Former MHDT Havana Lovers: What did you move onto?


I have owned and loved this DAC for the past year, but speaker and amp upgrades along with moving to a bigger room have started to flesh out it's weaknesses, namely lack of fine inner details and congestion with complex passages, particularly orchestral. What can give me the same kind of lovely organic timbre with more clarity and detail and perhaps deeper soundstage? I just picked up the Bel Canto DAC2.5 and while definitely more detailed, it just doesn't have that natural and organic sound and is ultimately a little too clinical and fatiguing to my ears (Benchmark wo uld probably make my head explode).

Yes, I have rolled NOS tubes - Bendix 2c51, WE396A/2c51, Tungsol 2c51, but that can only do so much. I do have V-Cap OIMP caps that I'm going have installed so that should help, but to what degree remains to be seen.

I am considering trying the Bryston BDA-1 and Ayre QB-9. Tranquility SE looks interesting but relatively high output impedance and not particularly high voltage will probably not work too well with my Placette Passive Linestage. Suggestions under $2k used or new appreciated.

Thanks!
eugene81

Showing 2 responses by meiwan

If organic is your thing (like me), I recently went from the EE minimax (ultra organic) to the new Calyx DAC. Comes in slightly under your budget and has all that wonderful (tube like) warmth with tons of detail and air. I'm using it with Harbeth C7's and class A tubes (Audiomat Opera).

Highly recommended.
Eugene81 - the Calyx is really something special at it's price point. It's not widely know in NA, but is getting killer reviews in Europe and Australia. I was also leaning to the Tranquility DAC, but opted for this instead. I had the Moon 300d at home for a bit (apparently very similar to the Bryston), and it left me completely cold (I called it vanilla).

The Calyx uses the Sabre chip, which like the Minimax when well implemented is really something.