Long time print subscriber. Just checked out this review. Fantastic. I would have liked to have seen a bit of the use of the remote or buttons or user interface stuff, but that’s the only criticism. I’ll be searching out more of Tom’s video reviews.
I like the funky look and I’m sure it sounds great. Out of my price range. I worked for a Swiss company so I understand their focus on quality and premium pricing.
What issues ? A UA-camr is spreading rumors that he believes it's going under ? My understanding is they are making marketing adjustments to be more 'affordable' ?
some don't like its color scheme as most prefer Black or brushed aluminum . personally i find it Gorgeous. i hope the company is healthy business wise !!. great review. thank you so much.
Have been a fan of Dartzeel since i first heard paired with Von Schweikert at the old Alexis Park in Vegas. Tom, would love to see a review on the new Aurender AP20 (DAC/Server/Streamer/Integrated) that uses Bruno Putseys Eigentakt Class D modules $22k. It is loaded w features and aesthetically, top tier!
This is a fully configured product…. All that is left is turntable and cd player…. It seems to fit …. Nice review as always… I would like to demo this product but… what if it destroys my David Belles pre and power amps… Belles products are much better than many know…
Our fault. We saw the product at Axpona, requested it per our normal process, darTZeel shipped it, and...listening room 2 construction was delayed...twice. So we got to it as soon as we could.
@@paatras According to a quote attributed to John Stone of Dartzeel America, they are. Extrapolating from another source, it appears that they have pandemic loans from the Swiss government they cannot pay back, and have been put on some sort of payment plan. Secondary to that, they’ve begin the R&D stage of trying to develop more affordable products. It appears they’re producing products on a batch-order basis, which isn’t in of itself an issue, but combined with the debt concern, it does create questions about the long term viability of the brand. I guess the question, with any audio brand is, do you want to pay multiple five figures for a product which may be impossible to get serviced down the road? This isn’t Pass Labs. You’re not going to find schematics online. The Dartzeel stuff I’ve heard is nice sounding. I’m hopeful that they can make affordable products which expand their customer base.
@@ramanmanan203 It’s true. Herve has said this as well. The issue is that for XLR, you need additional transformers in the signal path. For ultra high-end components, this inevitably makes the sound worse. Unless you need > 20m of cable, XLR is not the right choice. This is why Nagra, in their $90k HD Phono has no XLR inputs at all. Not because they cannot offer it or because they are cutting corners; but because they know it degrades SQ.
I liked the review on this very interesting all in one amp. However, I feel that overall TAS has not completely entered the digital times of youtube yet. The whole review appeared to have been read from a teleprompter. I believe it would be more natural if you expressed your opinions with your own words instead of reading them out loud.
that's an interesting piece of equipment you're comparing it with. sure why not . i love everything Japanese. high quality and reliability. what else could you ask for 😊?!.
There is no technology that can measure human audiotory perception, especially in transient response, frequencies outside of 20-20k hz still matter, that's why when senheinser was asked why infra and ultrasound frequencies, they replied simply, less distortion. And then even noises outside of 20-20k matter too, because no matter at what frequency signals will intermodulate with each other and alter the final audio signal. I mean really, find a high end shop, bring your favorite gears and compare it a/b it there however you like with those who say can identify differences and have discussions there, it will be far more constructive that way.
@@koblongata Measurement equipment can measure way beyond 20khz and there are many other things you can measure which are relevant. I have had many speakers, amps etc. since 1988. My take on my own journey in hifi land is that the acoustics in the room are WAY more important than which dac or amp you use. It was by far my biggest upgrade to treat my room with lots of absorption. I often see people spending ridiculous amounts on gear and they claim all kinds of huge differences between cables, fuses, dacs and amps. but they make their judgements in an untreated room with lots of reverb, peaks and nulls, etc. So all those opinions do not matter much to me. I have dutch & dutch active speakers in a treated room and this is hifi heaven for me.
@@kingtubbyleeperry Of course room treament is important too, sigh... I mean really, go out and meet people who can identify differences and compare it and discuss there.
@@kingtubbyleeperry High end audio reproduction is transcending really, just go to a high end store and experience it, bring your music, headphone or something, if you can't tell the difference then just leave, but stop attacking people who can and kept saying measurements measurements which we the like-minded already know there is much more to it, you simply can't measure natrualness and sound stage depth, etc. We spent a lot of our life times to pursuite and enjoy the next level of audio quality, high end sound is addicting and rewarding and is far more serious than you think.
Not to dampen the mood of what I'm sure is a excellent product but didn't the company just file for bankruptcy? Or are these rumors not true? Thanks for your review!
The week after we produced this video, darTZeel released a statement including this, which you can read as you choose: "Not only will the darTZeel brand continue to exist, but it will also change its paradigm by focusing on new concepts, which for now will remain undisclosed for obvious reasons. What you need to know now are the following: 1. darTZeel is more alive than ever, and legendary customer service remains unchanged. 2. Current production of the NHB, CTH, and LHC series will now be made only on demand. (For existing customer): It is strongly advised not to sell off your darTZeel equipment on AudiogoN or elsewhere, because from now on, owning a darTZeel instrument is an investment. 3. A new line of instruments, aimed at a broader audience, is currently under study. Stay tuned! darTZeel instruments are made in Geneva to last forever. Period."
I really don't see how companies like darTZeel stay in business. Most people who can afford such stratospheric prices wouldn't spend that much money on an audio system. Either they have other priorities, aren't into music all that much or they're satisfied with a system that is affordable even for the hoi polloi.
@@tabl10s Yes it is. We all have our passions. It is the same for watches, cars, guns, clothes, and even travel. Audio is one of the most obsessive-compulsive hobbies there is, and those that indulge, if they're not married and/or have dependents, are free to spend more than people with family responsibilities. That said, "care-free" or not, they are not likely to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a pair of speakers (like the $750,000 Magico 9s) or $20,000 for amplification.
The most obvious problem to me is the grotesque color resemblance to Iron Man, which is sadly a juvenile trait id be unwilling to compromise on when there are simply so many other excellent options at this price point that don’t appear to be designed by prepubescent boys.
This seems really scammy considering dartzeel is temporarily or permanently out of business. Companies like TAS, dcs, Dartzeel etc really make my skin crawl
Oligarch audio…gawd I can’t stand this crap. When you pack all that crap into one box there is clearly compromises. The treble distortions are largely due to the streaming source. Sure the dartzeel may do things better. But it all comes down to source. If the “real” treble has been decimated by a pcm stream feed it’s just putting 💄 on a 🐷. Did you do some DSD comparisons?
The week after we produced this video, darTZeel released a statement. Something is changing for sure: "Not only will the darTZeel brand continue to exist, but it will also change its paradigm by focusing on new concepts, which for now will remain undisclosed for obvious reasons. What you need to know now are the following: 1. darTZeel is more alive than ever, and legendary customer service remains unchanged. 2. Current production of the NHB, CTH, and LHC series will now be made only on demand. (For existing customer): It is strongly advised not to sell off your darTZeel equipment on AudiogoN or elsewhere, because from now on, owning a darTZeel instrument is an investment. 3. A new line of instruments, aimed at a broader audience, is currently under study. Stay tuned! darTZeel instruments are made in Geneva to last forever. Period."
@@TASmagazine - wouldn’t you love to know the target demographics of the “broader audience” they will be competing for? If they’re listening, this very mature Audiophile sold his 95lb Mono amps recently and I’m not going back, hint, hint.
@TheTASmagazine wow what are u now a paid channel for them 😂 'Investment' lmao maybe they are 24 carat gold. Btw one can't even get 40% of what they paid on the used market!
Long time print subscriber. Just checked out this review. Fantastic. I would have liked to have seen a bit of the use of the remote or buttons or user interface stuff, but that’s the only criticism. I’ll be searching out more of Tom’s video reviews.
I like the funky look and I’m sure it sounds great. Out of my price range. I worked for a Swiss company so I understand their focus on quality and premium pricing.
Dartzeel products are amazing. I truly hope the company can get their issues worked out. Thanks for the great review.
What issues ? A UA-camr is spreading rumors that he believes it's going under ? My understanding is they are making marketing adjustments to be more 'affordable' ?
@@ptg01 go to their website. It’s basically down with a cryptic message.
Another great review, Tom!!
some don't like its color scheme as most prefer Black or brushed aluminum . personally i find it Gorgeous. i hope the company is healthy business wise !!.
great review. thank you so much.
Excellent review. Very honest! Five thumbs up!
Have been a fan of Dartzeel since i first heard paired with Von Schweikert at the old Alexis Park in Vegas. Tom, would love to see a review on the new Aurender AP20 (DAC/Server/Streamer/Integrated) that uses Bruno Putseys Eigentakt Class D modules $22k. It is loaded w features and aesthetically, top tier!
I love theabsolutesound!
Me too!
Tom: Another great review.
The current events surrounding Dartzeel show exactly why the situation in Switzerland is like this at this completely crazy price.
This is a fully configured product…. All that is left is turntable and cd player…. It seems to fit …. Nice review as always… I would like to demo this product but… what if it destroys my David Belles pre and power amps…
Belles products are much better than many know…
Just when dartzeel was announced to be having financial difficulties, TAS comes through with a review!
Our fault. We saw the product at Axpona, requested it per our normal process, darTZeel shipped it, and...listening room 2 construction was delayed...twice. So we got to it as soon as we could.
That is simply not true
@@paatrasYou're calling TAS liars?
@@tabl10s no. I am saying that dartzeel is not having finantial difficulties. It was just a rumor that was denied by Hervé.
@@paatraswhen a company is healty and have top-of-the-line products, what could be the reason to stop selling and shut down the website… ??
Dartzeel is reportedly going through a “restructuring”. Hope that goes well and they’re a healthy company on the opposite side.
They are not restructuring
@@paatras According to a quote attributed to John Stone of Dartzeel America, they are.
Extrapolating from another source, it appears that they have pandemic loans from the Swiss government they cannot pay back, and have been put on some sort of payment plan. Secondary to that, they’ve begin the R&D stage of trying to develop more affordable products. It appears they’re producing products on a batch-order basis, which isn’t in of itself an issue, but combined with the debt concern, it does create questions about the long term viability of the brand.
I guess the question, with any audio brand is, do you want to pay multiple five figures for a product which may be impossible to get serviced down the road? This isn’t Pass Labs. You’re not going to find schematics online.
The Dartzeel stuff I’ve heard is nice sounding. I’m hopeful that they can make affordable products which expand their customer base.
@@paatrassez who?
26k without a single XLR input !
Feels more like jewelry though... It is gorgeous.
XLR inputs usually degrade the sound. Try not to use them.
@@Fluterra is that true? I thought the opposite..
@@ramanmanan203 It’s true. Herve has said this as well. The issue is that for XLR, you need additional transformers in the signal path. For ultra high-end components, this inevitably makes the sound worse. Unless you need > 20m of cable, XLR is not the right choice. This is why Nagra, in their $90k HD Phono has no XLR inputs at all. Not because they cannot offer it or because they are cutting corners; but because they know it degrades SQ.
@@Fluterra thanks for the clarification
I liked the review on this very interesting all in one amp. However, I feel that overall TAS has not completely entered the digital times of youtube yet. The whole review appeared to have been read from a teleprompter. I believe it would be more natural if you expressed your opinions with your own words instead of reading them out loud.
I believe Luxman is a better value! Love my 507z
that's an interesting piece of equipment you're comparing it with.
sure why not . i love everything Japanese. high quality and reliability. what else could you ask for 😊?!.
If you want extra affirmation, check out Tom's review of the 507z last year! ua-cam.com/video/fMAAxD2bQuc/v-deo.htmlsi=ZcpCZU-0ycEH3Tx3
Yes, expensive but heard it several times and it really really offers a great value even at its (high) price. But its look is a no go for me...
Really like your reviews, although I prefer objective measurement data.
There is no technology that can measure human audiotory perception, especially in transient response, frequencies outside of 20-20k hz still matter, that's why when senheinser was asked why infra and ultrasound frequencies, they replied simply, less distortion. And then even noises outside of 20-20k matter too, because no matter at what frequency signals will intermodulate with each other and alter the final audio signal.
I mean really, find a high end shop, bring your favorite gears and compare it a/b it there however you like with those who say can identify differences and have discussions there, it will be far more constructive that way.
@@koblongata Measurement equipment can measure way beyond 20khz and there are many other things you can measure which are relevant. I have had many speakers, amps etc. since 1988. My take on my own journey in hifi land is that the acoustics in the room are WAY more important than which dac or amp you use. It was by far my biggest upgrade to treat my room with lots of absorption. I often see people spending ridiculous amounts on gear and they claim all kinds of huge differences between cables, fuses, dacs and amps. but they make their judgements in an untreated room with lots of reverb, peaks and nulls, etc. So all those opinions do not matter much to me. I have dutch & dutch active speakers in a treated room and this is hifi heaven for me.
@@kingtubbyleeperry Of course room treament is important too, sigh... I mean really, go out and meet people who can identify differences and compare it and discuss there.
@@kingtubbyleeperry High end audio reproduction is transcending really, just go to a high end store and experience it, bring your music, headphone or something, if you can't tell the difference then just leave, but stop attacking people who can and kept saying measurements measurements which we the like-minded already know there is much more to it, you simply can't measure natrualness and sound stage depth, etc. We spent a lot of our life times to pursuite and enjoy the next level of audio quality, high end sound is addicting and rewarding and is far more serious than you think.
Stick to asr chifi reviews this is for audiophiles who are interested in sound quality not people who believe $100 components are the best
$26k lol😂
Not to dampen the mood of what I'm sure is a excellent product but didn't the company just file for bankruptcy? Or are these rumors not true? Thanks for your review!
The darTZeel website sure looks like the brand is no longer active!
This is covered in the description, to the degree that we’re up to speed from formal information from darTZeel.
So true
i thought they've gone bankrupt lol
The week after we produced this video, darTZeel released a statement including this, which you can read as you choose: "Not only will the darTZeel brand continue to exist, but it will also change its paradigm by focusing on new concepts, which for now will remain undisclosed for obvious reasons.
What you need to know now are the following:
1. darTZeel is more alive than ever, and legendary customer service remains unchanged.
2. Current production of the NHB, CTH, and LHC series will now be made only on demand.
(For existing customer): It is strongly advised not to sell off your darTZeel equipment on AudiogoN or elsewhere, because from now on, owning a darTZeel instrument is an investment.
3. A new line of instruments, aimed at a broader audience, is currently under study. Stay tuned!
darTZeel instruments are made in Geneva to last forever. Period."
@@TASmagazinethe message on the darTZeel website is shorter and looks much less positive. Strange.
I had amplifier, it break after a week , a lot of problems back and forward, not so reliable 😮😮
sounds like you had the Chinese knockoff.
They seem to be out of business temporarily !...
See description for darTZeel’s official statement
$27K for an amp what a bargain . Put me down for 2 .
And some thought they're out of business 😏
they shut down their website for sure only for fun 😜
I really don't see how companies like darTZeel stay in business. Most people who can afford such stratospheric prices wouldn't spend that much money on an audio system. Either they have other priorities, aren't into music all that much or they're satisfied with a system that is affordable even for the hoi polloi.
Are you talking from experience? Is it the same for Watches, Cars, etc?
@@tabl10s Yes it is. We all have our passions. It is the same for watches, cars, guns, clothes, and even travel. Audio is one of the most obsessive-compulsive hobbies there is, and those that indulge, if they're not married and/or have dependents, are free to spend more than people with family responsibilities. That said, "care-free" or not, they are not likely to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a pair of speakers (like the $750,000 Magico 9s) or $20,000 for amplification.
Class A ? Or Class AB ?
AB as far as we know (and based on the heat sink size)
@@TASmagazine thanks
The most obvious problem to me is the grotesque color resemblance to Iron Man, which is sadly a juvenile trait id be unwilling to compromise on when there are simply so many other excellent options at this price point that don’t appear to be designed by prepubescent boys.
This seems really scammy considering dartzeel is temporarily or permanently out of business. Companies like TAS, dcs, Dartzeel etc really make my skin crawl
That's a lie
Why are you reviewing a product from a company that is out of business?
Then why did you even bother to click the vid? You can skip this vid u know.
It’s not out of business. And that’s why.
Oligarch audio…gawd I can’t stand this crap. When you pack all that crap into one box there is clearly compromises. The treble distortions are largely due to the streaming source. Sure the dartzeel may do things better. But it all comes down to source. If the “real” treble has been decimated by a pcm stream feed it’s just putting 💄 on a 🐷. Did you do some DSD comparisons?
Kinda screams: LOOK AT ME.. I BELONG at Trump Tower !!!
Dartzeel are bankrupt!?
😂😂😂😂😂
Talk about catering to the .00001%
Rumor is that darTZeel is no more.
The week after we produced this video, darTZeel released a statement. Something is changing for sure: "Not only will the darTZeel brand continue to exist, but it will also change its paradigm by focusing on new concepts, which for now will remain undisclosed for obvious reasons.
What you need to know now are the following:
1. darTZeel is more alive than ever, and legendary customer service remains unchanged.
2. Current production of the NHB, CTH, and LHC series will now be made only on demand.
(For existing customer): It is strongly advised not to sell off your darTZeel equipment on AudiogoN or elsewhere, because from now on, owning a darTZeel instrument is an investment.
3. A new line of instruments, aimed at a broader audience, is currently under study. Stay tuned!
darTZeel instruments are made in Geneva to last forever. Period."
@@TASmagazine - wouldn’t you love to know the target demographics of the “broader audience” they will be competing for? If they’re listening, this very mature Audiophile sold his 95lb Mono amps recently and I’m not going back, hint, hint.
@TheTASmagazine wow what are u now a paid channel for them 😂 'Investment' lmao maybe they are 24 carat gold. Btw one can't even get 40% of what they paid on the used market!