[Mr.Shadow]

Hey dear fellows,
I was kinda thinking about getting a new source, as for most of my music comes from the PC (Flac and High bitrate MP3) I was thinking on a decent DAC.
I am getting the Squeezebox 3 in the next days though I dont know if it will be good enough.

As you know (or dont know) I live in Israel, and there is a used MUSICAL FIDELITY Tri-Vista 21 DAC for about 1170$ on sale here, which is a great price from what I see, checking on audiogon showed higer prices

this is totaly not usual if you even wondered.
I would like to get opinions about it, taking in mind other options at that price range.
My setup is present at my sig (hopefully all the "on its way" things will arrive next week

)
Thanks

P.S: If the opinions will be positive here I might take the advantage of the DAC being local in my country and give it a shot with my setup.

 

[tom hankins]

A very good price..for a very good DAC!

 

[Mr.Shadow]

How is it upsampling works ?
Is it "on" by default and cannot be changed ? or it can be configured by the user, becuse basicly I am against upsampling so if the DAC makes any, I want to have the choice of utilizing both direct DAC and upsampled DAC.
Thanks

P.S. more opinions will be gladly welcome (not that I dont appreciate your opinion tom hankins

)

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Shadow How is it upsampling works ? Is it "on" by default and cannot be changed ? or it can be configured by the user, becuse basicly I am against upsampling so if the DAC makes any, I want to have the choice of utilizing both direct DAC and upsampled DAC. Thanks P.S. more opinions will be gladly welcome (not that I dont appreciate your opinion tom hankins )

Upsampling can be swithched back and forth between the different rates. (normal, 24/96 and I beleive 24/192)The sound is powerful, with good extention in both directions. Lots of midbass punch. Midrange is full and nice. Bass may be a little fat but still very nice. At your price it ewill be hard to get anything better. I have heard the DAC with several digital cables and my favorite with it was the Kimber D60. It added a little speed and detail to the DAC. Nice combo.

 

[Mr.Shadow]

My Source files will play 16bit/44 Khz stuff, will it upsample the word length too ? ie 16bits--> 24bits ?
How loyal is the Upsampling ? loyal to the source I mean.

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Shadow My Source files will play 16bit/44 Khz stuff, will it upsample the word length too ? ie 16bits--> 24bits ? How loyal is the Upsampling ? loyal to the source I mean.

Not sure what you mean here? But the DAC will upsample 16/44 to either 24/96 or (I think) 24/192. If you dont want to upsample, just dont, and the 16/44 from your source will come through at 16/44. Hope this helps some.

 

[TheSloth]

Isn't the current, less expensive XDAC v3 more advanced than the TriVista? It has better specs, and I read somewhere it was essentially an updated TriVista. Am I way off?

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth Isn't the current, less expensive XDAC v3 more advanced than the TriVista? It has better specs, and I read somewhere it was essentially an updated TriVista. Am I way off?

If this is true it will save him a couple hundred bucks also. Has anyone checked with MF on how they compare? What tubes does the XDAC use?

 

[Mr.Shadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins Not sure what you mean here? But the DAC will upsample 16/44 to either 24/96 or (I think) 24/192. If you dont want to upsample, just dont, and the 16/44 from your source will come through at 16/44. Hope this helps some.

You got me right on this one.
About the Upsampling, when you say "If you dont want to upsample, just dont" It mean you can bypass it ? and make a digital to analog conversion of the original input ? (16/44 in my case)
the sloth--> dosent sounds reasonable to me, the Trivista Series is higher than the X series as far as I can remember, but I might check just for the sake of it.

 

[TheSloth]

From the stereophile review:

'The X-DAC v3 replaces Musical Fidelity's Tri-Vista 21 DAC, which is no longer in production, although you might find some on dealer's shelves. The Tri-Vista 21 used two pairs of subminiature 5703 WB military tubes in the analog output stage. MF's Antony Michaelson called this Cold War tube, which is no longer made, a trivistor. The Tri-Vista 21 was last seen selling for $2395.'

http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf/

 

[Mr.Shadow]

but that dosent imply anything about quality of the product is it ?

 

[TheSloth]

Well in Musical Fidelity's case, it usually does. It isn't necessarly better, but I bet it isn't worse.

 

[Mr.Shadow]

I dont wanna be cocky but: thats a bit of an understatement from you, as far as I undertand you havent heared both porducts, am I right ?

 

[Jazz1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth From the stereophile review: 'The X-DAC v3 replaces Musical Fidelity's Tri-Vista 21 DAC, which is no longer in production, although you might find some on dealer's shelves. The Tri-Vista 21 used two pairs of subminiature 5703 WB military tubes in the analog output stage. MF's Antony Michaelson called this Cold War tube, which is no longer made, a trivistor. The Tri-Vista 21 was last seen selling for $2395.' http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf/

Is this what I am essentially getting in the MF A5 CD player in one box? Just wondering. I do love the sound. I suppose not if the DAC alone costs about the same as the A5.

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz1 Is this what I am essentially getting in the MF A5 CD player in one box? Just wondering. I do love the sound. I suppose not if the DAC alone costs about the same as the A5.

The XDAC is around $1K new. The Trivista dac was 2395.00 new when they sold. I got to hear the A5 last weekend and will again tomorrow. Very nice player.