Still, with panel speakers a new best
Do not be fooled by the necessary technical discussion of using the Ion and Sound Lab U-4iA, because as you might suspect at this point, it too set a new sound quality record. I had set up the U-4iA in my usual starting position for floor standing speakers, about 5’ from the head wall, 18” in from the side walls and about 8’ apart. The listening position was 12’ from each speaker. Previously in my time with the U-4iA it acquitted itself well enough to elicit praise for the design and a hearty recommendation. But, in matching it with the Comet and Ion my assessment has been elevated as to the speaker’s performance parameters.
Sound Lab claims the U-4iA has the same pedigree, the same sound quality as the larger panels, yet in other systems the speakers did not demonstrate quite that lofty reputation. That changed dramatically when I used the Comet and Ion. In fact, with the Comet and Ion I don’t believe I have heard a finer, more “true to life” representation from a Sound Lab speaker, and that includes several listens to larger members of the Ultimate line fronted by Atmosphere and other fine preamps and amps. If ever I had the sense of hearing a faultless electrostatic sound, this was it.
Though I have outlined the protection circuit concern above, I found no lack of foundation or dynamic fortitude when using either the Kingsound King III or the Sound Lab U-4iA with the Comet and Ion. In both instances the speakers had the most solid, full, rounded, and precise low end I have heard from them. I have been won over by the upper and lower bass sections’ performance of the U-4iA. While there seems to be approximately the same bass driver surface area, the concentration of the U-4iA’s bass gives it a tighter, more dynamic sounding bass than the King III. The Comet and Ion take full advantage of this compactness of surface area and drive it with precision.
To put some numbers to the description such that prospective buyers can assess the performance of the U-4iA and Exogal components, here are some readings on the Comet’s digital volume display and an average decibel reading taken with my Radio Shack SPL meter C weighted at the listening position for various pieces of music:
Seal’s “The Beginning (Roundabout Mix)”; 90dB average; Ion display 92.
Lorde’s “Royals”; 90dB average; Ion display 94.
Musica Nuda’s “Roxanne”; 85dB average; Ion display 94.
Ennio Morricone’s “Gabriel’s Oboe” from The Mission (soundtrack); 74dB average; Ion display 96.
St. Paul and the Broken Bones’ “Brain Matter”; 85dB average; Ion display 92.
Martin Michael Murphy’s “Wildfire”; 80dB average; Ion display 96.
These numbers show how the Ion must be pushed closer to its operational limit to gain a higher listening level with music recorded at a lower level, and potentially setting off the overheating protection circuit. The listening level of the music being played as measured by an SPL meter does not seem to be the trigger, but instead the operation of the Ion at or near full output. A thoroughly gratifying experience can be obtained nearly always with the Sound Lab speakers; one simply has to watch to avoid the Ion’s full output with these less efficient speakers. Most newer recordings which play back at higher levels with less output from the amplifier do not seem to trigger the Ion’s protection circuit. There is no “weakness”, no shortage of macro dynamics or visceral impact in performance of this speaker when operated under the threshold of the protection circuitry. No matter how much LF information was presented to the Ion if I held below the volume threshold of 95 on the digital display the heat protection circuit was not tripped. I suspect that for most users and most music the protection circuit limitation will not come into play. Individuals with easier-to-drive speakers should not approach the protection circuit threshold at all. I did not breach 90 on the Comet’s display when using dynamic speakers, as the listening level would become obnoxiously high.
Returning to assessment of the sound quality, the Exogal stack has the ability to make a speaker hyper-clean and delineated in its voicing – do not read that negatively, as the effect is like hearing someone speaking right next to you versus over a phone. Music as heard through the U-4iA extends very deeply and with perfect consistency across the soundstage; there are simply no hot spots or dropouts anywhere across the front Left to Right. The treble is exquisitely light and airy, with large sonic halos surrounding each note. The midrange is characterized by warmth and ripeness with illumination expected of the finest systems. These results were achieved by simply swapping the U-4iA for the Legacy Whispers. Results can always be improved by further cable tuning, but from the start the experience has been rich beyond expectation.
Some samples of the impressive display of these two powerhouse performers are seen in Chris Jones’ “No Sanctuary Here,” wherein Jones’ voice slides from note to note like a trombone, wavering slightly but resolving on pitch. Phil Collins might seem like a strange selection for a blues singer, but he does a commendable job on “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”. While he does not slide the notes one hears the intent and movement of the music in his pauses by the background cymbal taps and hand claps carrying the cadence. A rousing romp with Lorde’s “Royals” thrills with a generous amount of slam, endless reverberation of bass notes and vocals that smack of feigned indifference and unveiled envy. You can sense the longing for material indulgence in Lorde’s voice. Sitting below the protection circuitry threshold hardly means that the passion and involvement of the music are missed. Not many people will gripe at being able to play their music on an electrostatic speaker at 90dB!
The U-4iA succeeds in creating the sense of an enormous soundstage with aplomb. At AXPONA this year I heard the Wilson Alexx produce a grandiose landscape, but without the deftness and perfection of the Exogal/Sound Lab combo. Chalk up much of the U-4iA’s success to being used with the Exogal pairing. Those who want the ultimate beauty of electrostatic performance should pay close attention to the Exogal and Sound Lab combo, keeping in mind the parameters for usage I outline above. It stands as an outlier system among those I have built in the past decade.
Regarding active speaker systems
The Ion is designed to operate quite differently than most amplifiers, and as such is not designed to be used with active speaker systems, and in some cases is completely incompatible. The Legacy V Speaker System uses Legacy’s Wavelet processor; it also is under review. The V is world class, and I suspect that based on the performance of the Legacy Whisper with the Comet the pairing of the Comet and Ion with the V Speaker System would be mind-blowing. However, these two very different approaches appear to be incompatible. The Wavelet accepts an analogue input, which is then sent to outboard analogue amps, while the Comet and Ion are designed to work ideally without any analogue signal. Introducing an analogue signal into the Comet and Ion would defeat the very purpose of maintaining a digital signal until the last, output stage of the Ion.
I have painful news, therefore, to share with owners of active speaker systems; while you can relish the joys of the Comet, the Ion is likely off-limits to you. Unless you have some elegant workaround, you will not be reaping the benefits of the Ion’s voltage-power technology. A thought had crossed my mind about a potential workaround, wherein the DAC processing of the Comet and Ion together might be output through the Comet’s RCA jacks, and that signal sent to the V’s analogue inputs. That would not be an ideal option, as the digital amplifier function of the Ion would sit idle. In some cases such alternative setups can yield shockingly positive results and prove worthy despite the limited functionality. To my disappointment Jeff informed me that only the output from the Ion benefits from the tandem DAC operations, so my potential workaround is a bust. The consolation of having to use the Exogal short stack with passive speakers only is not difficult to accept, as what the Ion does for passive speakers fairly closes the gap on active speaker system performance. I am aware that is a bold statement, but it is one that the performance of the Exogal components compels me to make.
Exogal’s next act even more astounding?
Monos are coming! I do not have the time table, but Jeff allowed me to publish that the company is developing monoblock versions similar to the Ion, using the same power technology but with some extra tricks. I know that all systems can improve, and there is no limit to technology creep. I do not anticipate them in the near future as the Ion is just making its appearance. I suggest you do not wait until they show up erroneously thinking you will get a two-fer at about the same price. The monoblocks promise an even more astounding experience, yet will cost quite a bit more than the Ion. Persons with the means should consider the Comet and Ion now, with an eye toward moving the pair to a secondary system when the monoblocks come out. A second Comet would need to be purchased, but that would be obviously recommendable for the potential performance gains when used in a “sky is the limit” system.
Here, I am recommending that in special situations people buy not one, but two Exogal systems! If you heard the Comet and Ion you would not blame me for making this review a gush for Exogal. I normally try to reign in my enthusiasm so as to maintain credibility and objectivity. All right, I will; I add the obligatory disclaimer that this review looks at the shorter-term operations of Exogal’s new technology and the long-term reliability is unknown. Multiple Ion units were used for hundreds of hours in the Exogal team’s homes in addition to the standard testing process for production. I have used the Ion for hundreds of hours, too, because I love the sound of it with all speakers, and there has been nary a glitch. Exogal strikes me as a team that is into precision and reliability; they sent back a batch of black anodized chassis for the Comet that were dyed slightly off from their reference – they weren’t good enough. I’m not queasy about reliability when I hear about an incident like that, because it means Exogal is a company where everything matters.
Legendary
Exogal is on the right track to become a legendary company based on these two products, especially if it keeps up its winning ways with the future monoblock digital amplification. The Comet and Ion together produce legendary sound. Some products survive today on the memories of their past glory, victims of technology creep, among them a particular squat, square electrostatic speaker. Other products arrive out of nowhere, like a comet piercing the Milky Way from the Kuiper Belt. Could the team at Exogal be on their way to becoming living audio legends? Will the Comet and its Ion light up your audio galaxy? Do you think that I have overstated the case? Are these products really that good? Go listen, and then tell me I’m wrong. Better yet, audition one at your Exogal dealer and then tell me I’m right! The Comet and Ion are very welcome additions to my personal components, and you will be seeing much of them in future reviews.
Associated Components:
Source: Salk Audio StreamPlayer Generation III with ROON interface Streaming Music Service: Tidal Playback Software: ROON DAC: Eastern Electric Minimax DSD DAC Supreme with Burson, Dexa NewClassD and Sparkos Labs Discrete Opamp Upgrade; Exogal Comet DAC and upgrade power supply, LampizatOr Big 7 Preamp: TEO Audio Liquid Preamplifier; VAC Renaissance Signature Preamplifier MkII; Cambridge Audio 840E Amps: Red Dragon S500; VAC Phi 200; First Watt J2 (two) Speakers: Kings Audio Kingsound King III; Legacy Audio DSW Clarity Edition; Kings Audio King Tower omnidirectional; Vapor Audio Joule White 3; PureAudioProject Trio15 TB (Tang Band) and Treo15 Voxativ Subwoofers: Legacy Audio XTREME HD (2) IC’s: TEO Liquid Splash-Rs and Splash-Rc; TEO Liquid Standard MkII; Clarity Cable Organic RCA/XLR; Snake River Audio Signature Series Interconnects; Silent Source “The Music Reference” Speaker Cables: TEO Cable Standard Speaker; Clarity Cable Organic Speaker; Snake River Audio Signature Series Speaker Cables; Silent Source “The Music Reference” Digital Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Digital; Snake River Audio Boomslang; Silent Source “The Music Reference” USB: Verastarr Nemesis; Clarity Organic Power Cables: Verastarr Grand Illusion; Clarity Cable Vortex; MIT Oracle ZIII; Xindak PF-Gold; Snake River Audio Signature Series; Silent Source “The Music Reference” Power Conditioning: Wireworld Matrix Power Cord Extender; Tice Audio Solo
Copy editor: Laurence A. Borden
Manufacturer’s comment:
Thanks to Doug and Dagogo for the very nice review.
All of us here at EXOGAL work very hard to bring top-of-the-line performance product designs to audiophiles and music lovers at an affordable price. We plan to bring the same level of innovation to a wide range of products in the audiophile space – just don’t ask us “When?”. After our experience in developing the Ion’s revolutionary power handling capabilities, we’ve learned our lesson with quoting dates and plans and raising expectations. We allowed Doug to discuss the Mono’s because, obviously, that’s a logical extension of the line. Notice we didn’t give him a date…
A comment on the review: we really didn’t design the Ion to drive active speaker systems like the Legacy V, or panel speakers like the Sound Labs. If you try to be all things to all people then you end up doing none of it very well. We always try to maintain our focus on what we’re trying to deliver and make sure that we deliver on that vision. We hope you’ll enjoy what we’ve brought to market!
Jeff Haagenstad, CEO
EXOGAL
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How did you hook it up with the Whispers processor? I have the Aeris and I am not sure how it integers with the Xilcia 4080 processor.
Did you forget Devialet on purpose? I presume so, the best way to present something that is not radically new as radically new is to ignore what was really new…
Is Devialet digital or a hybrid of A and D?
Steve,
God’s Joy to you,
I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear; my set of Whisper speakers is custom and has both passive operation and active operation modes. If your set of Aeris speakers are only actively run, then it would be problematic to use the Ion. Please see my review of the Legacy Whisper DSW Clarity Edition for further details on my speakers.
Legacy is offering an upgrade to the Aeris in the new Wavelet processor, and I suggest you look into it as a nice boost to performance.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Rui,
God’s Peace to you,
I often compare products which seem similar to determine how they fare. There are many factors which go into the final decision on which products to review and write about, and I am not interested in discussing them here. I do not care much for the politics of the industry, so suspicion that I would purposely avoid a competitive product is off-base.
Unless you know information about the technology which Exogal is using but has not released I conclude you assume that Exogal and Devialet are technologically doing the same “radically new” thing. Both in my examination of the operations of the Devialet and Exogal, and in communication with Exogal specifically on that question, I understand they are not similar.
My opinion that Exogal has created a new breed of sound/component remains unchanged. I am not interested in further discussion or debate on this topic.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Note to the Audiophile Community,
I have learned from Exogal that the occurrence of the “IONOVT” message in the display of the Comet can also be shown when the amplifier has a current demand by a speaker greater than the current the Ion can provide. The test which produced the shutdown was ironically on the track “Galaxies” by Owl City, which has an enormous amount of LF. I had to play it at about 97-100 on the digital readout of the Comet to trip the safety shutdown; that would be right at 90dB. That was with the Sound Lab U-4iA speakers under review.
In other words, when using less efficient speakers with more difficult loads the Ion may not push them to unlimited listening levels, as I discuss in the article. However, importantly, the issue causing shutdown is not overheating, but simply the amp not being able to drive the speaker pushing heavy LF at higher listening levels,, well beyond where most people listen. I am pleased to know that there is no overheating happening, and that the protection circuitry in the rare case the amp is overdriven works superbly.
This strengthens my impressions of the Ion, and I strongly recommend it for such speakers at more conservative listening levels. Frankly, it drives such speakers well beyond the limits I anticipated.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
So the only way to use this digital amp is to hook up a DAC and power supply from the same company using a proprietary interface?
Yeah, that seems reasonable, cost effective and generally great for the end consumer.
Thank you for your review of the Ion – Comet from Exogal. I just placed an order based on your word! Can you share some speakers / speaker brands (in addition to those you discuss in your review) that you feel would pair well with the Ion? I have already noted ones which rely on box reinforcement as not being as good of a match.
– David.
I recently found a review on the Shure se215 on this site http://in-ear-headphones.com/most-durable-earbuds-2016 and I decided to buy it for me. My question is, if I purchase a DAC would the sound quality improve considerably?
Jeff,
God’s Joy to you,
If I read your post correctly you are being sarcastic, as you state, “So the only way…Yeah”; if I misread, my apologies. If you look at only the digital amp function, then your skepticism is warranted. However, your analysis is simplistic. The value and power in the combo is that it contains all the system needs, source, preamp and amp. There are plenty of companies which offer full systems with source, preamp and amp, yet cost many multiples more and theoretically have maximum synergy when used together . I do not see much justification in dismissal of Exogal simply because they choose to package the functions differently than more traditional manufacturers. Frankly, it is a gift to audiophiles that they allowed the Comet to be used independently of the Ion. That they offer the stunning performance of the upgraded DAC/PowerDAC combination along with superlative amplification for such a low price is remarkable.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
David,
The Joy of God to you,
If you got the impression that the Comet/Ion combo would not sound good with box speakers from my article I apologize. I would think they should sound terrific with them. I don’t particularly pursue speakers with the boxy resonances, but if they were favorable to me I would not hesitate to put the Comet/Ion with them.
Aside from perhaps those speakers with very low impedance, which would take ridiculous amounts of power to drive, I suggest it’s a wide open world. As a jumping off point scan my past 12 years of speaker reviews. I would be very happy to retrace my path and use the Comet/Ion with any of them. This is the most universally applicable component review when it comes to speaker matching I have ever written. So, essentially, name the brand of speaker and it would likely sound great.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Hi, Douglas,
I have a few comments.
1) Specifications
You’re in a better position, as you’ve heard the ExoGal system, but I have a few salient points from the specifications sheet:
DYNAMIC RANGE: >105dB
THD: 0.03% THD @ 1W @ all frequencies into 4 ohms
http://i0.wp.com/www.msbtechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Select-90db-Graph-900×690.jpg
While a dynamic range of 105 dB isn’t amazing, it is fine for 16-bit content. Compare to – 173 dB of MSB Select DAC II.
http://www.msbtechnology.com/dacs/select-features/
A PowerDAC is hardly a new concept.
1) Here’s the original audiophile one (that I know of), circa 2002:
Wadia PowerDAC ($80,000.00 USD, 117,000.00 EUR)
390 Controller / 790 towers
http://www.pureaudio.net/digital/wadia.shtml
http://hifi-advice.com/Wadia-Database-Digital-Amp.html
I haven’t heard it, but it was hardly a technical (or business) failure. Selling for $40,000.00 USD .
2) Wadia’s present line-up, a PowerDAC:
Wadia Inution 01 Power Dac (also $8,000.00 USD)
http://www.wadia.com/en-us/products/intuition-01
http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/739-wadia-digital-intuition-01-integrated-amplifier-dac
A present product (and lower-end competitor to Devialet D-Premiere / Expert), it’s been out for 2-3 years. Admittedly, it’s integrated, with one box.
It’s 190 watts at 8 ohms, and 350 watts at 4 ohms.
3) Wadia 151 PowerDAC Mini ($1,300.00 USD)
Includes Wadia Digimaster!
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/first-listen-wadia-151-powerdac-mini/
http://www.wadia.com/ContentsFiles%5CWadia_151_Tone_Audio_31.pdf.pdf
I agree with others that the Devialet should of been a comparision.
The Devialet Expert 130 Pro ($9,995.00 CDN)
http://en.devialet.com/expertpro/#models-pro/expert-range-2/130-pro/
THD+N : 0,0005% (130W / 6Ω)
THD : 0,00025% (10W / 6Ω)
Signal-to-Noise ratio: 130dB
Sorry for all the links posted to your great website. I just wanted to back-up my notes.
Thanks for your great reviews!
FROM THE EXOGAL CEO:
Measurement comparisons are interesting but real world user experiences is what is important to us. We believe that our product allows our customer to be swallowed up in the music. If you’re a guy who plays music to listen to his gear, you’re probably not our customer.
Also, to clear up some misconceptions in the comments:
The original Wadia PowerDAC was never a commercially viable product. Yes it was announced, yes a few were sold, but they weren’t reliable and never worked right and were quickly taken off the market.
The Intuition is not a power DAC, it’s an integrated DAC and Amp with a manufacturer’s data sheet reference design Delta Sigma DAC and a standard Class D amp from PowerSoft.
And the guy who invented the hallowed Digimaster design now works for us and has gone light years beyond anything Digimaster ever did in a completely different way. Digimaster is a bicycle. EXOGAL DAC technology is a Tesla.
And what, the review is invalid because Mr. Schroeder didn’t compare us to Devialet? Please.
You should go listen to the Comet / Ion Combo. If you like it, buy it. If you don’t, no hard feelings.
Hey Douglas, Thanks for a great review. I presently own the Comet with separate power supply. I absolutely love it. You’re article sold me on the Ion, but I think I’ll wait on the monos. Would be nice if they have a Analog to Digital converter with XLR inputs so I could listen to my SACD’s. I have a large collection I use often. Or, it would be nice if Exogal would introduce a Transport for the Exonet system. Not opposed to replacing the old Esoteric player. Thanks again for the informative review.
Chad O.
Chad,
Gods’ Joy to you,
Happy to have you join the Exogal club! I appreciate the feedback. I hope the wait for the Monos is not too long. I suggest you work toward file playback. I wrote up the Salk Audio StreamPlayer III, and it is a wonderful product used with Tidal and ROON. The sound quality is splendid and convenience off the charts. I suspect you could achieve sound quality equivalency to SACD with a good file server/streamer. It’s not a very expensive proposition, certainly less than an Esoteric player.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
They always say “Never say never” but when it comes to transports, we’d come pretty close to never… But only because we don’t see any way to make them better at a lower price point.
We’ve been asked about A2D’s and Phono Stages but it’s kind of the same answer as with transports.
In all of these things, there may be a way to make them “better” or “cheaper” but unless there’s both we’re probably gonna leave that to someone else…
I’ve been A/B’ing this quite a bit with other combos. I like the DAC a lot, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It’s voiced nicely and pairs well with several different amplifiers. But the following combos beat the Comet/Ion combo pretty easily in my experience:
– Comet/Krell 2250e (krell is dead neutral, detailed with insane dynamics – what a thrill ride)
– Comet/Pass Labs xa60.8 (come on….)
-Comet/FirstWatt F7 (come on…)
I think the DAC is a winner and competes up to $12k dacs. I like it better than my Grace m905 and Schiit Yggrisil. It absolutely murders the mushy, boring AMR DP-777SE. Is it better than the EMM Labs Dac2x? No. Just simply, no.
Remember the goal is to reproduce the sound of live music. And if that is the goal, then the top class A and Class A/B amps are still quite a bit ahead in my opinion and I can confirm that this article is over-the-top in it’s gushiness. New toys…gush, gush, gush. Then they’re old toys…
Note: I use AES input with Balanced Output. I’m a USB hater although I admit it’s getting MUCH better. But the USB dac technology seems to have softened and quieted it to death to make it sound nice. Again, to me reproducing live music is what it’s about.
To add, why is it not the best? a little dark sounding and not the last word in accuracy, natural timbre & spacial queues. To be the best the guitar needs to sound exactly like a guitar, and feel like it’s in your listening room, same with cymbals, voices and everything else.
but does the combo “sound” awesome? yes.
Sorry to be annoying…but this is for the sake of accuracy. A/B’ing has continued. Listened the Schiit Yggy for the first couple of times with XLR balanced output and it’s a totally different DAC than when using it Single Ended…I prefer it to the Comet. Cleaner, more open, spacious, and gorgeous. It’s the most extreme difference I’ve heard a component between SE and XLR, it’s strange.
Jason,
God’s Peace to you,
We are essentially in agreement. When you confirm that the Comet competes with up to $12K DACs, that covers the bulk of the market. That it takes a $15+K DAC to best it is an exciting conclusion.
The Comet and First Watt J2 was airier, but lost a lot on macrodynamics, as would be expected from the 25wpc. I haven’t heard the combo, but suspect the F7 would suffer the same anemia compared to the Ion. Recall that I used the Comet/Ion with five speaker systems ranging from higher efficiency dynamic to electrostatic speakers. The First Watt was a non-starter with the Sound Lab U-4iA, while the Comet/Ion blew the doors off the speaker, and that with 100wpc. So, my comments must be taken in the context of a wider range of speakers and the combo excelled with all of them. That is worth popping the champaign cork.
I am disappointed in the connection between the Comet and Ion being so difficult to upgrade as imo it is crucial. There seems to be a paucity of high quality passive HDMI cables. I suspect that the Comet and Ion are operating “with one hand behind the back,” in the wrestling match between it and other combinations due to the economical HDMI link. (This is my opinion, not the opinion of Exogal.) Enhancing that I suspect would substantiate my seeming over-the-top claims and fix the perceived shortcomings you note.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
So yours is the definitive decision…for yourself. Congratulations. Everyone is a critic, an expert…for their own ears and write about what they think.
You post a comment about how you thought the other amps you listened to (Krell!) were better than the Ion. Then you hear something else on the source side you say sounds so much better than the Comet. Maybe you should try the speakers next then circle back to the Comet/Ion? EXOGAL does state that USB is the preferred input for the Comet. Your admission of being a “USB hater” seems to preclude that consideration. Was USB ven tried?
You have at least taken the time to listen and compare using your own preferences and biases over those of others who write in proclaiming injustice because the such-and-such DAC was not compared in the review without giving the equipment under review so much as a listen.
As an owner of the Comet Ion combination for several months, I read Douglas review with great interest. As applied to my system (Silver lie Sonata speakers – 93 DB, 8 ohms / Aurender server) I found Douglas’ observations to be spot on. Very fast, dynamic, quiet, natural tones. They replaced considerably more expensive dual mono tube amps and preamp from a highly regarded manufacturer. while I was very happy with the tubes (which were upgraded by the manufacturer over the years to great effect), I prefer the sound, convenience and reduced size of the Exogal / Aurender team. The combination of the efficient Hifiman Edition X v2 headphones and the Comet headphone amp is also highly recommended.
Alan,
God’s Joy to you,
I’m happy to see my descriptions fit your experiences! By this time I have heard the Exogal products with a growing list of complementary equipment, and to date I have not heard a poor system when they are used either individually or together. You have a jump on me in regards to describing their sound with headphones as I only have the Kingsound ESL headphones with tube headphone amp.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Hi,
I have a Comet Ion combination with digital input from a Melco and connecting via chord reference cables to Spendor D7 speakers.
The Chord Sarum USB interconnect has been a revelation.
Would a higher quality passive HDMI replacement have the same positive effect?
Any suggestions?
Kind Regards
Peter Dickens
Peter,
Gods’ Joy to you,
I am open to trying more passive HDMI cables for the Comet/Ion combo. I have tried one I borrowed from a friend, the WireWorld Platinum Starlight 7, which was made into a “shorty” cable for the Comet/Ion. It did confer a difference, and a positive one, however not enough to induce me to order one. I found that with the Exogal’s stock HDMI cable and an upgraded Ethernet cable I could achieve a similar effect to the “jumper” HDMI. If I were approaching the system from a cost-no-object perspective I might obtain the Platinum Starlight, but I suspect there may be better cables for the Comet/Ion. Anyone with experience in this matter I would very much like to hear back.
As a humorous anecdotal aside, Jeff Haagenstad and I had a very low cost bet (I do not gamble) of $1 over whether the HDMI would effect the sound of the Comet/Ion. He said effectively no, and I said it would. The outcome was that in my comparison there was a discernible difference, but that it was below the threshold of my Law of Efficacy; i.e. time better spent pursuing other options. Imo, we were both sort of right. The dollar went to a non-profit ministry. 🙂
Now, I am not finished with my exploration of the passive HDMI cables for Comet/Ion. One cable is nowhere near enough attempts to draw a firm conclusion regarding the efficacy of the link. I will attempt to find at least two or three other passive HDMI cables to test with the Comet/Ion.
QUESTION: DOES ANYONE KNOW OF AN AFTERMARKET QUALITY PASSIVE HDMI CABLE (Not shouting, soliciting!) which might be suitable for a short link between the Comet/Ion? Please render assistance with your suggestion; I appreciate it! I did look online and found not much about passive HDMI cables, so any suggestions are much appreciated! Note, we are talking Passive HDMI, not the typical active HDMI, which is the majority of HDMI cables in existence.
So, concluding, the issue is not firmly resolved at this point. However, I have done enough comparisons in regard to Ethernet links to firmly recommend upgrading them. Article on Ethernet cables forthcoming.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Hi, you wrote “QUESTION: DOES ANYONE KNOW OF AN AFTERMARKET QUALITY PASSIVE HDMI CABLE (Not shouting, soliciting!) which might be suitable for a short link between the Comet/Ion?”
I would like to know if you have found “better” aftermarket HDMI cables? If so, which cables do you prefer and what is the audible benefit of them? Thank you.
Steven,
God’s Peace,
Since I wrote that Exogal has made an upgrade connector; I suggest you seek that from Exogal!
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
At the CES in 1998 I showed the Tact Millennium amplifier designed by Lars Risbo in Denmark. It was a power DAC with 134 dB dynamic range. Since then we have been manufacturing fully digital amplifiers – now under Steinway Lyngdorf, and Lyngdorf brands. We control volume level by regulating a DC to DC power supply giving us full digital resolution over a vast power range. The process was patented in 1996.
I have recently became a owner of the ion comet combo. I have owned many systems over the years including both tube and solid-state. This combo ranks right there with the best I have heard and I have heard some pretty expensive gear. I feel the ion/comet combo is the most accurate to source material as I have ever heard. It is very fast exactly as Doug has explained. It has the smoothness and texture on instruments that I hear with the best tube amps, and the neutrality of the better solid-state gear I have heard. It doesn’t have the extra bloom that the tubes have but it has the presence. What it does better than the other solid-state gear I have heard is it has a natural ease to the sound that you hear with live music but is still dynamic at the same time. I have read one of the previous comments about not sounding as much like a real guitar as another amplifier. Remember this is a recording you are listening to. A lot is lost in the transition from live to a recorded medium especially dynamics. I feel the ion is more accurate to what is recorded to the medium. I know what you mean about more live sounding, but it is a trade off. When I go listen to live music unamplified it never sounds aggressive and in you face. The music is very dynamic and full but in a different way than a recording. We all hear a little differently than one another and have different preferences for what we like. Biases I guess. But I still feel that the ion/comet combo competes with the best I have heard.
Kris,
God’s Peace to you,
Nice that you are enjoying the Comet/Ion! It is a lovely combo!
If you wish to optimize it, you can pursue the PLUS Power Supply for the Comet, an aftermarket umbilical fo the PLUS such as offered by Clarity Cable or Wywires, and a quality digital link for the source to the Comet. All of these will elevate the performance additionally. Also, pay careful attention to power cords used with both Comet and Ion. So, you have no less than 4 discrete levels of improvement to explore if you wish, and all are efficacious. I suspect you will enjoy the sound much more if you explore these suggestions.
Also, if you are using a source with the option of volume control, try both alternatives; setting the source’s output at 100% and using the volume control of the Comet, or vice versa. I always try them both to see which I prefer with any collection of gear.
Blessings,
Douglas Schroeder
Posting this for historical documentation:
This idea of a better passive HDMI cable has haunted me for years. I believed it when Douglas said vast majority are “active”. So I was afraid to invest in anything. Turns out that’s only partially true. The vast majority of HDMI cable in the real world may be active. But it turns out that the vast majority in HiFi are passive. I’ve recently confirmed that all Nordost and all AudioQuest HDMI cables are passive. I’m sure there are more. But for anyone reading this, you’re obviously still using this fantastic gear and/or somehow curious about it. So if you want to try some better signal cable for the Ion, check out the above brands. (Mabye not the Valhalla. yikes) If there are others you are curious about, contact the company to confirm “passive” status. According to Nordost, High End cable companies only do passive because the active part is bad for signal integrity. Good for really long video runs. But terrible for signal. Hence High End HDMI being mostly (if not all) passive. Cheers and Happy Listening to all my loyal Exogal users!