Off topic doesn't matter on this thread given Russ is apparently not going to respond :-)
I actually did first listening tests with headphones (AKG K701 reference). I built a headphone rig so I could more easily detect the differences made by some build variants I had in mind (like adding an extra tier of power regulation and using chokes and ferrite beads)
I initially compared an ES9028 and Legato to ES9038 and Mercury in stereo mode (Legato is unsuitable in that config with a 9038 but Russ confirmed it can be used with a 9038 in 8 channel mode)
Not exactly an apples-to-apples test, but the midrange/low midrange sounded more pronounced/forward/fuller with the Mercury/ES9038 combo. Overall Resolution/detail sounded about the same. BTW: the 701s have a very flat response (they do not over-emphasise bottom end like most other headphones). I am not saying that a more pronounced midrange/low midrange is necessarily a good thing BTW - I prefer the mids to 'disappear'.
For speaker transponders I am using ScanSpeak Revelator tweeters and 5" midrange Revelator drivers in their own unported cabinet and 12" Peerless XXL extra-long-throws in a separate open dipole configuration (you can see pics I recently posted in the "projects" topic). Tweeter and midrange are powered by separate TPA Sympaticos. The 12" woofers are powered by a Chinese class-D 400W module I found on EBay.
I modded the Sympaticos to add filter caps and inductors leading to an array of 4 Jensen 4-pole 10,000mf caps. Bottom end PS uses 2 Mundorf Supreme 33,000mf caps (so thats a combined total of 212,000mfs in left and right front monoblocks). The midrange sounds particularly snappy - good recordings of drum toms and snare sound quite life-like.
3 way crossovers are all done by DSP so no loss caused by passive xover circuits. Xover points are currently set at 140Hz and 1450Hz. Each transducer is individually calibrated via DSP to give a flat response, and I am also using Dirac Live PC DSP to calibrate the room acoustics. The result is a very flat response from 20KHz down to 40Hz (where the 12" drivers start to fade dramatically) when you are listening in the sweet spot. It sounds incredibly good if I do say so myself. Very transparent except for the very low bottom end.
The right monoblock uses mono-mode ES9028/Legatos for both top and mids, and a mono-mode ES9018/Legato for the lows. The left monoblock uses mono-mode ES9028/Legato for mids and a single ES9038/Mercury for lows and highs. There is no obvious difference in the highs (>1450 Hz) between ES9028/Legato and ES9038/Mercury. There is an audible difference (just) in bottom end between half a ES9038/Mercury and mono-mode ES9018/Legato, but it is very close.
Unfortunately I am using the same mono-mode ES9028/Legato config for both midranges so can't do any comparison in the 140-1450Hz range and this is where you might hear the difference, but if youre using DSP speaker room correction any difference may well vanish anyway.
The Legato is nearly half the price of a Mercury, and I am very satisfied with its results. IMHO a bigger difference can be achieved by powering the DACs analog left/right by independent untainted PS rather than via the onboard VD supply (default config on Buffalo)
Edited by user Wednesday, September 12, 2018 11:40:27 PM(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified