From: "James J. Nugnes"

Subject: Re: JISCO and upsampling

Jisco has arrived safe and sound.

First impressions:
1) Jisco compared to upsampling
Jisco appears at first glance to offer the improvements that I was hearing from upsampling with some additional benefits added but with none of upsampling's detriments.

Detail improved as with upsampling but not at the cost of musicality. Upsampling still seems to provide slightly better detail when it is enabled but at a cost to overall sonic quality that is not attractive when compared to using Jisco alone. Although my first impression is that detail is not quite as good with Jisco as with upsampling, detail is still greatly improved with Jisco while all other characteristics of sonic reproduction are much more improved with Jisco than with upsampling.

For example, the soundstage is much deeper and wider when using Jisco. I have not been able to detect any benefits what-so-ever to the soundstage that can be traced to upsampling. Musicality is also much improved with Jisco which again appears to be one of the flaws in upsampling.

The use of upsampling and Jisco in combination is NOT better than using Jisco alone. Upsampling's detriments are readily apparent.

2) Jisco first impressions unrelated to Upsampling
First impressions are excellent. Soundstage width and depth is much improved. Music sounds VERY musical. Vocals very precise yet melodic. Instrumentals (small jazz combo) are reproduced with very satisfying results.

Detail is very good.
Transparency is excellent
Soundstage is excellent
Timbre is greatly improved

All in all, the use of the Jisco device has resulted in the best digital audio reproduction that I have been able to engender from this particular system to date.


I have not been able to make a judgment about the enhancement settings on the Wadia 270 transport as it relates to Jisco as yet. I think that will take longer and that I will have to sample more different types of music before I can make a judgment as to what setting (high pass, low pass, off) is best to use in conjunction with Jisco.

I doubt that I will see anything that will lead me to any other conclusion than that Jisco works very well with my system. However, I suspect that unlike upsampling which I have already concluded should stay off with Jisco on, I would not be surprised if I did not conclude that some sort of enhancement mode out of the Wadia will work very well with Jisco.

I suspect that any system that is as reliant on digital technology as mine is will benefit greatly from using the Jisco device.

The source components that I am using are as follows:

Wadia 270 transport for CD playback
Sony 7700 for DVD playback

These are connected directly to my Meridian equipment:
Meridian 562.2 switch
Meridian 568 pre/pro

The Jisco output is directly connected to the digital input (DAC) on the 568.

Sonic reproduction seems very well rounded with all the components in the right place at the right time. So far, I am very impressed.

Regards,
Jim Nugnes

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