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Stock high-end audio gear still leaves a lot to be desired.Even ultra high end models simply fail to come close sonically to the same model which has been upgraded.

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David,

I was able to get the Ikemi plugged in and running with the burn in CD at around 2:00 Friday afternoon, and got back to hook it up to the amp around 8:00 last night.

First impression INCREDIBLE! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!

It is organic, I can't think of a better word to describe the sound. It is smooth, yet extremely detailed, no smearing at all, very well balanced from top to bottom, and voices, oh the voices!! They hang eerily in the air from a jet black background. I have never heard the human voice sound so texturally right, so intimate, so REAL! It is as if I can reach out and touch the singer. I am absolutely blown away. I can in no way detect my speakers existence from my listening position. No right or left just music.

My only negative criticism would be that after several hours of listening I do hear what I would call some compression. The orchestras are a little bit confined or the band seems a little bit compact, to densely packed together. It sounds tight. There is very little air around instruments which are not in the same range as the human voice. Pianos, acoustic guitars, instruments in that range are as holograph and texturally right as the human voice. I am assuming this will open up after proper burn in.

The transport is smooth and quiet and I actually find the Ikemi very attractive. It looks much better in person than in the pics I have seen.

I have not tried my balanced interconnects or changing power cords yet. It makes sense to me to just keep it running constantly for now to keep the burn in process going.

Thank you so much for suggesting this unit and for the modifications that you have performed. With only a few hours on it, the organic presence in general and on human voice in particular the Ikemi already blows away by a large margin every player I have ever heard.

P.S.

As I am typing this my 17 year old son who plays jazz and blues piano in his own band is playing right out side my office door, so I have the real thing right here for reference. The Ikemi has taken my system much closer to live music. Thank you.

All the best,
Russ Garrett
Audiogon ID "Leatherneck"

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