I saw fewer tiny notes and felt less mind meldingbut more of Horowitz's inspiring, late-life vigor and well-earned grandiosity.

With the dCS DAC, my attentions were drawn to Vlad's big pianistic gestures. Not a less masterful one, or a less poetic one, but a bolder, more physical one. With the Bartók, I observed a different Horowitz. The $16k Bartok made an interesting comparison because it helped me scale what I had just experienced with the $10k Mojo. I played Horowitz again through the dCS Bartók streamer-converter. When the album finished, I decided it was time to make those comparisons I'd been putting off. (I mean, what's more admirable than a little note?) The Mystique X SE transmitted the position of at least two on-stage microphones, which didn't just pick up wood hammers striking steel strings they picked up the air surrounding the piano and the intensity of Horowitz's persona. What caused me to feel this was how the Mojo DAC made piano tones glow and whisper, how all the little quiet notesones I don't usually heargot through, letting me enjoy their unique expressiveness and admire them individually. At least that's how I felt about his performance when I listened to it early in January. When the 82-year-old Horowitz finished, I felt certain everyone in the audience knew: He was the alpha dog of Russian pianists. One night, a few days into the new year, I put on this live, 1986 recording I really love called Horowitz in Moscow (16/44.1 FLAC Deutsche Grammophon/Qobuz) and as I listened, all I could think was, 'Damn! Horowitz in Moscow feels like Hendrix Live at Monterey.' It's that kind of performance. Nevertheless, I must earn my shilling and sixpence, so I will commence with a few descriptions from my listening experiences. That's the effect the Mystique had on me and my system. In most ways, that's the main story of this review. Its nuclear-level pheromone emissions led me amorously from one streaming track to another. The Mojo's extremely natural, easy-flowing sound trumped every inclination I had to do comparisons with some other digital source. Since installing the Mystique X SE DAC in my system about four weeks ago, I have not taken it out.

Instal the new MystiQ