[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarKu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Who wanna make a big improvement using Havana, i recommend to you all the M2tech Hi-face, I recieved it yesterday and the improvement it did to Havana is unbelivable ! Much better imaging, bigger and deeper soundstage, more air around the notes, better impact too, well worth 107 euro (150 $) !

Interesting. Isn't this device very source dependent, or is it the sensitivity of the receiving machine the most determinant factor?
In other words, do you think it will work equally well on all Havana-systems, or is the digital source the most important?

 

[DarKu]

As you may know NOS DAC's do not have the best master clocks and are pretty susceptible to jitter. Also NOS DAC's are very dependent of transports. I used the coax out and optic out from my on-board till now, hi-face made a big improvement in my system. This means that Havana need the cleanest transport it can get, it seems that this little device (hi-face) was built quite nice and do wonders in some systems. I'm sure it will do in your systems too.

It doesnt mess with sampling rates, it plays the original sample rate of your music be it 44.1, 96 or 192Khz. I do have only 44.1 and 96Khz music and Havana plays them equally well

 

[s1rrah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarKu /img/forum/go_quote.gif As you may know NOS DAC's do not have the best master clocks and are pretty susceptible to jitter. Also NOS DAC's are very dependent of transports. I used the coax out and optic out from my on-board till now, hi-face made a big improvement in my system. This means that Havana need the cleanest transport it can get, it seems that this little device (hi-face) was built quite nice and do wonders in some systems. It sure it will do in your systems too. It doesnt mess with sampling rates, it plays the original sample rate of your music be it 44.1, 96 or 192Khz. I do have only 44.1 and 96Khz music and Havana plays them equally well

Thanks for the words ...

But that said, ...

My Havana don't jitter!

In fact, (not to judge you or your post) ... I don't even know what "jitter" is!

Is this something that mostly plagues USB listeners?

I don't listen via USB, so maybe I'm missing the party ... I listen via coaxial, primarily and some times optical ...

What up with "jitter"? Is it USB only for the most part?

 

[DarKu]

My Havana was perfectly fine, very detailed and sounded very good...until i heard it with the Hi-Face. It's like listening to a Super Havana

Jitter exists in analog and digital cables (be it USB, coax, optic or analog interconnect cables) and it changes the source signal (a bad thing) which can cause distorsions or just makes music a little veiled.
It will be best if you can try somewhere this device first.
Soon i will be upgrading my havana too (al film caps changed, all electrolitics, output caps, adding carbon resistors and maybe a teflon tube socket), i wanna make an ultimate Havana

Example of an ultimate Havana: http://www.dms-audio.com/havana-dac-mods
mine will be something similar

 

[Weez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M3NTAL /img/forum/go_quote.gif Weez - tubes make a surprising difference in the sound on these - enjoy rolling them out!

So I’ve heard : ) However; tubes are a pretty unfamiliar territory for me.
I listen to a lot of rock and metal so I need a “fast” tube, not a tube which is crossly warm (I do like warmth though) which may be better suited for reggae or jazz. A dynamic and liquid tube with a touch of well rounded warmth would be awesome : )

 

[DarKu]

fast, dynamic, with a good midrange and low end, smooth as butter, good separation and imaging capabilities, then definetely the JW WE396A !

 

[Weez]

Ok, will look into that tube.

Where do you normally buy tubes like the JW WE396A? Ebay?

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1rrah /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the words ... But that said, ... My Havana don't jitter! In fact, (not to judge you or your post) ... I don't even know what "jitter" is! Is this something that mostly plagues USB listeners? I don't listen via USB, so maybe I'm missing the party ... I listen via coaxial, primarily and some times optical ... What up with "jitter"? Is it USB only for the most part?

The Device Darku ment is used for computeraudio only if I understand correctly. You can plug it into an USB buss on the source computer, then put in a digital coax cable on the other side that'll go to our beloved Havana.
USB busses are rather polluted with noise it seems, and the digital signal can be jittery.
But if you use a good digital source other then a PC, you cannot use this thingy, and might not need it either.

 

[DarKu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Device Darku ment is used for computeraudio only if I understand correctly. You can plug it into an USB buss on the source computer, then put in a digital coax cable on the other side that'll go to our beloved Havana. USB busses are rather polluted with noise it seems, and the digital signal can be jittery. But if you use a good digital source other then a PC, you cannot use this thingy, and might not need it either.

Exactly!
But a CD player with a very good trasport inside of it is hard to find

Some CD players do have very nice transports but are expensive, so a hi-face was a no brainer for me. For a computer based system I will recommend this thing to everyone, I'm hearing a lot more details right now and the music became more airy and transparent.

 

[himynameis]

@DarKu

Glad to hear the HiFace made as big an improvement (if not bigger) with the Havana as it did with the Lavry DA10 in my rig.

One more thing I can add to the HiFace "praise" (no fan-boy-ism) is that when compared to the EMU0404 (used only as coax transport), the EMU gets trumped big-time. So, a big thumbs-up for M2Tech for making this affrodable, excellent value-fro-money device

Regarding an earlier statement that you made: that changeing the RCA to BNC on the Havana won't make a difference in sound - can you tell me in a few words why you think that is.
I read several interesting views regarding RCA vs BNC but I still don't have a good grip on the matter...

One oppinion I value is that of Dan Lavry, which I found here: Lavry Engineering - View topic - AES vs Coaxial

He says that "XLR, RCA and BNC are all circular connectors, all very simple structures. From signal transmission standpoint, one looks at it as a very short transmission path with a certain very small series resistance, small series inductance, and some small parallel capacitance."

and that

"The connector alone has nothing to do with jitter. The cable alone has nothing to do with jitter. The issues making jitter are, as I mentioned already, the lower and upper cutoff of the transmission link, the termination tolerance, the cable impedance tolerance and more."

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by himynameis /img/forum/go_quote.gif @DarKu Glad to hear the HiFace made as big an improvement (if not bigger) with the Havana as it did with the Lavry DA10 in my rig.

Just curious, have either of you guys compared your HiFace to a Trends UD10 or Blue Circle Thingee?

USG

 

[DarKu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by himynameis /img/forum/go_quote.gif @DarKu Glad to hear the HiFace made as big an improvement (if not bigger) with the Havana as it did with the Lavry DA10 in my rig. One more thing I can add to the HiFace "praise" (no fan-boy-ism) is that when compared to the EMU0404 (used only as coax transport), the EMU gets trumped big-time. So, a big thumbs-up for M2Tech for making this affrodable, excellent value-fro-money device Regarding an earlier statement that you made: that changeing the RCA to BNC on the Havana won't make a difference in sound - can you tell me in a few words why you think that is. I read several interesting views regarding RCA vs BNC but I still don't have a good grip on the matter... One oppinion I value is that of Dan Lavry, which I found here: Lavry Engineering - View topic - AES vs Coaxial He says that "XLR, RCA and BNC are all circular connectors, all very simple structures. From signal transmission standpoint, one looks at it as a very short transmission path with a certain very small series resistance, small series inductance, and some small parallel capacitance." and that "The connector alone has nothing to do with jitter. The cable alone has nothing to do with jitter. The issues making jitter are, as I mentioned already, the lower and upper cutoff of the transmission link, the termination tolerance, the cable impedance tolerance and more."

Well, Dan allready told you why a single connector would not do a difference, this is what i think also, a connector (or two) alone could not make a difference, however a cable would do (number of strands, cable shield, cable impedance, etc)

@USG
Never heard a Trends or a BCT, after the hi-face + Havana i'm not interested in other combos

 

[FOXY]

Is there a comparison of havana DAC against other products like twistedpear buffalo?

 

[dura]

Nothing new to contribute; just wanted to say how happy I still am with my Havana.
It has a gorgeous sound, not spectaculair at first hearing but completely free of that nasty digital edge that prevented me from enjoying digital sources for longer times.
Recently I often found myself enjoying music (if possible with a good glass of scotch) into the small hours, long after I usually go to sleep.

 

[DarKu]

you cannot compare a pure SS DAC to a completely different NOS DAC with tube output stage, they will sound very different. If you seek the absolute detailness and the last bit from from audio: a SS DAC will be advisable. If you seek a real, natural, relaxing, analog sound without colorations or digital harshness, yet dynamic and fast you can opt for a NOS DAC like Havana. Depends on what you like more
PS: Quote:

Originally Posted by dura /img/forum/go_quote.gif Recently I often found myself enjoying music (if possible with a good glass of scotch) into the small hours, long after I usually go to sleep.

Haha, i do the same, but with a good glass of Cognac