Aune T1 USB Tube DAC+ SS Amp Discussion Thread ***See first post for FAQ--Updated on 02/14/15***

[BenWaB3]

Thanks Rob. That helps me feel more confident as I get closer to pulling the trigger on this unit. Now back to page 73 
 
Ben

 

[y0d4]

  For electronic, best tubes from my collection are Miniwatt-Dario ECC189 Chartres France (tightest bass & kick out of my tubes and same time goes very deep lows), JAN Sylvania 6922 green label (for EM with more acoustic elements + vocals), Amperex OG 6GM8/ECC86 orange/white prints (for atmospheric electronic music with large "endless" soundstage and 3D imaging) and also stock 6922EH tube is good if you like deep "flowing" bass and also large "sparkly" soundstage.
 
About Miniwatt-Dario ECC189... I shared a deal link to some ppl and isendono bought 3 of them with crazy good price. Hope he wrotes his impressions when he gets them and burns them in littlebit.
 
Those are very interesting indeed. Looking foward to impressions.
 
Edit: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

Hey CoiL, thank you for this, just confirm me all those laps are compatible with Aune?
and can i damage DAC if i put wrong lamp (which is not compatible with him) ? 

And spacequeen7 thank to you, i will order and this lamp (i think at the end will have bunch of lamps, until i find what i am looking for... )

thank you.

 

[arcorob]

  Hey CoiL, thank you for this, just confirm me all those laps are compatible with Aune?
and can i damage DAC if i put wrong lamp (which is not compatible with him) ? 

And spacequeen7 thank to you, i will order and this lamp (i think at the end will have bunch of lamps, until i find what i am looking for... )

thank you.

Yod4..Didn;t you fight superman ? LOL
 
If you are ever not sure, just check back here on the compatibility page.
 
Courtesy of COIL -
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq/2010#post_9502453

 

[MrEleventy]

You will always have that balancing act of tubes on tubes..but here is a good rules to follow,

If you are set with one piece of gear..your tubes give you the exact balance, then it is easier to add something else that is tube driven and balance out.

So for example, if you have a system (tube) and it is perfect to you, top to bottom, but you add an AUNE and it is a bit bright, then the answer is to get a less bright tube, In my case, the 6922EH leaned toward bright, the orange globe Amperex, bass heavy (boomy)...The GE ..Perfect (or damn close..lol...still experimenting)

But if you buy the AUNE and a tube headphone amp, balance is a harder task. Not impossible, just more difficult. 

so a two tube head amps I like (way out of the price range
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/icon-audio-hp8-mk2-tube-headphone-amplifier

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/consonance-m10s-tube-integratedheadphone-amplifier

This one is pretty cool too..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rivals-Single-ended-EL34-12AX7-Vacuum-Tube-Amplifier-with-Headphone-Amp-function-/350923470029?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item51b4ab34cd

Now here is the deal...you blend your headphone amp with the AUNE..and it sounds a bit thin...is it the AUNE tube or the head amp input tubes ? You will figure it out, but you need a baseline.

One option, get the headphone amp first and use a source such as CD that you love. SO when you have the sound you like, add the AUNE and you are either good, or need an AUNE tube change...

Does this all make sense?

+1, I went down a similar path except the other way around. I found a dac/source that I was happy with first and amp rolled. I tried E10, E17, ELE, T1, and Modi. Chose the T1 and rolled a O2, E17, Magni, Tubemagic A1 and Darkvoic 336. I'm tempted to give the ODac, stoner and hifimediy sabre a shot but I don't think I'll be swapping out the T1 anytime soon unless I spend $500+. Ultimately, I want to get an audio-gd 11.32/15.32 or Tubemagic D2 for home use. It's tough to have a T1 as a home dac with a 3 y/o running around.

 

[icecap]

Originally Posted by arcorob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
This one is pretty cool too..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rivals-Single-ended-EL34-12AX7-Vacuum-Tube-Amplifier-with-Headphone-Amp-function-/350923470029?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item51b4ab34cd
 

just a heads up, this amp uses 6H8C = 6N8P = 6SN7.. 12AX7 is not a direct replacement for this tube series without a socket converter and mod to the circuit inside..

 

[spacequeen7]

  Hey CoiL, thank you for this, just confirm me all those laps are compatible with Aune?
and can i damage DAC if i put wrong lamp (which is not compatible with him) ? 

And spacequeen7 thank to you, i will order and this lamp (i think at the end will have bunch of lamps, until i find what i am looking for... )

thank you.

just for the reference ,this is the tube I was talking about 
 

 
also mentioned here
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq/3030#post_9899215

 

[MrEleventy]

Interesting ..little mixed reaction in this one from the other reviews ,makes me thing that combining Aune T1 with another preamp  can make some tubes shine more then others ,as for Amperex I would agree that it can give to much bass,for me it's little to juicy/boomy 
Thank you for the review

Can someone recommend tube amp that will compliment Aune T1 ?,I'm looking at DarkVoice 336SE and since it uses other tubes how would this affect the Aune ? I want some more options to choose from  
Thanks  

What arco said. And If you're wondering how the 336 performs check out Headfonia for a review and maybe the threads here, although they're pretty dead these days. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I'll try my best to answer.

 

[arcorob]

MrEleventy...Yes, it can be QUITE a journey when finding the RIGHT tubes...
 
I started with a handicap in that I bought my Velleman used for 1/4 of the price. It had a series of Reflektor Plant EL34's...some new type 12AX7's and a NOS 12AU7.
 
It also had a HUM in one channel and a buzz in the other ...ARGGGG...It took two months and some assistance form friendly experts. Change around of some resistor values, etc. Resolder some points and better ground grounding. Then figured out (no one had before) why these units had a tendency to BURN out EL34's. Turns out the 6.4VAC voltage from the trannie was really putting out 7.6VAC  !!! YIkes. Small resistor and she is at 6.5 each channel.
 
Then the 6L6GC tubes. That part was easy. It was finding the right Input tubes....
 
So the moral is...Anything with a tube is going to be a lovely journey in getting the right music "color"...LOL

 

[mhamel]

 
So the moral is...Anything with a tube is going to be a lovely journey in getting the right music "color"...LOL

 
 
That's part of what makes tubes fun.  

 

[MrEleventy]

MrEleventy...Yes, it can be QUITE a journey when finding the RIGHT tubes...

I started with a handicap in that I bought my Velleman used for 1/4 of the price. It had a series of Reflektor Plant EL34's...some new type 12AX7's and a NOS 12AU7.

It also had a HUM in one channel and a buzz in the other ...ARGGGG...It took two months and some assistance form friendly experts. Change around of some resistor values, etc. Resolder some points and better ground grounding. Then figured out (no one had before) why these units had a tendency to BURN out EL34's. Turns out the 6.4VAC voltage from the trannie was really putting out 7.6VAC  !!! YIkes. Small resistor and she is at 6.5 each channel.

Then the 6L6GC tubes. That part was easy. It was finding the right Input tubes....

So the moral is...Anything with a tube is going to be a lovely journey in getting the right music "color"...LOL

That's part of what makes tubes fun.  

+1, Couldn't agree more.

Although... the misses isn't having any fun whatsoever.

 

[arcorob]

+1, Couldn't agree more.

Although... the misses isn't having any fun whatsoever.

Yeah...If mine ever sells my stuff for what I SAID I paid, I am a goner..

 

 

[CoiL]

Guys & girls... anybody has any idea how much heater current (mA) will Aune T1 be able to feed? PCC88/PCC189/ECC189 and even PCC85 seem to work despite higher heater voltage required (not in case of Aune tube buffer) but can it handle tubes with little higher heater current like ECC85 (~435mA, 6.3V) ? Is it depending on components inside T1 or power brick able to feed higher currents? 

 

[Deicide3]

guys,
how do i install the aune on Xubuntu?, i've checked google and this thread and found nothing.

 

[HeavenNotes]

  Aune T1 manual:
 

 

 

 

 
Salvatore thank you so much!!!

 

[exSpire]

Hello everyone,
 
I'm before a purchase of headphones and a DAC\Amp. It seems that I'll be going the Aune T1 route and I had a question about it.
This will be my first DAC\Amp and so I'm a bit of a newbie.
My main use will be music but I'll also be watching movies (DD\DTS) and playing games.
I read here and there that its possible to hook up a DAC to a regular soundcard and basically allow the use of the soundcard's DSP (and thus allow DTS and whatnot).

Can someone explain? Is it possible with the Aune T1, and if so, what cable is needed?
 
Also regardless, how's the Aune T1 with the Fidelio X1\DT880 Pro 250Ohm\Q701? I'm contemplating between the three.
 
Thanks and sorry for my English.