Lyn Stanley Comparisons in the Playback Designs Room

I sat down in the Playback Designs room to listen to a system featuring Playback's MPS-8 SACD player/DAC ($25,000 plus $2400 for the Stream_X option) and Stream-IF streaming interface ($3300), both from the company's Dream series, with an Playback IPS-3 integrated amplifier ($14,000), these all sitting on an English Lateral Systems 4-shelf rack ($4100), driving Verity Parsifal Anniversary loudspeakers ($25,000/pair) and wired with Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects and Fascination AC cord and speaker cables. Playing was the DSD256 file of "Let There Be Love," copied from an analog Ampex 468 ¼" tape running at 30ips that had been recorded in parallel with Lyn Stanley's new direct-to disc album London With a Twist: Live at Bernie's.

Recorded by Allen Sides at Ocean Way Studios, with Bernie Grundman operating the cutting lathe for the limited-edition LP, the DSD file sounded as good as this pedigree would suggest when halfway through the song Ms. Stanley's voice was doubled—behind me! It was Lyn singing along with her recording.

"Do you want to hear a comparison?" she asked me. "As well as the DSD copies of the analog tape, we made a DSD64 needledrop from the test pressing. Let me play you 'You Never Can Tell' from both versions."

As good as the DSD copy of the analog tape sounded, the needledrop had greater low-frequency weight and projected Ms. Stanley's voice more forward in the soundstage. I preferred the analog tape dub for the quality of the voice and piano reproduction but the needledrop for the double bass. Purchasers of the forthcoming SACD of London With a Twist will be able to do this comparison for themselves as the 12 songs will first be presented from the needledrop, then from the analog tape dub.

COMMENTS
barrows's picture

OK, how do we get our hands on the DSD 256 files? Perhaps the owners will consider making these available through NatveDSD.com??? Also, too bad there was not a direct DSD 256 recording for comparison as well, that would be very interesting to hear, considering this was a two track stereo direct to disk session.

Anton's picture

Are they acoustic vibration resonators?

I just haven't seen those before.

Perhaps Acoustic System resonators? They look like to old "gold" model, but they seem a bit askew.

Are they these?

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticsystem/resonators.html

Jim Austin's picture
... they obviously do generate electromagnetic radiation, especially in the visible range. :-)
Anton's picture

I'm thinking, what, 7,000 dollars for four?

Bogolu Haranath's picture

They also guard against evil spirts :-) ..........

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