New MSB Owner

[Alrainbow]

Welcome to ultra high end many loved tracks can be all new and different
Some though can show who they were mixed for lol.
Go on tidal they have many many versions of the same albums this really helped me
mqa too while some hate one thing is for sure they have picked the best source at the start

 

[Backpacker]

Welcome to ultra high end many loved tracks can be all new and different
Some though can show who they were mixed for lol.
Go on tidal they have many many versions of the same albums this really helped me
mqa too while some hate one thing is for sure they have picked the best source at the start

Nice full body massage on that track though

Try Emmy Lou Harris “Goodbye” off Wrecking Ball. That should let the Select strut its stuff

Or New Favorite from Allison Krauss

 

[Rexp]

Just listening to one of my favourite 'pop' tracks - the underrated "Say Something" from Justin Timberlake. Just not feeling it. Amazing detail, vocals, separation (best I have heard) - but you get the feeling that the engineer was using NS10's to mix. So listening back on a super transparent system doesn't have the same cohesion it does on a regular hifi - the musicality seems to have been dissected into these perfect components - but lacking glue/cohesion. Surely we want to recreate the control room sound? Hmmm...

This is a good recording, how does it sound using your AK?

 

[Googaliser]

This is a good recording, how does it sound using your AK?

Yes - production quality is good (JT's usually is) and I love the song. Will need to check on the AK. I usually watch it on YouTube though (via Trinnov / Neumann atmos system) - the accompanying video is a work of art - single take music video by steadicam extraordinaire - Ari Robbins (of La La Land fame). It gives me goosebumps on the Trinnov....

 

[Rexp]

Yes - production quality is good (JT's usually is) and I love the song. Will need to check on the AK. I usually watch it on YouTube though (via Trinnov / Neumann atmos system) - the accompanying video is a work of art - single take music video by steadicam extraordinaire - Ari Robbins (of La La Land fame). It gives me goosebumps on the Trinnov....

Cool, coz if it sounds bad, blame the equipment

 

[Googaliser]

Quick update:
Have now added the Pro-USB interface - definitely another step-up in performance and reduced some of my anxiety about not having a dedicated server (yet). I plan to do some listening tests vs. the renderer to be a little more specific - but each time I start - I just get lost in the music. The Rossini APEX and clock that was meant for a second system, is going back to the dealer. Have been a longtime fan (but never owner) of dCS - but honestly there was no comparison. The MSB is liquid, organic and 3D. Effortless in its presentation. The Rossini sounded flat and digital to my ears, by comparison. Perhaps not a fair test given their very different price points, but it didn't inspire me enough to want to try the Vivaldi. I think my dCS journey ended this week. They say it is bad to meet your heroes...
Despite being a 'cable denier' - curiosity has got the better of me and a Nordost Valhalla II analogue XLR is on its way - to try between the Select II and HE1. This will be my first foray into high-end interconnects - so lets see!

 

[Googaliser]

It would be good to hear viewpoints on power conditioners. Am considering an Everest - but also took a look at Nordost's offering today.

 

[Armsan]

It would be good to hear viewpoints on power conditioners. Am considering an Everest - but also took a look at Nordost's offering today.

To turn the best even better, considering that your AC power isn’t awful, instead, I would go for the DD, specially if you like the renderer module, which is a computer so noisy and you should want it way from your Select. Just my experience.

 

[luca.pelliccioli]

Still wondering how beneficial could be the DD if you are already using the USB Pro external module with Pro ISL fiber. Did Anyone experience thet?

 

[Armsan]

Still wondering how beneficial could be the DD if you are already using the USB Pro external module with Pro ISL fiber. Did Anyone experience thet?

The proof is in the hearing. Please, don’t compare the ProUSB with the DD. The power to feed the ProUSB is provided by your music server. The DD has its own power supply for all the installed modules. I don’t use the ProUSB anymore. Through the DD is too much of a good thing, too many electrical/fiber conversions and, in my system, the SQ becomes a little dull/soft. That’s why I use the Quadrate USB module, powered by the DD and not by the noisier power supply of the music server, even if it’s the Taiko, in my case. That’s what happens here until, in the future I believe, MSB and Taiko might allow us to get rid of USB connections. This results are very system/room/server software/home network dependent, so there’s no correct forecasts before experiment.

 

[luca.pelliccioli]

The proof is in the hearing. Please, don’t compare the ProUSB with the DD. The power to feed the ProUSB is provided by your music server. The DD has its own power supply for all the installed modules. I don’t use the ProUSB anymore. Through the DD is too much of a good thing, too many electrical/fiber conversions and, in my system, the SQ becomes a little dull/soft. That’s why I use the Quadrate USB module, powered by the DD and not by the noisier power supply of the music server, even if it’s the Taiko, in my case. That’s what happens here until, in the future I believe, MSB and Taiko might allow us to get rid of USB connections. This results are very system/room/server software/home network dependent, so there’s no correct forecasts before experiment.

Thanks for your comment.
In my case the Statement Server is designed for USB output, with a clock studied for this purpose. it sports also an ethernet output that I'm afraid is not as good as USB. So at the moment I'm pretty stuck with USB, this is the reason why I'm asking about the DD, added to the USB Pro module.
Anyhow thanks for sharing your experience, it’s very interesting that DD+Quadrate USB could outperform the USB Pro alone or the combo DD+USB Pro, you are giving me more food for thoughts!

 

[divertiti]

The proof is in the hearing. Please, don’t compare the ProUSB with the DD. The power to feed the ProUSB is provided by your music server. The DD has its own power supply for all the installed modules. I don’t use the ProUSB anymore. Through the DD is too much of a good thing, too many electrical/fiber conversions and, in my system, the SQ becomes a little dull/soft. That’s why I use the Quadrate USB module, powered by the DD and not by the noisier power supply of the music server, even if it’s the Taiko, in my case. That’s what happens here until, in the future I believe, MSB and Taiko might allow us to get rid of USB connections. This results are very system/room/server software/home network dependent, so there’s no correct forecasts before experiment.

No wonder my Pro USB ISL sounds so amazing, my music server Innuos Statement Next Gen has some of the best designed power supply on the market by Sean Jacobs. Moving to something like the Premier DD which has a switching power supply would undoubtedly be a downgrade in my case.

 

[luca.pelliccioli]

No wonder my Pro USB ISL sounds so amazing, my music server Innuos Statement Next Gen has some of the best designed power supply on the market by Sean Jacobs. Moving to something like the Premier DD which has a switching power supply would undoubtedly be a downgrade in my case.

It seems we own a very similar system, indeed!

 

[pleroma]

It would be good to hear viewpoints on power conditioners. Am considering an Everest - but also took a look at Nordost's offering today.

A little late to the party, but glad you're enjoying things. I've been partial to Shunyata for a while, but my dealer informed me the Omega bettered his Nordost (if you can afford either!). I guess most of us reach a point where the wishlist is not so attainable, but my mine includes an Omega loom (and the Taiko networking stack).

 

[divertiti]

A little late to the party, but glad you're enjoying things. I've been partial to Shunyata for a while, but my dealer informed me the Omega bettered his Nordost (if you can afford either!). I guess most of us reach a point where the wishlist is not so attainable, but my mine includes an Omega loom (and the Taiko networking stack).

In my experience, Shunyata's Everest is better than Nordost's powerbase (I've had both), but Nordost's cables are better than Shunyata's (also had both). To make that assessment a bit more meaningful, my comparison was Omega power cable vs. Odin 2 power cable on my MSB Reference, and my idea of better is precise timing with no smear or artificial bloom, nuance and low level detail (micro dynamics), tonal balance (nothing emphasized, sounds "right") and macro dynamics. Odin 2 was better on all fronts.

 

[pleroma]

In my experience, Shunyata's Everest is better than Nordost's powerbase (I've had both), but Nordost's cables are better than Shunyata's (also had both). To make that assessment a bit more meaningful, my comparison was Omega power cable vs. Odin 2 power cable on my MSB Reference, and my idea of better is precise timing with no smear or artificial bloom, nuance and low level detail (micro dynamics), tonal balance (nothing emphasized, sounds "right") and macro dynamics. Odin 2 was better on all fronts.

Thanks for the helpful opinion.

My most recent project was to pull 6-gauge from the main panel to the media room. I'd highly recommend this upgrade, for practically pocket change compared to the other gear we have.