Tube Dac

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  • GregLett
    Senior Member
    • May 2005
    • 753

    Tube Dac

    Hi Guys,

    Looking for options for a dac with tubes.
    Price point under 1K.

    Thanks.

    Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
    Greg
  • wkhanna
    Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
    • Jan 2006
    • 5673

    #2
    Hi, Greg!

    what are the reasons you're specifically looking at tube DAC's?
    _


    Bill

    Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
    ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

    FinleyAudio

    Comment

    • GregLett
      Senior Member
      • May 2005
      • 753

      #3
      I like the sound of Tubes in my system.
      I was initially going with a tube preamp but since my system is going to be HT and 2 channel I'm trying to simplify things.

      Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
      Greg

      Comment

      • wkhanna
        Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
        • Jan 2006
        • 5673

        #4
        just so you know, i use a tube hybrid pre in my system (Carver C-19, highly modified).

        many mfgs' simply put a tube buffer stage (sometimes referred to as a tube hybrid) in an otherwise SS topography and call it a 'tube' DAC.
        regardless, the end result is coloration input from the vacuum tube.
        one of the fun things with this is the opportunity to try different tubes.

        if i were going to spend <$1000 on a tube DAC, it would be the DOGE 7 Clarity.
        no, i haven't heard one.
        but for under $k, i would not hesitate to try it.
        if i didn't like it i would just put it up on audiogon and move on.

        the bad news is they are on backorder with no time line given on when they might be available again.

        jmho, ymmv
        _


        Bill

        Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
        ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

        FinleyAudio

        Comment

        • GregLett
          Senior Member
          • May 2005
          • 753

          #5
          I saw the DOGE 7 Clarity bit it was listed at $1,699
          I was thinking about the Jolida Glass FX.



          Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
          Greg

          Comment

          • wkhanna
            Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
            • Jan 2006
            • 5673

            #6
            Originally posted by GregLett
            I saw the DOGE 7 Clarity bit it was listed at $1,699
            I was thinking about the Jolida Glass FX.



            Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
            i may be mistaken, but i thought that price was in Singapore dollars?

            never heard any of the Jolada brand in many years, but they have had some very good engineering in the past.
            they were always a competitive value with their DACs, though i generally found them to a bit thin in the mid range.
            but still not not bad in <1k arena.
            _


            Bill

            Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
            ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

            FinleyAudio

            Comment

            • wkhanna
              Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
              • Jan 2006
              • 5673

              #7
              Originally posted by wkhanna
              i may be mistaken, but i thought that price was in Singapore dollars?


              yep, i was wrong.
              it's the Denafrips R2R DAC that is listed in Singapore $ on their website.
              _


              Bill

              Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
              ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

              FinleyAudio

              Comment

              • GregLett
                Senior Member
                • May 2005
                • 753

                #8
                Here's another find. Love the price.

                Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2 DAC is designed to be a pure dedicated high-end digital to analog converter.


                Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
                Greg

                Comment

                • GregLett
                  Senior Member
                  • May 2005
                  • 753

                  #9
                  Originally posted by GregLett
                  Here's another find. Love the price.

                  Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2 DAC is designed to be a pure dedicated high-end digital to analog converter.


                  Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
                  Ordered this one. Let's see.

                  Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
                  Greg

                  Comment

                  • Alaric
                    Ultra Senior Member
                    • Jan 2006
                    • 4143

                    #10
                    Subbed. I'm curious to see what you think of it.
                    Lee

                    Marantz PM7200-RIP
                    Marantz PM-KI Pearl
                    Schiit Modi 3
                    Marantz CD5005
                    Paradigm Studio 60 v.3

                    Comment

                    • wkhanna
                      Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 5673

                      #11
                      there has been some surprisingly good equipment coming from the asian market recently.
                      no, not all of it, not most of it, but a few pearls have come up and it seems to be happening more often.
                      and their displaying V good performance at bargain pricing.

                      i will be interested in your impression of this unit.
                      _


                      Bill

                      Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
                      ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

                      FinleyAudio

                      Comment

                      • GregLett
                        Senior Member
                        • May 2005
                        • 753

                        #12
                        Originally posted by wkhanna
                        there has been some surprisingly good equipment coming from the asian market recently.
                        no, not all of it, not most of it, but a few pearls have come up and it seems to be happening more often.
                        and their displaying V good performance at bargain pricing.

                        i will be interested in your impression of this unit.
                        Unit arrived. Build quality is good. It does not feel cheep. I will not be able to listen to it until next week. I will post first impressions.

                        Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
                        Greg

                        Comment

                        • wkhanna
                          Grumpy Old Super Moderator Emeritus
                          • Jan 2006
                          • 5673

                          #13
                          yes, looks V nice, indeed. :T
                          _


                          Bill

                          Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
                          ....just an "ON" switch, Please!

                          FinleyAudio

                          Comment

                          • JonMarsh
                            Mad Max Moderator
                            • Aug 2000
                            • 15261

                            #14
                            Now, if I wanted to be mean, I would tell you about a DAC from a company in Prague, my 2nd favorite European city, which was recently tested on Stereophile with very high marks, especially for one that sells direct for a little bit under $1300, and left them practically raving about it, and John Atkinson having to breakout his loaner APx555, same model I use, in order to measure the very low residual distortion.

                            But they've suspended orders for a bit due to too much of a good thing (business). Otherwise I would have ordered one this week in order to check it out.





                            To whet your appetite a little bit, one graph from JA's testing:




                            This shows the spectrum of the DAC output at 0dBFS at 1kHz, plus a digital "black" spectrum to show you the residual of the complete test loop including the DAC...

                            JA commented that this unit had the highest true resolution he's measured at 21 bit, matching three other models previously tested, at much higher price points.


                            $1300, boys....


                            the AudioWorx
                            Natalie P
                            M8ta
                            Modula Neo DCC
                            Modula MT XE
                            Modula Xtreme
                            Isiris
                            Wavecor Ardent

                            SMJ
                            Minerva Monitor
                            Calliope
                            Ardent D

                            In Development...
                            Isiris Mk II updates- in final test stage!
                            Obi-Wan
                            Saint-Saƫns Symphonique/AKA SMJ-40
                            Modula PWB
                            Calliope CC Supreme
                            Natalie P Ultra
                            Natalie P Supreme
                            Janus BP1 Sub


                            Resistance is not futile, it is Volts divided by Amperes...
                            Just ask Mr. Ohm....

                            Comment

                            • GregLett
                              Senior Member
                              • May 2005
                              • 753

                              #15
                              Well. Initial impression is OK. Slight improvement but nothing glaring. I just plugged it in so I will use it for a bit and see now it goes.
                              I do notice a slightly better sound stage and bass using the tube output vs the standard but you have to really listen for that.

                              I like the fact that it enabled me to use my XLR imputs on my processor witch is an improvement over using the optical imputs, so that's
                              a plus.
                              Greg

                              Comment

                              • GregLett
                                Senior Member
                                • May 2005
                                • 753

                                #16
                                Pretty good Dac for $250. It gives you the option of using the tube or plain output.
                                I flipped between the two when I first hooked it up and noticed slightly more body to the music with the tube output. I've used the tube output only since then.

                                I can live with the setup as is. But you know how that goes [emoji3]. I want to try a different streamer at some point down the road.



                                Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
                                Greg

                                Comment

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