Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

Mr Tennis, I'm not so sure I agree with your premise that you would pick the tube DAC everytime, especially in a blind test, maybe, maybe not. In any case that would have to be proven to me. I don't find the EE DAC to have a typically characteristic "tube sound" at all although by changing out tubes you can alter its sound, on that I agree.

Having purchased several budget DAC's in the 1K range over the past year and a half, 2 tube and 2 SS, I personally settled for one that is not tube and EVERYONE to a person that has listened to all of them in my system agrees with my preference, overwhelmingly. As my moniker implies I generally prefer tube devices, over SS but I would be going out on a limb to say that this is ALWAYS the case. I haven't heard the Metrum but there seems to be a concensus concerning it and the aspects of NOS over upsampling/oversampling digital devices.

hi tubegrover:

how confident are you:

regarding the three dacs that you recently auditioned, suppose i could pick the stereo system and the tubes, would you bet that i would pick the ss dac that was universally preferred, or would you bet that i would pick a tube dac ?

since you don't know my preferences, i can tell you that i prefer the classic tube sound and no ss dac has it.

Mrtennis,
We all like what we like,nothing wrong with that. If you prefer the "classic tube sound"(what ever that may be to you) then SS just is`nt going to make you happy, simple as that. I generally prefer tube to SS for amplification(see my system). But when it comes to source that preference does`nt hold under all comparisons.

I selected the Yamamoto DAC SS version and like it as much or more than tubed digital sources I`ve heard.Tubes are`nt 'always better all the time' in all situations.It just depends.
Regards,

For what it is worth, I have a EE DAC + with NOS (Mullard)tube and Dexa opamps. For my money, the biggest improvement (by far) in regards to sound quality came from swapping out stock opamps to the Dexa's or Bursons. Replacing stock tube to NOS did improve things but not nearly as much as the opamps. I have also spent a lot of time listening to the unit in both SS and tube mode. While I prefer tube mode the difference is much more subtle than I would have expected. Again, the discrete opamps have a much larger influence on sound.

In regards to the OP's question, I have placed an order for a Metrum and will be able to do a direct comparison between it and a Dexa modified EE. While I have generally preferred tube equipment over SS in the past, I consider myself equipment agnostic and will keep the unit I like best. Will post more after I receive the Octave.

I'm not even going to get into the convo of tube vs. ss as there is no definitive answer or empirical evidence one way or another.

Anyway, If we're comparing "modded" units Paul Hynes has a modded Metrum octave using his shunt regulators and an upgraded pulse transformer.

I personally use Shindo (tube) preamp/amp and Metrum Octave (ss) DAC.

I'm considering the Paul Hynes upgrades and a also getting te new Metrum Hex just recently announced.