Abbas dac 2.1 se

[jespera]

Hi,

The 2 last videos were also recorded at same spl from exactly same spot regarding the mic.

One of the video ( the kassandra one) was shooted with me and my friend inadvertently talking about spl level , so i removed that part.

I m still not very handy with editing using yt tools so i chose to publish the video in short.

No idea if that affected the sq of the video.

When you say the abbas is lighter in tonal balance what do you mean exactly?

Because i feel totally the opposite if i understood correctly what you mean.

The abbas have tendency to paint the music richer, to give it more color, more density kassandra is more neutral, closer to reality to my ears..

I hear background noise in the kassandra ahmed jamal video still …

Its possible that the short thing affects sound.

Comparing the kassandra and abbas ahmed jamal videos i still hear more high freq energy on the abbas than on the kassandra.

I hear it to a lesser extend on song 1-2-3 but it’s still there.

Ever so slightly.

Maybe some of that is what i call detail and you call bloom…?

I cant say if one is more analog or realistic than the other from listening to videos. Thats the sort of stuff digital generally and yt phone videos in particular struggle to capture.

I think the fundamental difference in our opinions about the abbas is that you think its crazy good for the money — i think its just crazy good.

We cant agree on everything. And we dont have to.

Keep those comparisons, descriptions and videos coming. They are much appreciated.

 

[charles1dad]

“Crazy good for the money “ or just crazy good! I believe that readers get the salient point. It is a Damm good DAC!!!
Charles

 

[Samsoum]

I hear background noise in the kassandra ahmed jamal video still …

Its possible that the short thing affects sound.

Comparing the kassandra and abbas ahmed jamal videos i still hear more high freq energy on the abbas than on the kassandra.

I hear it to a lesser extend on song 1-2-3 but it’s still there.

Ever so slightly.

Maybe some of that is what i call detail and you call bloom…?

I cant say if one is more analog or realistic than the other from listening to videos. Thats the sort of stuff digital generally and yt phone videos in particular struggle to capture.

I think the fundamental difference in our opinions about the abbas is that you think its crazy good for the money — i think its just crazy good.

We cant agree on everything. And we dont have to.

Keep those comparisons, descriptions and videos coming. They are much appreciated.

Agree 100% on yt not letting you make your head around the sq of each, but to certain extend you can get 80 percent idea .
That being said, believe me , you need to hear the video thru good headphones , or your car system if it s decsent enough, thru smartphones it is useless , and you will not differentiate anything.
Apl dsd sr is now into the system, what i can say now, it s gonna be very very clear to you the difference thru the video …
Is it better than my abbas 3.1 se, you will see….

 

[Samsoum]

I should add, i can understand, differentiate the nuances , differences -way better in my system , my treated acoustically room!
Stay tuned!

 

[charles1dad]

@Samsoum
I definitely get your point with regard to listening with your own audio system. Would you care to share your listening impressions on this thread between the APL DAC and your Abbas 3.1SE? I have to believe that they are rather different types of presentations.

I don’t have headphones and realize that I hear only a small fraction of what’s actually taking place sonically via the videos. Very interested in what you are hearing in person with your familiar system in use.
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

@djsina2
Hi,
How is your new CEC TL5 CD transport coming along as it burns-in? A good match with your Abbas 2.4SE?
Charles

 

[djsina2]

@djsina2
Hi,
How is your new CEC TL5 CD transport coming along as it burns-in? A good match with your Abbas 2.4SE?
Charles

I honestly have not heard any changes during the 150+ hrs it's been spinning a disc. I'd say the TL5 detracts a little from what is possible with the 2.4SE. Even after tuning the match with a different rectifier in the 2.4SE the TL5 offers more of a smoothed over presentation. I feel the Marantz used as a transport is more real. However, the Marantz is 30 years old and should be used sparingly. The 2.4SE and TL5 are going into an office system where they will likely see a lot of use. For this, I think it is a great pairing that is relatively inexpensive but still engaging.

 

[charles1dad]

@djsina2
Thanks for sharing your listening impressions. That Marantz has withstood the test of time. I strongly suspect that the Pro-Ject RS2T and the Jay’s Audio CD transports would provide increased realism and also higher resolution and nuance retrieval. Nonetheless I’m glad that your pairing will serve you well in your office.
Charles

 

[djsina2]

@djsina2
Thanks for sharing your listening impressions. That Marantz has withstood the test of time. I strongly suspect that the Pro-Ject RS2T and the Jay’s Audio CD transports would provide increased realism and also higher resolution and nuance retrieval. Nonetheless I’m glad that your pairing will serve you well in your office.
Charles

I think the TL5 being a little more smoothed over may be a good thing for an office. Not looking to eek the last ounce of performance out since it is background music essentially. Jay's might offer more but no way I am putting Chinese gear in my system.

So overall I would say this...

Marantz CD15 DAC/transport --> Marantz CD15 transport with Abbas 2.4SE DAC --> CEC TL5 transport with Abbas 2.4SE DAC. I will get the opinion of my neighbor next, who is a pro musician.

 

[Artnet]

the TL5 offers more of a smoothed over presentation

Mine is an older unit I had the power board recapped and the Lampi hack done on the SPDIF out. Vastly improved it and worth while if you have a good tech handy.
Running mine on the 4.1SE (PCM58) is a different kettle of fish again to your 2.4SE. My feeling is its a good synergy but as a transport isn't going to compete with either the vintage Marantz or the newer transports that charles mentioned. Its enjoyable however and will eventually have my TL1X upgraded before buying new which will eventually happen.

 

[Paul49720]

Chiming in here with very positive report of DAC 2.4SE with GD transformer, ordered in solidarity the first week of the war. I am a vinyl and FM radio head. Being very highly satisfied with Abbas' RIAA stage, ordered a year earlier, I ordered the 2.4SE hoping I'd get good sound from Radio France Musique's internet stream off my laptop in London. Out of the box I was shocked by the powerful dynamic force and wide open musicality of sound off my laptop, via normal house wi-fi (no special router or P/S). I use a relatively inexpensive Gustard U18 USB to SPDIF converter...... noted by a headphone guy as a very good cost effective unit "better than Mutec MC3". The larger bottles of this latest 2 series DAC make it very special and I am not thinking of what could be better. The half size chassis format greatly appeals to me. CD play is also superb. I listened to a Project CD box RS2T in my system which sounded merely ok, but not stand out. I found a 10 year old TEAC PD-H600 for use as transport which gives the level of dynamic force, tone and musical brilliance of the Abbas DAC for a tenth the cost of the Project.

my system:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9061

 

[charles1dad]

@Paul49720
Congratulations on acquiring the Abbas 2.4 SE and thanks for taking the time to post your listening impressions. I believe that you'll enjoy this DAC for years to come.
Charles

 

[jespera]

Chiming in here with very positive report of DAC 2.4SE with GD transformer, ordered in solidarity the first week of the war. I am a vinyl and FM radio head. Being very highly satisfied with Abbas' RIAA stage, ordered a year earlier, I ordered the 2.4SE hoping I'd get good sound from Radio France Musique's internet stream off my laptop in London. Out of the box I was shocked by the powerful dynamic force and wide open musicality of sound off my laptop, via normal house wi-fi (no special router or P/S). I use a relatively inexpensive Gustard U18 USB to SPDIF converter...... noted by a headphone guy as a very good cost effective unit "better than Mutec MC3". The larger bottles of this latest 2 series DAC make it very special and I am not thinking of what could be better. The half size chassis format greatly appeals to me. CD play is also superb. I listened to a Project CD box RS2T in my system which sounded merely ok, but not stand out. I found a 10 year old TEAC PD-H600 for use as transport which gives the level of dynamic force, tone and musical brilliance of the Abbas DAC for a tenth the cost of the Project.

my system:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9061

Another analog man with an abbas dac.

I also really enjoy my abbas phonostage. It was its big bottles that convinced me that i needed the 3.2se dac.

Thanks for the review.

 

[charles1dad]

@jespera
" also really enjoy my abbas phonostage. It was its big bottles that convinced me that i needed the 3.2se dac"

Inspiration comes in many forms. It was your 3 Abbas DAC comparison on this thread that convinced me I needed the big bottle 3.2SE.
Charles

 

[Artnet]

very positive report of DAC 2.4SE with GD transformer,

Congrats on the purchase. I can only wonder about the contribution that those GD transformers make as well as the larger bottles. It get me thinking that Abbas was very happy with the 2.4 development!
Alot to be said for the small form factor I think, the cost to the quality of music it provides is very pleasing.

 

[charles1dad]

Congrats on the purchase. I can only wonder about the contribution that those GD transformers make as well as the larger bottles. It get me thinking that Abbas was very happy with the 2.4 development!
Alot to be said for the small form factor I think, the cost to the quality of music it provides is very pleasing.

Based on my correspondence with Abbas, he is very pleased with the performance of the 2.4SE . He told me “The 2.4SE doesn’t blush in the presence of the 3.2SE.”

I understood his point. It isn’t the exact equal of the 3.2 SE top to bottom, but it certainly holds its own, which is high praise indeed. He believes I’d be very happy with the 2.4SE and I do not for a moment doubt that.

It is also 900.00 USD less and can be completed in about 4 weeks he said rather than 3 months. Notable points for certain. Yet I strongly sense that he knows that the 3.2SE is a benchmark performer. It requires 3 months minimum to be built for a reason.

Either way, whatever guides one’s ultimate choice, you simply cannot choose wrong with these two DACs in my humble opinion.
Charles

 

[Paul49720]

The 2.4 SE and perhaps, still more, the 3 series, will bring the most affecting music to one's home, short of a live concert.

@jespera
"I also really enjoy my abbas phonostage. It was its big bottles that convinced me......"

I would like to order another RIAA stage from Abbas with a GD transformer, of which, btw, Abbas writes, "The difference is in realism and in a greater depth of immersion in music."

Please let me know the form of the RIAA stage Abbas made for you after your note "big bottles".

Which tubes are used ?
And finally, is the power supply separately housed, or all in one chassis ?
Many thanks, Paul

 

[djsina2]

My replacement 2.4SE shipped today. Again Abbas says this version sounds better than the one I have. Not sure what the differences are. Also have Abbas interconnects and power cables coming.

 

[charles1dad]

@djsina2
Congratulations!!!
I am very interested in your listening experience with this new DAC and the effects of using the Abbas cables.
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

@Paul49720
“ The 2.4 SE and perhaps, still more, the 3 series, will bring the most affecting music to one's home, short of a live concert.”

This is exactly what I am looking for.
Charles