Gyro SE V's Consonance Droplet CDp

P

Pac67

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I thought it might be interesting to compare my vinyl rig(s) with the new CDp, especially since it's the finest CDp my ears have ever come across.

The test Album which I have in both formats was Bob Marley - Legend which is quite a decent recording in both vinyl (Island Records first release) and CD.

Vinyl rigs used:

Gyro SE with 309 Magnesium arm and Shelter 5000 playing into Ear 834P plus (for good measure) Garrard 401 with SME 3009 Improved and Sonus Blue Gold playing into a Gram Amp 2.

CD first:

Opening track...I remember this from playing it last on the Musical fidelity. With the wick turned up, the bass opening line was clean with a somewhat shrill treble response to the cymbals and an overall lean presentation to the track. Very detailed and rhythmic but seemed to be lacking in true bottom end and atmosphere.

Spinning up this track on the Droplet left me wondering if I had the same CD. Bass was full, deep and tight much more pronounced and realistic than with the MF and cymbals were more natural. What impressed most was Mr Marley's voice. Well projected and with decent separation so that individual instruments and his place on the recording were better defined than before and gone (thankfully) was that lean, almost shrillness which worsened with volume. It was, as my brain tried telling me, closer to vinyl sound. Imaging was spot on and the overall tonality lost nothing in detail with the whole effect lending a more relaxed experience of the music with the hifi fading to nothing and the music being what was concentrated on (a good sign to me as I'm terrible for listening to the hifi instead of the music). Nothing intruded and I continued to play through all tracks thoroughly enjoying the new found (incredible) bass lines which were very obvious by their lack of weight previously.

Onto the Gyro. I waited half an hour for the EAR to properly warm up, and cued the tonearm. Blimey! I know I haven't spun an LP up since receiving the droplet and my brain had somehow castigated the vinyl rig to 2nd place but the LP whilst suffering a little surface noise just blew me away. Not as pronounced a dynamic range as the CD and difficult to explain but better presence, bass lines slightly subdued in depth compared to the CD (?) but better timbre to the instruments which somehow seemed more "real" and great tone to Marley's furtive lyrics giving a presence of almost being at the stage with eyes shut. The only disappointment (and I suspect it was the recording and not the kit) was that the low notes and reverb on some of the bass guitar work as less clear and slightly more subdued.

Onto the Garrard. Same recording but different result. Great bass lines once again but some of the top end appeared rolled off and the presentation was a little rougher around the edges although still mightly good. In perspective the Garrard still knocked spots off the £1100 MF player in every respect but was just not quite in the league of the Gyro/shelter/EAR set up.

Conclusion:

somewhat confusing. The Droplet has musicality, clarity and stunning bass in spades with superb scale and presence coming through the speakers. It does what no other player or DAC/Transport combo I've tried in the past has ever managed and that's convey a sense of realism without any hint of harshness resulting in one of the most enjoyable CD replay experiences I've had. It allows you to get close to the music and forget what you're playing it on. If that's a measure of success, then the Droplet succeeds on every level and should rightly be a huge hit in the UK, especially given it's flexibility with input and output options, its variable sampling rates and it's sheer good looks!

There is a "however" however: I hadn't bargained on the "inferior" format of vinyl pleasing in a way that I can't just quite put my finger on. The Gyro/309/Shelter rig seems to have that magic ingredient that doesn't just allow a "wow that's impressive" reaction to the album as with the Droplet. No, what the Gyro does is present the music the same way, but with an added sigh...it draws you into the performance in a way that I'm afraid (and surprised) CD just can't seem to achieve, nomatter how good the replay kit.

If I were given a choice between loosing the Gyro, or the Droplet, or having one of my legs amputated, I might just have to place an order for a crutch. The Droplet pleases in a way CD replay kit rarely does: It exploits the best of CD theory given a decent recording and delivers a wider dynamic range than vinyl could hope to, with better bass response (very little bass roll off at all). The Gyro on the other hand gives a monumentally good performance with that arm/cart/phono stage line-up downstream of it but provides the sort of presence that some might argue was colouration but whatever, its sheer musical pleasure.

My CD player sounds no "better" than my vinyl rig, but it is: My vinyl rig sounds no "better" than my CDp but it is. Each have their virtues, and therefore their place in my system.

Having thought about the reasons for the differences I've come to the conclusion its all to do with dynamic range. The CDp requires less volume to get better bass response (and has a lower noise floor by some margin) and great top end. To match the bass with the LP, the volume needs turning up a tad, and this has the effect of bringing the mid band forwards slightly emphasising all the aspects of the recording which add to "presence". Its a fault, but like many such faults of vinyl, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the performance.

 

AlanB

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Great review. :^

As you say "Both have a place in my system" and I suspect your heart.

And both look fantastic to boot.

Envy........ :)

 
P

Pac67

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Thanks Alan. They're eye candy for sure which is always a bonus!

 

mmar

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great review paul , if you get chance try and get a demo of the lector cdp 7 not as good to look at but improves on the droplet again in outright sound quality without loosing any musicality

 

radical D.N.A.

Wammer
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Thankyou for the review .Someone must know scientifically just what it is that vinyl has. Its hard to describe .You know when its heard and it was evident in systems at the Scalford show but language fails me. I'd love to be able to afford a high end cd machine but then wonder if I would just spend that cash on a' better'vinyl system anyway.

 
P

Pac67

Guest
great review paul , if you get chance try and get a demo of the lector cdp 7 not as good to look at but improves on the droplet again in outright sound quality without loosing any musicality
Hi Mick. As the Droplet is a match for the Gyro, I think I'll stop there. Its one for keeps. Haven't heard the lector but am happy with the sound I've now got and can't afford any new boxes as I've started out on the self employed route and now have other priorities like food! I'm sure there's always better, but what I've tried to do is audition as many as possible and short-list the very best sounding before getting the best deal I could, and the droplet won out overall.

 
P

Pac67

Guest
Thankyou for the review .Someone must know scientifically just what it is that vinyl has. Its hard to describe .You know when its heard and it was evident in systems at the Scalford show but language fails me. I'd love to be able to afford a high end cd machine but then wonder if I would just spend that cash on a' better'vinyl system anyway.
I think what I've now found is that vinyl doesn't have it over CD after listening to this player; it just presents the music differently and maybe as suggested, it's the limitations of vinyl which ironically may be responsible, with the strength in the projection of mids. I've since spun up John Lee Hooker's the "Healer" and on vinyl, the bass lines were stunningly good, just to confuse matters, as good as the Droplet without having to crank up the volume. You're right though, of all my own recordings, on balance the Gyro wins out...just, but slap a poor LP on the deck and you may as well be using Fisher Price gear. I think it's definitely down to the recordings though and what the Droplet demonstrates is that with a really good recording, dynamic range and low noise floor win out in absolute technical terms but this doesn't always translate to better music. Technically more "correct" it may be, but not better per-se. It's probably a nice problem to have, being unable to choose in outright terms between the formats. Both now have their place whereas my previous players were always always-rans and rarely used. If you want to restore your faith in CD, buy a Droplet. If you want to under-pin the vitrues of vinyl, invest in a good deck, arm and cart.

 

AlanB

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I had the Lector here for audition and it was 'good' but not superb and at the time was no better than my resident CDP (whatever that was)....to my ear and in my system.

The one I had also had problems reading all CD's.

I'd love to try a Droplet.

 
P

Pac67

Guest
I had the Lector here for audition and it was 'good' but not superb and at the time was no better than my resident CDP (whatever that was)....to my ear and in my system.The one I had also had problems reading all CD's.

I'd love to try a Droplet.
I'd be surprised if the Droplet disappointed Alan. If you're serious about wanting an audition, I can put you in touch with the guy I bought mine from. Be warned; if you decide to audition, your heart may end up over-ruling your head and you'll probably become a Droplet owner whether it was intended or not:love:

Build quality is tank like. Even the remote feels like it's hewn from solid Granite.

 

mmar

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Jun 16, 2008
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mick
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I had the Lector here for audition and it was 'good' but not superb and at the time was no better than my resident CDP (whatever that was)....to my ear and in my system.The one I had also had problems reading all CD's.

I'd love to try a Droplet.
yep always system and room dependent , probably more so than the real differences in the players under a side by side comparison , both cracking players probably as good as anyone needs !

 

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