[Lorienblack]

I would really love to try out the Havana sometime. I own the Pagoda but since I never heard any of their other DACs I have no idea how it compares. I assume the Pagoda is more natural sounding ref. type DAC as mine is very transparent and really blows me away. But damn I wish I knew someone with the havana or stockholm v2.

I have one for sale with top notch bendix and jj tubes. £350

 

[s1rrah]

  Hi, I just joined so this is my first post here.
Eng is not my first language so excuse me if I don't write everything correct
 
I have now Lampizator's "high end 3.0" kit with tube psu + Lampucera 2.0 board with pcm1798, upgraded with Mundorfs, Oscons, Jantzens, Belleson regulators...
It's a great dac for the money, but it also took some time to complete it. 
Since I'm kind a puristic minds, I'm searching for pure NOS, non OPAMP dac, for cca 1000 usd.
There are two dacs which I believe will suit me, MHDT STOCKHOLM mk2 (or Pagoda) and METRUM ACOUSTICS OCTAVE mk2.
I want to ask you if maybe someone already made direct comparison or can tell me what's the major difference between those two.
Which one is more "puristic", more natural, organic, non fatigue, analog sounding ? I like tubes...
Any comment is more than useful.
 
Thanks, Gasper, Slovenija EU

 
You will like the Stockholm v2 ... 

 

[Amish]

..

 

[Amish]

I have one for sale with top notch bendix and jj tubes. £350

haha I didn't mean that I want to buy one.
 
That would be kinda a step back I would think. Just would love to try one out at a meet though. Get an idea of the differences between it and my Pagoda.

 

[loserica]

I put on sale a very good Black Gate capacitors on e-bay:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Gate-N-series-electrolytic-capacitors-47uf-50V-lot-of-3-pieces-/271706980503?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f42ff8097
 
Those are very good near the chips:


I have also the very good "FK" series at a decent price.

Thank's.

 

[Amish]

What is your favorite tube for this DAC? I'm thinking about rolling some new tubes into it and hear what happens. Right now I have the stock tube and NOS Bendix 6385.

 

[s1rrah]

  What is your favorite tube for this DAC? I'm thinking about rolling some new tubes into it and hear what happens. Right now I have the stock tube and NOS Bendix 6385.

 
I use the Bendix too ... it's my main go-to tube. But try the AEG ... it's great: 
 

 

[redcat2]

  What is your favorite tube for this DAC? I'm thinking about rolling some new tubes into it and hear what happens. Right now I have the stock tube and NOS Bendix 6385.

Bendix 2C51 & 6385, 1955 is my favorite, i like the 55 over the 64, which you see a lot off i am currently running a Bendix 2C51 55 year which i just love, i also do like Tesla 6386 with a D gator.

 

[Amish]

Thanks guys. My Bendix is a 1964 actually. I paid pretty good money for it but if I'm honest I don't think it is that great. It sounds good but it is not a tube I would buy again. I would buy an earlier one though. I've heard from multiple people, yourself included that the pre 1960's Bendix tubes sound better.

 

[loserica]

   
I use the Bendix too ... it's my main go-to tube. But try the AEG ... it's great: 

Yes, it is true: AEG 5670 is almost as good as Bendix 6385. Differences are not big, Bendix provides a wider sound-stage and a little more details, while with AEG 5670 the sound is slightly better articulated and somehow perceive that you are closer to instruments. I like both tubes, are the best for Havana IMHO.
I would take into account this offer:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AEG-5670-2C51-396A-6CC42-4pcs-/291333370673?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item43d4d27331

 

[brodacz]

I have the bendix, aeg, but like the most 6N3P-dr

 

[joespride]

Traded my centrance dacminicx to try out the havana, and I have a bad hiss in the right channel, Connected via usb using the same cable I used with the centrance so I dont think it is cable related...............I read earlier on in this thread about a noise issue did anyone ever find a solve ??
 
I have a spdif converter on the way and will try that I also have new tubes on the way and will try that but I dont think this is tube related
 
any insight appreciated

 

[jkorten]

Sounds exactly like a bad tube. Not a cable problem, also the USB to S/PDIF converter in the MHDT works great. I would not recommend an external one or you'll have to invest $$$ in a really good coaxial cable.

 

[kimchee411]

  I have the bendix, aeg, but like the most 6N3P-dr

 
Gotta say that's the first time I've heard that before, lol.  I do think the 6N3P-DR is underrated though and it is up there on my list.
 
I rotate b/w AEG, Bendix 6385, and Bendix 2c51 depending on music and mood.  AEG I think is the most well-defined with good tonal balance but a little thin by comparison, 6385 (overall favorite) big deep sound with great bass but not as rich and warm as 2c51, 2c51 richest but can be a little closed in by comparison with a little less detail than the other 2.
 
 

 
Bendix 2C51 & 6385, 1955 is my favorite, i like the 55 over the 64, which you see a lot off i am currently running a Bendix 2C51 55 year which i just love, i also do like Tesla 6386 with a D gator.
 

 
What is it about the 55 6385 that you like over the 64?  
 
 
Quote:

  Traded my centrance dacminicx to try out the havana, and I have a bad hiss in the right channel, Connected via usb using the same cable I used with the centrance so I dont think it is cable related...............I read earlier on in this thread about a noise issue did anyone ever find a solve ??
 
I have a spdif converter on the way and will try that I also have new tubes on the way and will try that but I dont think this is tube related
 
any insight appreciated

 
Try flipping L/R RCA outputs and see if the hiss moves to the left channel.
 
Can you test SPDIF or TOSlink interfaces for the same problem?
 
Do you have another tube you can try?

 

[kimchee411]

  Sounds exactly like a bad tube. Not a cable problem, also the USB to S/PDIF converter in the MHDT works great. I would not recommend an external one or you'll have to invest $$$ in a really good coaxial cable.

 
It works, but it's not great.  I think a USB-SPDIF converter is money well spent, but it wouldn't be my first priority.  Tubes, then the big output caps first IMHO... the the laundry list goes on and on.  A good glass TOSlink cable like the Wireworld Supernova series is a good interim solution if one can't go direct SPDIF.