Diatone DS-2000 - impressions, comparisons

Diatone DS-2000 - impressions, comparisons

Diatone (aka Mitsubishi) is known to many audio enthusiasts primarily for its speaker systems. The line of acoustics stands out for its high sound quality, even in relatively affordable models.

My system used high-end Diatone DS-1000 speaker systems for quite a long time. This is an excellent acoustics with transparent sound, naturalness and high speed.

Thanks to the closed box form factor, the Diatone DS-1000 sounds very clearly, without humming. There is also a small minus - with a relatively small size (this acoustics is smaller than, for example, the popular Diatone DS-77Z), it cannot provide such depth of bass as can be heard on 77s (although 77s are far from records in this regard), and also smaller in sound compared to acoustics that are lower in rank (I’m still talking about 77). But the resolution, richness, sparkle of sound, endings right down to the mica creak - this, of course, is entirely the advantage of the sound of the Diatone DS-1000.

Later, circumstances led to the fact that the Diatone DS-1000 was replaced by Yamaha NS-1000M monitor-type speaker systems, which literally shocked with significantly greater transparency and space in the sound.

Just huge beryllium domes on the midrange and high frequencies really create magic. You listen and don’t believe that sound of such transparency and resolution is even possible. This “wow” effect is so strong that you stay under its influence for a certain amount of time.

But later, when the ability to think rationally returns, you realize that the Yamaha NS-1000M has certain limitations. Of course, this is primarily the bass; it is so not deep that it can seriously upset you. An attempt to increase it with an equalizer will show that it is also somewhat amorphous and not clear enough compared to Diatone acoustics.

And in the end, you come to the conclusion that the Yamaha NS-1000 simply sounds divine vocal compositions in a stick-to-stick arrangement with two strings, jazz with wind instruments. But rock, and especially fast metal, not only does not sound, but generally looks extremely dull and unconvincing.

Given the choice, I admired the jazz sound of the Yamaha NS-1000 and preferred the simpler Diatone DS-77Z, which produced a more emotional, juice-filled sound across all genres, not just some.

Those. It can be stated that the Yamaha NS-1000 is simply an amazing acoustic system in terms of sound quality, but unfortunately it is genre-dependent. I think these are all echoes of monitor settings - reduced bass in the lower register makes it possible to show the middle in unrealistic detail, but this also leads to a certain brightness. There is a way out - you can reduce the intensity of the mid-high frequencies on the speakers - this will strengthen the low frequencies, but such amazing clarity will fade a little.

Well, you understand, there is no ideal.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that the Diatone DS-2000 might be the best choice for me personally. They are larger in size than the Diatone DS-1000 and, despite all the beauty of the sound of the Diatone DS-1000, they should give solidity to the lower register due to the larger size of the cabinet and speakers.

You might say that perhaps an even better choice would be the Diatone DS-3000. I had such acoustic systems several years ago, but, honestly, I didn’t fully appreciate them. In the midrange there is a large aramid mug added, which brings its own vision of the sound, and as I understand it, my ears have become attached to the sound of titanium or tiboron (boron-titanium) domes. Perhaps now I could change my mind, but now I don’t have that opportunity.

And systematically I installed Diatone DS-2000 into my system. Let me remind you that before the Diatone DS-2000, my system included the Diatone DS-1000, Yamaha NS-1000M and Diatone DS-77Z. Literally removing the Diatone DS-77Z from its pedestals, a day later I installed the Diatone DS-2000 in the same place - visually beautiful speakers, with shining rims and monumental domes.

Diatone DS-2000 was received in amazing condition, no traces of corrosion typical of Japan on the rims or domes, shiny noble veneer.

Diatone DS-2000 are top-end speaker systems. They were produced in 1985 at a price of 336,000 yen per pair (according to the CPI index - see the calculator on the website - now they would cost at least 3100 dollars, but in fact you still need to multiply by 1.7, since the consumer basket index and audio are not same).

Diatone DS-2000 appeared after Diatone DS-1000 and in it the developers decided that the time had come for deeper bass, despite the same form factor.

In size, by eye, I did not notice any differences from the size of the Diatone DS-77Z - about the same, but darker in color, almost cherry.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DIATONE DS-2000

For the sake of interest, I will give the characteristics of the Diatone DS-77Z acoustic systems, which were more “popular” in price, appeared 4 years later, in 1989, and incorporated a lot of technologies from the top segment - boron-titanium tweeter, like the Diatone DS-2000, DUD, aramid LF, etc., and even ADMC, which had not yet been invented at the time of the Diatone DS-2000.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DIATONE DS-77Z

As you can see, the dimensions of the 77Z and 2000 are very close, with a difference of 1-3 cm in favor of the 2000. The woofer of the 77z is even larger by 1 cm. The midrange is also the same, but different speakers are used here, and the comparison is inappropriate. In the 77Z, the midrange driver is a hybrid of a titanium cone and an aramid cone bowl around it, which is suspended on a tangential suspension. In the Diatone DS-2000, the midrange driver is a 6 cm dome made of pure titanium on which boron foam is sprayed. This approach made it possible to completely suppress any parasitic sibilance in titanium and give an extremely natural sound to vocals.

SOUND OF DIATONE DS-2000

If you heard high-end Diatones before the 90s (1000,2000, HR, HRX), then everything will be recognizable to you - these are still the same Diatones capable of infecting with their presentation. The saxophone sounds amazing, it scratches you, it's alive. The vocals are nice and beautiful. The drums are very fast and clear.

First impressions of the Diatone DS-2000 are full-bodied sound. Thick thick bass, as expected. Hey guys, I'm not talking about the liver-massaging bass like in the Soviet C90, but this is a really good and dense Diaton bass in the ZYa form factor.

Probably for the same reason - they increased the bass, compared to the Diatone DS-1000, and the swings swayed, the mids and highs became less pronounced.

Therefore, the feeling is that Diatone DS-2000 is thicker in sound, but less bright, compared to Diatone DS-1000 or Diatone DS-77Z.

1000 and 77z sound brighter, 2000 is a little more muted in HF. But the bass depth of the 2000 clearly surpasses, of course, the 1000 model and is slightly ahead of the 77Z.

One can assume that the Diatone DS-2000 will now trample the “cheap” 77s, with their price tag of 120,000 yen (~$1200), but, guys, it was not for nothing that the descendants absorbed the top technologies of previous years. The first impression is that the sound is very similar to the 77s. Same scale, fairly high transparency.

After a while, you can feel the greater refinement and ideality of the sound of the 2000s, and even later, after an hour of listening, you can finally understand what the difference is. Those. The 77s are acoustics of such a high class that without careful listening you cannot immediately say - ahaha, it doesn’t have enough resolution or speed - and both models have enough resolution and speed.

The difference lies in the fantastic microdynamics - you listen to the Diatone DS-2000 and suddenly realize that many of the sounds have claws that scratch you. Many sounds have a silvery and creaky mica in the vocal or string sound that ends up poking at you.

You listen to the Diatone DS-2000 and just know that this is a top-class acoustics, in which everything is done for sound and done very cool.

For those interested in the path in which the listening took place, it was actually listened to in two paths. In one, a high-class Acuphase power amplifier with huge arrows was installed, and the source was first a TEAC VRDS-25 CD player and a Teac N-50x network player. The system is not mine, I don’t know more precisely. In my system, listening took place on amplifiers Nec A-700 (RCA), Yamaha P2100 (XLR) and parasound A-23 (XLR).

To my ears, the Nec A-700 performed best in my system. the source was the Chinese DAC Inntak Saber ES9018 + 2xMuses8920+2xAD797+2xR-Core+Amanero.

I also listened to the Yamaha NS-1000X speaker systems in comparison with the Diatone DS-2000.

The Yamaha NS-1000X showed breathtaking sound. It lost the childhood ailments of the Yamaha NS-1000M in the lower register and showed a fairly weighty bass at the level of what the Diatone DS-1000 demonstrates. Also, the bass has become more punchy and driving, although still not ideal, but there is no ideal. I can only say that the Yamaha NS-1000X is, of course, a noticeable step forward compared to the Yamaha NS-1000M, namely in the lower register, since the midrange and high frequencies sound about the same.

Compared to the Yamaha NS-1000X, the Diatone DS-2000 sounded muddier, but it was also less bright and excellent in the lower register. I can imagine that the Diatone DS-2000 may still be a less annoying option for long-term listening. But it’s impossible to deny the obvious; the Yamaha NS-1000X is certainly a higher level.

When listening to vocals on the Diatone DS-2000, the voice was clearly localized in space, it was extremely natural, it was great. But on the Yamaha NS-1000X such space suddenly opened up, such amazing airiness that it was surprising, and the voice literally became alive, in the room.

But again, I’ll assume that given the omnivorous nature of the Diatone DS-2000, the same thrash metal on them will most likely be more exciting, at least that’s how the Metalica group Enter Sandmen sounded.

And in vocals and jazz, the Yamaha NS-1000X are simply divine, but perhaps a little too bright.

It's time to listen to the Diatone DS-2000 for yourself, their wonderful emotional sound, though just with the help of this video.

Delivery of goods from Japan

Musical instrument similar warm sound... spot... there is an acoustic system * System... finger... , DIATONE... technology... ... completely... technology... ,... completely... invest... development... acoustic system.
LF... 27cm cone shaped woofer... available. There is a diaphragm… … *… *… there is a diffuser. This diaphragm... ... diffuser... material in this quality... fiber... reinforced... special... , polymer itself... large internal loss... special polymer matrix... is used. This... material and aluminum... core... structure and..., additionally computer... simulation depending on this design... very suitable..., diaphragm... shape and..., speaker coil precise... refinement... suspension... coil is. ... increase... , bass... mid-bass range..., quality... increase... . Also, the frame part... DIATONE special DMM structure... equipped,... circuit including block completely... strong... aluminum cast frame... wrapped... so that after... and... ,... circuit and frame... one whole... . Because of this... block... vibration... completely reduced... , input... loss no diaphragm... .

Midrange... 5cm in the form of a mid-range dome... available. Diaphragm... enhanced... DUD diaphragm... equipped, diaphragm and speaker coil... one piece... diaphragm... directly speaker coil... and... high-speed... , power... ,... characteristic... very improvement... . Also, the suspension part... hardness control... rubber and... back... fiber... three-layer structure... suspension is there. frame part... magnet and frame... one whole... DM method... equipped,... circuit... vibration... influence... reduction... . Additionally DS-10000... diaphragm from there back... directly... acoustics on the lid... diaphragm... shape..., resonance mode in one place... I don’t... structure... . Also, the racks with... vibration... frame... vibration damping control... gun bronze made... frame available.

HF... 2.3cm dome tweeter... available. This unit... diaphragm... DS-5000... equipped... diaphragm modification... reinforced... DUD is. This... diaphragm shape... vibration diameter... maximum... strength resulting, diaphragm... excellent performance... additional increase... . ... frame... mid-range is the same... gun bronze made... details... equipped, mechanism... size accuracy... and and... gun bronze itself... vibration damping... beautiful HF playback... implemented.

Filter part... all wires... line diameter... very thick line... oxygen-free copper line is. Also, current... metal... surface deformation... remove to use... wire ring... sleeve... completely gold plated... . Additionally, current... bottom... each block... suitable... current provision... possible... radial... method... used and so on,... bottom... high quality... and reliability receiving... . Additionally, a filter circuit... especially a large MP capacitor... is used if you make and... ,..., acoustic system... taking this into account design..., additionally... material... shock absorption characteristics... beautiful coniferous wood material... if you use and... 3 parts... the structure is.

Body... front plate and back plate... piano... the material used for this purpose is pine wood... used. Coniferous wood... material characteristics and high rigidity block and... suitable... and..., DS-10000... ... bar core structure is used in this capacity... . Additionally, the plate and back and...resonance mode..., each...bar core material...direction.... Surface finishing sound characteristic... blue-black finishing is. DS-10000... ordinary paint is used... polyurethane painting in comparison on the surface, the hardness is sufficient... and... ,... fold... speed..., resolution... increase... .

DS-10000 1 piece 1 piece… Marie aging… .