Phasure NOS1 DAC (1 Hour) listening Experience

[PeterSt]

Oh, you are just ahead of me. So yes :

Mani, I told you we have been listening to your DAC and that it sounded great and I could libe with it forever. But it also sounded completely cold (no warm sound). That will grow over time.
But that cold sound had something too. It does something to the highs which didn't appear bad to me. On the other hand, the balance in the highs is a bit lost (like the attack of a ride cymbal being over expressed -> "tick tick tick" jumps out without color).

If you can play glitch free, I personally wouldn't bother with BIOS settings for better sound. Ah, maybe it can do something, but it just needs the break in here.


Peter

[manisandher]

Well, I'm getting glitch-free playback now. So, I tried the NOS1 directly into my amp. With the low efficiency of my Quads (I had a brand new pair of the larger 2905s delivered only yesterday) and the low output of the NOS1, I can play most things at 0dB attenuation quite comfortably.

This is simply the purest sound I have heard in my system. X-ray detail, and yet at the same time smooth. And all this from 16/44.1 redbook material!!!

I'm still looking for a bit more warmth though - I'm used to hearing more body from instruments and voices. I'm sure this will come with time as the NOS1 and Quads settle down.

This evening, I will begin a formal comparison between the NOS1 (with OAP) and my PM Model Two (with QAP). But I think to do both DACs justice, this comparison will need to extend over many weeks.

On behalf of all audiophiles who are hunting for the ultimate sound, we like to thank Peter and Ciska for their never lasting effort to follow their dream and create this wonderful contribution to our hobby.

Eric told a lovely story. For now, I'd just like to second his quote.

Mani.

[PeterSt]

Well, I'm getting glitch-free playback now.

Ah, great ! So I guess this just was similar to what I had myself indeed (about your email). Well, good to know for a next case of this.

With the low efficiency of my Quads (I had a brand new pair of the larger 2905s delivered only yesterday) and the low output of the NOS1, I can play most things at 0dB attenuation quite comfortably.

Just to keep in mind (and maybe you can't utilize it), balanced/XLR has 6dB more output.

I'm used to hearing more body from instruments and voices. I'm sure this will come with time as the NOS1 and Quads settle down.

Well, keep me informed please. But indeed also notice (you said it yourself earlier) that possibly this is because of more tight bass and at this moment maybe not knowing what is best in absolute sense. It is better to explain this the other way around : with more poor (sloppy) bass, there's always more low bass as well. But this is not better of course. In the end it is about reality, or at least that this what I have been striving for. Anyway, I guess that a measure may be the "full" sound. I mean, as long as that is not there, the individual things to look after (like body in a voice) won't be there either.

On the other hand ... You won't be telling this twice when you didn't think something was the matter. I only want to say that I am not bagatalizing you or your remark. Then again on the other hand : the sound from your DAC was long from on par (as are the others), never mind I could like it. This may be the most important message for now, and don't forget : if all is right you won't hear much difference for the upcoming 10-14 days. But *then* it starts ... (day by day by day).

This is simply the purest sound I have heard in my system. X-ray detail, and yet at the same time smooth. And all this from 16/44.1 redbook material!!!

Of course this is the most nice thing to hear - and what I was waiting for. I also know how keen you are on "digital" and what you undertake to "get there". Maybe a kind of ambassador for what digital can do. Of course I know what I am thinking and saying about it, but that's always a commercial thing by now (or at least that will be how people may or will look at it).
In the end, I don't know how many deliveries it will take before I am 100% convinced it will work for everybody, but those so far don't point in the other direction, and for sure yours gives me the good feeling. And never to forget : it explicitly is meant to be "the best", and so it should be the best. I did what I could so far, but it was me only. That is why I guess I will be nervous somewhat longer.

Thanks Mani,
Peter

[manisandher]

Thanks Peter.

As is often the case, in the heat of fixing a major issue, I totally forgot about one of the basics. I'm using KS Adaptive set to 2048 samples... but totally forgot to set the soundcard to the same - it's been on 256 all this time. Anyway, setting it to 2048 has improved things a lot.

I'm really not sure how any aspect of the sound could be further improved now. Don't tell her, but I'm looking forward to my wife, Satty, returning from work - she hasn't heard the NOS1 yet and I want to see her reaction when she hears one of her favourite tunes through it.

I realise that it must seem strange for many people visiting this forum to hear some of us 'wax lyrical' about the NOS1. If so, I'd ask you to just bear with us. The last thing we want to do is to come across as a bunch of sychophants... But it's not everyday that you have the pleasure of listening to a piece of kit that you know is a game-changer. And IMO, that's exactly what the NOS1 is.

Mani.

[christoffe]

Hi Peter,

bloody buttons in the Juli@ control panel !!!!!

First impressions.

Much more  detail, more fine resolution, more timbre, more darkness, more air between the instruments, less distortions.

The violin on the Vertu  CD in the tune “Dance of the Harlequin”  sounds magical. This is a real violin, full bodied and the right timbre.

You’ve done a great job.

Best

Joachim

[PeterSt]

Joachim, thank you. Very nice to hear.

Now it's time to let it break in a bit.
Works best without sound, 20 days in a row.

haha
Peter ()

[BrianG]

I would just like to congratulate Gerard for having a super clean and tidy listening room!   

I daren't show my wife this photo as compared to yours my room is closer to the aftermath of an hurricane, so I won't be posting any similar photos. 

I must console myself, I read a review once that suggested that if the sound was allowed to diffract from many obstructions it created a more 3D sound, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.   

[Gerard]

I would just like to congratulate Gerard for having a super clean and tidy listening room!   

I daren't show my wife this photo as compared to yours my room is closer to the aftermath of an hurricane, so I won't be posting any similar photos. 

I must console myself, I read a review once that suggested that if the sound was allowed to diffract from many obstructions it created a more 3D sound, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.   

Brian thanx hahaha...
But really i have two kids that can turn it within 2 min in a total disaster. Took me a few minutes to clean it up. (Meaning grab everything together and throw it on the seat.) 

 

[christoffe]

Now it's time to let it break in a bit.
Works best without sound, 20 days in a row.

Hi Peter,

it is not my intention to waste any time not to listen to this beautiful sound.

The 3D image, separation and timbre of the horns played by Miles Davis on "Sketches of Spain" was unheard before.

Gerry Mulligan was playing his saxophone live on "Take Five"  in my room. Unbelievable.

A wonderful time is coming with the increrase of the SQ during the break in.

Best

Joachim

[Gerard]

All,
I like to tell you all what i experienced the first day's! 
The first day is allready written in this post. But i like to tell you about the second and third day.


WHERE IS THE WOW FEELING. 
Really i kept on putting cd after cd looking for it. It was gone. Did not change anything!! 

At this moment it is back the WOW feeling\hearing.

Man what a relief. 

It has something to do with the details i think. Now playing at low volume they are there. And the second and third day they where not. I am not sure if i really heard them the first day. Was it something psychological?

Does not matter anymore the feeling is back and that is for me the most important thing!!!


PS: The only one using the volume now is me and not my girlfriend! hahaha who would have thought that. 

 

[PeterSt]

Hi Gerard - Just wondering ...

Can't this have come because of the over-detail which is there in the beginning ? I'm talking about the un-balance within the highs itself. Like I said myself earlier, "it has something, but sounds somewhat strange". This unbalance will change over time and e.g. a tick on a cymbal will be filled up from under and the tick won't be as profound anymore. This, while it was too profound at first.
This is the only example I have to express what is happening, but of course these kind of things are throughout.

The main "problem" will be that what you may perceive as "interesting" at first, *should* come to you as wrong at second. Why ? well, because it just is;
Yesterday I was listening to a new NOS1 for two albums a.o. that Dallas Wind album being under subject yesterday. As I (honestly) told in the end, it sounded just great. But after that I switched to my own NOS1, and *then* one perceives what the difference is between "interesting" (including WOW) and "balance". It's a totally different DAC. Also, "interesting" will always bore after a while (all sounds the same), while a good balance should lead to nature and zero similarities between albums. Or at least that is what always have been one of my key "measures" which is also why proper judging takes me 5 days at least.
When the balance is there, there should be nothing to complain about, while the "interesting" will have shifted from a more technical view to a "what a great musician that is". I know, I'm talking like I know everything and all and it may come to you as blahblah, but I really try to put this unscientific stuff into practical measurement for everybody.

In the mean time, be careful, because I think your "second period" is about to start. You know, where things will get better and better each day. But now try to translate "better" into "better balance" because it is always about that. Nothing should jump out, and never blame the recording (see my Nora Jones example elsewhere, which is just an attitude and a really helping means to proceed with this all).
When your one month has passed, for fun switch back to your before DAC. You will be telling yourself "how could I ever listen to that !!?".

If all is right, that is.

Ok. Thank you for your honest reporting and I hope it will be helpful to others.
Peter

[Gerard]

Peter,

I think that second period you talked about has started. I did not have much time to listen last two day's but i had the pc playing continualy. So a extra 48 hours has given to the NOS1.

Something really changed for the better!! So diffucult to point out what it is. It sure does sound more emotional more body. I played Scooby Snacks from the Fun lovin Criminals from a special dutch recording from Jan Douwe Kroeske his 2 meter sessies.
Playing that track i heard that the cymbals sound more realistic more metal...  I am sure that was not here before... hmmmm

Since the cymbals made such a improvement i choose some guitar play and choose Tommy Emmanual - Endless Road album. His guitar play sound more realistic in a way. You can hear him pulling and touching the strings so beautifull. 

Eva Cassidy sounds even more pure than she allready did.

So there will more of these steps?? Unbelievable..... 

EDIT: Really what we have been listening to was "nothing" compared to what is coming out the speakers now. This i could not have guessed! 

[Gerard]

Everybody,

I like to write some more about something nice i have nodiced. When i first had the speakers playing i have right now there was too less bass IMO.
I had a good sub which i connected to the speakers. Really sceptic as i am i did not believed the burning in time of the woofers. WRONG!! But then there be caim a day that i really did not hear so much differents anymore putting the subwoofer ON or OFF.

So i removed it and was happy,    also because off the fact that there was a peace off stand in the way less in my room. Keep in mind though that this was with my old "dac" The dac that was not be able to keep my woofers under control! (See my firts post in this topic)

Now with my new DAC (NOS1) and since Manisander was talking about bass that he liked to be more i thought well maybe i have to dig the subwoofer up again.

So i did!

And guess what, the sound stage has become much wider/deeper. There is so much of the lower frequenties back that really need to be there. Would not bring it back to the garage it is going to be a standing in the way again!! ;-)

What are your thoughts Peter? Am i wrong on this one? (Meaning the old dac that was the cause off the extra NOT good/wrong/overlap bass)

  

[boleary]

Everything Gerard said in his first post in this thread is just true for me too. In every way the NOS1 substantially improves my JKenny/ MSB Gold Link III combo. The whole time I waited for Peter's dac to arrive, a bit over two weeks to Philadelphia, I had this little voice worrying about "what if" the NOS1 would only be a small improvement. Damn those stupid worries! After listening to "Fragile" tonight, I hear bass in a very different way. There is such a clarity and punch to the bass, and it's so amazingly well ballanced with vocals and other instruments. All just plays together with this "authoritative correctness."

But when I first received the dac on Monday I sent Peter the following:
"Decided to put the trip off for a day and take a "sick" day at home. Sure am glad I did! Peter, out of the box the sound is unbelievable; I've had it on for an hour and a half. My wife sat on the couch and smiled. She loved it. (Thank God!) I think I now know what "without jitter" means or sounds like. For me , it has opened up the mid range of my system like never before. And the mid range is the last part to burn in?!?! Holy sh*t!"

Oh, and Gerard, Eva Cassidy is like a revelation.

Okay, gonna sit back now, burn in, and hear things improve.....Ha!

Thanks Peter.

[Gerard]

Everything Gerard said in his first post in this thread is just true for me too. In every way the NOS1 substantially improves my JKenny/ MSB Gold Link III combo. The whole time I waited for Peter's dac to arrive, a bit over two weeks to Philadelphia, I had this little voice worrying about "what if" the NOS1 would only be a small improvement. Damn those stupid worries! After listening to "Fragile" tonight, I hear bass in a very different way. There is such a clarity and punch to the bass, and it's so amazingly well ballanced with vocals and other instruments. All just plays together with this "authoritative correctness."

But when I first received the dac on Monday I sent Peter the following:
"Decided to put the trip off for a day and take a "sick" day at home. Sure am glad I did! Peter, out of the box the sound is unbelievable; I've had it on for an hour and a half. My wife sat on the couch and smiled. She loved it. (Thank God!) I think I now know what "without jitter" means or sounds like. For me , it has opened up the mid range of my system like never before. And the mid range is the last part to burn in?!?! Holy sh*t!"

Oh, and Gerard, Eva Cassidy is like a revelation.

Okay, gonna sit back now, burn in, and hear things improve.....Ha!

Thanks Peter.

Another NOS1 owner  Congratulations 

Yes yes i do see it now... You look a bit pale  Peter did not tell but he put a virus inside the box, it's a dutch virus XX is the name if i am correct! 

Have much fun!