DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)

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davehg

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DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)
« on: 23 Mar 2003, 05:02 am »
Having lived with the stock DI/O for a year, I sent away for the SMART Upgrade from Boldercables.com after hearing about how the DI/O was in the CES winning hifi system two years running. After just a few weeks with the SMART upgrade, I opted for the MENSA upgrade and the special anti-resonating goo. The DI/O kept sounding better with each upgrade, but I needed a stock DI/O to compare to see how much better. A buddy had a new-in-box stock DI/O, as well as a new Shanling CDT100 (the ulta-cool tube $2000 CDP from China) to compare. It rained the entire afternoon he came over, providing a great excuse for staying indoors and A/B'ing these DACS.

To compare, I used several female vocal CD's, including the now-standard Norah Jones (will this be 2003's "jazz at the pawnshop"?),and a great tribute disc to Greg Brown, called "Going Driftless" and featuring acoustic peformances by Annie DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, Gillian Welch, and Mary-Chapin Carpenter. (I found this disc in the bargain bin at Tower; it is very well-recorded and the performances stunning!). I also tried several Aimee Mann CD's (Magnolia, and her new one), the 24/96 remastered Rolling Stones "Black and Blue", as well as Chris Issak's great HDCD "Baja Sessions."  Also threw a few cuts off the remastered Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" and finished off with the new 24/96 remasterd John Hiatt "Greatest Hits" CD (not the older one, but a new 2 disc version).

First the stock DI/O. I used an upgraded Stancor power supply, and some ratshack phono-to-rca adaptors (which handicapped the unit only slightly). Initially, it sounded better than I expected (even having gotten used to the better MENSA DI/O). But extended listening was a bit tiring. With the Acoustic Zen silver reference cables, I could now hear a lot more grunge and harshness with the stock DI/O than with the MENSA. It was noiser, and soundstage and position were good but not precise. My sense, notwithstanding earlier positive postings, are that a stock DI/O still outperforms midfi CDP's and most entry-level DACS (under $1000) and is a decent and cheap upgrade for the audio cheapskate, but not a real replacement for a high end DAC.

Now to the MENSA DI/O. This upgrade makes the DI/O noticeably heavier! I also used the Bolder-supplied upgraded power supply (not the Bybee version). I also put a heavy flat piece of metal on the MENSA top to damp vibrations of the small case. I had to adjust the volume of the Avatar to compensate for the lower output of the MENSA vs. the high output of the stock DI/O (2mv vs 10mv).

WOW. Instant jaw drop. The MENSA was so much more musical and QUIET, and went wider, deeper, lower and was more dynamic than the stock DI/O. All the grundge and harshness was gone, and everything moved back and out a good 2 feet. You could really hear air around everything, and the sheen around the cymbals. Singers had a breathy quality, were precisely positioned, and nothing became compressed during louder passages like in the stock DI/O. Bass was really well-extended; like someone turned on a bass boost but without the flab and bloat. You could almost reach out and touch the singers. I played one cut off the otherwise bright and middling Elton John tribute recording, with Oleta Adams singing out "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." She is backed up by a choir, and when they come in about a minute into the song, I got the goosebumps one gets when listening to megabuck gear.

MENSA owners, if you want a real sonic treat, flip on the the last two "Blind Boys of Alabama" CD's and get into the groove of these old gents singing soulfully whilst accompanied by blues guitarists and harmonica.

OK, so the MENSA rocked and smoked the stock DI/O. It should after pouring $535 for the upgrade and power supply, plus the $125 for the DI/O (now down to $99 I hear). Think about it, 5x the price of the DAC! You are basically buying the powersupply and output section, plus better RCA's. But could the MENSA keep up with the Shanling, a HDCD player with both tube and solid tate output stages, and switchable upsampling? The Shanling has gotten raves and runs lots more than the MENSA and a typical transport.

Well, the answer is yes. The MENSA DI/O did most everything as well (and in my and my spouse's opinion, audibly better) than the Shanling. It killed the Shanling's solid state ouput and non-upsampled tube output. Where did the Shanling win? It's midrange was nice and sweet with the tube output (as you would expect), but soundstage was not as deep and performers and instruments were more compressed. The MENSA sounded a tad brighter in the mids and highs, but ace'd the bass. I am speculating that two factors contributed to the MENSA's brighter sound: one: my choice of the AZ Silver Reference, which may be a bit bright for the MENSA vs, say, Cardas Golden Reference. Second: my room is too live and needs mid and high end damping (say, with a wall treatment). The Shanling is rolled off on both extremes, so it may not have excited the highs in my room the way the MENSA did.

The Shanling blew the MENSA away in the looks dept. It is the coolest CDP I have ever seen, and looks like it came out of the Jetsons. The DI/O, as you know, looks sorta early 80's pro gear, and the MENSA goodies are all under the hood.

For fun, I used the Shanling as a transport feeding the MENSA. It sounded good, but far less synergistic than with the Technics DVD A10 used as a transport. The Technics has proven to be a stellar transport, and also has switchable upsamping. It has much better bass than others I have tried, and is built like a tank (albeit a homely-looking one when lined up next to the sexy Shanling), plus it plays DVD-A's! You can find them all day long on Audiogon and Ebay for under $250 (retail was originally $1200).  So MENSA DI/O owners should seriously shop around for a good transport.

The demo really made me feel much better about the MENSA investment. Wayne at Boldercables does great work, and his MENSA upgrade makes the DI/O easily compete with up to $4000 DACS. Above that, and the simple DI/O DAC cannot keep pace with the more sophisticated DACS and features.

-Dave (my system: Merlin TSM-M on Target R4's, VAC Avatar Special Edition, Technics DVD A10 as transport, Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker cables, Acoustic Zen Silver Reference IC's, Boldercable digital cable, and Bolder Type 1's for the DVD-A output of the Technics, and DIY Cable AC cords and JR power filter).

witchdoctor

DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)
« Reply #1 on: 24 Mar 2003, 02:39 am »
I had the same experience with my Mensa and the room. I ordered a room pack from 8th Nerve. Problem solved AND the Mensa sounds even BETTER!

ABEX

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DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)
« Reply #2 on: 27 Mar 2003, 02:50 pm »
Dave your review was posted at AA by someone.There have been some negative comments about the Mensa there.Maybe it will rattle a few shoes. :lol:

Now you have me wanting the Mensa upgrade,but I cannot afford it at the moment.Just spent $1K for my new speaker's.Maybe it will start raining pennies from heaven in my backyard.
 :mrgreen:

ABEX 8)

Wayne1

DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)
« Reply #3 on: 27 Mar 2003, 05:19 pm »
Thak you for your comments on the MENSA. I do feel it is a very good value for a DAC. I will have the MENSA and maybe a smART DI/O to compare at the Midwest Audio Fest.

I have come up with a couple of more mod ideas for the DI/O that wii be introduced at the show. Most of these involve capacitors. I will also be intrducing a step up for the power suppy. It will be offered with all NITRO wiring for $125.00 additional. Including the Furutech Rhodium plated plug.

Eighth Nerve WILL be supplying room correction devices and we will have the ability to digitally EQ the woofer to our room. I am hoping to have some one of the best sounding rooms there :D

I just received quite a large shipment from Herbie's Audio Lab so we will have tube dampers, isolation feet, and his new grunge buster CD mat to sell.

What else do you want me to bring for you to audition and/or sell? Space is limitend in my van, but please let me know.

Thanks again

ABEX

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DI/O vs. MENSA vs Shanling (long)
« Reply #4 on: 27 Mar 2003, 05:32 pm »
Make sure you button your van up tight and have some protection there Wayne.Body armor might be a plus also!

Just a thought! :lol:

 :duel:   :guns:

 :drums:
 :banghead:

davehg

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Update on MENSA
« Reply #5 on: 22 Apr 2003, 05:02 am »
Well, after my first long review, I tried a couple of tweaks that seem to lessen the top end glare. As you will recall from my long review, I suspectd the glare was room induced. I was right.

I pulled my Merlin's about another foot from the rear wall. The singers stayed put, but some of the instruments were brought more forward with the speakers. Man, can the MENSA throw a deep soundstage!

Second, I read a few Merlin reviews and lowered my listening chair to have my ear even with the tweeter. Hmmm, Merlin is right. The sound got much more sweeter and with less glare. These speakers are finicky about listenining position and placement.

Lastly, maybe it was the IC burning in or the MENSA cooking longer, but the high end "whiteness" is mostly gone. Wayne said the MENSA took a while to burn in, and he would be right.

-Dave (my system: Merlin TSM-M on Target R4's, VAC Avatar Special Edition, Technics DVD A10 as transport, Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker cables, Acoustic Zen Silver Reference IC's, Boldercable digital cable, and Bolder Type 1's for the DVD-A output of the Technics, and DIY Cable AC cords and JR power filter).