Reviewed by: Joe , Audio Enthusiast from California.

Price Paid: $2495 at Decware

Product Model Year:
2002

Summary:

Hello Everybody.

I am new owner of SV83M mono blocks with dual core option.
My system is: CAL DELTA transport, CAL Sigma DAC(96/24) with GoldPoint ladder type stepped attenuators (I dont like preamps in my system, so I added Volume controls myself)TEK-LINE interconnects, Magnepan 2.7QR speakers (I was using them with VTL MB-250 AMPS), Samadhi Acoustics "Natalia" Speakers (I was using them with Jolida 102B amp, I sold this amp and speakers were sitting in the bedroom noy being connected to anything), and Lowther Fidelio ( I bought them specially for SV83M)

I was eager to do A/B comparison between VTL and SV83M, I knew the comparison would be unfair, after all VTL's were fully broken-in, mated with Magnepan, and 250W of tube triode power!!!! Anyway I connected SV83M's to my system and gave it a first test. Right out of the box the units sounded incredible!!!!! Of course I could not get them to play loud, but at low listening level I heard 3-d Sound with a lot of details and space between instruments, with wonderfull tone!!!! Wow!!!

Well, I disconnected my Maggies and connected Samadhi speakers. Much more efficient then Maggies (93dB vs 85dB) and I could not belive the sound!!!! It was magical, I slapped on Mozart Piano Concerto No 17, turned it on and My daugther ran downstars from her room to see who is playing her piano. It was like being there, Piano sounded real!!! Well defined placement, size, and body.

Another CD goes on, this tim it is Govi Seventh Heaven and the strings, drums, cimballs all sounded real, no coloration, right tempo!!! Unbelievable!!!!
Next day came dissapointment. The music died, no magic, no soundstage!!!!
Well I went out and got myself XLO REFERENCE test and Burn-In CD, and started burn-in process. According to XLO it can break-in your system in quarter of normal required time. Well it did! But I was still missing some High frequency details. After some thinking (I am an EE myself) I decided to remove 100K resistors from the input to ground, and Eurica!!! I got my details back and I got my magic!!!! Hooray!!!!

Needless to say my VTL system had been sold! I am a happy camper with SV83M's!!!
The only other improvement I will make is I will replace my Speakers with Lowther Fidelio (99dB efficiency), because my listening room is Very large, and to get little higher than normal listening level is very difficuilt with Natalia speakers and 5W amp.

AlexD