It’s great to hear that you’re getting more than expected from your Tubadour IV- and old Tele’s are the way to go in NOS DAC’s. I use the same in my Aqua La Scala. I’ve always followed other’s experiences with these DAC’s as they seem to be great performers. I also appreciate your decision to get rid of the original knobs!
From an MHDT to an Audio Mirror, quick impressions
A Tubadour IV SE I ordered on 10/12 appeared today. It replaces a stock Orchid fed by an n130 Node with PD Creative power board and Sbooster LPS. I’ve just finished a half hour session, including 15 min of warm up. Right out of the box it’s showing off. Smooth, articulate and quick with much tighter bass. It keeps the musicality of the Orchid and improves on the pace.
The soundstage is deeper with a more “You are there” feel than the up front “They are here” feel of the Orchid. That’s all for now. For three times the cost I hoped for a noticeably better DAC. What I got was a major surprise and a huge upgrade. Really anxious to put some hours on it.