Tube DAC options

[AP@1992]

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.

 

[reignofchaos]

You wont get any tube DACs in that budget unfortunately. The Weiss Minerva is supposed to be nice. What are you missing or want changed in the sound?

 

[yogibear]

How about separates in that budget ? A tube preamp and a DAC ?

Personally, I am no fan of a tube gain stage in a DAC. That actually hides shortcomings of the DAC and ties you to that tube.

 

[oracle1974]

DAC S5: TDA1541A reference - Audial

The sum of two decades of developments with the TDA1541A.

www.audialonline.com

 

[reignofchaos]

How about separates in that budget ? A tube preamp and a DAC ?

Personally, I am no fan of a tube gain stage in a DAC. That actually hides shortcomings of the DAC and ties you to that tube.

Exactly how does it hide shortcomings of the DAC? Please explain!

 

[muralimmreddy]

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.

Domestically

Acoustic Portrait THIYAGA V2 SE DAC

Acoustic Portrait THIYAGA V2 SE DAC Regardless of music genre, we promise you will hear much more detail and experience deeper emotion from tracks you have heard over a hundred times. Thiyaga v2 SE DAC is a world class digital to analogue converter based on the incredible ESS Sabre ES9028PRO 32...

hifimart.com

You can import border petrol or mhdt dacs.

If you can extend further ifi idsd pro is Swiss army knife of dac with tube output.

 

[AP@1992]

You wont get any tube DACs in that budget unfortunately. The Weiss Minerva is supposed to be nice. What are you missing or want changed in the sound?

Its brilliant. I anyway wanted to a tube preamp, so was considering a DAC integrated with it. Easy of use and it wishing for a better sound.

 

[reignofchaos]

Its brilliant. I anyway wanted to a tube preamp, so was considering a DAC integrated with it. Easy of use and it wishing for a better sound.

Better buy a tube preamp.

 

[AP@1992]

Domestically

Acoustic Portrait THIYAGA V2 SE DAC

Acoustic Portrait THIYAGA V2 SE DAC Regardless of music genre, we promise you will hear much more detail and experience deeper emotion from tracks you have heard over a hundred times. Thiyaga v2 SE DAC is a world class digital to analogue converter based on the incredible ESS Sabre ES9028PRO 32...

hifimart.com

You can import border petrol or mhdt dacs.

If you can extend further ifi idsd pro is Swiss army knife of dac with tube output.

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

 

[oracle1974]

Better buy a tube preamp.

Line Stage Preamplifier – Quicksilver Audio

quicksilveraudio.com

 

[The Wall]

I have used MHDT labs tube dac and is pretty fine..

 

[Analogous]

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 had a MHDT Havana DAC (it had a Tube buffer stage, not sure what that does) and I liked the sound so much that I started looking for other Tubed DAC choices. I bought a Lampizator Amber 4 DAC and am loving it in my set up.

 

[reignofchaos]

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

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.

 

[Spiritwinds]

How about separates in that budget ? A tube preamp and a DAC ?

Personally, I am no fan of a tube gain stage in a DAC. That actually hides shortcomings of the DAC and ties you to that tube.

Why do you feel tube gain stage in a dac is a bad idea? Personally I have heard few dac's with tube output and they were phenomenal.
Adding a separate tube pre amp is like you adding another device in the chain and then struggle with cables to match it..

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I have an alternate suggestion

There is going to be a ferrum wandla golden sound edition launch soon. They have included something called a tube mode, to mimic the 2d order harmonics of tubes. And comes with a decent analogue resistor ladder preamp stage. Has one line level input for your TT. Also has hdmi ARC for your TV. I guess 3.5k usd ball park range. Is really small, and any guests coming from the US can easily chuck one in their luggage, to avoid our uncles in the airport.

 

[yogibear]

Why do you feel tube gain stage in a dac is a bad idea? Personally I have heard few dac's with tube output and they were phenomenal.
Adding a separate tube pre amp is like you adding another device in the chain and then struggle with cables to match it..

I am a purist, believe in separates which are optimal designs. Tube preamp gives flexibility and acts as an active impedance matcher and drives any amp, SS or Tube. And actually fulfill desires of one’s who like to see what difference tubes bring in their otherwise SS setup.

But if you are happy with your tube DAC, then that’s great, enjoy.

As far as cables are hassles then SX model from ECDesigns is one box solution which puts out 20 watts (without any active gain stages) and loves speaker impedance dips.

 

[AP@1992]

I have an alternate suggestion

There is going to be a ferrum wandla golden sound edition launch soon. They have included something called a tube mode, to mimic the 2d order harmonics of tubes. And comes with a decent analogue resistor ladder preamp stage. Has one line level input for your TT. Also has hdmi ARC for your TV. I guess 3.5k usd ball park range. Is really small, and any guests coming from the US can easily chuck one in their luggage, to avoid our uncles in the airport.

I am flying to US, may end. Will certainly check out

 

[drkrack]

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.

Barring a highend Lampizator Atlantic or something, most tube DACs(AMR 777, Mhdt hawana, Thyaga V2, AudioNote 1.1x), I felt are a trade off. The tradeoff of The HF rounding, Contracted Soundstage and slightly increased noise floor would always put me off from buying one. But the DENSITY of the sound (or analogish feel) of Good Tube DACs (Lampizator or AMR) would make analog setups costing more than Rs 10L run for their money. If that's what you are looking for, then you wouldn't disappointed, but I doubt any tube dac under 2L will be able to achieve that level of performance.

But there are many small time boutique tube DACs Manfactures in Europe and USA which are relatively cheap (Under 2k USD) and could be good enough. You should be searching for them. Anyways combining a DAC and preamp in a same chassis hasn't worked for me ever ( Other than AMR DP 777), so I'd advice to go for 2 box solution, if you could share rest of your chain it'll be easier to suggest something else altogether.

 

[Analogous]

I am flying to US, may end. Will certainly check out

If you can, audition Border Patrol DACs while in the US. The SE-1 would be worth an audition I feel
The Tube used is as rectifier in the power supply only

 

[AP@1992]

Barring a highend Lampizator Atlantic or something, most tube DACs(AMR 777, Mhdt hawana, Thyaga V2, AudioNote 1.1x), I felt are a trade off. The tradeoff of The HF rounding, Contracted Soundstage and slightly increased noise floor would always put me off from buying one. But the DENSITY of the sound (or analogish feel) of Good Tube DACs (Lampizator or AMR) would make analog setups costing more than Rs 10L run for their money. If that's what you are looking for, then you wouldn't disappointed, but I doubt any tube dac under 2L will be able to achieve that level of performance.

But there are many small time boutique tube DACs Manfactures in Europe and USA which are relatively cheap (Under 2k USD) and could be good enough. You should be searching for them. Anyways combining a DAC and preamp in a same chassis hasn't worked for me ever ( Other than AMR DP 777), so I'd advice to go for 2 box solution, if you could share rest of your chain it'll be easier to suggest something else altogether.

Front End -

Barring a highend Lampizator Atlantic or something, most tube DACs(AMR 777, Mhdt hawana, Thyaga V2, AudioNote 1.1x), I felt are a trade off. The tradeoff of The HF rounding, Contracted Soundstage and slightly increased noise floor would always put me off from buying one. But the DENSITY of the sound (or analogish feel) of Good Tube DACs (Lampizator or AMR) would make analog setups costing more than Rs 10L run for their money. If that's what you are looking for, then you wouldn't disappointed, but I doubt any tube dac under 2L will be able to achieve that level of performance.

But there are many small time boutique tube DACs Manfactures in Europe and USA which are relatively cheap (Under 2k USD) and could be good enough. You should be searching for them. Anyways combining a DAC and preamp in a same chassis hasn't worked for me ever ( Other than AMR DP 777), so I'd advice to go for 2 box solution, if you could share rest of your chain it'll be easier to suggest something else altogether.

Front end: Tidal/Apple Musis/Amazon Music from DMP A6 ME
DAC: Either Weiss Minvera or DMP A6 ME.
IC:, Mogami 2497
Amplifier: Cayin A-88T MK2 (Power stage: EL 34C PS Vane (OR NOS Mullards XF2) and Driver/preamp stage: PS Vane UK6NS7 (OR Tungsol 6SN7 GTB New production) and Tungsol NOS 6SL7GT Smoked glass)
Speaker wire- Tellurium Q Black 2
Speaker: Dali Oberon 5.
Power Cables from Sound Foundation (SF Ultima Carbon) with the power base.

In stock: Sovtek KT88 Power Tubes. Boyyurange EL34 Push Pull amp with Mullard NOS Rectifier and Russian 6H1 preamp tubes.

I have no SS amp at the moment.