[Riffle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura /img/forum/go_quote.gif Clearly your experience with the 6386 is the same as mine. Good news IMO, that will give future buyers more confidence. Enjoy!

I found your review of the JJ to be spot on, it has a better soundstage and better bass than the Ericsson gold pin. I also agree with your comments about the 396A seeming colored in comparison. In my system the 396A has an exaggerated mid range when compared to either the Ericsson or the JJ. I hope/expect to see high end NOS tube prices drop because of the JJ, but time will tell.

 

[dura]

I've just done some experimenting with powercables because I was still not satisfied with the sound.
So I removed the powercord, a van den Hul Mainsserver of which the manufacturer says:
Quote:

First of all The MAINSSERVER HYBRID’s special Hybrid conductor structure and configuration have been designed to work as an embedded powerline filter. This unique built-in filter effectively suppresses high frequency powerline noise (*1) without imposing any current delivery limitations: Unlike conventional powerline filters, The MAINSSERVER HYBRID does not employ any filtering components in series with its AC current path...

I abolutely loved the difference this powercable made with my previous CDP, the Rega Apollo, cleaning up the sound and thereby improving it; a tweak that was its money worth in my system then IMO.
So I installed in on the Havana without giving it a second though.

Compared to the Rega I liked the Havana's natural detail, but the Apollo had a larger soundstage, sounded livelier and projected voices in front of the instruments whereas they blended more with the Havana.

You guessed it, today I chanced the Mainsserver for a shielded but otherwise simple straight powercord without any claims about filtering and there was suddenly exactly the sound I was looking for; forward projected voices and more life while still having that lovely natural sound.
Finally the Havana system is equal or better in all aspects then the Apollo system was.
The difference was shockingly apparent, somehow the Mainsserver and the Havana are a really very unhappy pairing, the Mainsserver seeming to choke the Havana.

I remember me being so enthousiastic about the Mainsserver that I also bought the high current version, the Mainsstream, for my amp. I returned that one, giving a rather sterile sound.

I generally hear no worthwhile difference between powercords with comparable simple non-filtering layouts, shielded or not, but the difference between these filtered powercords and other powercords is shockingly large.
I strongly advice against the Mainsserver as a powercord for the Havana, it is probably that filtering, whatever it is (a braid?).
And if you use a powercord with filtering, my advice is to start some simple experiments right away.
The Mainsserver is banned to the computer.

I'm Happy I found this out; I was still not 100% convinced I had made a good choice with this DAC. No more doubts now.

BTW, speaking of powercords, I mentioned this before but if you have a symetrical mainsplug on the powercord, like we got here in the Netherlands, try out both polarities, one side sounds a bit cleaner then the other.

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

Although I am happy with the JW WE396A tube and Black Rhodium Jazz Super Mains Cable and hands are getting itchy, I pulled the trigger and ordered a pair of V-Cap OIMP 2.0uF/250VDC for the MHDT Havana.

I will get in professionally installed and will report the impressions soon.

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Although I am happy with the JW WE396A tube and Black Rhodium Jazz Super Mains Cable and hands are getting itchy, I pulled the trigger and ordered a pair of V-Cap OIMP 2.0uF/250VDC for the MHDT Havana. I will get in professionally installed and will report the impressions soon.

Interesting. May I ask, what problem are you trying to improve?

And another question, completely, totally off topic; I see you are in Kuala Lumpur, and I intend to go on a 4 week vacation to Malaysia next week, how is the weather there, temperature and rain?

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

There's o problem with the stock capacitors. By changing the capacitors, it will change the sound signature as far as I am made to understand. I can't tell how much improvement until the new capacitors are drop into the lovely DAC.

As for the weather in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it is unpredictable. Temperature ranging from 26 ~ 32 degree C and occasional rains. Today has been raining for almost the entire day.

Welcome to Malaysia and hope you enjoy your stay... Cheers.

 

[dura]

Okay, as long as it is not the "grayish voice" mentioned before; that got completely cured in my case by chancing the powercord and the tube.

Thanks for the update, 26-32C sounds heavenly, it is freezing and snowing here.
Really looking forward to it; we are going to make a long trip through the country planning as we go, seeing the cities, monuments, beautiful nature and doing some snorkling and diving.

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

There are many blind test and positive review of V-Caps and I hope it will do some justice in enhancing the listening pleasure to another satisfaction level.

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

The V-Caps in now being shipping across the Atlantic to my destination and once installed it requires another long process of burn in....

 

[dura]

Amazing, the sensitivity of this DAC to powercables.
The filtering vd Hul Mainsserver was, as I said before, a very bad combination, robbing the music from live and power.
I then tried a shielded unfiltered Audio Agile I had lying around; better, but rather bright and sometimes sharp.
A cheap plastic unshielded computer cable sounded likewise, not very pleasant.
I now have a double Shielded Belden Cable, solidly assembled by a local hifi shop with good plugs for €35,-, a very reasonable price IMO.

Bingo! Sound now is as dynamic and detailed as I could wish for, tonally balanced and clear but still smooth. I love it, the sound is really beautiful.
So it seems powercables make a big difference with the Havana at least in my rig, but spending big money is unnecessary.

 

[s1rrah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amazing, the sensitivity of this DAC to powercables. The filtering vd Hul Mainsserver was, as I said before, a very bad combination, robbing the music from live and power. I then tried a shielded unfiltered Audio Agile I had lying around; better, but rather bright and sometimes sharp. A cheap plastic unshielded computer cable sounded likewise, not very pleasant. I now have a double Shielded Belden Cable, solidly assembled by a local hifi shop with good plugs for €35,-, a very reasonable price IMO. Bingo! Sound now is as dynamic and detailed as I could wish for, tonally balanced and clear but still smooth. I love it, the sound is really beautiful. So it seems powercables make a big difference with the Havana at least in my rig, but spending big money is unnecessary.

I also found it to be somewhat responsive to power cord changes. I tested an Iron Lung Jelly Fish, and Audio Arts Power 1 Furtech and a Black Sands Violet and ended up liking the Violet cord the best.

As a matter of comparison, and using the same cords, I could find no real audible difference between them when applying the same listening tests to my Raptor tube amp ...

But on the Havana, the Black Sands Violet cord is outstanding ... very smooth, balanced between frequencies and detailed ... the Jellyfish cord was also pretty nice sounding but lacked some of the dynamics of the Violet ... and the Power 1 was just to "loud/hot" sounding ... didn't sound bad, but was just too "in your face" sounding (it now resides on my Raptor amp).

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

The V-Cap OIMP 2.0uF/250VDC are soldered on my Havana now. Immediate improvements on bigger soundstage, focused midrange and tighter bass can be heard during the last 10 hours burn in period. The volume knob needs to be cranked up 2 additional clicks for now and probably the caps are not broken in yet. Overall satisfactory with the money spent. Can't wait till it reaches 100, 200, 300, 400 & 500 hours of burn in..

 

[_Vetal_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The V-Cap OIMP 2.0uF/250VDC are soldered on my Havana now. Immediate improvements on bigger soundstage, focused midrange and tighter bass can be heard during the last 10 hours burn in period. The volume knob needs to be cranked up 2 additional clicks for now and probably the caps are not broken in yet. Overall satisfactory with the money spent. Can't wait till it reaches 100, 200, 300, 400 & 500 hours of burn in..

Can you make a photo of your Havana with V-Cap's? I want same too

 

[OutdoorXplorer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Vetal_ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you make a photo of your Havana with V-Cap's? I want same too

If you scroll back to page 49 and look at the post # 728 & 735, there is a visual of V-Cap fitted in a Paradisea. I will try to snap some photos during the weekend.

 

[_Vetal_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutdoorXplorer /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you scroll back to page 49 and look at the post # 728 & 735, there is a visual of V-Cap fitted in a Paradisea. I will try to snap some photos during the weekend.

Thank's!
Actually, in Havana detail loss too or not?

 

[dura]

Tempting, but no, not now, at the moment I'm completely happy with my Havana (I described the sound elsewhere as "being in a warm bath drinking a glass of superb vintage port in honeycoloured light").
Again, the powercable is important for the soudsignature, and I'm very satisfied with the JJ6386 tube. It sound cleaner then my JE WE396E but till maintains that lovely golden sound.