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Exposure 3010S2-D - What are the Improvements and How Good Is This Amp?

R

ryder

pfm Member
Just noticed that the Exposure 3010S2 integrated had been replaced by the current 3010S2-D. There is nothing much on the improvements of the new model on the Exposure website. Apart from the additional features which I am not interested in (optional MM/MC photostage or plug-in DAC board), I found the following information from other sources instead:-

The preamplifier now sports a brand new circuit board with all discrete components rather than integrated circuits, while the power amp features a fast bipolar transistor output stage for dynamic and vivid performance. A new power supply adds extra stages of regulation for improved performance.

Has anyone compared the 3010S2-D to its predecessor (3010S2)? Are there tangible differences in sound quality? I presume the 3010S2-D is a significant step-up from the 2010S2-D?

Lastly, I read that the 3010S2 scores big in 2014 against the likes of Naim Nait XS2 and Rega Elicit-R in HIFINEWS UK. The Nait XS2 was said to sound less natural whereas the Rega Elicit-R was said to have made the recording sound slightly opaque and veiled. In short, does anyone feel that the 3010S2-D is something special ? http://www.hifinews.co.uk/news/article/exposure-3010s2-pound;1495/20185
 
Maybe it's sounding now more like the 'new Classic' XXXV?

If I remember right, I did find that the 3010S2(no D) sounded a little more closed in and heavier handed than the XXXV in my system, soo ...?
 
David Price's review in HFC said it was an all-round improvement.
Every time I've heard Exposure at the Bristol show I've enjoyed it - trouble is, finding a dealer!
 
Very little information on this new 3010S2-D. After some investigation, it appears that this amp only comes on song at higher volume levels and does not sound too good at low volume listening levels.
 
ryder said:
Very little information on this new 3010S2-D. After some investigation, it appears that this amp only comes on song at higher volume levels and does not sound too good at low volume listening levels.
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That'll be hearsay. Take with a large pinch of salt. You want to contact Exposure , or find a dealer. Difficult I know , there seem to be so few where you can go and audition. Some dealers may let you buy one ,sale or return ?
Exposure have a track record of producing audio equipment that gives great performance for the cost.
I'm of a mind every now and then to sell all my players , preamps and powers etc. Enough of this 20 years of box swapping and collecting, humping gear around, reconfiguring system every couple of weeks.
Just buy a 3010s2 set up. Cdp , pre and mono's. That's it. Kick back and enjoy.
Maybe in a few years ?

Never heard that Exposure set up but I'm in no doubt it will sound very good indeed.
 
ryder said:
Very little information on this new 3010S2-D. After some investigation, it appears that this amp only comes on song at higher volume levels and does not sound too good at low volume listening levels.
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Simply not true but maybe true of the speakers being used.

We have the 3010S2D on demo but it's always better in the customer's system, room and speakers where he can appraise its talents over 14 days.

It's a very good amp by any measurement.

Peter
 
Cyreg said:
Here's a link of a translated Dutch review

https://translate.google.com/transl...eerde-stereoversterker-beluisterd/&edit-text=

It's a Google translation, but....maybe this helps?
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Thanks Cyreg. Much appreciated. That is exactly what I am looking for in a review, the comparison between the new 3010S2-D and the 3010S2. I wonder why I didn't manage to find this article earlier. Google translation surely helps.

If it's proven to be an honest unbiased review, Exposure may have a winner in the 3010S2-D which has turned out to be an improvement over its predecessor in a rather big way.
 
I own 3010 s2 for year and the half and I can say that I am more than satisfied with it, I just love this amp. I had an opportunity to compare these two amps. Both my friends and me had the same impression: Exposure 3010 S2 and Exposure 3010 S2-D are very similar. New incarnation is a little bit more linear and balanced, but both amps still have the same Expo sonic character. I was glad that new amp preserved that typical Expo sound (this is what I like about Exposure products).
Would I change my Exposure 3010 S2 for the new 3010 S2-D? No, of course not. There is no need for that.
Would I buy new Exposure 3010 S2-D if I already hadn't owned my 3010s2? Yes, of course.
I want to stress that Exposure 3010 S2-D had his own built-in DAC that had performed really great too.
 
Aleksandar75 said:
I own 3010 s2 for year and the half and I can say that I am more than satisfied with it, I just love this amp. I had an opportunity to compare these two amps. Both my friends and me had the same impression: Exposure 3010 S2 and Exposure 3010 S2-D are very similar. New incarnation is a little bit more linear and balanced, but both amps still have the same Expo sonic character. I was glad that new amp preserved that typical Expo sound (this is what I like about Exposure products).
Would I change my Exposure 3010 S2 for the new 3010 S2-D? No, of course not. There is no need for that.
Would I buy new Exposure 3010 S2-D if I already hadn't owned my 3010s2? Yes, of course.
I want to stress that Exposure 3010 S2-D had his own built-in DAC that had performed really great too.
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Thanks for the information. Much appreciated. Good to hear that the 3010 S2 and 3010 S2-D share an almost similar sound quality. From my previous experience, I wouldn't expect the changes to be *dramatically* different, though I hope the differences, as small as they can be, are appreciable or tangible. I can listen to both Exposure models at the dealer. It's just a matter of time.

I think the DAC for the 3010 S2-D is offered as an option at an additional cost (the amp doesn't come with the built-in DAC). Not too sure whether the built-in DAC offered for the 3010 S2-D is good. I have a Musical Fidelity M1 asynchronous DAC and playing FLAC audio files through it doesn't sound as a good compared to redbook CDs through my Krell CD player. I don't have high hopes in DAC-based music as music sounds flat and anaemic when comparison is made with CD-based music. It's just like comparing vinyl with CD where the former usually (in most cases) offers a more enjoyable listen.
 
Jodet said:
My 3010S2 running P3ESR's sounds wonderful.
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Good to hear. FWIW I just forward the link of the Dutch review to a friend who owns the Harbeth M40.1 and he said he wants to run to the dealer to purchase the amp after reading the review. It is very likely that I'll try this amp too. I surely hope it doesn't sound exactly like the Naim (one of the main reasons I am considering the Exposure). Just need to be very careful with the new gear purchase as I do not want to make a mistake and end up like my previous case with the Rega Elicit (bought new and it lasted for only 8 months in my system, with the Harbeth SHL5).
 
ryder said:
I think the DAC for the 3010 S2-D is offered as an option at an additional cost (the amp doesn't come with the built-in DAC). Not too sure whether the built-in DAC offered for the 3010 S2-D is good. I have a Musical Fidelity M1 asynchronous DAC and playing FLAC audio files through it doesn't sound as a good compared to redbook CDs through my Krell CD player. I don't have high hopes in DAC-based music as music sounds flat and anaemic when comparison is made with CD-based music. It's just like comparing vinyl with CD where the former usually (in most cases) offers a more enjoyable listen.
Click to expand...

You are comparing one DAC with one CD player and concluding that all DACs sound flat and anaemic. That is not the case. A CD player is just a special purpose computer with an inbuilt DAC. I have not used a CD player for a decade and much prefer to use a PC and DAC, for both sound quality and convenience. You just need to find a DAC you like and optimise your source.

The DAC in the 3010S2D should be similar to the 2010S2 DAC, since it is based on similar technology. I have this DAC, which is used in a secondary system. It is excellent sounding, definitely not flat and anaemic. You may still prefer your Krell CD player. But if you can get a demo of the 3010S2D with in-built DAC you may be surprised.
 
RossB said:
You are comparing one DAC with one CD player and concluding that all DACs sound flat and anaemic. That is not the case. A CD player is just a special purpose computer with an inbuilt DAC. I have not used a CD player for a decade and much prefer to use a PC and DAC, for both sound quality and convenience. You just need to find a DAC you like and optimise your source.

The DAC in the 3010S2D should be similar to the 2010S2 DAC, since it is based on similar technology. I have this DAC, which is used in a secondary system. It is excellent sounding, definitely not flat and anaemic. You may still prefer your Krell CD player. But if you can get a demo of the 3010S2D with in-built DAC you may be surprised.
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Perhaps I need to reassess my impressions on DAC-based music. May I ask how do you connect the computer desktop/laptop to the DAC. In my case, I have the desktop computer connected directly to the DAC via Wireworld USB cable. USB out from the desktop computer and mini-USB into the DAC's input. Would appreciate if you can advise if this method of connection is compromised. If it isn't, I guess I have to investigate a new DAC, perhaps the one that is built in the Exposure 3010S2-D.
 
I have a small PC which is a dedicated audio server, although contains nothing special (an i5 processor, SSD for the operating system, fanless PSU and very quiet fans, using Jriver for playback). I use the usb output to a usb/spif interface (a PUC2) and then digital coax to my Hegel HD25 dac. I have a similar system connecting to the Exposure dac in the second system (although the pc is a few years older) using a Bel Canto ulink interface. Both sound truly excellent. I use usb/spdif interfaces because they generally sound marginally better. But a direct usb connection to the dac can also sound very good, depending on whether it is well implemented in the dac.

I should emphasise that I am not an expert on computer audio by any means. I have found that a good usb/spdif interface does bring some very subtle improvements. But a direct usb connection from pc to dac can also work well, and in fact sounded very good when I tried it with my Exposure dac.

If you have the opportunity of hearing the 30101s2D in your own system with the inbuilt dac, it would definitely be worth doing so. As I said, you may still prefer your Krell (and that may just be because you like the sound of its internal dac). But it is worth trying.
 
I have Exposure 3010s2 amp and Hegel HD11 DAC. When it comes to USB connection, I use M2tech Evo usb to Spdif convertor, it makes relly great diference.
 
How does the signature sound of the Exposure 2010/3010 series differ from Naim amplifiers at approximately the same price.
Is the sound weightier, warmer sounding than Naim. Is the Naim brighter sounding than Exposure ?
 
Most unbiased listeners will tell you the Exposure is at the least a better bargain.

Gene Rubin sold me a 2010s2 integrated, and whether he was hard-selling or not is uncertain, but he described the 2010s2 as a step from the Naim Nait 5x. From what I've read on the subject I've come to believe he wasn't totally in for the sale.

I've since moved up to a 3010s2 pre/Dual IV amp combo for the main system, but I kept the 2010s2. That's how much I enjoy it.
 
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