If you still spin CDs, this may be the cost no object best option.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=VjN1SHRiUWYxUGd0dk5qWTVQOEJNNXdMaEZ0RGZB


On 25th, May, I went to Yongsan Electronic Land, Seoul, Korea.

With this combination, it sounds effortless, very detailed with clear focus, deep and wide soundstage.

It is one of the best high end sound that I had ever heard.


The front end was Metronome Kalista Reference 30 year anniversary model.

Ypsilon Aellus monoblocks and PST100 pre amplfiers was used to drive 150K$ Avalon Saga speakers.

Avalon Acoustics | About

The specification of Saga is

Driver Complement:
1" Concave Carbon/Glass Neodymium Tweeter
7" Concave radial magnetic Ceramic Midrange
(2) 13" Nomex Kevlar Generation II Composite Woofers
All drivers utilize proprietary neodymium magnetic technologies.

Sensitivity:
92 dB

Impedance:
4 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum)

Frequency Response:
20Hz to 45kHz


Dimensions:
68" high (178 cm)
14.5" wide (37 cm)
17" deep (43 cm)

Weight:
260 pounds each (118 kg each)




https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=VjN1SHRiUWYxUGd0dk5qWTVQOEJNNXdMaEZ0RGZB

Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac with two separate power supplies look grand.

Kalista Dreamplay CD transport and DAC

It has two different Dac modes and selectable tube out and SS out.

Tube out give more analogue sound while SS out give more transparent sound.

This Kalista Dreamplay transport and Dac is not cheap with price tag of 100K$.

But it seems to match the sound of MSB Select II with transport.

I am getting strong temptation to snatch this beauty.

I have to check my bank balance after going back to my home in US.



This is my first encounter with Ypsilon amplifiers and I am also deeply impressed with the quality of its sound and relatively affordable price.

PST100 pre amplifier has both active and passive mode.

Passive give more transparent sound while sacrificing little bit of dynamics.



Yongsan Electronic Land used to house more than 200 high end audio shops about 15 years ago, while it had dwindled to around 100 shops now.

But it is still one of the best place to audition high end audio and vintage audio.

As I go through the top digital systems in Korea, it is getting more difficult to choose one to replace my 10 years old EMMLab Dac2( new price was 9k$).

 

Although I am enamored by the system, I try to find best one under 25k$.

I will audition Trinity Dac and Formula HXD Dac with SGM Extreme Server on May 28th.

The owner of the shop who let me audition Metronome has high opinion about Trinity Dac.

Thus I am also curious how Trinity Dac sounds.

 

Absurd.

 

Please

 

I was not too long ago and editor for a tech magazine. One year at CES I ventured to the upper floors of the show to the high-end audio rooms (interesting note... As a rule, the higher the floor, the more expensive the gear being shown). I eventually walked into the suite where YG Acoustics had its Sonja TM XV speaker system set up. Forh those who don't know, it features four towers, 2600 CNC machined parts, and a price tag of a quarter mil. Shipping weight is 1.3 tons.

Anyway, I took a seat. Overheard a guy say the entire system - speakers, amps, preamp, source, cables, etc.- came to about $650k. I quietly got up and left the room. I knew that if I heard that system, I would almost certainly never be completely happy with anything I'd ever be able to afford, because I'd know how much more there was to hear and feel. It was bad enough hearing the VTL system, which literally brought tears to my eyes when I heard Mozart through it.

I'm sure the system you've described sounds amazing. But I have no desire to hear it because I don't want to know what I'm missing

 

No more absurd than people listening to music on MP3 with earbuds.

 

NAD works for me just fine.

 

Perhaps a liiiitle bit more absurd, given the cost/benefit ratio in question....but I get your point.

 

Your statement makes sense.

Law of diminishing return apply in high end audio.

But as 40 years of audiophile, I wish to get the best digital sound available.

I do not change major components very often.

Once I like it, I keep it for long time.

I had been using Lansche 4.1 speaker since 2007 and Silbaton 300B SET since 2002.

My current EMMLab Dac2 is almost 10 years old.

 

One thing I don't like is that we are offered a tube or solid state replay in the same box. Surely a money no object device would minimise redundant options to concentrate on one playback method - and one set of inputs/outputs etc.. In other words it should be built to order not cater for various options.

 

I found tube out to have more analog sound while SS out has more transparent sound.

It is not bad too options depending on the source, that is, some CD may sound bright or others sound neutral.

 

Maybe it's great (the Kalista). Personally, if I had the cash - and I don't - I'd need to hear it first, as I'm inclined to steer clear of digital that does this much editorialising in the audio band.

For that kind of money, I'd be more interested in the transport/dac combination from Rockna, or possibly Gryphon's recent new CD player, the Ethos or their Scorpio, or the Kaliope DAC (even with Sabre chips on board, which aren't usually my cup of tea).

 

I understand your points.

In terms of value, this machine may appear to be too expensive.

But it looks gorgeous and sounds very detailed.

 

Listen to LAME V0 on a pair on Yuin Pk1's and get back to us.

 

I totally agree. What such an arrangement means 99% of the time is that they have just stuck a completely redundant tube-buffer stage after the entire SS output stage (which is always in circuit). While this approach can sound pleasant, it is fundamentally the wrong approach for anything which is pretending to be SOTA.

If you are going to build a tube output stage, then tubes should be replacing all of the solid state devices, not simply euphonizing the output of some op-amps.

 

Those pointy top speakers must be inspired by the vintage Japanese sci-fi movie - Gamera vs. Viras.

 

Thomas, what can I say other than...

 

As an economical option, I am also interested in Chord Dave.

 

Kalista? Is that a garage brand?

 

I like it. Was never a fan of the disc disappearing into a drawer. If I could, I would.

 

Transport: The Select Transport Pricing - MSB Technology

Matching DAC: The Select DAC Pricing - MSB Technology

 

Full 4 stack separate boxes: Products | dCS

 

no SACD ?
no good...
(kidding.... obviously... seems nice!)

 

You win. You're more nerdcore than I am.
.