Review: Verity Audio Rienzi meets Softone ICL

Click pic to enlarge.

Review: Verity Audio Rienzi III
1, 2, 3, Go! Softone ICL

OK, I admit it, part of the reason for the revisit was for the fantastic and wholesome breakfast: eggs, sausage, fresh carrots and cabbage, and home-made bread! Thanks and thanks again! How am I going to do without today! :-(

Before and during breakfast, we had round 1, which used the resident ASR Emitter I Exclusive. Since the sound was not much different from before, I shall not dwell on this part and refer you to my previous reports (here).

Mostly Softone ICL (official website)
This came about because our host Sang just acquired the ICL Model 3 CD player. Yes, contrary to what you read in the commercial press, many people still buy CD players! He wanted to play with my ICL Model 2 DAC and I wanted breakfast, so the visit was arranged. Since I have read that the Verity Audio Rienzi is friendly to flea-powered SET amps (based on a review in Ultra Audio), I decided to take along some extra stuff, and the challenger system was as follows:

Transport/CD Player: Softone Model 2
DAC: Softone Model 3
Preamp: Bryston 0.4B
Amp: Softone Model 1 (300B amp; discontinued; on the floor in the pic)
Speaker: Verity Audio Rienzi
Cable-Analogue: Canare (cheap 75 ohm) and Belden teflon silver-plated (looks like Cello String, but white)
Cable-Digital: Belden (yellow)
Cable-Speaker: Belden 9497
Cable-Power; generic

ONE OF THE MOST JOYFUL MOMENTS IN MY HIFI JOURNEY. Yes, in terms of fun and delight, not absolute performance. And vindication for Verity Audio also. Previously, I had not been too enamoured of Verity, indeed for all speakers of this kind, with one small speaker on top of a "subwoofer" module.

But, on this historic day, with the full system as described, the system cast a huge soundstage, with instruments reaching into the far corners (whereas the ASR only had the center, not even particularly full at that). Instruments gained presence and size, with beautiful and correct timber. Amazingly, the sound had excellent live presence. The voice of Buena Vista Social Club's Omara was smoky and the band swinging. In the duet of Ray Charles and Nora Jones, not only were the voices beautifully differentiated, they tightly inter-weaved to covey a feeling of duo partnership. Grappelli's violin was sinewy, and the system coveyed effortlessly the rhythmic finesse, as it also did with Take Five.

Even with the classical and bigger stuff, the system did well. Yang Tianwa's violin on this most delightful Naxos series was bewitching; with a good system, you should be feeling the bow's return as well as the finger's action, and I did. The orchestra accompaniment had good weight. Musica Antiqua Koln was swinging in this wonderful account of the Brandenburg's. Even more impressively, the second movement of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony showcased the gutsy playing of the lower strings and very good dynamics. The only track that exposed the limited power on hand was a closely miked piano track.

Now a few words on particular components in the system. I shall not be exhaustive as I am sure I will write a Softone/ICL overview one day:

Softone Model 3 This is a wonderful CD player as well as a transport. Using the same Philips CDM Pro2 laser mechanism, I wonder why people buy over-priced transports like Orpheus and Weiss. As a CD player, the sound is refined and very clean.

Softone Model 2 This is a best-buy DAC that handles up to 24/96. Being tube buffered, the sound is warmer and weightier than the Model 3, and hence likely more suited to the high resolution Rienzi.

Bryston 0.4B This is a surprisingly musical preamp of older (and better imho) vintage. It has absolutely nothing "transistory" about it. To this dedicated tube preamp user, this is the highest praise.

Softone/ICL Model 1 This is a surprisingly sophisticated design (as most ICL products) 300B amp (there is also a 2A3 version) of fixed bias design, with 330V at the plate and the 300B run at 65 mA. Surprisingly, using only small output transformers, it can be driven very hard and outperforms many a costlier SET amp. Since I had not used it in a long time, I randomly took a pair of Chinese 300B and tested it in the morning. I measured it to make sure it was not over-biased. Boy, it was only running at 33 mA, lower than you'd run a 2A3. You know what? I did not re-bias since it sounded just fine with my Tannoy. So, this amp now is running at much less than full power; I'd estimate only outputting 3 watts or so.

Verity Audio Rienzi This experience completely changed my view of VA. Previously I had heard several pairs at shows and in homes. At best I'd say they were hifi-ish, not particularly attractive (I'd say the same about the over-rated Wilson Watt/Puppy). I had even heard a higher model driven by a full Monty DIY EL34 amp and the sound was sleep-inducing. So imagine my surprise this time. The Rienzi is lightning fast and superbly transparent. It may be a trifle too bright for my taste but I think that can be easily rectified. More importantly, unlike most Wilson Watt/Puppy, the two boxes appear to be coherently integrated (although not so when the ASR was used). Most surprisingly, it has excellent rhythm and pace as well as a live presence, very rare qualities in loudspeakers.

The Rienzi is obviously a tube and SET friendly loudspeaker. Given the already mightily impressive performance with the lowly Softone/ICl amp, I would say it is a marriage made in heaven. My great happiness is not only for the host, but also because I am happy there is another good loudspeaker for SET amp users. There is no way I personally would use this speaker with anything else but tubes, and preferably SET amp at that.

Of course, the Rienzi is still not a large, nor fullrange, speaker, but given its modest footprint it is a worthwhile effort.

Epiphany!

The Yumcha Diaries: 15/08/09

The Yumcha Diaries: 15/08/09
Triple Play

It was really nice in the last few yumchas to see quite a few old friends turning up. Sometimes we even have more unregistered people than people who have signed up. Some are regulars who prefer not to be mentioned, some just walk-in's.

It should be stated here: (1) the yumcha has been maintained jointly by a few of us, because the open spirit of JC yumcha, rooted in Review33, deserves to live on even if the founder has left HK; (2) everyone is welcome, even if we have not met you. I know very few people would just turn up, but some have in the past after an email or PM; (3) if it's politically incorrect for you to come yumcha with us, that's too bad; we'd still like to see you and would not mention you at all should you come (one of the reasons for some unregistered attendees).

BenYC's setup: Two Saturdays ago four of us re-visited the setup (click for previous report). A real tweaker himself, BenYC has straightened out the inadvertent tweak of his son, and the sound took a dramtic turn for the better. I'd like the massed strings to be a bit fuller, but everything else was very nice. The C/P ratio is among the higest I have ever heard. BenYC has just changed the crossover and I look forward to his further efforts.

This past Saturday: It was a nice surprise, with 9 people altogether. Topics ranged from DACs to the relationship between cooking and lung cancer. I even got to look at some X-rays! No fees, but that should be the case as it's not my expertise! As we enter the age when more and more relatives and family members become ill, it's as important to build up mental fortitude as it's to find ways to soothe our minds, and nothing does that better than music. Not hifi, music!

Sang's setup: After yumcha, most of us went in 2 cars for a rare visit to Yuen Long. First stop was Sang's place. This is my 3rd visit (click for report of 1st visit and 2nd visit) and not much has changed. As I have just loaded quite a bit of music onto whlee's iPod, I am lending him my Wadia iTransport. Being 惡客, we plugged this into the SFD-2. Comparison with the resident transport (Acuustic Arts CDP) was interesting to say the least, even sobering. While perhaps not as steady as the Acuustic Arts, the iPod seemed to deliever not only a better perpective, but has more details and better rhythm and pace. Just before we ;eft, we changed the power cord of his DAC and things took a dramatic turn for the better. We did not have time for a re-match.

Andy's setup: Then we went to Fairview Garden. Thanks Andy for entertaining us on short notice. Since my last visit Andy has acquired a Benchmark Pre DAC and also set up his portable PC to play music WAV files (EAC-burned) via USB connection (with Opticis optical cable in between). Using the same files and the same DAC, the comparison between iPod/iTranposrt and PC/USB was fascinating, to say the least. Both sounded very good, though the PC was cleaner. However, all of us preferred the iPod/iTransport for dynamics, rhythm and pace as well as, surprisingly, details! This is in agreement with my view last time in a similar shootout held at Danz's place. There is something seriously lacking in PC playback, expression.

All of this Music Server stuff shall be further treated in detail in another article. Let me say here I have also acquired a Squeezebox Classic and shall also report on it.

Surprise TAD/Shindo visit: Lastly we managed to squeeze another visit before dinner by visiting yet another TAD setup! I shall report in detail in a later article. Let me just say that it's hard to believe a Shindo tube setup of 8 watts per channel can adequately drive TAD 2402, but this fellow against all odds finally did it. Secret? Shindo must be connected in balanced mode. Sound was excellent and 敲擊卡門 was beautifully done! Bravo!

A very full day. Origianlly we were to audition my SB3 but that shall have to wait till next time.

Home Visit: VERITY Rienzi/ASR Emitter I. Part 2.

Home Visit: VERITY Rienzi/ASR Emitter I Exclusive (Blue Light)(2 batteries). Part 2.

This is a return visit. Months had passed since my last visit. During this time, much run-in had been accomplished. As importantly, Sang ditched some of the old cables he was using.

Following Danz, Sang acquired a Sonic Frontier SFD-II MkII. Now Gotham speaker cables are used and the sound was already a major improvment!

I asked to listen to the Accustics Arts CDP, and was once again disappointed. It was better than last time, but still quite missed the mark. It did not have the full command, the articulation and musicality of the old SF DAC. Despite the expense of the CDP, it is now relegated to the role of transport! How much has digital improve, we again ask?

A little cable rolling was done. Everyone agreed my cheap DIY Mogami digital cable was superior to the much more expensive Sommer cable. Duh!

Indeed with the Mogami installed, sound approached neutrality to me and we spent more time just listening to music. We listened to this excellent Vivaldi CD. I have long been a fan of Carmignola, but it's gratifying to see Mullova (due to visit HK) to be as sure a hand in the period style. The interaction is sheer joy. Sound was splendid (as heard through SFD2). And yes, the breakfast was big and superb that I had a hard time ingesting anything during yumcha later. Thanks Carmen!

Home Visit: VERITY Rienzi/ASR Emitter I

Home Visit: VERITY Rienzi/ASR Emitter I Exclusive (Blue Light)(2 batteries)

During the holidays I managed to have some interesting visits. This was the first.

Sang is an avid music lover, and quite versed in classical music. He's the type of person who is really low keyed yet focused, and precisely the type of client that the hi-end should target.

Why? Because his previous system was quite a humble one, yet he spent 1-2 years shopping for his new system! Previously I believe he had MF X-Ray and Audiolab gears, now this not inexpensive system, a QUANTUM jump!!!! Should one jump this confidently? Not if you lack even a little confidence!

Verity Audio is quite a known entity to me, having heard Parisfal and the likes. My experience ranges from pretty good to disastrous (with inadequate tube amp). I have also heard ASR to deliver musical performances. So I was not disappointed by the performance of this system.

Apparently, the dealer had come to the house and spent a good amount of time setting up the Rienzi. The left speaker, flanking a dining room and at the mouth of a corridor, is placed more forward. Visually this is unsettling but I applaud the "by ears and not by eyes" approach. The sound was quite refined and tidy, with generally good tonal balance and very good macro- and microdynamics.

Now, it's quite common knowledge that I am quite allergic to the clinical and white-washed sound of much modern German hifi, indeed much hifi in general. With that in mind, I found the sound quite a cut above the many horrible experiences I have had with German gears (don't you EVER mention Burmester to me). Of course Verity is not German for sure, and, price notwithstanding, ASR at least belongs to the good guy camp.

If I have any reservation about the system, it may be about the CD player. German Accustics Arts CD player is quite expensive. It's a 24/192 upsampling Crystal Delta-Sigma player, which I have heard a lot. In my experience and for my taste, "details" aside, it's not easy to make a musical player out of this technology, though it CAN be done. While this player sounded effortless, dynamic, and clean most of the time, particularly impressive in big orchestral pieces, it had a relatively hard time portraying the true timbre of solo intsruments like violin and piano, or conveying the give-and-take of chamber performances. This is a frequent paradox, players that can do big things falter at small things, and vice versa.

That said, this sytem is quite new and needs more break-in. And more cabling experiments is likely needed. Battery AQ cables may not be the thing for German stuff. I'd love to visit again, not least as a pretext for the marvelous pasta my gracious hosts served me!