MEETING NOTICE:
May, 21st 2023
2:00 - 5:00 PM
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May, 2023 Meeting
Location: Unitel Technologies, 479 E Business Center Drive, Suite 105, Mt Prospect, IL 60056 2:00 - 5:00 PM Central Time Map Link for Unitel Technologies Location: http://tiny.cc/xxiluz PRESENTING the ORCHARD AUDIO PECAN PI+ STREAMER, DAC, and HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER FEATURING THE NEW TOP-LINE AKM 4499EXEQ+4491EQ DAC CHIPSET Our thanks to Leo Ayzenschtat, founder of Orchard Audio for making available the new Pecan Pi+ directly from AXPONA for this meeting. Orchard Audio has been known for their GaN technology amplifiers and now streamers. AKM, a leading DAC manufacturer, had their entire plant burn down in October 2020. The new dual chipset has been highly anticipated and just began shipping later in 2022. The Orchard Pecan+ is a full streamer with this DAC included. Standard outputs are balanced, but RCA outputs can be added, but the headphone output is deleted in that case. The model also includes a front-panel digital volume control and an SPDIF input where a CD transport/player with digital out can be used with the built-in AKM DAC. The Orchard Audio Pecan Pi+ sells for $799 and is the only US product seen to date with this with the added bonus of being an all-in-one streamer, DAC, and headphone amplifier. Additional product ordering and information is at: https://orchardaudio.com/product/pecanpi-pls-streamer/ John Brunner arranged to have John Lumley Reference tube monoblock amplifiers and preamp available for the demo system along with Steve Merryweather's late 40s RCA Horns using RCA LC-1A drivers. There was a little problem with the ethernet connection in the demo room, but Rich was able to solve that pretty quickly. We also had to add a Naim Audio premap to the system to get around an impedance mismatch problem. Once those two problems were resolved, the sound was excellent. John also had vintage audio and collectables for sale in 4 other rooms on site and encourages members to browse/shop. |
Orchard Audio Pecan Pi+
Front View 
Orchard Audio Pecan Pi+
Rear View |
The following is a link to a YouTube recording from the May, 2023 CAS Meeting posted by Scott Sigman. We were streaming a recording of "When Sunny Gets Blue" by Barbra Streisand from her Simply Streisand album through the Orchard Audio Pecan+ Streamer/DAC using John Lumley Reference tube monoblock amplifiers and preamp, with Steve Merryweather's late 40s RCA Horns using RCA LC-1A drivers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvTpaJ2nYVI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvTpaJ2nYVI