Tomorrow, Stratman, and Nick250 your comments have to be coming out of ignorance as to what the dARTS system is designed to do. Stratman at least has an excuse..... he is a caveman after all (insert disgusted glare here
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Why would I spend time A/B/X testing one product against another when after listening to product A, I decided against it? I have a reference standard that if something doesn't match up to in one or many areas... it's out. End of story. No need to keep beating the dead horse and trying to compare it to other products when I know it doesn't fit the bill. I have time enough and experience with what I consider a reference system to know what I'm looking for in finding a better one. Phase Technology, without a question in my mind, provided that better solution in the dARTS system. That being the most complete sounding home theatre experience I've ever had.
dARTS, as you will find out if you research it, is designed to sound exactly the same in any room (so long as you choose the proper system for the cubic space in your room) and at any listening position regardless of the rooms sonic signature. Both of your assertions as to the environment I auditioned in possibly being the reason it sounded better than anything else is moot because the system sounds the same in any room. I know the next question is: Did you hear it in another room? No, I did my homework and called other dealers to ask them what their experiences with it were. There are three versions - in-wall, in-room, and behind-wall. I heard the behind wall set-up and, after getting the feedback from the other dealers and reading several reviews, I'm convinced that the in-wall/room rigs sound the same. This is brilliant because now customers aren’t limited by the constraints of their room or wall space.
In addition to spending time with the system I also spoke to Ken Hecht at Phase Tech (he designed the system) as to why he designed a system to do this and the process in which he chose to accomplish it. This is all documented in magazine articles, but before I invest in something I like to get the story from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. I have been nothing but impressed with Phase Tech as a company and their product more than matched up to their service.
As far as my mind playing tricks on me, I find that assertion a little ridiculous based on my experience and the reason behind why I demo product vs. that of a consumer. I keep in the forefront of my mind that when I'm auditioning new equipment I need to be cynical and pick the product (and company) apart to find weakness. There is no "caught up in the moment" for me any more really. It's a business. A hobby too, that's what keeps it fun, but a business first. I ceased being a fan-boy of anything, any belief, or any science, a few years ago because products are always changing. The fact that "one person's experience" is backed up by numerous dealers and magazine articles (research the product instead of regurgitating common responses) make that point moot as well.
I was merely suggesting that, in my opinion and from my experience, this was the best system out there and that people should go give it a listen. While I certainly don't have the "golden ears" I don't believe I've heard a better “home use” product intended for playing movies..... in ANY environment or at any price point. Two ch. music is admittedly the systems weakness. Because the software the amp uses is typically tuned and set-up for multi-channel listening, you don't get the depth out of the speakers in two channel mode. I did listen to some multi-channel music and a few chapters of an Eagles concert DVD and the system sounded beautiful.
I just thought this system would interest a lot of home theatre buffs out there because it provided a different solution to a lot of problems that people encounter when either doing a dedicated room or an open area system. People on the forums talk all the time about auditioning systems both in and out of their budget and I thought I’d recommend what I – and many others – feel is the best system out there and ask if anyone had ever actually listened to it.
