Maverick Audio DAC/Amp - Page 94

hey i wonder if anyone has a first hand experience about the performance of WE396A tube on mav d1?

i'm using the stock tube-amp with OPA627 and i liked the harmony between a forward sounding op-amp and a laid-back tube.

i'm tried raytheon tube also but it is too harsh to my liking. Am thinking of an upgrade to WE396A but i don't really understand the 'darker background' description of the sound of WE396A. Is it also the similar laid-back sound?

I currently using JW WE396A, previously using Windmill getter Raytheon.

Raytheon to me is smooth, airy high, but lack weight in mid/mid bass and bass extension. (take note I have a heavily mod D1, with LM4562 in both stage and tube out is feed to the hp amp of d1, driving apsv3 cabled HD600)

WE 396a, has better weight in all spectrum plus better headstage and separation. Only thing I am not happy is it doesn't sound as airy/high extension (may be this is what pp refer to has dark), but I still breaking in the WE. To me, the winner is sure WE.

My fully moded D1. Sound totally diff comp to stock. Achieving what I want: balance btw dynamic and smooth sounding, airy high, weighty mid,midbass and very reasonable bass extension, fantastic separation and sound stage.

Wow, finally! Took me three days to finish the whole 94 pages! Sorry Ryan, I'm not ordering Maverick since I'm in China for work and I am getting the Xiangsheng version while I'm in the country

I plan to upgrade the opamp and the tube, with zero experience in electric and soldering (hence the noob questions below), I will order/deliver the parts to XS and let them do the upgrade for me.

Questions:
1. LT1364, LT1364CN8, or LT1346CS: with DIP-8 or SOP-8 options. Which should I buy?

2. L4562MA SOP-8 this is the right part, isn't it? (previous post mentioned about choosing SOP-8 --> MA)

3. Tube: Raytheon Windmill Getter 5670.2C51.6N3, what does "Black Plate" mean?

4. I have an option to let the DAC to always in direct mode (max volume out for preamps). I believe minimizing number of switch hence simplifies the design will eliminate problems found in some previous posts. Now, since I'm using it as DAC/preamp to an integrated amplifier, will the preamp output be too "hot"?

5. I don't quite understand about DC offset testing after replacing the opamps. Do I need to test the output with cheaper headphones before inserting my ATH? I mean, if the alteration works fine with yours then why should I worry with mine (same alteration)?

6. Tubes available (other than stock, GE 5670, Sylvania 5670 mentioned all over the thread): Sylvania 5814A/12AU7, RAYTHEON 5814/ECC82/12AT7, RAYTHEON JAN5842WA, RAYTHEON JAN 5755, RAYTHEON 5687. Any thought about these models? Else I will just stick with Raytheon Windmill Getter 5670.



@Mambosenior: Which KEF monitors are they? I have a pair of KEF iQ3, well I wouldn't call them monitors, but I wonder if Mav (or XS) will make a good preamp for them:

Foobar2k --> Xiangsheng DAC01A --> Pioneer A201 Integrated Amplifier --> KEF iQ3

So you mentioned that with burn-in and WE tube, it sounds full and warm, but do you find the gain to be sufficient enough now? AFAIK the tube preamp was mentioned to be a little bit "hot", which is in contrary with what you thought (not enough gain). I'm sorry but could you give a firmer validation regarding this matter?

Thanks a bunch!


Background information:
Source: Philips DVP3256K, monochrome iPod, iPod Video, iPod Touch (handy as remote control!), PC/Foobar2k over Creative SB0060
Secondary transport: Creative XDOCK (for optical iPod transport)

Amplification: Xiangsheng DAC01A (to be), Pioneer A201 Integrated Amplifier

Outputs: KEF iQ3, Sennheiser HD201, ATH-ESW10, ATH-M40fs, Portapro, Sony EX70

Novice, above is the associated gear for speaker listening with the D1. The gain on the D1, with this equipment, rides at 12: to 2:, depending on the recording.

I wouldn't call my D1 "hot." My original impression that it didn't have enough gain was that I am used to preamp settings at 9: and 10:, not 2:. My mention of increase in gain after the tube swap was not correct. What it is, really, is an increase in quality of sound. With different amps and speakers (these KEFs are not the most efficient) your results will vary.

Did you have the D1 on Direct Mode? I saw some previous posts saying they don't even get past 12, but they might be talking about headphone output, not the tube preamp.

I am having my XS fixed at direct mode (max volume). So I'll just cross my finger then...

PS: Nice amp you've got there!

hmm, how does it compare to the NOS GE 5670 then? I'm looking for something that allows me to listen to music for long hours without getting tired. Is WE more suitable for critical listening?

I'm still finding a cheap WE396A deal~

uelover, I do not own a GE5670 but 5 star triple mica square getter. But I have not burn in the tube and do a critical comparison yet. First impression is not as good as Raytheon windmill in terms separation and stage but things could change after burn in.

WE have better stage and separation, one of the factor for easy listening. Other aspect also play a part, like smoothness, vocals airyness, headphone choice etc.

I just compare Raytheon with WE again just now and still prefer WE to Raytheon for me. Do take note they are not too far apart from each other but in terms of cost, they are different league all together.

Good luck in WE 396a hunting. (take note JW refers to the military version, non JW is normal version if not wrong)

Mav

Has anybody tried replacing the big red Wima 0.1uF 250V caps on the output of the D1? If so, what capacitor brand/series did you use? Any recommendations?

mavwong, did you hook up your maverick d1 to another headphone amplifier? if not the choice of headphone would not influence the sound, but a speaker would.

i've just ordered a GE 5 stars 5670wa and am waiting for its arrival. trying to withhold myself from pulling the trigger on we396a right away.

i know that the nos ge 5 stars will produce the kind of soft and relax sound that i like, perhaps i should play around with the op-amp instead to achieve better mids and soundstage?

but well i've read that maverick audio is coming out with a headphone tube amp so i wonder how would all the tubes from both the pre-amp and amp complement each other.

fun stuff to come!

Yah, thanks for correcting me, cos I fed the tube out to the internal hp amp thus thinking everyone would be same, my bad.

Mtl777
I use mundrof supreme series 1200VDC 0.1uf on that, take note it's large. The black cap in my image above.

Mav

how did you do that? internal circuit modification or just connecting a cable from the back to the front line-in jack?

my latest version is to solder connection from tube out socket to a female PC fan connector and plug to HP amp in. You can see it in my photo on top of page 94.

The easiest way of doing it without voiding your warranty will be solder a RCA connector to female pc fan connector wire to feed the tube out to internal HP amp. But this way you have to leave the case off. Last time when I did that the volume is too hot (first version high gain D1 I have).

Run a connection from tube out to line in won't do it cos we can't select coax/opt/usb input along with line in right? I you want to do it this way you will have to cut the internal line in wire and solder it to female pc connector and plug to hp amp in which is what I did initially. I eventually discard this routing cos the line in have coupling cap feed to HP amp input coupling cap again. Just too many coupling stage and it degrade the sound quality too much. Besides, the external connection pick up AC noise if too close to power cord.

Mav

That sure is LARGE!

Did you replace the small red Wima 0.1uF 63V caps? Did you also replace any electrolytics? Please let me know any other caps that you replaced and what brand/series you replaced them with.

Thanks!

After following this for months, I decide to order one. But cant find it on ebay. Where did you got them?

And I am using HD600. My source will be a pc desktop and a macbook. They both have optical. So if I don't have driver for osx. I can use optical right?

Since I never had any tube thing before, Can someone tell me how long it can last(if it's used in preamp, it should last longer since the current will be very low). So I can decide if I need to turn it off when I don't use it.

@frozenfire: why you don't use his official web site .

Maverick Audio - Tube Magic D1 DAC