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Ok Folks, here it is.... My own
personal favorites!
personal favorites!
The Musiland US Monitor 1
Forget the other derivatives of this DAC because the lower priced Monitor 1 is the one to get. Once you go through the funky install, this is the
one and only asynchronous DAC that sells for less than $3000.00 For about $100, you get a DAC that fixes most of the jitter buffering problems in
USB. The only thing lacking is a competent conversion process that you would have to pay much more for. Internet radio, breath taking, high
definition playback, riveting. It makes perfect sense to listen to the Monitor with a great pair of headphones like the AKG 701s , Dennons or
Grados. For road warriors, it’s the only way to enjoy high def on the road. Still, with the Monitor’s optical output, having the Monitor manage the
USB connection and taking the optical to your favorite DAC stills sounds better than most of the USB DACs out there. C’mon iTunes crowd, get on
board!
Forget the other derivatives of this DAC because the lower priced Monitor 1 is the one to get. Once you go through the funky install, this is the
one and only asynchronous DAC that sells for less than $3000.00 For about $100, you get a DAC that fixes most of the jitter buffering problems in
USB. The only thing lacking is a competent conversion process that you would have to pay much more for. Internet radio, breath taking, high
definition playback, riveting. It makes perfect sense to listen to the Monitor with a great pair of headphones like the AKG 701s , Dennons or
Grados. For road warriors, it’s the only way to enjoy high def on the road. Still, with the Monitor’s optical output, having the Monitor manage the
USB connection and taking the optical to your favorite DAC stills sounds better than most of the USB DACs out there. C’mon iTunes crowd, get on
board!
The Ming Da MD 300APS with Black Treasure 2A3 Tubes
I just love this preamp with the 2A3 tubes. It jiimmys an SET sound into any amp that I put in; solid state or otherwise. It is the most in
consistent and cohesive preamp that i have listened to. If this type of detail drives you nuts, reconsider; this detail is all behind a blanket of solid
warmth that does not damp it or "glaze" it. I preferred the Shuguang 2A3 tubes, as I felt this gave me the sound that I liked. If you prefer a
more "open" sound stage that extends beyond the speakers, try the Genalex 300Bs.
I just love this preamp with the 2A3 tubes. It jiimmys an SET sound into any amp that I put in; solid state or otherwise. It is the most in
consistent and cohesive preamp that i have listened to. If this type of detail drives you nuts, reconsider; this detail is all behind a blanket of solid
warmth that does not damp it or "glaze" it. I preferred the Shuguang 2A3 tubes, as I felt this gave me the sound that I liked. If you prefer a
more "open" sound stage that extends beyond the speakers, try the Genalex 300Bs.
The Doge 8 and the Doge 8 Clarity
Incredibly detailed, quite and precise. It really wants to be the marriage between the Audio Research SP-10 and SP-15 where warmth is toned
down a bit and musical presentation becomes stellar. Member of the “mega tube” brigade, the 8 tube Doge 8 is fussy as can be and mercurial
with tube selection. Don’t think that because you spent a lot of money on these tubes, that they are going to sound good. I use vintage Tung
Sols (not the re-issue) and RCA 12AT7s. We can supply you with Mullards and the JAN 12AT7s which do a very decent job. To get a real work
view, send a message to the Audiogon board for tube recommendations. The Clarity opens up and already great preamp and adds more detail,
warmth and cohesiveness. For me, a lot of the midbass and lowe mid range "glaze" went away.
Incredibly detailed, quite and precise. It really wants to be the marriage between the Audio Research SP-10 and SP-15 where warmth is toned
down a bit and musical presentation becomes stellar. Member of the “mega tube” brigade, the 8 tube Doge 8 is fussy as can be and mercurial
with tube selection. Don’t think that because you spent a lot of money on these tubes, that they are going to sound good. I use vintage Tung
Sols (not the re-issue) and RCA 12AT7s. We can supply you with Mullards and the JAN 12AT7s which do a very decent job. To get a real work
view, send a message to the Audiogon board for tube recommendations. The Clarity opens up and already great preamp and adds more detail,
warmth and cohesiveness. For me, a lot of the midbass and lowe mid range "glaze" went away.
The Ming Da MD 75
Offered in many tube configurations to suit a variety of pallets, the MD 75 really shows you what a tube amp is capable of. Properly designed and
fitted with good tubes, the over ripe tube mid range and gushy mid bass is replaced with a tight authoritative sound. Compared to the old model,
the mid range is more resolving and airy along with a bass with more kick and slam. Addictive to listen to in the Genalex version.
Offered in many tube configurations to suit a variety of pallets, the MD 75 really shows you what a tube amp is capable of. Properly designed and
fitted with good tubes, the over ripe tube mid range and gushy mid bass is replaced with a tight authoritative sound. Compared to the old model,
the mid range is more resolving and airy along with a bass with more kick and slam. Addictive to listen to in the Genalex version.
The Ming Da MC 3008A
It so cool. You can get SET Class A sound at 40 watts. What a dream. As a matter of fact, once you hear it – you just can’t listen to anything else.
Try getting a Cetron or USA 805 tube. Then go for some other NOS preamp tubes. The 300B sound is more precise and straight forward. The 2A3
was a little too musical for my taste. This amps ability to extract detail from the source and present it in such a way as to be so polite is truly
engaging. With this amp you just want to listen and tap your toe.
It so cool. You can get SET Class A sound at 40 watts. What a dream. As a matter of fact, once you hear it – you just can’t listen to anything else.
Try getting a Cetron or USA 805 tube. Then go for some other NOS preamp tubes. The 300B sound is more precise and straight forward. The 2A3
was a little too musical for my taste. This amps ability to extract detail from the source and present it in such a way as to be so polite is truly
engaging. With this amp you just want to listen and tap your toe.
The Bada DC-222
I just cannot compare this to anything in is price range, so do not ask me to. Fitted with 6189 tubes (GEs or Sylvanias) , this little gem is capable of
some startling music that folks who spend money at this price range will ever encounter. The resolving power is among the best and it brings a
sense of tube warmth into the picture. The Bada DC-222 opens up speakers and lets the midrange “speak” with air. I just get goose bumps when
equipment lifts up the veil and lets me “peer” into the music. Like all Bada hybrids, it marries a preamp with its own power supply and transformer
with a tube preamp and an amplifier’s power supply with quality solid state outputs.
I just cannot compare this to anything in is price range, so do not ask me to. Fitted with 6189 tubes (GEs or Sylvanias) , this little gem is capable of
some startling music that folks who spend money at this price range will ever encounter. The resolving power is among the best and it brings a
sense of tube warmth into the picture. The Bada DC-222 opens up speakers and lets the midrange “speak” with air. I just get goose bumps when
equipment lifts up the veil and lets me “peer” into the music. Like all Bada hybrids, it marries a preamp with its own power supply and transformer
with a tube preamp and an amplifier’s power supply with quality solid state outputs.
The Pacific Valve CyberServer
We are just so happy, and while we are not sure who thought of it first, kudos to the folks that are copying our idea that a direct solid state drive
and a Linux OS is really the best music server out there. As of this writing, a lot of the high end manufacturers are catching on to this by using the
Linux/Unix socket drivers coupled with a solid state drive. It is so low in jitter, than once and for all, you will be hearing your DAC for the first time.
For some reason, the diminutive Musiland MD-10 modified rocks your world about what digital really could be when it is mated with our Netgear
product. P.S: Folks email all the time with “I just bought a SSD and I cannot get it to work with the Netgear EVA 9150 I just bought.” That is right
kiddos, we have the right firmware, magic and solid state drives that make the system work. Hence our price tag.
We are just so happy, and while we are not sure who thought of it first, kudos to the folks that are copying our idea that a direct solid state drive
and a Linux OS is really the best music server out there. As of this writing, a lot of the high end manufacturers are catching on to this by using the
Linux/Unix socket drivers coupled with a solid state drive. It is so low in jitter, than once and for all, you will be hearing your DAC for the first time.
For some reason, the diminutive Musiland MD-10 modified rocks your world about what digital really could be when it is mated with our Netgear
product. P.S: Folks email all the time with “I just bought a SSD and I cannot get it to work with the Netgear EVA 9150 I just bought.” That is right
kiddos, we have the right firmware, magic and solid state drives that make the system work. Hence our price tag.
The Doge 6 and Doge 6 Clarity
Spooky images jump to the right and left of the speaker while the singer’s chair can be heard squeaking in the background. While choosing the six
tubes is imperative, the Doge 6 is capable of some of the best disc retrieval out there. The midrange is warm, yet detailed and never digital. Its so
warm and musical and so just so much fun to listen to. There are plenty of reviews and raves out on the web, so google and be my guest. The
secret is in the digital filtering done by tubes. After conversion, its 12AT7s all the way to 12AX7s and to your ears. The Doge 6 Clarity, takes all this
one step further, cleaning up some extra coloration in the lower mid range, extending the highs and letting you take one step closer to the sound
stage where the actors appear in body and space.
Spooky images jump to the right and left of the speaker while the singer’s chair can be heard squeaking in the background. While choosing the six
tubes is imperative, the Doge 6 is capable of some of the best disc retrieval out there. The midrange is warm, yet detailed and never digital. Its so
warm and musical and so just so much fun to listen to. There are plenty of reviews and raves out on the web, so google and be my guest. The
secret is in the digital filtering done by tubes. After conversion, its 12AT7s all the way to 12AX7s and to your ears. The Doge 6 Clarity, takes all this
one step further, cleaning up some extra coloration in the lower mid range, extending the highs and letting you take one step closer to the sound
stage where the actors appear in body and space.
The Ming Da MC 84C07
This is our favorite all around performer. Maybe it’s the 6E2 tube, maybe it’s the EL84 (which I replaced). The Ming Da is not fussy about the phones it
drives or the music input. It will startle you with a deep and involving presentation and a sense of musical warmth. It so right on in the midrange, bass
and treble it is downright scary. I used the Ming Da with my AKGs, Dennons and Grados.
This is our favorite all around performer. Maybe it’s the 6E2 tube, maybe it’s the EL84 (which I replaced). The Ming Da is not fussy about the phones it
drives or the music input. It will startle you with a deep and involving presentation and a sense of musical warmth. It so right on in the midrange, bass
and treble it is downright scary. I used the Ming Da with my AKGs, Dennons and Grados.
The YS Audio Symphonies R
There are resolving preamps, musical preamps, musical preamps that resolve and resolving preamps that are musical – phew!. The YS Audio
Symphonies R is a musical preamp that resolves. With the tube upgrade, it is just so much fun because it gets musical timbres right. For the price
point, purchasers of this preamp are going to get a price / performance that is out of this world. I just love listening to this thing and right now it
leads the pack in preamps less than 1K.
There are resolving preamps, musical preamps, musical preamps that resolve and resolving preamps that are musical – phew!. The YS Audio
Symphonies R is a musical preamp that resolves. With the tube upgrade, it is just so much fun because it gets musical timbres right. For the price
point, purchasers of this preamp are going to get a price / performance that is out of this world. I just love listening to this thing and right now it
leads the pack in preamps less than 1K.
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The Bada 33SE Purer
Never heard an amp quite like this one, where instruments and vocalists come alive and jump out of the speakers. This thing has breath and
ca-hoon-nays, so it really opens up a hard to drive speaker, yet plays very nicely with speakers that do require a nudge to get them going. Its so
musical and at times so "right", listening to your old recordings will be like listening to new music again. Highly recommended.
Never heard an amp quite like this one, where instruments and vocalists come alive and jump out of the speakers. This thing has breath and
ca-hoon-nays, so it really opens up a hard to drive speaker, yet plays very nicely with speakers that do require a nudge to get them going. Its so
musical and at times so "right", listening to your old recordings will be like listening to new music again. Highly recommended.
The Lite DAC 83
Have no heard it with the Lite CD 21 transport, of which it is properly mated with an I2S connection - although I am wondering what it will sound
like,. This DAC just does everything right and it does it with ease. The resolution is stunning as you can begin to navigate through recording
studios on old Rat Pack and other top analogue CDs. You first get the impression that it is a little congested, until you listen closely, and then find
out that it doing just about everything correct. A stunning achievement.
Have no heard it with the Lite CD 21 transport, of which it is properly mated with an I2S connection - although I am wondering what it will sound
like,. This DAC just does everything right and it does it with ease. The resolution is stunning as you can begin to navigate through recording
studios on old Rat Pack and other top analogue CDs. You first get the impression that it is a little congested, until you listen closely, and then find
out that it doing just about everything correct. A stunning achievement.
Vick's
Picks
Picks
| Explore |
DACs
Preamps
Vacuum Tube Amplifiers, Hybrid Amplifiers and Solid State Amplifiers
CD / Media Players
Headphone Amplifiers
Raphaelite 845AB
The Raphaelite 845AB is one of the few SET amps that does not wimp or whine when it gets a difficult load. Rather, its "US Marine" type of approach
to attacking the speaker and keeping it in control are breathtaking. Powerful bass and deep open-wide dynamics on difficult speaker loads are its
mainstay. Hence, when confronted with its proper match, that is, a high efficiency speaker, the 845AB fills the room with smooth transients, 845
tube detail and incredible dynamics. Highly recommended.
The Raphaelite 845AB is one of the few SET amps that does not wimp or whine when it gets a difficult load. Rather, its "US Marine" type of approach
to attacking the speaker and keeping it in control are breathtaking. Powerful bass and deep open-wide dynamics on difficult speaker loads are its
mainstay. Hence, when confronted with its proper match, that is, a high efficiency speaker, the 845AB fills the room with smooth transients, 845
tube detail and incredible dynamics. Highly recommended.
