[mako44]

I listen to carefully different musics for this morning here's an information that can be useful :  I much prefered the sound of the 2c51 Ericsson tube instead of the others (jw 3w96a, ge 5 star 6386) but were always disapointed because it was too thin/lean on mids and sometimes too bright on some recordings making it less magical than the other tubes despite of better clarity, details, soundstage and so on...
 
For I put the K-chips it's "wonderful" (for what they can do, many things can still be improved). It doesn't sound too thin or lean anymore but very well balanced compared to the bass and highs. Highs are not harsh or too bright anymore, once again all is very good i'm impressed as I didn't expect that. So I don't exactly know if the k chips are fuller in the mids or just duller than the L ones but it's a really good combination with the 2c51 ericsson tube : in fact for those who use or liked this tube despite the defaults I explained before, k-chips + 2c51 is a must have, really.

 

[mako44]

Nest step : Mundorf silver/gold/oil output caps ! But pffffew they are huge

 !
 

 

[loserica]

Swich that behind Havana is about without sense for those who don't use Toslink (optical) input. I think this negatively affect the sound! Question is to what extent might implement an input separately only for SPDIF in the input stage. As a general idea switches are not suitable.
 
 
 

 

[loserica]

Quote:

You're about to be in for a real treat now!!!

 
Approximately, the path is like this. If I counted right, I changed until now about sixty components (a little madness)...
Blue arrow indicates of course, the next change. 

 
 

 
 

 

[loserica]

Quote:

Wow, great job!!!
I counted mine, I replace 54 parts.
 
Would be interesting to hear one of these modded Dacs next to a stock Havana Dac.

 
Is remarkable in that note starts the Thread: "Anybody checked this out yet? As a former Paradisea owner I'd be curious to hear how it compares", and where you actually get. Being aware of how sound has progressed step by step, Havana modded is another dac compared to stock version, in terms of sound quality. We can not doubt that. If I remember from memory, I think that Havana has improved critical in the level of detail, sound-transparency, clarity along the entire spectrum frequency, definition&dynamic, and notable at texture, sound-stage, decay, audio-layering (depending on how permit the scheme and implementation). So I think that detail, dynamic and transparency will be clearly perceptible in other level of sound quality from the stock version (I remember that the latter was slightly "anemic", lacked depth detail of instruments mix, have notable deficiencies at dynamic, speed...)

 

[mako44]

I desoldered the two output caps of the Havana but the wire of the Mundorf ones is too big to fit into the existing holes. How did you soldered them : you made a bigger hole in the dac or you soldered them to the wires of the former output caps (after cuting them) ?
 
P.S : well looks like several of you chose the second solution, i'll try this as it can been removed easily

 

[LionelH2]

Yes, Second solution for me.

 
Quote:

I desoldered the two output caps of the Havana but the wire of the Mundorf ones is too big to fit into the existing holes. How did you soldered them : you made a bigger hole in the dac or you soldered them to the wires of the former output caps (after cuting them) ?
 
P.S : well looks like several of you chose the second solution, i'll try this as it can been removed easily

 

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

I desoldered the two output caps of the Havana but the wire of the Mundorf ones is too big to fit into the existing holes. How did you soldered them : you made a bigger hole in the dac or you soldered them to the wires of the former output caps (after cuting them) ?
 
P.S : well looks like several of you chose the second solution, i'll try this as it can been removed easily

 
I removed the stock ones. soldered another longer silver plated wires into the existing holes, and soldered them to the caps. Your second solution.

 

[mako44]

I did it ! Wow it was quite hard for a first try

 
I was afraid of getting no sound after that but it works ! These caps are not easy to fit into I can't imagine put larger ones in this dac...

 

[mako44]

First impressions : it's not a revolution but it's better. It's not a revolution because I can't say the sound has completely changed compared to before when I turned the dac on. For the few I listened to it seems to me it's clearer and above all I have a better definition. For exemples more details on live recordings like We get request K2HD from Oscar peterson (track "you look good to me") or Layla from Clapton unplugged giving a better ambience and immersion into the music. The bells at the beginning of "Time" from Pink Floyd seems much more clear and shining too.
 
For the rest I listened to (few tracks) I didn't notice real big changes but it's listening longer that i'll be abble to see. For me the change of the chips was a more obvious improvement, to resume this one a would say it gives a better immersion into the music. May be because of better definition (details)/clarity but music seems also to be much more involving, I don't know why.
 
Robeeert I saw you put a kind of piece of paper on the left output cap (the one that is touching another component - the heater i think-, is is important to put it ?
 
 
Edit : I rewind : IT IS a revolution, music comes to me as never

.

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

Robeeert I saw you put a kind of piece of paper on the left output cap (the one that is touching another component - the heater i think-, is is important to put it ?
 
 
Edit : I rewind : IT IS a revolution, music comes to me as never

.

 
I put the tape isolating the left cap from the radiator (heater). I think it is not necessary. But I feel better, two caps have the same working temperature. This radiator is the hottest in the DAC. 

 

[LionelH2]

The Mundorfs have quite a long burn in time untl they really wow you.  I felt the same way you did initially, but its going to get better and better.


 
Quote:

First impressions : it's not a revolution but it's better. It's not a revolution because I can't say the sound has completely changed compared to before when I turned the dac on. For the few I listened to it seems to me it's clearer and above all I have a better definition. For exemples more details on live recordings like We get request K2HD from Oscar peterson (track "you look good to me") or Layla from Clapton unplugged giving a better ambience and immersion into the music. The bells at the beginning of "Time" from Pink Floyd seems much more clear and shining too.
 
For the rest I listened to (few tracks) I didn't notice real big changes but it's listening longer that i'll be abble to see. For me the change of the chips was a more obvious improvement, to resume this one a would say it gives a better immersion into the music. May be because of better definition (details)/clarity but music seems also to be much more involving, I don't know why.
 
Robeeert I saw you put a kind of piece of paper on the left output cap (the one that is touching another component - the heater i think-, is is important to put it ?
 
 
Edit : I rewind : IT IS a revolution, music comes to me as never

.

 

 

[mako44]

Well it sounds like Mcaps worked well during the night. The sound is noticely cleaner and clearer than with the old caps, it's a major improvement. I was impatiently waiting for that kind of upgrade because the stock havana is so dark and rough to my ears that I couldn't stand it anymore. I particularly love the mid-highs and highs now.
 
However whereas sometimes it's really "wow" (jackson - This is it, Daft Punk, some pop & acoustic music) on some other recordings I don't hear many changes (for example "Night & the city" from Charlie Haden & Kenny Barron), it's a bit frustrating. But in general it's much better, changing only the chips and these caps it's aldready not the same dac anymore and it quite clearly transcended my hifi system. I would have liked the mcaps to go a bit farer however as it's still a bit frustrating (more aeration in particular), may be next changes will fulfil this.
 
P.S : I just changed C12 with silver mica 0.01uf from hificollective but here I don't hear direct changes.

 

[LionelH2]

I think that after a week or two of burn-in, you will be very pleased with the results.

 
Quote:

Well it sounds like Mcaps worked well during the night. The sound is noticely cleaner and clearer than with the old caps, it's a major improvement. I was impatiently waiting for that kind of upgrade because the stock havana is so dark and rough to my ears that I couldn't stand it anymore. I particularly love the mid-highs and highs now.
 
However whereas sometimes it's really "wow" (jackson - This is it, Daft Punk, some pop & acoustic music) on some other recordings I don't hear many changes (for example "Night & the city" from Charlie Haden & Kenny Barron), it's a bit frustrating. But in general it's much better, changing only the chips and these caps it's aldready not the same dac anymore and it quite clearly transcended my hifi system. I would have liked the mcaps to go a bit farer however as it's still a bit frustrating (more aeration in particular), may be next changes will fulfil this.
 
P.S : I just changed C12 with silver mica 0.01uf from hificollective but here I don't hear direct changes.

 

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

 
P.S : I just changed C12 with silver mica 0.01uf from hificollective but here I don't hear direct changes.

There is no changes because silver mica from hificollective is different than Russian. Replacing c12 with Russian silver mica 0.01uF you can hear one of the most
important changes in the sound of all upgraded parts in the DAC. This cap opens the DAC.
I'm convinced  Mundorfs silver/gold/oil are also different sounding than Mundorfs silver/gold.