Thanks Jfrech. I've been up all night - literally - listening to the new set up.
The MA-1 sounds pretty incredible. No buyer's remorse here. It feels real
good knowing that my system is sonically in the same ball park as the
current SOTA. And, by the way, I recently found out that there's a firmware
upgrade that elevates the MA-1 even further. Can't wait to do that. But for
now, I'll just be listening. Ahhhh!!

thesaint519 August 17, 2014 12:27

Digital has come a long way over the years...congrats !

jfrech August 17, 2014 11:06

Nice one Thesaint519!!! Really great to hear of a well known 'great audio sign'...'I could not get to sleep!'

Enjoy! and look forward to further comments. I have auditioned the old DCS Elgar Plus several times and came T-H-I-S close to buying the set on 2 occasions for a great price. I know how good that digital is/was, and there is one super sota system where he used that digital until only the last year or so...something like 12 years he had that DCS!

lloydelee21 August 17, 2014 08:51

The MA-1 is beginning to settle in and give up the goods. In a word,
"WOW"! It's 3:40am and I'm still listening. Check out Lizz
Wright's "Speak Your Heart." Beautiful!

thesaint519 August 17, 2014 07:41

Finally got a chance to listen to the new set up. There is far more presence with the Meitner MA-1 pulling decoding duty. The sweet spot seemed to grow - wider and deeper. Details are more apparent. This new realism allows me to see deeper into the musical event - and sometimes discover new sounds, accents or other treats that would otherwise remain hidden. It's a refreshing approach to the music that Ive been accustomed to listening to through the dCS Purcell/Delius stack. Although I like the new DAC, and it'll take some aural adjusting to fully engage the new sound, I could've lived with the dCS stack and been happy. What I liked about the dCS combo was the intimacy that was conveyed. This is just the first impression. The MA-1 was a dealer demo, and may take some additional breaking in. I'll continue to update you all as time progresses.

thesaint519 August 16, 2014 23:28

System edited: The Meitner MA-1 DAC, which replaced a dCS Purcell/Delius stack, will be connected to a Meridian Sooloos Ensemble to provide the most realistic psychoacoustic musical picture of a real event that I'v heard in my system to date.

thesaint519 August 08, 2014 10:49

System edited: The Meridian Sooloos Ensemble, which will be just for music streaming, replaced the ReQuest F2 Media server, which streamed both music and movies. It will be connected to a Meitner MA-1 to provide to most realistic psychoacoustic picture of a real event that I'v heard in my system to date.

thesaint519 August 08, 2014 10:32

Lloydelee21,

Do you have a system listed here on AGon?

thesaint519 August 06, 2014 02:42

Okay guys,

The Meridian Sooloos Ensemble arrives tomorrow, and the Meitner MA-1 arrives Saturday. CHEA!!

thesaint519 August 06, 2014 02:27

Understood.

thesaint519 August 05, 2014 23:58

Hi Thesaint519

Not particularly good at the e-stuff. My CJ GAT sits on top of HRS nimbus/couplers on top of an HRS M3x rack...and there are 2 extra-thick, long HRS damping plates, an Artesania damping plate on top of specific areas of the top of the unit. on top of each tube guard sits a Finite Elemente vibration absorber (had them 2nd hand)...a teeny bit of improvement.

Each component is 'sandwiched' in a slightly different configuration depending on how I wanted it to sound. Some have Ultra 5s underneath, others HRS M3X.

lloydelee21 August 05, 2014 19:25

:) I completely understand. They are obscenely expensive. I'd like to ultimately get an SRA Craz2 rack, but again, insanely expensive. Do u have any pics of your set up? I'd like to see what a sandwich looks like.

thesaint519 August 05, 2014 13:54

The cost!!! ;) Plus having invested in the isolation I have so far, and discovered from speaking with people how important isolation sandwiches are (because they are directly around each unit itself)...I thought (for now) lets keep the big purchase of an HRS rack on hold. But make no mistake, a full HRS M3 rack is on the 'ultimate list' of mine...;)

lloydelee21 August 05, 2014 07:50

Hi Lloydelee21,

I'd love to see what it looks like. I wonder why you haven't purchased an HRS or SRA (or some other) high end isolation rack.

thesaint519 August 05, 2014 04:10

Hi Thesaint519,

I use HRS M3x shelves with HRS nimbus/couplers and HRS dampers on top. On other components, I preferred Ultra 5s with HRS nimbus couplers underneath and a combination of HRS dampers/Artesania dampers on top.

The actual rack is a custom-made 4" thick birch ply shelving that is bolted and glued together...and then sits on top of a 2" thick slab of slate. Completely covered in black African sapele butterfly veneer and polished to piano-gloss finish. So looks like furniture and weighs well over 400lbs. But it is not vibration free...hence why the 'isolation sandwiches' for each individual component have worked really well.

lloydelee21 August 04, 2014 17:55

Hi Sanji,

As I mentioned in the thread just before this one, up until very recently, I was
planning to buy an HRS SXR rack. After much research, I decided to go with SRA.

thesaint519 August 04, 2014 17:10

lloydelee21,

I take it that you're using the HRS platform, right? Which model? I have read great things about it. In fact, up until very recently, I was planning to buy an HRS SXR rack. After much research, I decided to go with SRA. Question: the HRS platforms are shelf dependent?

thesaint519 August 04, 2014 17:08

Great stuff Thesaint519,

You're going to be busy next week!!! ;) By placement I mean that I have found that my components sounded different on different shelves...probably because my floorboards vibrate with bass. With the quality of your isolation you probably wont have this. In my case, I ended putting each component in an 'isolation sandwich'...HRS or Ultra 5s under plus different mass damping for each component on top.

Look forward to reading about the Sooloos/Meitner when they arrive!

lloydelee21 August 03, 2014 08:01

What' s Lloydelee21,

Thanks for the kinds words. Your assessment is correct. I'm stepping up in
all 3 areas. The Sooloos should arrive late next week, along with the
Meitner MA-1. The SRA stuff may take a few mins longer, as I didn't get
nearly what I wanted for the components I sold. I may have been just a little
ambitious. Therefore, I'll start our with their IsoBases. When you say
placement, whaddya mean? I'm open for suggestions - always. Thanks.

thesaint519 August 03, 2014 05:29

Congrats! Looks like your intention was to make a step up in each category: server, digital and isolation. Am I reading right? Good luck! Remember this - setup is important, very important, when you are putting servers and digital on isolation. Take your time.

I get the feeling if you plunk them down, they will sound GREAT in any event...but with focus on placement, (potentially) a bit of damping on top here or there, or cables, etc...you surely have the potential to make even more magic with such august components.

When is everything arriving? Very exciting!

lloydelee21 August 02, 2014 08:55

Great upgrade! Glad you made the leap. Would love to hear your impressions of the HRS vs the GP Audio.

audiophile77 August 02, 2014 03:28

Hi Saint, thanks a lot for your answer. I look forward to your listening impressions and thoughts about how the Meitner compares to the dCS. No, I haven't heard the MA-1...but I have heard the XDS1 and thought it was great.

kevinkwann August 02, 2014 02:04

System edited: Major over haul underway. Got rid of the dCS Purcell/Delius stack,
the Grand Prix Audio Rack, the ReQuest Media Server and two NAS devices.
Making room for Meridian Sooloos Music server, Meitner MA-1 Dac, Kaleidescape
Movie Server, SRA Ohio Class IsoBases and a SRA Scuttle 3. One small step for
man, one giant leap for my system. Stay tuned...

thesaint519 August 02, 2014 00:59

Hi Kevinkwann,

I didn't get a chance to audition the MA-1 before making that decision. Have you heard the MA-1? I have heard the dCS DeBussy and my stack can't hold a candle to it. All the reviews I've read compare the MA-1 to the DeBussy as well as others costing thousands more. This was more like a calculated decision. The only true mistake that I've made using this method was the Theta Casablanca II. It just didn't work for me. I should have the MA-1 and the recently purchased Sooloos Ensemble music server this weekend. I can't wait. And I'll be sure to keep you all updated.

thesaint519 August 02, 2014 00:49

Did you compare the Meitner to the dCS before selling the dCS?

kevinkwann July 29, 2014 06:19