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Digital Drive: REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory by robertopisa Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it. |
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82.57.141.129
Model: Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Category: Accessory Suggested Retail Price: unknown Description: System Enhancement Disc Manufacturer URL: Ayre Acoustics Model Picture: View
Review by robertopisa on January 16, 2010 at 23:51:25
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for the Irrational, But Efficacious! CD
I'm a computer scientist, and my job is to be skeptic and try to explain, prove, and experiment. I was indeed very skeptic on the fact that a sequence of bits may change the sound of the hi-end rigs. It does...
It's over an year that I have been using the Ayre and the IsoTek CDs. I have experimented on the following settings:You may like the resulting sound or not, but I have no doubt at this point that the sound changes. (I'm not connected to the CD companies.) I'm getting crazy since I cannot find an explanation (I'm not an EE). Before getting into the review, I want to talk of the implications.
- Quad 99cdp2, Quad 99pre, Quad 909amp, Zingali Overture speakers
- Marantz cdp SA11-S2, Marantz pre SC11-S1, Marantz amp SM11-S1, Zingali Overture speakers
- Marantz cdp SA11-S2, Marantz pre SC11-S1, Marantz amp SM11-S1, Kef 104/2 speakers
- Marantz cdp SA11-S2, Marantz pre SC11-S1, ATC SCM 50ASL active speakers
- Chinese USB valve amp with high quality NOS tubes (Telefunken, Sylvania), Grado SR225 headphone
Let me pose a question: if a sequence of bits can thus change the sound of your system and you listen twice the same track, are you listening exactly the same sound at this point? Is AB comparison still useful? I think so as first impression, but I also need to listen over long periods (days). Surely, using one of the two CDs before a listening session can help to level the initial setting.
Let's switch to the review. Each of the CDs has several tracks, but I found useful only one or two tracks each:Do you think your sound has become a bit dull and the soundstage is less open-air than usual? Run track #7 in the Ayre CD.
- Ayre: the seven track (5' full glide tone) is the one I'm running with some regularity.
- IsoTek: the second track (30' complex signals) can be run when you change configuration in your system, and the third track (5' rejuvenation) is the one I'm running with some regularity.
Instead, is today your sound a bit thin and bodyless, on the bright side? Run track #3 in the IsoTek CD.
This is it. I'm running the above tracks when I need them, so my regularity is not scheduled in advance. I know that this is a succint review, but these are the effects that I consistently noticed over an year. I could not find a useful application of the other tracks in my situation.
Product Weakness: You may like it or not. Product Strengths: It actually changes the sound.
Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Marantz SM11-S1, Quad 909amp Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Marantz SC11-S1, Quad 99pre Sources (CDP/Turntable): Marantz Sa11-S2, Quad 99cdp2 Speakers: ATC SCM50AL, Zingali Overture 2 Cables/Interconnects: custom cables Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Pop, Rock, Folk, Jaszz Room Size (LxWxH): 4m x 3.9m x 2,8m Room Comments/Treatments: Cathedral sound panels on the top corners, GIK Monster Bass trap on the back, carpet, curtains Time Period/Length of Audition: Over a year Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory - robertopisa 23:51:25 01/16/10 ( 17)
- RE: (strong)REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory(/strong) - Beetlemania 20:27:02 01/24/10 ( 0)
RE: (strong)REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory(/strong) - Brody 07:51:33 01/23/10 ( 0)
RE: (strong)REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory(/strong) - fmak 07:09:16 01/18/10 ( 1)
- RE: (strong)REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory(/strong) - robertopisa 19:18:10 01/18/10 ( 0)
RE: (strong)REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory(/strong) - Wasatch 07:05:00 01/18/10 ( 0)
What is it that you are reviewing, a CD? - DBB 19:04:53 01/17/10 ( 9)
- RE: What is it that you are reviewing, a CD? - rg 21:04:02 01/17/10 ( 8)
- RE: What is it that you are reviewing, a CD? - Ryelands 08:18:29 01/4/12 ( 1)
- RE: What is it that you are reviewing, a CD? - Bromo33333 15:17:46 01/6/12 ( 0)
- I know, I know... - Charles Hansen 22:31:59 01/17/10 ( 5)
- Now some acoustical test data on the IBE disk - spkrdr67 16:36:25 01/3/12 ( 1)
- RE: Now some acoustical test data on the IBE disk - Bromo33333 07:31:58 01/4/12 ( 0)
- RE: I know, I know... - TBone 10:55:49 01/19/10 ( 0)
RE: I know, I know... - jbcortes 06:47:00 01/18/10 ( 1)
- RE: I know, I know... - Charles Hansen 22:16:38 01/21/10 ( 0)
track 1 and/or 7 is part of my prelistening ritual nt - Jake 07:39:53 01/17/10 ( 0)
RE: REVIEW: Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious! CD Accessory - robertopisa 00:00:37 01/17/10 ( 0)