Quote:

Originally Posted by john57 

The only thing I kown for sure is that Sword Yang is the DAC designer as well for the MKVI+.

no doubt.

he is the mind of little-dot

With the introduction of the new DAC III it sounds like that Sword Yang is working on the next CD transport player III that will be using the Philips CD-Pro2LF unit. It may come out next month as he stated. Sword Yang stated that he will work on another media streaming device next year.  I replaced the power cord on my MKVI+ since the female end was not graping the pins well on the amp and was cause some power dropouts.  I just used the extra sets that I have lying arround. My amp continues to work just fine with the change.

I need another DAC like I need a hole in the head but still very tempted by that DAC. I can't see how it could compete with the M-DAC but I might have to find out. It also has permalloy output 'cattle'? 

Surprisingly, it also has I2S input, which will likely attract the numerous "audiophiles" from the forum concerned about very nasty jitter 

The only reason I brought a new DAC was because my previous DAC gave out. Here is a internal photo of the new Little Dot DAC.

In the gray box are two Toroidal transformers. One is for the digital side and one for the analog side just like my new DAC. The output of the transformer goes thru a series of inductors to remove high frequency AC noise from the mains. A common cause of this is a switching power supply being used by another device on the same AC mains circuit that the DAC is using. Then it goes to a row of diodes where the AC is converted to DC and then to the four filtering caps to smooth out the DC. The output then goes a set of four voltage regulators with four adjustable trim pots to set the reference voltage levels. The digital section does its magic and then goes to the permalloy "silver box". This may be the analog section.  Then a pair of shield cables to the XLR outputs.

Just got a Schiit Gungnir DAC so I can now run balanced to my LD VI (also 2 SE outputs, so I can run it to my stereo, and an SE headphone rig!!

Sounds fabulous through the VI. Best my headphone set-up has ever sounded. More details later.

Very nice, congratulations!

Just got my Bendix power tubes and they're sounding good!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by baronbeehive 

Just got my Bendix power tubes and they're sounding good!!

great!

Cheers John and everyone for their help, they really do sound good. Next thing is an Audiophilleo 2 USB-SPDIFF converter, when will it end!!!

You will reach a level of contentment with your system. You are almost there! Getting the Audiophilleo2 which is an asynchronous USB reclocker converter sounds like a great idea for your system. The designer of the Audiophilleo2, Philip Gruebele knows what he is talking about and his web site is chock full of information and articles. I noticed that Philip is also a musician and owns a Steinway 7 foot grand piano. I was thinking about getting a firewire DAC but ended up with the Emotiva DAC. My other balanced  DAC had ASRC(asynchronous Sample rate converter) but does not hold a candle to the asynchronous USB device that I am using. I am working on a new idea to take my system to the next level but my LD MK6+ is staying in the picture.

I may give more details later on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by john57 

You will reach a level of contentment with your system. You are almost there! Getting the Audiophilleo2 which is an asynchronous USB reclocker converter sounds like a great idea for your system. The designer of the Audiophilleo2, Philip Gruebele knows what he is talking about and his web site is chock full of information and articles. I noticed that Philip is also a musician and owns a Steinway 7 foot grand piano. I was thinking about getting a firewire DAC but ended up with the Emotiva DAC. My other balanced  DAC had ASRC(asynchronous Sample rate converter) but does not hold a candle to the asynchronous USB device that I am using. I am working on a new idea to take my system to the next level but my LD MK6+ is staying in the picture.

I may give more details later on.

Only joking! This is a great hobby and I'm already astounded by my LD. I know what sound I want and it's a case of fine tuning. Mainly a slight boost in realism (slight soundstage and detail improvements), and that will be me sorted. I'm looking to get a near speaker type sound and that will also mean slight improvements in base response, especially on the leading edge, but I don't want to have solid state sound, so no sylvanias for example. However some things, especially in the treble range sound better on headphones I think. From what I've read the audiophilleo would give me this with no loss of warmth either. That's interesting what you say about your DAC. I'm not looking to change my Channel Islands Audio DAC as I'm happy with it, it's nice and organic sounding and clear and should be boosted anyway by the Audiophilleo. Look forward to hearing details of your next upgrade!

Another thing about the Audiophilleo is that it will go up to 24/192 bit playback which is pretty future proofed. I thought that USB was limited and couldn't go up to high def so that's another factor in its favour because it would mean I will not need an optical output from my PC. I hadn't paid much attention to jitter previously because you don't really hear it unless you hear music without it and the Audiophilleo goes down to very low jitter rates, indeed the Audiophilleo 1 even allows you to see and hear the effects of jitter. Pretty cool.

To get back to the MKVI+....does't anybody know how close the two pairs of power tube should be matched? 5%? Does it need to have Gm AND idle current draw matched for best performance?

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenpunk 

To get back to the MKVI+....does't anybodyknow how close the two pairs of power tube should be matched? 5%? Does it need to have Gm AND idle current draw matched for best performance?

I asked David of LD a while ago and he said it wasn't necessary to use matched tubes for this amp though obviously you may prefer matched tubes for best sound.

I believe due to the balanced topology it is actually primordial that each pair are closely matched as they amplify the opposite legs of the same signals. I know the driver tubes don't need to be matched but the power tubes have to matched for best performance (that's in the manual)