[stuart1927]

  Oh boy, this is great. I have been waiting to get some impressions on the USAF 596 for some time now. Its seems to be a very competent rectifier.
 
So far I have tried out the following rectifiers;
1. Psvane WE 274B - The best rectifier I have listened to so far. It has everything going for it. Very neutral and natural sounding with great frequency extension. Gives you a layered #D soundstage if your tubes are capable. 
2. Brimar 5Z4G - Very good mid range but not much else. Lacks frequency extension on both ends. Lower bass frequencies are hollow sounding while high treble is non existing. But if you are in to 70's rock this might be a rectifier you'd want to check out. It fills out that mid-bass very nicely.
3. Sovtek 5AR4 - New production - I would rather buy any NOS (other than the RCA 5U4G) tube instead of this tube.
4. Bendix 6106 - Pretty well extended with nice tight bass. But soundstage is narrow - almost solid state-ish as is the sound.
5. Psvane 5U4G - New production - Very nice from Midrange to upper frequencies. Mid bass is okay but bass drops after that. Compared to the WE 274B bass sounds rounded, soft and hollow. Midrange and treble is quite detailed but placement and separation is not good.
6.  RCA 5U4G - Fantastic extended treble. An HD800 kind of soundstage. And nothing else. Midrange is okay but nothing much below mid-bass. I personally think that I kind of wasted my money on the Psvane 5U4G as well as the RCA 5U4G.
 
I would love to hear what rectifiers the others are using. My experience is that the rectifier is probably as important as the signal tubes in the D2.

Well, today I've been listening with a GEC U52 now with a WE 422a. I've used the Philips 5R4GYS since day one, so it's interesting to hear the differences. Too early to make any definitive comments, but I think the 422a is noticeably different.....more airy and detailed. I've been listening through my main system and the Pendragon speakers, but will switch to the Stratus headphone amp later as that's how you can really pin down the differences. 
 
Stuart

 

[mko71]

My D2 won't power up. I had it for a day. Turned it off and the next morning it will not power up. Sent a couple emails to MP and no answer. I'm sending it back and giving up. The 422a I bought tested Junk so watch out if you buy one from eBay.

I'll be listing a pair of 2.2uf 630v Duelund CAST caps if anyone would like and I do have a 596 rectifier I can either sell or return.

Does anyone see warranty information on MP's site? I can't find any and I'm not real impressed.

 

[stuart1927]

My D2 won't power up. I had it for a day. Turned it off and the next morning it will not power up. Sent a couple emails to MP and no answer. I'm sending it back and giving up. The 422a I bought tested Junk so watch out if you buy one from eBay.

I'll be listing a pair of 2.2uf 630v Duelund CAST caps if anyone would like and I do have a 596 rectifier I can either sell or return.

Does anyone see warranty information on MP's site? I can't find any and I'm not real impressed.

That's a bummer, but Gary at MP is usually pretty good at responding to emails. Maybe with Easter weekend things may be delayed. If I were you, I'd wait to hear from Gary....it may be something very easy to fix....sounds like an internal fuse? You've spent quite a bit on upgrade parts....why not wait to see what he says?
 
I've had my MP-D2 for quite a while now and I power on and off a couple of times per day on average. It seems like a well put together piece of kit and I've never had any issues with mine. Of course, I'm not the one with the DAC not powering up so I know it must be frustrating.
 
I'd  hang in there until you hear from Gary. I wouldn't worry about the warranty situation, I'm sure it will be taken care of. 
 
 
Hope things work out.
 
 
Stuart

 

[Jack Dawkins]

Check the internal fuse located right behind the power switch.  According to Gary should have been a 3 volts fuse but when it blew on the third power up and I removed it I found a 1.5 volt instead.  Replaced with  the right fuse and has been good since August. 

 

[Jack Dawkins]

Wasn't thinking it should be a 3 amp fuse, T3A. I found a 1.5 amp from factory.

 

[rajacat]

ABout a month ago I also emailed Gary enquiring about the fuse and he said that the 3A replacement fuse should be slow blow.

 

[stuart1927]

  Check the internal fuse located right behind the power switch.  According to Gary should have been a 3 volts fuse but when it blew on the third power up and I removed it I found a 1.5 volt instead.  Replaced with  the right fuse and has been good since August. 

Here's the wee bugger!
 

 

[Jack Dawkins]

Stuart
 
I can't see from the photo but if it is bad you can just pick one up at RS to be sure that is it.  If all is good this is what he recommended I use as a long term substitute.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-CREATE-AUDIO-Gold-Rhodium-Plated-Deluxe-Luxury-Nano-Fuse-5mm-20mm-/320701752950?var=&hash=item76c0435cad

 

[Jack Dawkins]

Can't tell but if blown that is an easy fix. 

 

[rajacat]

Anybody know if it's OK to use the high gain setting if doing single ended? I underestimated how much gain I would need for the EH 6H30's.

 

[mko71]

I did check, eyeball only and it wasn't blown. I've emailed mp way before this no power deal and no answer. It's cool, I have a nice DAC already (Tascam DA3K that's been modded by Chris at Busman Audio ) this was something to try out and play with. I ordered a Mutec MC3+USB instead...

Pm if you want my parts.. tubes, caps

 

[stuart1927]

I did check, eyeball only and it wasn't blown. I've emailed mp way before this no power deal and no answer. It's cool, I have a nice DAC already (Tascam DA3K that's been modded by Chris at Busman Audio ) this was something to try out and play with. I ordered a Mutec MC3+USB instead...

Pm if you want my parts.. tubes, caps

The only way to check for a blown fuse is to replace. You can' t always tell from a visual check.
 
It does seem to me that you've given up a bit too easily on this one....maybe you'd already made up your mind that you didn't want it?

 

[mko71]

I started to wonder after my emails have gone unanswered at MP. You are correct, the right way is to replace the fuse. I didn't have another one to test. I figure the lack of communication from MP was a red flag and I'd just rather move along then get stuck with a tube'd door stopper.

 

[rajacat]

I started to wonder after my emails have gone unanswered at MP. You are correct, the right way is to replace the fuse. I didn't have another one to test. I figure the lack of communication from MP was a red flag and I'd just rather move along then get stuck with a tube'd door stopper.

Why don't you give the the vendor a chance to reply? Odds are is it's just a $1 fuse. I don't think that Gary would stay in business very long by ripping customers off especially in the age of the internet where information travels fast and far.

 

I emailed Gary yesterday inquiring about the use of the gain switch and haven't received a reply yet. It just takes a few days for him to reply. This is normal. I've emailed him several times and it has always taken a few days for a reply. 

 

[Jack Dawkins]

You e-mailed him on a Holiday weekend give him a chance to catch up.  He is going to tell you the same thing we have.  I changed the fuse and mine has played every day for over 8 months, so not a "tube doorstop."