Tweakers' Asylum: REVIEW: KAB KAB - Great Sound Escorts: CD Re-imager Other by rulisg

Model:	KAB - Great Sound Escorts: CD Re-imager
Category:	Other
Suggested Retail Price:	$70
Description:	CD player analog add-on device
Manufacturer URL:	KAB
Manufacturer URL:	KAB

Review by rulisg ( A ) on May 28, 2002 at 10:55:10
IP Address: 196.40.47.203

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for the KAB - Great Sound Escorts: CD Re-imager

Recently I got curious about the black box add-on devices addressed to improve the sound from a digital front end. After reading some of the reviews/comments in the Asylum regarding the Taddeo Digital Antidote (the latest passive version), I was wondering about the effect that such kind of devices could give to my system.
While searching through the web I finally got to the Elusivedisc, specifically into the KAB Great Sound Escorts info page and realized that this item had an interesting approach in order to get CD sound improved.
The price was a mere $70 so I decided to try and put it into my system. (you could get some additional info from www.kabusa.com, in the sound accesory tab, technical info is very limited though)
Its size is compact and heavy, very well terminated and built like a tank.
The KAB Great Sound Escorts: CD Re-imager is claimed to improve the CD sound to LP (read vinyl) sound specs. The experience has been nice in the beginning and lately increased to stunning, as it got propperly burned.
In the side of the obvious sound improvements are: all the string variety from the orchestra and solo interpretations, presence of the whole tunes from the piano and rightness in human voice; overall it shows an easeness that could become addictive.
It absorbs any kind of harshness or edginess typically present in digital, providing instead a more rounded end to detail. It adds body to the whole sound gama and is very vinyl-like presented, without all the pops and hisses inherently showed in real world.
At the beginning, the sound could be perceived as a kind of rolled down detail. Nevertheless, once it succesfully passes this first round and gets propperly burn-in, it becomes very natural sounding and completely free from fatigue. Lately it impresses a very addictive characteristic to the sound and as a result you could turn up the volume knob well up from the original position without the Re-imager and not urging at all to turn it down. (sorry about the neighbors)
As this is a device not supported by huge amounts of marketing and the price is more than affordable, anyone could try it and I seriously encourage to do so. I think this device could solve a good deal of expectations before a replacement of any digital component is needed in a system.
I urge vinyl lovers to try it, more than one surprise could arise from it.
So enjoy life, sound and music!

Product Weakness: A rolled down sound of detail can be perceived at the beginning, could be temptated to put it out from system before propperly burn-in is ahieved.
Product Strengths: General sound naturalness and easeness with a full boby presentation.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Marantz SM 6100 SA - 50 watt / 8 ohms
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Yamaha DSP-E492
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Pioneer DV-626D DVD-Player; Monarchy Audio DIP 24/96; North Star Desing M-192 24/192 upsampler DAC
Speakers:	Klipsch RP-3
Cables/Interconnects:	Various analog; JM75 RCA digital
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Monarchy Audio AC-1 in critical components
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	A rolled down sound of detail can be perceived at the beginning, could be temptated to put it out from system before propperly burn-in is ahieved.
Product Strengths:	General sound naturalness and easeness with a full boby presentation.