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In Reply to: So the Mighty Zanden falls posted by Jon L on November 10, 2006 at 08:56:43:
Did you happen to read about the technical measurements that John A. made in the last issue of Sterophile? Appalling for a DAC this expensive IMO.
Follow Ups:
As discussed in the Manufacturer's Comments accompanying the Zanden review, Atkinson's measurements were skewed by a wiring fault in a polarity switch of the review sample that induced problems in the analog filter. The listening test portion of the review went smoothly, as during audition the polarity switch was put in the opposing (benign) position. I don't know which is worse: Zanden's quality control, Stereophile's confusion, or the possibility that some unwitting customer might spend $40K and never uncover the problem. Have you noticed how much better a magazine The Absolute Sound has become in the last year?
I dropped my subscription to TAS. I still get Stereophile. The TAS guys rub me the wrong way, particularly when it comes to advertising and getting reviews in their rag... You advertise first, and then you get the review if you know what I mean...Stereophile on the other hand did a positive review of my cables last year an I've never advertised in their rag and they never asked.
Your opinion as a manufacturer is interesting. As a general reader though, I am impressed by TAS's fresh format & expanded coverage (particularly it's long, sophisticated music review section, contrasting with Stereophile's sad retrenchment in this area). In general Stereophile has shrunk down visibly in ill health, as the TAS (and its sister publication The Perfect Vision) have expanded.However, the opinions of TAS reviewers have always veered toward purple, drunk descriptions of exalted SOTA sonics that, if taken without a big grain of salt, may lead one to doubt one's own ears. In the current issue, for example, the Kuzma vs. Walker hi-end shoot-out will disappoint the Kuzma owner by making him feel like he just spend $28K on the second-best lay in the world.
but I don't buy that a wiring error on the polarity switch caused those horrific numbers.
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Ozzie, doubtless there will be a follow-up measurement of a new review sample. Yamada-san's brother generously helped me design a nice analog filter for my modded SCD-1, so I'm rooting for Zanden for now. But at these prices it is tempting to suspect that the gods have feet of clay.
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