Tube DACs

I attended an Analog show in San Francisco several months ago and i did get a chance to listen to the modright Sony Cd player. I probably will get their version of a DVD player. I will stay with my Audio Aero Cd player which has recently been upgraded to the 5.4 chip. It sounds really good and I continue to use it for 2-channel DVDs.

Modright is an interesting route to go and these guys should not be ignored when looking into the CD/DVD format of a DAC and preamp. I really do believe this is a wonderful route to go considering what a really good Cd player sells for compounded with a really good pre and then added to a top-of-the line DAC for digitsl Satellite or even for digital HDTV antenna signals. I want a really nice DVD player that has a really good progressive scanner. The only question is one of making sure I don't already have almost everything I want in audio with my Audio Aero and if I am just duplicating. Otherwise, I shall go with an independant processor and jsut find myself a decent transport and stick to the Audio Aero for the listening side.

I have had Audio Note, Zanden, and several tube players. All have been exceptional, but if money is an issue I would strongly recommend the Exemplar/Denon 2900 universal player which has a tube analog stage. I heard it compared with the Modwright Sony at VSAC, but could hear too little to make a comparison.

As an update, I have listened to the Wavelength and Audio Logic tube DACs. The AL is not a typical tube type of sound becasue it does not add the fuller/thicker mid range that I normally associated with tubes. It is extremely natural sounding, very nice soundstage that creates more depth to the music. In my system the backing vocals actually seem to be coming over the shoulder of the front vocals (more than any of the other DACs I heard). It is also clearer and does not compress dynamics or smear up the sound (muddy it up) and with P Barbers Wood is a wonderful (whatever that song is called) you can really hear the multiple voices better than any of the other DACs which each sound excellent but with the AL DAC, the voices come form all over the place, really nice! The Wavelength is also very natural and while it has slightly more mid bass tube sound, it is still not as much as what I normally consider that type of fullness with tubes. It also is very naturla and clear (slighlty more fuller notes in the mids than the AL) but it lacks the bass that the AL DAC offers. The AL DAC has some weight to it also as a sinble box unit and the Wavelength is light weight in comparison (for what that is worth I do not know about parts quality, etc.). They both worked very well with my Sony SCD-777ES SACD/CD player and that is my first priority. The other option is to have the Sony modified but I would prefer not to at this time because I may nto like the overall outcome of the modified player.

I just got the Chord 64 DAC in to audition and I have to tell you that this may be up to the task of giving the AL a run for the money. I will give them a few days and then compare them to each other.

Happy Listening.