The setup of...
Brian
USA
Which device model did you choose?
Madison STREAMER
Why did you make this choice and what were your expectations?
A few months ago, I finally decided to catch up with the 21st century and add a streamer to my audio system. My thought at the time was that I would use streaming primarily for background listening and discovering new music. But once I discovered the joys of being able to conjure up almost any album instantaneously, I knew that I had to find something significantly better than the basic streamer I had initially purchased.
What setup did you organize around our product?
Now, I am a fan of simplicity. I prefer integrated amplifiers over separate preamps and amps. I prefer stand-alone disc players over separate transports and DACs. Thus, my desire was for a single-box component - either a streamer routed to the DAC of my SACD player, or a streamer/DAC combo feeding into my integrated amplifier.
More importantly, though, I value the natural musicality offered by vinyl and SACD, and it was imperative to find a unit that was as realistically detailed yet sonically relaxed as my "traditional" source components. Eliminating any traces of digital glare was a priority.
Given these requirements – and having read some promising reviews of your products – I decided to give the Madison STREAMER a try.
• Madison STREAMER
• Larsen 6.2 Loudspeakers
• Moonriver 404 Integrated Amplifier
• Marantz SA-KI Ruby SACD Player
• Speaker cables, interconnects, and power cords by Luna Cables
Although the above system would be considered "modest" by many folks in the high-end community, I have found it to be exemplary given my sonic preferences (palpable and organic with a big soundstage), musical tastes (eclectic), and listening environment (a real-world living room). The Moonriver 404 and Larsen 6.2s are a very synergistic combination, in my opinion, and the Luna cables simply elevate everything that is right about this rig. The Marantz is something of a necessity for me, given my substantial collection of SACDs.
(My system usually includes a turntable as well, but I am in the process of searching for a new one. And, quite honestly, I don’t miss the turntable nearly as much as I thought I would, due to the incredible musicality of the Madison STREAMER).
What are the results?
Many reviews have emphasized the remarkably analog flavor of the Madison STREAMER, and I could not agree more with this assessment. At present, I primarily use Qobuz for streaming, and the sound I am getting is smooth and rich – even when playing many 16-bit/44.1kHz music files – but without any perceived glossing of texture and detail. The realism becomes downright spooky with lots of my favorite hi-res recordings.
I was already prepared to like the Madison STREAMER given everything I had read, but this little streamer/DAC has exceeded my expectations. Music is reproduced in a vivid yet relaxed manner, with an almost uncanny focus on the "feeling" of the performance, making every listening session a thoroughly enjoyable experience. In short, I am beyond satisfied!
I would like to add that I love the Wattson Music app. It is thoughtfully designed, visually appealing, and a pleasure to use.
What else?
I would like to add that I love the Wattson Music app. It is thoughtfully designed, visually appealing, and a pleasure to use.