Hi James.
Just thought I'd share my findings on the 40SE I bought back in Apr 24.
Now, I'm coming from a Pass Labs XP-17 so please be patient.
I have been building this system up for many years. I have now got to a stage where I think that I have definitely found audio nirvana. My quest if over...I think.
Turntable is a Micro Seiki SX-8000 II/ Brinkmann 10.5 arm/ EMT S75.
This combination is my last. It is very well balanced in sound and has a very nice soundstage. Quite believable.
Ok, so the Pass Labs XP-17 is very popular here in the USA but there's 'chatter' about the recent whest higher end models that got me thinking. There are quite a few Audiogon members that have told me to look at the latest/last 40RDT SE ..the rest of the story is - you know.
The 40RDT SE is streets ahead of the XP-17 in all areas. Not that 'more bass and clear treble' stuff that forum users chat about, but it is more about presentation/ detail/ texture and focus. It is like everything now has a microscope on it. It is so easy to pin-point instruments and how they sound in the soundstage. The XP-17 just plays the instrument along with the others, often with too much bass. The 40RDT SE on the other hand is very even sounding and everything I play sounds 'right'. Steely Dan has never sounded this good. The mixing that they talk about on Classic Albums TV series is easily apparent on the 40 but not so much on the XP-17.
It is like that with ALL albums. The 40 outclasses the XP-17 at every turn.
So what am I missing? I think my brain is on a high and has seen the 40Se Pro upgrade !!! That is my next purchase and then NOTHING.
Jenkins McRae - Washington USA
Micro Seiki SX-8000 II/ Brinkmann 10.5 arm/ EMT S75/ PSi A-25M monitors/ BAT REX 3 preamp
