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
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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
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Hey brbrock,
I know that LTA uses high quality internal parts in all their products. If you want precisely to know what companies parts they use just call Nicholas at LTA and he will give you all that information.
Teajay
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Hey dandion,
I had a brief listening session awhile back with the Aqua Scala DAC, quite good, and yes, the LTA Aero DAC have a lot of musicality and sonic characteristics that are similar. If you like the much more expensive DAC you surely would enjoy the LTA.
Teajay
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Hey tksteingraber,
LTA has been shipping for close to a couple of months already. The wait time is about two weeks.
Teajay
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Hey mitch2,
Wish I could help you, but never had any experience listening to the Merason DAC.
Teajay
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Hey markmuse,
The Rockna is another fine DAC. I reviewed it a few years back. However, it’s more expensive then the LTA Aero, but I would rather have the Aero based on its presentation of music. A virtue of the Rockna is that it's volume control is excellent and the expense of a preamplifier is not necessary.
Teajay
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Hey Don,
Remember the Aero uses a chip nicknamed the "analog" DAC. Two of my closet friends who are die hard analog listeners, with excellent vinyl rigs, love the LTA Aero because it has an ease, overall warmth, and relaxation often associated with vinyl.
Yes, I'm sure the Rotel being used as a transport should be up to the task.
Teajay
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Hey soix,
Totally agree with you, if Don likes AZ cables, the AZ MC2 would be a great addition.
Of course CD transports make a difference regarding the performance of the DAC they are driving. I consider myself some what of a connoisseur regarding transports. I do not stream, so all my DACs are driven by CD transports. Here's a list of what I have in my collection of spinners:
1) Mark Levinson 31.5 2) CEC two belt T-3,3) Pro-Ject reference with LTA upgraded power supply, 4) Jays Audio MKIII.
I also just had in for review Bricasti's new 10K transport. So when I suggested to Don that his Rotel would suffice to drive the Aero, I did not mean that it would get the ultimate performance out of it, but good enough to still hear what the Aero has to offer. By the way, the best performance I get in my system, regardless of the DAC, is the combination of the Mark Levinson with Jena Cables reference digital cable.
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Hey Don,
The Aero sounds great being driven by a Coax/SPDIF cable. Start with your Rotel as a transport with a good SPDIF cable and I'm sure you will be very pleased. Then you could later on add a dedicated transport and better digital cable. Remember, you have a 10 day trial period, as far as I know no one has returned the Aero back to LTA.
Teajay
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