Reference DACS: An overall perspective

I'm a bit surprised that noone mentioned the MBL stuff. I recently tried their new integrated CDP - the 1531 - and I'm very, very impressed. So much in fact, that I have pulled the trigger and ordered one for myself.

I have been looking for a new player for some time now. After selling my AA Capitole mk II SE I have tried several different players from all price points, including - among other things - the whole Audio Aero line (wanted to stay brand loyal at first, so I tried the new Capitole Reference, Capitole Reference SE and SACD Prestige) and also the non signature EMM Labs CDSD/DCC2 combo.

None of them impressed me so much as the MBL. It came as a surprise, since I have never really cared for any german Hi-Fi. The first time I switched it on, I was floored. It was by far THE most natural sounding player of the lot, with HUGE soundstaging and very good resolution. But among other things, this player presented music in a very unprocessed, free flowing way, as If it had a non-os dac hidden inside. The music was just ... real.

True - it gave up a bit in resolution department and HF air comparing to EMM Labs gear for example, but it had better stage depth, more solid bass, and oh so much more belivable midrange that it was a no brainer for me.

And best of all - it only costs $9000. That is right - just NINE grand. I cannot imagine how their more expensive combinations (1511/1521 and 1611/1621) must sound.

I haven't heard hard drive systems yet. I'm just anticpating that they will eventually be very good. I have heard the high price MBL CD transport/DAC in an all-MBL system and it is very, very good. And very,very expensive.

David

Elberoth2,
I too am surprised that we don't hear more about MBL.
When I started a "reference transport" thread and I assumed that someone would mention the mbl 1621A or 1521A.

Having referred to this tread over the past several months as I was auditioning top transports and dac combinations I thought that I would add a few of my impressions. I auditioned the dCS stack (without the Verona clock) against the Zanden transport and dac at a dealer who used all Zanden electronics and Peak Consult speakers. dCS had a great soundstage and lots of detail. The Zanden by comparison struck me as having a very distinct, unique coloration to it. Compared to the dCS it was as if the sound waves were rounded off. Setting aside this sense of coloration I found the Zanden to be much more involving and pleasing for a broad range of music (new and old recordings, classical to jazz). At a different dealer I then auditioned the dCS stack (with the clock) against the mbl 1621A transport and 1611E dac with all mbl electronics and Kharma Equisite Reference speakers. The dCS again produced a great soundstage and lots of detail. But the mbl was noticeably better. Instrument detail and separation was better, as if each instrument was illuminated. And the soundstage took on a more 3 dimensional character. After listening to a track on the mbl it was hard to go back to the dCS. I also demoed the Zanden and mbl in my system: Cello Music & Film Strad Grand Masters, Performance II amps, Audio Palette and Encore preamp. The Zanden was like a fine red wine, rich and totally involving. I wanted to listen to the entire disc not just my test tracks. But the mbl won out. It achieved a rich involving sound plus plenty of detail and again a more 3 dimensional soundstage, not just a wall of sound. I also auditioned the mbl 1531 and as a previous poster said for $9K it is a great buy. Lastly my test discs included RBCD’s as well as multichannel SACD’s. Comparing the dCS (which played the SACD layer) to the Zanden and mbl which are RBCD only confirmed that at this level RBCD can sound better than SACD.

Finally, I finished this thread from start to finish, over last few weeks. Lots of good first hand impressions on variety of Transport/DAC combos. Quite a few folks have done a pretty good job of describing the auditions they have had. Using the subjective sound parameters like describing what they heard : detailed, musical, time and space, sound stage, etc and finally 'assigning' the type of flavor the DAC presented. I thank Teejay for starting the thread and being proactive enough to get the thread and inputs going.

Throughout the thread I wondered, what does this all subjective impressions means to ME? What is a reference (close to live, right?) sound? Is it flavour 1 or 2? Surely it can't be both, i thought.

Not untill Ajahu's thread the term live sounding or realistic sounding came up! And only since last few threads classification of live sounding dacs describd as being 'between' flavour 1 and 2!! And I think to me only now it is becoming clear how and what to interprete from what long past posts were trying to describe in their subjetcive impressions. To me live sound IS between flavor 1 and 2, probably more towards number 2 than 1. More like Exlibris rating scale of 7.

Having said that let me post some of auditions that I have had in last few months. Thesa are my impressions. No offense intended.

Jadis JD1/JS2(?) DAC combo: Very detailed, great sound stage, mid range on slightly 'thinner side', very good bottom end, but still slightly digital sounding (sorry)I would give that sound as may be 3 or solid 4. This was auditioned in very well highly acclaimed and regarded (read expensive) amplifications and speakers.

MBL 15xx transport and DAC combo was somewhat similar. I was overwhelmed with lot of details, illuminated instruments less weighty midrange and wanted to stop the music like right now. Scale would be once again 4 or may be 5. This too was auditioned in very good rest of the equipment.

DCS stack (purcell. delius) blew me away at first listen, honestly. The strings were out of the world sounding at first listen. You can almost feel the srings being played in the soundstage rigt infront of your eyes. Well good, lets us proceed with other types pf music, say like guitar, orchestral and vocals and piano. While later CDs sounded good, i found later that the bottom end on mids was actually lacking and soundstage was rather weird I thought ( now it could be the set up, but I have heard very realistic sound in this system with Transrotor/triplanar/sheltor 501 as front end. In fact this was one of my reference sound, with anlogue as front end). Upon much thought the reason for my initial being blown away impressions could be slightly enhanced harmonics. Okay so the DCS set up gets may be solid 4.

Accuphase transport/dac combo: I am afraid the sound was rather similar to MBL combo. Not much to say here. A solid 5.

Audio Note DAC 5.1 Balanced with CEc T0 (?) Transport in all audio note system. WOW! was my instant reaction when started with chamber music and that wow factor continued thru rest of the music types i played. True, natural, dynamic but relaxed presentation. For once no faults to be found. Music sounded so good that you do not end of judging the sound but rather enjoying very realistic sounding music. True to life tonal balance, just the right amount of high freq content. Truely weighty mids. Not once it sounded 'funny or processed'. In other words a perfect 7!! It easily surpassed the Transrotor TT (Transrotor to of the line) sthru an audinote phono. (although i cound be wrong here since i auditioned only one record) The audio note sound reminded me of my own Classe CDT-1/DAC-1 combo, which I would rate as solid 6. I know it can use a just a tad little more upper high. But i will leave good enogh alone. High freq is kind of tricky. slightly more and scale tips to lower pretty quikly. Of course it is an 'ancient' design as compared to current mega bucks 'reference' dacs, but it still stunns me every time I sit down to listem to music.

Trust me I don't WANT my old Classe DAC to sound this good so that may be I have excuse to get one of these high $$$ proud of ownership dacs that makes a statement and I can brag about. May be Audio note would give me bragging rights (since it is rather expensive);-) Although this Altman Attraction Dac intrigues me.