tube buffer?

[papomaster]

Hey everyone.

Since most people seem to have a fetish on tubes these days

and that tube CD players seem out of price (The cheapest I saw was Jolida 100 for around 800$ or pacificvalve DACs), would it be an interesting idea to get a SS CDP or DAC, then put a tube buffer between the source and the amp?

My concern is : Can a stand-alone tube buffer make a SS CDP sound like a tube CDP?

Experiences, thoughts, recommendations appreciated.

 

[Garbz]

I actually did this for a while just to play around with it. It was a tube design from the net somewhere can't remember which one. SOHA maybe. Either way I used it for a little while but then I really thought what's the point. Tubes have a certain distortion characteristic. You can't fix or improve the sound unless buffing fixes some technical missmatching between source and amp, so the added buffer only really adds it's own distortion signature over the music.

I am happier without it, but seeing how easy it is to build such a beast there's no reason not to try yourself.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

A better idea is to take a SS player and remove the output stage and add a tube output stage in it's place. You can even run balanced signals easily straight from a lot of onboard DACs. That said, I have no idea how to design a tube output stage. Not a bad idea though, like a tube Zapfilter!

 

[Tact]

it might help, but in the long run i think it's not right solution. if you're using headphones only, it makes sense more, but for amp+speakers combination i will go for all tube amp first and think later what to do next.

it will improve soundstage a little, take off some rough edges but diffrence can be subtle.

 

[braillediver]

DocB from Bottlehead is working on a tube Buffer:

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/bo...es/114165.html

Bottlehead kits are hard to beat. This is new so when it's released there's a learning curve.


Mitch

 

[papomaster]

I'd use the buffer for my headphone rig only.
I'm going to use a Entech 203.2 as DAC, seems by the reviews that it is slightly dry-sounding and analyctical. Right now I find my HeadFive + hd595s a bit boring. Maybe the tube buffer can help?

also, I just found this thing on Ebay, is it valuable?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/CD-DVD-6J1-Tube-S...QQcmdZViewItem

seems like a good try for about 150$, think I can grab it for a bit less than 100$ shipped.

 

[regal]

60db singal to noise, at least they're honest

 

[dcktr]

There is a great tube buffer for sale at audiogon
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....wek&1165533072
I have one of the "higher up models" and it is great. I have 4 pieces of space tech gear and have no thougts of changing.
This TB has been on A'gon awhile so may take offer??
Good Luck!
Ron

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by papomaster I'd use the buffer for my headphone rig only. I'm going to use a Entech 203.2 as DAC, seems by the reviews that it is slightly dry-sounding and analyctical. Right now I find my HeadFive + hd595s a bit boring. Maybe the tube buffer can help?

I don't know... seems like a lot of work/cost for not much of an improvement (if any). I don't know enough to judge if tube buffers make a CDP sound better, but I can't see it doing anything else besides adding distortion, and that doesn't make too much sense. Besides, you'll need to buy an extra set of RCA interconnects, that can only make the sound sound worse.

Just get a Little Dot II amp to replace your HeadFive if tube sound is what you're after.