Daedalus DA-1 ready for audition

Bill Baker · « **on:** 16 Mar 2005, 06:54 pm »

As many already know, the DA-1s have arrived. I have ben letting them burn in for the last couple weeks. I think they're ready.
Current amplification is a highly modified 805 amp producing 40 watts a side being fed by a ModWright SWL 9.0 linestage. Source components in this system will be our Custom JD100 Jolida, Thorens table and Jolida phono amp (soon to be replaced with another unit).
Anybody in the area is more than welcome to stop in for an audition.

tyee · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 08:27 pm »

Hi Bill
My DA1's are still breaking in. Lou stopped in a week or so ago and gave a listen and said they were past the initial break in and that the bass would start to fill out in the next break in period. I tried tilting the front of them up about 1 inch with some tiptoes and I prefer this to absolute level. I guess it depends on how far away you sit. I am pretty close.

I will write my report later after full breakin, but it was hard to surf the net recently one evening when I was listening to them. I was hearing details easily that I had never heard before in some familiar recordings! What a distraction

tyee

JCC · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 08:50 pm »

I am building a new audio room at my house. When the room is complete, I will invite Texas Audiophiles in for a listen.

It's no secret that I think that the DA-1's are among the very best.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Mar 2005, 11:47 pm »

Quote

I tried tilting the front of them up about 1 inch with some tiptoes and I prefer this to absolute level. I guess it depends on how far away you sit. I am pretty close.

Hi Tyee,
The more room the DA-1s have, the happier they are. In my room, I have them about 8 feet apart and find the best presentation sitting as far back as possible. I am able to get 15+ feet away from the speakers and still have some room behind me.
I would love to hear these in a very large room!!
I have been breaking them in with a Jolida 1501 for several hours every day. When I want to sit down and do some serious listening (doesn't happen very often as I am usually in the next building working) I run the 40 watt 805 amp through them.

Within the next week or so, I will be seeing how my 8 watt SET 300B amps and 25 watt push-pull 300B amps will fair with these speakers. I am thinking even the 8 watts will be magical.

tyee · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Mar 2005, 01:27 am »

Hi Bill
My DA-1's are breaking in real good now. Everyday I turn them on they sound better. I am tempted to try Vinnie's Clari-T amp with them. Not sure if 6 watts is enough though? For blockbuster movies I wouldn't want to clip the amp and possibly blow tweeters? What do you think about the low power amps and these speakers?

tyee

JAMn Joe · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Mar 2005, 02:41 am »

You can actually produce some very nice music with6 watts on the DA-1's. The limitation is dynamics and low bass reproduction. You may find the amp clipping as you start driving the speakers to high levels or with passages that have really deep bass.
This all depends on the size of your room and the volumes you play at as well as the source materials.
It may be more obvious with movies because of the higher volumes one tends to use for effects.
As long as you maintain moderate levels though you might be suprised at what 6 watts will get you with the DA-1's.

They are a spectacular speaker that keeps amazing me, even when I use the 6 watt Grommes PHI-26 headphone amp on them...

Enjoy!

Joe

tyee · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 03:18 am »

Whoa! I just got choked up here. I was listening to Aaron Neville on the Daedalus DA-1's. Talk about musicality and being there. These speakers have got it in spades!!

It's been a couple of months (maybe three) since I got the DA-1's and I thought it was time to give a mini-reiview. I'm listening as I write. I don't want to write right now, give me few minutes and I'll be back.

There, that's better. I had to get my fix of music throught these speakers!
By now you can tell I like these speakers, a lot!

Let me get this off my brain -- the things these speakers do that my previous brands haven't.

- dynamics, even at low levels, I'm probably listening now with less than 0.1 watts and they're very dynamic with all the treble and bass one could want.

- separation of instruments/voices with space around them. I'm hearing things in the background that have been masked by my previous speakers.

- no listener fatigue at all. Normally after a while, for me, instantly for my wife, the treble of my previous designs is too bright and I have to turn the volume down. With the DA-1's I don't have to because it is balanced at all listening levels (in my room anyway).

- play music, not hifi. With the DA-1's it's hard to listen to the audiophile qualities and not get distracted with the music. I'm not listening to bass, treble, etc., I'm listening to the singer and band, or orchestra, etc.

- prevent me from turning the system off. I came home after my workout tonight after letting the DA-1's play all day. Before I entered my 'cave' as the wife calls it, I thought, OK that's enough breakin today, I'll shut them off for today. Well, I just couldn't do it. I had a shower, dinner, then came down to listen again, and I still am right now! And this is with the Carver ZR1600's. I still have to try a couple of other amps on them, but I haven't got that far yet. I'd love to try the Clari-T too!

- rock solid imaging. When I sit centered on the DA-1's, I get perfectly centered vocals with all the musicians/instruments all around.

I haven't played with positioning much yet. I'm sure I could tweak them even more, but placement doesn't seem to be that picky.

Well, I would suggest if at all possible, take a listen to these speakers. It's definitely worth it, maybe even to take a trip to Lou's specifically to do so (which is what I did). They are that good! The workmanship is impeccable. The Daedalus DA-1's are hard to beat, especially when they're efficiency is 96dB, which is a bonus too!

tyee

Bill Baker · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Apr 2005, 02:46 am »

Hi Tyee (and everyone),
I was able to spend a few days with the DA-1s being driven by a 9 watt 300B SET unit (early prototype of our new Musica Bella MB-300B.9 mono blocs). I have to say the dynamics from these amps, probably due to their large solid state power supply, was quite amazing for 9 watts.

When I have some time, I will see how the 25 watt push-pull 300B amps do with these speakers. Should be breathtaking.

I know many would prefer the chest thumping dynamics of a high power solid state unit with the DA-1s but for myself, I just can't seem to travel down that road. Not yet at least.