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Well... The
problem with P70/D70 is not to putting it in your system
replacing the reference digital source (at this specific time a Sony
SACD player XA9000ES). The real problem is to put it
out of the system when the test session is over. As to the
statistics, this set caused the most considerable change
I've ever listened to a system (replacing one part only)
with the exception of modifications in the room acoustics! But let's
see the things in their typical order: the reference system, beyond
XA9000ES unit, was including Melos Linear and Rotel RHC-10
preamplifiers, Parasound HCA-3500 power amplifier and Audio
Spectrum's Eros system with subwoofer. For comparison reasons (and
some..reviewr's sadism!) along with P70 I also used the Parasound
D/AC-1500 (with coaxial connection, something like...putting
bicycle's tyres in a Ferrari, but didn't we had to listen the
transport performing "all alone"?) As far as the Teac's system is
concerned we used it at first with just a "simple" connection
through coaxial cable which allowed us to reach 88.2kHz and after
few hours of listening, we have proceeded to the best choice
available which was the AES3 pair in combination with the word
clock line. The impact of the 70/D70 have been overwhelming.
Briefly, the system's analysis ability has been launched to
almost unbelievable levels, the spectral
balance reached the logic of a well structured studio
control room and the image became so clear that it was
difficult for someone to believe that the source was nothing more
than a simple cd player. Without the slightest exaggeration, the
P70/D70 extract from the cd details which couldn't be
heard and they are in a position to create an ambience
where there was not one. One of the most interesting parts of living
with them was the discovery of how excellent low
frequencies can exist on a disk but "buried" from
other high class cd players. Beyond Mirrors
(Yello/Pocket Universe) a song worthy of Dieter Meyer's peculiarity,
filled up the room with its unbelievalbe volume, the bass in Runes
(Keith Jarret/Arbour Zena) was described like never did before and
the volume of the orchestra in "Heroes Symphony" of Philip Glass
caused shivering with it's impressive presence. "Presence"
is maybe the keyword here: The P70/D70 are absolutely and
above all capable to create "presence": the feeling that you are not
listening to the disk but you are in the disk, has
been very easily approached through high resolution format and
through the multichannel systems, but it was difficult to be created
by a simple cd. But finally, it was possible, like this cd
player proves (which can not read not even CD-RW, but only CD-Rs
of good quality, like it is mentioned in the user's manual).
And what a presence: Crystal, absolute detail with
unbelievable focus and air on the stage and all these with no
exaggeration in high frequencies. It has been written before but it
is necessary to be mentioned: The upsampling (and the high
resolution formats which extends above 20kHz) sounds at first rather
weak. You think that something is missing until some time to pass
and to realize that not only nothing is missing (or maybe there is
something missing: distortion!) but you can listen to so hight
levels that you really do not believe it (exactly like the
loudspeakers' voice coils don't believe it too, but this is another
story...). Listening the "Ex Avaton" (Ioannis Papadakis) from the
"Ex Avaton" album, a track with a considerable content in high
frequencies, we realized that the Esoteric was so easy and
clear to listen to, that not only a flatout listening was
possible (with the attenuators in D70 and to the passive
preamplifier at 0dB) but something more: desirable. This simple
observation is enough for someone to understand the sensation that
this equipment can create. In theory, of
course, you are experiencing some difficult moments. Indeed there
was not even a single disk that we didn't enjoyed it (or not
to get ungry with it: some of them are pathetic as to technical view
and this revelation is maybe one of the disadvantages of P70/D70)
but how close to the real fidelity a procedure like the
upsampling lyes? After having listened to it for many
hours and after having experimented with the combinations FIR/RDOT
that D70 offers, I decided to compromise as to the
answer: given the fact that we don't have to cope with
a simple procedure in frequency domain (i.e. with something that
simply enhances bass or make beautiful the high frequenices) but
with something more complicated and to which psychoacoustics
coexist, it is not a mistake to be content with what we like (or
even with what it fills us with enthusiasm). And it is pretty
clear that we don't have to cope with rhe well
known highend marketing hype: the detail as to low frequencies
is combined with absolute control, excellent body,perfectly clear.
The midrange is all clear. Time characteristics of the top high
frequencies (from percussion, let's say) amazing. The disk sounds
better than ever. What else one can ask
for? |
| I don't know what words I must use so
that I won't be heard like that queen who, suggesting pancakes
instead of bread for the hungry people had the widely known but not
pleasant at all ending..., but if, I just say
if, you have somewhere hidden fifteen thousand euros and
you are a disk collector (which means you have some thousand of cds)
you must have these units. To be honest,
whoever speaks about digital audio should have a
listening experience with the P70/D70, to just understand the limits
set by the Red Book and which are finally much higher than what we
thought all these years. When the high end digital audio
manufacturers put their selves together after this unbeliavable
Teac's knowhow demonstration, they must start seriously worry:
Somewhere I've heard that a SACD edition will appear.. |
