Thanks Teajay.
1) Please share in more detail what the Attraction DAC offers you, that other upsampling SS DACS did not in your listening experiences. Remember I only care about redbook not SACD.
Speaking very generally, I find oversampling DACs to either sound somewhat 'processed' or somewhat 'confused.'
I'll be the first to admit that some of the 'processed' sound can sound enjoyable. In my system, for instance, the AA DAC showed warmth and nice dense images. It just didn't ring true to me: the immediacy and excitement of live music was missing; the musical inter-play between the performers was missing. This is a great DAC but I just wasn't excited about coming home and listening to music when I had it in my system.
It was definitely not 'confused.' Confused oversampling DACs show images with shadows and fuzzy outlines. They barage the listener with information but very little music.
In addition to 'processed' and 'confused'; every oversampling DAC that I've had in my system had problems in the time domain. It is as if the images had difficulty breathing their energy forward toward the listener. As a listener I am left to watch the music on the stage. I have to 'go to' the images. In real life, music comes to you.
2) I had a ML-31.5 transport and thought with my gear that the reference Ensemble sounded better. If I got it correct you just replaced your Accustic Arts Drive 1 with the ML-31.5. What differences between the two transport did you hear that lead to your decision.
3) I will be receiving in the next day or two the new version of the Accustic Arts transport that is a major upgrade parts wise compared to the first generation and was developed by Accustic Arts to bring out the best possible performance from the their new MK4 DAC. I will be writing a review of my audition experience in the next couple of weeks. Did you consider this new version of the Accustic Arts Drive 1 or were you so enamored with what the ML-31.5 offered that would be no reason to audition it?
I had every intention of using the new Drive 1 with my Attraction DAC (though I have never heard this transport).
I was then offered a good price on a 31.5 from a friend and I took him up on it. The Drive 1 may be better for all I know. There is a very good chance that I will be able to do a comparison of the new Drive 1 and the 31.5. I will post my findings when I do. The other transport that has me excited is a battery-powered CEC TL-1x from Reference Audio Modifications.
I should note that I took the plunge and picked up a used Zanden 5000 mkIV solely to compare it with my Attraction DAC! (They don't sell Zanden around me and I couldn't get a demo). Here is my expectation: the Zanden will be better on vocals; the Attraction will be more fun to listen to in every other respect.
We'll see!
1) Please share in more detail what the Attraction DAC offers you, that other upsampling SS DACS did not in your listening experiences. Remember I only care about redbook not SACD.
Speaking very generally, I find oversampling DACs to either sound somewhat 'processed' or somewhat 'confused.'
I'll be the first to admit that some of the 'processed' sound can sound enjoyable. In my system, for instance, the AA DAC showed warmth and nice dense images. It just didn't ring true to me: the immediacy and excitement of live music was missing; the musical inter-play between the performers was missing. This is a great DAC but I just wasn't excited about coming home and listening to music when I had it in my system.
It was definitely not 'confused.' Confused oversampling DACs show images with shadows and fuzzy outlines. They barage the listener with information but very little music.
In addition to 'processed' and 'confused'; every oversampling DAC that I've had in my system had problems in the time domain. It is as if the images had difficulty breathing their energy forward toward the listener. As a listener I am left to watch the music on the stage. I have to 'go to' the images. In real life, music comes to you.
2) I had a ML-31.5 transport and thought with my gear that the reference Ensemble sounded better. If I got it correct you just replaced your Accustic Arts Drive 1 with the ML-31.5. What differences between the two transport did you hear that lead to your decision.
3) I will be receiving in the next day or two the new version of the Accustic Arts transport that is a major upgrade parts wise compared to the first generation and was developed by Accustic Arts to bring out the best possible performance from the their new MK4 DAC. I will be writing a review of my audition experience in the next couple of weeks. Did you consider this new version of the Accustic Arts Drive 1 or were you so enamored with what the ML-31.5 offered that would be no reason to audition it?
I had every intention of using the new Drive 1 with my Attraction DAC (though I have never heard this transport).
I was then offered a good price on a 31.5 from a friend and I took him up on it. The Drive 1 may be better for all I know. There is a very good chance that I will be able to do a comparison of the new Drive 1 and the 31.5. I will post my findings when I do. The other transport that has me excited is a battery-powered CEC TL-1x from Reference Audio Modifications.
I should note that I took the plunge and picked up a used Zanden 5000 mkIV solely to compare it with my Attraction DAC! (They don't sell Zanden around me and I couldn't get a demo). Here is my expectation: the Zanden will be better on vocals; the Attraction will be more fun to listen to in every other respect.
We'll see!