Luckyman
Well-Known Member
Highly recommended! I love mine!:thmbsp:
Tube CD Player???
- Thread starter Myvinyl333
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Highly recommended! I love mine!:thmbsp:
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
Not All Tube CDP Created Equal
Not all tube output stages are the same. Some tube players just run the output of an op amp through a set of tubes. Basically a buffer type set up. Other machines will use a full tube output stage, but these are usually more expensive machines.
I have owned a Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1, which is a well regarded tube CDP. Really wasnt to my liking. From what I have experienced, tube CDPs are not intended to be accurate, but instead add a romantic element to CD playback. This may or may not be what you want to hear. It wasnt for me. I got higher resolution, accurate tonal balanace, and a unfatuiging listening experience by using a high quality solid state DAC and transport.
Regards
Mister Pig
Not all tube output stages are the same. Some tube players just run the output of an op amp through a set of tubes. Basically a buffer type set up. Other machines will use a full tube output stage, but these are usually more expensive machines.
I have owned a Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1, which is a well regarded tube CDP. Really wasnt to my liking. From what I have experienced, tube CDPs are not intended to be accurate, but instead add a romantic element to CD playback. This may or may not be what you want to hear. It wasnt for me. I got higher resolution, accurate tonal balanace, and a unfatuiging listening experience by using a high quality solid state DAC and transport.
Regards
Mister Pig
Myvinyl333
Active Member
Thanks for the input. I am taking my time and looking at all avenues to produce the best CD playback that will work in my system. I do have access to Simaudio product for a non-tube CDP.
:zoom:
I've heard Grumpy's Melody, and it is a fine piece, and it is still being broken in.
I got the first Lector, the one that jcmjrt spoke of having heard at the AK Fest.
She didn't let another slip through her fingers.
I got the first Lector, the one that jcmjrt spoke of having heard at the AK Fest.
She didn't let another slip through her fingers.
Myvinyl333
Active Member
:scratch2: Looking at the Bluenote Stibbert Tube CDP...David Michael Audio and Audio Limits look like sources... Ayon CD-1 @ USA Tube Audio?
I am also looking @ Venus Hi-Fi
George
Myvinyl333
Active Member
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
Give It A Shot
Hi,
Well I guess I should put my personal preferences up front. First of all, I believe the source is a critical component, and a user should invest a good portion of the audio kitty in this area. Secondly, I prefer a transport/DAC combo. So, I am nto as well versed in single box players.
But, I noticed something. Your system detail at the bottom of the post shows a Squeezebox. It can be a great unit, but its stock form sonics is pretty poor. When I first used it, even as a digital transport, I was unimpressed. I was doing a review of it for Affordable Audio when Wayne from the Bolder Cable Company got ahold of me and sent a couple of ELPAC power supplies for it. Both sounded good, although his modified one was noticably better. I eventually obtained a Bolder Cable Co Ultimate power supply v1 for the Squeezebox. Also have the Full Enthusiast mods in it now. Getting ready to do a review of it. The analog output mods are quite nice, they may be your ticket. Smooth, easy on the ears, but good detail. The mods drop output voltage to 1.2v, so an active pre amp is needed. AS a digital transport its good, and that mod is less expensive. I enjoy using my Squuezebox, but would have junked it in stock form.
OK, back to single box players. If you did want tubes, well I think the AH Tjoeb would be a good one, especially with the upgrades. I think the MF one would be respectable too.
For SS output, the Music Hall Maverick is a fine machine. I have heard a few iterations of the Meridian, always good sounding. Now a Wadia 830 would be a great machine. The Rega Apollo is well liked also. Finally, the Arcam Full Metal Jacket is an excellent player.
All these machines will have a different presentation. So that would be my short list for one box players.
As for DAC. Well I use a Audio Magic Kukama. The new Channel Islands VD2 DAC is a interesting piece. Discrete ouputs, not often done anymore. The Monarchy NM 24 offers a choice between tube and OP amp output stage. Very flexible. The Audiosmile modified Behringer is a GREAT value. Loved it, would have kept it if I didnt own the Kukama. The Sonic Frontiers DAC's are a good value on the used market, and have tube outputs...if thats gonna be your thang.
As always, YMMV.
Regards
Mister Pig
Hi,
Well I guess I should put my personal preferences up front. First of all, I believe the source is a critical component, and a user should invest a good portion of the audio kitty in this area. Secondly, I prefer a transport/DAC combo. So, I am nto as well versed in single box players.
But, I noticed something. Your system detail at the bottom of the post shows a Squeezebox. It can be a great unit, but its stock form sonics is pretty poor. When I first used it, even as a digital transport, I was unimpressed. I was doing a review of it for Affordable Audio when Wayne from the Bolder Cable Company got ahold of me and sent a couple of ELPAC power supplies for it. Both sounded good, although his modified one was noticably better. I eventually obtained a Bolder Cable Co Ultimate power supply v1 for the Squeezebox. Also have the Full Enthusiast mods in it now. Getting ready to do a review of it. The analog output mods are quite nice, they may be your ticket. Smooth, easy on the ears, but good detail. The mods drop output voltage to 1.2v, so an active pre amp is needed. AS a digital transport its good, and that mod is less expensive. I enjoy using my Squuezebox, but would have junked it in stock form.
OK, back to single box players. If you did want tubes, well I think the AH Tjoeb would be a good one, especially with the upgrades. I think the MF one would be respectable too.
For SS output, the Music Hall Maverick is a fine machine. I have heard a few iterations of the Meridian, always good sounding. Now a Wadia 830 would be a great machine. The Rega Apollo is well liked also. Finally, the Arcam Full Metal Jacket is an excellent player.
All these machines will have a different presentation. So that would be my short list for one box players.
As for DAC. Well I use a Audio Magic Kukama. The new Channel Islands VD2 DAC is a interesting piece. Discrete ouputs, not often done anymore. The Monarchy NM 24 offers a choice between tube and OP amp output stage. Very flexible. The Audiosmile modified Behringer is a GREAT value. Loved it, would have kept it if I didnt own the Kukama. The Sonic Frontiers DAC's are a good value on the used market, and have tube outputs...if thats gonna be your thang.
As always, YMMV.
Regards
Mister Pig
Myvinyl333
Active Member
This sounds like a good modification(s)... but I use the digital out on the SB3,as it sits under my center channel, so I can see the screen and navigate, etc. I will contact Bolder Cable...maybe the power end would be an upgrade?
George:scratch2:
mhconley
The Dude Abides
I love my Opera Consonance CD-120 Linear non-oversampling CD player. It's not tubed but has a very "vinyl-like" sound. Opera also makes some nice tubed CD players, too.
I think your missing out by not considering Chinese manufacturers. Some of the newer boutique outfits like Opera are really making a name for themselves.
I plan on buying a MHZS CD 88F soon. Found a seller on Taobao that will do $800 shipped. I'm very interested in what the MHZS player sounds like especially upsampling at 176.4 KHz.
Martin
I think your missing out by not considering Chinese manufacturers. Some of the newer boutique outfits like Opera are really making a name for themselves.
I plan on buying a MHZS CD 88F soon. Found a seller on Taobao that will do $800 shipped. I'm very interested in what the MHZS player sounds like especially upsampling at 176.4 KHz.
Martin
EasyRiderNYC
Tubed
Bring back an old thread here.
I have been looking at "tube" CDP's and then began reading that putting tubes in the analog output stage of a DAC is a cheap way to make a poor sounding piece of digital equipment easier on the ear. I have also tried a tube buffer in between my current CDP and pre and did not like it. It was noisy, and added grain.
Is there any tube CDP that is not just a CDP with a buffer in it?
I have been looking at "tube" CDP's and then began reading that putting tubes in the analog output stage of a DAC is a cheap way to make a poor sounding piece of digital equipment easier on the ear. I have also tried a tube buffer in between my current CDP and pre and did not like it. It was noisy, and added grain.
Is there any tube CDP that is not just a CDP with a buffer in it?
The Primaluna Prologue 8 is a great CDP
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/primaluna/pl8hifiworld.pdf
If it played SACD I would probably buy one...
Last edited:
wa2ise
Super Member
In a sense, they all have to be. But I think the trick to getting it good is to use a R2R (not reel to reel, but a resistor ladder R and 2R inside the D to A chip) DAC chip, that outputs a current as the analog audio signal, and instead of the usual op-amp, feed it into a resistor to convert the current into a voltage signal, usually around 200mV. Feed that into your favorite vacuum tube buffer amplifier to create line drive signal levels. No evil op-amps involved.
I've played around doing just this, see http://pw2.netcom.com/~wa2ise/radios/tubedac.htm and a guy in Poland has done much more, at
http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/Lampizator.html
guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
One of my projects is to modify my Philips CD-350 following the Lampizator procedure. I like the guy's style and ideas!
Mr. Lin
Lunatic Member
Chuck, we've been talking about this through PM, but the Jolida does not fall into the category of what you're describing here. There are no opamps in it.
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