Thanks Ken. I will gather more advices before I really embark into an outboard phono. At this moment, my clear choice is either Wavac or Zanden. DaVinci is (1) too expensive for me (2) a bit restrictive in terms of matching cartridges, although the music it produces is too real to believe.
A very interesting and exciting comparison! Can you tell me a bit more about the Crystal Ultra compared to FR? This is perhaps the only one that I have not tried recently. A few days back, I went to the dealer's place together with my un'burnt' FMR for an invitation to listen to an Italian handmade power cord. It is quite expensive and is a bit mismatch with the craftmanship of it. Anyway, hearing is believing.
We used 'White Snow in Early Spring' by Hugo for the comparison at the beginning. I can hear more coherence coming out from on the un'burnt' FMR with a very complete extension on both ends. Here I need to echo the comments by PT about the deep dive into the bass by the FMR as and when we entered into the drum session of that music at around 4min of the 1st track, FMR really shows the color in reproducing the touching of performer in exerting different levels of force in hitting the drum while the Italian cable show no layering and contrast information AT ALL.
We then plugged both cables in turn into a power conditioner before feeding into the CD player. I guess the dealer expects this would even out the difference on the bass performance by boosting it with the help of the conditioner. To some extent, the purpose was achieved but at the expense of resolution and transparency.
Our last trial was on piano, I chose Pollini playing Chopin. Piano music has been my final judge in my cable games as it is so demanding to reproduce the leading edges, body, harmonic tails, ambience, touchings and skills of the performers, micro and macrodynamics, soundstage....I really cannot find any better 'test case' than a piano sonata. My resident CD for such testing is 'Credo' by Helene Grimmaud. The first track is fantastic! Result of the comparison: In my view, 'miles' although both cables are of similar price tag.
Fat gor, I think your fun group needs to 'escalate' the comparison to the next level of cables: G6 (SATT) Ruby Mountain, Kharma Enigma Signature, Virtual Dynamics Genesis (if it is not available in HK, try the next level down: Revelation Signature), Stealth Dream...vs FMR...That would be breath-taking!
I'm very admire 發哥and Marval bro for the deatil report.
like what 發哥said, I AB test Vahalla and FR before, when the FR plug, it K.O mile away with Vahalla that which is my favor power cord, I had three before and now sold two and left one only for my powerbar now.
is any broher used full set of Flow/FMR cable now?
Kung Hei Fat Choi! The crytal ultra cable is pretty good. Imaging position more focus than Flow. It is faster in the trebel. The mid bass is quick. After Flow arrive, my feeling changes. The quality of the sound itself is clearly better than the crystal ultra in my poor system. My daughter can tell differences easily. The flow is more relax, there is no pressure, very easy and natural. But it is not slow at all, the trebel quality is very pure. It sounds like real music more. The crystal ultra is more analytical. Hard to explain in English. The flow have more coherence than crystal. This coherence is not slow speed. My daughter tells me the motion of one key to another key is more organic with the flow. The crystal, the same motion is clear too. It is less organic. It is a question of do you want to see things clear. I use to think clear means music. The flow changes my angle of seeing things. Coherence does not may no transparent. It is probably no power cable can do two things at the same time in the past.
The previous dealer of Argento never give me the confidence to try it. I am skeptical about Argento at first. My friend told me the cable has no bass, the trebel is bright not suitable for the Boulder 2020 preamp. The FMR not only changes my perspective on Argento, it unlock the true potential of the Boulder 2020.
Siltech Ruby Mountain G6, Synergistic Research Absolute Reference, top model of Powersnakes, I tried all before, each have some good points than others. The last power cable on the 2020 is the Ruby Mountain. The boulder has excellent control, resolution, details. It is very senstiive to power cable. Sometimes, the sound is dull. I listened to my friends' much cheaper Conrad Johnson Art preamp, I feel there is more life to the music. The boulder is a bit slow in microdynamics. I work hard to improve by changing power cable, interconnects without success. I belong to Type A audiophile.
The FMR, after reading days and days of rave reviews by experience audiophiles, I bought one from Mr.Li. Without too much expectation, I plug it to the Boulder 2020. Here is my impression:
1. Like the name, the music just flows.
2. Imaging become 3D life like
3. Microdynamics are speedy with many harmonics I never heard before.
4. The control character of Boulder has not changed. The Ruby Mountain changed the boulder to very sweet mid range.
I listened to many discs over and over for the past 6 hours. It is musical. I don't really understand audio magazines say analytical means resolution and muscality means less resolution. I think the FMR does both well.
Since I belong to type A audiophile, I want to buy one more for the 2020 dac but Mr.Li has no more stock. In the shop, there are 2 more people waiting before me. Frankly, I originally thought this is some kind of hype. It is lucky that I am wrong. For the price, I think the FMR is a bargain compare to what I paid for Ruby Mountain.
I used the boulder dac for more than 2 years. Although the Wadia 931 is quite an excellent dac, my impulse to change Boulder to Wadia is not high. The boulder is full of energy and dynamic, there are many details. Maybe I am bored with the boulder sound, some elements are missing. I dont know what are the missing links. The 931 deliver me not the missing links but a different perspective sound. I am grateful to have FMR with my boulder dac. Change new gears is not my type. The Orpheus Heritage looks very interesting. Stereo Sound always favor US brand like Wadia, this year they grant award to Orpheus Heritage. 931 only appears as a supplementary ranking.
From my limited audit session for these 3 DACs, Wadia 9 series is the most 'HIFI' dac. If you counted the number of HiFi elements, like soundstage, image , dynamics..., Wadia would sit at the top of them. On the other hand, Boulder could release the music effortless. It just place the elements in front of you without decoration. Somebody might think that it is too raw. Orpheus Heritage is the best one to balance the music and hifi. If you are looking for the hifi elements, it would not disappoint you. If you chase for music persentation, you would be more than happy to own this dac.
just my 2 cents
Comments
High eff camp, certainly in my plan for 2008.
Thanks again, Marvel
點不知一時醒唔起我是用兩條FLOW比對AYRE功放，佢地只得一條所以不能在後級比試，最後決定將戰場改為我部ESOTERIC X1 player。從他們大聲講細聲笑當中，佢地好似認為我死梗。我地拋銀仔決定挑戰次序: Siltech先上，蛇皇跟住，Valhalla線第三，水晶線第四，Esoteric壓尾陣。主要試碟包括陳潔麗多隻錄音，王菲新LPCD，第一豉，玉置浩二，檔鋪爵士等發燒錄音。
八爺話佢條Siltech G6 Ruby Hill播人聲無敵，但經多次ABAB比較後，全體應同FLOW在立體感，層次法致人聲的像真度可以用拋離來形容！見到佢地啞口無聲令我內心有無限快感。跎皇跟住上，情況和Siltech相似，人聲一舊舊冇線條，車魔死撐音色較為悅耳，好在較中立的莫老師即說有好多聲神龍見首不見尾，音色可謂得個厚字。就連Esoteric自已出條線也比下去，中低頻量感是較FLOW多少少，但播檔輔時，Double Bass的彈跳力條FLOW出得好清楚好有生動感，相反Esoteric把低頻能量推前，八爺話各有各好，但車魔開始轉口風話FLOW生動好多這時已差不多11pm，佢地都不敢拿TransparentMM隻揪隻了。長話短說最後決戰是話蝦拿對FLOW。一插Valhalla，節奏感好強烈，音場推前了成尺好有埋身單挑感，中低揪擊力好勁揪，播檔鋪好鬼興奮。醫師說Hi Fi味十足，但高音略惡帶暗，那種壓迫感在重播陳潔麗時最為明顯，中音好搶耳，把FLOW放回後，那種刺激感不見了，換來的是一班朋友用樂器來溝通，好輕鬆又不失節奏感，十分流暢，高音更是純美但又不是無暇，因為連小提琴走音也聽得一清二楚，換了其他線走音部份離奇地消失。多謝莫老師賜教聽小提琴技巧。
八爺、車魔、醫師、莫老師，此文是經你們批讀完才登出。八爺此乃一場遊戲切勿上心。我希望你不要常常問候我老母，我情願你問一句 ”FLOW你有冇？”
A very interesting and exciting comparison! Can you tell me a bit more about the Crystal Ultra compared to FR? This is perhaps the only one that I have not tried recently. A few days back, I went to the dealer's place together with my un'burnt' FMR for an invitation to listen to an Italian handmade power cord. It is quite expensive and is a bit mismatch with the craftmanship of it. Anyway, hearing is believing.
We used 'White Snow in Early Spring' by Hugo for the comparison at the beginning. I can hear more coherence coming out from on the un'burnt' FMR with a very complete extension on both ends. Here I need to echo the comments by PT about the deep dive into the bass by the FMR as and when we entered into the drum session of that music at around 4min of the 1st track, FMR really shows the color in reproducing the touching of performer in exerting different levels of force in hitting the drum while the Italian cable show no layering and contrast information AT ALL.
We then plugged both cables in turn into a power conditioner before feeding into the CD player. I guess the dealer expects this would even out the difference on the bass performance by boosting it with the help of the conditioner. To some extent, the purpose was achieved but at the expense of resolution and transparency.
Our last trial was on piano, I chose Pollini playing Chopin. Piano music has been my final judge in my cable games as it is so demanding to reproduce the leading edges, body, harmonic tails, ambience, touchings and skills of the performers, micro and macrodynamics, soundstage....I really cannot find any better 'test case' than a piano sonata. My resident CD for such testing is 'Credo' by Helene Grimmaud. The first track is fantastic! Result of the comparison: In my view, 'miles' although both cables are of similar price tag.
Fat gor, I think your fun group needs to 'escalate' the comparison to the next level of cables: G6 (SATT) Ruby Mountain, Kharma Enigma Signature, Virtual Dynamics Genesis (if it is not available in HK, try the next level down: Revelation Signature), Stealth Dream...vs FMR...That would be breath-taking!
Marvel
like what 發哥said, I AB test Vahalla and FR before, when the FR plug, it K.O mile away with Vahalla that which is my favor power cord, I had three before and now sold two and left one only for my powerbar now.
is any broher used full set of Flow/FMR cable now?
Kung Hei Fat Choi! The crytal ultra cable is pretty good. Imaging position more focus than Flow. It is faster in the trebel. The mid bass is quick. After Flow arrive, my feeling changes. The quality of the sound itself is clearly better than the crystal ultra in my poor system. My daughter can tell differences easily. The flow is more relax, there is no pressure, very easy and natural. But it is not slow at all, the trebel quality is very pure. It sounds like real music more. The crystal ultra is more analytical. Hard to explain in English. The flow have more coherence than crystal. This coherence is not slow speed. My daughter tells me the motion of one key to another key is more organic with the flow. The crystal, the same motion is clear too. It is less organic. It is a question of do you want to see things clear. I use to think clear means music. The flow changes my angle of seeing things. Coherence does not may no transparent. It is probably no power cable can do two things at the same time in the past.
Siltech Ruby Mountain G6, Synergistic Research Absolute Reference, top model of Powersnakes, I tried all before, each have some good points than others. The last power cable on the 2020 is the Ruby Mountain. The boulder has excellent control, resolution, details. It is very senstiive to power cable. Sometimes, the sound is dull. I listened to my friends' much cheaper Conrad Johnson Art preamp, I feel there is more life to the music. The boulder is a bit slow in microdynamics. I work hard to improve by changing power cable, interconnects without success. I belong to Type A audiophile.
The FMR, after reading days and days of rave reviews by experience audiophiles, I bought one from Mr.Li. Without too much expectation, I plug it to the Boulder 2020. Here is my impression:
1. Like the name, the music just flows.
2. Imaging become 3D life like
3. Microdynamics are speedy with many harmonics I never heard before.
4. The control character of Boulder has not changed. The Ruby Mountain changed the boulder to very sweet mid range.
I listened to many discs over and over for the past 6 hours. It is musical. I don't really understand audio magazines say analytical means resolution and muscality means less resolution. I think the FMR does both well.
Since I belong to type A audiophile, I want to buy one more for the 2020 dac but Mr.Li has no more stock. In the shop, there are 2 more people waiting before me. Frankly, I originally thought this is some kind of hype. It is lucky that I am wrong. For the price, I think the FMR is a bargain compare to what I paid for Ruby Mountain.
Boulder Man
Type A Boulder Man
Anyone here heard the Orpheus Heritage?
^o^
just my 2 cents