Review Isotek Titan (EVO3)

De Test Setup

We have used the Isotek EVO3 Titan in two systems: our Dion Audio, Stenheim, Metrum, Alpha HTPC/ROON system in the typing-room. And our reference set consisting of Focal Sopra No1, Metrum Acoustics Pavane, Metrum Acoustics Ambre, Pass Labs XP12 and Bryston 4B SST3. Cables come from Grimm Audio, Audioquest, Art Speak and Kemp.

Now we already have filters in our system. Both in the tapping room – Van Medevoort PFM2 – and in the listening room: a Kemp HiPower 8Plus socket and an SNS plug. And yes: that is necessary and sounds better than running without filters. If we take a loose reading with the Blue Horizon meter, it’ll go to 738. And sometimes even MAX. Not good. With the Kemp HiPower 8 alone, it sinks to something around 10. And a light mumble. With the SNS crankbait it drops a little bit.

We can be short: with the Titan the meter is to 0 and we hear nothing from the speaker: dead quiet. In short: nothing more comes through the filter. But as we have often said, this says nothing about the display quality. Just that it filters. But with filters it’s crucial that it doesn’t affect the dynamics. Certainly with power amplifiers this is often the case. That’s why we normally advise against it.

Various set-ups

We’ve tried several combinations. Especially with pre- and power amplifiers. The power amplifier is always connected to the Titan. However, we misused the second connection for other tests. Think of the Dion tube preamplifier connected and not connected, Benchmark DAC3 and later the Metrum Amethyst connected and not in the Titan. And in the reference set the XP-12 in or out. You can read the findings further on.