suggestions (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-22, 11:27:47 (198.81.26.200)
As a result of my listening tests and these discussions, I have decided to have Dan Wright modify my SACD 1000. The vanilla unit has so many strengths going for it that, even though it is not now as g .......
434: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: How does SACD compare w/the PT performance? nt (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-21, 23:50:30 (198.81.26.200)
Per my original post, playing redbook CD's, the PT combo was better in some listening categories and less so in others, but overall the Perpetual gear was better than the unmodified SACD 1000. On the .......
435: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Where in your system do you invert absolute polarity? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-21, 08:15:26 (198.81.26.200)
In addition to the polarity switch on the P-1A which I mentioned in my previous post, my Spectron digital amp also runs with inverted polarity (when utilizing RCA inputs from the preamp, which I do). .......
436: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Where in your system do you invert absolute polarity? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-21, 00:39:38 (198.81.26.200)
In my system configured with the Cal Audio Delta transport, I have the option of reversing polarity via a switch setting on the P-1A DSP, but frankly I've never been able to discern any difference bet .......
437: Hi-Rez Highway, LISTENING TEST: SACD 1000 vs. 999ES vs. P-1A/P-3A (reference system) (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-20, 15:57:18 (198.81.26.200)
I have just completed a series of listening tests, comparing the Philips SACD 1000 and the Sony 999ES (both after burn-in)to my reference digital sources from Perpetual Technologies. Specifically, I h .......
438: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: Harry Pearson in The Absolute Sound reviewed it. <nt> (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-18, 09:44:13 (198.81.26.200)
Thanks for the reference, but I can't find this review when I search The Absolute Sound website. Can I be imbedded in another review or article and just not show up on a SACD 1000 search? Pete ::: TOP .......
439: Hi-Rez Highway, SACD 1000 -- Technical Specs and Reviews (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-17, 16:24:09 (198.81.26.200)
Does anyone have any Internet links or references to either or both of the following for the SACD 1000: 1) Technical Specifications/Description 2) Professional Reviews (with at least some technical co .......
440: Hi-Rez Highway, Philips SACD 1000 vs. Sony 999ES (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-09, 10:31:57 (198.81.26.200)
Has anyone had the opportunity to hear and directly compare the Philips SACD 1000 and the new Sony 999ES? I'm particularly interested in their relative performance on Redbook CD's. Thanks. Pete ::: TO .......
441: Hi-Rez Highway, Philips SACD 1000 -- Filter Switch Settings (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-12-07, 07:56:11 (198.81.26.200)
I have three questions: 1) What is the advantage of changing filter switch setting from 40 kHz to 50 kHz? 2) Is there any advantage in going from 40 to 50 kHz if you are playing just Redbook CD's? 3) .......
442: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: How does the Sony NS999ES decode Redbook CD's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-11-29, 14:09:19 (198.81.26.200)
Information I just reviewed in the Sony technical manual points out (as you indicated) that the two channel DAC does in fact receive both PCM and DSD data streams. The implication is, however, after t .......
443: Hi-Rez Highway, Re: How does the Sony NS999ES decode Redbook CD's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-11-27, 22:38:39 (198.81.26.200)
Based on the information you provided (which by the way is far more than I've been able to obtain to-date from Sony), I would conclude that, in Redbook mode, the NS999ES simply directs the 16/44.l PCM .......
444: Hi-Rez Highway, How does the Sony NS999ES decode Redbook CD's (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-11-27, 11:28:51 (198.81.26.200)
Does anyone know how the new Sony 999ES decodes a Redbook CD data stream. Does it retain the PCM format and simply upsample to a higher sampling rate? Or does it convert the PCM into a DSD stream(or s .......
445: Cable Asylum, Thanks to audioengr and Jon Risch for your responses (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-11-08, 10:44:04 (209.74.147.152)
I really appreciate your input. The fact that there are multiple technical levers involved in the design of quality cable and that of necessity there must be trade-offs seems intuitively obvious. Para .......
446: Cable Asylum, Technical Question for J. Risch and others re Cable Design (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-11-07, 09:30:34 (209.74.147.146)
Over the last two years, I have auditioned several power cords, analog and digital interconnects, and speaker cables. Using a five-criteria (plus subcategories) rating system, typically a given cable .......
447: Cable Asylum, Re: Do Virtual Dynamics cables color the sound? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-10-30, 17:40:04 (198.81.26.200)
Last spring I auditioned 10 different top of line analog interconnects and rated the Virtual Dynamics Signature a very close second behind the Audio Quest Python. The Signature had excellent base exte .......
448: Digital Drive, Re: Which companies will mod CD players? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-10-30, 17:10:28 (198.81.26.200)
Roger Sheker of Audience-av is one of the top technical minds I have run into in the industry. In addition to being Audience's chief designer, Roger also is in-charge of implementation of all standard .......
449: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician II the best amp below $10K ? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-10-17, 08:43:39 (198.81.26.200)
I own the Spectron Digital One, which is the predicessor to the Musician and have been very satisfied with its performance. The unit is very fast, very accurate and has more than enough muscle to driv .......
450: Digital Drive, Optimizing a P-1A/P-3A configuration (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-10-14, 10:05:01 (152.163.188.5)
One of the great strengths of the P-1A/P-3A combo is the flexibility it offers for dramatic performance improvements through a variety of upgrades and configuration options. I, too, am running the com .......
451: General Asylum, ExactPower 2000's available on audiogon (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-23, 06:37:08 (198.81.16.46)
Since I posted my Review, I noticed that there are three EP 2000 used & demo units (the 2000 watt version of the model I have) for sale on audiogon at very attractive pricing. .......
452: General Asylum, Re: Pete: that is a very interesting review, I have questions... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-21, 18:13:03 (198.81.17.167)
Sorry, Antonio, I have had no direct experience with the Shunyata Hydra or with the Richard Gray Power Company. Frankly, I have not seriously evaluated them due to their high cost. My experience with .......
453: General Asylum, REVIEW: ExactPower EP 1000 Power Conditioner/Surge Protector (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-21, 13:10:27 (198.81.17.174)
Model: EP 1000 Category: Power Conditioner/Surge Protector Suggested Retail Price: $1299 (audiogon price $950) Description: AC Purifier and Voltage Regulator Manufacturer URL: ExactPowe .......
454: Digital Drive, Re: PERPETUAL (P1A/P3) VS MUSICAL FIDELITY A324 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-19, 16:48:11 (198.81.16.187)
The cost of the units I cited was more like $2500 than $3000, but you raise an interesting question from the point of view of systems strategy and trade-offs, i.e. what's better, a single box vs. mult .......
455: Digital Drive, Re: PERPETUAL (P1A/P3) VS MUSICAL FIDELITY A324 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-19, 09:04:40 (198.81.16.48)
In my opinion, you cannot do an accurate comparison until you have heard the Perpetual gear configured as a total system. By that I mean arranging the following components in the optimal configuration .......
456: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Any experience with Spectron? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-12, 15:12:16 (198.81.17.33)
Tom, you mentioned that John and Toni had "upgraded many of the Parts" on you Digital One when you had it in for repair. Can you tell me what these upgrades consisted of and what kind of an impact the .......
457: Cable Asylum, Re: Hey Pete, How bout Cardas? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-09, 17:17:38 (198.81.17.173)
During my listening tests last spring, I did include the Cardas Neutral Reference, which I rated dead last (10th out of 10), but never did audition the Golden Cross. Frankly, I found that in my system .......
458: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: Any experience with Spectron? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-08, 07:54:03 (198.81.18.156)
I have owned a Spectron Digital One (predecessor to the Musician) for three years and think it's an outstanding amp. It's got lots of muscle which I need to drive my demanding B & W Nautilus 802 speak .......
459: Cable Asylum, Re: Another example of being system dependant. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-07, 07:56:58 (198.81.17.36)
I think you are right about the value of synergy in using one manufacture's cable. After installing Audience AU24 analog interconnects between my DAC/preamp and between my preamp/amp, I purchased Audi .......
460: Cable Asylum, Re: Impressions of Audioquest interconnects? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-06, 17:38:37 (198.81.17.184)
Last spring, I auditioned ten analog interconnects with RCA connectors. At that time, the clear winner was the Audio Quest Python. Since that time, I have tested and as a result purchased the Audience .......
461: Digital Drive, Re: P1A/P3A "experiment" with "settings" (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-02, 15:25:57 (198.81.26.200)
I too have done some experimenting with P-1A/P-3A settings have arrived at the following conclusions: First, upgrading the Perpetual gear is a must, before getting around to changing the settings. Lik .......
462: Amp/Preamp Asylum, Re: tube pre-amp (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-09-02, 08:39:45 (198.81.26.200)
I have been extremely pleased with my Conrad Johnson PV-12 tube preamp, especially with old/new Mullard military spec tubes. Recently, I had several major mods put into the unit by Roger Sheker of Aud .......
463: Cable Asylum, Re: Recommendations of Digital cables please (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-31, 22:57:01 (198.81.26.200)
Try the Audience-av AU24 balanced digital interconnect. I recently auditioned twelve digital interconnects and the AU24 was the clear going away winner. Checkout the review in August Stereophile. ::: .......
464: General Asylum, Converting single-ended to balanced output from Conrad Johnson preamp (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-30, 17:24:55 (198.81.26.200)
I am currently running a Conrad Johnson PV-12 tube preamp (highly modified)which only has singled-ended outputs. My Spectron Class D amp has both single-ended and balanced inputs, and I have been told .......
465: Cable Asylum, Re: State of the Art Digital Cable Recommendations (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-29, 17:20:44 (198.81.26.200)
After submitting my post dated 8/24 recommending the Audience-av AU24 balanced digital interconnect, I ran across the following reference. TNT-Audio is in the process of conducting a shoot out involvi .......
466: Cable Asylum, Re: State of the Art Digital Cable Recommendations (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-25, 14:52:29 (198.81.17.29)
I recently auditioned twelve balanced digital interconnects and found the best to be the Audience-av AU24 Balanced Digital Interconnect. Unbelieveable naturalness, base extension and detail in a relat .......
467: Digital Drive, Re: thanks again (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-23, 23:09:06 (198.81.17.33)
Perpetual is about to release the production version of speaker correction, so I doubt that they are doing any more pre-releases (mine was part of a beta-test program). The production software upgrade .......
468: Digital Drive, Re: Thanks (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-23, 10:16:19 (198.81.16.164)
The room correction software is not yet available from Perpetual. I have, however, upgraded the P-1A by adding a pre-release version of their speaker correction software. It is available in support of .......
469: Digital Drive, Re: Cal Sigma II. No website. Can it be used with Perpetual Tech P-1A? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-22, 21:51:59 (198.81.17.57)
I owned a Cal Sigma II upgraded to 24/96, and initially ran it in conjunction with a Genesis Digital Lens which added dither to change the original 16/44.l into 20/44.l. Later I replaced the Genesis w .......
470: General Asylum, Re: San Diego Dealers with wide selections of low price gears (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-20, 09:17:33 (198.81.17.156)
Among the most knowledgeable and technically competent audio experts in the San Diege area, I recommend Roger Sheker and Richard Smith at Audience-av. This is slightly off the subject, since Audience- .......
471: General Asylum, Re: Amp suggestions for B&W N803s (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-19, 10:59:16 (198.81.16.46)
I own a pair of Nautilus 802's which are even more power hungry than the 803's. I found that the power and quickness of the Spectron Digital One Class D amp (300wpc) is a excellent match for the B&W's .......
472: General Asylum, Balanced Power Technologies BP-Jr. Model 2 (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-16, 07:30:05 (198.81.16.177)
Does anyone have any hands-on experience with the BP-Jr. Model 2? In particular, how how does it effect your digital sources and your preamp? Given its 300W max, what are you doing (if anything) in th .......
473: Digital Drive, Re: anyone using the EVS M2 DAC w/ P-1A? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-13, 08:33:41 (198.81.16.184)
I have been running my P-1A for over two years and overall am very pleased with the result. In particular, I have a pre-release version of the SOCS and must say that it has made a greater difference s .......
474: General Asylum, Re: Spectron Musician II vs. 47 Labs Gaincard (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-12, 17:27:47 (198.81.17.189)
I have not heard the Gaincard, but have owned the Spectron Digital One (predecessor to the Musician II) and am very pleased with its performance. As with many of the previous posts, I find the Spectro .......
475: General Asylum, Re: C-J preamp upgrade? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-11, 00:19:02 (198.81.17.158)
I own a CJ PV-12 preamp with both line and phono stage. Rather than upgrade to the much more expensive Premier 17, I recently had some major mods made to the PV-12 and the results are outstanding! The .......
476: Cable Asylum, Re: HT Pro-Silway vs. Neutral Reference (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-06, 10:17:23 (198.81.17.154)
This spring I auditioned 10 analog interconnects. I ranked Pro-Silway second and Neutral Reference tenth. The HT Pro-Silway continues to be excellent cable at a reasonable price. .......
477: Digital Drive, PS Audio vs. other (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-05, 13:20:14 (198.81.17.166)
My objective in arriving at a overall power conditioning solution is to obtain the following: constant regulated power with a minimum of harmonic distortion (and other sources of noise)to include all .......
478: Digital Drive, Happy Perpetual User (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-04, 10:39:53 (198.81.17.163)
I have been using the Perpetual P-1A and P-3A combo for over two years and am very happy with both the quality of their products and the overall architecture. Specifically, I have over 3000 16/44.l CD .......
479: Cable Asylum, Re: >>ANYONE KNOW THIS BRAND OF THE CABLE<< ????? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-08-01, 17:25:49 (198.81.17.39)
Earlier this year I auditioned nine digital interconnects including the Canare Digiflex Gold. My listening notes indicated that it produced very good mid-range realism and very good detail, presented .......
480: General Asylum, Jon L, or anyone with experience with Ferroresonant transformers (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-27, 10:31:24 (198.81.17.44)
I'm considering buying a ferroresonant transformer and would be interested in feedback from anyone who has actually installed or auditioned one. I had been considering a power regenerator such as the .......
481: Power Forum, Paul, one last question -- P300 vs. Ferroresonant transformer (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-25, 21:59:37 (198.81.17.153)
Based on your previous inputs, I'm pretty well convinced that functionally a power regenerator such as the P300 is much superior to both isolation transformers and/or some combination of power conditi .......
482: Power Forum, Paul, one last question (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-25, 14:34:35 (198.81.16.31)
Based on your previous inputs, I'm pretty well convinced that functionally a power regenerator such as the P300 is much superior to both isolation transformers and/or some combinations of power distri .......
483: Power Forum, Outstanding summary (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-20, 08:48:48 (198.81.16.41)
I asked for a tutorial and what you provided is really an excellent (and I believe objective) survey of what are often presented as a confusing set of options and combinations. It sounds like the best .......
484: Power Forum, Thanks, Paul (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-19, 16:43:38 (198.81.17.23)
I really appreciate your thorough and I think balanced summary of the pros and cons. The only area I'm still confused on has to do with item #3, Line Conditioners. I may be using the wrong terminology .......
485: Power Forum, Paul, need a quick tutorial re power regenerators, isolation transformers, line conditioners (EMI fi (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-19, 10:28:09 (198.81.16.162)
I have been considering buying a power regenerator (your P300) for my digital sources, but quite frankly am getting very contradictory advice from knowledgeable dealers. Following is a sample of the r .......
486: General Asylum, TDS 202 passive sound enhancer (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-13, 17:18:14 (198.81.17.152)
Does anyone have any experience with the TDS 202 passive sound enhancer? On their home page, TDS states that the TDS202 is designed to provide "the feeling of improved detail, resolution, proximity an .......
487: General Asylum, Re: who has an amp plugged into a high current ps audio UO (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-12, 08:54:33 (198.81.16.178)
I recently audition a 15A high current PS Audio UO dedicated to my Spectron Digital One Class D amp and found the results very disappointing. The sound was more closed-in and restricted across all lis .......
488: Digital Drive, Re: The better P3A Upgrade?? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-07, 08:00:28 (198.81.17.31)
Both are important and both make a significant improvements in sound. If I had to choose just one (or which one to do first), I would pick modwright II, since the upgraded analog outputs make a major .......
489: Digital Drive, Re: tried powerchords all month (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-05, 22:45:27 (198.81.16.152)
You missed Harmonic Technology Fantasy and Audience Power Cord. Both are outstanding. .......
490: Cable Asylum, Re: Power cables for Conrad Johnson?? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-07-04, 09:29:51 (198.81.17.154)
I had my CJ PV-12 tube pre-amp modified to generally upgrade its internal components and wiring, and in the process I had the permanent power cord replace with an IEC outlet. This allows me to use any .......
491: Digital Drive, Cirrus Logic 192k replacement for CS8420 chip (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-25, 09:02:34 (198.81.16.32)
Does anyone have any reliable information on the status of Cirrus Logic's long delayed 192k replacement chip for their CS8420? I haven't seen much more than rumors in the audio magazines and web sites .......
492: Digital Drive, Re: P-1A/P-3A upgraded for SOCS (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-24, 22:48:26 (198.81.17.162)
I'm running SOCS in support of m B & W Nautilus 802's. Of the nine options Perpetual offers, what seems to work best in my system are: Curve #1 (normal phase and frequency correction), Curve #4 (which .......
493: Digital Drive, P-1A/P-3A upgraded for SOCS (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-23, 21:25:02 (198.81.16.44)
Don't trade in your Perpetual gear until you've added their speaker correction software (SOCS). I have had my P-1A/P-3A for two years and have installed the same upgrades you mention. However, of all .......
494: Music Lane, Re: Any Symphony to Try Along These Lines? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-20, 09:54:41 (198.81.16.49)
I second the recommendations of John Coombs, and since you have started with Baroque composers, would add the Symphonies of Boccherini. The are multiple CD's available from Shepperd and from Goritzki .......
495: Cable Asylum, I agree. (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-20, 09:19:27 (198.81.16.49)
Having tested both the Pro-Silway II and the MagicLink One, I agree the MagicLink is definitely a step up (and I had rated the Pro-Silway second in its price range). The MagicLing price/performance is .......
496: General Asylum, Re: Louis Armstrong Hot Fives, Hot Sevens... (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-19, 17:36:43 (205.188.200.193)
Try "Louis Amstrong - the Complete Town Hall Concert 17 May 1947" on RCA 66541 (two CD's). Much better sonics that the Hot Five and Hot Seven sides recorded in the 1920's, some selections from the ear .......
497: Digital Drive, Re: socs (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-18, 16:41:41 (198.81.16.152)
For the past year I have been running a pre-release version of the SOCS code, which was loaded on my P-1A by Perpetual. I am using SOCS in support of my B & W Nautilus 802 speakers, which have been su .......
498: Digital Drive, Re: 192k upsampling (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-17, 10:11:45 (198.81.26.76)
Gordon, thanks for you input. I'm not familiar with AD1896. Could you give more detail -- who makes it, is it compatible with the CS 8420, what does it upsample to, etc.? Thanks again. Pete ::: TOPIC: .......
499: Digital Drive, Re: What digital interface? (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-16, 07:30:23 (198.81.26.76)
I'm using a Cal Audio Delta cd transport, connected to the Perpetual P-1A DSP via balanced digital interconnect. The P-1A in turn is connected to the Perpetual P-3A DAC via balanced digital interconne .......
500: Digital Drive, Re: 192k upsampling (0.00)
Posted by Pete Watt on 2002-06-15, 17:01:26 (198.81.26.76)
Thanks for your input re the dcs Purcell. I'd be interested in knowing how dcs implements their upsampling. I know that Perpetual has propietary software for 192 upsampling, and I'm guessing that this .......
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