World Premier: VEKIAN CDT/DAC - the OPUS series
The genius team from Stahltek is happy to meet all AE fellows this Friday at 4:30pm @ AE showroom presenting the pinnacle of digital technology - the Vekian CDT/DAC OPUS series (An upgrade program to present Vekian signature users will be introduced shortly). Together with the masterpiece Da Vinci Virtu preamp, feeding the cost-no-object Analog domain amplifiers driving the Tidal Sunray-Ti system, it will be quite an experience.
This photo does not do justice to the true beauty of chassis with Aston Martin like metallic silver paint.
See you guys on Friday!
This photo does not do justice to the true beauty of chassis with Aston Martin like metallic silver paint.
See you guys on Friday!
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Another reference recording of many people - "LIVE !" by Chie Ayado. The scale of the piano relative to the vocal is a sight to be "visualize". The audiences a the back is integrated into the venue with distance perspective, again connected by endless spatial information. In comparison, the signature series put the audiences on another plane of axis which is already very lively. The overall resolution reflects the acoustics characteristics of the recording venue distinctly. The slight tightness on upper treble is gone in exchange for more extension. The presentation of the high frequency carries some sort of a body now.
Initial impression is similar to the body and texture offers by the Da Vinci AAS Gabriel minus the natural frequency extension of the analog vinyl (assuming the set up dials in correctly). I almost feel no compression in the mid range all the way down to lower mid bass.
Uncle Ray taught me a point during the audition session. The so called "palpability" of imaging is not the highest level of audio reproduction. If I understand correctly is the following: the palpability of the instrument/vocal is achieved by tonal resolution that stimulates one's brain to define its existence. It is only after this our brain knows the location of the imaging.
It is not difficult to any DA to recreate tonal resolution of a single instrument. But for music with more instruments playing at the same time, the ability to maintain the same level of tonal resolution of all instruments with different ranges of fundamental tones and 2nd order harmonic development requires ultra processing power. The complexity is to recreate them in a coherent manner so that the listener knows they are talking to each other or works as a team.
Damn it...sometime this hobby is more difficult to understand than those stupid Chinese bank balance sheets.
A great lesson for me this afternoon. Thanks for fatty Jlam opening the door as your dearest brother PT is not here today.
Damn.... got no time to get a taste of the digital amp driving the horny beta...
I sort of went there with an expectation that there would be improvements, this is somewhat taken for granted. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by the overall performance of the system. On those CDs I brought over including Soundtrack, classical, pop vocal, classical vocal and modern music, I am amazed on how much details that I have missed! Treble really extends into an uncharted zone with extreme rich texture and naturalness. Each key stroke on piano music has led a complete and non overlapping 'life span' from the first percussion till the natural fading out of the reverberation sound as a result of the sound bouncing back from the recording environment. For me, it is easier to tell if the recording area is an enclosed studio, live concert or an open park....really amazing on the spatial information being reproduced precisely without the feeling of "digital re-mastering'. There is absolutely zero hint on digital harshness or emptiness on any frequency which my ears can detect.
My first encounterment of vekian is after I went to hear an US brand DAC which PT told me he has a DAC which has 10db more in the dynamic range: 127db! Without any doubt, Opus series has given an even more exciting roller coaster ride in terms traversing the wide dynamic range, stress free and with rich tonal colors!
Though it was a short session, I am thoroughly melt down by the total transparency depicted by the Opus series and truly convinced that there is really a cd source which can come so close to the best analogue playback that I have heard!
Marvel
I am very excited and happy to meet Mike Stahl who is equally as fine as the OPUS.
AE has kindly reserved a seat for me sitting next to Mike on the dinner after the show former of which I missed due to another appointment.
Over dinner, I had opportune time with Mike asking him many questions on the design concept of the Opus. According to him, the entire DAC has been revamped although the chasis is very much the same as the Signature series. Digital noise has been reduced significantly while the algorithm of the DA conversion has also been reprogrammed. Mike studied computing in the University and we exchanged some views on the programming efficiency and speed and how it would subsequently affect the performance of the DAC. I learnt a lot from Mike who is surprisingly very humble and frank in explaining to me on the details of the Opus series which I keep on appraising.
Being a Vekian Signature combo owner, I asked Mike if getting an upgrade to the Opus series is more 'economical' than buying a new Opus combo...pricing has not been determined yet so we all have to wait for further announcement by AE...but the logistics of sending the Signature back to StahlTek for upgrade is essentially the same as getting a new Opus series but with a Signature chasis. Mike will personally test the performance of the upgraded machine not just by techical measurements but also on the music the upgraded machine produces. That is also the reason why he does not prefer to sending the components to HK for the upgrade by local engineer. I truly admire and respect this kind of serious attitude in ensuring 100% customer satisfaction. My salute to Mike and Stahltek!!
Do we need to get the Opus transport or we can keep the Signature transport? Well...are you a perfectionist? The transport has also been upgraded on the HDMI output and the circuit with an aim to reduce the digital noise as well.
As I said in my previous comment, the OPus series really come very close to the best analog system that I have heard and I can understand more from my conversation from Mike this does not happen by trial and error, Mike has got a clear mindset in the future roadmap and he is always thinking ahead in designing his products. He stays very focused in making a top notch product rather than expanding the product range rapidly to meet market need. I also share my views that the hifi community in AE is looking for exotic product with ultra hi-end performance (but with reasonable price tag, my own aspiration!) I am sure Mike heard this and will bring more surprises to us in the next 12-24 months. He has some secret projects in progress....wow....
Marvel