Hi guys,
Planned on writing this over the weekend, but was busy. As promised, my impressions on the Red Wine Audio Isabellina. I would say, I've been on this quest for 3 years. My affliction was caused by a set of Klipsch promedia computer speakers, which just sounded better than I felt reproduced music had any business sounding. I just had to investigate. Since then I've gone through modest gear culminating in my current system of:
Squeezebox----(stereovox hdxv2)-----Isabelina----(Reality ICs)------Odyssey Candela----(Reality ICs)-----Odyssey Stratos Stereo Extreme----(Reality SC)----Quad 22l2s
I am enjoying the journey thus far. In terms of DACs, I've progressed from a Rotel RCD-975 player to CIAudio VDA2---to the Isabellina. I listen to a lot of Jazz, World Music, Reggae, Classical, Blues, others in that order, a very acoustic predilection.
I have read many debates as to whether speakers or the source is the most important food in the chain. I weighed both in terms of an upgrade and came to the conclusion that if I were to upgrade my speakers, it will simply augment the current state of my system. However, improving the source will give me a better grasp of what my current speakers are capable of, and will make a speaker upgrade more meaningful. And there you have it: Isabellina made her bow.
For the record, a lot of my impressions will be relative to my former DAC, VDA-2. I spoke earlier about how much warmer and fuller sounding the Isabellina was during break-in. I liked that about it because it banished all my anxiety about fatique. However, I had a worry in the back of my head about a lack of fire coming forth. There was less of an edge to the sound. Something that I had gotten used to on some recordings. Well, I worry no more. There is high frequency energy to spare, it just came late to the party and in different clothing. It is of a more refined demeanor, and I must say it bodes well for the metal tweeters of my speakers.
In the latter stages of break-in things really smoothed out. Cymbals started to shimmer instead of crackle. Voices glowed and energized the space around and ahead of them even more. Instruments became more alive. They were more present. You could hear and to a larger extent feel them being aroused, reacting and then giving of themselves, harmonious sound. There were more overtones to the sounds of these instruments I had heard time and again. They never felt like they were missing, but now I wont let them leave.
The music seems to flow even better. I don't know much about PRAT, don't know how its supposed to look, but I do know how it makes me feel, and as long as it stays that way, what a wonderful world this would be. I really believe there is an increase in so many audiophilic elements that just makes everything flow. There is more air, a greater sense of reverb, space and venue, longer decay, and a feeling that no one frequency is overly dominant. The sounds tend to comingle more realistically as well, and they seem to be weighted exactly as they would in real life, and their pulses reach you, all at just the right time. And it does feel right!!
Mind you, I haven't done much system auditioning. I can't say I'm personally friends with another "audiophile". Most of what I know, I read. I always knew about "depth" charges, pixel "resolution", programming "transients" in java, my teacher always called me a "dynamic" student, and I always knew flowers "bloomed." Well, now I feel I know what the hell you guys talk about. And, listening to classical music finally puts the cherry on top of this cake.
I hear individual violins get resolved. Trombones are way deep in the stage, yet their body remains so much more intact. Drums, I admit, now scare me. Transients all over the place. Dynamics galore!! Oh dear, where have I been all this time. I feel so spoiled, and yet it seems I haven't scraped enough crust off this pie to get to the goodies.
A speaker upgrade is being engineered as I type. I know I fail at audiophile speak, but the Isabellina has me hurtling out of the comforts of my sheltered, safe musical existence. I now understand what is possible, and what can be achieved. I now understand, people. I now understand that voices, even bass can be dry. I never imagined I will hear a sax really sound like one. Well people, I guess it's what you guys call tone, with some transient attack mixed in, a generous amount of air, I presume, and a good helping of body coupled with enough detail to hear the occasional elusive finger work. Oh la la!
Now there are reports that one Isabella can add to this terrible drug and potentially cause an overdose. Well, I guess if that's what it takes......
