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Audio-GD Ref 1 vs Havana

post #1 of 34
8/2/09 at 10:26pm
Thread Starter 
I looking at upgrading my DAC and was wondering if the Ref 1 was worth the extra price over the Havana. I know I know search and I have to decide if the price is worth it to me. I have not found much comparisons between the two. I'm curious if many people have upgraded from the Havana to the Ref 1.
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post #2 of 34
8/3/09 at 10:18pm
There is a guy who bought the RE1 and he's upgrading from Havana. I can't remember his name, so you'll have to read up on RE1 threat.
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post #3 of 34
8/3/09 at 10:21pm
Scootermafia has ordered the Reference 1 but still hasn't arrived yet.
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post #4 of 34
8/4/09 at 5:04am
Gary, you've got to hear this thing.
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post #5 of 34
8/4/09 at 5:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by IPodPJ View Post
Gary, you've got to hear this thing.
I will, eventually. I'm still waiting for my K1000 amp.
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post #6 of 34
8/4/09 at 6:24am
Do you have your K1000?
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post #7 of 34
8/4/09 at 6:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by IPodPJ View Post
Do you have your K1000?
Yup. The K1000's being driven by a 10+ year old Denon receiver which translates to only a "good headphone".
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post #8 of 34
8/4/09 at 6:42am
Don't worry. You'll have it soon I'm sure. I'm the most impatient person on the planet so if I was able to get through the wait, I know you can!
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post #9 of 34
8/6/09 at 2:51pm
Thread Starter 
IpodPJ

I see you upgraded from the modded PS Audio Digital Link III to the Reference One. Can you share your thoughts between the two?
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post #10 of 34
8/7/09 at 5:23am
You'd like to know that, wouldn't you? Well, my DAC8 coming in the mail (traded my Havana to Tyson) Monday will answer that question. It's the Ref1's predecessor, basically the Ref1 without the fancy new DSP. I'll hook it up single ended to my M3 and we'll see how it fares, then hook it up current mode to my Phoenix when that comes next week.
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post #11 of 34
8/7/09 at 5:26am
Just remember, the Havana if you buy it direct from MHDT is $910 or so. The Reference One is $1700 shipped. That is nearly an $800 difference. They are not in the same price class. The Havana has two old school PCM56P chips and a single tube for output whereas the Ref 1 is a monster with eight 1704 chips, four current transistor modules, and a very exotic DSP configurable for various oversampling settings and such, very tweakable. The Havana has a rep for being very musical, and this is obvious. But I don't think it will be able to deliver the same goods the Ref1 can. But it's half the price. I still loved my Havana very much (put it in the mail today) and it seems hard to beat when you listen to it, I'll be sad if the DAC8 setup isn't any better than the Havana+M3 but I'd be very doubtful of that. The Phoenix is very high tech and I don't think it will disappoint.
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post #12 of 34
8/7/09 at 10:26am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Just remember, the Havana if you buy it direct from MHDT is $910 or so. The Reference One is $1700 shipped. That is nearly an $800 difference. They are not in the same price class. The Havana has two old school PCM56P chips and a single tube for output whereas the Ref 1 is a monster with eight 1704 chips, four current transistor modules, and a very exotic DSP configurable for various oversampling settings and such, very tweakable. The Havana has a rep for being very musical, and this is obvious. But I don't think it will be able to deliver the same goods the Ref1 can. But it's half the price. I still loved my Havana very much (put it in the mail today) and it seems hard to beat when you listen to it, I'll be sad if the DAC8 setup isn't any better than the Havana+M3 but I'd be very doubtful of that. The Phoenix is very high tech and I don't think it will disappoint.
I guess you are right. It is not a fair comparison. Did you have another DAC before the Havana and can you provide some insight with that upgrade?
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post #13 of 34
8/7/09 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by googlephone View Post
I guess you are right. It is not a fair comparison. Did you have another DAC before the Havana and can you provide some insight with that upgrade?
I have a Paradisea 3 Limited Edition for now and working hard my hands for a Havana. I heard many good reviews on a Havana and guess it will burn another hole in my pocket. Don't get me wrong, Paradisea is equally good and it does perform well with my current setup.
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post #14 of 34
8/7/09 at 7:17pm
My Havana's mailed and I have no DAC...I'm freakin out maaaaaaannn.

Before I had a Moodlab Concept DAC. It was small and inexpensive and sounded great. The Havana was an upgrade that I grew to appreciate with time and I didn't get a chance to compare the Concept to the Havana with the WE396A tube as the Moodlab was sold. Both were very musical DACs but the Havana just seemed to have more power and confidence and a liquid sound...the tube output stage is responsible. Of course its sound was a little more detailed. As I said it didn't feel as big of an upgrade at first but the Havana grew on me.
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post #15 of 34
8/7/09 at 7:56pm
googlephone. why don't you host atlanta meetup? :-)

I will bring my RE1 and Phoenix that you can hook up your HD800. Kingwa should send it either Monday or Tuesday, and I should get it by next week Friday or Monday after that.
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