New Article:
Audiophile - The Quintessential Aesthetic Listener

Three posts on Constantine Soo's Dagogo site:

Rocket Science applied to Extreme Audio

Review of Boelen/Noble Mod of TM Ovation Plus

Review of Digital-Precise

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Metrum Octave NOS DAC

Hello Greg: I received the unit, and it is a clear improvement. I hear a larger sound stage primarily front to back and height. With symphony and choral music I hear more individual voices/instruments, and more detail in general. There is more decay and hall ambience heard. Timbre of wood instruments is improved. If I had to pick a number, I would say there is a 40% overall improvement. There is also more "meat on the bones." If the Metrum Octave has any weakness, that is it, which has been almost completely corrected. In combination with my Empirical Audio Synchromesh resampler with Hynes power supply, I think it is within 5% of almost any DAC at any price. I really appreciate what you did for me. It is a no-brainer that I want to have my other Metrum Octave DAC Modified. I am shipping it to you today! Please do all the same modifications.

Many thanks,

Tom

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Balanced Alalog-Precise

Hello guys. First let me say that I am completely thrilled with the performance of your balanced analog precise interconnect cables. I am hearing all of the detail and refinement I expected to hear. With the volume at ten and no program material; I hear nothing....... no buzzing ............ no humming ....... no hissing. Nothing but silence (on all seven channels). Anything less than this level of performance would have been unacceptable (I expected quiet); but still I find it hard to believe that after years of unwanted cable noise you guys could actually provide this level of silence. All of this performance delivered at the modest price I paid in comparison to what I have paid for noisy audiophile cables in the past is truly astounding. Keep up the great work and I hope you will not be the best kept secret in the cable community too much longer.

Your biggest fan,

Mike McCarthy

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DSP-7000 Mods

Thanks Thom & Greg, The past weekend I spent a lot more time with the DSP-7000. While it was out for service, I had been using the DAC function from a network player Marantz 7004. Did some comparison over the weekend. The EAD easily blew the Marantz away. It is hard to accept the fact newer technology is not on par with a 20 year old unit, but that is a fact. The music from EAD has much wider dynamic and brighter range on each end.(at least from my ears). You guys did such a good job to the level I almost regretted that I did not push for some further mods. Oh well, have to stop somewhere. I am just as happy that I am able to enjoy it now and for many years to come.
Thanks again and have a Merry Christmas and happy New Year 2014

-Xin

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TheaterMaster Mods

The TheaterMaster is excellent and better than ever even before full burn in. Dynamics are greatly improved. Noise floor has dropped some. The IR works much better. The problems I was having with macro timing seem to have disappeared now—not sure why but so far that seems to be the case.
Thanks again for fixing everything so quickly.

Richard Rives
www.rivesaudio.com

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TheaterMaster 8 Greg,

I received the TM8 and went home for "lunch". I had to give it a listen, I didn't even do any speaker adjustments yet and went ahead and put in the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DTS. Blew - Me - AWAY. I don't know if it's just that I spend a lot of money so my mind is saying, "Yeah, this sounds better". but I really doubt it. It just sounds smooth and sweet! I don't consider myself as a true audiophile or experienced listener but can the Ovation sound so hugely better than my old Encore? I got goose bumps on some of the tracks. It's like when I went from my $400 receiver to the Encore and PM1000..it seems like it's that much improved. AND NO MORE CLICKING and POPPING between tracks etc. I am sooo excited, thanks for hanging in there with EAD and supporting us die hards. I gotta figure out a way to get out of the office this afternoon so I can put in some of my old favorites (Jennifer Warnes - Blue Raincoat and Hunter). If you haven't already, give her a listen, awesome vocalist and some of the best engineered CD's I've heard (she does a lot of the post console work herself and knows what she wants) Anyway, I gotta figure out how to get outta here so I can go home and play!

Regards

-george

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Chao Greg

After two days of burn-in, I audited carefully both in multichannel music and movie sound tracks. It’s definitely superior than the manufacturing cable in term of sound stage, separation, details and surround sound effects. The new IC now further reveals all details and good sounds of the EAD TM which have been heavily upgraded. Just like a light curtain of the stage was lift off for sounds presented. From my own view, if other important mods have been done on EAD TM, the 60-pin pure silver/teflon/ cloth of Noble can give a better result and more cost efficient than upgrading the interconnects between EAD TM and Power amplifier. Cam on Ban nhieu for excellent product, services and recommendation. Thanks.

Chuc Ban moi dieu tot lanh.

Tuan

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08-18-10: Audioezra Here is my humble idea for a keeper amp, ready for this? Ead 8300 amp by Noble electronics. Greg and Tom are two of the best engineers of high end electronics that I have had the opportunity to meet. I have owned a lot of high end amps, My latest were hand built in Denmark, they listed at $24000.00 per pair. I had three pair. Why, my speakers use eight channels of power. I use Magico reference speakers. The sound of the Noble electronic defies all that I have experienced with musicality, air, timbrel accuracy, pace, spacial placement of performers, bass, mid's treble it has it all, and after 35 years of high end as an audiophile, I know a little about this craft. I am in shock and awe of it's performance. Now I wonder about these prices and hype of many high end companies.To Greg and Tom, you deserve a first class salute, for integrity, honesty, and fairness. I have had what some would call it all, this amp takes the top cookie. I must say that I had most of my parts upgraded in my amp, cost a little but is it worth it. Call them and talk to them about getting one for yourself. This is my experience, in my system and to and for my ears. I am not telling anybody to do anything, understand, this is my personal opinion and experience. I am not open to dicussion, just a heads up no rudeness intended. I am sure that Nobles electronics will be glad to answer any questions you may have. Cheer's

Ezra

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Hi Greg, Thom,
Well, I have to give you my impression about your ex EAD DSP 7000 MK3 Matt, and about your mods Greg and Thom. In first, It’s not so easy for me to write, or speak, in English but I try and in second, Noble do rectifier, blackgates, opamp, Vishay resistor level 1 mods and also they put and AES Input and convert the voltage 220 from 110. Very well packed, very good cosmetic, all paper, a very professional work ! 2 weeks the MK3 play in my system. I use only the SPDIF coaxial input because I’m still waiting for a 110 ohm cable from Australia to make a AES cable. So, my system, is a high efficiency system with Phy HP in full range, Raven 2 tweeter play to 9.35 KHz to 40 KHZ and a subwoofer with a Monacor Raptor 12 who play from 60 Hz to 30 Hz. In fact, it’s a full range system with the ad of a woofer and a tweeter but without filtration on the Phy HP. I get a Pionner PDS 06 as drive and a tascam DV R A1000 for test. A linn Basik with Denon DL 301 and Luxman 5c50 as phono stage. The amplifiers are class D DIY amplifier with LC Audio Technology moduls (150 W power) but with a very big transformer, not use switch power and use very expensive rectifier. A passive preamplifier from Promitheus Audio and I’m waiting a new amplifier from Audio-GD A lot of words to give you an idea about my sound and my “road” in high fidelity, try to find a system natural but straight… Last thing, I used little tweaked dac before, one NOS Derek Dac D1 and one 24/ 192 (without oversampling) Zhaolu D3. I know I can get better sound with a better dac but, in fact, those little Chinese dacs show you that you have to spend big money to get better. So I put the EAD in my system and not a revolution in first, better in bass control, better in “silent”, in aeration but it need to run one week before I know. So I listen my music and after one week I seat down and well listen. A little bit “clear” in fact, can be tiring. I remember I put Litz wire in HP cable to have more dynamic with my other dac. So I put back a Cu cable, Mogami 3103, the sound came more natural. In fact, for me, the cable is a association bizness, sometime the litz or silver wire will be better and sometime a 4 mm Cu cable will be better… The bass are very impressive, well modulate, “tense” and when you up the volume the bass are still tense… Very impressive ! The detail and the silent in music are better with the EAD, the dynamic too… In fact it do all thing better than my tweak Zhaolu D3. I’m happy, it’s steel a good dac this EAD 7000 Mk3 !!! I listen more music, listen with higher volume and understand the “philosophy” of this EAD. I thing that this EAD are in the class of “straight dac” like Wadia, MSB, Apogee, DCS, it’s not a romantic dac like some Meridian or Proceed… But It get a very special thing that you don’t find with MSB or Wadia, not a smooth medium, but a “natural” medium… With Wadia or MSB in my system I was very impressive with their performance but too cold for me… With this EAD, I get performance with more “natural”… It’s difficult, for me, to explain all that in English but I try for you to give you a feed back… In fact, I’m very happy,this dac will stay on my system for a long time… So thanks to you, Matt to sell it and Greg and Thom to “mod” it !

Regards,

Benoit

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Hello Greg,
Turns out that my initial impressions sold the upgrade a little short. I fired up season one of the Sopranos on blu ray last night and I felt the sound was nothing short of astonishing. And I don't think that the DTS master was even that good on that disc. I've also been doing some more focused music listening with similar results. I still don't have my rear speakers hooked up yet, and my room is very live as I have no rug yet in the room, and nothing on the walls yet. I actually have some sound panels/room treatments on order and I plan on putting an area rug in front of the system. I am quite confident that after I treat the room, the sound will be even better. I must confess, I was conflicted about putting any more money into this processor, and investing more in almost decade old digital technology, but now I am very glad that I did. It is very clear that after being an "audiophile" for almost 30 years (I had my first component system when I was 12 years old), I have finally arrived in the "big leagues" with this upgrade.

Thanks Greg.

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TheaterMaster 8 Mods

Greg-
Just a quick thanks for doing a great job on my TM Ovation 8 mods and upgrades. Even this 70 year old can tell the difference. Great sounds. I am enjoying it more than ever.

Pete Rocchio

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EAD T1000

Hi Thom and Greg-
Well - I went out to the UPS depot and got the T1000 this evening. Its in my system now and I've got to say - I am mightily impressed. The unit is sharper and more nuanced than I expected. I also notice a deeper spatial quality as well - really extraordinary sound-staging. I was quite anxious about the extra money being spent - I have a relatively limited budget - but I can perceive a significant improvement. I want to thank you for your help along the way.

K M Near

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DSP-7000 Mods

This is just a note to say thanks for the job done in repairing and upgrading my DSP 7000III processor. Your professionalism and knowledge of the work to be performed made my repair/mod decision easier to reach. That being said I am absolutely stunned by the tremendous difference the various mods made to my 7000III produced. The total presentation is marvelously transformed, detailed is resolved more completely, the soundstage and sense of depth grew and the balance in the presenence of instruments makes old well known recordings sound new. I would highly recommend the upgrade path I took on my 7000III to any one on the fence about having this done. The difference is truly profound in the most positive manner I can convey. I am thoroughly satisfied. Now pardon me as I go upstairs to listen to some music.

Thanks,
Atheil

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A review of the Noble-200 Audiophile Amplifier

As I sit here and listen to this new offering from Noble Electronics I can only sit here in disgust with all the money that has been thrown out the window on so called "hi end" gear.

Some time ago I asked Greg to build an amplifier with a realistic price of $4000.00 that we both felt would have all the benefits, and characteristics of a hi end piece i.e. Levinson, with Audio Note, Krell, Goldmund ect. and that would have all the attributes and plusses of the amps mentioned. Well, Greg busily searched for an amplifier in the professional end of the market. We both knew reliability was of the utmost importance since most consumer pieces drop by the way side.

Greg chose a Professional Studio series amp as the base unit, because of their reputation and trouble-free characteristics. Listening to this amp in stock version was surely less than enlightening according to Greg and Thom. With the aid Of Robert Palma they put their heads together to determine where the unit was weak. Without getting into the technical jargon, it was pretty much decided the entire unit had to be gutted and high quality parts installed including Power DNAs. The final touch was to install a beautiful cherry faceplate with the Noble name and model number of the amplifier lasered in.

Well now for the best part: Without question I know of no solid state amplifier that can equal or exceed this amplifier at ANY price point. Transients, midrange, bass, imaging are dead on the money. Not only that, but it sounds natural, with absolutely no coloration of any kind. Having spent almost 48 hours with this piece, manufacturers better take note on how to build a quality amplifier because there is a new sheriff in town and it is called NOBLE.

If you have been lost and confused with all the Hoopla and "Soup De Jour" in consumer electronics, this amp is the real deal.

Again, you bested yourself this time Greg

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Theater Master upgrade by Noble.

So, if you have an EAD TM, and you think about buying new gear, think twice! I bet you can't get any pre-amp under 5K$ that beats the sound of a modified TM. And then you have the benefit of surround sound in the same unit. If you don't have one, find one, and send it in! read the entire review

Henning from Denmark

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TheaterMaster Ovation 8 Mods

Wunderbar! Ich bin sehr beindruckt. Mehr Dynamik , mehr Ruhe , eine gesteigerte Auflösung, eine breitere Bühne, kurz gesagt: Einfach komplett besser. Ich dachte nicht dass man mit so geringen finanziellen Mitteln eine solch enorme Steigerung erreichen kann.

Vielen Dank an das Noble Team.

Tark

Marvelous! I am very much impressed. More dynamics, more peace, an increased resolution, a broader stage, briefly said: Simply completely better. I did not think that someone can make this enormous increase for so little money.

Thank you to the Noble team.

Tark

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