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

[joeq70]

New experiment in the works! I found sweet prices on a Burson HA-160 and a 1962 Dario Miniwatt 188cc. Now just waiting on them to arrive in the mail. We're going to see how far the old T1 can scale up. Hoping the tube DAC and the extra warm Dario will yield a "best of both worlds" sound with the solid state Burson.

Hey I'm in the same boat! Miniwatt Dario E188CC is in the mail to me from Italy. I'm really pleased with the Genalex Gold Lion these days, but I'm curious what this super high end tube will do with my Magnums.

 

[NCSUZoSo]

  $79 is a good price, no?
http://schiit.com/products/magni
 
 
....What are you looking to improve from the T1 soundwise?

 
Well shipping runs $15 for the absolute cheapest from CA to NC, so it's $95 in reality.
 
Right now I am talking with Coil and we both said Garage1217 amps (http://www.garage1217.com/garage1217_diy_tube_headphone_amplifiers_005.htm)
 
The Starlight looks like a great value and I am looking to add everything my Yamaha Receiver added once I blew out the amp PCB in the unit (best thing I ever did).  If I had known the amp was that weak I would have stopped playing around with $90 tubes and bought me a dedicated amp a long time ago.  That internal amp lacks so much it's hard to know where to begin.  The easiest way to explain it is it lacks body and depth, both on the high and the low (especially the low end, badly) ends.  But I am impressed what it delivers for $8, that price is quoting Aune (without SH) own replacement costs for the board.  I am really surprised there are a lot of people who have upgraded to a smal
 
Right now in terms of tubes I have my main tube a Siemens 6922 German (possible CCa), GE Smokie ECC88 (pair), Tesla ECC88, West German RCA/Amperex 6922 and a JAN Philips 6922.  With that much in tubes I could have purchased a very nice dedicated amp (~$260), hell my main tube (Siemens) cost $85 by itself, but is easily the best tube I have ever heard in the T1 and I've had and sold Amperex tubes.

 

[Hansotek]

New experiment in the works! I found sweet prices on a Burson HA-160 and a 1962 Dario Miniwatt 188cc. Now just waiting on them to arrive in the mail. We're going to see how far the old T1 can scale up. Hoping the tube DAC and the extra warm Dario will yield a "best of both worlds" sound with the solid state Burson.

Hey I'm in the same boat! Miniwatt Dario E188CC is in the mail to me from Italy. I'm really pleased with the Genalex Gold Lion these days, but I'm curious what this super high end tube will do with my Magnums.

Nice! I've heard some lofty praise for these tubes. Looking forward to comparing impressions.

 

[NCSUZoSo]

What headphones are you guys using that are praising the Genalex Gold Lions?  I've used one in my T1 at a local swap because I heard users saying they liked it more than NOS like GE Smokies and it didn't even come close to what my Siemens 6922 offers through my SoundMAGIC HP150/100s.  I am just curious if headphones do play that big of a role in tube preference.

 

[joeq70]

What headphones are you guys using that are praising the Genalex Gold Lions?  I've used one in my T1 at a local swap because I heard users saying they liked it more than NOS like GE Smokies and it didn't even come close to what my Siemens 6922 offers through my SoundMAGIC HP150/100s.  I am just curious if headphones do play that big of a role in tube preference.

I use a Magnum X, which is basically a more detailed, punchier Grado. Definitely a specific sound I'm getting out of those.

 

[SirMarc]

What headphones are you guys using that are praising the Genalex Gold Lions?  I've used one in my T1 at a local swap because I heard users saying they liked it more than NOS like GE Smokies and it didn't even come close to what my Siemens 6922 offers through my SoundMAGIC HP150/100s.  I am just curious if headphones do play that big of a role in tube preference.

I have an Asgard 2 and a vintage dynaco integrated amp I use with sennheiser hd580's. The dynaco is very warm sounding and the Asgard 2 is, I would say mildly warm. I use the dynaco primarily for my turntable and the Asgard 2 with the t1. Background out of the way, I find the I like the gold lion better with the dynaco, and an amperex 7308 better with the Asgard 2. The amperex is very warm sounding(in a good way) and sounds fantastic with the Asgard, but too warm with an already warm amp. The gold lion is a bit solid state sounding to me, so a good match for an overly warm system

 

[Hansotek]

Part one of the Burson/Aune/Dario experiment is in - the Burson HA-160 arrived today. Good God, this thing lays every other amp I've heard to waste, including my Lyr and precious Telefunken tubes. It has all the warmth and romanticism of a tube amp with all the punch and exacting technicality of a solid state. It honestly doesn't need a tube, but I'm going to ride this experiment out. Worst case, I keep the T1 hooked up to my monitors with a new tube to roll.

 

[joeq70]

Part one of the Burson/Aune/Dario experiment is in - the Burson HA-160 arrived today. Good God, this thing lays every other amp I've heard to waste, including my Lyr and precious Telefunken tubes. It has all the warmth and romanticism of a tube amp with all the punch and exacting technicality of a solid state. It honestly doesn't need a tube, but I'm going to ride this experiment out. Worst case, I keep the T1 hooked up to my monitors with a new tube to roll.

Good to hear! I've read some great things about that amp. It's a bit out of my price range at the moment, but I'll definitely make note of your further impressions for when I'm ready to upgrade.

 

[mikoss]

Part one of the Burson/Aune/Dario experiment is in - the Burson HA-160 arrived today. Good God, this thing lays every other amp I've heard to waste, including my Lyr and precious Telefunken tubes. It has all the warmth and romanticism of a tube amp with all the punch and exacting technicality of a solid state. It honestly doesn't need a tube, but I'm going to ride this experiment out. Worst case, I keep the T1 hooked up to my monitors with a new tube to roll.

hmmmm I'm interested. Better than Telefunkens eh? I have actually yet to hear any Telefunkens period... with the ecc88's going "cheap" for $60 used, and the e188cc's going "cheap" for $225/tube, I've stuck to Amperex and Philips tubes for my listening enjoyment.
 
Interested in hearing your impressions 

 

 

[Hansotek]

Part one of the Burson/Aune/Dario experiment is in - the Burson HA-160 arrived today. Good God, this thing lays every other amp I've heard to waste, including my Lyr and precious Telefunken tubes. It has all the warmth and romanticism of a tube amp with all the punch and exacting technicality of a solid state. It honestly doesn't need a tube, but I'm going to ride this experiment out. Worst case, I keep the T1 hooked up to my monitors with a new tube to roll.

Good to hear! I've read some great things about that amp. It's a bit out of my price range at the moment, but I'll definitely make note of your further impressions for when I'm ready to upgrade.

It was out of my price range too. I just got super lucky and won an auction for one on ebay for $320. I really didn't think I was actually going to win it.

 

[walfredo]

So, I keep in love with my Aune T1 + Philips PCC85.  I tried to best with Geek Pulse, Peachtree Nova, ifi Nano, Matrix mini and other DACs, but it remains my favorite.
 
Curiosity:  What DAC chip is used on this?  Does anyone know?
 
Thanks,
Walfredo

 

[Hansotek]

Part one of the Burson/Aune/Dario experiment is in - the Burson HA-160 arrived today. Good God, this thing lays every other amp I've heard to waste, including my Lyr and precious Telefunken tubes. It has all the warmth and romanticism of a tube amp with all the punch and exacting technicality of a solid state. It honestly doesn't need a tube, but I'm going to ride this experiment out. Worst case, I keep the T1 hooked up to my monitors with a new tube to roll.

hmmmm I'm interested. Better than Telefunkens eh? I have actually yet to hear any Telefunkens period... with the ecc88's going "cheap" for $60 used, and the e188cc's going "cheap" for $225/tube, I've stuck to Amperex and Philips tubes for my listening enjoyment.

Interested in hearing your impressions   

Telefunkens are pretty sweet. I've only ever used them in the Lyr. I'd say they are neutral with a slightly warm tilt. Imaging is very precise. Overall soundstage is medium to very good. Sound is very organic and analog. Bass extention is ultra deep. Good impact, but not the best. Mids are very sweet and emotional. Great female vocals may induce man-sobbing. Highs a generally a little relaxed, but only enough to be comfortable. Not at all veiled. If I want to be pickey, the soundstage does exibit occasional oddities, but this may be a byproduct of Lyr or custom damping mods... I doubt it is the tube, but the organic nature of the tube does make such things a bit more obvious, I think. Not the most consistent sound. Again, that might be the amp or it might be my ears. They tend to sound best after they have been warmed up for a few hours. They take a while to burn in. They are definitely in another league above my Amperex 7308.

I'll post Dario impressions once it finally arrives.

 

[Hansotek]

So, I keep in love with my Aune T1 + Philips PCC85.  I tried to best with Geek Pulse, Peachtree Nova, ifi Nano, Matrix mini and other DACs, but it remains my favorite.

Curiosity:  What DAC chip is used on this?  Does anyone know?

Thanks,
Walfredo

I believe it is a Burr-Brown PCM1793.

 

[mikoss]

Telefunkens are pretty sweet. I've only ever used them in the Lyr. I'd say they are neutral with a slightly warm tilt. Imaging is very precise. Overall soundstage is medium to very good. Sound is very organic and analog. Bass extention is ultra deep. Good impact, but not the best. Mids are very sweet and emotional. Great female vocals may induce man-sobbing. Highs a generally a little relaxed, but only enough to be comfortable. Not at all veiled. If I want to be pickey, the soundstage does exibit occasional oddities, but this may be a byproduct of Lyr or custom damping mods... I doubt it is the tube, but the organic nature of the tube does make such things a bit more obvious, I think. Not the most consistent sound. Again, that might be the amp or it might be my ears. They tend to sound best after they have been warmed up for a few hours. They take a while to burn in. They are definitely in another league above my Amperex 7308.

I'll post Dario impressions once it finally arrives.

Thanks for the impressions. This sounds in line with the general consensus that I'd read about these tubes... very organic sounding, yet also very neutral. I'm having a tough time trying to understand how that would sound compared to the Miniwatt sound that I love. The Miniwatt's have the deep, tight bass of the Siemens tubes, beautiful Amperex mids, and extended highs as well. I've found they can be very 3d/holographic sounding tubes, and also very detailed sounding at the same time. I think there's a slight emphasis on the higher end (perhaps)... 
 
Anyway, I've ordered a bunch of different tubes in the last while and I'll post impressions later. D-getter Amperex E88CC, 60's and 70's US-made 7308s, and some more Miniwatts. My absolute favourite is still the Phillips VR3 Holland tubes... hoping that will change
 
edit: looking forward to hearing about the Dario as well. Is it from Heerlen, or another factory? I also found some A-frame E188CC Valvo made tubes with Hamburg codes... they should be interesting to hear. I didn't even know Valvo made tubes... apparently I guess Valvo = Philips for Germany, so I guess they are technically Philips made tubes. Really interested in hearing how they compare to the Heerlen tubes. From my experience, the "Germany" stamped Amperex tubes had really shrill/unrefined highs that sounded terrible to me. I'm hoping the Hamburg factory didn't make the 6dj8's I had that sounded that way.

 

[Kaztronic]

Hi there,
 
I'm Scott, and I am new to all of this equipment, and admittedly a bit lost (although excited about where I will likely end up once I get this all figured out).
 
So, I bought my first piece of equipment in search of seeing just how good music can sound. Specifically, I picked up the Aune T1 MkII and it arrived today. Like a kid, I just had to play with this new equipment right away and am concerned that the unit I received is defective somehow. I'll do my best to explain the issues I've noticed.
 
I know that the unit requires about 50 hours of running time before it will sound like it should, and assume that is why it generally sounds a bit muddy out of the box (especially in the middle frequencies - I really hope I'm not making a fool of myself trying to explain this, haha). On the positive side, I've already listened to several tracks and have heard things in these songs that I never knew existed in the background. To say that I am intrigued & excited about the possibilities of this unit would be an understatement. The reason I am concerned that the unit I have is defective somehow has to do with the gain settings. As others have mentioned, the unit arrived with everything switched to the ON setting. I switched everything off as a starting point and was shocked at how awful the thing sounded. So, it was on to fiddling. This is what I've found:
 
If I move both "1" switches to on, the vocals almost completely disappear.
 
If I only move the "1" switch closest to the end with the headphone jack, the vocals come back and the unit sounds much better (although the vocals still do not match the sound I previously got by going through the headphone jack in the computer itself).
 
If I switch on both "2" switches, it gets a bit louder, and neither improves, nor detracts from the music much. I currently have these off as the sound seems slightly better with them off vocally.
 
The only other observations I've made are that it sounds best with the Foobar2000 music player (which I read about here) and I only need turn the volume 1/4 of the way up to get a volume which I enjoy (vocals seem almost normal with this player). When I use my VLC or Windows Media Player to watch a concert DVD (or any other video) I need to turn the volume up to the 12 o'clock position to get the same volume.
 
I don't know if computer hardware is important, but what I am working with is a Windows 7 PC. I initially had a very digitized sound coming out of the unit, but reading up on the USB connections, I was able to adjust the settings and made sure to get it in to a solo slot and that problem went away.
 
So, any thoughts? Is there something wrong with my unit, or is this normal?
 
Once I get this figured out, it's on to headphone recommendations. I was thinking of the Mad Dog Pro, anyone know how well those pair with the Aune?