Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Mitch2 which version of the La Scala did you have Version 1 or Version 2? 

Mitch2, thank you for your input.
lived one day more with Adagio and then switched to Pavane/Shrimp - so the sound become dull, fat and significantly less resolving. It seams that it is no way back with Pavane/Shrimp.

Also the dynamic range and the range from quiet sound and lound sound with Adagio become 2x wider. For me it means it brings more emotions to the music as it was designed by sound engineer. The same as you are in cinema with good equipemnt then the movie has wide dynamic range. Its not the same as you watch just TV. So if Pavane/Shrimp plays in 3-7 whereas Adagio can provide 1-10. (1-10 some scale of sound loudness)

Also nobody burned properly XLR outputs from Adagio and XLR inputs in my Flight 100 amp. It imporoved significantly comparing to day 1.

But in the same time I understand that better preamp + Pavane level 1 (and level 3 of cause) can easily touch Adagio but it needs approx 2x more investments (hopefully i can spend 1-1,5k to get Adagio after selling Pavane). IMO

Some more observation. That Adagio in sound signature is more like good Dual mono AKM 4399 DAC than Pavane R2R. So on this level i can hardly say that R2R sounds different that good Delta Sigma. Borders became less obvious.

What buffered preamp you are reffering to?

Thank you

I owned the Adagio and have had the LaScala here in my system for an audition.  I agree with gibalok about the Adagio, which I found to be very clean and resolving but with a bit less body and tonal density than I enjoyed from my Level 1 Pavane.  I could tell the Adagio was more resolving than my Level 1 Pavane but after sending my Pavane in for the upgrade, I found the Level 3 Pavane to be more to my liking than the Adagio since it was close in resolution and IMO displayed superior body and tonal density.  I have a very high quality unity-gain, buffered preamp so do not need or want to go direct from the DAC to my amps.  I could live with the Adagio, but preferred the Level 3 Pavane, even when I compared them by running both through my preamp.
I preferred the Level 1 Pavane to the LaScala although that opinion may be in the minority.  I would definitely prefer the Level 3 Pavane to the LaScala.  I have not heard Aqua's Formula but would like to.

Peter, here are a few links for worthwhile choices of Ethernet Isolators that are not optical. I am still trying to find the thread on CA but I am still looking for the right one. So this will have to make do for now. 

http://www.emosystems.com/product/en-70e-ultra-compact-network-isolator/

http://industrialcomponent.com/baaske/mi1005.html

http://www.artistic-fidelity.de/index.php/en/giso-isolator

Some me of us like the Emo best and others like either of the other two. 

Of course this is not an exhaustive list but these are the most respected and popular ones. 

You would put put one of these just before the server. 

I hope this helps. 

Matt, the Comet is from Exogal (formerly known as Wadia), and AQUA's top DAC, The Formula is SS w/o any valves.

I have not heard the LaScala or the T&A, but both have great reputations. The Playback Designs Merlot is certainly worth hearing as well. 

And as long as DSD is not needed, the Empirical Overdrive SE is outrageously good!!! 

On the cheap end of Wow is the Axogal Comet and Chord Hugo 2/Hugo TT.

I chose to avoid tubes DAC's for my search, but they may be up your alley as well.

Find a few dealers you trust and spend a lot of time listening. It will pay off in the end. 

Nitewullf 

There are two dacs which are awesome in that price range. 

One is the awesome T+A Dac 8DSD which for $4,200.00 is just plain outstanding, I know it is not a ladder dac but nonethess wow if you feed it via a computer with upsampled pcm to DSD 256 or 512 it produces a holographic, totally musica sound. 

This is the dac that we use most of the time when demoing our Legacy Signatures that you so love. 

The other is the Aqua Hifi Lasca  which we have a Demo that would make the piece affordable and that is a Ladder Dac, and it is also upgradable via replaceable boards.

The Aqua gear is just exceptionally musical and is very involving, with a liquid midrange as the La Scala uses tubes, the fact that Aqua offers up grades and is an evolving platform to me would make that dac very interesting compared to the Metrum which does make nice sounding musical products. http://www.aquahifi.com/la_scala.html


http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/06/next-level-aqua-hifi-formula-la-scala-mkii-w-telefunken/

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/aqua/1.html

Dave owner 
Audio Doctor

Hello

I have Metrum Pavane with Manley Shrimp (siemens NOS 60s tubes) pre and Audia Flight 100 amp. I got from a friend of mine Metrum Adagio just to test whether its better to go diectly from DAC with pre to amp. Probably i have an option to get Adagio by selling my Pavane, since my friend went to full AN system.

My observation (1 evening) tests that Adagio (comparing to Pavane/Tube Manley Shrimp) provides a lot more details, refines and cleanes the sound give more inside into layers and depth of the music. Is it hi-end sound? yes! do I like it? i ddidnt decide yet.

But in the same time I lost some tube magic and impact (guitar strings no more hit my body) and the bass is no more so scaled and full. No oomph at all.

I also find some mismatch of Adagio and Audia Flight.. i need to set vol knob to 12-13 to get the level of 8-9 of Manley Pre.. May be its not my cup of tea?

So my question is whether Adagio pre is so good? did anybody find the solution (pre) which is better that Adagio pre? I would have best of two worlds (adagio resolution and deatails) and tube pre body and impact

Thank you

Price can be everything, or nothing. (Oooh, that's deep!)

I don't judge a DAC on price or chip design. I believe that there are good delta Sigma DAC's and bad R2R's. It's the implementation, not the parts that make a DAC good, bad or great.

Most of the DAC's I considered where between $6500 and $14,000. I pushed up my audition prices more recently as my ODSX kept beating everything in that first price bracket. 

Some swear by the Emm Labs DAC2X. Others believe the Lampizator Golden Gate is it. Ayre, Merging Technologies, Playback Design, the new Bribkman, etc. All great. 

Dont discount system matching either. It's super important. 

All that said, Metrum has a great reputation but I am not familiar with it. Apologies. 

Right, but I am not sure a 40K delta sigma dac using off the shelf chips would necessarily compete with a well made r2r dac, which may be "only" 10K. Basically I am not sure the price is a huge part of this equation, rather designer skill and build quality, surely? Else, one can just buy a DCS or MSB stack and be done with it.

nitewulf, I own a Metrum Pavane Level 3 and I think it sounds great in my system.  This thread is typically devoted to the significantly more expensive DACs Matt is auditioning.

@mattnshilp , thanks. Currently I am in the market for a R2R ladder dac, specifically Metrum Pavane level 3. Have you tried that? 

Matt, I"m sure we will talk later today, but it's now time to introduce the Brinkmann Nyquist.  As you know, I loved this DAC the first time I heard it. It was possibly the most pleasing DAC I've head to date.  I'm not sure if it was the most resolving as it was with 50k Wilson's that to me lack detail.  That said, it was very impressive. I got the same response from someone in the industry who isn't the biggest fan of digital.  

What I've found with most any piece of great gear, you can't always tell about how much micro and macro detail you get in the first audition.  That's why I'd love to get one in my room to compare it to my Ayre QX5/20.  I'm also not so sure that these DAC's aren't in the conversation with TotalDAC and the Rossini and some others.  It's not always about price IRT any component.  I've found that too many are priced for the Asian markets (Matt and I always talk about this) and are double priced for the US market and then are HEAVILY discounted making folks think they got this great deal, when in fact if they'd have listened, they weren't.  That business model also devalues said products in the US for those of you who buy and sell often.  

I think the Brinkman costs 14k.  You can listen to it all day long and it was one of the most relaxed digital presentations I"ve ever heard. I just didn't love the system I was listening to, but I was highly familiar with it.  If it had more detail, I would have been loving it.  I think it's time to get the Ayre and Brinkman in (oh the Brinkman was connected to teh Aurender N10. I don't know which USB that they were using. 

NiteWulf - I’m currently on a Light Harmonic Davinci 2. It arrived about a month ago and I’m still burning it in. I also am getting my old standby ODSX back from Maestro Steve for an update he just implemented that supposedly has made a significant improvement. Can’t wait to hear that!

So yes, and no. I’m also trying to audition some other DACS including a possible auditon of a Merging Technologies Merging+Player and a Boulder 2120. As well as a TotalDAC Twelve full complement of French DAC awesomeness.

As far as a summary goes, sorry. Its 72 pages of wandering and rambling. But all good stuff and worth skimming through. Hope that helps. PM me for specific questions. Happy to help.

Yes, Pete we need to catch up. 

As far the difference in the two types of isolators it depends on several things. 
Who you ask, which ones you use/try, how much hassle vs difference in performance you might get. At one time the optical was more expensive. Not so sure now. People who I trust feel that from their experience the none optical ones work just as good if using the right ones. Of course who knows what might be introduced in a few years if at all. 
When I get the chance I will post a link to the CA thread. 

So, have we decided on a top tier dac yet or is this a perpetual thing? Is there at least a top 10 list created w/ summarized reviews to help potential buyers?

Al, thanks.  Yes you told me about the isolators.  I just remember reading on CA in a thread that the optical isolation is better, but I'm more than willing to try the isolators as they only cost about 65 or so if I recall.  

Yes, I thought WW sold the cat 8.  My dealer in NJ, Audio Connections sells those, so I'll ask him to get me one and I'll check it out.  At this point I may as well.  Do you have a link to the CA thread Al?  That would help all of us as I know many are lurking on this thread still (they send me emails etc.., lol).  

I'd love to speak with you off line about the grounding devices as I too have interest in checking them out.  Looking forward.  Thanks.

Thanks Pete

@ctsooner 
Peter, IIRC the only audiophile cat8 cable is made by Wiredworld. 
It is supposed be special. It comes in three levels I believe. 
Though not sure if you would need it with the optical isolation. Also many of us are using Ethernet isolators and find they work as good or better as the optical. Just some food for thought. There is a thread on Computer Audiophile about it. 

@lalitk 

Sorry for the delay in answering your questions but I have been with family that have been visiting and today I was at a presentation by Thomas Fine, son of Robert and Wilma Fine, the legendary recording engineers of The Mercury Living Presence albums. This was arranged by the New Jersey Audiophile Society for one of our Club Meetings. 

WOW! What a presentation. If you ever have the chance DO NOT MISS THIS ONE! Tom is a very gracious person and willing to answer all our questions. Close to a three hour presentation!  Slides and some excerpts of the original and remastered music. 

Now I will try answer your questions about the Setchi and give you some information, as best as I can. 

I am offering an opportunity to home demo the new Setchi Grounding Blocks by Taiko Audio. They are so new we do not even have them up on our web site yet, lol. Seriously.
Though we have been selling them overseas for a month or two.

I have tried MANY grounding devises over the years and I must say these are exceptional for the price vs performance value.

At first I was highly skeptical of them even though my associates reassured me of their performance. As I said, I have tried many others over the years. But with the Setchi I was WRONG! 

I have a Setchi D1 on my SGM Music Server and a Setchi D2 on my T+A DAC 8 DSD. If I had a separate preamp I would put one on that too but right now (Preamp in my future) I use the analog Preamp in the T+A. 

Order of importance in placement of Setchi in a system. 

1) Server

2) Source (DAC, CD player)

3) Preamp

4) AMP/s

5) Power conditioner

6) ETC ( some costumers overseas connect a Setchi to their electric service panel)

In my system just one made a significant difference and was highly noticeable. But TWO just brought it home! 

The improvements were overall. Much better dynamics, tone, air, sound stage, harmonics and I could go on. I must say that I don't want to describe too much of what the very worthwhile improvements were. You really need to hear it for yourself. Caveat, each system could be slightly different as it is system dependent to a point.
So You really need to demo in your own system.

What are the Setchi? Well I will do my best to explain.

The case of the Setchi is made of Panzerholz aka Tank Wood. This was no accident. We chose this for several reasons. The least of which is not for the improvement in sound it brings. 

Inside there is a replaceable (9v - every two years) battery, more on this below. 
Also inside there is either copper or gold/silver depending on the model. More below. 

The Setchi comes in two types, a D for digital connection/equipment or an A for analog connection/equipment. 

Then there are two versions within the types.

Copper or a number 1 designation. A1 / D1. 

Gold/Silver or a number 2 designation. A2 / D2. 

Depending on what equipment the Setchi will be connected to dictates the connection you will need. All Setchi come with a high quality connector, ie RCA, USB etc. See bottom two photos at the AudioStream link. These were at the Munich Show. 
https://www.audiostream.com/content/sound-galleries-experience

But what does the Setchi do? That is a great question but for me not a easy answer as I am not an engineer. 

What I can tell you its not a regular ground-tweak but more of a ground-plane harmonics harmonizer. As in it counters / reduces / absorbs harmful harmonics being dumped on the ground-plane by almost everything drawing current from the network, not only your high-end equipment but every appliance in your house and even your neighborhood. It`s powered by, or rather harvest its power from absorbing ambient vibrations, the battery is only for biasing its dielectrics which increases its efficiency and keeps it from saturating (which is a weakness of other "ground" tweaks). This is not voodoo but real science.

The prices are as follows. Pricing is in Euros due to the fact that all orders are processed overseas. I place your order and it is processed and shipped from The Netherlands. 

A1 and D1 (copper)are Euros 200 (currently $240) plus shipping.

A2 and D2 (gold/silver) are Euros 300 (currently $360) plus shipping.

Now because the way the Setchi works it MUST be PLACED ON TOP of any EQUIPMENT it is connected to. It can be placed on its side vs placed flat (there is a slight difference in sound one vs the other). 

While the quality of the cable and its length is optimized for absolute performance, you can order a longer length cable with just a slight loss in performance. 

Once connected to your equipment it will take several hours before the Setchi begins to sound really good. After about a day it will reach about 80%. Then over three+ days  it will continue to improve and reach 100%.

If Setchi is removed, the equipment it was attached to will SLOWLY revert back to its previous state in performance. So A / B ing is nearly impossible. 

OK, I think I covered it all. Please feel free to ask me any questions. 

Cheers, Al.

Alfonse Mirabella
Ambassador for Sound Galleries and Taiko Audio

Sound Test USA
al.mirabella@soundtest.info

Now that I have a hard wired, fast ethernet connection in the room, I'm going to set up the optical isolation and go from there.  I may try the ground units Al has brought up also.  I'm not sure what ethernet cables I'll be using though. I have loved the AQ diamond in the past and even the Vodka has been fine, but I was also told to get a top cat 8 cable.  I don't believe the AQ cables are Cat 8.  Not sure who makes cat 8 for the high end.  

I also notice that Ayre has my QX5/20 available with various inputs. I have the full assault with 10 inputs, but you can now get it with or without the USB and or ethernet or anyway you want or need it. Very interesting marketing.  I wonder if others will do the same??? 

Melco is supposed to have their own software being worked on.  I have reached out to a head engineer there to find out more about the future of their software and other things. I'll report back when he gets back in the lab in the next week or two.  

Seems like IRT servers that so much is going on.  Maybe even more so than what DAC's went though and still do.  Hard to keep up.  

@hifial 

Al, Would you mind sharing bit more info on Setchi D-1 grounding blocks? Try to google them but didn't find any info on their merits. 

Thank you! 

"Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off. I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as well."

Matt,
Ah, I think I said I did not want to over promise and nothing about your socks...or mine, lol. So keep your hose on, lol.
But I did say that we are very excited about some testing underway and if it all pans out like we expect then yea.
But I am sure you will enjoy what you experience once you hear the SGM.

Hmm, "affordable grounding trinkets". Well since one version has silver and gold in it "trinkets" might be too much of a misnomer seeing how "trinkets" are not made of precious metals, lol.

Matt, as soon as you have the time I should drop off some more of the Setchi grounding blocks for you to add to your system. If I can help it I plan on NOT removing the ones in my system. I have one on my SGM and one on my T+A DAC 8 DSD. Just those two made a significant difference. I did not expect that degree of improvement.
I just started to try a pair on my Merrill Audio Veritas Amps.

Well, enough of me. 

Alfonse Mirabella
Ambassador, Sound Galleries & Taiko Audio
Sound Test USA
soundtest.info
al.mirabella@soundtest.info

Teaser:

I have completed my evaluation of the Lumin S1 server/DAC (using both its internal DAC as well as its spdif output to my Davinci 2 DAC) and just plugged in and started burning in a Melco N1ZH/2 music server. I will give it a solid week of burn in and audition/compare next Wednesday.

I have a 32 core MP64-32 Memory Player ($55k retail) server on order and that will be coming in about 4-6 weeks would be my guess. Possibly sooner. I'm dying to hear that!!!!

Also, I have arranged for an audition/trial of the mighty Boulder 2120 ($65k retail) server/DAC. I'm giddy like a school girl for that to arrive as well!!!

Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off. I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as well.

Not enough time in the day my friends!!!

Stay tuned!

PS - Yes the Davinci hath arrived. It's got about 500 hours on it. I'll compare it to my cherished ODSX when it reaches a 1000 hours. In the meantime, Steve from Empirical Audio emailed me asking to send back my ODSX for further upgrades that he just came out with and were significant enough that he wanted to implement them into my ODSX. It was shipped out last week and will arrive today.

As a side note, I just put together a "little" office system consisting of a Constellation Centaur stereo amp and Virgo 2 preamp with Focal Sopra #2 speakers. I also bought a pair of Scansonic 5.0 speakers from Larry of Distinctive Stereo (before I found the deal of the century on these Sopra #2's). Although the price is fairly different, I will compare both to see which suits the equipment and the room better. I also need to decide what source I'll be using. Will I go for a server/DAC like the Lumin S1 or A20? Or go crazy and do a server and transition my prized ODSX to the office?!? Don't know yet. Lots of listening to do to decide what's best for that system ....

cheers!!!

@mattnshilp 

Great post (thank you)! IMO, MQA has opened the flood gate on possibilities of higher bit rate streaming. 

Here's to good times 🍻

BTW, LG V30 smartphone will be the first to stream MQA playback. 

"The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with the highest multi-media capabilities and purest audio experience. MQA’s award-winning technology captures and reproduces the sound of the original studio master in a file that’s small enough to stream. The LG V30 handset features integrated MQA playback technology so that master quality sound recordings can be played back via the mobile device".

Toetapaudio (love the username!)

The implementation of MQA is fascinating. And the point made about MQA developing a stronghold on the audio/music industry is even more fascinating; and a precedent has been set with Apple in that regards. I understand Schiit's points and respect some of them. Truth be told, it's a short lived technology (ten years or less) as our capacity to stream and transmit higher and higher bit rates become available. The first article questions the tech, but most agree that MQA offers a better quality reproduction than streamed 16/44 and it's certainly better then MP3; so for right now it's a great technology to augment SQ in streamed music; which we audiophiles want and identify as having monetary value. 

To be honest, I think it's a great invention and should be adopted universally by MQA loosening their valuation of its licensing. It would allow the music industry to implement it more universally and the manufacturing industry to incorporate it more affordable. But that's not the route MQA has chosen. 

I would like MQA in my portable solutions. I don't really care if it's in my high end solutions. And I think most audiophiles will have the same attitude. My high end DAC purchase has been unaffected by the existence of MQA. Would I like to see it in my DAC? Sure. But it's absolutely in no way affecting my purchase decision. But as I said, when I buy a DAP I'd like to get one with MQA. Although I don't think my new portable Chord Hugo2 does MQA nor do I think my iPhones Tidal outputs MQA at this time. I'm not even sure if Androids Tidal (ie. any Android DAP) outputs MQA yet. I think it may only be available on desktop Tidal. Please correct me as I may very well be wrong on that point. 

Someone came up with a better way. Let's see if their method to market, and market demand, will eventually allow that better way to thrive or die. I don't think the average listener (not we audiophiles) gives a flying frisbee if their sound quality gets any better then whatever comes out of their iPhone while listening to their Beats Solo headphones. I mean, these people love their MP3's and don't see the need for better! Either way, there will be no need for MQA in a few years as streaming bitrate channels widen and allow 384k audio and 4K video streaming without obstruction. 

Good times!!!!

There are many who know that MQA is lossy :

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30381-mqa-is-vaporware/?tab=comments#comment-613530

This is is why some of the best dac designers will not include MQA.

@toetapaudio,

Thanks for sharing the articles but they are somewhat outdated. Lot has changed in last one year.  There is lot more MQA albums now available on Tidal. As some of us already pointed out, MQA albums do sound better than their 16bit counterparts. 

The future of high-rez streaming looks very promising. Most of us don't wanna pay $15-$25 per high rez download.  

HDTracks recently announced High Rez streaming in very near future. 

Guys there is a very good thread or two on Computer Audiophile about MQA.  Charlie Hansen who owns Ayre and some big time reviewers on the threads and it's not pretty regarding MQA.  A lot of it is stuff I've heard in the past and may put me in the camp of not wanting MQA or at least caring about having it or not.  Charlie's design basically does what the first unfold is doing sound wise, without losing any bits.  Just over my head, but great read for sure.  

Hi bill k, Mola Mola are very thorough and won't release a product until they are satisfied they have the best outcome.  The dac in the preamp is brilliant and I'm expecting the stand alone dac will sound just as good. I don't believe there will be a great price difference between the stand alone dac and the pre/dac.

Hi lalitk, concerning MQA. Do you like MQA, then? Some very well respected designers I know do not regard it with any seriousness. To them it's more of a commercial exploit. What's your take on it? Roon, is another matter and is being taken up by designers I respect.

Instead of MQA , perhaps what is needed is a better A to D at the recording stage?

Mola has been touting their stand alone DAC for well over a year and yet it still doesn't exist. Their engineering skills are very well documented but they seem to have some issues delivering a finished product to the marketplace.

Hi guys

My recommendation for a world class dac would be the Mola Mola designed by Bruno Putzeys from the ground up using their own discrete dac chip. The claim is that the design totally isolates jitter. 

The dac is only available at this time incorporated into their preamp. Sometime early next year a stand alone version will be available. Cost including the preamp is £11,000. The preamp can also come with a phono stage if required as an optional extra.

Matt, you're such a tease! ;~) No need to apologize, all of your effort to share your impressions on this thread is greatly appreciated. We'll look forward to further updates as your schedule permits, thanks!

sorry guys. Been busy. I'll try to get a report up when I can. 

@toetapaudio,

Thanks for sharing the info. I would be interested in Mola Mola stand alone DAC only if it has MQA decoding on board. 

Hello everyone,

I have not had the chance to read all the posts yet, but has anyone mentioned how absolutely brilliant the DAC is in the Mola Mola preamp? Very open and natural sounding. And they will be coming out with a stand alone DAC shortly. I understand that there will also be a streamer, perhaps with both combined?

Matt, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Lumin S1 vs the others. I am currently using the S1 with digital out (waiting for the U1) into the Mola Mola. The built in dac is very good but not as good as the one in the Mola Mola. The Mola Mola has more space around the instruments, much better tighter bass and a more natural balance to my ears.

Disclosure: Mola Mola and Boenicke dealer in the UK

So many awesome product out there. Why wait. Pick something now, and enjoy the hell out of it for a few years. 

All good guys.  All the politics get cleared up pretty quickly.  Yes, an amazing thread and now that Matt has the Davinci burning in and a few cool (expensive for many) servers, it will be interesting if the Aurender N10 can stay at the top of the heap.  It's not even the most expensive by miles, so it's already a great value/buy for the high end.  It's still on my personal short list if I can ever afford it, unless something better comes along.  

How many of you guys are waiting out the server war's that is about to start as you think the future will be MUCH brighter with advances in timing and lessening digital noise?

Minus the ridiculous political diversions ...

+1 ... and I thought this is an audio forum.

Thanks Lordcloud. Ive put a lot of effort into this thread. And we are lucky to have such great contributors!!!  

Some good stuff coming. Stay tuned. 👍🏻

Minus the ridiculous political diversions, this is an amazing thread.

I particularly love that it has survived (audio related) diversions and been nothing but informative and entertaining. I’m very much wanting to hear more of everyone’s opinions and experiences with their dacs. My Balanced Pagoda isn’t up there with the big boys, but it’s still great to hear what everyone’s opinions are on differing face and the like.

Thanks guys!

Luxman D08U.

Only one sea story.  In 1984 (march 10th I think it was) I was in my rack (about 10pm local time somewhere in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Iran).  I had just gotten off of watch (I am a surface warfare officer or ship driver) on the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier and we ran over a Soviet Victor Class sub.  I was also the ships Repair Officer and was in charge of the repair efforts.  Just crazy.  

The guys now are so lucky as they can use their phones with a Mojo or Hugo2 and can's of their choice to get outstanding music.  I would have been able to lay down in my hidden hammock I installed on the fantail of the ship. I used to love sleeping out there if I didn't have the night watches.  I only got about 3 or 4 hours at a time so I wanted to max out what I had.  Even at night it was hot and humid out there, but the fresh air was great.  I used to use my cassette walkman out there, lol..WE have come a long way guys.