The S1 pre shining bright

[PeterR]

Indeed Charlie, the S1 has been proper staying since Wednesday week before last. I have to describe it as both magical and outstanding. The music simply has so much physical presence in my listening room and beyond.
Now soundstage;
I played the Malia/ Boris Blank collaboration’ Convergence’ earlier today on CD. And specifically the last 2 tracks were one of those, “ OH…MY…GOD”- moments. The bass resolution/weight was unbelievable and the soundstage reached far beyond the room boundaries! Further improvement to come, really??
ATB and thanks for your post Peter

[Charlie]

[Darkebear]

@Charlie

So my tempt to try out anS1 in the context of my system was fueled mostly by self inflicted assurance it can’t be much better by a significant margin. OMG how wrong I was.

Me too - same approach - same ultimate (quick) conclusion.

DB.

[Charlie]

[KJC]

No way I’d buy an S1. Too Black, too Heavy, too Tall and I’m sure they sound terrible too. No way, No Sir. Nope.

[popeye]

Yes, I keep telling myself its old school…most of the owners seem to be CD and Vinyl users and it doesn’t have a matching streamer

I’ll invest when the Statement streamers released!

[Naim_The_Dragon]

@TimOopNorth

Maybe it’s a different one from that which I remember (a bit vaguely now) but still Australia. The one I remember was a cinema surround system. A present from a wife to a husband

Yes, I recall that one mentioned too — by the Hungry Fish? But I don’t recall the country mentioned — getting older…

[Yeti]

Sort of related to the ageing audiophile thread but what will the S1 cost to service when the time comes? Lest anyone’s tempted to blow a good portion of their tax free lump sum on one.

[Dunc]

@Dunc

One thing that has always bugged me, and as my 552 is away once again, i have resorted back to running the rossini direct into the 500dr, now the rossini has a digital volume control built in, so you can run without a pre amp.
So a pre amps job is to be able to switch between different sources and add a volume control, yes? if a pre amp is at best, one that does nothing to the input sound, then how can it sound different? Well i guess thats because the S1 does a better job at doing nothing? And the rest off the naim range, 552 and beyond must be just bad at doing nothing.
The reason i say all this, is that my system is sounding mighty fine without my 552 in it, yes i feel that my 552 adds, but i think thats more down to having to use the digital volume and as you turn it down you reduce the bits that go through it, or something like that, but keep it close to 0.0 and adjust the rossini out put down so its not too loud and as said i am not all off a sudden missing the 552.
Now i need a pre amp, as i also run a turntable, but as said the best pre amp, has got to be no pre amp, as if its not there then it cant add, or more probably take anything away, but there has to be more to all this than that, but is there really?
As i have said i have never had the privilege of listening to a S1, and it could well be a O moment, i see now, so come on what have i missed.
Once again not trying to take anything away from S1 owners, before you all start on me, just trying to work out more in my head, why i need a pre, apart from my turntable, when it sounds this good.
Also better mention that i have just last night put the melco S100 switch in my system and swapped over to a N10, bad timing as one comes in one goes out, but it might be worthwhile to mention it, as didn’t have time to try it with the 552 in, plus not going to get ride off my 552 as i need it, as said just trying to get my head round it all.
Cheers dunc

Still waiting for an answer on this

[PeterR]

Hi Yeti,
Thanks Dad … “ We are a long time dead”!
ATB Peter

[timmo1341]

Will that be about as ‘mainstream’ as a McLaren 720S?

[PeterR]

…probably, just not as reliable as a Porsche though. ATB Peter

[Yeti]

I wasn’t really thinking of existing owners.

[Filipe]

@PeterR

I played the Malia/ Boris Blank collaboration’ Convergence’ earlier today on CD. And specifically the last 2 tracks were one of those, “ OH…MY…GOD”- moments. The bass resolution/weight was unbelievable and the soundstage reached far beyond the room boundaries! Further improvement to come, really??

I’ve loved this album since buying it last year. It has become a barometer with others of how my system is sounding. The whole album is full of wonderful bass and other sounds. My first edition preloved 500 (2000) and 552 (2001 a year after 500) were serviced 2017 and have got better and better this year. The Sparkly MusicWorks Ultra G3 has helped.

I can only guess what the S1 does, but I am very happy where I am. I don’t even need to turn the volume beyond 8 o’clock to get an appreciation, which goes down well with my wife.

Phil

[Darkebear]

@Dunc

the best pre amp, has got to be no pre amp, as if its not there then it cant add…
As i have said i have never had the privilege of listening to a S1, and it could well be a O moment,

You have to have the listening experience to know.

Theoretic (as I once thought) then the Pre should be easy and ‘nothing’ best - but it really is never the case anywhere I have heard or when I tried to omit a good Pre.
I got - and every other system that I heard also got - an eviscerated hollowed-out lightweight shell of the music with no bass weight and handling compared to even a very modest Pre, like my very very old NAC12 can do better.

The Pre seems to act as the reference to set the ‘music ground’ from which everything seems to get built atop.

I did audition many other ways to be spending my money before I got my S1 Pre - in many ways more sensible HiFi ways to progress my Active System - but they all sounded rubbish and gutless compared to when the S1 Pre was dropped into any decent system.

I go with what works even if it ‘shouldn’t’ as I want the best musical experience I can afford rather than trying to convince myself that it makes no difference.

Over decades of owning and enjoying my HiFi system I had, until recent years - beginning when I got my 552 Pre - not spent the most on the Pre and kind of skipped it and got best Amps, speakers and source - but a friend who had lower spec of all these but had a better Pre always had the most enjoyable and insightful HiFi for music. Then I got my 552 suddenly I got that unbelievable lift in performance from a washed-out feeble presentation to something with gravitas and scale - the S1 just does that again and then some.

DB.

[PeterR]

Very true Phil, it’s an absolute corker of a recording and the low bass effects you almost feel more than you hear. My Fact 12s are still hanging in there and I’m chuffed that I persevered beyond my patience threshold with my room treatment to finally make them work in my midsized room for sure. Enjoy your lovely system. ATB Peter

[PeterR]

@Darkebear

the S1 just does that again and then some.

Indeed DB, tbh. you have to hear it to actually believe it, and maybe this is where you can almost justify its mad price-tag. ATB Peter

[popeye]

@PeterR

My Fact 12s are still hanging in there

Hanging doesn’t sound very optimistic Peter, Let me know when you home demoing some Magico’s!?

[PeterR]

@popeye

Let me know when you home demoing some Magico’s!?

…with a view to manage room reflections in a different way, I don’t think so!
Well, when you hear the Facts again here it will be interesting to see if you hear/feel the same as me about them- no pressure of course. Best Peter

[frenchrooster]

I went on dcs forum to read some comments on Vivaldi users. Some prefer without pre, but more with a pre. I saw Dagostino , Audio Research ref 10, Robert Koda preamps with DCS Vivaldi source.