[btbluesky]

 I agree that Havana is definitely not the last word in detail, but it's just musical.
The Emerald Physics is really something special. How was the software used to tune the speakers? They really innovative with the latest software+hardware combo.
Still, I cannot trust any crossover, I'd rather give up lower/upper range and crossoverless. A crossoverless high eff. with SET is something magical.

 

[niamex]

 Btbluesky - please explain that - A crossoverless high eff. with SET is something magical. I was considering an active crossover before the two power amps - bass and mid/high sections.
Regards

 

[bdh]

Active how?
 
I'm considering getting the Prism Orpheus to do the digital crossover.  My biggest fear though is paying so much and not liking the Prism as much as the Havana regardless of all the praise for the Prism's DAC.
 

 

[niamex]

bdh, look at these - active crossovers
 
http://cgi.ebay.de/KRELL-KRX-Top-Active-Crossover-/330461263811?pt=Audio_Zubeh%C3%B6r
 
http://cgi.ebay.de/Burmster-866-Top-active-Crossover-top-condition-/330461277859?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77
 
http://cgi.ebay.de/Behringer-CX3400-Super-X-Pro-Active-Crossover-/330461250952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77
 
Rgds

 

[btbluesky]

There are enough technology nowaday to build a truly convincing Single driver (meaning 1 cone) that can do 50Hz-20kHz.
Take a look at this (http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/voxativ/voxativ.html)
Also, google solovox, ocellia, rethm.
These are speakers that have no tweeters. Fullranger. The best crossover is no crossover, thats audio101.
 
Frankly I will never pay for a crossover regardless how good it is. I'd rather invest it in the driver itself.
SET is single-ended Triode. Single-ended meaning pure class-A setup without any negative feedback.
If you have world class pure single drivers, you want to feed the purest signal into them. What you get out of it would be very much like the real deal. I have an el cheapo SET high eff setup, and human voice its so convincing and the disappearing act is so good. Oonce anyone hear it, he will never go back to normal 500 watt pullpush/SS going into 5 drivers with crossover the size of a server motherboard.
 
I advice anyone who is serious about getting good sound (meaing mid to hi fi) shoudl read this
Why The SET And Efficient Loudspeaker
Approach Works
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/manufacture/0703/
 

 

[btbluesky]

One more important info I feel anyone need to know.
db, the sensitivity of speakers, are in logarithmic base.
You need double the watt from amplifier for every 3db.
typical speakers have 86-88db.
a live concert usually is 96-105db(depends on what kinds....)
your home has a noise floor of 55db
meaning if you get a 96db speakers, with 1 watt amp, you can get 96-55=~40db DYNAMIC sound,
a 86db speakers w/ crossover(itself eats up 1-2watt), you'd need 10watts to do the same thing, cause you need DOUBLE the power everytime to gain 3db.
 
thats 10x different.
 
what's 10x get u. A world class 8 watt 300b SET amplifier that cost $1500, vs a world class 80 watt amp thats $15000 that has to pull all the tricks in the books to generate that power in quantity and quality, and a crossover network complex with silver/PCOCC all over.
 
that's one concrete way to look at it. the other would be the sound. Its much much easier to get 10watt of best sound out of amp, vs 100w.
 
Always invest in the driver first and foremost. the old school formula is using half the fund for speakers, the other half for everything else, and after many buy/trade, I find that very true.

 

[realmassy]

I'm thinking of this DAC, but I'm not sure if the Havana will work with the Halide Bridge USB/SPDIF converter.
The Havana has a 16 bit chip (as far as I understand), while the bridge outputs at 24bit: any experience with this converter or the Hiface?

 

[jjinh]

I've used an M2Tech HiFace with my Havana without any issues so I think you should be fine.

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

Will be trying Logitech Touch 24/96 with Havana later this evening.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

Will be trying Logitech Touch 24/96 with Havana later this evening.

Interesting. Please post your impressions later

 

[realmassy]

Quote:

I've used an M2Tech HiFace with my Havana without any issues so I think you should be fine.

Thanks jjnh
I sent an email to the MHDT labs, and Jiun has replied the Havana accepts only 16 bit input.
If you have used with it with the the Hiface (which outputs 32 bit signal) I guess the Havana will simply ignore the extra bits. This would be fine, since my music library is 99.9% redbook files.

 

[Dynobot]

If anyone is interested in Tubes for their Havana DAC I have some good ones....brand new Never Used.
 
RCA 5670
Tung-Sol - 2c51
Raytheon 5670
 
Cheap!

 

[Riffle]

Quote:

Will be trying Logitech Touch 24/96 with Havana later this evening.

I have one on the way too. I'll be replacing my Squeezebox Classic and re-using my Elpac linear power supply with the Touch. Let us know what you think.

 

[dura]

I went from Classic to Touch one month ago. In my system (see sig) the difference was rather big. The Touch sound cleaner and more dynamic on the digital out. The Classic sounded more flat with a rolled off treble, but rather pleasantly musical, a bit tube like. It seems the Classics digital out ( I use coax) is polluted by jitter and RFI, the Touch digital out is very clean, all this I picked up at the slimdevices forum. But it also depends on the DAC. I do not own the Havana anymore, but my guess is the combination with the Touch will be good.

 

[realmassy]

Can someone describe how the Havana sounds with classical musical, especially with large orchestra and symphonic works?
I'm very very tempted by this dac, being a Valab owner.
I like the signature of the Valab, but with large orchestral works it shows some limits: distortion and congested soundstage.
I'm wondering if that is something typical of NOS dacs, or is an issue with the Valab implementation.