Emm labs DA2 v2 upgrade

[Yuen A.]

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TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op 36
Jonathan LESHNOFF (b. 1973) Double Concerto for Clarinet and Bassoon
Michael Rusinek (clarinet); Nancy Goeres (bassoon) Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Manfred Honeck
REFERENCE RECORDINGS FR-738 SACD


Wow, to me, this is the best recorded Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 available! This level of energy, drama, and excitement is unprecedented. The playing was exquisite, lyrical, and precise, but also riotous, vivid, and intense. Tchaikovsky's opening fate motif was scary and satisfying. Listen also to the rich and resonant all-pizzicato strings of the third movement.The finale was truly explosive (but yet effortless and distortionless) giving me goosebumps all over! The brass section was simply the best recorded. The woodwinds were atmospheric, light, airy, resonant, clear and sweet. The strings were rich and have good bite and sheen. Play it loud (Listening level: -21 dB of the maximum level) PS: Leshnoff's Double Concerto first two movements were so lyrical and heartbreaking.

 

[Yuen A.]

Edvard GRIEG Incidental Music to Peer Gynt, Op 23 Piano Concerto in A minor, Op 16 (1868, revised 1907)
Lise Davidsen, Ann-Helen Moen, Victoria Nava (sopranos), Johannes Weisser (baritone),
Håkon Høgemo (Hardanger Fiddle), Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)
Bergen Pikekor; Bergen Guttekor; Edvard Grieg Ungdomskor; Edvard Grieg Kor;
Bergen Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra/Edward Gardner
CHANDOS CHSA5190 SACD

Finally, a performance of the Piano Concerto in A minor that I am completely satisfied with! Here, the performance (Bavouzet and the Bergen players) was virtuosic, enchanting, and yearningly beautiful. The sound is good but lack immediacy. Recording level is on the low side. (Listening Volume: -21 dB of maximum volume) PS: The Incidental Music to PeerGynt is also great.

 

[Yuen A.]

Aaron COPLAND Suite from Billy the Kid Antonín DVO?ÁK Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op.95 ‘‘From the New World” [41:49]
National Symphony Orchestra/Gianandrea Noseda
Recorded live June 2019, Concert Hall, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , Washington, DC. DSD
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA NSO0001 SACD

This recording sounded transparent and immediate via my sound system. The various woodwind solos sounded exquisite and enchanting. The strings and percussion sounded lifelike, the brass sounded brassy and the bass drum sounded full, deep and resonant.

 

[Yuen A.]

View attachment 95750

Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major; Piano Concerto No.2 in A major; Totentanz. Arnaldo Cohen (piano),
São Paulo Symphony Orchestra/John Neschling (BIS SACD-1530)

Another excellent performances by the exceptional Liszt pianist Arnaldo Cohen! His playing here was virtuosic, dynamic, passionate, impressive, spirited, crisp, sensitive, tender, sparkling, and crystal clear. The accompaniment from the Sao Paulo Symphony was intensive. The recording by BIS was totally transparent.

Hi guys,

Today, I gave this recording a relisten and although I had commented on it previously (see above), I want to say that this relisten was surprisingly so satisfying to me! (This is a 44.1 kHz, 24 bit recording) As Gramophone says, Cohen was able to project a beautiful cantabile line, even at fortissimo, executed with all the theatrical flair and lyrical grace necessary for these two concertos to come up as fresh as paint. For bravura combined with intimate poetry, Cohen and his cohorts are hard to beat. (How I wish the source is 96 kHz, 24 bit!)

 

[Yuen A.]

Nielsen • Sibelius Violin Concertos
Johan Dalene (violin); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Stockholm/John Storgårds
BIS BIS-2620 SACD

I think this is the best Nielsen/Sibelius Violin Concertos recording currently available! Johan Dalene's violin (a Stradivarius) sounded so lifelike, so delicate, so heartbreaking, so full of feeling, so intimate, so enchanting, so sweet, so poetic, so intense, so dynamic. His intonation is sure and his virtuosity is obvious everywhere.

 

[Yuen A.]

Alfred SCHNITTKE Concerto for Choir Three Sacred Hymns Arvo PÄRT Seven Magnificat-Antiphons
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Kaspars Putni?š
BIS-2521 SACD

Another world-class recording of choral works by BIS. I was transported to the recording venue.The performances are flawless, heavenly, fervent and very dynamic. The overall sonic arch is one of ravishing beauty. The first track (O Master of all living) sounded especially rich and so beautiful! The sound of the bass section is uniquely rich and satisfying. The resonance around the choir is excellent and the acoustic of the church was wonderfully captured. Notice also that at the ends of each phrases the echo was beautifully and accurately captured.

 

[Yuen A.]

C.P.E. Bach Symphonies 1-4, Cello Concerto in A, The English Concert, conducted by Andrew Manze
Harmonia Mundi HMU 807403 SACD

For sheer beauty, finesse and insight, this recording is hard to beat. Instrumental timbre was spot-on. The strings and woodwinds sounded like the real thing: physical, immediate, dimensional. Hall ambience was well captured.

 

[Yuen A.]

A very fun disc to listen to. Play track 1 (the brass fanfare from Dukas' La Peri was awesome - immediate, life-like, brassy), track 7 (Khachaturian: Sabre Dance from Gayane), 12 (Gliere: Russian Sailor's Dance from The Red Poppy), 14: (Kabalevsky: Galop from The Comedians), 15 (Stravinsky: Finale from The Firebird), 16 (Tchaikovsky: Garland Waltz from Sleeping Beauty), 17 (Offenbach: Galop from La Parisienne) and 18 (Offenbach: Can-Can from Orpheus in the Underworld) - Pure, transparent, immediate, airy, atmospheric, colorful and very dynamic sound. Huge soundstage and great depth. The bass drum and percussion were awesome and sounded like real! The playing was precise, polished, full of energy and enthusiasm.

 

[Yuen A.]

Veljo Tormis Curse Upon Iron Works for Male Choir

1. Incantatio maris aestuosi (Incantation for a stormy sea) (1996) [5:48]
2. Kord me tulemi tagasi {Meie varjud}(Once we will reappear {Our shadows}) (1969/1991) [3:17]
3. Kolm mul oli kaunist sõna (I had three beautiful words) (1962) [5:58]
Vastlalaulud (Shrovetide songs) (1967) [5:18]
4. I. Vistel-vastel [1:21]
5. II. Lina loitsimine (Spell upon flax) [2:05]
6. III. Liulaskmise-laul (Sledding song) [1:45]
7. Pikse litaania (Litany to thunder for male chorus, soloists and bass drum) (1974) [5:15]
8. Viru vanne (The viru oath) (1980) [4:10]
9. Helletused (Childhood memory – Herding calls) (1982) [8:10]
10. Raua needmine (Curse upon iron) (1972/1991) [10:34]
11. Muistse mere laulud (Songs of the ancient sea) (1979) [9:35]
Hamleti laulud (Hamlet’s songs) (1964) [8:22]
12. I. Meri tõmbus endasse ... (The sea has retreated ...) [5:33]
13. II. Jah, olla, olla, tingimata olla ... (Yea, to be, to be, unconditionally ...) [2:43]
Kaksipühendus {Diptühhon} (Double dedication (Diptych) (1983) [3:55]
14. I. Ühte laulu tahaks laulda (I’d like to sing a song) [1:35]
15. Tähed (Stars) [2:18]

Orphei Drängar/Cecilia Rydinger Alin; Andreas Alin (flute) (tr. 3); Gunnar Sundberg (tenor), Henrik Stolare (baritone), Magnus Einarsson (bass drum) (tr. 7); Elin Rombo (soprano) (tr. 9); Gunnar Sundberg (tenor), Henrik Stolare (baritone), Folke Alin (shaman drum) (tr. 10); Magnus Sjögren (tenor) (tr. 11)

Recorded in February 2012, Uppsala University Hall, Sweden
BIS-SACD 1993

A record to die for! BIS (and my sound system) was able to capture the Uppsala University Hall ambience very well, creating a powerful sense of place and space. The male voices, flute, drums sounded real and alive! A very dynamic, thrilling, intense performance.

 

[Yuen A.]

Pieter Wispelwey, Cello, Budapest Festival Orchestra /Ivan Fischer, Dvorak: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in b minor Op. 104, Symphonic Variations for Orchestra Op. 78​

Channel Classics SACD 5807

Pieter Wispelwey' playing is virtuosic, supremely lyrical and very intense, while Fischer's conducting combines great finesse and grandeur. The sound of the cello and the orchestra were immediate, physical, dimensional, rich, and very dynamic. The soundstage was hugh. Play loud. (Listening Volume: -21 dB of the maximum volume)

 

[Yuen A.]

Wow (and despite the fact that the sampling rate is only 48 kHz 24 bit), this recording is top-notch - open, totally transparent, spacious and reverberant! The soundstage was huge (wall to wall) and deep. The performance by the Russian State Symphony is excellent with great finesse and admirable playing from all soloists. The brass was especially brilliant, blaring away in the familiar and glorious Russian tradition. Yablonsky's reading is intense, dramatic, and very dynamic.

 

[Yuen A.]

Hi Guys,

You may be interested in the following review by Tom Lyle (Enjoy the Music.com September 2022, Aavik Acoustic System Review): "During this listening session, not only did I use the S-280 Streamer connected to the U-280 Unity Amplifier's DAC during my listening session. I connected the S-280 streamer's digital output to my reference EMM Labs DA2 converter's digital input using an Accusound Digital Link cable. Briefly, the EMM converter improved the sound quality of the music coming from the S-280 Streamer by making it a more coherent presentation. Instruments, voices, and sounds seemed more discrete, which led to other improvements in the S-280's sound quality. Considering the more than twice the price difference between the U-280 and the more expensive EMM labs converter makes a simple "how much better did it sound?" calculation impossible."

 

[Yuen A.]

Liszt: Sonata in B minor; La Campanella etc: Yundi Li (Deutsche Grammophon SACD 474 297-2) DSD Recording​

Yundi Li's version of the B minor sonata is grandiose, dramatic and brilliant. Here, the sound of the Steinway grand piano is one of power, purity, warmth, resonance, richness and color. The chords have crispness and incisiveness. Excellent sound and lifelike!

 

[Yuen A.]

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé - Suite No. 2 / Pavane pour une infante défunte / La Valse / Ma Mère l'Oye / Boléro, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paavo Järvi (Telarc SACD-60601) EMM Labs Analog to Digital DSD Converter​

This recording is truly a demonstration piece. Everything you want is there - the finely detailed sound, the clarity, the sheer beauty and evocative magic, the delicacy, the awesome dynamics, the sensuous soundscape, the excellent woodwind solos, the shimmering strings and top-notch brass, the excitement, the control, the precision, the sublime ease, the immediacy, the transparency, the atmosphere, the awesome bass drum and deep low-end.

 

[Yuen A.]

Hi Guys,

Jason Victor Serinus' review of the dCS Rossini Apex DAC is accessible in the October 2022 issue of Stereophile. He wrote: "How did the Rossini Apex DAC/Clock combo compare to the DV2 integrated DAC? They were close enough that it was essential to match output levels, ... The Rossini Apex DAC and Clock sounded more colorful than the DV2 and blacker between notes. Deep bass-drum thwacks were a little tighter and the soundstage was more open. ... The Rossini DAC/Clock combo sounded cleaner and fuller and seemed to have a lower noise-floor than the plainer-sounding DV2. The Apex also make it easier to discriminate among several female vocals on 'Gold Dust Woman.' It was clear that the Rossini Apex DAC's bass is at least equal to the DV2. Once the DV2 V2 is available, this comparison will merit revisiting." It seems that Jason was comparing the Rossini Apex to an early production DV2 model that Jason reviewed in late 2018. Also, he did not use the best audio interface for the DV2, i.e. the optical interface.

 

[Yuen A.]

Caldara: Missa Dolorosa; Handel: Dixit Dominus ​

DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI SACD 82976 58792 2 ​

Regarding this recording, Gramophone says: "The orchestra is magnificent, with the contrast between first and second violins presented in thrilling SACD sound. Two theorbo players drive the music along with firm determination and make the opening of the ‘Gloria’ snap with an energetic bite."

Yes, this is an excellent recording. Dynamics and instrumental texture and tone color are great. There is halo of ambience and air around instruments and voices. The strings and voices are very immediate in sound and palpable.

 

[Yuen A.]

Hi Folks,

You may be interested in the following review of the Wilson Audio Alexia V by Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile (Audiophile Style Thursday) :

"Nat King Cole's The Very Thought of You is a favorite album of mine, that I'd never heard prior to the Analogue Productions reissue several years ago. The music is great, the sound is great, and Nat's voice is legendary. It's the voice that built Capitol Studios in Hollywood.

On the title track, the Alexia V presents Nat's voice on a silver platter, in three dimensional space, about one foot in front of the speakers, but dead center between them. Gordon Jenkins's Orchestra is a fine sounding supporting cast, but Nat's vocal is the stuff of which musical dreams are made. What I hear in Nat's voice through the V, that I didn't hear through the Series 2, is a front to back depth and dimensionality that's a bit hard to explain. It's as if Nat is standing at the famous Neumann microphone at Capitol, and he's looking right at me from between the speakers. As he sings, the sound flows from his lips to my listening chair, with a trail of frequencies in between us. It's as if the Wilson Audio Alexia V has given me synesthesia. I virtually see his vocal as a waveform, coming toward me. This sounds strange, I get it, but the listening experience is incredibly realistic.

Stepping back from the aforementioned, admittedly esoteric, explanation of the title track, I heard more detail and tiny cues when listening to But Beautiful through the V, than I did previously through the Series 2. The micro details and tiny cues I heard on this track gave me a sense of the expression on Nat's face and the shape of his mouth as he delivered each verse. This is one of those things that's a uniquely human experience, and that personifies the voice coming through the speakers. Tiny things that we notice every day in real life conversations, but very rarely do we experience them when listening to a 65 year old recording. The Wilson Audio Alexia V presents real life to the listener, in a way the previous versions can't match."

The reason why I am sharing this review with you is because Chris is using the EMM Labs DV2 as his source reference. I want to make the point that the DV2 benefit from better equipments elsewhere in the audio chain.

 

[Yuen A.]

John Sheppard: Media Vita Stile Antico HMU 807509

Another extraordinary recording - emotionally ecstatic, intoxicating vocal works! Via the EMM Labs DV2 and contra Mon, the natural reverb and slow decay time richly enhance the heavenly sonics. I was transported to the recording venue.

 

[Yuen A.]

​

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A Selection From Test-Records 1, 2 & 3 Hybrid Multi-Channel & Stereo SACD 19520 Opus 3​

1. Tiden hara gar - Therese Juel
2. J.S. Bach/Invention No. 14 - Stockholm Guitar Quartet
3. Buddy Bolden Blues - Tomas Ornberg's Blue Five
4. Unca's Flight - KNOA
5. Land of the Midnight Sun - Lars Erstrand
6. Fantasie - Peder Riis
7. Going Home - Eric Bibb
8. I Got Rhythm - Gunnar Lidberg
9. Andante/2nd Movement - Saulesco String Quartet
10. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizeness If I Do - Tomas Ornberg's Blue Five
11. Fantasie pour deux Gitares - Duodecima
12. My Heart Stood Still - Knud Jorgensen Trio
13. Telemann/Violin Concerto - Stockholm Guitar Quartet
14. Four Brothers - Lars Erstrand

A great test disc! Every track here, except track 9, is excellent (performance and sound). Via my sound system, the timbre and dynamics (macro and micro) are spot-on. Every instrument (the double bass, the acoustic guitars, the violin, the piano, the vibraphone, the voice, the brass, the percussion, the drums) sounded real, pure, tangible and airy. The reverberation from the instruments, the attack, the decay, also sounded real and natural.

 

[Yuen A.]

Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Overtures: Der Beherrsher der Geister [4:48]: Turandot, Prinzessin von China [4:11]: Abu Hassan [3:27]: Der Freischütz [8:29]: Oberon [8:26]: Euryanthe [7:21]: Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn [8:22]: Preciosa [7:32]: Silvana [5:32]: Jubel [7:03] Tapiola Sinfonietta/Jean-Jacques Kantorow BIS-SACD-1760 SACD (44.1 kHz, 24 bit)

A very enjoyable programme - light, evocative, dramatic, structured, splendid, colorful and engaging. The playing was dynamic, precise, controlled, speedy, vivid, and intense. Although Tapiola Sinfonietta is a chamber orchestra, it punches above its weight in the tuttis. The recording is excellent. The orchestral parts have great definition, clarity and presence. The woodwinds and brass sounded clear, pure, reverberant, and airy.