tube dac

Thats good to know, Jt. Once I get the pre, the Havana goes high on the list.

A tube CD or DAC will take the edge off the CD sound and make it much less fatiguing. My system is all tube, and the tube source made a huge difference. More musical and enveloping sound stage. You can fine tune your tube DAC or CD player with different tubes as well.

I've tried several tube DAC's but found they lost out at what digital does best.
If you prefer overly warm colored sound , go for it.

Look, just because one tubed system sounds soft does not mean that all will. Likewise, SS systems are all over the map from harsh to analog-like.

If tube design is done well, and I'm talking about power delivery, it will do everything as well and have a more liquid midrange. The highs may not go quite as high and the lows may be a bit flabby, but that is the compromise with tubes.

One of the best tubes for DAC output is the Siemens CCA grey-plate. I have a DAC with near-new ones in it. The highs are every bit as good as my SS DAC. The lows are a bit flabby though.

If you find a good design, then the only compromise with tubes is a bit of flabbiness in the bass.

If you want tight bass, then stick with SS.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

All I can do is try it out. This will be my first outboard DAC, SS or tube, so I want to see what it will do for my system.