[AmpDesigner333]

I've long been a fan of Srajan's unique and eloquent writing style.  I'm honored to even be mentioned in 6moons!   I feel we have a lot in common as well (:

[AmpDesigner333]

 Excellent post, Steve!  Well put.  Thanks.

[SteveMiller]

Earlier I posted an email exchange between Srajan & I about the article.  On his suggestion I also posed the same question to the reviewers.  Today I did receive a gracious reply from Marja & Henk regarding some clarification about their results.  It must be said that I find the chance to interact directly with the folks who generate the articles and the products to be very sobering and fortuitous.  The world has indeed become a much smaller place thanks to the Internet, and we are lucky to be able to correspond quickly and gain insight into the articles much more specifically when needed.  Please,  See below:



Greetings

I read with great interest your review of the Maraschino 60V Kings.  I purchased 60V Maraschinos myself after Srajan reviewed the 48V some time ago.
I had some difficulty in discerning the specifics of the comparables in the review, such as how​ the sonics of the Maraschino compared with the Devialet, and your nCore monos. It is of course my hope that the Maraschino does well, but your findings on the subject left me a little unsure what your opinion was. Srajan suggested I contact you directly.
Anyway, one such statement that left me pondering is as follows: "That recording already fantastic in the humble Redbook format gained in presence—that is the correct word here—when we compared the nCore reading to the Maraschino version. Remarkable to say the least!"      ......Remarkable in what way?  nCore or Maraschino?
Srajan indicated that the nCore set you have is non-production but it would still be interesting to know what the sonic differences are considering the gulf in face price of the equipment.
I also should note, that my Maraschinos drive 100db speakers, or Klipsh horns depending on my mood, and yes there is a very slight pop upon startup but nothing I'm worried about. I also use a TVC preamp! ( which by nature is always on ) But if the amps and Dac are already on, and I start the iMac source, then the usb output startup makes a racket.  That happens with any amp I own.  My Maraschino 60V pair are as quiet on actual startup as my Modwright, SimAudio or any vintage japanese reciever in fact.  Just feedback on that point from a happy end user.
Thanks in advance for any insight you might share on the comparison.
Steve Miller

Hi Steve,
sorry we’ve not been clear enough for you. To start with your pondering question: it was our intention to express that with the Maraschino, the Redbook renderings gained in presence. That is compared to the nCore based amps which are our reference and we think the more neutral class D amp. The Devialet is a completely different cookie. It is a 1wpc class A amp with a class D turbo. Regarding the startup, we always use the source --> preamp --> power amps sequence with plenty of time for each piece of equipment to settle in. Still, the Maraschino is in our opinion too noisy with sensitive speakers. With speakers rated lower than 94dB, the pop is very well acceptable.
Hope this clarifies things,
/M&H

[Folsom]

Not helpful.

[SteveMiller]

Not helpful.

How so.....Or perhaps How Not so?

[cab]

Seems pretty clear to me: the reviewers thought the ncore a more neutral (accurate) amp and that the maraschino has an issue with a turn off thump with sensitive speakers...

[SteveMiller]

Hmmmm.  ....funny how we interpret things differently given the same "data"

Yes, I read neutral but my experience has led me to hear "neutral" as rather flat.  I always hoped it meant "honest" but that's not really the case, because only a recording engineer would know, and that would be from his own memory.

I'll take high Presence every time.  That's what gives me a sense of the music being real.  Presence is when I feel there's an intimacy between the artist and the listener, like an ethereal ghost transported right there into your room. 

Tommy's amps do presence really well, and as I said, I would take that every time.  In my system.

How would WE really know what's neutral or not.   I can say for sure that most every other expensive amplifier I've had would not have the un-fatiguing natural resolution that Tommy achieved.  If the listener wants a colder more distant reading, by all means.   Who among us doesn't want a little tinkle in the treble and a slightly firmer but uncoloured bass region.  Who doesn't want the artist right there in the room with you.  How do we know that's not what the recording session intended.  Point is, it should sound Good.  Does neutral sound good to you? I prefer a system that breathes life and excitement. It has to sound alive!

Neutral doesn't sound like my version of fun.  That's why I thought it a positive response, and worth sharing.

[mfsoa]

If "Neutral" means "Sounds like the average of most amps" then you can have it.

[Folsom]

I read Srajan's original review and thought it was much, much better. The pricing comments seemed a bit odd, however, but overall it gave me a better impression of the product.

[SteveMiller]

If "Neutral" means "Sounds like the average of most amps" then you can have it.

Thank you.  My point exactly. 

I read Srajan's original review and thought it was much, much better. The pricing comments seemed a bit odd, however, but overall it gave me a better impression of the product.

Yes, we agree there for sure.   And that was on the 48v supplies.   Tbh I bypassed the 48's and went straight to the 60V supplies.   In doing so, I was able to happily sell off my rather expensive $2k each Nordost power cables and certainly eliminated the dire need for any upstream power filtration.  The 60V supplies are definitely worth the few extra $, and in Tommy's estimation make a significant gains in ripple rejection and are extremely tolerant of other gear plugged in around them. In addition to giving the user an ON/OFF switch. 



One last thought.    Have you considered the price of the units that the Maraschinos have just been compared to?     Sure.  We the devotees would love for a reviewer to come out and say DAC trounced the other brand.  In all reality just to be a player at say 1/5th the price is commendable.  To have excelled in noted areas is just plain awesome!

[jseipp]

In reading the review, I took M&H's comments about having more "presence" to loosely mean something along the lines of delivering more energy in the presence region (usually meaning ~ 4kHz - 6kHz), in keeping with their adding the super tweeters, actually running at much higher frequencies than that.  The review seemed to focus quite a bit on what the higher frequency bands do for the presentation the Maraschinos achieve, which read quite positively to me.

This review seemed to focus on particulars more than the overall as Srajan's did; it's maybe most usefully thought as building on that review.       

[jseipp]

One last thought.    Have you considered the price of the units that the Maraschinos have just been compared to?     Sure.  We the devotees would love for a reviewer to come out and say DAC trounced the other brand.  In all reality just to be a player at say 1/5th the price is commendable.  To have excelled in noted areas is just plain awesome!

If Tommy hadn't undertaken the Kickstarter for the In-line Maraschinos, I wouldn't have taken the plunge and discovered the sound I am enjoying so very much.  The fact that expensive cabling and power conditioning doesn't seem necessary for this sound, in my experience, makes it all the more realistic for a broad audience to enjoy.     

[SteveMiller]

"The fact that expensive cabling and power conditioning doesn't seem necessary for this sound, in my experience, makes it all the more realistic for a broad audience to enjoy. "


Yes!   Exactly!    Now we are getting to what makes DAC Maraschino in any version so good!

I'm particularly anxious to see what happens when Stereoschino hits the market.  Imagine the simplicity of an office setup, or give your child one to take to college.  Keep one at the cottage, or take to a buddy's house. 

The Stereoschino will be a breakthrough product to bring good music to the masses.   Now, what speakers?

[AmpDesigner333]

Sent this to Srajan:

Srajan,
 
Thanks for your active participation regarding the post-review comments on Audio Circle and here:
http://6moons.com/lettersfeedback/lettersfeedback.html
 
Please post on your feedback board my open letter to M&H, copied below.
 
Would you like to personally review the DAC DAC when the enclosures are complete?  This will be in less than 2 months.
 
Thanks as always!
 
Warm Regards,
Tommy
 
---------------------------------
 
M&H,
 
We wish to investigate the turn-on noise you observed.  Please tell us the specific set-up (all components, including power conditioners, etc.) that made the most noise at turn-on.  Thanks.
 
Please ship xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. <omitted for privacy>
 
We really appreciate your efforts and beautifully written article!  The photos were of the utmost quality as well.
 
Hope you guys are interested in reviewing the Stereo Maraschino or DAC DAC later this year.  They are certainly easier to ship!
 
Thanks again, and have a great week.
 
Best Regards,
Tommy
 
---------------------------------

Received this reply:

My wife and I are abroad on vacation from February 7th - 18th. To make it a real holiday, we will have no access to email or telephone. Back to peace and quiet. I trust your business can wait until we return. Thanks for your understanding

ATB.
Srajan Ebaen
publisher, 6moons.com
Switzerland

Guess I'm jealous.  I haven't had a "real" vacation since the 90s (:  Maybe that's why I'm so high strung!

[Philistine]

I have a Modwright 36.5 preamp and a pair of GR Research V2's with a 97dB sensitivity.  For the last few months I've been using a tube amp as I reconfigure wiring in my media room, this morning I reintroduced my 48v Maraschino's and could not replicate the noise or turn on 'thump' experienced by 6Moons.  Regardless of this I'm getting reacquainted with the Maraschino's and forgotten how good they are, my tube power amp comes from a highly regarded manufacturer but I think it might be heading towards the Trading Post....

[olesno]

I also have the Modwright 36.5 and I just ordered a pair of 60V King Maraschinos from Tommy.  Can't wait to put them in my system and compare them to my current Bryston 7BSST2 mono blocks.  My speakers are the KEF Blade 2 which just replaced the excellent KEF 207/2.  Just few more days...

[mfsoa]

Philistine,

I didn't hesitate to sell my VAC tube amp upon hearing one of the big Cherry amps, and the Maraschinos are a step up from them I feel.

-Mike

[GRACE RUBY]

oops

[GRACE RUBY]

very disappointing approach to beauty