Your "World's Best Audio System" . . . 2012 Edition

[Roysen]

Hey, Miles.

The Lyra Atlas is not yet released. It will be very soon. It's the new top model. Stig say they will probably stop offering the Olympos once the Atlas is in production.

The Spectral Audio SDR-5000 is only in prototype stage too according to what I have heard.

I also forgot to mention this Weiss/Maya DAC - http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/15/153684.html

 

[mep]

I also forgot to mention this Weiss/Maya DAC - http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/15/153684.html

And its ugliness matches the high price in terms ugliness to dollars spent. In other words, this is one seriously butt-ugly DAC.

 

[naturephoto1]

I also forgot to mention this Weiss/Maya DAC - http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/15/153684.html

Holy crow is that thing big. It dwarfs the Mark Levinson power amp to its left.

Rich

 

[Roysen]

And its ugliness matches the high price in terms ugliness to dollars spent. In other words, this is one seriously butt-ugly DAC.

Can't argue with that.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Hey, Miles.

The Lyra Atlas is not yet released. It will be very soon. It's the new top model. Stig say they will probably stop offering the Olympos once the Atlas is in production.

The Spectral Audio SDR-5000 is only in prototype stage too according to what I have heard.

I also forgot to mention this Weiss/Maya DAC - http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/15/153684.html

Yes that's what I thought. I have my dibs in for one with Jonathan when it's ready

 

[Emre Üçöz]

Can't argue with that.

I second that, being audiophile is started to be seen somehow spending more money to aluminum and all sort of heavy metals and a philosophy of look whose balls are bigger

 

[Orb]

Jeff,
while I do not necessarily think a single Devialet D-Premier could match the very best you are looking to audition, what may fit is using two D-Premier's configured into slave mono.

This could be an interesting setup as the architecture of the Class A and Class D "current dumping" may work even better as mono amps, aside from the additional watts.
For around 23,000 Euros this provides functionality of mono setup amps, preamp, and DAC, and critically as I mention the possibility of better performance-sound quality of the "current dumping" architecture.

Cheers
Orb

 

[LL21]

hi Orb,

i have heard Devialets monoblocked to run a pair of Maxx IIs...much, much better than I. like a different amp. Fuller richer more powerful sound, also more at ease during dynamic swings. and apparently quite easy to set up.

 

[Orb]

Thanks Lloyd, very interesting and would fit in with my thought that their "current dumping" type architecture works better as mono rather than a shared stereo.
Makes it a potential candidate for this project then as two mono setup.
And yes, the configuration tool is very easy to use and configure the slave-mono; had a play around with it myself but only as a single stereo config option.
Cheers
Orb

 

[Jeff Fritz]

Jeff,
while I do not necessarily think a single Devialet D-Premier could match the very best you are looking to audition, what may fit is using two D-Premier's configured into slave mono.

This could be an interesting setup as the architecture of the Class A and Class D "current dumping" may work even better as mono amps, aside from the additional watts.
For around 23,000 Euros this provides functionality of mono setup amps, preamp, and DAC, and critically as I mention the possibility of better performance-sound quality of the "current dumping" architecture.

Cheers
Orb

I think it is a fine suggestion. I mentioned to someone the other day that if I were to retire from reviewing today, I'd be mighty tempted to just get two Devialets and call it done.

 

[FrantzM]

I think it is a fine suggestion. I mentioned to someone the other day that if I were to retire from reviewing today, I'd be mighty tempted to just get two Devialets and call it done.

I am not in reviewing but the DeVialet concept is extremely interesting to me too.. Need to audition it though .. with some of the speakers I have in mind for my next system if at all possible ...

 

[Roysen]

Devialet D-Premier

The Devialet D-Premier certianly is a great product for its price and finally an audio product that will look good in any environment. However it is not good enough to compete with the options in the class Jeff is looking for - if he is looking for the very best. It falls short in several paramters compared to a lot of amps, preamps dacs and phono stages on the market but it might very well be the best for the buck when you consider what you get in one package.

 

[Gregadd]

I would think in my TWABS we can throw caution to the wind and choose those components that are annoying and impractical. To me that means vinyl, tubes(DHT) and horns.

 

[naturephoto1]

I would think in my TWABS we can throw caution to the wind and choose those components that are annoying and impractical. To me that means vinyl, tubes(DHT) and horns.

Greg,

I am not sure why you would include horns (at least really good ones) as annoying and impractical.

Rich

 

[Gregadd]

Rich My choice is the Avantgarde Trio. I have heard the One and Two but not the Three. By all accounts its more of the same with better frequency extension. To get it's superlative imaging you need a large room.

 

[Orb]

The Devialet D-Premier certianly is a great product for its price and finally an audio product that will look good in any environment. However it is not good enough to compete with the options in the class Jeff is looking for - if he is looking for the very best. It falls short in several paramters compared to a lot of amps, preamps dacs and phono stages on the market but it might very well be the best for the buck when you consider what you get in one package.

You have to consider it in dual slave-mono and not just the single Devialet as I mentioned, in theory there are great benefits in taking this architecture and making the stereo amp mono due to the "current dumping" type architecture.
Just in case I am jumping the gun, were you thinking of what you heard with it as a single stereo unit or actually two units in mono using 5.3 software?
Single unit is indeed great value, but for best performance one would not necessarily say paying 23k Euros for mostly a redundant DAC on the 2nd unit is (although the DAC is integral to the output so not sure if they will ever make cheaper mono units but hope they can in future).
Cheers
Orb

 

[Gregadd]

My choice for amp would be the WAVAC SH-833. 150 watts of Direct Heated Triode.

 

[Gregadd]

A. excellent choice for phono preamp, New models are on the way.

 

[Gregadd]

TT of course the latest edition of Walker

 

[Orb]

Gregadd,
as a suggestion might be better not to do pictures as it skews any discussions and reduces amount info easily taken in, unless the picture can be made small.
Alternatively link to the picture.
Just a suggestion so no need to do it if feel the picture is of value.

Thanks
Orb