Shindo + Digital...Your Experiences

[adhesiv]

Now i know most folks that get involved with Shindo are already big into vinyl but i have yet to venture down that path quite yet even though I've got a decent set of starter albums handed down from my Dad many years ago.

As the new owner of a Shindo Pre & Amp I'm looking to extract the most music from what i have now (1000's of FLAC files) and eventually look to vinyl when time, and pocketbook, allows.

That said I'm looking to my fellow AA'ers to share their experience with finding delicious digital on a Shindo based system.

As you can see from my sig, I'm currently using the Transporter (wired) as a source with the music stored as lossless FLAC files on my Windows Home Server.

To kick off the thread I'll share a review i found on AudioAsylum where a Shindo user has had excellent success with a TeddyDAC (of Teddy Pardo fame). I'm unfamiliar with this piece and have thus far found relatively little about it but this is the kind of experience i'm looking for. I've since asked this user to share his updated thoughts via PM through that site.

Digital Drive

Thanks ahead of time!

Jayson

[Cellindo]

Dear adhesiv,

I use a dCS Puccini CD player (also acting as a DAC for my MacMini + Halide Design Bridge S/PDIF interface) along with my SHINDO Monbrison preamp.

The excellent soundstage from the Puccini match very well with the spaciouness of the SHINDO's house sound. This is a highly recommended match for a digital source ;-)
Btw, in Singapore I've recently auditioned a Wadia / dCS + Shindo Aurièges (2 boxes) + PASS X250.5 + Sonus Faber (sorry, not sure I know the model for this floorstander) and the dCS proved its superiority big times over the Wadia which had a very "darkside" sound not very natural.

[Alberto]

Jayson,

I never thought I would say this, but with the Shindo Cortese and the Tannoy digital from the MDA1000 sounds 100% analog and 100% delicious and, depending on the recording or pressing, sometimes it sounds better than analog!?!?

As always, facts and actions speak louder than words so here's an example.

I have a lot of recordings both on vinyl and digital. Since I am a fan of progressive rock (hey, sue me ) I have pretty much the entire Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson catalog on both formats and I also have multiple pressings of both formats (e.g., 6 copies of Pink Floyd's Relics, 4 different vinyl pressings and 2 CDs.)

In the past, I kept CDs for car listening and for when I was too lazy to get up every twenty minutes to flip sides. Serious listening and when I wanted deliciousness always called for vinyl.

Adding the McIntosh MDA1000 blurred the line between digital and vinyl but I still felt that vinyl was superior enough to warrant the extra effort.

Since I added the Cortese to the system, not only I don't get any - and I mean ANY - digititis (that unpleasant listening sensation and fatigue from annoying artificial CD glare) but I also get a lot of that wonderful smoothness, fullness and spacious soundstage that makes vinyl so addictive.

I still spin a lot of vinyl, but now it's more for variety and for fun than out of necessity.

I think this has as more to do with the fact that the Cortese is an SET than it is a Shindo. An SET amp is, IMO, the best thing for making digital sound smoother and fuller.

Alberto

[TommyC]

Adding a Shindo Arome may improve digital further.

[pitch perfect]

Originally Posted by TommyC

Adding a Shindo Arome may improve digital further.

Hi Tommy,

Yep, Shindo makes the Arome CD matching transformer. It sits between the analog output of a digital source and the input of a preamp. I find it reduces ultra-sonic edginess some digital sources contain. It's use brings about a subtle smoothness/naturalness to the music, while simultaneously becoming more robust and weighty sounding. Much like analog. Here's a quick photo of mine..

-Matt

[audiot servant]

Tommyc - will add the Black Lightning battery supply to my shortlist to check out...

Matt - welcome also... love the photography on your site - adds a unique dimension to your blogs... the installation travelogues are also bit of an inspired personal touch... really enjoyed the whole trip... great stuff.

cheers Cyril... great links below... this is such a well subscribed forum... so lively and well informed.
Graham

Main Music:Pure Music>Wireworld silver starlight USB>Mac Air with 256GB SSD>Wireworld silver eclipse 6 ICs >Calyx DAC>Shindo Aurieges L>Sanders Magtech>Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6 SC>Magnepan 3.7
Head Music: Audeze LCD2 and AKG 702>Violectric V200 headphone amp
Also: Meridian>Straightwire and Kimber ICs>Peachtree Nova>Quicksilver GE 8417 monos>biwired Kimber 8tc>Proac Response 2

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by audiot servant

Tommyc - will add the Black Lightning battery supply to my shortlist to check out...

You bet. Good luck with the research.

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by pitchperfect

Hi Tommy,

Yep, Shindo makes the Arome CD matching transformer. It sits between the analog output of a digital source and the input of a preamp. I find it reduces ultra-sonic edginess some digital sources contain. It's use brings about a subtle smoothness/naturalness to the music, while simultaneously becoming more robust and weighty sounding. Much like analog. Here's a quick photo of mine..

-Matt

Thanks for the photo Matt. Do you know why the Arome has balanced in, but single ended out? Just curious here.

[pitch perfect]

Originally Posted by TommyC

Thanks for the photo Matt. Do you know why the Arome has balanced in, but single ended out? Just curious here.

Good eye, yeah, XLR input (you can use an RCA/XLR cable) and a output is sent through RCA's. I believe it's way Shindo has to couple to the internal transformer. Traditionally, the design for the Arome was used in conjunction with ReVoX cd players (the model escapes me at the moment) which is what Shindo uses in his lab.. and I believe they have XLR output, being pro machines.

-M

[omodo]

Did anyone on here grab the Arome that was listed on eBay today?

eBay - Shindo Laboratory Arome CD Matching Transformers

it was only up there for a few hours, ended early by seller..