It's a Mullard Pearl CryoValve! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by PRYML
Found the packaging during my regular ritual of looking for something and finding something else instead :lol:
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It's a Mullard Pearl CryoValve! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by PRYML
Found the packaging during my regular ritual of looking for something and finding something else instead :lol:
Out of interest, where did you source one of these from, and for how much? :¬)
I got it around 15 years ago from a HiFi dealer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; vaguely remember paying around 200 Malaysian Ringgit for it then :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoga
Nice!Quote:
Originally Posted by PRYML
Malek, where did you source the DAC? I'm very tempted by one of these.
Got it from www.hitaudio.com for HKD5200, during last year's High End Audio Visual Show ;)
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...#ht_1906wt_995
£612. Quite tempted by one of these along with a Matrix M-Stage headphone amp (rather than the Burson HA-160D).
Hmmmmmmm :¬)
Yeah, I thought about one of these to. I've got a mate in the US who could bring it over to me keeping the costs considerably lower. Its certainly tempting. The Audiolab MDAC will be out in the summer though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoga
There will be a version 2 (Minimax) this summer also...Quote:
Originally Posted by Spur07
What's good about the Audiolab MDAC? Rough cost too? :¬)Quote:
Sabre ES9018
Italian M2Tech A Sync technology
Separate power transformers for digital and analog
High frequency relays/resistor input selection
improved PSU
improved tube output stage
improved 24/96 and 24/192KHz playing
volume pot removed
socketed opamps
tube/ss output selection
I'm tempted to buy a Fiio E7 and use that for a couple of months while these new DACs arrive.
Yeah, I guess the new minimax will this time be able to play 24 bit via USB.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoga
I heard the Audiolab CDQ last year at Bartletts and was very impressed. I'm hoping the MDAC will be priced around the £399 mark which should make it very good value. I noticed last night in another thread Jerry has recently compared his Mtech Yound dac to a friends CDQ so maybe he will enlighten us further. Reading his post I wasn't sure which he preferred although I'd imagine it was the Young. I think the Young comes in at around £600 though?
Yeah £675 for the Young iirc. Would like to hear it compared to the Rega.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spur07
So many DACs, so little time :¬)
Indeed. I've heard good things about the Rega also.
getting them all together in one place wouldn't be easy :)
http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/2...e-minimax-dac/
presumably better but dearer...
Not sure if I'll be "upgrading" just yet though :)
Considering the global praise the MKI got, you won't need to. For a long while!Quote:
Originally Posted by PRYML
I still think the MK.1's built-in pre-amp a significant weak link though :rolleyes:
Had they done away with it, (in all likelyhood) it would've sounded better and cost less; resulting in staggering value for money sound-wise :eyebrows:
I noticed that users on another forum are "rolling" OpAmps in the Mk.I and the DAC Plus is to be released with "socketed" OpAmps...
Does that mean the OpAmps in the upcoming model can be manually plugged in/unplugged for installation of alternatives? :scratch:
Yep :¬)
There's a huge thread on HeadFi about MKI tube and opamp rolling, some great info if you're interested.
The tube-rolling bug bit again and after going through several forums, I decided to give the MULLARD CV4003 (KQDD/K is also printed on the plain white box) another chance, as there are a few posts that recommend a significant burn-in period.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
So I set the second track of Isotek's Full System Enhancer/Rejuvenation CD running on repeat overnight and the sound started to open up and progressively got better as I played more music through it :)
They weren't kidding about the NOS reference, considering the lengthy burn-in period :lol:
It sounded so promising that I placed an order for the Cryo Valve version from UK's Watford Valves, even as it continues to burn in :eyebrows:
It'll be a long wait though as, according to their website, all orders can only be processed next month; maybe they're off on holiday :)