06/11/2025
APL GR Ultimate DAC
Musicality is the expression of musical skill and artistic sensitivity, while coherence is the quality of music that makes it sound unified.
In audio, coherence describes how well different elements like bass, mids, and treble blend together as a unified whole rather than a collection of parts. Coherence is one of the most crucial elements of musicality.
APL GR Ultimate DAC* has no peers in this regard. I had owned the most expensive DAC in the world for 5 years. I know what I am talking about here deeply.
Please do not mistaken coherence means excessive warmth in the mid range or high range without agility. It is about the transition from note to note with varying tempo and energy intensity of the performers.
When I was inexperienced, I prioritised clarity over all else. But what is clarity? I thought everything has to be absolutely clear. Anyone can raise the brightness of any screen to see everything. Have we forgotten about contrast?
In my opinion based on decades of experience, most mistaken resolution in the wrong context. Resolution always precludes coherence.
By the way, if anyone wants to stress test coherence, the voice of Delphine Tsai from Taiwan is the most difficult ever. When she was young, she went through very tough training of singing in front of candles (the candlelight cannot be extinguished). As a result, she could control her energy extremely well even if she whispers. The magic is she could deliver a lot of energy at transiting junction in a very tender manner. I was not surprised her highest view video was close to 10 million.
I had uploaded many of her songs lately written in Chinese. I don’t know who would be a good counterpart of Delphine in the western culture.
We are no longer living in the 80s. However, evaluation criteria remain unchanged in spite of tremendous leaps of technology and quantum jump in prices.
*Photography by Anthony Lau
Chris Leung
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