Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

hi gopher:

i'll raise the same question again:

is it possible that with the "right" tube, the minimax (original) can sound more relaxed, fuller and richer than the metrum ?

i find it hard to believe that a ss product can be superior to a tubed product with respect to the characteristic classic tube sound.

Have you ever heard the Metrum? If not, why do you keep posting? The OP is interested in people that have auditioned both DACs. This posting isn't about tube vs. ss. There are plenty of those discussions in the archives.

>>i find it hard to believe that a ss product can be superior to a tubed product with respect to the characteristic classic tube sound.

Mr Tennis, why this kind of comment? Stay happy with tubes (FWIW, I own/owned a lot of tube gear) but please refrain from adding non-contributing entries.

As for the comparison, I own a Metrum Octave and A/Bed this with an MiniMax from a friend and found the Octave more detailed and faster.

Mrtennis,

I used a 1950s Mullard Longplate in my Minimax, which was an excellent tube. Don't get me wrong the EE DACs were awesome--very competent, but I believe I prefer the Octave. It is a little tough to say due to the fact that I've had a lot of variables to my system change between the two dacs.

That said--discrete tube output or not, I think the sabre32 is intrinsically more analytical then most NOS offerings.

I also used a Mullard long plate, but preferred the Black Treasure Shuguang.