In Illustrated History of High-End Audio. Volume Two - Electronics … · 2017. 11. 1. · In Illustrated History of High-End Audio. Volume Two - Electronics edited by Robert Harley

InIllustratedHistoryofHigh-EndAudio.VolumeTwo-ElectronicseditedbyRobertHarleytheVitusAudiobrandismentionedamongfewothersinasectiontitled:Today’sVanguard.IntheprefacetothissectionJonathanValinwrote:AllselectedbyusfirmsrepresentingToday'sVanguardaretrulyunique.Andtheirproductsbelongtothebesthighhaseverseen.

IllustratedHistory…Electronics,editedbyRobertHarley,Austin2015,p.283

Thefirmisnamedafteritsfounder,HansOleVitus,justasmanyothergreatbrandsbeforesuchas:McIntosh,Marantz,MarkLevinson,ConradJohnson,PassLabs,DanD’Agostinotonameafew.ThesewereallfamilybusinessesandsoisVitus,withHansOlebeingalsothechiefdesigner.Thisisofcourseoneoftwomainpaths to take. The other, represented by such brands as:Goldmund, Soulution, Spectral, Parasound, orConstellation Audio, involves the founder/owner of the business employing high class specialists fordevelopmentofparticularprojects.Bothwaycanbringequallyimpressiveresults.

HansOleVitusgothimself involvedinaudiobusinessalreadyin1995,buthisfirstownproductsweren'treleaseduntil2003whenhepresentedtheRP-100,abattery-poweredphonostage,theRL-100linestageandtheSM-100monauralpoweramplifier.Amplifiersarenamelythefirstloveandfascinationofthesaidgentleman.He likes themworking in classAwithout negative feedback loop, featuring extremely solid,aluminum enclosures. All products share similar appearance which on one hand is cost-effective formanufacturerandontheotheritgivesallhisproductscertaincharacteristic,proprietarystyle.

In 2007 the first digital source by Vituswas released. Itwas the SCD-010 CD Player. Back then nobodyseriouslyevenconsideredplayingmusicfromcomputer,andtheonlycompetitorsforCDin'digitaldomain'wereSACDandDVD-Audiodiscs.Todaytheformerisanicheproductusedbyfew,thelatterisahistory,astheysay.SCD-010featuredPhilipsCDPro-2LFtransportmodifiedbyVitus,andanotherofVitussolutions–SMDmodules.

Vitus products have the latter in common with another Danish manufacturer, Alluxity. It is owned byAlexanderVitusMogensen,Ole'ssonwhousedtoworkforVitusfor5yearsbeforeestablishinghisowncompanythatisfocusedonmoderntechnologiesandsolutions,includingproductssuchasmusicserver.Ashetoldusduringinterview,hisfactorymakesabovementionedmodulesforhisandhisfather'sbrands.Andyet,whilemoduleslooksimilar,theirdesigndifferssignificantly.

SCD-025

In2013asuccessorofthesaidSCD-010,SCD-025wasreleased.Itfeaturesthesametransportmechanism,sameupsamplermoduleandDACchips.Alltherestwasdesignedfromscratch.Versionwereceivedforareviewisanothervariantofthisproject.It'saone-boxdeviceofmodulardesign.Transport,powersuppliesfordigitalandanaloguesections,DACchipswithmasterclockmodule,digitalinputsection,analogueoutputsection–theyallsitonseparateboardsthat,ifneeded,mightbeindependentlyreplaced.

Thislastoptionisparticularlyimportantfordigitalinputsection,theUSBoneinparticular–theveryreasonwhySCD-025cametolife,andaseriousheadachefordesigners,astherequirementsforUSBinputschangerapidlyover last fewyears.FirstversionacceptedPCMsignalupto192kHzand24bits.Latest revision,introducedin2014addedalsoDSDcompatibility.

ManufacturerdecidedtowarnusersalreadyintheopeningsectionoftheSCD-025manual:„ThisdevicesIVERYHEAVY–werecommendthatatleasttwopeopleareinvolvedinitsunpackingandsettingup”.Isuggestonetreatsthiswarningseriously–it'snottherebymistake,it'sNOTapartofamplifier'smanualusedinthismanualbymistake.Despitethefactthatbothdevicesshareverysimilarenclosureseachofthemfeaturesaseparate,dedicated,in-depthmanual.ThisCDPlayerweights26kganditsmake&finishissimplyremarkable.

Itisatop-loader,withmanuallyoperatedcover.Itfeatures3digitalinputs(RCAS/PDIF,AES/EBUand2.0USB),henceitmightbeusedalsoasaD/AConverter.Itiscompatiblewith16-24bit,32-192kHzPCMsignalsandwithDSDsignal(viaUSB).TouseUSBinputwithaPCasasourceonehastoinstallproperUSBdriver(availableonCD-ROMdeliveredtogetherwiththedevice).ThediscincludesalsoadigitalversionofmanualandafewphotosofeachVitusproductfromcurrentrange.

Inside all signals are upsampled first to 384 kHz/24 bits and only then sent to two DACs. Thismodule(upsampler)differsinthis'II'versionfromtheoneinversion'I',andsodoestheboardwithmasterclockandwithDAC.Playersportstwooutputs,abalancedoneandunbalancedandonechoosesinthemenuwhichoneisactivated.Menuisalsomorecomplex.Itallowsusertoadjustdisplay'sbrightness,toswitchphase,tonamedigitalinput,toturn(digital)volumecontrolon,andsoon.

Themake&finishofSCD-025isamongbestonesI'veeverseen.

HANSOLEVITUSOwner,designerWojciechPacuła:HowthisversiondiffersfromMkI?HansOleVitus:Betterpowersupply,totallyredesignedsoundboardandmoduleboardstoaccommodatethenewUSBboardthatsupportsDSD.Sincewehadtodochanges–Iwantedtohaveeverythingoptimizedforabsolutebestperformancepossible,asthiswouldbethelastCD-Playerdesignwewouldeverdo–atleastthat'stheidea;)DoyoubelieveinCompactDiscformatstill?Whatisit’sthefuture?No–itsdead–buttherearemanycustomerswhohavegoodcollectionsofdiscsandwhowillcontinuetosupportitforaslongastheypossiblecan–andsowetryourbesttosupportthem.Mainissueisthatthequalityofthedrivesthatareavailableisgettingworseandworse,andforthatreasonmanystarttousePCcd-rdrives.WehaveenoughPhilipsprodrivesforthetimebeingtolastproductionandserviceforthetimebeing–andwewillcontinuetosupplySCD-025'sforaslongaswecanstillkeepareasonablestockforrepairs.WhatareadvantagesanddisadvantagesofCDformat?Advantages–it'smoreconvenientthanVinyl/Disadvantages–limitationsintheformatitself.IseethereisaseparateDACandI/UPCB-whatDACchipsdidyouuse?IsI/Uconverterpassiveoractive?(Youhavetheresomenicecaps:)WestillusetheADI1955–weevaluatedprettymucheverythingelse,anddidnotfeelabigstepforwardandhencestayedwithit.U/Iisactive–butyes,inthefilterwedouseMCAPthroughoutforbestsound.Aren'tyouafraidoflackPhilips'transportsonthemarket?Yesandno–wehaveplentyfornow:)AnyplansaboutMasterpieceseriesCDsource?WehavehadtheMP-T201forseveralyears.

EverypersonthatvisitedmewhenSCD-025washerewastrulyimpressedwithitsappearance.Theseweremainlydistributorsandtheiremployees,sopeopledealingwithhigh-enddeviceseverydayandstill,Vitusmanagedtoimpressthem.Itsimplecreatesthisimageofaparticularlysolid,reliabledevice.Onejustlooksatthisrobustaluminumdeviceandimmediatelystartstobelievethatitholdspuremusicinside.Oneplaysanyalbumandbelieveturnsintocertainty.Icansaythatattheverybeginningbecauseifyoutryityouwillhearthesamethingatonce.ThisisanamazinglywarmsoundingPlayer.Itsoundsalotlikea'warm'turntable.Thesetwoqualities,notnecessarilymeaningthesamething,thistimecomehandinhand.Sucha,forthelackofabetterword,analoguesoundwilldetermineatoncewhetherparticularpersonlikesitornot.ThisPlayerhasitsown„Personality”,it'snotjustanotherPlayertryingtodeliver'trulyneutral'performance,whatwhateverthatmeans.IthinkIneedtoelaborateontheabovedescription.Otherwiseonereadingitmightconcludethatthisdeviceoffersa'warmed-up'and'smoothed-out'performance,whichisnottrue.WhenIsaidthatVitusofferedawarmsoundIdidn'tmeananysortofcolorationofthesound.Thesoundisnamelyperfectlycoherent,whichwouldnotbepossibleifthetonalbalancewasshiftedonewayortheother.Thisparticularlydensesoundsignatureisaresultofaslightlyroundedattackinuppermidrangeandtreblearea.„It'ssilky”–onewouldsay,anditwouldbetrue.Ilistenedtoalbumafteralbumandfoundnoharshnessinthesound.Whatisleftaftereliminatingallharshnessisamazinglyrich,denseandwarm(butnotwarmed-up)sound.Thedeviceunderreviewhasitsown,strongsoniccharacter–that'sobvious.Tosomeextenditdoesunifypresentation.AsIsaidtheperformanceisalwayssmooth,silky,enjoyable.Butthat'sjusttheoutershell,packagingifyouwillthatdoesnotaffectdeeper,actuallymostimportantlayersofanyrecording.That'swhythefirstimpressionwhenlisteningtomostalbumsissimilarbuttheirtruenatureisdifferent.Noparticulareffortisrequiredtogettothosedeeperlayer–theyarerightthere,withingrasp.Butonlyifoneknowswhattolookforduetoone'sextensiveexperiencewithhigh-enddevices.Onewhodoesn'tknowmuchabouthighqualitysoundmightnotbeabletorealizethequalityofthisperformance.

ListentotwoversionsofSeong-JinCho's,winnerofthe17InternationalChopinPianoCompetition,album–theGermanandKoreanones,andyou'llrealizeatoncewhatImean.TheGermanversionseemsquieterbutmorerefined,theKoreanone(Polishtoo,bytheway)soundmore'artificial',more'raw'.Thesearenotsubtledifferencesatall.IntermsoftimbreVituspresentedthemevenmoreclearlythandCSRossini,ChordRedReferenceMkIIIandAncientAudioLektorAIRV-edition.Myimpressionswhenlisteningtotwoversionsofananalogueremaster(madefrommastertape)ofPerfect'salbumUnupreparedbyDamianLipińskiwereverysimilar.Damiansentmetwoversions(WAV16/44,1)andaskedwhichone,inmyopinion,wasbetter.Ichose,asitturnedout,the'less-messed-with'version.IburnedthemonaCD-R(therearelessandlesslaptopsonthemarketwithCD-burners–whatwillhappenwhentheystoptomakethematall?!)andcomparedthemagainusingDanishPlayer.Myconclusionswereexactlythesameasbefore.Thereisapricetopayforthesesoundqualities–selectivity,thatissimplynotasgreatas,forexample,offeredbyabovementioneddCS,LektorGrandSEAncientAudioandsomeothertopCDPlayers.ButthewayitpresentedbodiesofinstrumentsremindedmeofwhatSoulutionPlayersdid,orAudioResearchReferenceCD9.Whatonegetsisalargescalesound,largephantomimageswith'bodies'butthesearenotparticularlypalpable,astheyarepresentedfromsomedistance.Thisisparticularlytrueforvocalmixedintoinstrument.Withasolovocal,placedinthemiddleofthestage,likeBillieHoliday's,itis'large'andpowerful.Buteventhenitisnotsopreciselydefined.Perceptionoflowerend,sobassandlowermidrangeissimilar.Itisnotparticularlywellcontrolled.Thereisalotgoingoninthispartoftherangeinboth,electronicmusicrecordingsandinacousticone.Bassgoesdeep,butitisnotaspunctualassomeother,moreopensoundingPlayerspresentit.IfIweretoguess(withoutknowingthedesign)Iwouldhavesaidthatitfeaturedtubesintheoutputstage,rather6SN7thanECC88or6H30Π.Why?Because,asIrememberthatafteralltheseyears,AudioResearchsoundedlike,andalsoJadistwo-boxPlayer.ClubremixesbyDepecheMode,KendrickLamarzToPimpaButterflyandothersalikewillamazewillcolors,buttheywilllackdrivethatisakeyelementofthistypeofmusic.Manypeoplewillbesurprised,maybeevenshockedbythewayVitusPlayerrenderssocalledsoundstage.Iusedtousethisterminthepastbutitseemsthattodayitdoesnotcarryquitethesameweightasinthepast.InmanyEnglishreviewsI'veseenanewterm:'holography”.Itseemsthatitissupposedtoindicatedsomethingevenmoreprofoundthan“soundstage”.Idon'tknowifitreallymakessense.Maybeweshouldusea“holographicsoundstage”termasadescriptionofparticularlywelldevelopedsoundstage?ItwoulddescribesoundstagerenderedbyVitusperfectly.Instrumentsinfrontofusarenot'extracted'fromthemixandfrombackground.Thiswaythepresentationresemblesthatofanaloguemastertapeplayedbyreel-to-reelratherthanoneofvinylrecord.Imagesarenotthatpreciselydescribedandyetweknowtheirsize,locationonthestageandinregardtootherinstruments.Itisatrueholographyifwedefineitasphantomimageshavingfullbodyandlistenerhavingafullknowledgeofwhat'shappeningonthestagewithoutstudyingit,analyzingandcategorizingwhathecanhear.Itisaverynatural,organicwayofsoundstagepresentation,onetherequiresabsolutelynoeffortfromlistenertounderstanditandacceptit.AsIsaid–itmightcomeasashocktosomepeople,thatmightbeevenbiggerafterlisteningtosomerecordingswithsoundscomingfromallaround,suchasTameImpalaCurrents.

SummaryIwishmoredesignersknewhowtocreatesuchafantasticsoundsources.AdesignanditsfeaturesandperformancecametogethercreatingaPlayeronecanspendhisentirelifewith.It'sironicthatitwasreleasedsolate,whenCDformatisatthevergeofslidingintoasmallmarketnichenexttoonesofvinylrecordandSACD.Butthat'slife.IhopesomepeoplewillstillbewillingtokeepCDaliveformanymoreyears.ButeveniftheendofCDformatiscloseit'sworthspendingthetimewehaveleftexperiencingqualitiesofCDusingsuchabrilliantPlayersasSCD-025.Evenmoresoconsideringthatitfeaturesalsodigitalinputs,includingUSBthatallowsusertouseacomputerormusicserverasasourceandexpectasimilarperformance.

DesignJustlikemanyHansOleVitus'productsalsoSCD-025isanextremelysturdybeastthatwouldprobablysurviveevenadirecthitbylong-rangerocket.Itisveryheavyandquitebigtoo(foraCDPlayer,Imean).Enclosureismadeofthickaluminumplates.Blackandsilverfinishesareavailable.Chassissitsonfourfeetwithrubberinserts.IassumedthatmanufacturerchosethissolutiononpurposesoIdecidednottouseanyadditionalanti-vibrationelementsandjustplaceditontopshelfofmyFiniteElementePagodeEditionrack.AlsolikeotherVitusdevices,thisCDPlayercomespairedwithhighqualitypowercable.It'snotjustsomecheapwire,butadedicatedsolution(similartotheoneofferedbyFMAcoustics)soIdidn'teventrytoreplaceitwithanyotherchord.Also,thesamewireisusedforinternalcablingofthedevice.Powerchord'snameisAndromedaandisconstructedwithcarefullyselectedtopgradecopperwiringandterminatedwithhighqualityFurutechconnectors:FI-11(Cu)andFI-E11(Cu).

Front,topandrearAsmall,one-line,amberdisplaysitsinthemiddleofthefrontpanel–similartothatusedbyAccuphase.Inmyopinionitistoosmall–Icouldn'tseemuchfroma2metersdistanceandI'mnotthatold.Itwouldbegoodtoseedisplayedinformationastheseincludenumberoftracks,timeofeachofthem,ormenusectionnames.BelowmanufacturerplacedVituslogo.Therearesixpushbuttons,threeoneachsideofthedisplay.FourcontrolbasicfunctionsofthePlayer,3areusedtomovearoundmenu.Itlooksreallygoodandthesamesolutionisusedforallbrand'sPlayers,preamplifiersandintegratedamps.Theonlydownsideisplacing'play'buttonontheleftsideofthedisplay–notthemostcomfortable,or'natural'placementifthedeviceisusedbyaright-handperson.Discisplaceddirectlyovermotor'saxis.Oneplacesametalclampoverthediscandmanuallyclosesdrive'scover(itworkssmoothly).AftercoverisclosedTOCinformationisread,andopeningcoverstopsplayback.RearpanelisoccupiedbysolidNeutrikconnectors.TheRCAsocketsitquitedeepinsidethepanelwhichmakesitimpossibletouseInterconnectswithlargediameterconnectors.ThusinsteadofusingSiltechTripleCrownICIhadtouseTelluriumQSilverDiamond.Therearethreedigitalinputs:S/PDIF(RCA),AES/EBU(XLR)andUSB,andtwodigitaloutputs:S/PDIF(RCA)andAES/EBU(XLR).DuetoitsbalancedanaloguestageVitusfeaturesboth,balanced(XLR)andunbalancedanalogueoutputs.InteriorTheinteriorisfilledwithelectroniccircuits,butthemechanicalpartalsooccupiesalotofspace.AfterremovingtopcoverIwassurprisedtoseehowdeepthetransportmechanismwasplaced–itlookedlikedesignerwantedtolowerthecenterofgravity.ThePhilipsCDPro2LFdrivemissesitsoriginalbaseandinsteaditisboltedtoamuchlarger,morerigidboardofmilledaluminum.Thisboardissupportedinfourpointandthemechanismisdecoupled.Therearepowersuppliesonbothsides.Ispottedasmuchasfour(!)transformershencetheremustbeatleastfourindependentpowersupplies.Iassumeoneforthedrive,onefordigitalsection,maybeoneformasterclockandoneforanalogueoutput.ThesearecustommadeEItypetransformers.Boardswithindividualmodulesareplacednexttotherearpanel.RightbehindthedriveonecanspotaboardwithDACandmasterclock.Vitusbuildsthishighqualitymasterclockbythemselves.Icouldn'tseethemarkingsonDACchipsbutthepreviousversionfeaturedAnalogDevicesAD1955DAC.SameboardhostsfourhighqualitypolypropyleneMundorfM-Capcapacitors-probablytheyarepartofI/Uconverter.Alsooutputmodules,sameasDAC,areclosedinsidemetalshieldinghousings.TheseareSMDcircuitsworkinginclassAwithnonegativefeedback.ThesearethesameasusedforSL-102preamplifier.

UpsamplingSignal,beforeitgoestoDACisprocessedbyupsamplingmodule(adigitalfilter).It'salarge,plasticboxplacednexttodigitalinputsection.PreviousversionofthePlayerfeaturedAnagramTechnologiesQ5filter,thatisusedalsoinCambridgeAudioCDPlayers.CAboughtexclusiverightsforthisupsamplersoit'snotavailableforothermanufacturersanymore.TheQ5useonlysynchro-upsampling(with8-timesoversampling),converting44.1kHzPCMsignalto352.8kHzPCM,andDSDsignalto384kHzPCM.Samecircuitchanges16bitsignalinto24bit.AsImentionedinmyreviewofSoulution745,it'satrueextrapolationsystemandnotjustadding8„empty”bits.TheAnagramTechnologiescompanydoesn'texistanymore,nowitisnamedEngineeREDanditistheirmoduleonefindsinsidenewVitusversion.NowitiscalledQ8andit'sastereosynchro-upsamplerthatacceptsPCMsignalfrom32upto384kHz,butalsoDSD64andDSD128(2,8224MHzand5,6448MHz).ItdeliversaPCM24/384kHzsignalthatdrivestwomonoD/AConverters.RemoteRemoteprovidedwiththePlayerissurprisinglyhandy–sameastheoneusedbyAncientAudio.Specifications(accordingtomanufacturer)MasterClock:24,576MHzSamplingfrequencyfordigitalinputs:32-192kHzResolution:16/24bitsOutputsignal/outputimpedance:•XLR:6VRMS/75Ω•RCA:2VRMS/75ΩS/N:>110dB/XLR|>110dB/RCATHD:<0,01%/XLR|<0,01%/RCAPowerconsumption:2W/standby|20W/onDimensions(WxHxD):435x130x430mmWeight:26kg