Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

I'm about to compare my minimax plus with Burson duals combined with Dexa singles with the PS Audio Perfectwave MKII tomorrow. I'll be running the PS Audio directly, and the Minimax through a transformer based passive preamp to a dual mono Hypex Ncore amp. Various highly revealing speakers will be used in the audition. I will post my impressions.

Eugene81,

Your statement hits my feelings about the Havana on the head. I love the tonal qualities of the dac but I wish at times I had more detail in the music. The opamps take the detail up a notch but I find myself wanting for more. Thanks for the detailed comparison.

Devilboy, I am using a Wavelink HS with the Havana and a Weiss INT203 with the Octave. Also had an Audiophilleo 2 and John Kenny Mk3 modded HiFace (v1, not Hiface 2). Buffer size does matter. What software are you using?

Greg, you may want to hold onto that Havana. Some straightforwards mods can greatly improve the sound. There is an enormous thread on Head-Fi. I have had OIMP V-Cap output coupling caps in for a while and it indeed did add a good deal more detail and transparency, but I have an R-core transformer on the way and will probably ditch the OIMP for much better CuTF V-Caps as well as Schottky diodes and some tantalum resistors. A couple of guys over there have replaced the 2uF output caps with .47uF CuTF caps and get a huge improvement. I recently put the CuTF caps in my Almarro A205A MkII and it still blows my mind how profoundly this mod has transformed the amp into one of the best I've ever heard, period. ESPECIALLY in terms of natural timbre and bass definition.

As good as the Metrum is, it still doesn't have all of that Havana "magic". I am wondering if the mods can bring the Havana to the level of the Metrum in terms of detail, transparency, and precision. I will report back once the mods are done. Maybe start a new thread.

Eugene81: I'm running PureMusic. Is buffer size controlled/changed in iTunes or in PureMusic? I assume PureMusic?

Very interesting findings, guys. It sounds like the Dexa opamps really brought the EE DAC performance up significantly. Unfortunately I did not have them in my modified first gen dac to offer insight.

Yes the Metrum is definitely more laid back then the Sabre32 which I found could be slightly analytical at times, but also very exciting with the right material. Make no mistake the modded first gen dac was excellent!

I see the first gen minimaxes go cheaply these days--can the Dexa opamps fit in it to see what the fuss is about for myself in comparison to my Octave?