Review on Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC

If I remember you have an affinity for tube DACs.  It's a different class of DAC but how does it compare to the MHDT Orchid?  What would you say are the similarities?

Hey danager,

That's a great question. The LTA Aero is a qualitative  shift to a much higher level of dynamics, clarity, 3D imaging, much more pristine timbres/colors, and bass extension then the MHDT DAC. LTA used import/sell the MHDT Orchid DAC and was/is very good for its time and price.

You are correct I find R2R DACs, often with tubes in the analog conversation section to be the most musical and relaxing DACs for my taste.

Teajay

“Up to 24-bit / 192 kHz PCM”
That’s a non-starter for me since I listen to lot of DSD albums. At $4K, I consider this to be a serious limitation. I believe we are not far off from a future where DSD files become available to stream.

Nevertheless, LTA has an impressive line of products…the only thing missing, a dedicated outboard phono preamplifier which I would love to audition (add) in my system.

That’s a non-starter for me since I listen to lot of DSD albums.

+1, since I have so many DSD albums and also, all my FLACs are converted to 256 DSD for playback.

teajay

... I would strongly suggest anyone in the market for a stand alone DAC, regardless of price, consider the Aero ... You get a 14 day home . trial. So far no one has returned the Aero ... I believe the Aero is a break through product ...

That sure is a "hard sell" for a component review that isn't even published yet.

Hey cleeds,

I would not refer to my excitement about this DAC as a "hard sell". I have been a Audiogon member for years and professional reviewer for fifteen years. I try to share information on products I review that I believe offer outstanding price vs. performance and the LTA Aero DAC is a killer piece. Most reviewers won't post here because of the flack they often receive. However, many members are complimentary regarding my posts and reviews because it has helped them select gear that fulfilled what they wanted in their system.

Teajay

@teajay I remember and took notice of your Lab12 Ref DAC review a while back.  I have enjoyed and have been very impressed with mine.  How would the LSA and the Lab 12 Ref compare in your mind?  Thanks

Hey tksteingraber,

Your Lab12 DAC is an excellent performer. It does not become null and void because something performs at a higher level. The LTA Aero, in my opinion, significantly/qualitative is on a higher level of performance across the board. In my review I mention two DACs that I own that cost 10K and 25K more. Yet, the Aero's level of performance rivals these two DACs. 

Teajay

Thanks Terry,

I’ll be interested in reading your review. I have an R2R DAC (the Pontus ll ) and I really like the ladder DAC sound.

Needs an HDMI I2S input. No excuses. ALL manufacturers should be adopting this onto their rear panels of the DAC's. f under $1k USD DAC's are doing it. Why aren't the megabuck Guys following suit ?

@teajay

Based on your comments here, and the Audiophiliac (Steve Guttenberg) review, the Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC sounds like a really great deal on a very musical DAC for $4K.

Since the LTA Aero is an R2R DAC using the AD-1865 DAC chip, I am curious whether you have heard any of Benjamin Zwickel’s Mojo Audio DACs, which are also R2R DACs and which use the AD-1862N DAC chip? I currently own both the Mojo Audio Mystique EVO Pro and Mystique X SE DACs, each of which use AD-1862N-Z chips, which were apparently a special version of the AD-1862 chip developed for high-end Denon DACs back in the day and incorporate the "Z" designation. If you have seen the Soundbsessive DAC Chip List, they have good things to say about both the AD-1862 and AD-1865 chips:

Analog Devices: Multibit:
AD1862 20-bit – one of the best of the world’s Audio
AD1865 18-bit, very good multibitnik, 2 DACs and in one case (stereo)

Although the output stages are different between the Mojo Audio and LTA models (Mojo Audio DACs do not use tubes), there are similarities beyond the AD DAC chips and R2R design, which include dedicated power supplies for each section and Belleson-regulated, multi-stage choke filtration.

I was interested to hear Guttenberg’s comments regarding the LTA Aero vs. the Mola Mola Tambaqui, since I owned a Tambaqui last year and compared it directly to the EVO Pro DAC. To my ears, the Tambaqui sounded basically "perfect" while the EVO Pro offered a sound that I perceived in comparison as more musical and fun to listen to, if that makes any sense. I also found that the Tambaqui displayed a bit more "high-frequency air and spaciousness" as described by Guttenberg in his comparison between the Tambaqui and the LTA Aero. However, in my system, the relatively small differences in high-frequencies between the Tambaqui and EVO Pro were overshadowed by my favorable perception of the EVO Pro displaying more tonal color and body. After listening to both over an extended period, I ended up selling the Tambaqui and kept the EVO Pro.

If you have heard any of the Mojo Audio Mystique DACs, from the v3 on up, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on how those compare with the LTA Aero.

Hey mitch2,

Yes, I have heard the Mojo Audio DACs and they are quite my cup of sonic tea. I believe the LTA  Aero is more similar then different from your DACs. However, I believe because of the massive power supply/ZOTL tube based analog section that the Aero has great tonality, like your Mojo DACs, but will be faster and more dynamic then your Mojo DACs.

The Mola-Mola DAC is an example, for my ears, of a highly "resolving" DAC that does everything right except make music. I'm not a fan of MSB, DCS, ESOTERIC because they do not connect me with the music. My reference DAC is a Reimyo DAP-999EX Toku, which is a an R2R design. I have reviewed over ten DACs starting with a price point 2K and up to 40K and the LTA Aero hangs sonically with the most expensive ones, including my Reimyo which, if you can find a NOS Toku in the box, still sells for around 13K.

Teajay

Too bad it doesn't have AES/EBU input for transports that have that optimized output

This is a DAC I’d be very interested in and look forward to the review, but I agree that lack of both i2S and AES/EBU inputs is to say the least curious at this price level.  Not sure what they were thinking here unless they’re planning on a higher-level DAC that includes these inputs, but still. 

Hey gentlemen, 

My review on Stereo Times just went up on the LTA Aero DAC tonight. Hope you enjoy reading it and it gives a lot more details regarding why I wanted to share my excitement about this DAC's performance.

Teajay

@teajay I have always enjoyed your reviews.  One of the DAC’s I previously had in my system was a MHDT Pagoda Balanced.  I bought it based off your review.  I really enjoyed that DAC. I now have a PS Audio Direct Stream MK2.  I know the LTA and MK2 are quite different in design, curious if you’ve had the chance to listen to the MK2 and how it would compare to the LTA? 
 

Thanks for the heads up on your review, looking forward to reading it.

Nice review.  I would like to hear the DAC.

I always appreciate seeing pictures of the insides of gear.  This thread shares the best picture of the insides of the Aero that I could find, and this article shares another.

Hey mm1tt77,

Compared to your PS Audio DS MK2 the LTA Aero will have a richer tonality and the individual images will be more 3D "meat on the bones" presentation. I find the PS Audio Direct Stream to sound like very good digital, but not as relaxing or musical as the DACs I like the most. What do you like about the Direct Stream MK2 that lead you to replace the Pagoda?

Thanks for the kind words regarding my reviews. Teajay

Interesting, they copied the name of the legendary Audio Aero company in Toulouse, France. 

Thank you for the review Terry, and I do appreciate the early heads up on your reviews......that's how I found (and later purchased) the amazing CODA S5.5.

I do however have some concerns that might prevent me from buying this DAC: There is no AES/EBU connection, there is no I2S connection, It is black only (rest of my gear is silver), and then the 24bit/192.....though that may not be a killer for me.

Found this to be interesting.  Made me wonder if their choice of AD1865 vs. others like AD1862 was related to finding a chip they could stockpile in sufficient quantity.  Also interesting comments on power cords relative to power supply.  They clearly value listening as part of their design and parts selection process.

Hey Terry…would you care to share your thoughts on how the LTA compares to Bricasti, considering both use AD chips? Thanks!

Hey audphile1,

I have nothing but respect for Bricasti gear, have reviewed two of their DACs and one of their amplifiers. Great build quality and first rate sound performance.

Do I believe the LTA Aero DAC out preforms Bricasti's best DACs? No, but it creates a level of performance that easily fits in the higher echelon of DACs right along with the Bricasti pieces. But here's the kicker, the Bricasti DACs are at least 2K to 14K more expensive then the Aero, and yet do not out perform it! As I did in my review, I compared the Aero to my reference Reimyo Tuko which still sells for around 13K for a NOS one and it was at that echelon regarding performance.

Teajay

Thanks! I read your review of Bricasti M3 that’s why I asked. Sounds like LTA is a killer DAC. I’m actually on a hunt for a new DAC but the incompatibility with DSD is a let down. 

Thanks for the heads up, Terry. I'll be upgrading my DAC in the next year or so and this seems like a real contender due to its tonality as you've described it, the return option and the price. 

It's a shame you have to deal with the same tedious accusations of nefarious intent every time you inform us about a new product you've enjoyed.  

Hey teajay! Thanks for posting and your timing in my case is spot on. 

I have been listening to a few DAC's recently and trying to decide if a replacement for my Yggy LIM would make sense.  I have a tubed preamp ( Modwright LS100 ) and not sure what the impact of the LTA Aero with tubes would be - hence the beauty of a home trial period in my system offered by LTA.  I did a recent post about picking up my new Volti Razz speakers from Greg in TN and I had a chance to here the Mojo Mystique X with my speakers and like you loved the sound.  

I look forward to your upcoming review 

Hey Terry, I bought an Aric Audio Preamp following your recommendation and it is great. I now have had the LTA Aero DAC for about two months and I love it. My other two dacs are a Denafriips Terminator and a Mytek Manhattan II and while both are excellent, the Aero is much better. Also a shout out to LTA for it's commendable customer service (Nicholas!!!).

@teajay, really enjoy reading your posts. I am relatively new to this- only about a year. And the first post of yours which influenced me was the one on Coda S5.5. I really wish I could buy it- but here in Dubai, where I am based- not possible. Was tempted when I was in LA last month- but again not sure how to carry it back. Either ways it is a pleasure to read your posts, especially the patience with which you reply to all- and of course like reading your reviews.

I am thinking of getting a DAC, though the Aero might be a bit out of my budget and also not available in/to Dubai. Might end up buying the MHDT Orchid- again basis your recommendations.

@teajay @stuartk fellow CODA S5.5 owner here, yeah I just don't get the logic of someone accusing Terry of nefarious financial motives, when he has a track record of recommending components that the subs here have all verified as stellar IN THEIR OWN SYSTEMS over the course of many years. I guess for some folk there is a conspiracy lurking just about everywhere anxiously waiting to trip them up. I have a Lampizator Baltic V4 - a tube DAC that uses a very different conversion method and output stage than the Aero - and would love to do an A/B comparison, but unfortunately I am tapped out right now, unless Bitcoin actually decides to do something instead of sitting on its you-know-what.

Thanks guys,

For your positive and supportive comments regarding both my motivation and professional reviews. I'm always trying to share my excitement about great pieces that offer great performance for reasonable prices that are built by people who offer great customer service and are "good" people. 

Teajay

Hi @teajay , enjoyed the review. I see in your profile that you still own a Pass Labs D1 DAC. I own one also and I love it. Curious how you think it holds up today against the reference DACs you have reviewed recently? 

This DAC sounds like another winner!  I’ve bought both a Coda S5.5 amp and NSMT Clairvoyant System 2 speakers at Terry’s recommendation and all I can say is that he was spot on in all aspects with both items. These are the best two audio purchases I’ve ever made. I bought both the amp and speakers through Mike Kay at Audio Archon. Mike is really great to work with. When I’m in the market for a new digital setup I’m definitely going to look at this DAC. 

Jeff

I am a tube DAC fan (Lampizator). I listened to it quickly at THE Show and I remember that I wasn’t impressed but I think it may have been the rest of the system it was displayed with.

My own system was right down the hall so I had the advantage of a quick comparison.

And the LTA is at a different price point.

Jerry

Hi @teajay how does the LTA Dac compare to the Audio Mirror Tubadour IV? Both tube based R2R dacs. Thank you!

@teajay

I was intrigued enough by your review, and the many other positive responses from those who own or have heard this DAC, that I called LTA yesterday, had a nice conversation with Mark Schneider, the LTA CEO, and purchased the Aero DAC. I should see it in about 3 weeks as they are waiting on cases.
They clearly put a lot of thought and effort into the design, and there is innovation throughout the DAC beyond the Berning-modeled output stage. Mr. Schneider shared a lot of details and unfortunately I cannot remember them all. LTA are aware of similarities with the DACs from Mojo Audio such as the AD chips, Belleson regulators, and choke power supplies, and Mr. Schneider is interested to hear about my comparisons between the Aero and my current Mystique Evo Pro Z and Mystique X SE NCZ.
Since my system typically remains powered up all the time, I was interested in Mr. Schneider’s comments about warm up. He acknowledged the Aero DAC sounds better after a 2-hour warm-up, and the sound can continue to improve over a couple of days. He indicated turning the unit on/off is may be harder on the tubes than simply leaving it turned on. Also, the ZOTL circuit only uses about 1/3 of the tube’s power and the 12SN7 tubes they sourced are not dreadfully expensive.
I look forward to trying this new DAC.

@mitch2 

I am looking forward to your impressions on LTA. 

Hey whoopycat,

Great question! You might find it shocking that the Pass Labs DAC-1 performance is quite close to the present day reference level DACs. I hate using percentage statements, but I would say the DAC-1 gives you close to 85% of the state of the art performance of this generation of great DACs. I'm sure yours sounds great in your system. 

Teajay

Hey phill55,

It's been awhile since I reviewed the Audio Mirror Tubadour DAC, which is a wonderful musical sounding DAC. My hunch would be that the LTA Aero will be more dynamic and resolving with more pristine tonality, but not losing the sense of musicality that the Tubadour has. 

Teajay 

Excellent thank you Teajay. With a 14 day free trial what have a got to lose😁

@teajay Great question! You might find it shocking that the Pass Labs DAC-1 performance is quite close to the present day reference level DACs.

Amazing!  What is this like a 27 year old DAC?  

Hey jetter,

Yes, the Pass Labs DAC-1 is about that old. Mine was re-capped by Pass Labs  and is in pristine condition. The only reason that Pass Labs stopped manufacturing the DAC-1 was the unavailability of the great Burr-Brown PCM-(K)63 chips. Pass Labs policy is if they can't have parts to repair a certain model in the future they stop manufacturing it.

The DAC-1 uses four of these chips in a fully balanced configuration. Then add Nelson's brilliance with power supplies and you get a great sounding DAC.

Teajay 

@teajay 

I also used my favorite 6SN7 tube, NOS 1943 TungSol black glass/round plates. Everything in my description of the Aero DAC’s performance with these tubes went even higher.

After reading about how you found the DAC's performance to be even better with NOS 6SN7 tubes, I thought I would look around and maybe purchase a set prior to receiving the DAC, so I could maximize its performance during my 14-day trial period.  Holy crap, I had no idea of where prices have gone on 6SN7 tubes!  It seems $400 to over $1K for a pair is not unusual.  Therefore, leaving the DAC powered up for best sound, as supported by LTA, would be a much more expensive proposition if using NOS tubes.

Can you elaborate on the specific sonic attributes, as well as the relative degree of improvement - i.e., subtle to significant, that you heard when using NOS 6SN7 tubes?  Do you believe 6SN7s in general may sound better than 12SN7s in this DAC?  Thanks for any additional thoughts you can share regarding the impact of the tubes used.

Hey mitch2,

Of all the 6SN7s I have in my collection the TungSol black glass/round plates have always been my favorites for three reasons: 1) The air and spatiality they create is really very remarkable. 2) The beauty of timbres/colors is very pristine and very close to what I hear in live music. 3) There is an ease/effortlessness that it produces which I experience as the music is just oozing and flowing into my listening space. 

With all that, when I used the TungSols in the Aero it did not produce a qualitative shift (what I believe you would call significant) but a subtle addition of the traits I described above. The DAC sounds absolutely terrific with the GE NOS 12SN7s that it shipped with. Using the NOS TungSol black glass/oval plates 6SN7's is like "the icing on cake". So, if you go through with your purchase of the Aero and love it,, which I think you will, you could treat yourself later with a pair of 6SN7s. 

Finally, you are correct they have become scarcer and more expensive, but you can still score them for relatively reasonable prices. If you get a good pair they tend to be very long lived. The way the LTA Aero uses its tubes they should last a very long time, indeed.

Teajay 

Good to hear, on all accounts.  Thanks Teajay.

@mitch2 If you do decide to buy NOS 6sn7 tubes this is a must read.  There are reasonably priced tubes (Sylvania, Rca, Raytheon) that sound fantastic but requires some searching and leaps of faith. Interested in your feedback on the LTA Aero once you get some time with it.  
 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/shootout-of-nos-6sn7-tubes

@tksteingraber - Thanks for linking the tube thread.  Based on my web search, if I decide to keep the DAC, it seems I should be able to find a tested and matched pair of suitable NOS tubes, like SYLVANIA VT231s, for under $300, which seems an acceptable price assuming they improve the sound.  I wish LTA had those DACs in stock and ready to ship as I am looking forward to hearing it.

@teajay I landed on the PS Audio MKii by way of trading my pre and a DAC for a Lumin P1, I thought I could potentially achieve a jump up in my system by eliminating having a pre, streamer, DAC.  The dealer I made the trade with was in Canada, also rep’d PS Audio, when I didn’t love the change, he honored a commitment that he’d let me send the Lumin Back for a Lumin U2 mini and a PS MKii.  I then went back on the hunt for a Pre, was between a Coda 07x and PS BHK Pre.  I found a BHK local at a great deal so I ended up with a U2 mini, PS BHK Pre and the Mii with a Krell 300 XD for an amp.  What sounded the best in my system was a CSiB Coda Integrated I used as a Pre only that was fed by a MHDT Pagoda Balanced DAC.  I have been thinking about swapping the BHK and MKii for the Coda 07x and a tube based DAC.  The LTA, based on your review seems to hit my sonic sweet spot.  Do you think the Coda would pair well with LTA DAC?  I have also thought about an LTA pre or Aric Pre.  
 

Thanks for all great reviews and recommendations.  

@jake18aa +1 on Nicholas's customer service. He took all the time in the world to talk to me about the questions I had on the LTA MZ3 preamp. In fact as I was ready to end the conversation he mentioned he had a few months old MZ3 trade in for sale that was basically brand new, and I bought it, with a nice discount. To this day if I have any questions he emails me back always on a timely basis.

I've haven't had the chance to hear the NOS 1943 Tung Sol black glass/round plates in my system as my next purchase will be the NOS 1952 Sylvania 6SN7GT Bad Boy. So if anyone ever tries these tubes in you 'new' LTA Aero Dac, I would really enjoy reading that review. But I must say the LTA MZ3 comes with NOS RCA 12SX7GT and NOS Brimar CV4024 tubes or whatever replacements they may have on hand at the time, such as the Genalex E88CC. 

Hey mm1tt77,

Yes, I believe that the Coda 07x preamp with the LTA Aero DAC would be one beautiful combo! The 07x is one of my favorite SS preamplifiers and teaming it with the Aero would render a terrific musical presentation.

Teajay

LTA tube DAC design seems similar to the great Aqua La scala DAC but at half cost. 

I would be curious if they are similare soundwise? About soundstage, holographic and instrument separation?