Authorized RePrint of
AUDIOphile - The High End Magazine 1/2004
SACD, CORRECTLY DONE
Everyone talks about SACD-Multi-Channel, but AUDIOphile
does it intensely.
Audiodata Petite Speakers, from 2700 Euro; Moll
MA 6000 Preamp, from 3500 Euro; Bryston 9B SST Power Amplifier,
from 5800 Euro; Sony SCD-333ES Swoboda SACD-Player, from 5000 Euro;
Bryston 3B SST Power Amplifier, from 5800 Euro; Fast Audio Black
Science Cable, from 20 Euro/Mono-Meter
by Knut Isberner
Are you ready for this setup? If you belong to
the species of HiFi enthusiast who has always been suspicious of
CDs with their "chopped up dismembered" music, if you
tend to and cherish your analog record collection, if you wistfully
think back to the "Quad era", if digital surround formats
are a book with seven seals for you that should remain closed, then
you are ready. Welcome to this small enlightened circle.
Already from an ideal obstinacy I am sympathetically
inclined towards the SACD. It enables Quad-similar listening experiences,
only more perfectly. Without a picture! I don't even tolerate a
TV set between my speakers. Why? It sounds better - try it yourself.
A picture distracts, and for me the essentials of the music are
lost. My TV set stands in its own corner for a long time already,
and with the slick Bose Lifestyle 35 speaker system surround thunderstorms
take place there. I don't need more home theater, but less won't
do. For me both worlds don't fit under one hat.
My idea for a puristic multi-channel lineup was
born when Michael Swoboda delivered the long-awaited modified Variant
S+ of the Sony SCD-333ES SACD player to our editor's office for
the April edition of AUDIO. An incredible machine. This modified
model irreverently put other similarly priced competitors in their
place, and placed itself at the absolute peak of the world. The
"Tuning Guru" imparted the mass-produced Sony player with
that quantity of fine dynamics, that portion of openness into its
innards, which is lacking in mass-produced models, and which can
roil the blood of connoisseurs.
With the two channel version the engineer takes
it a step farther. Besides the multifold modifications in the S+
like the completely revised analog filter, and the improved transistors
in the output stage, which also get along with longer cables and
higher capacitances, Swoboda exchanges the mass-produced transformer
with a model which is able to supply five times the power. He also
places much value on other on other sound-influencing details. Therefore
he fitted the two channel model housing with special feet, as well
as with a high-quality power cord. In addition to the sound qualities
of the S+ are now added more quiet, more aura, and more expression.
5000 Euro are certainly nothing to sneeze at, but this player shouldn't
fear any competition in the world.
How does SACD sound at the highest level with
completely identical speakers, preamps, amplifiers, and cables?
The question smoulders latently, but foundered due to a viable implementation.
I love large loudspeakers, but right away five of these? Heavens!
Until I encountered the Audiodata Petite speakers. This speaker
impressed me like no other in this price range. For me the Petite
is the speaker in order to implement the pure SACD doctrine. With
it, it is easy to realize the ITU-Standard which requires that five
identical speakers are placed equidistantly from the listening position.
I waived a woofer for the sixth channel. Anyway very few SACDs offer
this option.
The Audiodata Petite speakers are inconspicuously
integrated into any living room space without architectural measures
or other large changes. Therefore a thoroughly thought-out SACD
line-up has good chances to be purchased. The Petite speakers resolve
fantastically, their openness and speed are a perfect match with
the "šber" Sony Player. The heart of the speaker
is a high-tech coaxial driver with a woven dome tweeter for the
high frequencies located in the middle of the low midrange magnesium
coned driver. The coaxial order reduces timing changes to a minimum.
Further positive side effects of the Petite Coax speaker is the
fact that it makes no difference whether the speaker is placed vertically
or horizontally, and the ambience should be the determining factor.
However even this hardly impacts the Petite speakers. Due to the
compact construction as well as the successful design - it is available
in numerous fine woods - a quintet of them upgrades rather than
downgrades a living room.
Consequently the cornerposts of our lineup have
been set. Now it's a matter of configuring its limbs so that everything
blends together into a harmonic whole. In order to transfer, without
detriment, the flat, open, and yet thoroughly, to the nth degree,
structured playing of the Swoboda Sony SACD Player to the speakers
requires a dynamic and at the same time finely analytical cable.
It should not be too costly because multichannel wiring can get
expensive, and in no time 15 to 20 meters can be accrued. Long telephone
call were made to distributors of the finest HiFi "yarns",
subsequently followed by very long listening tests with all types
of "strands" (my living room looked like a cable warehouse).
I decided upon the Fast Audio cable from Black Science. With its
openness and vigorous attack it hit the mark, and perfectly matched
the qualities of the limbs of the lineup because it is available
both as interconnect as well as speaker cable. In any case one must
fork over 20 Euro for each mono-meter, which represents a sensible
relationship for the entire system. But the Black Science Fast Audio
cables do not divulge their true potential at the start, they should
be played for several days in order to break-in.
Despite all of the accolades of the Petite speakers,
they are not an efficiency wonder. The compact construction and
the linear lower frequency response, down to 50 hertz, requires
its tribute. A powerful amplifier must be provided, but one that
does not loose its finesse with all its brawn. The Bryston Company
has earned a good reputation with amplifiers of this type. The Canadian
9B SST five channel power amplifier therefore continues our pure
doctrine path thanks to its five identical amplifier modules. These
modules rest in a metal "corset", and every module cherishes
its own power supply. In comparison with its 9B ST predecessor,
the new 9B SST amplifier sounds still more fundamental, more unto
itself, and yet brings out more of that decisive resolving quantity
of radiated power in the middle and upper frequencies.
Now we are still missing an analog multi-channel
preamp, but there are not many available, and good ones even less
so. I became knowledgeable at an unexpected location, at a speaker
manufacturer. Besides high-quality active loudspeakers, which I
have come to know and appreciate several times, the Moll Audio Saarland
(one of the German States) concern offers the MA 6000 preamp in
its lineup. This machine is a secret tip. It is affordable, has
excellent workmanship, and is simple to use. Soundwise this inconspicuous
jewel almost matches the CX-260 six channel preamp from Accuphase,
for half the money. How is that possible? If one removes the cover
from the MA 6000, tightly toleranced parts in rank and file, which
would cause the mouths of measuring technicians to water, strike
a person's eye. In the matter of styling however, the preamp can
hardly be surpassed in its unpretentiousness. With that the Moll
preamp finds itself in the best company with the Bryston amplifier.
Although this makes quite a colorful chain, it
is by no means a random throw of the dice. A chain free of the superficial
spectacular, or sensationalism, which presented music so realistically
that it touched every one of my nerves, every synapse was stopped
from sending numerous messages. For example Pink Floyd's Classic
"Dark Side of the Moon", whether "Money" or
"Time"; yes, we know these pieces, but suddenly everything
was different. The otherwise prominent hodgepodge of individual
sound occurrences yielded to a totality. The details did not suddenly
stand in the foreground as tense elements, because the music now
radiated as a complete episode, as a combination of various individual
happenings, which belong together only one way.
I found nothing more difficult than to disengage
myself from this experience, and nothing easier than to sink into
this fantastic flood of sounds. But let's stop for a moment, I am
not speaking about being lulled into velvety sleep, this system
does not befog, on the contrary it brought light into the dark of
complex recordings, defined spatial combinations, which no two channel
setup can do, and which I have also never experienced with other
multichannel configurations. Astounding precision combined with
the highest musicality, that is the core of this SACD combination.
Even average software was tolerable, because the
lineup did not send a bright halogen spotlight onto the errors in
order to announce "Hello Mr. Recording Director here you have
created crud!" Therefore even the Bruce Springsteen "Live
in New York" SACD live recording sounded tolerable, the message
of his songs came across. When I switched to the high tension Ayon
Falcon loudspeakers with which I am also intensely involved at this
time, the disc was simply intolerable.
Weaknesses appeared to halve themselves with this
chain. For example the absence of true deep bass, the Petite speakers
do not reproduce any, really did not matter. On the other hand strengths
came out better. A love relationship between the components? If
that's what you wish to believe, yes. Just like in happy relationships,
sorrow halves, and happiness doubles. This lineup celebrates music,
not exhausting, ethereal, but not meaningless. Are you ready for
this lineup?
The following Discs were used for the listening
tests
Dave Brubeck Quartet - "Time Out" (Columbia)
What suits better for this lineup than the Classic
"Take Five."? Only the owner of an SACD player can enjoy
this successful recording, because the disc is just available in
a single layer version. The two channel SACD enraptures with razor
sharp focus. The playful ascending and descending of the musical
tones enthralls.
RSO Saarbrcken - "Touching Colours"
Barber, R. Strauss, etc. (audite)
I am thoroughly familiar with the orchestra, and
the recording venue, i.e. the St. Johann Cathedral in Saarbrcken.
No other lineup has ever brought the music so authentically into
my living room as this lineup. Here the potential of the multi-channel
technology reveals how it serves the original without indulging
in effects. Bruce Springsteen - "Live in New York" (Sony
Music)
I like his music, his individualistic style, and
his characteristic voice, and that is undoubtedly why I acquired
"Live in New York." Sadly however, stretches of the double
album sound dreadful. This SACD lineup must take credit for the
fact that the message of the songs, as well as the interplay between
the "Boss" and his public, came across anyway.
Evaluation
Bryston 9B SST Power Amplifier, about 5800 Euro
World Class *****
The uncompromising construction of the Bryston
five channel power amplifier promises prolonged hearing enjoyment.
Soundwise it ranks above its predecessor by allowing more of the
music to come through, and by providing still more air in the middles
and highs.
Translated from the German
by Peter Ullman
We invite you to experience the Bryston SST2 Series amplifiers
20 Year Warranty - A Generation of Music
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