Hi Playntheblues it will be interesting to see what you get but my thoughts are that you will want to use your Dodd pre still in your system, suppose to be a great pre. |
I agree with Teajay, this is a great Dac and I'm very happy with it.
Teajay, I am noticing some nice over all improvement with my Drive since new, I have about two hundred hours on it.
A friend was over who has dcs gear and you had to be here to see his face when "Georgia" came on. Actually it was his own music that he brought over to listen too. After 3 hours of listening he said to me that he could not believe my system.
I have listened to "Georgia" many times on my system but this time the bass notes (strings) are just absolutely stunning along with the vocals on my system now, actually over all wow! The best I have ever had.
My friend called me today and said do you know what you have done to me now, I can't listen to my system it's just not even close to what I heard last night. Now that's a nice compliment. He said listening to his own system he now finds the sound over all non emotional and not even in the same league as mine. He said for example when I got home I first put "Georgia" on, did't even listen to the full song, I then put on other music that I listened to at your place and again today. He said he just can't believe the difference, he said to me something is going and fast.
He has a very similar set-up to mine, same amps and speakers, I have a ARC REF3 pre and he has a VTL 7.5 pre., I have "AA" gear and he has "dcs gear."
Playntheblues, I await to read your thoughts of the "AA DAC", the Dodson and Zanden are two great pieces that I would like to hear in my own system also. Good luck when it comes to the used Zanden, it will be interesting because I'm sure it will go quickly.
Make sure you use a Stealth Sextet digital cable for connection, I prefer the AES connection.
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Hi Rene_1 if you read my thread you will notice it says the same as mine.
We are both using McIntosh 501's with the Eggleston Andra 2's for speakers.
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Playntheblues, I bought my unit and it was already broken-in so can't help you there.
If you look at some of my other threads you will be able to read my comments.
When I put the Dac in my system it was a WOW! factor also and I was comparing to a Audio Research Ref7 cd.
I purchased a new Drive MK2 and it is breaking-in and really with the Dac sounding nice, the best my system has ever been.
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Elberoth2, yes I would agree that Arthur offers some interesting reading but have you ever heard any of his set-ups? Interesting chap for sure, I bought some Entecs from him.
Regarding the Accustic Arts Tube Dac, all I can say is WOW!
I almost bought a ARC REF CD7 which I had in my system for a few weeks and then had the opportunity to compare with a Accustic Arts MK4, not the NEW Tube dac and hands down I prefered it in my system. The ARC even had the edge as I use a ARC REF3 pre in my system so there should have been some synergy happening. The new TUBE DAC from "AA" greatly improves over the already great MK4 DAC, read Tejays review.
I've had the Reimyo CDT-777 and Oracle CD 2500 but did not keep them and that was when I had the MK4 comparing. Out of all the one's you listed the AMR 77 peaks my interest the most to try but all I heard were problems not working, noises, breaking down and not reading disc's etc. A few have said that these issues have been corrected but then I have found out that they actually have interest in the company one way or another (dealers etc.)
Teajay my unit was just getting broken-in and I made a big change, I sold my Andra's and await for my new MBL 101E's. |
Hi Elberoth2 if you look threw my threads you will find your answer regarding my experience with the ARC REF CD7 player which is a great player but I could not believe what I was hearing when I put the Accustic Arts Dac MK4 in my system.
Hi Ptmconsulting, it would be best to refer you to the Product Reviews section. Refer to Teajay's review of the Accustic Arts Reference Tube Hybrid Dac, he did a splendid review and basically is bang on. I never thought that this could happen either until I put it into my system, it really is just the most marvelous piece I have ever had.
Braninmir you obviously have Arthur figured out and hit the nail right on the head but I was saying it in a nice way. We all have our own opinions and experiences, we have different gear including set-ups which can determine the outcome (synergy)along with how we personally like our sound.
I just bought some MBL 101E's and can't wait to get them but I'm sure allot won't like them but I'm getting them for my enjoyment and not others. I have found in this audio journey that I have connected with many trading back and forth experiences which have helped greatly but I still like to try myself to determine the outcome. |
Branimir,
Good to see that you got the new AA Tube Dac and are enjoying it.
You really are missing out not changing the tubes, there are only two 12ax7's. I'm not really into tube rolling either but this is so easy and I look at it like changing out cables and getting a different flavour it most defiantly is worth it.
When I hear people refer to the manufacturer voicing there gear and by changing this or that then you are changing what the manufacturer created I have to add to this as I'm not fully in agreement. There are other factors that come into play here so if you were wanting to get exactly what the manufacturer hearing while voicing then you would need everything they were using while in the process, same IC's, identical components like amps, pre-amp, speaker cables, speakers etc. which I'm sure no one is using. When I personally am putting a set-up together I look at all of these pieces as ingredients just like a baker or cook would.
Teajay you really did a good review of the Dac and I will say that your out come of the sonic flavours when evaluating the different tubes is pretty well identical to my own findings, great job.
I have to say that I previously heard the Esoteric D-03/P-03U/G-0Rb combo in a system and I was not impressed with the system as a whole, I have not heard the Esoteric pieces in my own system but I intend on doing so in the near future.
Now back to the Tub Dac, I use to own the AA Drive also and I had a chance to try a couple of different transports and ended up with a Oracle 2000 but this is their latest design and hooked-up via Stealth Sextet digital AES connection. I preferred the 2000 over the AA Drive, if you happen to get one to demo make sure it is their latest design and do not use the 2500 as your outcome will be different. I just received my new CAT JL3 Sig. MK2 mono blocks to pair up with my MBL 101E's, I also just got Stealth Dream speaker cables two sets which are replacing my VD cables so I'm true bi-wired. I also received their Dream power cables so my system will be connected with all their power cords and lastly I got their latest Sextet BNC to BNC digital cable reason being to compare to the AES Sextet digital as Oracle says their BNC connection is better so I guess I'll find out.
Once I have had all of these new toys in my system for a while I'm going to get the Esoteric D-03/P-03U/G-0Rb combo and try it in my system. How much do these three pieces list for? When I heard that system with these in it I noticed that the transport was noisy is yours? The high cost of these pieces my expectations would be much higher and I would not be able to live with this if every transport does this.
Branimir when do you expect to get your new speakers? and just curious while doing you evaluation what was the rest of your set-up, speakers, IC's, components etc. |
Accustic Arts Ref Hybrid Tube Dac via Stealth Sextet digital cable with a MBL Ref 1621A transport, Very Happy!
I have tried a few other dacs costing substantially more along with the matching Ref MBL Dac and still preferred the AA combo with the 1621A so that saved me a bundle, I swap the tubes once in a while in the AA to just get a different flavour which is allot of fun and always in the end providing endless amazing performances. |
Hi Teajay, great to read that you are still enjoying the AA Tube Dac as I am. Have you made any further tube changes, if so what and your thoughts. I'm really enjoying my latest being the MBL 1621A but still feel the the Oracle 2000 I had surpassed it in musicality slightly, not a lot but ever so slight. In every other area the MBL's improvements are most welcome and obvious. You should check out the thread titled What is the best DAC ever made? I tried putting some info. here but for what ever reason again they would not allow it and didn't post the thread.
There are some interesting responses specifically one which has left me scratching my head, still trying to get some more info. but in the end just feel it's a different flavour thing which is okay. |
I'm open to hearing anything in my own set-up to evaluate which I have actually done allot and currently I haven't heard any of these devises no matter how much they cost making me want to part with my MBL 1621a/AA Tube Dac combo except say my vinyl set-up.
When I personally heard the Memory Player for example, (not the latest version, they seem to change allot) exspensive pce. too, some listening were overly excited saying this and that but personally the exsperience left me scratching my head wondering what the heck are they hearing. Yes it sounded good, yes it was more convinient once you took the time and got it all loaded up with music but no way did I see my self trading in my combo any time soon.
Looking forward to hearing some of the latest and greatest to see if there are any changes.
In the end just enjoy!
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Hi Teajay, you said;
"I have recently tried a couple more auditions with very highly regarded analog front ends to see if the magic of LP's would make my digital front end sound broke and the answer was no."
what did you happen to listen to?
As you know we both have the same digtal front end and I agree it's absolutely top notch and personally my favorite also but I can say without any doubt no way did my MBL & AA come close to my analog set-up. It's night and day and the magic is most defiently there to the point it's been some time now since I have even listened to my cd's so I recently sold it all off.
My current vinyl set-up;
TW Acustic Black Knight table placed upon a custom made Minus K platform.
Two different arm and carts combos;
REED arm, MSL Ultra BC cart and the second one a TW 10.5 arm with a A90 cart.
P.S. I'm waiting to receive some marvelous mono blocks, VAC Statement 450's. I should receive them end of May early June. I made a flight earlier in the year, was a once in a million chance to be able to actually hear these amps with the same speakers and pre-amp as mine in someones home, after having the pleasure of listening to them for three days I was lost for words and left in awe and couldn't wait to place my order.
In relation to red-book, I have a great collection and have no plans of getting rid of them but currently knowing what I know now in relation to the two formats red-book isn't high on my priorty.
Rockitman, I will have to agree with Teajay in relation to comparison to the PS, I also had one in my system for a while, sorry no comparison.
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Hi Teajay,
I agree it most defiantly is oaky to agree to disagree but that being said from reading your responce you just haven't heard a proper vinyl set-up just like when you hear different digital set-ups.
You are invited any time to come for a listen. Living with my RED-BOOK as long as I did and directly comparing the best cd recordings I have along with comparing duplicate recording that I also have on vinyl I'm sory but there were really no comparisons sonic wise in the end, vinyl prevailing.
The set-ups you referred to being $15-$20k, I'm not sugesting money means anything but you know your RED-BOOK pces are far from being cheap, just alone the 1621a list for over $26K. My REED arm and MSL cart fall into that category alone with what you heard cost wise, when I owned the AC3 which lists for $18K it surpased my red-book set-up.
When listening to my red-book cd collection I find that there are more lessor quality recordings than top notch amazing sounding ones, now compare that to my present LP collection and it's not even close, I currently have very few records that I would say are not amazing sounding.
My set-up, the way I have it is just set and forget it, no fussing around unless I'm doing comparisions and that's how I like it. I'm not a fanatic wanting to fuss with this and that, I just clean my records once from receipt and then all I do is one quick swipe using my brush prior to actually playing, pretty simple and compares to removing and replacing the puck in the 1621.
Surface noise, yes I do have some of this on some recordings but that greatly depends on the actual recording and usually if it's there only present in between tracks so really not a biggy and once the music comes on such is gone and oh my it's just time to listen to some great tunes. Magic, all I can say is WOW! and more WOW! with my set-up but in the end as we both know it's all personal.
You have over 400 records you just keep giving away, damn I'll take all of them off your hands, sure would assist in my collection.
I have just started so I'm sure you likely have some awesome pces, let me know how we can work this out. PM me or give me a call.
It's all about the music in the end so as long as you are able to listen enjoy no matter what your poison may be that's all that really matters.
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In referrence to the link, mini review mentioned above, call it what ever you want but to me lost all credibility upon reading the information pertaining the AA Tube Dac sonic signature.
So far off!
I did not continue reading and just pushed delete. |
