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Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it. |
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Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it. |
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In Reply to: I have no need for video...this is 2-channel only posted by DevilDawgMom on March 5, 2007 at 20:17:44:
Esoteric's SA-60 is supposed to be the DV-60 without video. But I and those I know have not seen or heard the SA-60.You can turn off the DV-60's HDMI output. This supposedly results in better sound, but at least with the gear I have, I don't hear much, if any, difference. I consider this a non-issue.
I have no use for the surround channels. So all of the listening that's important to me revolves around the DV-60's two-channel audio. And it's quite good, though not to everyone's taste. My friends and I A/B'd it against several CD players, and the two viable alternates (assuming you don't need video) are the EAR Acute and Simaudio Supernova. The Acute is a polarizing device. Some people love its organic (for digital, that is) way of bringing out instrumental textures, others hate it for its lack of snap, and razor focus. I thought it was a wonderful match for the more forward-balanced Simaudio I-7, for example. It was too much of the same with the layered-soundstaging of the BAT VK-300x SE.
The Supernova is in play ONLY if you get a proper RC-5 remote for it. It comes with a preamp remote, the same as on my P-8. If you want your dance tracks to sound KILLER, but without that ubiquitous warmed-up midrange, rolled-off highs, and pumped up midbass, the Supernova does so naturally.
Take, for example, Starpoint's "Object Of My Desire." Through th Supernova, chances are, it'll sound as if the song were made in 2007. The sonics are simply awesome. But through the Acute, it's as if you are transported to 1984 or so, and you can smell the old school vibe. If you draw a scale from -5 to +5, and artificially stick the Acute at -5, and the Supernova at +5, I'd put the DV-60 at +1.5 or +2.0.
If you ask me, my honest opinion is that, on sonic grounds, these three, while not sounding alike, all belong to the same general class. Alas, sound isn't everything. If the unit doesn't work properly for you, then sound doesn't matter. Does lack of shuffle play preclude the DV-60? Does the Acute's small display eliminate it from your contention? Does the Supernova's slower "fast search" drive you nuts? Only you can answer these questions. Now that I have clued you into these anomalies, it is up to the prospective buyer to check them out.
I have one friend who ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE a large, legible display. For her, the only real choice was the Supernova. Having seen the big letters and numbers, the husband then needed no kicks in the nads to be convinced of the display's usefulness. Another friend never even looks at the display, so this is a non-factor. He likes closing his eyes, and swaying to the music, so the Acute is his Lite Rock Queen. Me? The DV-60 is versatile, quiet, looks classy without being pompous, and loads fast enough. If I outgrow it (or my wife banishes it, due to lack of shuffle play), it will kick ass at my parents' place. Either that, or my infant son will use it to watch DVDs. Still yet, I have a colleague who adamantly states that "all of these are overpriced pieces of junk," defaults to the EE Minimax CD, and by and large sticks to vinyl.
I will be re-visiting the Acute in about a month. I will have the opportunity to do some tube-rolling. I'll most likely report about that on my blog.
For now, my audio priority is to find a worthy turntable/arm for the Koetsu Jade Platinum my friend recently brought back from Japan. It's obvious that my Basis 1400 Sig/RB900 is the limiting factor. I'll get back to CD players later. Sorry. In the mean time, the Esoteric DV-60 is a well-rounded player, and, FWIW, made me completely forget about the Cary CD 303/300, Meridian G08, Naim CDX2/XPS2 I/we used to have here, at the office, and in the studio.
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Follow Ups
- For $1000 Less, Has Anyone Tried The SA-60? - Luminator 21:56:25 03/05/07 (0)
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