i have yet to hear a solid state digital front end that i would prefer to one using tubes.
so it boils down to the issue of tubes vs solid state.
although i have not heard the metrum, the advantage of a tube circuit is the facility to alter the sound by changing the tube. |
hi mikirob:
as audio is a subjective hobby, your point is well taken. although you have achieved good performance from the minimax, you think that , perhaps, somewhat more reolution , perhaps, would be preferred.
is it possible that you could achieve what you feel is lacking in the minimax, by trying a different tube.
for example, i have found that a 12au7 or 12at7 yellow label brimar works best.
in addition, there are other brands and vintages, you have not auditioned.
if i were in your position, i would experiment with tubes and/or interconnects or digital cables, before i replaced the dac.
once you own the metrum, you lose the affect of tube changes upon the sound of your stereo system. |
hi doug:
you frequently use the word "better" , without contextual reference.
thus there is no way to assess the connotation of your statements.
better is subjective, and, as i have said, i think that the "right" tube in the original dac may be preferable to the dac plus.
however, what you consider to be "better" may not concide with my conception of the term. |
i confess that i may have forgotten what you wrote in the pasr.
i think the answer to the question "what is better", aims to get at the heart of what you consider sonic excellence.
if i understand your frame of reference, e.g., the greatest resolution with a balanced frequency response, as sonic excellence, i will have the answer to my question.
each one of us has a criterion as to the nature of sonic excellence.
it is subjective, of course, since the nature of audio is based upon sense perception. |
hi dpatterson:
what did you prefer about the solid state mode over the tube circuit in the minimax dac ? |
hi dpatterson:
would you consider the possibility that a particular tube could provide more bloom and a more relaxed presentation than the ss mode of the minimax.
i have listened to both modes and have not liked the ss mode at all, even listening to a tube preamp and tube amp, so i am puzzled at your findings.
the very nature of tubes is the presence of less odd order harmonics and more even order harmonics than solid state. |
hi gopher:
i'll raise the same question again:
is it possible that with the "right" tube, the minimax (original) can sound more relaxed, fuller and richer than the metrum ?
i find it hard to believe that a ss product can be superior to a tubed product with respect to the characteristic classic tube sound. |
the problem with all of the comments made about the minimax is the lack of specificity regarding what tube was used.
i owned the minimax. it was never offensive, and with the right tube, i preferred it to the ps audio power wave dac, which i own.
the reason i sold the minimax is that i have some cd players which i prefer.
i would like someone to explain, logically, how a solid state component can out perorm a tubed component, when the latter's sound is tube dependant, and can vary greatly with the tube selected.
i have always found the better tube dacs to exhibit more realistic timbre than solid state dacs. |
hi d patterson:
i have been thinking about what you said. the fact that i have not heard the metrum octave.
i think however, that you missed my point.
let me put it in another context.
i would say that i would make you a bet. the terms as follows:
i will pick my favorite tube dac, you can pick your favorite ss dac. design a blind test, and i will prefer the tube dac every time.
now let's apply this to the quesrion raised by thread, namely the minimax vs the octave.
what i was trying to say is that i would guarantee i would prefer the minmax, because i could select my favorite tube, perhaps, change some caps and op amps, over the metrum octave.
such a statement is an expression of my preference for tubed devices over solid state based devices, regardless of the component.
thus i would probably subscribe to the adage "solid state is an unpleasant state".
so i will admit my predilection for tubes does not require me to audition a solid state compoent.
there are a few instances where i can enjoy a solid state dac.
for example, i am using a vinvincent cd s6 tube cd player as a transport connected to a ps audio perfect wave dac, linked by an spdif cable. however, i would prefer the original zanden or original lector.
the reason i can live with the aforementioned components is the interconnect from the dac to a tube preamp. i am using fusion audio romance gold stranded cable.
the cable counteracts the objectionable qualities of the dac. you could also say the cable, colors the sound.
this situation does not change my original statement about tubed vs ss components. i have just found a way to overcome the objectionable qualities of solid state.
i |
hi tubegrover:
how confident are you:
regarding the three dacs that you recently auditioned, suppose i could pick the stereo system and the tubes, would you bet that i would pick the ss dac that was universally preferred, or would you bet that i would pick a tube dac ?
since you don't know my preferences, i can tell you that i prefer the classic tube sound and no ss dac has it. |
i have used a 12au7 brimar in the minimax. while i did not achieve a classic tube sound, i heard the affect of then tube.
it created a "flavor" to the sound of my stereo system, which i would conjecture could not be replicated by a ss dac. |
i had the eastern electric dac (original version) and i have the ps audio dac.
the tube in the circuit colors the sound. the ps audio dac, depending upon digital cable can sound harsh. |
i sold the minimax, but did not replace it, as o own sevral tubed cd players, and the ps audio pwd and pet. |
when you compare dacs, there are really four variables, the transport, the digital cable and the analog interconnect cable to the preamp.
it is important to specify the other links when making a comparison.
just saying the metrum is better than the eastern electric without naming what cables and transport are used is insufficient.
making dac comparisons is almost impossible because of the other variables.
if you say dac a is better than dac b, you assume that the other variables don't count. |
