[texx2818]

Got the base yesterday. Gonna put it through the works today, but it seems to have solved most of my issues with it. No matter what I tried, I could never get it stable, and there was a lot of ringing when I'd touch my desk or whatever. Absolutely no ringing now, and it does not slide at all. Sounds amazing on the Bokeh.

 

[Slim1970]

Very secure. The tube mini doesn't wiggle when plugged in. The base has some sort of rubber feet that keeps it from sliding. It's fairy heavy as well.

Thanks for the reply. I like that it keeps the Tube Mini stable. One of the Tube Mini shortcomings is that when you move it, the tubes ring. The tubes eventually back settle down and the great sound returns, but it does take away from the music briefly.

 

[Promee]

In a classic case of curiosity killed the credit card, I just got the base today as well. Lately I have been having a real moment with the Chord Mojo 2, and I haven’t been listening to the Tube Mini as much lately. I was prepared to be pretty underwhelmed by the base. Just putting that all out there to say that my mindset was actually predisposed to be negative. I listened to a couple of albums while doing paperwork this evening - Pronounced Lynyrd Skynrd that I ripped in DSF from MoFi SACD and Norah Jones Come Away With Me 192/24 from Qobuz. Headphones were Atrium Open through single-ended output, but I switched for a couple of tracks to the Focal OG to try it out on the balanced output. I have to say at first it seemed nice, but nothing too out of this world. Multiple times, however, I was pulled out of the paperwork by some detail I hadn’t previously noticed. I had a sense from memory that transients, particularly on low frequency instruments like bass drums and bass guitars were better defined. The tonal richness I had noted with the Mini before is about the same. When I switched back to using the supplied USB C->A cable, I was surprised at the difference. The soundstage became more intimate and flat. I was also surprised at the fuzzy / static edge that was added to the vocals, and I confirmed that this went away again with switching back to the base. The overall detail level was very noticeably lower on these well-mastered tracks without the base.

Regarding the background hiss, I didn’t hear it with the Atrium with or without the base - I think the SE output is a bit less prone to the hiss, as are higher impedance headphones. The Clear OG had been the biggest offenders for the hiss of any headphone I have tried. Hooked to my iPhone directly and listening through the balanced output, the hiss is absolutely noticeable when the music is paused, though I will say it has decreased over time quite a bit as the tubes have broken in. Using the base, it is difficult to describe. The hiss wasn’t exactly audible, but it was like I could tell something was there when the music was paused. It is a marked improvement in the hiss to the point where it is barely noticeable or even identifiable as hiss in the worst case scenario headphone from my collection. Honestly, if the level of hiss present with the base attached is bothersome to someone, tubes are probably just not a good fit for them, full stop.

Also worth noting, using the base was markedly improved relative to my improvised setup with a high-output (up to 100W) power bank plus iPhone connected through Topping HS02 from a few pages back. I am not sure if the base has some software component that tells the Mini to use more power, or if there is just inadequate isolation from the HS02 + battery, or maybe the battery I was using is noisy, or maybe it is just the ultra stability provided by this thing. The base is a tank and has a much heavier, high-quality feel than I anticipated.

I have mentioned before that I really don’t tend to like Sabre DACs as a rule. My Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA drove me insane with a sense of grit no matter what settings I used, even through my very smooth tube pre and tube amp on my speaker system and my WA22, and I sold it at a major loss. I have found a number of other Sabre-based DACs fatiguing and sold them off (the Dragonfly Cobalt was okay, but I just think other options sound better to me). I was worried that it might be a poison pill in the Mini before getting it, but this one is executed exquisitely, and I really enjoy listening to it even without the base. I think it just takes all the edges off, even some that weren’t bothering me before. It just sounds more refined with the base.

In any case, the base is a notable improvement, and I’m surprised to be saying that. I actually saved the box and didn’t unwrap all the little accessories, as I was thinking I was going to end up putting it on EBay as a pair and going with the Mojo 2 as my exclusive portable setup. This is no longer the case, and I think I’ll be keeping it around (along with the Mojo 2, which I am still just blown away by). I may do some direct comparison of those if anyone is interested. As with all things, the law of diminishing returns applies, and while I feel like a base and a stand seem steep at $300, looking at it the other way around, I can absolutely see how the combo is competitive with an $800 DAC/amp. I think if you listen to the Mini with it for an hour and then switch to plugging it straight into a device, it will be hard to ignore the improvement…

 

[Daniel Johnston]

In a classic case of curiosity killed the credit card, I just got the base today as well. Lately I have been having a real moment with the Chord Mojo 2, and I haven’t been listening to the Tube Mini as much lately. I was prepared to be pretty underwhelmed by the base. Just putting that all out there to say that my mindset was actually predisposed to be negative. I listened to a couple of albums while doing paperwork this evening - Pronounced Lynyrd Skynrd that I ripped in DSF from MoFi SACD and Norah Jones Come Away With Me 192/24 from Qobuz. Headphones were Atrium Open through single-ended output, but I switched for a couple of tracks to the Focal OG to try it out on the balanced output. I have to say at first it seemed nice, but nothing too out of this world. Multiple times, however, I was pulled out of the paperwork by some detail I hadn’t previously noticed. I had a sense from memory that transients, particularly on low frequency instruments like bass drums and bass guitars were better defined. The tonal richness I had noted with the Mini before is about the same. When I switched back to using the supplied USB C->A cable, I was surprised at the difference. The soundstage became more intimate and flat. I was also surprised at the fuzzy / static edge that was added to the vocals, and I confirmed that this went away again with switching back to the base. The overall detail level was very noticeably lower on these well-mastered tracks without the base.

Regarding the background hiss, I didn’t hear it with the Atrium with or without the base - I think the SE output is a bit less prone to the hiss, as are higher impedance headphones. The Clear OG had been the biggest offenders for the hiss of any headphone I have tried. Hooked to my iPhone directly and listening through the balanced output, the hiss is absolutely noticeable when the music is paused, though I will say it has decreased over time quite a bit as the tubes have broken in. Using the base, it is difficult to describe. The hiss wasn’t exactly audible, but it was like I could tell something was there when the music was paused. It is a marked improvement in the hiss to the point where it is barely noticeable or even identifiable as hiss in the worst case scenario headphone from my collection. Honestly, if the level of hiss present with the base attached is bothersome to someone, tubes are probably just not a good fit for them, full stop.

Also worth noting, using the base was markedly improved relative to my improvised setup with a high-output (up to 100W) power bank plus iPhone connected through Topping HS02 from a few pages back. I am not sure if the base has some software component that tells the Mini to use more power, or if there is just inadequate isolation from the HS02 + battery, or maybe the battery I was using is noisy, or maybe it is just the ultra stability provided by this thing. The base is a tank and has a much heavier, high-quality feel than I anticipated.

I have mentioned before that I really don’t tend to like Sabre DACs as a rule. My Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA drove me insane with a sense of grit no matter what settings I used, even through my very smooth tube pre and tube amp on my speaker system and my WA22, and I sold it at a major loss. I have found a number of other Sabre-based DACs fatiguing and sold them off (the Dragonfly Cobalt was okay, but I just think other options sound better to me). I was worried that it might be a poison pill in the Mini before getting it, but this one is executed exquisitely, and I really enjoy listening to it even without the base. I think it just takes all the edges off, even some that weren’t bothering me before. It just sounds more refined with the base.

In any case, the base is a notable improvement, and I’m surprised to be saying that. I actually saved the box and didn’t unwrap all the little accessories, as I was thinking I was going to end up putting it on EBay as a pair and going with the Mojo 2 as my exclusive portable setup. This is no longer the case, and I think I’ll be keeping it around (along with the Mojo 2, which I am still just blown away by). I may do some direct comparison of those if anyone is interested. As with all things, the law of diminishing returns applies, and while I feel like a base and a stand seem steep at $300, looking at it the other way around, I can absolutely see how the combo is competitive with an $800 DAC/amp. I think if you listen to the Mini with it for an hour and then switch to plugging it straight into a device, it will be hard to ignore the improvement…

I agree that the Mojo2 and Tube Mini are different and equally impressive.

I find that harder to drive headphones like the Diana V2 are excellent off the Tube Mini, and easier to drive headphones like the Grado GS1000x are better off the Mojo2. Even the SE output on the Tube Mini has substantial amounts of gain.

 

[texx2818]

In a classic case of curiosity killed the credit card, I just got the base today as well. Lately I have been having a real moment with the Chord Mojo 2, and I haven’t been listening to the Tube Mini as much lately. I was prepared to be pretty underwhelmed by the base. Just putting that all out there to say that my mindset was actually predisposed to be negative. I listened to a couple of albums while doing paperwork this evening - Pronounced Lynyrd Skynrd that I ripped in DSF from MoFi SACD and Norah Jones Come Away With Me 192/24 from Qobuz. Headphones were Atrium Open through single-ended output, but I switched for a couple of tracks to the Focal OG to try it out on the balanced output. I have to say at first it seemed nice, but nothing too out of this world. Multiple times, however, I was pulled out of the paperwork by some detail I hadn’t previously noticed. I had a sense from memory that transients, particularly on low frequency instruments like bass drums and bass guitars were better defined. The tonal richness I had noted with the Mini before is about the same. When I switched back to using the supplied USB C->A cable, I was surprised at the difference. The soundstage became more intimate and flat. I was also surprised at the fuzzy / static edge that was added to the vocals, and I confirmed that this went away again with switching back to the base. The overall detail level was very noticeably lower on these well-mastered tracks without the base.

Regarding the background hiss, I didn’t hear it with the Atrium with or without the base - I think the SE output is a bit less prone to the hiss, as are higher impedance headphones. The Clear OG had been the biggest offenders for the hiss of any headphone I have tried. Hooked to my iPhone directly and listening through the balanced output, the hiss is absolutely noticeable when the music is paused, though I will say it has decreased over time quite a bit as the tubes have broken in. Using the base, it is difficult to describe. The hiss wasn’t exactly audible, but it was like I could tell something was there when the music was paused. It is a marked improvement in the hiss to the point where it is barely noticeable or even identifiable as hiss in the worst case scenario headphone from my collection. Honestly, if the level of hiss present with the base attached is bothersome to someone, tubes are probably just not a good fit for them, full stop.

Also worth noting, using the base was markedly improved relative to my improvised setup with a high-output (up to 100W) power bank plus iPhone connected through Topping HS02 from a few pages back. I am not sure if the base has some software component that tells the Mini to use more power, or if there is just inadequate isolation from the HS02 + battery, or maybe the battery I was using is noisy, or maybe it is just the ultra stability provided by this thing. The base is a tank and has a much heavier, high-quality feel than I anticipated.

I have mentioned before that I really don’t tend to like Sabre DACs as a rule. My Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA drove me insane with a sense of grit no matter what settings I used, even through my very smooth tube pre and tube amp on my speaker system and my WA22, and I sold it at a major loss. I have found a number of other Sabre-based DACs fatiguing and sold them off (the Dragonfly Cobalt was okay, but I just think other options sound better to me). I was worried that it might be a poison pill in the Mini before getting it, but this one is executed exquisitely, and I really enjoy listening to it even without the base. I think it just takes all the edges off, even some that weren’t bothering me before. It just sounds more refined with the base.

In any case, the base is a notable improvement, and I’m surprised to be saying that. I actually saved the box and didn’t unwrap all the little accessories, as I was thinking I was going to end up putting it on EBay as a pair and going with the Mojo 2 as my exclusive portable setup. This is no longer the case, and I think I’ll be keeping it around (along with the Mojo 2, which I am still just blown away by). I may do some direct comparison of those if anyone is interested. As with all things, the law of diminishing returns applies, and while I feel like a base and a stand seem steep at $300, looking at it the other way around, I can absolutely see how the combo is competitive with an $800 DAC/amp. I think if you listen to the Mini with it for an hour and then switch to plugging it straight into a device, it will be hard to ignore the improvement…

Completely agree with all your observations. It is absolutely perfect for my desk at work now.

 

[sofastreamer]

In a classic case of curiosity killed the credit card, I just got the base today as well. Lately I have been having a real moment with the Chord Mojo 2, and I haven’t been listening to the Tube Mini as much lately. I was prepared to be pretty underwhelmed by the base. Just putting that all out there to say that my mindset was actually predisposed to be negative. I listened to a couple of albums while doing paperwork this evening - Pronounced Lynyrd Skynrd that I ripped in DSF from MoFi SACD and Norah Jones Come Away With Me 192/24 from Qobuz. Headphones were Atrium Open through single-ended output, but I switched for a couple of tracks to the Focal OG to try it out on the balanced output. I have to say at first it seemed nice, but nothing too out of this world. Multiple times, however, I was pulled out of the paperwork by some detail I hadn’t previously noticed. I had a sense from memory that transients, particularly on low frequency instruments like bass drums and bass guitars were better defined. The tonal richness I had noted with the Mini before is about the same. When I switched back to using the supplied USB C->A cable, I was surprised at the difference. The soundstage became more intimate and flat. I was also surprised at the fuzzy / static edge that was added to the vocals, and I confirmed that this went away again with switching back to the base. The overall detail level was very noticeably lower on these well-mastered tracks without the base.

Regarding the background hiss, I didn’t hear it with the Atrium with or without the base - I think the SE output is a bit less prone to the hiss, as are higher impedance headphones. The Clear OG had been the biggest offenders for the hiss of any headphone I have tried. Hooked to my iPhone directly and listening through the balanced output, the hiss is absolutely noticeable when the music is paused, though I will say it has decreased over time quite a bit as the tubes have broken in. Using the base, it is difficult to describe. The hiss wasn’t exactly audible, but it was like I could tell something was there when the music was paused. It is a marked improvement in the hiss to the point where it is barely noticeable or even identifiable as hiss in the worst case scenario headphone from my collection. Honestly, if the level of hiss present with the base attached is bothersome to someone, tubes are probably just not a good fit for them, full stop.

Also worth noting, using the base was markedly improved relative to my improvised setup with a high-output (up to 100W) power bank plus iPhone connected through Topping HS02 from a few pages back. I am not sure if the base has some software component that tells the Mini to use more power, or if there is just inadequate isolation from the HS02 + battery, or maybe the battery I was using is noisy, or maybe it is just the ultra stability provided by this thing. The base is a tank and has a much heavier, high-quality feel than I anticipated.

I have mentioned before that I really don’t tend to like Sabre DACs as a rule. My Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA drove me insane with a sense of grit no matter what settings I used, even through my very smooth tube pre and tube amp on my speaker system and my WA22, and I sold it at a major loss. I have found a number of other Sabre-based DACs fatiguing and sold them off (the Dragonfly Cobalt was okay, but I just think other options sound better to me). I was worried that it might be a poison pill in the Mini before getting it, but this one is executed exquisitely, and I really enjoy listening to it even without the base. I think it just takes all the edges off, even some that weren’t bothering me before. It just sounds more refined with the base.

In any case, the base is a notable improvement, and I’m surprised to be saying that. I actually saved the box and didn’t unwrap all the little accessories, as I was thinking I was going to end up putting it on EBay as a pair and going with the Mojo 2 as my exclusive portable setup. This is no longer the case, and I think I’ll be keeping it around (along with the Mojo 2, which I am still just blown away by). I may do some direct comparison of those if anyone is interested. As with all things, the law of diminishing returns applies, and while I feel like a base and a stand seem steep at $300, looking at it the other way around, I can absolutely see how the combo is competitive with an $800 DAC/amp. I think if you listen to the Mini with it for an hour and then switch to plugging it straight into a device, it will be hard to ignore the improvement…

would be nice if you could add some impressions about soundstage depth

 

[Daniel Johnston]

would be nice if you could add some impressions about soundstage depth

That depends on the headphone.

It's not a clear tube mini has better depth situation vs mojo2 or vice versa.

In general, the tube mini has a pretty good depth and width soundstage with open back planars like the Diana V2 or open back DD like the Utopia. The Mojo2 is pretty good as well and is compatible with more sensitive headphones like Grados. I can get a prety wide and deep soundstage with the Mojo2 and Grado GS1000x that rivals the other heaphones off the tube mini.

In short, it's not a simple answer.

 

[sofastreamer]

That depends on the headphone.

It's not a clear tube mini has better depth situation vs mojo2 or vice versa.

In general, the tube mini has a pretty good depth and width soundstage with open back planars like the Diana V2 or open back DD like the Utopia. The Mojo2 is pretty good as well and is compatible with more sensitive headphones like Grados. I can get a prety wide and deep soundstage with the Mojo2 and Grado GS1000x that rivals the other heaphones off the tube mini.

In short, it's not a simple answer.

why do people sp often answer with the headphones, when asking for comparing soundstages of different dac/amps? If you compare with the same headphones on both devices its irrelevant how capable the headphones are. either there is a difference between both amps or it is not. I know myself, that i get a better soundstage with an hd800s vs an audio technica m50.
anyways, thank you for the feedback even tho is still dont know which one is portraying a deeper soundstage. dont mean it in an offensive way! i just like to say things clear.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

why do people sp often answer with the headphones, when asking for comparing soundstages of different dac/amps? If you compare with the same headphones on both devices its irrelevant how capable the headphones are. either there is a difference between both amps or it is not. I know myself, that i get a better soundstage with an hd800s vs an audio technica m50.
anyways, thank you for the feedback even tho is still dont know which one is portraying a deeper soundstage. dont mean it in an offensive way! i just like to say things clear.

It's not that simple that's why.

The Mojo2 and tube mini are incredibly different devices. And yes, I'm comparing the Mojo2 to the tube mini on the same headphones. Thought that was clear based on answering your reply.

I'll make it more simple for you. With harder to drive cans the tube mini IMHO can create more depth in soundstage vs Mojo2. But the Mojo2 isn't far behind and works with a wider range of headphones. And this is just focusing on soundstage depth.

Maybe next time specify the headphone(s) you are curious in using. Or, be a little less vague in your question.

 

[Promee]

would be nice if you could add some impressions about soundstage depth

Soundstage depth is a place where I struggle a bit to hear it, so please take my impression with a grain of salt. I believe that the Tube Mini has better depth than any of the dongle DAC/amps I’ve tried, and this improves a bit with the base, but it is still modest. This is an area where I believe the Mojo 2 is better. If depth is a key metric for you, I would guess that you would be better served by the Mojo 2, but the Mini has some. I would say the Mini + Base has noticeably more depth than my E70 Velvet + A90 Discrete stack, which would be expected considering the feedback employed in those ultra-measuring devices.

 

[sofastreamer]

Soundstage depth is a place where I struggle a bit to hear it, so please take my impression with a grain of salt. I believe that the Tube Mini has better depth than any of the dongle DAC/amps I’ve tried, and this improves a bit with the base, but it is still modest. This is an area where I believe the Mojo 2 is better. If depth is a key metric for you, I would guess that you would be better served by the Mojo 2, but the Mini has some. I would say the Mini + Base has noticeably more depth than my E70 Velvet + A90 Discrete stack, which would be expected considering the feedback employed in those ultra-measuring devices.

Thank you, that is what i was hoping for from a tube amp

 

[arrowmark]

I Love the Sound from the Tube mini and Base .
It can enjoyed by itself or as a Tube preamp and DAC with my Red Wine Audio Signature 16 Headphone Amplifier
The Red Wine Amp has more power and is more Dynamic

 

[Promee]

For those concerned about IEMs, hiss.

I just received a replacement for my 3.5mm single ended cable for my Sennheiser IE600 - the Null Audio Epsilon (purchased mostly so I could use it with the SE-only Mojo 2, previously I had been using the balanced 4.4mm version of the same cable). I had tried the IE600 with the stock SE cable very briefly, but it is just so microphonic that I wasn't sure about what I was hearing. I think the hiss is definitely worse through the balanced output on the Tube Mini. From the SE output, it is there, but it is extremely faint, like tape hiss on good mastering of an old track. The IE600 is fairly sensitive - 100.6 dB / 1 mW. Impedance is 18 Ohms. For those concerned about IEM use and noise - if you are willing to go SE, the noise is extremely faint, but the tubey goodness is in full effect. This is a great way to enjoy tubes with IEMS. And I have it sitting in the base right beside my mechanical keyboard while typing this, and I'm happy to report no ringing at all, and I type excessively hard and bounce my leg while doing so

I am once again surprised by my enjoyment of this pairing. I was all set to let one of you folks buy this little set off of me in favor of the Mojo 2, but I'm not ready to let it go just yet - sounds too sweet

 

[gadus]

Has anyone compared with Cayin's n3 ultra?

 

[cantara256]

Any thoughts on pairing with the LCD-i4? With the WA8 it's phenomenal, but it's quite the brick to carry.

I don't know how much I should worry about hiss or if the LCD-i4 is "too sensitive" for it (especially given that the WA8 is heavenly with the LCD-i4).