HE-500, LCD2, D5000, DT770, SR80, on a speaker amp (Emotiva mini-X A-100) Project - Page 38

good point.  factor in the cost for cables though assuming you don't have them
 

Ah, different story then. $200 difference, I'd at least try out the Emotiva - everyone here seems to like it. But since it's regular price now, if you're not in a hurry, you can try out a vintage receiver as well if you want power and like warm/full sound. I got my first one (Yamaha CR-220) for $35 locally and a Harman Kardon 330B for about $50. More than enough power for your 500's and headphone outs of these vintage receivers are powerful as well since they're typically driven from main amp vs separate opamp/circuit, so you may not even need speaker taps. Plus you can drive full size speakers with A/B speaker outputs. True, there can be reliability issues, but for ~$50, you're not out a whole lot if you just resell or donate if it breaks. Just a sidetrack option.

For me the he500 is pretty high end soundwise with my 337.

 

How exactly do tube-DACs differ from normal dacs in terms of sound?

Hi mac336,

 

That's wide open for discussion (debate), but I'll take a stab at answering that.

 

Typically, but not always, tube DACs, like tube amps, are more euphonic, have more coloration, warmth, and sometimes, but again not always, are smoother, darker, and render less detail (than the typical solid state DAC or amp).

 

From Stereophile's Audio Glossary:

 

euphonic 

Pleasing to the ear. In audio, "euphonic" has a connotation of exaggerated richness rather than literal accuracy.

 

coloration 

An audible "signature" with which a reproducing system imbues all signals passing through it.

 

warm 

The same as dark, but less tilted. A certain amount of warmth is a normal part of musical sound.

 

smooth 

Sound reproduction having no irritating qualities; free from HF peaks, easy and relaxing to listen to. Effortless. Not necessarily a positive system attribute if accompanied by a slow, uninvolving character.

 

dark 

A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency. 

 

detail 

The subtlest, most delicate parts of the original sound, which are usually the first things lost by imperfect components. See "low-level detail." Compare "haze," "smearing," "veiling."

 

 

Mike

There's also the whole odd vs even order hamonics thing (leads to square vs triangular waveforms), to explain some of the differences in solid state vs tube sound. In a very general sense of course. 

So I guess the tube dac is more of a solution for someone who wants the tube amp sound from a SS amp ?
 

Going to try this out next week with the Emotiva  http://www.mav-audio.com/base/product/tube_magic_a1

 

 Suggested from Mal this is suppose to be a great tube DAC/amp to pair to pair with the emotiva.

Edited by Poetic - 1/17/13 at 10:30pm

nice.  looking forward to your impressions.  Were you the one who just snatched up that emotiva off the emporium?
 

Hello Mal, I see you also have a Bitfrost, could you give a little info on how it compares to the D2 ? Is it a product (D2) that competes well above its price point using it with the HE-500 ?  Thank You

 

With the HE6 I find the mini X beats the Mjolnir

 

I agree. I find that the mini gives a little bit of a bass kick with the HE-6, but the Mjolnir sounds a little thin in the bass. 

Itms wellknown the he6 pairs better with a desktop amp connected through the loudspeaker connections then with headphone amps...as that baby needs gulps of power..i heard that if u get a vintage marantz or mcintosh quality amp u will be in heaven... If i will upgrade to a he6 i will certainly be looking for a second hand high quality desktop amp.