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How is your silver bat doing, Marvel bro?
Marvel,
Mine will be delivered around November. Can you share more of your syren experience? Not many have the resources to buy the full blown version.
Got any chance yet to listen PT's dv system? They look like some serious electronics.
Chopstick
Mine will be delivered around November. Can you share more of your syren experience? Not many have the resources to buy the full blown version.
Got any chance yet to listen PT's dv system? They look like some serious electronics.
Chopstick
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Are you getting a full blown version as well? Frankly I might not able to tell the difference from its other 'younger brothers'.
Key attributes of Syren that I observe in the past few nights' of auditioning:
1. Ultra quiet. I am using both tube pre and power and I cannot notice the slightest noise even if there is no disc being played.
2. Ultra fast transient. Phase difference alongside the time propagation is extremely minimal leading to an ultra degree of coherence and completness from start to end of each musical note.
3. Ultra dyanamic both in macro and micro sense. Agerich is very 'Agerich' in the kind of expressive performance while Horowitz is moe 'Horowitz' in a kind of turning each percussion into a stream flow of music. Touch points on the signature skills of the performers become more distinguishable.
4. Energy distribution compared to Karan (see diagram). Bass foundation is there in Syren but Karan is broader while both the extension and transparency at the treble depicted by Syren is more appealing.
A more detailed report with photos will come after this weekend (hopefully).
Marvel
I can't wait for mine to arrive after reading yours. It sounds like Tron is selling dynamics. What about color of timbre? I feel it is on the light side when I listened to it in London, not sure the full blown version has more color.
Have you listened to the DV grandezza system? How does it compare to your reference setup?
Chopstick
Yes, I indeed visited DV yesterday staying in AE's showroom for about an hour.
I had visited before with Horning integrated amp driving the Eufrodite and at that time, I told PT that the images were so sharp without compromising the inner stuff which is a profound achievement. I used to use Burmester and the sharp contours and speed were the attractive elements that I still could remember clearly. At the end I gave it up because it lacks the 'substance' inside the contour outline leading to a 'pale' and less tonally rich picture.
I won't have the same learning on DV suite if I am not using Syren. This is a mere coincidence but I feel it just comes at the right time. Why? Syren allows me to understand more about the 'maturity' of the music which I used to read from 'StereoSound' and blamed that it is a kind of translation fraud from Japanese to Chinese. Now I understand a bit more about what this 'maturity' means. It is the calmness just before and after the musical surge which I could hear the split second of quietness. It is like reaching the top of the roller coaster and there is always a moment of standing still and everything surrounding you just frozen for a micro second before punching deep into the bottom. Not only is the calmness but also the completness of covering big picture attributes without sacrificing individual timbre and interactions.
Syren sews up all the bits and pieces and provide a seamless tonal picture and the maturity exhibited is a reflection of the designer and I could feel the same when I listened to DV suite yesterday. Both Syren and DV suite could 'empower' the system to provide the energy surge just because the tenor or soprano demand it. The challenge to be a perfect designer of an audio equipment is not to let the music sounds in the way the designer wants, it is to step down from this role as a 'conductor' but as a true facilitator to let music manifests itself. My salutes to all of them.
Marvel
What are the major differences between the DV an Syren?
Chopstick
Just 1 hour would not be adequate for an amateur like me to tell the difference between DV and Syren. May be this is a question more for PianoTuner as he has visited me a few time seeing the ripe of Silver Batman.
One observation is that the treble depicted by DV is in a more harmonious way than the Syren in my case which I feel a bit more egitated. I have discussed this with Jlam and PT and we both agreed that we can start from the room tuning perspective rather than putting the effort in changing cables which in the past I normally do. I am using a SR SE from the DAC to Syren and I asked PT if I should change to SMR SE or Enigma Signature but PT asked me to be more patient in getting the acoustics right first.
So today, base on PT's recommendation, I did some tuning changes and the result is quite positive. The 'lean' sound of the violin has become more balanced with the reverbration tone of the wooden cavity.
Marvel
1. lower down the Silver reasonator at the rear side wall of the speakers.
2. use Reference Feet beneath the Syren preamp
3. add a small carpet on the tile floor
4. remove the FAL feet from the power supply of the Zanden transport (note: FAL feet is a special porcelain square feet like a 'to fu' with holes inside, it is made for FAL speaker but I use it for some tweaking purposes)
Marvel
Are you experiencing some major acoustics problems? The trebel of the syren is very naturally extended with details.
The syren is sensitive to anything. The sound was dull when it is put on a marble base, etchy on glass surfaces, hollow mid range on maple wood, Be cautious on these factors.
The potential of the syren is immense. I am expecting you to share more with the audio community.
Kingston
Not really, I am enjoying Syren big time. I am waiting for AE to provide me with an 'Star-shape' screw driver to open the top cover of the Syren to take a few photos.
Thanks for your suggestion, you will find my Syren (from the photos later) is sitting on top of the Reference Feet above the wooden platform made by the same acoustic specialist. I don't have any complain at all on the overall performance but I am itchy to change to a more 'powerful' interconnect given that I know there are rooms in the envelope in that arena.
Syren sets free the motion of the music!
Marvel
What abt joining the high effciency camp?
Chopstick
Can you elaborate more on the "free" concept? Motion involves movement of energy. Do you mean your previous linestage restrain the motion? Music was not free, but now it is? Are you saying the increase in energy makes music more alive?
VR
I was tempted when I have heard several times the Eufrodite but I later realised Eufrodite is really for veterans and I am not up to it to tame it especially there are still some fundamental acoustics issues for me to address. May be a project for 2008.
Voy,
'Motion' means to me in 2 aspects: (1) Energy. Syren creates a virtual space where I could feel the energy is actually coming out from the musical images. I believe it is something to do with the microdynamics and the ultimate transparency depicted. (2) Coherence of each musical frames. In the old days, the cartoon that I used to watch was created by perhaps 6-8 frames / second and I could feel the objects were moving 'discretely'. Now, if you take a look at the ToyStory, the computer animation is faultlessly simulating live movements like real. That is what I am getting from Syren.
You are right, Voy, music is more alive in that the transition of energy from low to high and vice versa is so vivid but smooth without a clue of artifact introduced by the design characteristics of the preamp. I mentioned earlier, the best component is one not conducting on how music should be reproduced, it just facilitates but not intervenes.
Marvel
It sounds like the silver bat is the champion. England and Germany are never in good relatoinship. I ain't sure it can gel well with the german tank.
Can Anna sing in your system? What abt the quality of the phono section? What about the reflection problem of your floor?
VR
How is your audio mind like after 3 weeks of silver bat in your system? Can the bat find a comfort place in the chain?
Have you tried spinning a few opera recording? If I am not mistaken, the acoustics of your bat cave is on the bright side. The bat ain't like brightness. They live in darkness. They prey in the dark. Where is your Zanden dac? I got no chance to meet the Heritage yet. I am a beliver of synergy. England linestage with German amp, huh.....
I got a feeling you may have more works to do on vocal. One last observation, the light color rack of yours, what is it made of? Is it maple or mdf? Don't put the bat on the maple. Kingston, any hints for Marvel bro?
The bat's dynamic catches all your attention. Some tweaking must be done to restore the big picture perspective. The bat is not easy to tame, even the poor one.
VR
VR
You must have very busy and therefore haven't seen your writing for a while. Me too...pretty occupied with meetings and day work.
I swapped back Karan last week for a contrast comparison with Silver bat. If you take a look at the pictures below. I am using a wooden platform beneath the Karan preamp with the Reference Feet. These two tweakings are from the same designer of the resonators/diffusors and I believe the 'less than perfect' characteristics of the Hutter Rack that I am using cna be alleviated. The Hutter Rack is made of breech wood. It is not rigid and therefore allow some rooms for vibration. Previously I was using a Japanese rack which I thought is quite overdamped and with this rack, I feel the music is less compressed and becomes more relaxed. Of course the downside is I sort of swing myself from one side of being overdamped to possibly to the side of too much vibration. With the wooden platform+Ref Feet, the result is quite optimal.
Back to Silver bat, your observation is quite true, we would have too carried away by its dynamical characteristics and crystal clear transparency especially from mid to high. Karan, on the other hand, takes better care of the full range in my listening area but I do have a belief that I have not yet explored the full potential of Silver bat. In 1-2 weeks time, I will do the swapping back and such ABA comparison will enable me to draw some definitive conclusions about Syren (and as well as Karan). At such high level of performance by both preamps, I have to admit it is beyond my listening capability to tell easily which one has an upper hand in the total score especially room plays a role, tweaking plays a role, cables a role...
Trust me,the Gernman tube amp will shock you. Would you please let me know what amp are you using for pairing with Syren, you may have told me once or twice, pardon me.
Marvel