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High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Silicon Arts Design Next Class Si2 Minisystem by clio09

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REVIEW: Silicon Arts Design Next Class Si2 Minisystem

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Model: Next Class Si2
Category: Minisystem
Suggested Retail Price: $4260
Description: Micro Integration Line
Manufacturer URL: Silicon Arts Design

Review by clio09 on June 25, 2010 at 06:42:14
IP Address: 68.96.221.2
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Silicon Arts
Next Class Si2 Micro Integration Line
US Online Retailer: Eastwind Import
Website: http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-details.asp?ProductID=58

NOTE: This is not a review of high efficiency speakers. Instead, it is a review of a system that includes a DAC, preamp, and amp from the same manufacturer that is designer for use with high efficiency speakers.

As a frequent attendee at the LA/Orange County Audio Society meetings I have been fortunate to meet and befriend Hajime Sato who is the proprietor of Eastwind Import. Over the years I have purchased many fine recordings, both digital and vinyl, from the Eastwind catalog. Recently Hajime expanded his business to include audio components and has been named the sole online US retailer of the new Silicon Arts Design Next Class Si2 Micro Integration Line. The components that comprise the line are the brainchild of Masataka Tsuda and were developed to provide audiophiles with a unique alternative to the components that comprise his Concert Fidelity CF-080, ZL-120 and DAC-040 lineup.

At the Consumer Electronics Show this past year Hajime informed me that he would be representing Silicon Arts Design and would have all the products on hand for demonstration in their exhibit room. Being a resident of Las Vegas both CES and THE SHOW are no brainers for me to attend. I was very excited to hear these new products from Japan and made a point of stopping by the room for a demo. What I didn’t realize was that I would stop by again and again, totally mesmerized by the sound quality both product lineups offered.

Anyone who has been to an audiophile show knows that hotel rooms make for some of the worst listening environments. However, the Silicon Arts Design room easily made my Top Five List of best sounding rooms of the show. In addition to the quality of sound I want to personally note that Masataka Tsuda, Hajime Sato, and the entire staff on hand at the show were gracious hosts and never once hurried me or other listeners through the demos, preferring to let each of us sit, relax, and listen to the music. I found this to provide a rather refreshing experience.

After the show ended I often wondered how the Si2 components would sound in my own challenging listening room. I have been fortunate enough to get both my current systems to sound optimal in a small listening environment, but then again maybe it was just dumb luck. Ironically, a few months ago Hajime contacted me and asked if I wanted to audition the Si2 amp and preamp in my system (I had already acquired the DAC, an interesting story in its own right and another testament to Masataka Tsuda’s graciousness and generosity). I hastily accepted and within a few weeks the units arrived at my door from Japan. I had already been auditioning some new components I purchased and so it was a couple weeks before I was able to get the complete Next Class Si2 lineup in my system. However, I finally managed to do so and have been listening to the components for the past month.

For reference purposes I own and use the following equipment:

Amps:
Atma-Sphere S-30
Music Reference RM-10 MkII
VAC Auricle Musicblocs

Preamps:
Berning Micro ZOTL
Lightspeed Attenuator
Slagleman Autofomer Volume Control

Digital:
CEC TL-51X
Lessloss DAC 2004 MkII
Silicon Arts Design Si2 DAC

Analog:
Colin Electronics Groovemaster phono stage
Galibier Design Serac turntable (SME Series III tone arm and B&O MMC-2 cartridge)
Kenwood KT-8300 tuner
Otari MX-5050 BII reel-to-reel tape deck

Speakers:
Audiokinesis Jazz Module
Tonian Labs TL-D1

As the term Micro Integration Line would suggest, the Si2 components are small in build, each of which is around 4” wide by 4” deep and 2” high. They can be easily stacked or placed alongside each other on a shelf. Build quality is excellent while design is minimal. Masataka Tsuda’s design philosophy involves minimizing parts count and signal path length. Within each Si2 component you will only find those parts that are required to reproduce the best sound quality possible for the price point. In addition, where possible, the designer uses trickle down technology from the Concert Fidelity series. The most evident being the Si2 DAC and preamp designs. What follows is a brief description of each Si2 component:

Preamplifier:
The Si2 Preamplifier uses an analog electronic volume control (same as it’s big brother the Concert Fidelity CF-080) and an input selector (different variety from the CF-080) for both sonic and stability reasons. In this design there are no mechanical or electrical contacts to degrade sound and wear out over time. The preamp is a single ended design featuring two RCA inputs and one RCA output.

Regarding the volume control, it is a non-remote stepped design that is very smooth and is designed with a rather unique twist (at least from my perspective). Regardless of the direction you turn the knob, there is no stop point. You can turn the knob indefinitely in either clockwise or counter clockwise direction. However, rest assured there are points where you will reach the wide-open or lowest attenuation settings, as well as all points in between.

In addition, the preamp is an active line stage with zero gain. I was very interested in comparing the Si2 preamp to my reference Lightspeed Attenuator passive control, but the Si2 amps 30k ohm input impedance is not ideal for the Lightspeed. I’m left to wonder since the Si2 lineup is meant to be used together if Masataka Tsuda realized that while a zero gain design was indeed the simple approach (but not as simple as a completely passive line stage), that an active line stage (or perhaps more appropriately “buffer) was the better overall solution to provide the best impedance matching capability with the Si2 amps design. Perhaps I’m reaching a bit on that one as its just hypothesis on my part, only the designer himself knows for sure.

Power Amplifier:
The Si2 Stereo Power Amplifier uses output devices in the BTL configuration operating in Class AB and puts out 10 watts into 8 ohms and 18 watts into 4 ohms per channel. The power amp is a single ended design featuring one set of RCA inputs and set of speaker outputs that due to the amps size support banana plugs only.

The amp is a perfect fit for efficient speakers. The Audiokinesis Jazz Module are a 12 ohm load with a smooth impedance curve and 92db efficient. So in my system the Si2 was “light loaded” and running slightly under its 10 watt into 8 ohm rating.

DAC:
The Si2 DAC (in similar fashion to the Concert Fidelity DAC-040) uses the classic Philips TDA multi-bit DAC chipset in a very simple non-over sampling/up-sampling circuit that also does not use any filtering. It is a single ended design and currently supports only one SPDIF RCA input with one set of RCA outputs.

I’ve always been impressed with well executed NOS DAC designs, as they have always left me with a feeling of "analog" balance and vivid tone colors when listening to digital playback. The Si2 DAC is no exception. Note that the Si2 DAC is the only component in the lineup that inverts polarity. To some like me who are not as sensitive to the effects of inverted polarity as others this poses no issues. However, some users may need to compensate for this further down the component chain by reversing the speaker leads.

All the Si2 components use wall wart power supplies that are designed specifically for each component (the amp has the largest power supply as can be expected). For this reason, the manufacturer warns against interchanging power supplies among each component, as this will damage them.

For more details on the Si2 components I’ll refer you to the East Wind Imports Website at:

http://www.eastwindimport.com/default.asp?CategoryName=Silicon+Arts+Design+Si2&PG=1

So, how does the Micro Integration Line sound? As you might have already guessed, these components are designed for use together for synergy purposes. In my case I received the Si2 DAC early on and was able to hear it in both my reference systems. However, for the purposes of this review I am evaluating the Si2 components together.

Note that I’m not a professional reviewer, but just a hobbyist who enjoys telling others about my experiences with various components. You won’t get too many fancy terms thrown at you and I don’t try to delve into the specifics of how certain tracks from various recordings are portrayed. Instead what I hope to accomplish is to provide a sense of how I feel when I listen to the components I my system.

Overall the Si2 lineup is impressive. In many respects the sound represents many of the qualities that a very good SET system possesses. The presentation was very natural and instruments, especially acoustic guitar and piano (two instruments that are difficult to get “right”), sound as they should. While not the last word in transparency, the components strive to stay out of the way of the music. The mid-range is excellent, a bit sweet but not in the least syrupy and the highs just rolled off enough to provide a tad bit of warmth and that analog type presentation I enjoy. The wake up call and where the Si2 differentiates itself most from the SET world is the low end where the bass is deep and tight. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to listen to some classic rock music on this system as it allowed me to rock the room, and you can too if that’s your preference. In light of the fact that all the Si2 components are solid state, achieving this type of sound is a testament to the skills of Masataka Tsuda.

In addition, this compact system plays bigger than it has any right to. By that I mean it presents the music in a large soundstage with very good layering. Is the soundstage as good as either of my reference systems? In a word, no, but it sure comes very close, offering just a hint of pinching at the sides and a little less depth. Imaging and instrument separation are also very good. While the Si2 components did not achieve the resolution and extension of my reference systems, I will say they have that pace, rhythm, and timing down pat which made for lots of toe tapping whether it was analog or digital sources providing the music.

For reference, the recordings used in the audition were the following:

Ann Burton – He’s Funny That Way (CD): On this CD vocals were reproduced wonderfully with a high dose of realism. The music was just as mesmerizing as on my reference systems and provided an excellent example of the SET sound combined with bass extension that just seems to reach out and command your attention.

Ron Carter – The World of Ron Carter (CD): This CD features a lot of vibes in addition to the wonderful bass playing of Ron Carter. In my experience I have found many systems cannot reproduce vibes accurately, many times coming off edgy and tinny sounding. I’m happy to say the vibes possessed a more enjoyable rounding off of the leading edge. In addition, I noticed there was consistently nice cymbal decay in general throughout the recording.

Bill Evans – Waltz for Debbie (reel tape): This is the Tape Project remastered version of the recording and Scott LaFaro’s bass lines were reproduced in all their glory. It was also an excellent recording for demonstrating the PRAT qualities I referenced earlier. The title track had a very nice lilt to it in comparison to other systems I have heard this song on where the tempo sounded slow and prodding.

Michel Jonasz – La Fabuleuse Histoire de Mister Swing (vinyl): Another recording that demonstrated the SET sound quite nicely, especially the mid-range and vocal magic. Did a very nice job as well of showing the imaging and soundstage layering qualities. This is a large piece multi-instrument band but it was easy to identify the instruments within the soundstage and there was nice separation as well.

Steve Kimock Band – Live at Cervantes Ballroom (CD): This pseudo acoustic set in my opinion provides one of the best tests for a systems ability to reproduce that “analog” sound. I was not disappointed as there was lots of “true” wood tone in the sound.

Hiroko Kokubu – New York Uncovered (CD): This recording has just about everything you would want to hear when evaluating components. There was no fatiguing whatsoever from harsh piano notes. It just sounded right. Excellent reproduction of all other instruments as well. Once again it was hard to ignore the bass lines. They come through very cleanly.

Rob Wasserman – Duets (vinyl): I only listen to one track on this recording when evaluating components. Over the Rainbow featuring a duet with Rob Wasserman (bass) and Stephane Grappelli (violin). The sharp bass notes interweave nicely with the sweet violin notes. Playing this track resulted in lots of toe tapping. A very good system will reveal in this recording why many consider Grappelli’s violin to be one of the “truest” voices in music. It certainly sounded that way here.

Steely Dan – The Royal Scam (vinyl): A recording that again provides a little bit of everything to hear in an evaluation. I couldn’t help but crank it up and the system never ran out of gas. The complex passages on the recording were handled efficiently without coming across smeared or congested.

Tom Verlaine – Self-titled (vinyl): Side two of this recording could possibly be one of my all time rock favorites. What I look for here in an evaluation is the reproduction of Verlaine’s guitar tone. Once again I was not disappointed and I couldn’t help but crank it up to rock out a bit.
Yo Yo Ma – Obrigado Brazil Live (CD): I don’t have many classical recordings, but I wanted an alternative option to test the ability to reproduce some larger scale music. In addition to accurate instrument reproduction, the imaging and instrument separation were nearly as good as my reference systems.

If I had to nit pick a bit about the Si2 components it would be purely from the build perspective. While the size of the components certainly provides a lot of placement flexibility, there is not a whole lot of room on the back panel for cable management. So audiophiles with thick cables or those with wider than normal connectors take note. In some cases you may also have to weigh down the components a bit and it’s difficult to keep some distance between the cables. In addition, take note in that the manufacturer recommends that interconnects not exceed 1m and preferably are .5m in length to ensure proper component driving capabilities. For the record I used 1m interconnects with no issues. I also used 5.5m speaker cables with no issues.

I know from an audiophile perspective it can be hard to believe big things can come from small packages. If you are from the “size matters” (big chassis, big parts, big power supplies, etc.) mindset the Si2 components may not physically be your cup of tea. However, if you are from the “it’s not the meat it’s the motion mind set,” well then I would highly recommend auditioning the Next Class Si2 Micro Integration Line. In addition to well built and simply designed components that stress quality over quantity, you’ll find incredible sound that provides an extremely enjoyable listening experience. I feel fortunate to have been able to hear the Si2 components in my system and wish to personally thank Masataka Tsuda, Hajime Sato, and the entire Silicon Arts Design team for providing me this opportunity.

Components & MSRP Pricing:

Silicon Arts Next Class Si2 DAC – $1260.00
Silicon Arts Next Class Si2 Power Amplifier – $1420.00
Silicon Arts Next Class Si2 Preamplifier – $1580.00
Contact Information

Hajime Sato – Eastwind Import

Phone:
714-334-0759 (US Pacific Time)

Email:
hajime@eastwindimport.com

Snail Mail:
Eastwind Import
2477 Paseo Circulo
Tustin, CA 92782


Product Weakness: Not the last word in resolution or transparency (but quite acceptable). May inhibit use of some types of cabling due to size.
Product Strengths: Offers component synergy, mates extremely well with high efficiency speakers, very natural and smooth sounding, plays "bigger" than size would seem to indicate.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: N/A
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): N/A
Sources (CDP/Turntable): CEC TL-51X transport; Galibier Serac turntable with SME Series III tonearm and B&O MMC-2 cartridge; Colin Electronics Groovemaster phono stage.
Speakers: Audiokinesis Jazz Module; 92db sensitivity; 12 ohm.
Cables/Interconnects: Intuitive Design Mosaic Chimera
Music Used (Genre/Selections): See Review
Room Size (LxWxH): 12 x 13 x 12
Room Comments/Treatments: Use of bass traps and Eighth Nerve suite of products.
Time Period/Length of Audition: 30 days
Type of Audition/Review: Home Audition




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Topic - REVIEW: Silicon Arts Design Next Class Si2 Minisystem - clio09 06:42:13 06/25/10 ( 1)