Just got Frank's stuff today and I'm blown away! True, I'm coming from an AV receiver, but I really didn't expect such a startling difference.
Here's my quick impression thus far:
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why: Now I know why the other Salk owners are always so impressed with female voice reproduction. I could hear the texture of her voice. I didn't hear so much of that with the receiver. Separation of instruments is much better. Soundstage is WAY better. Guess I can't blame my room for that anymore. Just amazed at the increased detail in everything. Great to hear new things in the background, too. Just adds that much more realism to the music.
Mozart Symphony #40: I'm secretly a classically trained violinist somewhere in my academic past. This is a big deal, I guess, since I secretly know what each instrument sounds like live and up close. Being able to hear the breath of a flautist, the texture of a violin bow dragging across a string, really caught my attention. I think here, I'd like to thank the T8+ for making everything just a little smoother and more lifelike.
Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall: Right before he sings "Old Man" you hear a few clicks, then Neil telling the audience to cut it out and stop taking pictures as it's throw off his beat. Accoustic guitar on this is great, tons of microaccoustics when Neil adjusts the mic, piano sounds like a piano. Nice!
Oh, and this is all coming from my PC, running iTunes, playing through an Apple Airport Express' optical output into the Vision DAC. Apparently, Frank's DAC doesn't have the problems that the ESS Sabre DACs have with the AEx. I was worried, but it works really well.
It's getting late, I'll have to try the OPPO's digital out tomorrow and try to play some high res stuff, too.
I know the SongTower plus the UltraValve is getting all the great press right now, but if you've got more to spend, my setup is killer!!!
