sonosphere
Well-Known Member
Background: Refer link here >> http://www.hifivision.com/reviews/2...ons-various-gear-combinations.html#post310038
For previous demo see here >> http://www.hifivision.com/reviews/2...r-st-soundcard-topping-20-amp.html#post317974
Subsequent to previous demo involving light-weight boxing champ, the TP-20, the next demo suddenly jumped to Big bullies... the Electrocompaniet pre-power amp combination comprising of EC 4.7 preamp, and AW120 poweramp (both from Mubeen). They were ably teamed with Yamaha S2000 SACD player (...courtesy AV Xellence guys who sacrificed their Sunday to make ours great) and Usher V-601. The pre, pro and CDP each cost approx 2 lac, and the Usher V-601 (mine) at a "meagre" 35k approx, seemed like odd one out, price-wise (2010~prices quoted). So did the overall performance turn out to be underwhelming due to "meagre" link in the chain? We'll let the Observation-report do the talking
Songs played:
See the song-list in the Observation-report.
The two "common songs" played in all demo's were >> Hotel California by Eagles... This soft-rock classic needs no introduction and "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff... is another classic, er. western classical. This was choosen as it is a really dense and highly dynamic combination of choir, string sections, steel drums... you name it. (A combo that can play it with all details but without strain on your ears, gets entry to HiFi club).
The two "uncommon songs" were >> "Behte Behte" by Nusrat Fateh ali khan, an ethnic-electronic fusion track having crisp percussion. The fast and tight percussion of this track served as good test of woofer and tweeter integration. Second song was "Water of Love" by Dire Straits, having a sparse soft-rock arrangement of well recorded drum kit, bass, rhythm and lead guitar, vocals and chorus.
Demo# 04 in progress
Demo# 04 amps closeup
Electrocmpaniet Preamp EC 4.7 & Poweramp AW120
Demo# 04 CDP closeup
Yamaha S2000 SACD player
Observation report
For those new to above Observation-summary...
- Explanation of criterias used in audition, is given in Observation feedback form here >> https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0...EyOTItYWFiY2ZiNTZlYTRi&hl=en&authkey=CI2L5P8H
- Since all the observation feedback forms were submitted as anonymous, the actual HFV IDs were substituted with Sample ID from "A" "B" "C" onwards .
- The "1" numeral you see in the form indicates the tickmark that was made under that criteria. So all tickmarks get added at the bottom to compare which criteria got max tickmarks
Observation-Conclusion:
The majority-opinion about this combo was embellished with superlatives in all sonic-criterias, except, in case of soundstage wherein half felt it was "Big" and other half "Less than big". This is not surprising since most of the gear costs as much to expect superlatives. The surprise is the Usher speaker that delivered most of what the backend could deliver, most surprising among them being Bass heft, that is usually the weak point of most bookshelve speakers.
My two cents...
All components contributed to very dynamic, authentic and detailed sonic-signature. No particular freq band appeared enhanced. Such signature is perfect for authentically reproducing music involving acoustic instruments, complete with low-level details of the long-decay of cymbals, rasp of snare-brush, the chiff of flute etc. All components seemed to be masters of these traits. The bass extension of Usher helped get authenticity in low freq ranged instruments like bass, cello, drums that usually sound wimpy /thin on other bookshelves. The upper limit of performance came when music went very loud (say around SPL of 95 dB @ 1m approx). The Ushers sounded "little" constrained when music went very loud in dense passages of Carmina Burana.
Regds,
Sonosphere
For previous demo see here >> http://www.hifivision.com/reviews/2...r-st-soundcard-topping-20-amp.html#post317974
Subsequent to previous demo involving light-weight boxing champ, the TP-20, the next demo suddenly jumped to Big bullies... the Electrocompaniet pre-power amp combination comprising of EC 4.7 preamp, and AW120 poweramp (both from Mubeen). They were ably teamed with Yamaha S2000 SACD player (...courtesy AV Xellence guys who sacrificed their Sunday to make ours great) and Usher V-601. The pre, pro and CDP each cost approx 2 lac, and the Usher V-601 (mine) at a "meagre" 35k approx, seemed like odd one out, price-wise (2010~prices quoted). So did the overall performance turn out to be underwhelming due to "meagre" link in the chain? We'll let the Observation-report do the talking
Songs played:
See the song-list in the Observation-report.
The two "common songs" played in all demo's were >> Hotel California by Eagles... This soft-rock classic needs no introduction and "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff... is another classic, er. western classical. This was choosen as it is a really dense and highly dynamic combination of choir, string sections, steel drums... you name it. (A combo that can play it with all details but without strain on your ears, gets entry to HiFi club).
The two "uncommon songs" were >> "Behte Behte" by Nusrat Fateh ali khan, an ethnic-electronic fusion track having crisp percussion. The fast and tight percussion of this track served as good test of woofer and tweeter integration. Second song was "Water of Love" by Dire Straits, having a sparse soft-rock arrangement of well recorded drum kit, bass, rhythm and lead guitar, vocals and chorus.
Demo# 04 in progress
Demo# 04 amps closeup
Electrocmpaniet Preamp EC 4.7 & Poweramp AW120
Demo# 04 CDP closeup
Yamaha S2000 SACD player
Observation report
For those new to above Observation-summary...
- Explanation of criterias used in audition, is given in Observation feedback form here >> https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0...EyOTItYWFiY2ZiNTZlYTRi&hl=en&authkey=CI2L5P8H
- Since all the observation feedback forms were submitted as anonymous, the actual HFV IDs were substituted with Sample ID from "A" "B" "C" onwards .
- The "1" numeral you see in the form indicates the tickmark that was made under that criteria. So all tickmarks get added at the bottom to compare which criteria got max tickmarks
Observation-Conclusion:
The majority-opinion about this combo was embellished with superlatives in all sonic-criterias, except, in case of soundstage wherein half felt it was "Big" and other half "Less than big". This is not surprising since most of the gear costs as much to expect superlatives. The surprise is the Usher speaker that delivered most of what the backend could deliver, most surprising among them being Bass heft, that is usually the weak point of most bookshelve speakers.
My two cents...
All components contributed to very dynamic, authentic and detailed sonic-signature. No particular freq band appeared enhanced. Such signature is perfect for authentically reproducing music involving acoustic instruments, complete with low-level details of the long-decay of cymbals, rasp of snare-brush, the chiff of flute etc. All components seemed to be masters of these traits. The bass extension of Usher helped get authenticity in low freq ranged instruments like bass, cello, drums that usually sound wimpy /thin on other bookshelves. The upper limit of performance came when music went very loud (say around SPL of 95 dB @ 1m approx). The Ushers sounded "little" constrained when music went very loud in dense passages of Carmina Burana.
Regds,
Sonosphere
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