Giant Killer On The Digital Front? Stello CDt 100 & DA 100 Signature.

Stello is the high end brand for April Music, manufactured in South Korea. Note, that red display can be dim able or completely switched off.

We've often been accused of being high end chasing audiophiles! There are reasons for this happening, and I do agree that we do not "feature" enough reviews on the affordable end of hifi dome! Here are three reasons to ponder over:

1) Most of the time, as accommodating as we are, we've not found many affordable hifi gear that we could live with, even after extensive tweaking and major effort to get it to sound satisfactory to our usual standards, which are not impossibly high but nevertheless, we do have a certain minimum level of acceptance, in regards to sound quality. If we can't live with the equipment, why write about it?

2) We also feel there are many other hifi rags and internet based resources catering to this affordable segment of the hifi market. So no point adding another voice to an already crowded party.

3) We've spoken to many hifi and AV related specialist retailers, and all agree that the price list of RM$10K and above per piece of equipment is where most of the market action is!

So when unker Edwin of Rave Systems asked us to review this Stello pair, we'd hesitated for a little while. No point bringing something home, set it up and try to get it to sound the best possible for the next 2-3 weeks only to find that it doesn't live up to our minimum sound quality standards, then have to be returned to the dealer and have to tell them that there's to be no review because it's not good enough for us! We've done it before, and it's not something we'd like to do, believe me.

However, unker Edwin was very convinced that he had a pair of winner on his hands and insisted that we do find out for ourselves. I must now say that we're indeed a little prejudiced about this Stello pair.

The truth is, this Stello pair is a digital giant killer indeed! If today, you're a music lover planning to spend up to RM$15K on a digital front end, you'd really be an audiophool not to have included this Stello pair in your audition list. It's that good!

The very simple insides of the Stello CDt 100.

So now that I've let the cat out of the bag, just how good is the Stello CDt 100 & DA 100 Signature? Lets start with some first impressions. The CDt 100 is a rather sturdily, if not exquisitely built top loader, i.e. you have to remove the square rice cooker like lid on top, pull the magnetic puck out, put the CD you intend to listen on to the exposed transport, reverse the process, press the disc button so that the CD's TOC could be read and ready to play. Just as the DA100 Signature's build quality is as sturdy and not "over the top" built like the many times more expensive Esoterics. Everything is form follows function with good quality in mind, like the Neutrik XLR output connectors(which I used) and Cardas style RCA output plugs(I didn't try). On the inside, an over sized power supply, high quality WIMA poly caps and 1% metal film resistors are used with neatly laid out gold traced PCB board. The Stello DA 100 Signature runs pretty hot as it outputs in push/pull Class A for the best possible sound. Make sure you do not stack anything above the Stello DA 100 Signature.

Stello DA 100 Signature is undoubtedly the star of the pair, noted the quality parts used and that over sized power supply.

The DA 100 comes with as many as 5 input connection options but I only had AES and I2S stlye cables, provided by unker Edwin to work with. Of the two, I clearly preferred the I2S option for sound quality. It gave benefits of lower audible noise floor, better transparency and transient response. Images were more holographic focused too. I also tried the various sampling and non sampling options available on the DA 100 Signature. I found the 24/192 up sampling option to give the most dynamic and focused sound, but I had settled in to the 24/96 sampling option which I thought did sacrificed some dynamics and focus, but did return plenty in terms of image density and imaged less forwardly. The non over sampling option did gave the smoothest and most organic sound of the three but I felt it was too laid back and a bit life less with rock/pop music. I decided to base my review entirely on the said I2S connection and 24/96 sampling option from here onwards.

The back panel of the duo. Note the I2S cable provided, which is the best connection option for high quality sound performance.

The immediate sonic description that comes to mind is robust. The Stello pair presents music in a very energetically robust manner. There's so much texture(not to be mistaken for graininess) in the music when replayed thru the Stello pair. The highs are not the most refined(I am comparing again to the Esoteric X-03, just to note) but always seemed a tad laid back, which is a good thing. The mids are actually the special part of this Stello pair. I felt even if the tonality is slightly mid centric, it's indeed a good thing, as most musical content falls in this frequency spectrum. It may just be a small bump on the presence region of 1kHz or so, but when done right like the LS3/5A BBC mini monitors, it just gives music a sense of humanity. It is this trait that so many have fallen in love with the said BBC mini monitors and if you like that in your hifi, you'll undoubtedly like this Stello pair too. The bass is pretty tuneful yet is solidly analog like. Did you notice how most digital players have bass that are just a little hollow?, meaning they have the bass structure, but the bass is all outlines and very little fillings. In fact a recent and rather surprised visitor commented the sound of the Stello pair reminded him very much of an analog rig that he had used. How's that for digital compliments?

The Stello pair may not be the most transparent and may not have the most extension at both ends of the frequency extremes, again comparing to my recent reference player mentioned above. But I think you'd be too engrossed over it's musical sound presentation to notice.

The staging and imaging presentation aspect is very similar to my own Marantz CD7. Just right, neither laid back nor forward. I would think that this Stello pair just begs to be compared with the Sony XA 5400 ES SACD/CD player, which is similarly priced. Though I would rate both to be on equal terms subjective listening performance wise, there are some difference in their overall sonic direction. Now, I am just working with memory here, and you may look back in to my previous review of the Sony player for the full sonic picture. I found the Sony to give an overall smoother, more refined, and subjectively lush sound. But the Sony can also sound a little smaller in scale compared to the Stello pair here. The Stello's mids are very special compared to the more tonally neutral if well balanced Sony. The Sony's staging and imaging is rather slightly more laid back too. Overall, the Sony gives a smooth, lush and laid back sound, whilst the Stello pair presents music in a very energetically robust, textured and humane fashion. I did however, found both players to be about equal in terms of transparency, frequency extremes extension, dynamics and transient response. I can only say that if you want more hifi attributes, the Sony is the one to go for. However, if you prefer the musical expression of the most humane kind, then the Stello CDt 100 & DA 100 Signature is your kinda beast.

But since the Sony is not available in the local market, you'd only have the Stello to go with, unless, you're like my good friend PS, whom goes all the way(and trouble some) with the private import route. If you want local dealer services and warranty with your purchase, at this level there's only one practical and logical domestic shopping choice that I know of, which is the Stello CDt 100 & DA 100 Signature pair.

At what price the Stello CDt 100 & DA 100 Signature retails for you ask? It's priced at RM$3.3K each. Meaning if you buy them as a pair, CD transport & DAC, at RM$6.6K, are about the best value out there in high end audio performance to dollar ratio. In fact, they're so musically good(if not technical hifi attributes good), the Stello pair can musically out do a few CD players costing up to RM$15K or so that I know off.

The Stello pair looking very hand some on my top shelf. Those top panel air gaps on the DA 100 Signature are necessary for Class A output heat dissipation!

Also at the retail price listed, the Stello DA 100 Signature, with it's USB input option is quite a potential candidate for anyone wishing to hot rod or super charge their downloaded music with computer to their hifi system, which is getting popular these days. However, being someone from the industrial age, I do not have any resources to test that option. And lastly, did you know the Stello DA 100 Signature was designed with famed audio guru, Mark Levinson's input?

For the silly money of an retail price, what more could one possibly ask for?

Stello by April Music is sold by Rave Systems, contact Edwin, tel: 03-21632818