Timing , Accuracy, resolution, soundstage

Now remotes look cheap but in terms of the playernothing I can think of

Just seeing the RED reference in flesh alone justifies the asking price of £13,455. As an owner of the BLU/dac64 I often wondered what further improvements could be made butwhat I discovered was rather shocking.

Few months ago I purchase a cpa500 preamp and 1200E power amp trading up from a bi-amped bryston 4b st with chord prima preamp which I used in combination with the blu/dac64.

The first thing you notice about the RED reference if you are familiar with the blu/dac64 is that it comes across as being far less aggrresive with a more refined top end where the blu tends to get ragged. There is no over emphasis of detail unlike the blue but rather far more of the original recording. This is not to fault the blu/dac64 as this in itself is a fantastic system
First time I listened with the RED reference such was the sound stage and feeling of closeness that I found it difficult to stop imagining the presence of the artist in the room. Another point to note is the level of accuracy of the instrument reproduction that you tend not to recorgnise tracks you've been listening to for years from the opening 10secondsas you would normally do. This is because it sounds that much different from what you've become familiar with as the instruments dound more real and the vocalscrystal clear. It feels as if the RED just pauses time to gives you the chance to take in every detail before it moves unto the next set of notes. The RED reference is a wet dream from audiophiles who are into resolution, timing and back ground detail that sort thing. On that front it I would say it takes music listening to a new height.

Before I purchased the RED ref, I had a demo an comparism against the Naim CD555,my dealer Audio- T in Reading UK, not to say the least have the utmost respect for chord products but tend to be biased towardss naim products. The chord reference was put up against CD555 in a chord system and later in a Naim system. By there own self frustrating judgement, the RED came out on top each time with both system.

Similar Products Used:

Chord Blu/Dac64, chord Prima, bryston 4bst amps, cpa5000, 1200E