Overall, the EVO was somewhat cleaner and less congested, more open and free flowing. It was less thick/heavy sounding (particularly in the upper bass/lower midrange), somehow lighter sounding and faster without sacrificing body, tone or colour. And the soundstage it threw was bigger, slightly deeper and more coherent than the Mac Mini. That proved to be a re-occurring theme throughout my listening.

I then listened to the Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson track “The Touch of Your Lips” (24/96). Through the EVO there was a greater sense of depth of the cymbals, and the wood on metal sounded more natural. Piano was a bit purer and less tinkly through the EVO. Webster’s tenor sax had slightly less body through the EVO, but the result sounded just as credible. The openness and transparency were excellent.

In my preparation for the A=432 listening, I listened to “Romanze” from Evgeny Kissin’s rendition of Mozart Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor K466 from his album Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 27. With the upsampling disabled, the EVO rendered the violins with a bit of edge, separation of instruments was good, the piano stood out but strings and other instruments felt constrained. With the upsampling enabled (using Archimago Intermediate setting, 192 KHz), the EVO rendered the violins with a more silky feel, the staccato of violins was more natural and the piano was more pure. The bass instruments felt a bit more strong and real as well.

The Mozart Requiem (24/192) track “Sequence No. 1 Dies Irae (Chorus)” by the Stockholm Conservatory Orchestra and Choir of St. Jacob proved even more enlightening. Whereas the voices were somewhat brash and forward with the A=440 tuning, they were more relaxed and set back into the soundstage with the A=432 tuning. The trumpet (at about 0:36 and 1:17) sounded more brassy and real at A=440, but more relaxed at A=432. Which is more accurate to the recording, I really don’t know. But I did prefer the A=440 tuning for the trumpet… and the A=432 tuning for everything else!

So, it was time to test something “heavier” and more forceful. I played the track “White Trash Princess” by Anthony Gomes from his album Peace, Love and Loud Guitars (24/44.1). As expected, the sound was more forward and a smidgeon louder sounding at A=440 – it also had more punch and energy and better articulation in the bass. Instruments and voices were slightly more distinct at A=440, possibly because the soundstage was slightly more forward. The A=432 tuning was more subdued, more “easy” to listen to, but less… fun. In spite of this being a modern-day Blues-Rock album, the sound is surprisingly good. Some less well recorded Blues-Rock music may well sound better with the A=432 tuning.

Link do recenzji: 432 EVO High-End– SoundStage Australia

I inserted my Straight Wire USBF cable and presto! Moments later, Michael Franks' breezy ballad, "Now That the Summer's Here" (Time Together. Qobuz FLAC 44.1 kHz, 16-Bit, Shanachie Records, 2011) is being served up over Roon in. Birds chirping. Warm strains of electric guitar lead. The rich harmonics of an acoustic guitar playing rhythm. And Frank's gentle, wispy vocals ensconced in this luscious mix flood the room like audio sangria sounding more vinyl than FLAC.

It's like removing the shiny cellophane wrap from a brand new 33 1/2 record to expose the glossy paperboard jacket inside, releasing the odors of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) like vinyl acetate ethylene (an adhesive used in paper making process), hydrogen peroxide (a bleaching agent) and alkyl ketene dimer (helps water resistance) common to new books and albums. The harder edges of the digital recording and 440 Hz recede, rendering a more organic and—dare I say it—analog presentation (read more HERE). The effect reminds me a bit of the Transparent MusicWave speaker cables I owned years ago, with their oblong black network boxes that purportedly limit the cable's bandwidth to that of the music signal, gently rolling off higher frequencies but retaining much of the detail. Only, this is better.

In contrast with the sinewy cacophony of Idol, with "St. Matthew Passion" (Masaaki Suzi/ Bach Collegium Japan. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWW 244, Qobuz FLAC 96 kHz, 24-Bit, BIS Records, April 2019), the 432 EVO gently unpacks the members of the strings—the violins, violas, cellos and bass; along with the horns and woodwinds, they are a patch of orchids blossoming together in time-lapse video, unfolding in a magnificent reverberant hall. Then, Carolyn Sampson's virtuosic soprano vocals rise, together with a chorus, and takes the floor in a tender ball dance with the orchestra. The soundstage is broad and tall, and the presentation is sublimely immersive.

The 432 EVO High End Music Server is a remarkable player, making good on its promise to deliver a warmer, more pleasant listening experience via its 432 Hz tuning. It definitely takes the edge off digital files and, if you're jonesing for vinyl playback but don't have the bucks or inclination to purchase a good one (or a decent cartridge and phono stage preamplifier, for that matter), this might be the way to go; you get the convenience of digital with a lion's share of vinyl's warmth. Moreover, if you prefer your downloads, ripped files and streaming served straight up, you can do that, as well; with a click of a setting, you can listen in 440 Hz. But, wait, there's more! You can also rip CDs via its built-in ripper.

Link do recenzji: 432 EVO High-End– Positive Feedback

432 EVO High-End – SoundStage! – Product Of The Year 2020