The combination of these two  ↓pieces of equipment should be the eas÷™€iest way to combine audio, an all-in-on☆‌©e machine that integrates a digital pla★♦σyer and a headphone amplifier, plu≥↕Ω₩s a pair of fever headphones, if ‌&γ£you don’t include ™€∏the random cable provided by the m☆βanufacturer and the storage of mus≠α ic data If you have a har♠​αd drive, there are only these two piec☆∏&es of equipment, and it will bring the ₩​ listeners a very good audiophile ®←sound quality!

In one signal source,•δ₩ PCM, DSD, PURE Blu-Ray can be int'©♥€egrated at the same t↔™ &ime

There are very few hif pla♥$♠™yers that play the three mu¥εsic formats of Audio (Blu-ray Dis∏≥c), and the Century Gray 9i-ES/ESA ca©Ωn also replay Blu-ray HDΩ♣ video, which is a biφ←t of a cow.

Since CEN GRAND launched the "9i-γ™&AD Black Edition", it has atππtracted attention. This time, the÷"₹  9i-ES/ESA I auditioned is b₩"ased on the "9i-AD Blac•✘∑​k Gold Edition" and is an improved•¥δ↔ version for headphone users.×≠λ 9i-ES is a digital player with ↓¥×analog output and digital output (₩$including: balanced/RCA analπ↔og output, digital SPDIF coaxia★λ ✔l, BNC, digital balanced AES, opti¶Ω<cal fiber), while 9i-ESA is an additi×>&‌onal set of two channe✘₩λls Amp output.

CEN GRAND's Blu-ray digital pla♣'©≈yback solution integratesπ&≤λ the high-end audio DSP of philips, ↕§∑δso it has outstanding perλ↑≠formance in audio decoding per<₩formance, coupled wi∏☆th KDS high-performance a≠¶© udio dual clock system, the good rep<✘♦utation of 9i series dig±↓  ital players benefits from this >™™¥Advanced audio architecture.

1. As CD/PCM HD, DSD:

High-definition PCM and Dλ₩↑SD decoding products λ¶₩have been discussed a lot.λ™± 9i-ES/ESA supports PCM24/192 and DS✘λD64, naturally, it c☆↑₽an also directly pla•↑☆↑y ISO files in compr​♦essed SACD format. 9i-ESA whether it ✘β∑₹is PCM

The sound quality perform✔‍↔‌ance of 24/96 or DSD i≥∑βs quite good. I had th∏€☆₹is impression when I first ✘♦✔≤listened to the "9i-AD‍λ Black Gold Edition"☆$$.

As for the several power amplifiers ♦δI have tried listening÷"< to recently, many of the a‍♥uditioning tracks are played ∞Ω≈by connecting the 9i-ES/ES≠ ₽₽A to the hard disk or NAS.

1. PCM and LPCM:

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is a lossle×®​ss compression format that everyoneαε₽ is familiar with, but PCM is divided i☆→Ωnto "non-linear pulse code©♠ modulation" and LPCM "linear"λ pulse code modulation". In the‍∞®  three processes of A/D sampling,‍$ quantization and encoding, the t♠♥wo are exactly the same in →§¶ the sampling process. Tσδhe quantization process isδ✘§ to convert the sample↓★αd signal into a discrete time an♦ d discrete amplitude digi'¶↕tal signal. The quantizat₩★ion process is divided into line€€σ<ar quantization and nonlinear quantiz≤>≤ation. Non-linear quanti×σ™zation uses unequal qua&€ €ntization intervals, a₹✘↓®nd LPCM linear quant≥≠♠ization has equal quantization♥π intervals in the entire quantizati→<®on range, so the LPCM ÷<data volume is larger, and the r​>esult is better sound quality ‍"↔restored by LPCM.

2. LPCM and Dolby (Dobly True HD) o♣☆₹r DTS (DTS-HD Master Audio):

The larger capacity of the Blu≤>‍®-ray disc stores the mult$₩​₹i-channel audio data of D ☆olby (Dobly True HD) or DT‍←φS (DTS-HD Master Aud™ io). Although Dolby and DTS are multi✘•​σ-channel high-definition formats,​∑ they are still lossy c±γ≈εompressed audio. Coding, Dol®¶✘εby and DTS are based on the ci✔ nema multi-channel format, and ε☆∞the sound still has the timbre characφ₽ teristics of the movie, and>∑∑™ classical music lov< ✘ers still prefer the LPCM sound σ±‍♥style. Fortunately, the Blu-ray disc ha©¥s a large capacity and there is enou< gh space to store st¥<€ereo or even multi-channe€​£l LPCM lossless signals, and resto≥∏εδre the data closest to the original rec↓¥ording, so we can say that PURE Blu-Ray♠≈​✔ Audio can provide lossless $✘∑compression. The best multi€≤-channel music carrier in HD form≥↕♣‍at.

3. Image display of PURE Blu-∏±₹∞Ray Audio

The file format of Blu-Ray ↓↔​ Audio is to store video and auδ×Ω'dio in the ts formatλ£↔ of the movie, so one mo®"re function of 9i-ES/ESA thaα'↔n ordinary audio digital bσ↕×roadcasting is that i♥≤λγt can read the ts file and€™ convert the video signal and audio  ® ‌information. Decode th€★ e output separately. Most ‍☆×Blu-Ray

Audio only has static pictures, Ω><but to play this typeλ' of disc, it is also&→€™ necessary to have an image displa ↓®∏y for prompting operations, includin σ≠g song selection, switching audio tγ∞racks, etc., and it can also disp¥λγlay the color page picture of'σβ the current track. 9i-E™​S/ESA playing Blu-Ray

Audio has all the functions of a ∏®∏×jailbroken Blu-ray pl€£ayer in this regard. It can play Bl↔ u-ray discs with the 9i-BDR diπ"gital player "companion&q‍↔σuot;, support Blu-ray original ​★₽disc navigation and playback, and can ‍β™♠directly play Blu-ray I•®¶©SO in the hard disk. document.

4. Play PURE Blu-Ray Audio±♦ with Hi-Fi system

I don’t have many Blu-ray prog‍₽₽ rams from PURE Blu-Ray Audio, a♥♦✘♦nd most of them are listened∞↓ to by multi-channel cinema'>© systems. Fans know that the desigδ®n of the multi-channel cinema syst×α♥↓em is for the restoration o₹÷>f the movie, and more ÷>®emphasis is placed on e•✘ ↓xplosive power, transient speed and s♥♣∞patial envelopment, and it •'λ≤is not as good as the hifi¥¶ ♦ system in terms of tone, ₹"φsoftness, delicacy and musicalφ♥>ity. . With Century Gray 9i-ES/ESA, yoδ✘Ω☆u can build a music ★γplayback system with<↓ hfi equipment.

9i-ES/ESA inherits t®∑€he successful design€★ architecture of "9i-AD Blac↔$​k Gold Edition". The cha ÷γφracteristic of the Century Gr☆↓ay solution is that afte♣★λr the dual-core CPU ™±>controls and reads the data through t☆≥he hard disk interface or the net☆"¥work, the DSP chip of Philips is used '£α≈to process the audio signal, and then t☆'δwo sets of WM8741 are used for≥÷¥♥ DAC conversion. Comp≥Ω ared with the use of FPGA‍₩ solution manufacturers αεto program and impleme₽✘♦φnt decoding, this solu ₩π×tion is more mature, and the t↕≈imbre is relatively mוβ∑ore neutral and accurate. At t≈β∞he same time, the clock source uses $‌a suspension shock absorber design, an¶♥φ™d optimizes the power supply and comp→ ♥onents.

In addition, if 9i-ES/ESA wants to supp₽↕ ∞ort the playback of Blu-ray music d≠←iscs, it must do one more proc≥₩essing system, that is, use Cirrus Lo​‍‌gic's DSP chip to process the mov®Ω≥£ie files in Blu-Ray, £••σand then use two sets of WM870 for audiγ∞λ'o DAC conversion. At‌$♦ the same time, Vmeta is responsible₹®± for the processing of video≠‌ signals to achieve multi-'✔✘✔channel or two-channel restoration of™α Blu-ray music.

The first set of equipment: 9i-ES/ES₩∏×A + darTZeel LHC-208/ + Dali M♠←•ENUET

Second set: 9i-ES/ESA + Einst®←→σein The Tune + Blume©βnhofer Tempesta 20

The third set of equipment: 9i-ES$€₹♣/ESA + Tonewinner AD-86Pro + ÷γB&W M80

Comparing signal sourc¶©es: Studer A727 CD plε ayer, Mark Levison No.37 tur™™↔ntable plus French Totaldac Hiend ₩±Totaldac D1-Dual decoder, etc.

1. As a CD/HD digital turntabα≤™le:

These three systems are all sensitive≥βα to the requirements of the‍•≥σ signal source, including the us'∞<e of different signal cables×↓<®, which obviously have diffeφ•↑rent timbre and sound quality restor®₽←≥ation.

The overall feeling of 9i-ESA★"♠✘ is healthy and atmospheric. The sou♥ →→nd of each frequency band is vφ÷ery full and full of power. When playin'≠φδg high-demand PCM an✘≥δ&d DSD music files, it pres™ ents rich details, and→∏™₹ the restoration of the sound field iπ ™s also very stage-like. ↔ I think This is also the reaso≈§≤≥n why the designers oβ♠f Century Gray have ₽§used the big band to play classical ★©₩music many times in the sample±​¥∑ sound and exhibitio↔→→n demonstration equipment. Maybe man↔Ω¶&y fans who have visited Century Gray←↕>ε's exhibition room at the audio e© ≠xhibition will have the imprγ ©↑ession that CEN GRAND uses its own§γ§∏ power amplifier to promote th₹₹e PMC MB2-SE speaker, ≈ and the sound is accurate and σ↑♦≠very imposing and scale. credit.

The audition results with mul∞↑​€tiple sets of equipment show tα✘hat the 9i-ESA's timbre  ♥☆<is neutral and accurate, €©↕↔it will not bring too much ≤✘γ☆color into the system, but l© et other equipment play its own  ♣←©characteristics.

2. As Pure Blu-Ray Audio:✘↔≠↕

When listening to Blu-Ray m≥↑♣≥usic with a two-channel system, whether₩&π∏ it is a speaker system or a headp£←hone system, it is strongly reco∑λ §mmended to switch the sou♥₽•λnd quality to the 2.0λ♦ LPCM soundtrack, which has the most ¶★natural timbre and sound≠← field.

The most published Pure Blu-Ray☆× Audio is the Norwegian lab♦≥↓₹el 2L, which is said to α≈have released more than π↔≥¥130 Blu-Ray discs. Some‌ π of 2L's recent Blu-ray relea♣÷₩ses include two discs, one♣↓ in Blu-Ray format and the other¥‍←∞ in double-layer SACD. ±βAfter listening to several Pure →♠• Blu-Ray Audio tracks, I fo♣ ♥und the advantages of 9i-ESA! There areα↑↔  many classical musi 'c Blu-ray discs reco"✔rded by Norway "2L&q≥"♦uot;, and there are man•∑↓♠y LPCM two-channel audio track&‌s played by 9i-ESA T α↔↕he texture of all in↑♠‌struments is very stron•↓g and vivid, and the high-samp§δ↓λling rate digital audio also gives ve♣©'ry great dynamics and dynamics, eve>α¶n without the addition oλ f percussion, just the perf±₹• ormance of the strings can produce®↕&α bursting sound effects ! And thanks to® £​ the multi-channel recordin§©‍g, the restored sense of space i★↔←s very good.

Take the 2L Blu-ray as an example. ™₽The tracks included in the BD Collectiδ‌on released in 2009 include: DTS-HD₩>♥ Master Audio 5.1 (192/24), L'£PCM 5.1 (192/24) and LPCM 2-channel☆≈π (192/24) , plus the picture data a tot‍®‌≤al of about 45G.

6. 9i-ESA is used as a sig✘‌"nal source/amplifier with three ★←↕earphones:

1. Fostex TH610:

The 9i-ESA has an amp o♦∞ utput. The headphone a↔±mplifier adopts single-ended class A de×™sign, and the output current is larg ≠♣‌e, which can drive high-impedance he&™↔•adphones.

There are exactly three large head∞← ‍phones that can be used for auditi♠↓≤​on, and these four headphones a£÷re all low-impedance models. A≤׶mong them, I think the F§₽↑₩ostex TH610 is the mos¶≈€t effective. This earphone ₹₽has the delicateness aεπβ$nd softness of Japanese earphones, wiβ thout losing its strength a÷±nd refreshing. In addition to§γ★≤ the advantage of play•∑✘ing female voices, I also used λ§it to audition several ₽λ♠£symphony tracks. 9i-ESA can fullyββΩ drive something like this₽  . Large headphones, and t™↔βhe advantages of 9i-ESA​✔​ outputting high-definition music ★™ signals have also b¶≥een fully demonstrated. Fo¥≤'πstex TH610 shows that th<>•e two are very friendly under the 9♥€i-ESA combination, and will get §™±♦high scores in all aspect★↔s of performance. It seems that o₹πnce the Fostex TH610 has 9i-ESA •✘✘, there is no need for an§"Ω≤ything else. So for Fostex TH610 us ↕÷ers, I strongly recommend listeniΩ‌ ★ng to the combination with 9i-ESA.

2. HIFIMAN Edition X:

After I connected this earph₽λσ→one, I realized that Hifiman♣→ launched this earphon'↕e to let audiophiles know that they​★ are also capable of pro♠  ♥ducing large earphones tha≈₹☆t are very easy to drive¥✔±. But Edition X is not as sim↓"ple as high sensitivity. Often hig¶♦h-sensitivity speakers or headphon∑→λ←es are more sensitive, and tβσ€€hey are more picky about the sound of↓± the front section. 9i-ESA is®' still a stance that no on¶ε ↑e will refuse, and it st₽  ill plays as usual. I♣≠¥nstead, the high-resolutionγ★♠©, fresh and bright features o&≥∑f Edition X are brought i ←₽nto full play. If yo↕♦u like, you can use this combinat₩¶₩♠ion to play "Grieg: Pia→ πno Concerto", and find that the c‌>γ∑ombination of the two ca  n more fully restore the hall ↔'♣σfeeling of Blu-Ray Audioπ>× recording, and at the sa↑←$me time, the layers of the inst&↕♥ruments are more disβ↑≤¥tinct, just right Theseφσ♣≠ two equipments are all from Chines>γe design manufacturer® ☆s, I am a little proud of this!

7. 9i-ESA's network playba∏α ₽ck function:

For a lazy person like me, you can pl↑‍&ay multiple records without g≠∑etting up to the CD player---becau↑ ✘€se in a network NAS system, some mγ₽usic files of different formats‍&¥, including PCM, DSD an‍λd Blu, are stored in advance☆¥∞. -Ray

Audio files, it is very conve λ₩nient to use 9i-ESA to play these file♦©s on demand. As the ₹↔©music files on hard driv×♣es and NAS systems grow from hundred'→∏‌s to thousands of CDs ₹<™, it really seems like it's time©&₩ to say goodbye to these CD collection£¥≠s in the record cabinet.

Conclusion:

9i-ESA is a digital sigβπ≈ nal source with complete functi&♣ons that I have used. Thanks t§Ωλ♠o the technical advantages of Bluββ♣-ray music records, whether it is a spe<‌aker system or a headphone system​α'→, there is a very realisti↔×←c and uncompressed music playba¥&ck. . After listening to it, I reali®✔'₹zed that the previous recording techn¶≥↔ology was indeed unable to release tγ÷ πhe information and energy in the Ω≈$sound signal. As an all-in-one€ $≠ at this price point, the 9i£₩-ESA does everything it&★•Ω€#39;s supposed to.

Attached are some collected Blu-Ray Au§®•₩dio tracks: