[loserica]

  Hi all 

,
 
would you recommend Rike S-cap on c11 ? I have an Interteknik True Copper for the time being, of wich I'm 95% satisfied. I love her welcoming sound, beautiful medium full of presence and sensuality. Lot of pleasure when listening to music. However it may be a bit round and I would appreciate something a little more incisive.
 
Regarding the price of S-cap I could have a try but I see you have reservations too : leaner medium, a bit harsh as well... Is it as neutral as Clarity Mr Cap or still warmer ?
 
The other choice would be duelund or vcap cutf instead of Interteknik True Copper (still on c11) but the price is not the same and I'm not sure it would bring what I'm looking for. Don't want to pay it just to test 1 week. I still have several cutf in my havana and my opinion is it's better to mix caps to get better nuances depending on their tone and qualities but I may be wrong.

I have not done exactly right. I should let the capacitors to burn-in completely and then come up with impressions..
"leaner medium and a bit harsh as well": are some partial conclusions and I think this will be adjust in time. We'll see.
I don't think that S-Cap will sound less well if compared it directly with V-Cap CuTF. Rike are very detailed, transparent and vocals sound beautiful, ...but should be burn-in completely. I do not ever recommend CuTF for C11...it will be burn extremely hard!

My opinion is, wait until my Rike caps are completely burned, for the moment don't change that capacitor (at C11 place).
I bet on Duelund.

 

[kimchee411]

  Hi all 

,
 
would you recommend Rike S-cap on c11 ? I have an Interteknik True Copper for the time being, of wich I'm 95% satisfied. I love her welcoming sound, beautiful medium full of presence and sensuality. Lot of pleasure when listening to music. However it may be a bit round and I would appreciate something a little more incisive.
 
Regarding the price of S-cap I could have a try but I see you have reservations too : leaner medium, a bit harsh as well... Is it as neutral as Clarity Mr Cap or still warmer ?
 
 
The other choice would be duelund or vcap cutf instead of Interteknik True Copper (still on c11) but the price is not the same and I'm not sure it would bring what I'm looking for. Don't want to pay it just to test 1 week. I still have several cutf in my havana and my opinion is it's better to mix caps to get better nuances depending on their tone and qualities but I may be wrong.
 
 
 
I don't know if you listen to your music with a computer or directly from a drive but I tested a software called Daphile this weekend : it brought major improvements on my system. If you already have a good converter like Ioserica and his Legato the impact will be lower but you really should have a try you could have a good surprise : http://www.daphile.com/

 
If you are willing to spend the money, go with Duelund.  I don't think you will be disappointed.  I've never heard of anybody disappointed with CAST.  I don't think it will fit unless you leave the cover off, though.  They are enormous caps.  
 
S-Cap is warmer than Clarity MR, but not as warm as TC, and more detailed than both.  Transparency and tonal realism is superior to Clarity MR, but more importantly I find it much more musical and engaging.
 
"However it may be a bit round and I would appreciate something a little more incisive."
 
It sounds like you will like the Rike S-Cap a lot; probably more than True Copper.  I still think CuTF have better tone, finesse, and are more sophisticated at this point.

 

[mako44]

Thanks for your answer. If I go for a duelund it will be a VSF and not CAST (too expensive for just a try, too big). However T Gee suggests they're a bit rolled off on highs, a pity.
 
I like Interteknik TC a lot in fact, they are extremely pleasant to listen too, lively, sensual, with a "embodied" listening but still detailed and coherent. They're especially great on soul, jazz, rock on my mind but work also great, and better than my previous caps on c11, on classical or acoustic (I think some other caps, straighter and more neutral, could be better though). Kind of cap you could listen to for hours with still the same pleasure and no weariness. A good deal.
 
If I want to try something else it's more out of curiosity, to compare and find the better tone on my system, also because TC is a bit round sometimes. But don't won't a sterile sound. Regarding the price of s-caps it can worth a try, even with reservations of Ioserica it can be different on c11, and help me to confirm or not my Interteknik TC preference.

 

[Lorienblack]

I have a Havana DAC which I bought for £320 and it came with a 1954 Bendix 6385. I didn't like it!!! What? So I got a JJ 6386 which seemed like a superb £100 spend at the time, but I kept reading people rave about the Bendix, so I gave it a longer audition. Given time to warm up - it has knocked my socks off.

So now instead of wondering about building a tube preamp, I'm looking to mod the DAC.

I'm on a budget of about £200 - after all the children have to eat.

This thread is huge and many people have so many ideas.

What do you all think the best single mod is, that I could achieve for/less £200?

My particular taste leans towards the warm and seductive, but not at the expense of too much detail.

I use a "warmed up" Pass F5 for the amp, and full range Mark Audio 10.3s in QWTL.

If I was to have a wish it would be to open up and deepen the soundstage, it's not a weakness in this set up, but the trouble with heaven is I would like a little more

Many thanks in advance for any words of wisdom and direction.

 

[mako44]

What comes to mind quickly would be to put good & neutral caps on output (main modification according to me), input (c9-c10) and c12. This will improve your dac in many ways. To get the warm touch you can put a Audyn True Copper cap on c11 (or jupiter ht beeswax). I suggest you to change also 6 diodes around tube by Shinkoh (more refinement and it costs nothing) as well as around power section by Schottky.
 
It's also recommended to change transformer by a rcore (25-30 pounds if I'm not wrong) but need electronics knowledge. That's the more important mods for me and you'll stay in your budget even with good caps of 20-25 pounds.
 
You can also change the 4 power section caps by better ones (silmic...).

 

[Lorienblack]

On the subject of power supply. Nobody here seems to have attempted a shunt regulator to ensure a super clean DC, is there a reason why not? The Salas shunt regs are legend and can be populated with little cost.

Maybe I'll try that as well as the other recommended mods, and report back.

 

[robeeert1]

I'm on a budget of about £200 - after all the children have to eat.

If I was to have a wish it would be to open up and deepen the soundstage, it's not a weakness in this set up, but the trouble with heaven is I would like a little more

 
If my bugdet was £200 I would invest all in output caps.

 

[Lorienblack]

Im going to opt for resistor changes, rectifier upgrade and spend the change on output caps. Thanks guys.
 
Another question, as I have some experts out there.
 
The Coax spdif is SO much better than the USB input. Is this a common finding or have I missed some settings with my PC? And whats the deal with the transport MHDT have brought out, I fail to see its relevance.
 
Thanks again......

 

[s1rrah]

  Im going to opt for resistor changes, rectifier upgrade and spend the change on output caps. Thanks guys.
 
Another question, as I have some experts out there.
 
The Coax spdif is SO much better than the USB input. Is this a common finding or have I missed some settings with my PC? And whats the deal with the transport MHDT have brought out, I fail to see its relevance.
 
Thanks again......

 
Yes. I find the COAX to be more resolving/cleaner than the USB (on my MHDT Stockholm and also on my previous Havana) ... I like the optical better, too

 

[BORDELO]

Hi to all !!!
 
Damned, Duelund CAST PIO are out of stock at partconnexion. And very expensive at others dealers.
So i make an order for VCaps ( input & Output ) and Jupiter VT for C11.
Wait and listen ...
 
At the moment, thanks for your help, i do this :
Bendix 6385/1964
Chips K-Grade Japan ( From a Kenwood DP1100 )
Fuse Furutech
R-Core transformer
Shinkoh resistors in tube section
Fast Diodes Vishay
Some BG ...
 
Each step is a real pleasure to listen.
After VCaps, i expect to change all 0.1uf capacitors as the good advice from horace.
 
I wish you a very happy Christmas
A+STEF  

 

[Lorienblack]

What did you find changed with the resistors around the tube and the vishay diodes? That's my first mod planned.

Thanks - happy crimbo

 

[BORDELO]

Music become true and live.
Like a sort of 3D 

 

[loserica]

  Each step is a real pleasure to listen. After VCaps, i expect to change all 0.1uf capacitors as the good advice from horace.

 
This week I left Havana connected the whole day. Today I heard something new in the mid and low frequencies. It is something truly noticeable. In a word, something was enriched at these frequencies: bass is firmer now and down lower in frequency. The bass has a robust body, is fleshy and more extensive than before. It can distinguish more easily and more coherent between "upper" bass and the lower bass. I never heard this before on Havana in this manner.

Havana is now able again of a good tonal balance and timing, but also very good dynamics and a higher resolution simultaneously. Instruments like piano, violin, guitar, saxophone, etc.. and vocals sound natural, believable and quite completely at the level of information and manner.
After I exceeded the first stage of burning (about 200/300 hours, or even more..) I see a completely different face of these capacitors. Rike S-Caps are very good!!

 

 

[mako44]

I listened to Rike S caps on c11, 25 hours of burning in only. Kimchee and Ioserica described them well (although I don't really hear harshness for the moment) but here are additional feelings.
 
One of the main improvements regards transparency : I hear many things I didn't suspect before, that make music more alive. Good news it's not cold at all and never tiring.
 
Other main improvement is very good coherence of this cap : every frequence is very well balanced and thanks to clarity low frequencies are much more audibles (and I have the impression they come from lower than previous caps but may be wrong). With Audyn TC I had a small bump in low mids, with Rike my system is extremely clean : everything is at its right place and controlled (low freqs could still be better but never heard havana very good here).
 
It's very spatious too, sound gives the impression to fill the room and come from a bigger scene. There's less impact in the music on some tracks (especially pop/rock or very rythmic ones but there's no rule), classical is great. In a general way listening is more pleasant on my system and to my tastes (because of more details, better lows and more sharpen sound) and very clean.
 
Till that point I prefer them to Audyn TC. The "problem" is I miss the emotion of Audyn TC. Mids of Rike S caps are good, very pure, sweet, but don't bring the presence, texture and mellow of Audyn. Everything is very clean, nice to listen to, I spend a very nice moment but each time I notice they don't touch my heart as Audyn TC can do.
 
May be If I didn't hear rich & warm caps like Audyn TC or Jupiter HT before I would be plenty satisfied but for the moment I slightly feel this lack. It's only true on some tracks (where voices or an instrument are highlighted and still not always the case).
 
 
Well at least now I know what I want : a Rike S-cap (or better but with the same presentation) with the mids of Audyn TC... I was thinking of Duelund VSF Cu to get a richer mid but I don't think they're very lush either so I would not get more impact. Other possibility would be to keep Rike S Cap on c11 and try a Audyn TC or Jupiter HT on c12, hoping that it would combine both qualities without loosing too much.

 

[loserica]

  I listened to Rike S caps on c11, 25 hours of burning in only. Kimchee and Ioserica described them well (although I don't really hear harshness for the moment) but here are additional feelings.
 
Till that point I prefer them to Audyn TC. The "problem" is I miss the emotion of Audyn TC. Mids of Rike S caps are good, very pure, sweet, but don't bring the presence, texture and mellow of Audyn. Everything is very clean, nice to listen to, I spend a very nice moment but each time I notice they don't touch my heart as Audyn TC can do.
May be If I didn't hear rich & warm caps like Audyn TC or Jupiter HT before I would be plenty satisfied but for the moment I slightly feel this lack. It's only true on some tracks (where voices or an instrument are highlighted and still not always the case).
Well at least now I know what I want : a Rike S-cap (or better but with the same presentation) with the mids of Audyn TC... I was thinking of Duelund VSF Cu to get a richer mid but I don't think they're very lush either so I would not get more impact. Other possibility would be to keep Rike S Cap on c11 and try a Audyn TC or Jupiter HT on c12, hoping that it would combine both qualities without loosing too much.

 
Here's the key point. It need minimum of three hundred hours of burning!! Oil caps need to settle in the specific circuit through regular use, remember minimum 300 hours. Then they will reach that level of texture that you dreamed.

The differences between 300 hours of burning and as I heard at 25 hours are major, unbelievable for me. They acquired a very rich sound but also that dynamics, that coherence, clarity which is impossible to achieve with cheaper solutions. After this it will come the refinement and emotion in audition. I felt the same from the beginning, some lack of emotion and warm.. but it was only apparently that Rike is weaker than the other capacitors in this chapter. I recommend you to keep S-Cap on c11 and to change all 0,1uF capacitors with Rike! I think they are enough to make Havana to sound really special.