dCS Varese short review

[Mike Lavigne]

not a reviewer

see Mono and Stereo.

 

[LL21]

I think it’s a very interesting topic. Different violins played by different musicians in different halls all sound different. We are told that every speaker design is a compromise full of trade-offs. Same for every assembled system and room. Constant choices between compromises and trade-offs. If that is in fact, the case, we then select the gear which we think conveys certain qualities that we recognize in live music better than the competition. And if we don’t use live music as a reference, then it’s whatever individuals like.

I happen to use live unified music as a reference against which to judge system quality or performance. I also happen to think that certain components and set ups in rooms are less compromised than others, and if chosen well, and set up properly, some systems rise above the rest. This group of exceptional equipment stands the test of time and becomes rare and coveted in the future. We can all look back and select certain components that we think are better than the rest based on our individual knowledge and experience. That group tends to converge for each of us. It is the group that reminds us the most of the experience of listening to live music if that is the reference. If there is no reference, it is whatever the listener chooses as his favorite. That group of favorites should also tend to converge for that listener.

A lot to like in what you say here (for me, anyway). Many of us hear live music differently because of physical differences in our hearing capability...but I would ALSO add that many of us focus on hearing/listening differently and what we take away from a live performance is again different and personal. Particularly what we prioritize as important in what we hear.

- Take all of that home to the home system, and once again, we must face those differences of priorities combined with our own physical capabilities of hearing. And THEN we have to combine the home system's particular components and each piece of equipment's own set of pros/cons, benefits/compromises...

- And THEN, we have to combine that particular component within a system, each piece having its own set of pros/cons, benefits/compromises...and the room is one of those components.

- And THEN, we have to select our music. As much as some will argue a system does not know what music is being played on it...I give the simple example of propulsive sub-35hz bass on a soundtrack...and listening to it on bookshelves. It just wont be the same as with an all-out-assault-on-bass-to-sub-20hz system. Whereas if you play music that consistently lives above 55hz, you probably wont know or care.

With all of the above in mind, I know that my own priorities ALSO CHANGE, as I learn more from others whose experience or whose systems teach me things I did not know about or simply had not experienced before. I know where I have been...and surprisingly, my tastes and priorities remain largely consistent...I love mids and am a bass freak but not a detail freak. BUT, I have learned over time how much music lives in the silence, the pauses, the nuances, the breath, the vibration of a bow...and that has driven me to focus more on these elements as I select equipment and listen to systems or to equipment.

Finally, the other point I would make is that I have found with certain long-term reviewers (Martin Colloms comes to mind because I kept 4 of his reviews in particular) when they make a call early on about a piece being long-term spectacular...it is interesting to see their calls being vindicated 20 years later. He called the Krell FPB600, the Wilson X1/Grand SLAMM, the Sonus Faber Guarneri...as being absolute smashes, record breakers who would go the distance, and each has gone down as legendary in the annals of history. I have since kept his review of the Audio Note DAC 5th Element and the recent Wilson XVX where he was positively effusive and very detailed in his listening notes. And so yes, there are components that seem to weigh the balance of various priorities in music reproduction and their own technical pros/cons to get that balance particularly right...and they do stand the test of time.

 

[tima]

see Mono and Stereo.

I have, perhaps you have not. It's your claim, I suspect you have been duped, but that's okay as many others have as well. Show us the reviews. The publisher may have his name on the masthead but that is all. It's a long running fraud disinformation

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I have, perhaps you have not. It's your claim, I suspect you have been duped, but that's okay as many others have as well. Show us the reviews. The publisher may have his name on the masthead but that is all. It's a long running fraud disinformation

ok. i respect as a serious reviewer for you it's understandably a larger issue. i think Ron gets the benefit of the doubt from me considering his overall intense hifi media efforts. i don't see reviewing as an easy thing as i tried it once and found it too much work to learn to do effectively and the commitment it takes.

 

[microstrip]

The effort to change the subject from dCS’s new DAC to the Wadax has been very successful. Pages and pages of interesting discussion that has little to nothing to do with the original post.

The usual natural flow of WBF debates ...

I am curious how for instance a recording like Beethoven’s Middle String Quartets sounds different on the dCS and Wadax. Does anyone really know or is it even important?

Yes, it is important and was addressed by several members in other threads, but not particularly for these string quartets. BTW, string tone is one of the reasons I own dCS.

 

[microstrip]

I have, perhaps you have not. It's your claim, I suspect you have been duped, but that's okay as many others have as well. Show us the reviews. The publisher may have his name on the masthead but that is all. It's a long running fraud disinformation

Tim,

May be I am missing something, but I find Ron often refers to himself as a reviewer. I suggest you read his current WBF signature and what he writes in the "about"" section of WBF. Perhaps wrongly but I also assumed it.

"Effective February 18, 2016, I became a Senior Contributing Reviewer for Mono and Stereo.

To better understand my reviews and the context in which I make my comments I want to explain my high-end audio philosophy, my listening biases and my music preferences. By so doing I hope that my reviews and my descriptions of what I hear will be more valuable to you. By enabling you to understand my preferences, and by helping you to calibrate what I like versus what you like, I hope to enable you to triangulate meaningfully on, and better comprehend, what I describe in my reviews."

Ron will probably clarify this question, no speculation is need.

 

[PeterA]

The usual natural flow of WBF debates ...



Yes, it is important and was addressed by several members in other threads, but not particularly for these string quartets. BTW, string tone is one of the reasons I own dCS.

Hello again. How are the string energy, mass, dynamics, and presence with your dCS?

 

[PeterA]

Tim,

May be I am missing something, but I find Ron often refers to himself as a reviewer. I suggest you read his current WBF signature and what he writes in the "about"" section of WBF. Perhaps wrongly but I also assumed it.

"Effective February 18, 2016, I became a Senior Contributing Reviewer for Mono and Stereo.

To better understand my reviews and the context in which I make my comments I want to explain my high-end audio philosophy, my listening biases and my music preferences. By so doing I hope that my reviews and my descriptions of what I hear will be more valuable to you. By enabling you to understand my preferences, and by helping you to calibrate what I like versus what you like, I hope to enable you to triangulate meaningfully on, and better comprehend, what I describe in my reviews."

Ron will probably clarify this question, no speculation is need.

I have referred to Ron as a reviewer, a dealer, and a co-owner of an audio forum. I haven’t seen more than one published review though, and it was done in a remote location years ago, when he did not have a system set up because his room was being renovated.

 

[tima]

ok. i respect as a serious reviewer for you it's understandably a larger issue. i think Ron gets the benefit of the doubt from me considering his overall intense hifi media efforts. i don't see reviewing as an easy thing as i tried it once and found it too much work to learn to do effectively and the commitment it takes.

You were talking about correct reporting on prices. Same thing here. Lot's of ways to describe oneself without being deceptive.

 

[microstrip]

Hello again. How are the string energy, mass, dynamics, and presence with your dCS?

Surely It will depend a lot on system. It was more energetic and full bodied with the Wilson Audio XLF than with the SoundLab's. The feeling of being there was fabulous, particularly as there was no "fat" or added coloration, and dynamics were correct.

Currently setting up a pair of Sonus Faber Aida's according to Jim Smith methodology - unfortunately the XLF's were too tall for my new vaulted large space.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

The effort to change the subject from dCS’s new DAC to the Wadax has been very successful.

effort??? do you have actual evidence of that?

Pages and pages of interesting discussion that has little to nothing to do with the original post.

let's look at the facts. exactly WHO brought up Wadax and when? looked back in this thread....went back 25 days to March 13th, page 8.

these are posts that mention the word Wadax. mostly not poster's associated with Wadax.

@Lee -post # 141
@still-one -post #159
@PeterA -post #180 :rolleyes:
@Amir -post #181
[USER=11]@marty -post #182
@Stereophonic -post #182
@caesar -post #195 on March 21st.
@Mike Lavigne -post #200 i answered caesar's question on March 22nd.
@caesar -post #217
@Lee -post #224
@vindixon -post #300
@caesar -post #351
@JiminGa -post #361
@JiminGa -post #364
@andromedaaudio -post #386

and then the trigger for the Wadax reactions since.....

@Ron Resnick -post #427

we can debate why Wadax owners took exception to Ron's post. but these last pages since have been organic to his post. details about Wadax have been mostly answers to questions or comments. not just random Wadax stuff. Ron could have short stopped all that but choose not to. so it proceeded. and prior to that there is zero evidence of any Wadax preferers pushing any agenda.

why did you bring up Wadax? btw.....of course.....normal that you would.

 

[Al M.]

The usual natural flow of WBF debates ...

Exactly. I don't see the issue here.

 

[pk_LA]

I think it is quite natural for the Wadax to enter discussion around the Varese. They are both ultra high-end DACs with pricing that is also ultra high. I also look forward to the comparisons with the upcoming MSB Sentinel. The curious interloper here to me is the Horizon 360! It costs less than the power supply for the Wadax! Yet, there are seasoned audiophiles with the means to have any of the aforementioned DACs who prefer it!

 

[PeterA]

effort??? do you have actual evidence of that?

let's look at the facts. exactly WHO brought up Wadax and when? looked back in this thread....went back 25 days to March 13th, page 8.

these are posts that mention the word Wadax. mostly not poster's associated with Wadax.

@Lee -post # 141
@still-one -post #159
@PeterA -post #180 :rolleyes:
@Amir -post #181
[USER=11]@marty -post #182
@Stereophonic -post #182
@caesar -post #195 on March 21st.
@Mike Lavigne -post #200 i answered caesar's question on March 22nd.
@caesar -post #217
@Lee -post #224
@vindixon -post #300
@caesar -post #351
@JiminGa -post #361
@JiminGa -post #364
@andromedaaudio -post #386

and then the trigger for the Wadax reactions since.....

@Ron Resnick -post #427

we can debate why Wadax owners took exception to Ron's post. but these last pages since have been organic to his post. details about Wadax have been mostly answers to questions or comments. not just random Wadax stuff. Ron could have short stopped all that but choose not to. so it proceeded. and prior to that there is zero evidence of any Wadax preferers pushing any agenda.

why did you bring up Wadax? btw.....of course.....normal that you would.

I asked a question relevant to both DAC systems that was never answered by anyone about the aesthetics and functionality of the two competing products. The subject of the thread is a bunch of smooth boxes that must be controlled by some remote, while the Wadax looks like it is all knobs and buttons. I was just curious about how different the user interfaces are or at least seem to be, but no one seemed to want to talk about it.

 

[pk_LA]

I asked a question relevant to both DAC systems that was never answered by anyone about the aesthetics and functionality of the two competing products. The subject of the thread is a bunch of smooth boxes that must be controlled by some remote, while the Wadax looks like it is all knobs and buttons. I was just curious about how different the user interfaces are or at least seem to be, but no one seemed to want to talk about it.

Aesthetically, the Wadax looks somewhat like an amateur ham radio. Adorned with chrome accents. In the business I am in we sometimes refer to this as engineers attempting art.

The Varese looks fantastic.

Oh, and the remote is pretty awesome, too. I don't think there is much debate about looks and interface between these two dacs.

 

[matakana]

Aesthetically, the Wadax looks somewhat like an amateur ham radio. Adorned with chrome accents. In the business I am in we sometimes refer to this as engineers attempting art.

The Varese looks fantastic.

Oh, and the remote is pretty awesome, too. I don't think there is much debate about looks and interface between these two dacs.

You don't look at the mantle piece while stoking the fire !

 

[thedudeabides]

Aesthetically, the Wadax looks somewhat like an amateur ham radio. Adorned with chrome accents. In the business I am in we sometimes refer to this as engineers attempting art.

Actually, I read the front facade shape was intentional to mimic a Formula One steering wheel. Don't think it's a contender for any design awards. I like the aesthetics of the Studio Player a bit more.

 

[pk_LA]

You don't look at the mantle piece while stoking the fire !

Aesthetics are important to me. I really do not care for the looks of hifi gear all over. While I had the Alexx Vs one guest at a dinner party asked if I was building telepods like the ones in the movie, "The Fly." I've put significant investment into the interior of my home and the hifi gear really really doesn't add anything to that.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I asked a question relevant to both DAC systems that was never answered by anyone about the aesthetics and functionality of the two competing products. The subject of the thread is a bunch of smooth boxes that must be controlled by some remote, while the Wadax looks like it is all knobs and buttons. I was just curious about how different the user interfaces are or at least seem to be, but no one seemed to want to talk about it.

Peter; do you still feel there was a concerted effort to change the subject? or just normal type reactions and re-reactions? we are all sensitive to things we care about.

evidence? i went to some trouble to explain how it looked to me.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Aesthetically, the Wadax looks somewhat like an amateur ham radio. Adorned with chrome accents. In the business I am in we sometimes refer to this as engineers attempting art.

The Varese looks fantastic.

Oh, and the remote is pretty awesome, too. I don't think there is much debate about looks and interface between these two dacs.

most interior designers would absolutely choose the dCS, and most previous dCS chassis, over almost any other digital chassis. my question might be what would an F1 aero designer in 2025 say to a CEO wanting to make their race car look like a 57' Ferrari Testa Rossa.

maybe.....'how fast do you want it to be?

i wholeheartedly agree that the dCS Varese fits your domestic aesthetic to a 'T'. dCS dealers i'm sure take that to the bank. and no doubt that Level 4 Wadax is a beast. hard to hide it in plain sight. if it even fit.......it would not fit in.