Pat, concerning the Cinemags, I would think there is some benefit from the isolation they create. Any thoughts on that concerning the improvements you get? I looked around the net and found some people use this type of transformer to 'color' sound. Any idea how the steel version you have (and I'm getting) sounds compared to the 50% and 80% nickel versions?
Edit: Here's a partial answer to that question from Pat a little over a year ago when he was still planning to get the Cinemags:
Yes, Bill, I am.
Somewhere between
that and
this Pat changed his mind about the nickel version and ordered the steel:
Just got around to making my order for two Cinemag CMOB-2S transformers.
Pat's comments on the steel Cinemags after first installed:
"i want to cook you a soup that doesn't disolve"
Pat also says concerning steel versus nickel:
Hi-Ni, huh? I was asking myself the same thing. word around the campfire out there is that in some cases the Hi-Ni can be sweeter, more detailed [I read thinner here] but that the Steel core is more linear with a better bass response. Seems that way re bass response here in the basement. Weight is a benefit to me. Not drudge, darkness, slowness, etc but that filled in thing like going from a receiver to a high current amp. So without second guessing what I now hear it is steel all the way.
I apologize for not doing a bit more digging before I re-opened the Cinemags can of worms. I figured the cost-to-impulse ratio was low enough to commit based on Pat's most recent comments on the benefits of the Cinemags. At least I'm bringing the info back up to the front for newer folks to see.
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The schematic for the series shows the signal on the brown and orange terminals. It's a little early to ask but how do you have your Cinemags wired to the RCAs?
Edit: The CMOB-2S Cinemags are $22.10 from the manufacturer each not including shipping. They have to be made and the channel frames are an option.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wood  I'm very sorry, much prefer the open policy of Teradak, they actually encourage us to mod there kit.
I would never ever buy a dac of a company that will not even reveal what its Dac chip/s are. Good luck to anyone who does.
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I understand and I'm completely cool with all that but these are different grades of DACs. The Tranquility is suppose to be a simple but no holds barred NOS design with no better way to tweak it. They even cryo treat much of it. (The Tranquility is $1500 USD.) It apparently uses a similar output stage because they tout some flavor of Mundorf Supreme caps there. Looking at the internal components could suggest something for modding the Valab/Chameleon designs. Sooner or later some good information will be leaked on the internal components of the Tranquility. I'll keep an eye on developments but I won't give purchase a serious consideration until they release a version with an I2S and/or SPDIF input (which SPDIF is in consideration for a future model). They consider SPDIF to be a flawed method of feeding the DAC and they're working on ways to make it the best it can be.
