Hello dCS -- 4 stack Paganini in the house

[Elberoth]

Going with the Scarlatti DAC first will bring you a nice improvement, and is a sensible choice IMO. I was running this very setup for quite some time.

You may keep your Puccini clock and then upgrade to Scarlatti or Paganini transport to get the SACD playback (you will loose SACD playback option with Puccini CD / Scarlatti DAC combo, as this is only possible via FireWire interface, that is not present on the Puccini).

Personally, I would go with Paganini transport, as it is much cheaper than Scarlatti transport, fits all racks, (Scarlatti is oversized) will match your clock visually and apart from different CD drive - both transports are identical. Paganini transport is also much more quiet (noise is a know problem of Scarlatti transport, and yet it rearly gets mentioned).

All that provided you buy used, as otherwise I would rather sell the clock and get the Vivaldi DAC.

[Nostromo]

Originally Posted by Elberoth

Going with the Scarlatti DAC first will bring you a nice improvement, and is a sensible choice IMO. I was running this very setup for quite some time.

You may keep your Puccini clock and then upgrade to Scarlatti or Paganini transport to get the SACD playback (you will loose SACD playback option with Puccini CD / Scarlatti DAC combo, as this is only possible via FireWire interface, that is not present on the Puccini).

Personally, I would go with Paganini transport, as it is much cheaper than Scarlatti transport, fits all racks, (Scarlatti is oversized) will match your clock visually and apart from different CD drive - both transports are identical. Paganini transport is also much more quiet (noise is a know problem of Scarlatti transport, and yet it rearly gets mentioned).

All that provided you buy used, as otherwise I would rather sell the clock and get the Vivaldi DAC.

Tks im going to scarlatti dac

[Elberoth]

Send me an email to a4onboost@gmail.com and I will send you an image showing the difference between the Paganini and the Scarlatti.

[Portugal]

Bob,

Have you tried your dCS dac without the clock and the upsampler?

Does it make any sense to consider a progressive acquisition e.g first dac, then clock, finally upsampler... or the dCS product only makes sense if you buy the whole stack?

Thanks.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by Portugal

Bob,

Have you tried your dCS dac without the clock and the upsampler?

Does it make any sense to consider a progressive acquisition e.g first dac, then clock, finally upsampler... or the dCS product only makes sense if you buy the whole stack?

Thanks.

Pedro,

No, I don't believe I have not tried it without the clock. I may ahve, but forgot -- and same goes for the upsampler. I forgot if I had tried it without that too.

You don't have to jump into the dCS product line with both feet. Infact, some just go DAC for computer audio; whereas others purchase the DAC and Transport together. Later, they buy the Clock.

Yes, it makes sense to go slow. The DAC would be the first choice for me, then Transport, clock & upsampler in that order. Saome may disagree with that -- but I believe that is a logical approach as I'm all cee dees and no computer audio (as yet).

Happy Holidays Folks,

Bob

[vintage_tube]

Forgot to mention Pedro -- we have a fello AA member who is trading in his 2 stack dCS Paganini (DAC & Transport) for a Vivaldi DAC as he is going strictly computer audio. Later on, if he wants to have a transport, and I'm not implying he will, but he could then do so.

Happy Holidays Folks,

Bob

[sacdfan]

wow congrat!!!

how did you like the sound with crystal cable?

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

Wow, what a day.

Woke this morning as usual at 5:30AM and had my coffee/breakfast and fired up the work laptop to check on any 'fires' smoldering as I call my morning work rital. With that taken care of, I head out of the house at 7AM and begin addressing the tasks of the day (unforseen outages/site issues can drastically interrupt my preplanned schedule, etc).

So, I walk out to drop off mail in the mail box and get the neighbors paper (vacation) and lo & behold, my dealer sitting in my driveway in his 'family man van'.

I was stunned & speechless. To make a long story short, his plans for Friday at 6PM changed and he implemented a go above and beyond approach to making me happy customer by being in my drive at 7AM.

So, we unload the gear, chatted & discussed phase 2 (install). He may not be able to make the unboxing/install due to circumstances beyond his control (but he will be available 24x7 for assistance should I need it). He'll know more affirmatively late Friday night.

Anyway, my plans now are to possibly take some comp time on Friday (another 13 hour day today) and make rack changes for the dCS gear & see where that leads by Friday late afternoon (I'm off call Friday morning and usually the wife and I do the dinner & a movie deal -- so, the unpacking/install/hookup may have to wait until Saturday morning (she will be gone this weekend visiting relatives). So, Saturday looks more & more promissing as I write this.

Enjoy the photos & definitely more to come.

Best (and yes, I'm excited)

Bob

[sacdfan]

looks like a x-mas tree
nice '

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

Completed -- finished on time by 5 minutes (not that I am sweating or nuthin')

Here's what transpired:

1. Complete dismante of entire rig down to 1st level shelves
2. Installed HiFi Tuning Fuses, Supreme, 8A small, slow in both amps
3. Installed 4 HRS NA150 couplers under each amp
4. Installed HiFI Tuning Fuses, Supreme, 500mA small, slow in preamp
5. Installed 3 HRS NA100 couplers under C500T in a triangle config (2 rear, 1 front))
6. Installed 3 HRS NA100 couplers under C500C in a triangle config (2 rear, 1 front)
7. Swapped out left rack which had 22x23 inch shelves with center rack which had 22x22 inch shelves.
8. Reinstalled 2d tier shelf (22x23 inch) in center rack & placed Akai GX-400D Reel-to-Reel.
9. Built right rack upwards with identical 22x22 inch shelves as left rack.
10.Installed 3 HRS NA100 couplers under Ms. Paganini's DAC dress () in a triangle config (2 rear, 1 front).
11. Installed the new 22x22 inch shelf & 14 inch uprights above Ms. Paganini's clock inorder for her Transport to be placed independantly.
12. Installed the new WW Platinum Electra PC with OCC terminations on Ms. Paganini's Transport.

Fired the components up & inserted Sara K.'s SACD titled "Made in the Shade". Everything working w/no issues nor miswiring.

After just the few few tracks, I believe the system has moved up a rung on the ladder -- Sara K.'s track Aura of the Blade has some deep base that almost rattles glass. There is a reed or something (can't place it at the moment) that is sharpe & realistic like I or someone was playing it in my room).

Whoooooo Hoooooo

Another journey undertaken with pride and great results.

Best

Bob