You and me both. Every week when I buy my Mega Millions Florida lottery ticket, I do a sign of the cross and say a little prayer. LOLBenchmark DAC3 and AHB2, plus JBL M2. Wow, that’s pretty much endgame for me.
Every week when I buy my Mega Millions Florida lottery ticket, I do a sign of the cross and say a little prayer. LOL
On the first level, it has actually started to hurt my left ear - maybe from overdoing it on Bruckner’s fifth last night?
Oh brother. Maybe the real answer is that its time to quit drinking.I will go so far as to say that I find music is more enjoyable with the NAD. I won’t try to elaborate any further than that because aesthetic judgement are forbidden on this form - except that I can’t resist trotting out that old saw “the ABH2 sounds grey to me whereas the NAD seems to float sound on a black background.”
Is that true, it would be unfortunate if that was so?I will go so far as to say that I find music is more enjoyable with the NAD. I won’t try to elaborate any further than that because aesthetic judgement are forbidden on this form -
Is that true, it would be unfortunate if that was so?
You and me both. Every week when I buy my Mega Millions Florida lottery ticket, I do a sign of the cross and say a little prayer. LOL
It's not completely true.
Here, listening impressions are welcome...as long as they confirm measurements
It's not completely true.
Here, listening impressions are welcome...as long as they confirm measurements
Take your time with it. However, because you couln't wait to slot the old amp back in, it probably bodes poorly for the AHB2. You may also need to readjust your speakers positioning to get the best effect with the new amp.I am evaluating the AHB2 in my system just now. I decided to try it because of its performance measurements and the hypothesis that “if it measures better it will be more enjoyable for me.” It has been playing for at least 12 hours. And get ready for this - I am not enjoying it.
On the first level, it has actually started to hurt my left ear - maybe from overdoing it on Bruckner’s fifth last night? I had resolved to listen to the AHB2 for a couple of weeks before comparing it to the NAD M22 v2. I didn’t make it. I put the NAD back in, and I could finally relax again. My ear can tolerate it. Go figure?
I don’t know why I am this sensitive. I am not making a subjective judgement. I am having a physiologically reaction. This has happen occasionally before when I have evaluated other gear. I don’t know why. The NAD did not do this to me, and I have been listening to it for almost 6 weeks. Clearly this is perculiar to me, as many others have nothing but the highest praise for the AHB2.
On an observational level, the AHB2 seems to resolve details ever so slightly better than the NAD. I am not certain of that though. On the other hand, in my system the bass is clearly more enjoyable with the NAD. I know, I know. “Both amps have great damping and handle impedance swings in an exemplary way, so your observation is BS.”
I will go so far as to say that I find music is more enjoyable with the NAD. I won’t try to elaborate any further than that because aesthetic judgement are forbidden on this form - except that I can’t resist trotting out that old saw “the ABH2 sounds grey to me whereas the NAD seems to float sound on a black background.”
Because this amp is so highly regarded, I am going to keep working with it for a while. I will try it in some of my friends’ systems and get their opinions. Maybe once my ear cools down and I can intently listen again, I will appreciate this stellar measuring amp.
If this kind of language upsets the pure objectivists, let me know and I will quit posting. But surely you guys must see that if we follow your logic, since the AHB2 has vanishingly low distortion, as do several dac, everyone should be quite happy to just get these and be done with it. That is not working out for me so far. I also should say that I make these comments with no malice intended for anyone. So if you inclined to pugnaciousness, please try to rein it in. There is enough of that in the wider world.
That leaves room for personal preferences... provided they're not being put into an objective wrapper and the underlying pseudoscience presented as a substitute for objective scientific principles.
This is a science based website. If your going to present strong opinions on the sound of one component compared to another you should be prepared to back that up with the data from your bias controlled DBT's. Things are a little different here from the audiophool sites where they gush on and on over the sound of $5000 power cables and USB widgets.Is that true, it would be unfortunate if that was so?
This is a science based website. If your going to present strong opinions on the sound of one component compared to another you should be prepared to back that up with the data from your bias controlled DBT's. Things are a little different here from the audiophool sites where they gush on and on over the sound of $5000 power cables and USB widgets.
Evidence is expected if your opinion is expected to be taken seriously.