In May 2023, Simaudio released its Moon North Collection, comprising the 641 integrated amplifier, 681 streaming digital-to-analog converter (DAC), 761 and 861 power amplifiers, and 791 and 891 streaming preamplifiers. In December 2023, Doug Schneider reviewed the 791 on this site, highlighting the preamp’s DAC, streaming functionality, and MM/MC phono stage, and concluded that it should “appeal to the discerning audiophile who wants an uncompromised preamplifier that could easily handle today’s playback needs and those in years to come.”
Priced at $16,000 (all prices in USD), the Moon 791 isn’t cheap, but Doug’s praiseworthy review and measurement specialist Diego Estan’s excellent test-bench results earned it the Reviewers’ Choice, Recommended Reference Component, and 2023 SoundStage! Network Product of the Year awards. On January 1, 2024, Doug even wrote an article specifically about the 791, praising how Simaudio has implemented “valuable features with no apparent compromises to its performance.” Diego was so impressed by the 791’s measurements, he wondered if the Canadian company could actually better it.
The answer came last month when Aron Garrecht reviewed the flagship Moon 891 streaming preamplifier for SoundStage! Ultra. Retailing at $25,000, the 891 has no new major features, and is equipped with the same BRM-1 remote control as the other streaming components in the North Collection. It also shares the built-in MiND streaming module found in the 791 preamp and 681 DAC. However, the 891’s taller case can accommodate a larger display screen than on the 791’s front panel. Furthermore, the circuitry for each section—preamplifier, DAC, phono stage, and even the volume control—is said to have been improved over those in the 791. The circuit boards also reside on what Simaudio calls a Moon Damping Base (MDB), a refinement lacking in the 791. Aron describes MDB in his review as “a gel-based suspension that dissipates vibrations as heat” that is designed “to suppress parasitic vibrations that cause microphonics in the audio circuitry.”
On the test bench, the improvements were on display, with Diego finding that almost every measured parameter for the 891 equaled or surpassed those of the 791. Of particular importance were the vanishingly low noise and distortion, causing Diego to write in his synopsis: “We can only commend Simaudio for producing what must be one of the most transparent, if not the most transparent, analog audio products in existence.” The 891’s low noise was evident during Aron’s auditioning; in his review he declares: “The Moon 891 is the quietest preamplifier I have ever evaluated.” Also notable are the 0.1dB volume steps over part of the range that the user can enable (versus the 791’s 0.5dB minimum), and the outstanding channel matching revealed by Diego’s measurements, which had him asserting that the 891 may have “the finest volume control on any consumer audio device anywhere.”
For his critical evaluation, Aron conducted what he describes as “a four-way comparison using one track, ‘Love Letters,’ from Diana Krall’s 2001 album The Look of Love.” He has the album on CD, SACD, and DVD-A, all of which he has ripped to his music server, as well as on vinyl. He states: “Streaming these digital files (using the Moon MiND app and later Roon) meant I could perform a near-perfect apples-to-apples comparison highlighting how the 891 performed across most of its internal and external inputs.” Aron describes the sonic differences of the streamed versions in detail, and concludes that “the Moon 891 did not shy away from communicating the disparate characteristics of Red Book, 24/96, and DSD64 versions of ‘Love Letters.’” Aron played “Love Letters” on vinyl and notes that what he heard was similar to what he experienced “while listening to the DSD64 file, but with some subtle differences,” which he documents thoroughly in the review.
Comparisons of the 891’s features to his reference components also formed a significant portion of Aron’s review, beginning with his Parasound JC3+ phono stage, which sells for $2499. The turntable he used was his Pro-Ject RPM 10 Carbon with a Sumiko Starling moving-coil cartridge. Aron writes that the 891’s phono section “was a whisper quieter” than the JC3+, but the Parasound “was the more flamboyant phono stage, producing louder, punchier, yet equally refined-sounding bass complemented by a neutral, transparent, yet sophisticated presentation.” He also points out that “the Moon 891 drew fuller images, but with the same-sized brush” and that “both phono stages dug deep into Krall’s ‘Love Letters’ to communicate the subtle intricacies of Erskine’s cymbals, the decays of Krall’s voice, and the spatial nuances hinting at the boundaries of the soundstage.” Aron adds that “piano notes through the JC3+ were cast more vividly with more dynamic inflection, but the 891 reproduced Krall’s playing with greater warmth, fluidity, and delicacy,” with the latter being what he preferred.
Aron likewise compared digital playback via Simaudio’s MiND streaming platform and his Roon server and “heard no differences whatsoever” between the two. Confident in Roon’s ability to stream with no deterioration in sound quality, Aron then used Roon to compare the sound of his T+A MP 3100 HV SACD player / streaming DAC ($22,275), connected to the 891’s balanced analog inputs, to the 891’s own digital section. He played “Love Letters” again and found the sound of the 891’s preamplifier section to be “utterly transparent.” He also found the digital sections of the two components to “sound very different,” writing:
Through the 891’s streaming module and DAC, instruments and vocals exhibited body and dimension, but compared to the T+A, lacked a bit of sizzle. The T+A MP 3100 HV painted more holographic images within a larger soundstage, while placing those objects closer to me. Bass performance was nearly indistinguishable. I say “nearly” because the 891 sounded ever so slightly more controlled in the bottom end, with deep notes able to be felt in my chair just a wisp more than from the T+A. Focusing on the orchestra, the MP 3100 HV added a bit of scale but didn’t quite lock down instruments with the same precision I heard through the 891. The same observation rang true with Krall’s vocals. Through the 891, Krall sounded as if she was two to three rows further back on the stage, yet was drawn more sharply. Malone’s electric guitar lost a fraction of tonal color through the 891. Additionally, the T+A presented Erskine’s brushes of the cymbals and Krall’s piano through a clearer lens, perhaps because it positioned these elements closer to me, which I enjoyed.
Aron then compared the 891’s preamplifier section to his tube-based Audio Research 6SE, a line stage–only preamplifier (i.e., with no phono or digital sections) that costs $19,500. He points out that, in contrast to the ultra-quiet 891, “with the Reference 6SE in the loop, there was unavoidable tube noise subtly muddying the noise floor.” Despite the higher noise, Aron states that “the air and sense of atmosphere” that the 6SE could convey “surpassed that offered by the 891, and by no small margin.” But he also writes that “Russell Malone’s fluid guitar notes at the beginning of the track sounded similar through both systems . . . with the only difference being a slight expansion of scale favoring my reference components,” and “the portrayal of Krall’s vocals was a toss-up.” Finally, Aron mentions that the 891 “excelled at chiseling images in space with more density and body, supplemented by a sense of focus and ease” that resulted in him “toggling back and forth” to figure out which one he preferred. All told, there were sonic differences, but no clear winner, which led Aron to make this important point about these comparisons: “It took comparing the Moon 891 to a set of standalone components that together cost significantly more to hint at any shortcomings.”
Thus far, the Simaudio Moon 891 has gained the same accolades as the 791. It earned a Reviewers’ Choice award at the time the review was published; it’s now earned a Recommended Reference Component award through us publishing this article; and although our SoundStage! Network Products of the Year 2024 have yet to be announced, suffice it to say that the 891 is in contention for an award in the Outstanding Performance category.
Manufacturer contact information:
Simaudio Ltd.
1345 Newton Road
Boucherville, Quebec J4B 5H2
Canada
Phone: (450) 449-2212
Website: www.simaudio.com
