[6rs]

By the way, were are you living 6rs ? But no Isabella for me yet.

Fribourg. If you are interested, you are welcome to listen to Vinnie's Isabella at my home once it has arrived.
B.

[borelek]

By the way, were are you living 6rs ? But no Isabella for me yet.

Fribourg. If you are interested, you are welcome to listen to Vinnie's Isabella at my home once it has arrived.
B.

I was in Fribourg last saturday at the Belluard festival
I live in Lausanne and, certainly, I'll be very happy to listen Isabella at your home. Please let me know when it's possible. Thanks in advance.

s

[Srajan Ebaen]

Lausanne? Indeed, just around the corner aa

Looks like I'll be in excellent company real soon 

Thanks for the nice wishes from everyone here. We're excited about our new adventure and the packing in Cyprus has begun in earnest, with the sound room pristine still but everything else looking like a bomb hit it. Well, kinda...

[Vinnie R.]

All,

Today I heard from none other than Srajan of 6moons, who is now in Switzerland.  The RWA review samples (Isabella, 30.2 power amp, RWA cabling, and Macbook) seem to have safely arrived.  However, Srajan informed me that he is still waiting for his big "container of audio gear" that should be arriving within a week if it is on time.  Until then, he has no speakers, no headphones, no chance to listen... yet. 

I think it is safe to assume that it will be a few weeks before initial listening impressions will be posted.  I understand how stressful moving can be, and Srajan is going to need some time to set-up his listening room (equipment, sound treating, etc.) and get familiar with it and how all his equipment sounds before he can dig in.

In the meantime, looks like preview page 2 on 6moons is added, with some pics of course!
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/redwine10/isabella.html
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/redwine10/isabella_2.html

Also, there are a few posts here on the RWA forum with some listening impressions of the Isabella with built-in dac:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=57513.40

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=57776.0

I was also told that there are more impressions on the Audigon forums... I'll look into this later when I get a chance.

We also have a special announcement to make next week!  aa

Thank you,

Vinnie

[krmathis]

^ Sounds great! 
Can't wait to see the initial impressions on 6moons. And of course to see what this "special announcement" turn out to be...

A little bit off-topic. But are there any plans for an Isabellina review through 6moons?

[Srajan Ebaen]

Well, what Vinnie sent is a fully gussied-up Isabella with Isabellina DAC stage and headphone module so the final review will comment on the preamp by itself, the DAC and the headphone function. For the DAC assessment, I'll compare to the Opera Audio Linear Reference CDP I have which also uses an NOS FAC arrangement with valves so it makes for a good comparator. Since the inbuilt Isabellina is the same as the standalone DAC version, I think this makes the answer to your question "yes"? 

[wilsynet]

I've already ordered the Isabellina for my RWA 30.2 Integrated.  The fully loaded Isabella is just plain out of reach right now.  Even so, I'm very much looking forward to the stand alone Isabellina, and there must be others in the same position as I am.

Most NOS DACs I'm familiar with are in the 2000 - 3000 ohm range, and even the Wavelength products are I think ~1000 ohm output impedance.  The Isabellina has an outstanding output impedance of 100 ohms!

The built-in Isabellina isn't quite the same as the stand-alone Isabellina because the built-in one goes through the valve line stage of the Isabella preamp ... 6moons can't review everything of course, but it would be nice if it did. =)

[Mariusz]

Well, what Vinnie sent is a fully gussied-up Isabella with Isabellina DAC stage and headphone module so the final review will comment on the preamp by itself, the DAC and the headphone function. For the DAC assessment, I'll compare to the Opera Audio Linear Reference CDP I have which also uses an NOS FAC arrangement with valves so it makes for a good comparator. Since the inbuilt Isabellina is the same as the standalone DAC version, I think this makes the answer to your question "yes"? 

You might be pleasantly surprise with its buid-in DAC Mr. S.Ebaen.
I was. While comparing Droplet's DAC to Isabellina was like comparing apples to oranges. Still, at the end of the day it was clear that Droplet simply could not match Isabellina in many aspects as you will find out for yourself. I will be very interested in your review and I am sure others share my own curiosity and anticipation.

I just finished reading your follow up on Isabella review and I did share your thoughts and doubts in regards to Vinnie's new preamp. One thing I can say,
you will have a lots of fun.
Also your observation regarding established competition in that price range, impact and how it is going to be received in this already overcrowded World of Hi-End gear is anybodies guess. However based on short listening session I believe it will do well.......of course it is my humble opinion.

One more thing:
I was wondering if you will compare Isabella ( Linestage) to your (actually - Stephæn's) recent review of similarly innovative in design Dodd battery preamp?

Regards
Mariusz

[wilsynet]

Mariusz,

Many examples of NOS DACs excel in smoothness and unfatiguing sound.  But they're also characteristically lacking in treble extension, dynamics, and detail versus their oversampling cousins.  A common criticism of the Brick, for example, is that while it is easy to listen to for hours on end, it also happens to have a homogenizing affect on the music and lacks slam.  The Cosecant does better, but not nearly so well that Gordon now offers an oversampling DAC module (the numerator) on the Cosecant and Crimson.

The Droplet CDP has an oversampling DAC.

In a previous post, you said that the Isabella DAC was more analog sounding by far than the Droplet.  Could you also speak regarding treble extension, dynamics, and detail versus the Droplet?  Were you missing anything versus the Droplet, or was the Isabella's DAC across the board better in every way?

Wilson

[krmathis]

Srajan Ebaen. I understand.
But you will then be listening to the Isabella as well. Meaning that the sound will go through the tube pre-amp, making the sound not identical to the standalone Isabellina?

I will probably order an Isabellina any way though. 

[Vinnie R.]

Most NOS DACs I'm familiar with are in the 2000 - 3000 ohm range, and even the Wavelength products are I think ~1000 ohm output impedance.  The Isabellina has an outstanding output impedance of 100 ohms!

Hi wilsynet,

Yes, we are able to offer the very low output impedance of the Isabellina because we are using a discrete transistor, Class A output stage.  Some NOS dacs use a passive I/V stage (this results is high output impedance).  Tubes also generally have higher output impedance (e.g. Wavelength).  I've seen opamps used as well, but once we tried  using a discrete transistor stage ran in Class A, we found it to be the best with our NOS dac.   

Many examples of NOS DACs excel in smoothness and unfatiguing sound.  But they're also characteristically lacking in treble extension, dynamics, and detail versus their oversampling cousins.  A common criticism of the Brick, for example, is that while it is easy to listen to for hours on end, it also happens to have a homogenizing affect on the music and lacks slam.  The Cosecant does better, but not nearly so well that Gordon now offers an oversampling DAC module (the numerator) on the Cosecant and Crimson.

I have found that many of these criticisms of NOS dac are due to the high output impedance, as you mentioned above.  The low output impedance of the Isabellina is very important to both very good dynamics and treble extension, AND you still get the smooth and non-fatiguing sound! 

The Isabellina stand-along dac + Signature 30.2 is an amazing combo... there were made for each other!   aa

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Mariusz]

Mariusz,

Many examples of NOS DACs excel in smoothness and unfatiguing sound.  But they're also characteristically lacking in treble extension, dynamics, and detail versus their oversampling cousins.  A common criticism of the Brick, for example, is that while it is easy to listen to for hours on end, it also happens to have a homogenizing affect on the music and lacks slam.  The Cosecant does better, but not nearly so well that Gordon now offers an oversampling DAC module (the numerator) on the Cosecant and Crimson.

The Droplet CDP has an oversampling DAC.

In a previous post, you said that the Isabella DAC was more analog sounding by far than the Droplet.  Could you also speak regarding treble extension, dynamics, and detail versus the Droplet?  Were you missing anything versus the Droplet, or was the Isabella's DAC across the board better in every way?

Wilson

Wilson, in short - Isabellina in comparison to other non-up-sampling player like Consonance 120 (that is the only player that I am familiar with that uses similar dac *Philips*) is fuller, more transparent with amazing soundstage, imaging and does not lock detail and bottom end. Yes, I sense some small differences in bass region but to pass on my judgment or opinion would be unjust due to my less then optimal setup and room that was not treated to optimize the audition.
If you really doubt my or Vinnie's confidence in this product....my next sentence should put that to bad.
I am selling my Dodd as well as Paradisea tube dac and I am replacing those with Isabella with build in Isabellina DAC.
Yes, it costs more but I just can not get that sound out of my head......

Cheers
Mariusz

[tunedin]

Hi Vinnie,

I read with great interest that the Isabellina DAC's output impedance is 100 ohms and that the output voltage is approximately 2 volts rms. That would be sufficient to directly drive my custom SET power amp. I was wondering about using the iTunes software volume control to feed an amplifier directly? Any comments? The Isabella with built-in DAC is too much of a financial stretch for me to consider at this time

Thanks!

[richidoo]

I have found that many of these criticisms of NOS dac are due to the high output impedance, as you mentioned above.  The low output impedance of the Isabellina is very important to both very good dynamics and treble extension, AND you still get the smooth and non-fatiguing sound! 

I concur with Vinnie's statement based on my own experience with a couple different brand NOS dacs. NOS dac requires a robust output stage. If the output stage is designed to handle any situation (fast strong current buffer,) then the extension and detail WILL be there along with all the organic beauty of NOS. Congrats on the new products Vinnie. 

Rich

[mytubes211]

Hi Vinny
Again was really  please to meet you and all others (Chris,Anthony,Buddy) AudioCircle guys. That was something new for me and I have really good time.I did enjoyed everything (music, foods, beer ), but especially two women's:Isabella and Isabellina. Whoa, I was very impressed by sound and synergy between them.I'm absolutely sure, that Mariusz used all possible words to discuss close first impressions. But let me just say this :these two ladies good bottle of red vine and music close to my heart then turned lights off and  I'm there.  Well done Vinny


P.S. I'm sorry again ,but after so many years at Audiogon I did have never join any discussion, so it's first time for me.                        RITCHIE

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Vinny
Again was really  please to meet you and all others (Chris,Anthony,Buddy) AudioCircle guys. That was something new for me and I have really good time.I did enjoyed everything (music, foods, beer ), but especially two women's:Isabella and Isabellina. Whoa, I was very impressed by sound and synergy between them.I'm absolutely sure, that Mariusz used all possible words to discuss close first impressions. But let me just say this :these two ladies good bottle of red vine and music close to my heart then turned lights off and  I'm there.  Well done Vinny


P.S. I'm sorry again ,but after so many years at Audiogon I did have never join any discussion, so it's first time for me.                        RITCHIE

Hi Ritchie,

Welcome to Audiocircle and the Red Wine Audio forum!

It was very nice to meet you at Mariusz's mini-rave and thank you for posting your impressions here.
I'm happy to hear that you were charmed by Isabella / Isabellina. 

I hope you can make it to the NYAR on Aug 23rd with Mariusz. 

Thanks again,

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

All,

Page 3 of the 6moons Isbella review has been posted:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/redwine10/isabella_3.html

While Srajan is still waiting for his home audio speakers to arrive (and this
should happen next week - yes!), he has already tried the headphone oupput
of the Isabella with a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphones:



He also added a sidebar link to pictures of our German/Austrian/Swiss distributor's reference system (Hannes Frick), who is also owner of WLM Loudspeakers - check this out!

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/redwine10/sidebar.html

More to come soon...

Vinnie