Steve,
I got your modded Extremo back from the Cryo Lab last Tuesday with the "usual" overall 7% global improvement. Unfortunately the Cryo Process does not shorten the Break-In Process has I had hoped. The Extremo has been playing for 1 week solid, 24 hours a day. The ups and downs continue, however without the "extreme" peaks and valley's experienced with the un-cryo'd Northstar 192 DAC (no pun intended).
Hooking the Extremo to my passive Django Preamp, using the balanced outputs of the Extremo, presents noticeably more gain than the RCA outputs! I was lucky as my transformer volume control does indeed convert the balanced inputs to single ended outputs. In this way I able to feed my SET Kondo Ongaku "direct inputs" with a diet of balanced Extremo. Very Cool! You where right, the balanced outputs sound even aa better ... wow! This is the most dynamic and open sounding my Bastanis Apollo's Speakers have ever sounded ... no matter what the source! Even with the break-in process continuing the Extremo DAC sounds outstanding, how much better can digital audio get? Great Job!
Simply put, the Empirical modded Northstar Extremo presents the biggest, boldest, most explosive kick ass sound I have ever heard from digital audio. At the same time it submerges you in this relaxed organic musical stream that makes listening more than listening ... it makes it an event! The best analog rigs in the world struggle with this aspect of recorded music. Words really do not suffice ..... you have to experience this kind of sound for yourself. Extremo .... that's right!
Bill Allen
Bauls Audio
