[attenuated 3db]

Quote:

To your first paragraph, I'm an avid Windows fanboy but don't worry, I'm the good kind. I'm not gonna say that Mac or Linux sucks because they obviously don't (they're still around after all this time, that's a good indication that someone likes them). Just... neither are for me and I have used both a fair amount in the past. Windows just suits me and does everything I need it to. Everything takes maintenance, even Ubuntu won't change that, that's why guys like me are around
 
I'm not saying the modified driver is bad, it's just... mysterious. I've spent too much time trying to figure out if the D1 resamples or what really happens at a hardware level. But this is why I like the D1. You can buy it and it alone and it's an easy introduction setup to quality audio. From there, you can get a different transport, you can get another headphone/speaker amp, you can swap opamps. It just great that way. I will admit that the D1's opamps that it uses in stock form absolutely suck. But they're cheap (in cost) so that makes the units cheap (in cost). Replacing them with LM4562 or something, makes it a decent amp.
 
I'm glad you like the thread and thanks for visiting my site My main goal with both audio and computers is to teach other people through what I've learned and through my experiences and while that may just be basic info, some people don't even have that. Here's a shameless plug; since you were poking around my site, did you see PostQuote?

Oh, Linux (not just Ubuntu; I play with OpenSuse, Mint and many other distros) is very much a hobby for someone who is retired and has a lot of time on his hands to tinker and tweak with something that is free (praise the Lord!); I have never had to apologize to my wallet/bank account for having "FOSS" as a pass-time, unlike what has happened to me with all the hardware I have suddenly acquired since stumbling on this site.  XMAS came early, and all I will I have in my stocking from Santa now is a lump of coal and a DHL shipping update notice on the Maverick A1's location and hopeful arrival before 2010 expires. 
 
As for the ""mysterious" driver, I am following a number of Maverick D1 threads, and noted your reply to a very electronic circuit-savvy Head-Fi-er who was baffled by the D1's circuit "topology."  I am too, only more from a marketing standpoint.  Somewhere, you quoted an e-mail from Ryan where he advised using the D1's solid-state output to go into the A1's input, or else two separate tube amplification stages will make the final output "slow" or something to that effect.  So, if the D1's tube has no affect on its own built-in headphone amp, and you are advised not to employ it to use with the company's only other product, the A1, what is it in there for in the first place?  To use with some other manufacturer's solid-state amplifier?  Why market it as the "Tube Magic" D1 if the tube is not allowed to pull sonic rabbits out if its hat?  And why should I bother replacing the stock Chinese D1 tube if I am supposed to use the SS outputs with the A1?  Or mess with replacing the headphone amp op-amp?  Very confusing for an old noob like me, but it sounds great as is, and I know it will only get better when the A1 arrives, regardless of which of the D1's outputs I run into it, or whether I ever take the cover off the D1 to put in any of the replacement components I've ordered.  The DAC chip seems to be only obvious mod to me until I understand how it all goes together, though. 
 
Yeah, I looked at your PostQuote site; HTML5 is exciting.  I just got some new, free "web apps" from the Google Chrome "store" and they look a lot like Adobe Air-based products (like the New York Times "Reader") that I have used in the past.
 
So, do you work on Sony laptops?  I got my "big rig" at a nearby Best Buy last January 22nd, and unless I soon pay Best Buy a large sum of money to extend a warranty I am not sure they are competent (this is Oklahoma, and I spent most of my life in one of the largest cities in the U.S.) to make good on should the need arise, the one-year Sony factory warranty will be over.  Here is my model:
 
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-home.pl?mdl=VPCF115FMB
 
I kept the Sony shipping carton of course.  I put an Intel 80-gb SSD in it myself and it is blazingly fast.  If you think you could potentially work on it should it need some hardware-related attention that is over my head (most things are, at least with notebooks), I won't pay Best Buy the speculative ransom they are trying to scare me into paying them.  I like the notion of community and working with people I "know" and trust their competency and "work ethic" as your repair website calls it.   Plus, I have back-up machines (I am on the Ubuntu-HP right now) if I need to ship it to Idaho.  PM me if looks like something you would potentially be comfortable dis(re)assembling to whatever degree necessary. 

 

[_Spanky_]

Yea, Ryan suggested to use the solid state output of the D1 when connecting another tube amp. Maybe he was mistaken, I don't know. A lot of the A1 owners have the D1 as well and I know both myself and sp70 use the tube output of the D1 with our WE396A tubes. I notice no difference between the tube and solid state output but to be perfectly blunt, my DT770's aren't high end, they're more of an intro headphone so I'd probably need to upgrade to hear the difference.
 
I'll shoot you a PM.

 

[Ultrainferno]

Quote:

Yea, Ryan suggested to use the solid state output of the D1 when connecting another tube amp. Maybe he was mistaken, I don't know. A lot of the A1 owners have the D1 as well and I know both myself and sp70 use the tube output of the D1 with our WE396A tubes. I notice no difference between the tube and solid state output but to be perfectly blunt, my DT770's aren't high end, they're more of an intro headphone so I'd probably need to upgrade to hear the difference.
 
I'll shoot you a PM.

Same here. I just use the Tube out to the A1 and the SS out to my poweramp, there only is a slight difference. If I remember correctly I once got an email from Ryan telling to connect the A1 to the D1 with the tube out. But I think most of us won't even be able to hear the difference of D1tube + A1 or D1ss + A1 anyway.
 
I don't agree on the DT770 being a low end headphone tho, Beyers rock! Of course, if you compare them to lcd2 or HD800, T1, they are low end

 

[uelover]

I am using audio technica a1000x through A1 and I certainly hear a significant difference between the tube output and ss output. By passing through the D1 and A1's tubes, the sound become very tubey (overly warm, slightly slower and less sparkle at the highs). Resolution becomes lower. The SS output add the extra sparkle and dynamics to the tubes of A1, making the hybrid sound exceeding fun. Of course, a lot of the difference are in the upper mid/highs freq.
 
Of course, with different tubes, they will sound awefully different too.
I have tried we396a and bendix tubes in D1 against the Tung-sol and WE403B tubes in A1. Couldn't beat the sound of SS output with either tubes in A1.
 
D1 should be marketed as a Tube Dac with SS Headamp while A1 sound be marketed as a Tube amp.
And yes, if you have an A1, don't bother changing the tubes in D1.
And if you only want to use D1 and wants a tube sound, you can just reroute the cable =)

 

[Ultrainferno]

Quote:

I am using audio technica a1000x through A1 and I certainly hear a significant difference between the tube output and ss output. By passing through the D1 and A1's tubes, the sound become very tubey (overly warm, slightly slower and less sparkle at the highs). Resolution becomes lower. The SS output add the extra sparkle and dynamics to the tubes of A1, making the hybrid sound exceeding fun. Of course, a lot of the difference are in the upper mid/highs freq.

I do actually like the overly warm sound with less sparkle at the highs. The Beyers are high enough already , maybe that's why. (And I really do want warmth even if it takes making some sacrifices)
 
But I'll have to try the D1 SS with the A1 again, it's been a while and now I just want to know if I can here a difference. I'll report back.
 
In general I do am convinced that you just have to do what you find is sounding best to you. Everyones hearing is different and everyone likes different things. My "perfect sound" was formed when I was 15 and bought my Kenwood amp and B&W speakers. I still love the typical well know sound of that setup because I grew up with it. that's my humble opinion of course

 

[attenuated 3db]

Well, my A1 is on the local DHL delivery truck here in Oklahoma this morning (amazing, considering Ryan shipped it from Shanghai on Monday morning, my time), so I'll be able to play with the D1-A1 combination over the Christmas holidays, although my LM4562NA and LT1364CN op-amps and a G.E.JAN 5670W tube won't be here until later this year or well into January.  Really, uelover, you would advise not changing the stock D1 tube and just going from its S.S. output into the A1?  Hmm.  Could have saved some money (about $12 in reality).  How do you explain the rationale behind this blog post, presumably Ryan's, although it doesn't carry his name as some of them do, just "admin":
 
http://www.mav-audio.com/base/archives/310
 
I think we need to shake Ryan down for a schematic diagram of the circuit;  I think we would then discover the limits of his excellent customer service.  He would fear all of the less-expensive D1 and A1 clones he might unleash on the world. 

 

[uelover]

 
Quote:

Well, my A1 is on the local DHL delivery truck here in Oklahoma this morning (amazing, considering Ryan shipped it from Shanghai on Monday morning, my time), so I'll be able to play with the D1-A1 combination over the Christmas holidays, although my LM4562NA and LT1364CN op-amps and a G.E.JAN 5670W tube won't be here until later this year or well into January.  Really, uelover, you would advise not changing the stock D1 tube and just going from its S.S. output into the A1?  Hmm.  Could have saved some money (about $12 in reality).  How do you explain the rationale behind this blog post, presumably Ryan's, although it doesn't carry his name as some of them do, just "admin":
 
http://www.mav-audio.com/base/archives/310
 
I think we need to shake Ryan down for a schematic diagram of the circuit;  I think we would then discover the limits of his excellent customer service.  He would fear all of the less-expensive D1 and A1 clones he might unleash on the world. 

 
Hi,
 
How A1 would sound will largely depend on 3 things:
1) The tubes you use in A1
2) The opamp you use in the dac section in D1
3) Interconnect
 
The tubeout on D1 has got two important usage: 1) Connecting D1 to an active speaker, 2) Connecting D1 to a solid state amp. I believe in his blog post he also talked about how he used D1 in his entire audio system, running the D1 into his Sansui amplifier. In such scenario, using the tubeout will be better.
You can wait till you try out the ss output with A1 and let us know about your opinion, though I know you will still itch to get a tube for D1 sooner or later.