Hans and I are in the same boat.
I was able to listen to my Naksa for about an hour on Friday night before leaving for the weekend, and my impressions were exactly the same, especially on vocals. I was not concerned, as I fully expected that some running in would be required.
I now have about four additional listening hours logged and the rate of improvement has been remarkable, especially in the second hour or so.
My test rig consists of the NAKSA with Alps attenuator, fed by SB3 on short interconnects, driving Vsonics.
I have been sampling:
Grace Potter and the Nocternals from my home state of Vermont. Grace is a vocal powerhouse, suggesting a combination of Janis Joplin, Tina Turner and Bonnie Raitt.
Jenifer Warnes
FBRC. (Like it or not, I’ve been listening to this since its release in 1987. It is a point of reference.)
Emmylou Harris,
Cowgirl’s Prayer.
Clinton Fearon,
Mi An’ Mi Guitar.
Ernie Watts, jazz quartet, C
lassic Moods and
Reaching Up.
Grace Potter was a disaster in the first hour, but things really settled down by the time I got to Emmylou. I find her version of Runaway Horse is vastly more engaging than JW’s, which is so dry as to be incomprehensible. That Nashville sound and Emmylou’s countrified and emotive delivery really bring life to the lyrics of this song. However, this listening was the first time I truly accessed the lyrics. "Higher Love" is the real toe-tapper on this album.
I think one attribute of the Naksa that is emerging for me is that it delivers more sonic clarity and nuance in the vocal range, providing more emotional cues for the listener. The same applies to the beautifully sparse Clinton Fearon solo recording. This quality extends to instrumental voices as well of course, especially noticeable in cymbals, piano and other timbres that are difficult to get right.
The Ernie Watts recordings were smashing. Like sitting in the front row live in studio. The soundstage has moved well forward of the speakers which have completely disappeared now (no offense Laurie!), yielding an amazing presence in the listening room. Ernie’s sax is rock solid in the soundstage, like a living thing, and his incredibly fast and complex arpeggios are rendered as exquisitely as the vocal tracks mentioned above. Musical excitement is inescapable.
I have since revisited the Grace Potter album, and things are vastly improved. It will be interesting to check in again from time to time during the burn in. If the NAKSA can tame this tiger, as well as deliver on the most delicate material, it is a serious contender indeed.
Congratulations Hugh!
