[Xero]

Quick question for those with the experience; do the Dexa op-amps sound good with rock and metal? Just wondering if they're too relaxed. Not considering the Bursons ATM.

 

[ecapsretliab]

Don't have a Minimax anymore but the DEXA's are similar to LME49990's for memory, tight and fast.  I would regard them as excellent with rock/metal. 

 

[Xero]

Thanks... the only negative "review" I've found of the Dexa opamps is here: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4598173
Quote:

[size=x-small]edit:
After the run in period, my hifi sounded cheap and nasty.
Bass was like a disco and while the detail was there, everything sounded the same volume level, as though it was compressed, all the finesse disappeared.
Swapping in/out the old opamps, the Dual Dexa opamps are overloading my DAC, as soon as they are in the system the sound is loud and compressed with no finesse.
Luckily the guy at Hificollective has let me return them without issue, thanks dude if you are reading this.

So my kit is now running with the single Dexa opamps and the original duals, it sounds great.
Lots of extra detail with all the finesse, just these are a worthy upgrade, saved me £93 as well lol[/size]

[size=x-small]Doesn't know what he's talking about, I hope? [/size]

 

[Turn&cough]

It's not recommended to run single AND dual discrete opamps at the same time in the Minimax. They demand too much juice from the PS. The Bursons are even worse.
 
I eventually settled on Dexa duals for the IV stage with regular LMXXXXX opamps in the output stage with good results.

 

[Xero]

Oh okay, I see what he's saying now. Would the stock singles go well with dual Dexas or vice versa you think?
 
edit: weird that it's the first time I'm hearing about this. This article (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1212/eastern_electric_minimax_dac_plus.htm) talks about mixing Dexas with Bursons and makes no mention of power supply overload and SQ drops

 

[Turn&cough]

I was referring to the original Minimax.
 
The Plus version with dual transformers "should be" capable of adequately feeding two sets of discrete opamps.

 

[Xero]

That's good to know... the guy in that thread has a Plus so perhaps he did some other power-sucking mods I'm assuming?

 

[schneller]

So without reading the entire thread, what is the overall consensus on this DAC as compared to other similarly-priced offerings like the Wyred4Sound DAC2-DSD?

 

[hennessys]

Hi Guys,

I just joined the club. I love the sound at the first sight, but...

I have a problem and i hope somebody could give a suggestion to solve it. I plugged in the EE Minimax(first version) and i find a hardly audible, but very distrurbing buzz with some hints of hissing in the system. I tried to switch inbetween tube/ss, but the problem is there in both version. The last setup had no audible background noise (Hiface Two => coax => Arcam rDac => rca 2 rca / xlr => Violectric v100 / v200). I never had any backgound noise on the violectrics before, even when i turned them to max volume.

The volume is generaly softer than before. The v200 used to be way too loud/un-listenable in full volume and now it's ok.

The right side also seems to be more loud on various headphones.

There a few things i did not try yet:

• different power cord/outlet
• usb input
• different tube

My vote/hope would be the the tube, but if you guys have any idea, pls let me know.

Thanks in advance

 

[Turn&cough]

If it's the original Minimax (not the "plus") and you just bought it that means it has to be a second hand unit. Could it be defective?
 
If you suspect the tube you can try running the SS output with tube removed. In a properly functioning unit this actually improves the sound.
 
Don't know about the hissing but the buzzing could be a ground loop problem. Ground loop problems are not necessarily caused by a single device. It has more to do with the interaction with other devices in the chain.
 
Example: If I press the pause button on my source and turn the volume up past 75% on my amp I get a buzz in the speakers/headphones with the MM or any other DAC that is directly AC powered. I do not have this problem when using an off grid (battery) powered device such as the Ciunas.

 

[hennessys]

Yes, it’s not the plus, but the original version (second hand).
 
Well there is a few more things to try, but I really hope that the unit is not defective. I was hunting for one of these for a while now.
As soon as i get some time, i’ll try a few more things (swapping cords, cables, tubes, different amp, different dac, computer, location etc..)

 

[hennessys]

The testing is not finish yet, but progressing.
 
The previous owner updated the opamps to LME49990, can it be the root cause by any chance?
 
I was trying the amp without any source connected (tube removed, tube section off) with various locations, plugs, amps & cables, but the buzzing was presented until but i find and interesting thing by coincident. If i turn up the volume on the EE Dac to maximum the buzzing disappears (or you really need to look for it in the highest volume levels).
 
Did anybody have this issue? It does not seem like normal setting for a pre-amp.
 
When i put the tube, there is some hiss but it’s changing/almost disappear by swapping to different tubes. This is my first tube gear, so i don’t know what’s normal and what’s not, but it’s not disturbing as the buzz.
 
Despite all the hassling the sound is wonderful. At the moment I’m more impressed with the SS section. It shown so much detail in the music i never realized they were there all along. 

 

[hennessys]

The sound level difference is eliminated. It was caused by the channel settings on one of the amp.

 

[zaccio]

Fed up of my Audio-GD aop, removed them and reset the tube and some caps. Wow ! no bad for 5$ caps... much bigger and deepper soundstage more air more analogical sound (more relax?) will try to bypass with 0,01 uf MCap supreme.
 

 

[jokyt1000]

hello!
 
do you know if minimax plus are compatible with those op-amps:
 
- OPA1632
- LM4562
- LME49720
 
Regars and thanks!