|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
50.183.218.111
I didn't want to hijack the other Grace thread below so here's a new one. I was hoping some inmates would chime in or point me to comparative reviews.
Both the Opp HA-1 and Grace M920 offer similar functionality. The Oppo is $1200. The Grace is $1900.
While I use my Oppo HA-1 headphone amp every now and then, I use it mostly as a DAC into my main audio setup consisting of the Ayre AX-7e integrated amp driving my Tannoy speakers.
The Oppo is transparent, extended, detailed, and sounds excellent to me and would be an ideal solution for many systems. However, I tend to prefer a slight bit of warmth, richness, and robustness. The Oppo (to my ears) sounds more 'neutral'.
I was considering the new Burson Conductor Virtuoso or possibly the Grace M920. I'm in no hurry. While I am very pleased with the Oppo HA-1 and plan to keep it for a while, it would be even better for me if I found similar functionality in a headphone amp / DAC with a bit more warmth.
By similar functionality, I want a remote control, or ability to pair with the Apple Remote, or other brand. It must have remote input selection and variable output with remote volume control.... and sound great! Thanks.
Follow Ups:
I had the HA-1, the Parasound P-5, and the M920 here all at the same time. I wanted to see if I could get as low of a priced unit as possible while still staying satisfied with the sound. Two songs was all it took. The M920 is a keeper. I did play around for quite a while with each of them though. I thought the resolution of the M920 was quite a bit better than the other two. The Grace Design folks seem to have really nailed it with just the right amount of reverberation and tone that makes the notes decay just right. It's one of those things that makes you want to hear more and more of it. I also took the M-920 to a McIntosh dealer and compared it to their d-150. I liked the sound of the M920 better. The McIntosh dealer felt the d-150 was a little more dynamic but even he conceded that "a guy would do very well with either of these units." He also said "one of the units is just a tiny bit brighter which some people might call better resolution" meaning the M920 as brighter. So I took that to be a veiled compliment.
On the Grace website they sell a factory re-furbished unit for 1795.00, no tax, no shipping charge. I called first to ask what refurbished meant to them and they said they were most likely show units and none were sold that way because of former electronic issues. So that's what I bought and have no regrets whatsoever.
My equipment that I use most often is the Grace Design M920, a Wyred4sound modified Sonos Connect with Deezer Elite, two Parasound A-23 amps bi-wired into Apogee Caliper Signature speakers. I picked up an Oppo 105d yesterday but haven't had much of a chance to play around with it yet.
As a side note, the Wyred4sound modified Sonos is a huge improvement in sound.
Looking at The Parasound DAC Zdac v.2 at about $600.
Seems to have everything I need. Based on your evaluation of the Prasound preamp which likely is similar in DAC and headphone amp, do you think it be good enough to take advantage and even justify the Wired4Sound Upgrade of the SONOS Connect?
The Grace is well over $1000 more but still, if it's in the ballpark...
Thanks.
Being loaded with as many features as it has I was hoping that it would be the one I liked best. However the M920 just sounded better to me. I didn't compare the sound of the HA-1 to the Parasound P-5 but I wish I would have just out of curiosity. I think that would have been a tougher call than either compared to the M920. I like Parasound equipment and most likely will end up buying a third A-23.
As to the Wyred4sound upgrade sounding good with the Parasound, I would have to say that I think the W4S upgrade would probably improve the sound with any dac you used. It's always a bit of a pain to return equipment for me although it has to be done to get the right stuff. I finally narrowed it down to 4 units and just returned the ones I needed to. That being said, if it were me I wouldn't hesitate to get the Wyred4sound upgrade no matter what I was using.
Have known and liked the Parasound folks since the Bob Crump days and would like to figure out a way to have some of their gear in the place.
Assuming the Zdac V.2 is the same basic circuit as DAC/Preamp that you tried, I might be tempted to give it a shot.
Especially as the M902 seems to have held both its value as well as its popularity after a number of years.
Lee I appreciate the detailed post but I didn't see your direct comparison of the HA-1 vs the M920. Can you elaborate here?
Also, John Elison who posted in this thread might be interested in your M920 comparison to the Oppo BD-105D once have some time on it.
Thanks!
Abe,
Like I was saying, the big thing was resolution. I had the M-920 about a week before the HA-1 and was really enjoying it. When I first plugged the HA-1 in and listened my first reaction was "oh boy this is going to be tough." It sounded good. I could tell the difference right away though when I singled out instruments and switched back and forth between the units. This held true for pianos, violins, horns. Well pretty much across the board. The notes seem exactly right with the M-920. The HA-1 sounded like it was holding something back to me. The M-920 doesn't seem colored with any effect, doesn't seem to hold back, and isn't bloated in one or another frequency range.
Another area the M-920 stood out was with voices. My ears may not be the best as I've always had trouble hearing the exact words when a song is being sung. The words seem clear as a bell with the M920. This is what I mean when I say resolving. It was interesting when my wife heard the M-920 for the first time. Her first comment was "the words seem so clear."
I'm not sure how other people compare equipment but I generally listen to piano music first, then string instruments, then voices. After that I separate the frequencies and decide what sounds best in highs, mids, and lows. I'm no reviewer but it works for me. I don't listen with headphones so I didn't compare the two that way. I needed a preamp with a volume control.
I had exchanged one email with Michael Grace and then 4 or 5 with Doug Wood at Grace Design. They were really easy to deal with and I can't imagine them giving you any hassle whatsoever if you tried the M920 and decided to send it back before the 30 day trial was up. I'd be willing to bet that you'd find it a keeper.
I bought the Oppo 105d mainly to use as a transport for now and down the road move it in to a theater.
Thanks Lee. The M920 is one that I would love to try someday, possibly later this summer.
Do you know anyone with an OPPO BDP-105D? I have been playing one for more than a year and I consider it to be on the warm side of neutral. My impression is that it might have been "voiced" to sound like a "tube" component, but that's just a guess. I know it's not accurate or completely neutral because it softens the sound my vinyl recordings so they no longer sound identical to vinyl. I don't particularly care for that warmth when playing my own digital recordings of vinyl, but the warmth seems to improve the sound of commercial digital recordings like CDs and SACDs. If you have access to an OPPO BDP-105D, you might want to bring your headphones and check it out. I'd be curious to know whether you feel it sounds warm compared to your OPPO HA-1. I'm looking for a DAC that is more neutral and transparent then my BDP-105D.
Best regards,
John Elison
Maybe we should swap your BD-105D for my HA-1 for a couple weeks! I'm willing. ;-)
Although that is a good idea, I'm not willing to ship my BDP-105D. I'd probably take you up on the offer if we lived within driving distance of each other. ;-)
I understand. The BD-105D is larger, heavier, and with electro-mechanical components inside it stands a better chance of shipping damage than a basic DAC.
I'd be sure to get them back to you soon, honest! =:-0
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: