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CAL Alpha DAC: Stock vs. 24/96 upgrade

I recently purchased a used stock (I believe 18-bit) CAL Alpha Tube DAC. I'm considering the 24/96 upgrade. Those of you who are familiar with the sound of both, please weigh in. Also, tubes that you like with either version, what sound do they produce? My DAC came with the Eico/Mullard brand 12AX7/ECC83. Thank you in advance.
routeman21
markd51's avatar
markd51
763 posts
 
Approved Audio Service may be the only act left in town, as far as acquiring specific CAL Audio Parts, but may not be the last act for doing Mods-Upgrades.

Great Nothern Sound was one who regularly did substantial upgrades on Cal stuff. I've got a CAL Delta Transport fully modded by them, Blackgate Caps throughout, high speed Rectifiers, and Bybee Filtration.

I did business once with Approved Audio, for a pair of Drawer Belts for one of my Delta's, thinking it was bad, and needed replacing (It wasn't) $5 ea, and $10 to ship them in a little brown envelope. Postage was actually like .72 cents. God forbid what they'd charge to ship back an Alpha to sombody? I got an excuse from them, that it cost thier guy a lot of time to ship that envelope out to me. Mark
routeman21 OP
110 posts
 
Mark, Thanks for getting back. Also, thanks for directing me to the right tube at The Tube Store. I will order a pair of the Mullards. The price is right for me. The cost for a pair is $41.85 incl. shipping. A lot of tubes suggested in the previous posts (Specifically Sylvania 5751 black plates) sound like the real deal but not the price. WHEW!! I found a couple pair of the Sylvania 5751's on ebay & elsewhere. They are hard to find in pairs.

As an aside, I'm curious about how current or previous owners of the CAL Alpha DAC feel about CAL solid state CD players, specifically the Icon II Powerboss. I own one. I've owned SS players pretty much exclusively since I've been buying digital. I'm fairly new to the tube DAC thing. Have you ever owned or currently own a CAL SS player, comparisons to the Delta/Alpha combo, etc. Tube & solid state lovers please weigh in.
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
I don't know what you're using for an interconnect. If it's not something outstanding- this will vastly improve your combo's musicality (http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?cabldgtl&1206926128) I owned an Icon II, and when I went to the Delta/Sigma- my son inherited the Icon. When I got the Alpha(and installed the Telefunkens), it was another audible magnitude of improvement(toward the sound of live).
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