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  1. The real comparison being addressed here is the comparison of Devialet to high-end traditional systems in general. I was recently blown away by all the glowing chatter about the innovative French product. So, in need of a new amp. I arranged to hear the Dev. in 400, dual mono configuration and a conventional digital system with a Dan D'Agostino stereo amp. First, the Devialet is a groundbreaking new innovation and I'm sure a lot of hifi product manufacturers are running scared right now. Before providing my own experience, dare I say that if anyone asked me what to buy (unless they were severely afflicted by the audiophile bug) I would point them straight to the Dev. and suggest looking no further. And what a value! People spend more on speaker cables. That respectfully said, I bought a D'Agostino. After making every effort to make this a fair comparison (I'll spare the details) I found the Devialet to excel in transparency (like none other) and in bass control/ impact, with or without SAM. Individual voices/ instruments stood apart and soundstage depth was drop jaw good. But for all the detail, clarity and 3-d imaging, it lacked texture and richness. It presented the parts spectacularly but the sum of the parts didn't add up quite right. I saw Ray LaMontagne in concert last night. Wow! Amplified in a large, albeit high quality hall, it lacked the crisp detail and transparency of the Dev. It was real! And that's what I want in my home. Final thoughts, first DARN, I was hoping to buy a Dev., sell my gear and have enough money in my pocket to offset today's market losses (argh). It wasn't to be, but without singing the praises of the D D'A, the Dev is not IMHO the penultimate audio device. It is an amazing new player and perhaps the best value today in high end? Is this a peek at the future? Wow! Maybe show stopping SQ in a future smartphone? At least we can all still squander our money on speakers!
  2. Yes, this is an odd query. I just bought the RS, which has not arrived yet. Very excited about it. Then sought a new amplifier for my Rockport Aviors. I was thinking Boulder, Ayre, D'Agostino.... then stumbled on Devialet. Wow! To those of you with high-end traditional systems who have heard the innovative French-made Devialet (which includes a seemingly basic/inexpensive dac), is it REALLY worth selling my RS before opening the box? Thanks all!
  3. Chris, Thanks for this review and for your contribution to "the cause". After reading your Berkeley RS review I have two questions. First, you recently raved about the EMM Labs dac2x which is vastly different (design and sonics) than any Berkeley product. A comparison would be revealing. Second, many who decided to keep their preamp (including me) while using the Alpha dac are surely wondering whether the RS volume control improves on Berkeley's older units. Thanks.
  4. Thanks. How were you able to "demo" this cable. I can't find anyone to allow me the privilege. David
  5. Thanks for your thoughts. Many who take the contrary position seem to grumble merely for sake of grumbling. Yet there are some credible contributors who have seriously tried recabling their own system, only to find little to no change. So I can't help but think that system dependance is indeed a huge factor. If you lived around the corner, I would certainly love to try your Nordost Blue Heaven, and I wish there was a local dealer to borrow from. You will be interested to know that the demo I attended used Classe electronics and B&W 802 Diamond speakers, which I notice are what you have chosen! Take Care!
  6. I like your dog, btw. I went to the event to talk with Chris Connaker, but there were demos provided by several sponsors that I attended incidentally. The crowd included a few who already have computer-based systems, some who were curious about how to go about doing so, and (as always) a few purveyors of free food. Nice event! The usb demo took me by surprise, but even a few who are in the business walked away impressed.
  7. There are still plenty of shuysters in the world of sales, but I general accredit people with honesty and have no reason to suspect otherwise in this case. I agree with you, more importantly, that most of us are vulnerable to suggestion. That said, however, suggestion typically reinforces whatever bias we approach new information with, in this case a demo. Let's say there was no real change in sonic performance among the cables demonstrated; in this case, those biased toward believing that cables make a difference will be inclined to hear one, whereas those biased otherwise will not. Bias steers us to reinforce what we already believe. In the case of the AudioQuest demo, most attendees (myself included) were gleefully looking forward to reinforcing their humbug attitudes and bolstering their case against the notion that cables matter. And because so many of us who wanted to believe otherwise left the demo with jaws dropped, counter to our pre-demo bias, I believe the positive response is even more valid. Something to ponder? Also, I'm not an engineer, but I don't understand how recabling defective hardware can fix it? It seems that improving the quality of the cable would only focus attention to bad hardware?
  8. The short answer is "no" but he did describe any cable as an antenna, cable of picking up ambient noise, and right next to a computer, which is a pretty good source of it. So without elaborating on what noise does to a digital signal, I guess it's no surprise that the sonic changes were not unlike those of a good power conditioner?
  9. Thanks, and have to love your handle "losing my religion". Maybe I'll change mine to "stepped on a pop top". Take Care, David
  10. Hard to provide a completely comprehensive demo in 20 minutes. Changes subjectively shared among listeners were lower noise floor, improved space around individual voices/instruments and less digital harshness. Who knows, could have been David Copperfield's understudy, but all he did was swap cables leaving volume and all other controls unchanged. Since replies to my inquiry range from "buy at Walmart" to "buy the best USB you can afford" and most who post to CA seem knowledgeable and well intentioned, it seems reasonable to conclude that system dependance is largely at play here and that trying a few cables, starting in the moderate category and working up until I can't hear a difference is a reasonable approach. Thanks.
  11. Thanks Mark, Interesting to see "WalMart" and "dCS Debussy" posted together. Love to get my hands on a Debussy to compare to Berkeley. Having seen such a wide array of responses from "Pooh-ha, stick to cheap" to "it makes a HUGE difference" I suppose I can't conclude anything except that system dependance may underlay the whole thing. That said, I suppose I'll just experiment with a moderately-priced USB cable and see what happens here at home. Take Care!
  12. Any new insight on this decision? I'm standing at the same intersection. Thanks, David
  13. Thanks Bill, I sure hope you're right. I suppose I'll have to test it at some point, hoping that even a kryptonite product won't make a difference. As for computer to dac, I suppose I'll just do an "eenie meenie ..." among the consensus top contenders, including ww, and just pick one. And I naively thought that going the computer server route would save me money on cables! Best, David
  14. There is a strong undercurrent of skepticism within this thread; until last night, I counted myself a part of it. And then I attended "Music Matters" in Sacramento yesterday, which featured Chris among others, including an AudioQuest rep. who performed a well-controlled, no smoke and mirrors demo starting with a 2$ printer cable and working up the AQ product line. Wow, the differences were not subtle! So while I now have to decide which cable to buy, I am definitely committing to upgrading my Kimber USB. Now, here's another question for all the experts and wannabees on CA- how much difference will USB cable selection make for use between computer and a storage device?? Bring it on. The gentleman from AQ thinks it matters just as much as between computer and dac. I cringe at the thought of buying TWO expensive pieces of silver. David
  15. Steve, Thanks for your informed thoughts. I suppose the good news is that both are inexpensive and free to try. I suppose I've taken the term "bit perfect" a bit too literally (poor pun) but it is mind boggling that $79 software decisions can influence our 5 and 6-figure systems. I'll go to Pure Music first, get the system running and try new products as they hit the market.
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