help akurate DS vs akurate CD

[lotusmotus]

I simply prefer the sound of the Majik DS.
If I had the choice of either in a blind listening test and the prices were covered up, I would choose the Majik DS.
Simple as that really.

[rowlandhills]

I'm in completely the opposite position, to be honest. I auditioned the Sneaky, Majik and Akurate DS. I found that the Sneaky was pleasant, but not a big upgrade on the CD player I owned at the time. The Majik was a definite step up, and something which I strongly considered buying. The Akurate was in a completely different league, and sounded much more natural, and simply easier to follow the tune with.

Fortunately, I was able to acquire a second hand Akurate for only £700 more than a new Majik, and I'm very happy indeed with it!

[lotusmotus]

Excellent deal, I am sure you will enjoy it.
At the end of the day, all this HiFi stuff is very subjective. Just because I prefer the sound of the Majik doesn't mean it is any better than an Akurate or a Klimax. It is simply a matter of personal taste.
Now I am sure on "paper" that ADS is superior to the MDS, but I think you just have to go with what you like.
Similarly the Sneaky DS at £900 and the Klimax at £9k. Yes the Klimax sounded better, looks gorgeous etc... but at the end of the day is it worth ten Sneakys ? Is it ten times better than a Sneaky ?
Again, down to personal taste I guess..

[jeff.uk]

charlie1 Wrote:

Cremona Wrote:

lotusmotus Wrote:Dear Bennet
Have you heard the Majik DS ??
I actually preferred it to the Akurate DS by quite a margin when I listened to all four of the DS products. I ended up buying the Sneaky mainly due to cost and the fact that I am new to this DS thing and wanted to be sure it was going to be the thing for me. However, I will certainly upgrade to the Majik when funds allow.

So you are saying that if you owen a Akurate ds the best upgrade you can make is to sell it and buy a Majik ds instead ?

Like Cremona, I'm also very surprised by this. Unless the ADS was faulty then I wonder if you were hearing something in the sound that particularly appealled to you, rather than the musical abilities of the two products. Personally I've found that as a source component gets better, it tends to sound less impressive somehow, whilst becoming more musically involving at the same time. When you hear a piano on a Hi-FI system you might be amazed by the clarity of definition and stunning leading edge transients etc. But when you hear a piano in real life, it doesn't sound impressive, it just sounds like a piano and you tend to notice the playing of the music instead. The better systems I've heard tend NOT to draw your attention to how good they sound, but enable you to better enjoy the music being played.

I have nearly always found the same thing..at first the better system.cd player etc can sound less impressive..a bit dissapointing in fact and you wonder if you have made a costly mistake! ..this happened especially with my CD12..it was underwhelming for a week or two but then after I had become accustomed to not listening for hi fi things I gradually found that the sound or rather the music was sublime..bequiling is the perfect word to describe it I think..
I have now ventured into hard drive storage but I have chosen the Apple Tv because it was cheaper than its rivals ..I am playing it through a basic mini hi fi listening mainly through headphones..Seeheiser 100x..( I use Stax Omega with the CD12) ..the music from the cheapy system is very enjoyable ..it is nice to have a change of sound somtimes...I have heard that the Klimax DS sounds better than the CD12 ..but I dont want to try it as the CD12 was a once in a lifetime purchase and I will never be able to afford a Klimax DS ! ...cheers!