[adrianm]

Nope. That's exactly at issue for me. Do I go mains conditioning + upgraded power cable or retrofit the power supply. I was set on the first route. However, I'm looking at the Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 3, which I have inbound for a demo. Triode User broke in let me know that if I'm considering this amount of cost that I really should look into upgrading the power supply instead. Talking with him, Austinpop over at audiophile style, and Sean Jacobs himself is persuading me that the power supply will do the most good–by far.

I've also ordered an Opto-DX to go into the Dave which I'm going to use in conjunction with my IsoRegen. Everything is being power by battery or linear power supply. Going out of the Dave, I'm strictly headphone out.

Wow,that sounds like a whole bunch of solutions looking for a problem .I’d try some isotek mains filters before going though

 

[edwardsean]

Wow,that sounds like a whole bunch of solutions looking for a problem .I’d try some isotek mains filters before going though

You know, so many times, so many, I think you may just be right! But, I know you aren't (huge, wicked grin).

 

[yagislav]

Do you guys put the DAVE into stand by mode (off button from the remote) when not listening? It runs warm even when no signal is being fed into it.
From my understanding there is no need to turn the switch off behind the DAVE, wondering if it is necessary to hit the power button on the remote control when done listening for the night.

 

[TheAttorney]

From my understanding there is no need to turn the switch off behind the DAVE, wondering if it is necessary to hit the power button on the remote control when done listening for the night.

I do use the remote to put DAVE into standby overnight, and I avoid ever fully switching DAVE off.
Don't try fully switching DAVE off when you're still wearing headphones (or when a loudspeaker amp is still on) else your headphones and ears will get a nasty shock from the considerable switch-off thump.

Note that standby still leaves the input circuits (and possibly more) still fully active. It's a fair compromise between saving the planet vs keeping DAVE ready for action.

 

[Triode User]

Do you guys put the DAVE into stand by mode (off button from the remote) when not listening? It runs warm even when no signal is being fed into it.
From my understanding there is no need to turn the switch off behind the DAVE, wondering if it is necessary to hit the power button on the remote control when done listening for the night.

I put Dave into standby using the remote if I remember which is about 1 day in 3. I never unpower it unless it is being moved.

 

[MacedonianHero]

^ I do the same thing. If I'm not gonna use it for 3-4 days, then I'll physically turn it off on the back (if I remember). Otherwise, it's just Standby.

 

[F208Frank]

Any DAVE owners here feel like the amp section of DAVE drives the abyss 1266 decently?

 

[simorag]

Any DAVE owners here feel like the amp section of DAVE drives the abyss 1266 decently?

I feel that the DAVE extracts from 80% to 100% of what the AB-1266 has to give depending on the music type, and listening volume.

Also, personal preferences play a big role. As a limit case, if somebody focuses as a listener very much on transparency and microdetail, tonal purity, timbre neutrality, perhaps this persona can get close to 100% from the DAVE or even find an amplifier in between as a detriment.

To the other end of the spectrum, if one typically enjoys extreme dynamics music (large scale orchestral works in my case), at concert-like SPL, the benefits of an amp become apparent at first listen.

However, I found it pretty difficult to find an amplifier that was able to preserve the DAVE direct virtues and adding extra value to the AB-1266 listening experience, to be honest.
In the best case, what we can gain from a very well matched amplifier is - at least in my experience - in terms of soundstage size, bass control and visceral impact, better articulation of very busy music played loud, and ... last but not least a subjectively pleasing coloration if one so desires.

The thing is that, once you have invested so much into a DAVE and a TC, you (thanks to that little devil on your shoulder always giving unsolicited advices ) will most likely end up sooner or later running that extra mile and get that amp ... and it will be rather expensive as well.

But, we are audiophiles aren't we?

 

[adrianm]

I feel that the DAVE extracts from 80% to 100% of what the AB-1266 has to give depending on the music type, and listening volume.

Also, personal preferences play a big role. As a limit case, if somebody focuses as a listener very much on transparency and microdetail, tonal purity, timbre neutrality, perhaps this persona can get close to 100% from the DAVE or even find an amplifier in between as a detriment.

To the other end of the spectrum, if one typically enjoys extreme dynamics music (large scale orchestral works in my case), at concert-like SPL, the benefits of an amp becomes apparent at first listen.

However, I found it pretty difficult to find an amplifier that was able to preserve the DAVE direct virtues and adding extra value to the AB-1266 listening experience, to be honest.
In the best case, what we can gain from a very well matched amplifier is - at least in my experience - in terms of soundstage size, bass control and visceral impact, better articulation of very busy music played loud, and ... last but not least a subjectively pleasing coloration if one so desires.

The thing is that, once you have invested so much into a DAVE and a TC, you (thanks to that little devil on your shoulder always giving unsolicited advices ) will most likely end up sooner or later running that extra mile and get that amp ... and it will be rather expensive as well.

But, we are audiophiles aren't we?

I probably know what you're going to say here but, out of curiosity,have you tried A/B ing Dave out of laptop/pc running roon/tidal desktop app in exclusive mode vs streamer and reclockers and all of that?

 

[JamieMcC]

Hook up question

When hooking up to try Dave to speakers direct from the Dave's RCA outputs via a adaptor is there a preferred way of connection using a adaptor?

The two choices seem to be adaptor direct on to Dave rca outputs then cable run to speakers

Or

2 long RCA cable from Dave with short adaptor at speaker end.

Thoughts welcome

 

[Triode User]

Hook up question

When hooking up to try Dave to speakers direct from the Dave's RCA outputs via a adaptor is there a preferred way of connection using a adaptor?

The two choices seem to be adaptor direct on to Dave rca outputs then cable run to speakers

Or

2 long RCA cable from Dave with short adaptor at speaker end.

Thoughts welcome

My 2p is that a standard RCA interconnect cable is not suitable for connecting to speakers because it is unlikely to have sufficient current carrying ability (they normally only have thin wires). So I suggest have an adapter at the Dave end and run normal speaker cables between that and the speakers.

 

[JamieMcC]

My 2p is that a standard RCA interconnect cable is not suitable for connecting to speakers because it is unlikely to have sufficient current carrying ability (they normally only have thin wires). So I suggest have an adapter at the Dave end and run normal speaker cables between that and the speakers.

Thanks that makes sense

 

[jlbrach]

I feel that the DAVE extracts from 80% to 100% of what the AB-1266 has to give depending on the music type, and listening volume.

Also, personal preferences play a big role. As a limit case, if somebody focuses as a listener very much on transparency and microdetail, tonal purity, timbre neutrality, perhaps this persona can get close to 100% from the DAVE or even find an amplifier in between as a detriment.

To the other end of the spectrum, if one typically enjoys extreme dynamics music (large scale orchestral works in my case), at concert-like SPL, the benefits of an amp become apparent at first listen.

However, I found it pretty difficult to find an amplifier that was able to preserve the DAVE direct virtues and adding extra value to the AB-1266 listening experience, to be honest.
In the best case, what we can gain from a very well matched amplifier is - at least in my experience - in terms of soundstage size, bass control and visceral impact, better articulation of very busy music played loud, and ... last but not least a subjectively pleasing coloration if one so desires.

The thing is that, once you have invested so much into a DAVE and a TC, you (thanks to that little devil on your shoulder always giving unsolicited advices ) will most likely end up sooner or later running that extra mile and get that amp ... and it will be rather expensive as well.

But, we are audiophiles aren't we?

I have used the 1266 TC both straight out of the Dave /Blu2 and with several different amps most recently the formula s/powerman combo....to my ears the TC sounds quite good direct as long as you listen to modern remastered music but with older Jazz and blues and mono recordings I find the amp to be necessary...I pretty much listen out of the amp now 100% of the time....

 

[simorag]

I probably know what you're going to say here but, out of curiosity,have you tried A/B ing Dave out of laptop/pc running roon/tidal desktop app in exclusive mode vs streamer and reclockers and all of that?

Before taking the plunge to the ZENith, I used a PC for a couple of years as a source.
At the time I was not using streaming services, and all my music was stored into the internal drive of the PC.

I experienced dramatic improvements by upgrading from a regular desktop PC to a highly optimized laptop, where I spent almost 1 year to continuously tweaking it.

At the peak of my madness I was running Windows 2016 Server with no GUI together with Audiophile Optimizer, JPLAY in Extreme mode (laptop screen off), Fidelizer Pro, Process Lasso, and using audiophile music players like HQPlayer, or MinimServer. All this disconnected by the network (both ethernet and wifi) and from mains (laptop running off batteries).
Basically I decided to move to a music server mostly to stop my compulsive attitude to tweaking ... and ahhh what a relief since then

Sound wise, when I compared a basic PC to the tweaked laptop the differences were stark, as I mentioned above. By comparison the improvement from the music server was more subtle, yet still apparent.

By "only" installing Audiophile Optimizer, JPLAY and Fidelizer Pro on a regular Windows 10 laptop (i.e. limited hassle, limited investment) I believe you will get more than a glimpse of what a good music server has to offer.

On the hardware side, I never tried external clocks, but I am happy with my ISO Regen USB reclocker and EtherRegen ethernet switch. On one side I hate to have to deal with all these boxes, PSU, cables etc. but I tried to remove them even recently by repeating some A/B test and I simply feel that my system sounds better with them in place.

So, if your question was about how sensitive is DAVE to upstream improvements (hardware and software, but also cables and interconnects), my experience is that it IS sensitive. Whether the amount of the improvement is worth the extra money, time and system complexity is totally subjective I suppose ...

 

[STR-1]

I have used the 1266 TC both straight out of the Dave /Blu2 and with several different amps most recently the formula s/powerman combo....to my ears the TC sounds quite good direct as long as you listen to modern remastered music but with older Jazz and blues and mono recordings I find the amp to be necessary...I pretty much listen out of the amp now 100% of the time....

The 1266 PHI TC with stock cable I’ve had on loan for two weeks is going back today. I don’t know if I will buy one, but it did sound good straight out of my DAVE. It does improve over my Utopia/Prion4 in some areas (e.g. natural tone and a more authoritative bass), but I could easily imagine it getting even better with more current. As I have no intention of getting a dedicated headphone amp, I will have to make up my mind based on performance with the DAVE.