I’m going to start this comparison with a preface. I originally owned a fully modded Modwright 999ES. After I listened to my current Empirical Audio Turbomodded Ack! Dack!/RWA USB Select source, I instantly put my 999ES for sale. The USB source outperformed the 999ES on every level–there’s a previous review floating around on Audiocircle. The review used an Off-Ramp, but the conclusions are the same. So when I make comments about the USB Select/Ack vs. the Empirical I2S converter/Turbomodded P-3A, keep that in mind. The former is an fantastic performer at it’s price point.
My setup:
VMPS RM2 w/ auricaps, soundcoat, FST Tweeter, BH5, and megawoofers.
CI Audio D-100 powering mids/tweets.
CI Audio D-200 powering bass.
Speltz Anti-Cable speaker cables and IC’s.
Full Eighth Nerve treatments and 7 2' by 4' 2" bonded cotton panels.
1st VS. RWA USB Select/ Empirical Audio Turbomodded Ack! Dack! battles Empirical Audio Turbomodded P-3A/I2S Off-Ramp.
I think my Select/Ack! sounds amazing, but it was simply outperformed by the I2S setup top to bottom and front to back. When I did my initial USB & 999ES comparison, I made an analogy about how using the USB source was a lot like removing a sleeping bag from the front of my speakers. I thought that was the only piece of camping gear polluting my system, but I was wrong. Steve’s I2S converter let me know there was another sleeping bag wrapped around my RM2's. My Ack! Gear seemed to provide the ultimate in clarity, and maybe it did for a time, but no longer.
I listened to Depeche Mode’s Enjoy the Silence. About 30 seconds into the song there is a snare drum pop that starts. With the USB Select, I could barely hear it–with the I2S the same section had amazing detail and snap. Without the I2S, I’m simply not hearing everything the recording has to offer. I listened to a number of different tracks and there were a few qualities I especially noticed the I2S beating up on the USB Select. The sound stage is enormous, wrapping around the entire room. There is complete separation/blackness between the instruments/vocals/etc. Everything occupies it’s proper place with no blurring. No sound blurs into another. The music also takes on an unmatched 3-D quality–every sound occupies its proper space. It’s like the band is right in your living room. Everything sounds natural–vocals, drums, and piano all seem like they’re jumping right out of the wall. The detail the I2S/P-3A retrieves in amazing. The RWA/Ack! fell behind the I2S on all these fronts and a number more.
The highest compliment I can pay Steve and his new converter is how enjoyable and easy it is to listen to. I just feel like listening to music. Any harsh edge digital gear can be accused of having vanishes. It’s like having the best qualities from all forms of playback combined in one package. I could keep going, but I’d probably starts drooling and short out my keyboard.
2nd VS. Empirical Audio Turbomodded/RWA USB Select battles Empirical Audio Turbomodded P-3A/I2S Off-Ramp.
I’m going to start out by saying the P-3A is a better DAC than the Ack! so the sound improved based on that alone. The USB Select used the coax input of the P-3A. As with the previous contest the I2S clearly out dueled the Select on all fronts. The I2S was clearer, more dynamic, and easier to listen to. The three most obvious things I noticed was when I switched to the Select the bass became much less defined and boomy, the sound stage flattened out, all the instruments/voices started to muddle together. The I2S Off-Ramp offers the best digital playback I’ve ever heard.
As for the price differences between the units, you can decide for yourself how important it is. If you want the best, sometimes the price jumps exponentially. The converter is a no-brainer.
I had a fellow Audiocircle member over for a blind a/b listening session. He brought a friend along and both preferred the Empirical I2S over the RWA/Ack! without qualification.
