Tube DAC options

[Spiritwinds]

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F2a monoblocks, SE amps, 5 watts per channel, driving my 88dB bookshelves at 40% volume can drive you out of the room (in a good way). Low end extension is well under 40hz with soundstage which has unlimited width and depth, extended silvery highs and vocals that give you goosebumps. Once you are in hot seat, you don’t want to stop listening.

Wow .. many so many amps .. are you a reseller of tube amps and EC Dac's ?

 

[yogibear]

Wow .. many so many amps .. are you a reseller of tube amps and EC Dac's ?

Building tube amps is a passion. Build for myself and built for some friends too. Still a long journey to cover. 300B is next.

Been following ECDesigns DACs since long and have had almost all they created. Latest is BX and SX.

 

[Spiritwinds]

Building tube amps is a passion. Build for myself and built for some friends too. Still a long journey to cover. 300B is next.

Been following ECDesigns DACs since long and have had almost all they created. Latest is BX and SX.

Nice.. since you are a tube enthusiast what's your opinion on tube amps such as 300b's .. I have heard from people around that there is a reputed seasoned tube amp builder in Mumbai by name Hari who is an expert in building 300b's..
Also whats your opinion on some of the Highly revved tube amps like the Willsenton R8 and so on..

 

[yogibear]

Nice.. since you are a tube enthusiast what's your opinion on tube amps such as 300b's .. I have heard from people around that there is a reputed seasoned tube amp builder in Mumbai by name Hari who is an expert in building 300b's..
Also whats your opinion on some of the Highly revved tube amps like the Willsenton R8 and so on..

I know Hari, is a good friend.

I indulge in my own designs, current 300B is my first build and I am no fan of 300B. The amp would play 300B WE tubes and another tube of my own choice. Blind test listening will put curious minds to rest.

There are some fantastic tubes out there, F2a, EL12 and the queen of medium bottles, the EL84.

I don’t make amps from off shelf iron. Every design has its own hand-wound custom irons made according to the design. Power, chokes, OPTs, all mated for a design in mind.

 

[Spiritwinds]

I know Hari, is a good friend.

I indulge in my own designs, current 300B is my first build and I am no fan of 300B. The amp would play 300B WE tubes and another tube of my own choice. Blind test listening will put curious minds to rest.

He he he.

There are some fantastic tubes out there, F2a, EL12 and the queen of medium bottles, the EL84.

Yup yup.. i have heard people talk about these quite often .. but I feel a 300b is in a different league of its own.. I have read some really nice things about Elekit TU8600R and many others.

I don’t make amps from off shelf iron. Every design has its own hand-wound custom irons made according to the design. Power, chokes, OPTs, all mated for a design in mind.

This is nice.. do you wind them yourself? How do these measure compared to the OPT's like Edcore, Hammond, Lundhal, Tamura, Hashimoto, Audionote etc etc ..

 

[yogibear]

Wound by Kolarkar audio for my designs. I have had almost all the opts brands. Yes, my opts come tested for every measurable aspect on a professional oscilloscope. My list of builds includes tubes as 6BM8, 6L6, EL34, 6CA7, 6V6, EL84, 6BG6, 807, F2a, 6AS7G, EL12, Tube 45…… 300B, 6B4G are next.

Since it’s a DAC post, I would not comment on anything henceforth.

 

[Spiritwinds]

Wound by Kolarkar audio for my designs. I have had almost all the opts brands. Yes, my opts come tested for every measurable aspect on a professional oscilloscope. My list of builds includes tubes as 6BM8, 6L6, EL34, 6CA7, 6V6, EL84, 6BG6, 807, F2a, 6AS7G, EL12, Tube 45…… 300B, 6B4G are next.

Since it’s a DAC post, I would not comment on anything henceforth.

Understood.. maybe you need to start a new thread on OPT's to be used in tube builds.. how the desi Kolarkar compares against some of the OPT's that are wounded in a very professionally manufactured ones in Europe, US and Japan..

I agree not to derail the OP's Dac post but since you claim very high on these OPT's it's great if you can justify the claims with some measurements on a different thread.

Offlate a lot of them claim a lot of things but it's not actually helping anyone decide and end up falling prey for colorful stories. I am not saying you are cooking up something but since you claim very high of Kolarkar Audio, it would be great to see how they compare against well renowned ones..

 

[yogibear]

Don’t just fall for them. Ask the chap for measurements. I had my full of OPTs… Tasted them all. I build coz I get the handwound OPTs of my choice and specs…. I only have to prove that to myself. I am not trying to promote them but yes I build coz I get them. All other iron for me is not worth my time and efforts….

 

[Hari Iyer]

Very few DACs can be used as a preamp. My AMR is one of them and it has analog volume control via a resistor ladder. Unfortunately it is not sold any more. You can try looking for a used one - there are a few on sale on international sites.

As for sound, it is fabulous - whether used as a dac or as an analog preamp. I have tried many many DACs and preamps and still haven't found anything that beats it in both.

Last week u installed an RME ADI-2 FS AD/DA converter. It has both analogue and digital loop-in loop-out and can double up as a preamplifier. It has an excellent S/N ratio of 135dB and vanishing low distortion. I enjoyed the preamplifier section better than the actual DAC. This DAC is chip based and has clock feature, but for play back It works as slave.

 

[Vinay103]

I saw Thiyaga. I understand it cant be used a preamplifier, notwithstanding its gain stage and ALPS.

Very Costly..with less flexibility

 

[Vinay103]

I would fully agree with the above suggestion to keep the preamp separate if space is not an issue. Every preamp adds its own subtlety to the mix. And once one finds that preamp, it is a keeper for life. We can change power amps, dacs and speakers, but once we are fully aware of the sonic signature of the preamp, it is easier to decide on the other bits. Almost all the dacs I've had, came with some kind of volume control, and a few with a fully analogue preamp section. But none of them match the sonics of a dedicated well implemented preamp in my experience.

Fully agreed...What kind of preamp are you using now days for digital sources? I m also looking good preamp for solid mid bass.. (closed to tube sound)

 

[essrand]

Adding, and agreeing to many a sage advice given above : I have owned the AMR DP-777, The Bricasti M12 (an analogue preamp with built-in DAC), and Nagra Tube DAC with analog volume control, even at these "high" levels, I still easily preferred a fully dedicated preamp.

Trying to economise by getting a DAC/Pre is audio-foolishness IMHO -- I have wasted a lot of audiophile years and money on this pursuit of audio minimalism by eliminating a pre -- not possible.

Better to get an integrated amp and a DAC. I prefer tube DACs to SS DACs any day, so IMO you are in the right path for a DAC.

 

[Pradeep thevalakara]

Hello everyone,

After many years, I desire to upgrade my titan of a DAC i.e. The Weiss Minerva.

Since, I presently own a Denafrips ares 2 along with Weiss and I have come to understand that chip or R2R really doesn't matters, many other things makes a goo sounding DAC inter-alia power supply, clock, complication at the output stage etc.

For upgrade I am looking at a DAC, with good power supply and a Tube output stage which can double up as a preamplifier. As stated above not fussy about R2R/chip based etc etc.

What are my options and their domestic availability ? I am okay with DIY also.

Budget around 1.5 lakhs.

Thanks in advance.

Hi
I hv a Pontus almost new. In packing.

 

[AP@1992]

Hi
I hv a Pontus almost new. In packing.

I got myself a Pontus II months back. Amazing for the price