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World Premier: VEKIAN CDT/DAC - the OPUS series

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  • Mike is a real professional and more importantly, a real music lover. I chatted with him quite bit on why it is so difficult to have good reproduction of brass in a symphony, and it turns out he himself is a trumpet player. His vekian is already the work of a genius (and the opus substantially better) and has given us the pleasure of listening to symphonies (with CDs) at home with some scale.
  • The Vekian Opus suite by Mike Stahl is equivalent to the works of Gaudi in the architectural domain. Indeed, the architectural structure of the soundstage is unprecedentedly presented as a piece of uncut fine fabric with varying texture.
  • These are Interesting comments indeed. The immense musicality brought to my family by Neodio is a wholesome experience. I always wonder why audiophile keeps spending for the next upgrade if the objective of achieving "musicality" is achieved. Before I purchased the Neodio, I had spent some hours with the Vekian signature digital combo at AE. I could not criticize anything but I like Neodio more. That was a certain call. No regrets.

    The "Opus" let me understand finally why would somebody keep pushing the envelope to reach the next step. The definition of "next step" varies from people to people. But this step, to my ears, is a definitive one. It is a solid one. It is real. The realism of musicality is phenomenal. When it comes to audio jargon, I am just a novice. After digesting what Uncle Ray's architectural descriptions, the listening experiences today flashed back. The whole micro-structure of the soundstage is recreated to the degree of telling me - "not to ask questions anymore". It is "there". It is thrilling. Maybe, truth means beauty. I tasted it today.
  • I purposely flew from Beijing back to HK on Monday to audition the Opus. I met English Teacher there. I have no more comments to add. I was totally speechless after the system played the last track - Maltida from the Belafonte at Carnegie Hall. The resolution of the "audiences" section is mind boggling blending so well with the on stage performance of Belafonte and the whole band! It is so vividly portraited.
  • edited August 2011
    When Alecy firstly introduced me to the Scottish Fantasia played by Alfredo Campoli a decade ago, this piece of fine concerto immediately captured my emotions. Ever since, it is one of my reference recordings.

    Whenever the music kicks off with a solemn E flat minor, followed by the muted harp and cymbals, the sorrowing tone of Campoli's violin slowly evolved in richness. The melancholic melody under the spell of Campoli interwoven with the orchestra to render an atmosphere of nostalgia.

    Never had I imagine and thought possible before an audio system can re-surrect Alfredo Campoli in front of me in the AE showroom. After the 1st adagio cantabile movement finished playing by the Vekian Opus suite, a mist was somehow formed in front of my eyes. I was thoroughly touched. That violin is right in front of me as though I can touch it. All his hushed "rubato" techniques are just in front of me. I never know there is "breathing" sound of him while playing until the past few days. At 3:20 of track 1, the orchestra at the back start to bloom. Layers and layers of over-tunes from all kind of instruments developed in all direction. Some tones decaying faster than the others. Everything is so clear and yet harmoniously presented. When the violin started playing again, Campoli caught my full attention once again.

    This is an experience that I should share with Alecy first because it is him who recommended this music to me. It doesn't come easy. It is a long way. But when one is in the zone, your soul feels it.
  • I understand. I can imagine. Maybe, Alecy will share with us his Campoli experience after he listened to the system
  • I was with PT in his later part of the listening last night. I know he had spent the whole day listening to the system in AE showroom not because of he wanted to further tune the system or test some secret components, it is a pure appreciation of musical fidelity that the system can produce at this moment. Last night was not entirely a musical appreciation, PT set up a flagship DAC of another prestige brand as he knows I quite enjoy AB comparison in his merciless Tidal system.

    We listened to Campoli's Scottish Fantasia together and of course I don't have the in-depth reflection by PT above, but I am truly and utterly impressed by the fidelity level attained. I heard and perhaps used the word 'involving' and 'engaging' many times but last night really throw me out of the blue on what exactly these words mean!! PT talked about AE's vision in 10 years' time, but I was thinking at this level, can 2-channel CD audio system can further evolve and improve in the next 10 years...Last night, I seriously think of several things: If it is the ultimate, would the next 10 years be very boring ? Tidal preamp + Analog Domain + Tidal Sunray T1 is genuinely the reference system almost fully tamed in the AE showroom. Without a truly neutral and transparent amplificaiton, the details produced from the CD source cannot be totally and precisely unleashed! With the AB comparison, I learnt a lot more about what Vekian Opus DAC can contribute in portraiting the original venue of the recording. It is not a sketch outline of the venue, it is a total information 'download' of the original environment into the virtual space of the showroom. The 'ghoatly' feeling of having some singers inside the showroom singing with a live band all around myself is really taunting!!

    This is really an ear opening experience!!

    Marvel
  • Did he play the live recording of "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan? My spine was thrilled when the lyrics reached "Glorious Sadness". The outpouring of her emotions through the control of her voice is staggering.
  • PT,

    Campoli’s Scottish Fantasy… that brought back lots of memories.

    Although I have yet to live through the Vekian Opus, at a platonic level, I do share your overwhelming emotion of this uniquely heart piercing music.

    The rich symphonic texture has the ability to transcend one to the mist and rugged landscape of Scotland. Campoli’s rendition of this much loved piece is ambitious. The emotional landscape, as I perceived it, is at the civilisation level. It takes one through history.

    The tears of battles lost. The pain of families torn. The frustration of injustice.

    Like peeling through layers of an onion to its core, as the textural details unfold, one lives through the pain and tears with a brutal force. At the very end, all lives and civilisation must come to an end. The eventuality can only be sadness and isolation in an infinite emptiness. To be totally honest, I deliberately avoid listening to this track as every time I just ended up feeling depressed. I can imagine the Opus is only gonna makes me bleeds more.

    When tears dried and pain subsided, humans remain unrepentant.

    After this, our exile.
  • I am glad that I finally arranged an audition on the Opus combo this afternoon. Of course I trust PT 100% that Opus has already evolved to another level. However, being the user of the already-so-good Vekian signature combo, I still doubt if there is still much margin for the Vekian combo to improve. My doubt disappeared after I listened to the first song in the AE showroom. Then, after the piano by Kabi Laretei, I was pretty sure the opus combo has really broken through to the next level no other has reached. My new question is that will there be another advance level. The answer must be yes and I will wait for that. One interesting demo I saw today is the AB comparison of Vekian Opus DAC with another prestige brand DAC. I was amazed that the difference was so obvious and every body would have spotted it out within 10 seconds. Finally, I must say the Campoli violin touched me as if it is talking to me with the music!
  • "...My new question is that will there be another advance level. The answer must be yes...."

    $$$$$
  • Yes, we must pay $$$ to advance to the next level. I don't want to think of this never ending upgrade story any more. Thinking it more positively, need to work harder and earn more money (to AE).

    Anyway, I recognized that so many people brought a lot of "sky-disc" to test on the opus combo. I don't want to repeat this and so I brought a number of pop CDs (though old one) and tested how opus behave on karaoke songs. All those CDs are my favorite and I am very familiar with performance from my system. The songs I selected included 破曉 of 林憶蓮 (what a beautiful flute sound at the beginning), 流沙 of 陶喆 (this song was in his first album. now I know why he got famous as he really had good voice. of course, reduced perfectly with the sunray) and 纏綿遊戲 of 彭羚 (really miss her voice, why does she come out again and sing?). After all the K songs, I must agree with PT that the whole system was balance with opus combo and all the others. Basically, all kind of music could be played perfectly now.

    I didn't tell PT the songs that stun me that day. They were the two Fado songs by Mariza (concerto em Lisboa). I deeply feel the sadness and the melancholy of the songs. And this is the essence of Fado. Barvo reproduction of the concert!!!
  • It seems to be old fashion to say "people don't treasure things when they are present" but this really applies to me. What I mean is that after my Vekian CDT and DAC have assimilated into my system, I just "take it for granted" for its superb performance. When they are away from me during the opus upgrade period, I missed them a lot. PT did me a big favor for lending his own Zendan combo so that I could continue to enjoy the music when the Vekian CDT and DAC were taken away. At the time when I connected Zendan to my system, I already "re-recognize" how good my Vekian is. This make me long for the delivery of my opus Vekian.
    The upgrade period is much shorter than my expectation. The handsome opus Vekian arrived last week but unluckily I was so busy and did not connect them until these few days.
    The opus combo really define another level of CD replaying. My original Vekian combo is already so good but the opus is much better which I must say the upgrade worth every penny. The most impressive aspects that shock me is that the music from opus is natural, seamless and elastic. The resolution is so high that every details could be seen like using a magnifying glass. When I listen to Eason Chan concert, I find even more audience singing in the background by using opus.
    Having said that I feel the sound of opus is not yet stable. PT said it is recommended to run-in the combo with 100+ hours playing. I am now playing it now day and night and hope it can settle down sooner.
  • The pic of my upgraded opus DAC
  • I upgrade my DAC to opus for both electronics and chassis. However, I just upgrade my CDT for electronics only. After the upgrade, "opus electronics" is marked at the back of my CDT.
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