Eastern Electric Minimax Tube DAC w/ 9018?

Kenobi · 28th September 2010, 05:43 PM

Hi all,

Just curious if anybody has any experience with the subject DAC utilizing the ESS Sabre 32 9018 DAC? Any mod experience to bring this to the next level? Advise and opinions welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Kenobi

qusp · 29th September 2010, 04:01 AM

lose the tubes

haha, nah sorry I hadnt even heard of it till just now. I personally dont think tubes are a good choice for dac outputs, but hey thats just personal taste.

noSmoking · 29th September 2010, 05:55 AM

do you have a schematic?
Put it up if you do = better response!

noSmoking · 29th September 2010, 05:56 AM

so no tubes for you?What outputs do you like ,I am waiting on dac board to come it has op amps out so is balanced trans the best or what do you like?
Thanks

qusp · 08:49 AM

discrete solid state mainly ie. mosfets, jfets, transistors even well done high end opamps is more to my taste. tubes can sound good if done well, but still not really my thing especially for source. better for amps and such so you can choose to have the colour or not. I know thats a bit of a cliche, but until big dollars are spent on tubes I do find they colour the sound

transformers are a funny one, I have enjoyed well implemented transformer coupled dacs before (including my own), but once you know what a mess they make of the signal it becomes a bit less appealing. can sound quite good, musical, easy on the ear, euphonic etc, but distortion isnt great and normally neither is DNR. can sound good though, but from a technical standpoint, if that matters to you as it does me, its a bit of a turn off.

Kenobi · 29th September 2010, 03:37 PM

Actually, this EE DAC allows selectable SS or tube output--to please both sides of the spectrum. The reviews are very positive and I should have a unit coming in shortly.

Kenobi

qusp · 29th September 2010, 04:02 PM

hmm the idea doesnt appeal; do one thing and do it well IMO. interesting though, if I didnt already have 3 sabre dacs

Kenobi · 29th September 2010, 09:01 PM

Hardcore response. What do you think of the Sabre 32 DAC since you have 3 of them to play with?

Kenobi

McCrackers · 9th November 2011, 01:55 PM

This thread didn't go anywhere when it was first started.

I was wondering if, besides the volume bypass and tube/opamp rolling, anyone has since attempted modding it.

Seems to me like there's a lot of potential in the power supply and tube output depts. Unfortunately I don't have the experience to attempt this on my own.

mcoaggie · 9th November 2011, 02:05 PM

Wayne over at boulder cable did a series of mods to the original dac. He had some previliged info from alex the designer. Check out audiocircle.
Eastern Electric DAC mods

28th September 2010, 05:43 PM	#1
Kenobi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2010	Eastern Electric Minimax Tube DAC w/ 9018? Hi all, Just curious if anybody has any experience with the subject DAC utilizing the ESS Sabre 32 9018 DAC? Any mod experience to bring this to the next level? Advise and opinions welcome. Thanks in advance, Kenobi

29th September 2010, 08:47 AM	#5
qusp Sometimes a square peg fits a round hole just fine diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia	discrete solid state mainly ie. mosfets, jfets, transistors even well done high end opamps is more to my taste. tubes can sound good if done well, but still not really my thing especially for source. better for amps and such so you can choose to have the colour or not. I know thats a bit of a cliche, but until big dollars are spent on tubes I do find they colour the sound transformers are a funny one, I have enjoyed well implemented transformer coupled dacs before (including my own), but once you know what a mess they make of the signal it becomes a bit less appealing. can sound quite good, musical, easy on the ear, euphonic etc, but distortion isnt great and normally neither is DNR. can sound good though, but from a technical standpoint, if that matters to you as it does me, its a bit of a turn off. Last edited by qusp; 29th September 2010 at 08:49 AM.

9th November 2011, 01:55 PM	#9
McCrackers diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2009	EE Minimax DAC mods This thread didn't go anywhere when it was first started. I was wondering if, besides the volume bypass and tube/opamp rolling, anyone has since attempted modding it. Seems to me like there's a lot of potential in the power supply and tube output depts. Unfortunately I don't have the experience to attempt this on my own.

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29th September 2010, 04:01 AM	#2
qusp Sometimes a square peg fits a round hole just fine diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia	lose the tubes haha, nah sorry I hadnt even heard of it till just now. I personally dont think tubes are a good choice for dac outputs, but hey thats just personal taste.

29th September 2010, 05:55 AM	#3
noSmoking diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SanAntonio,Tx	do you have a schematic? Put it up if you do = better response!

29th September 2010, 05:56 AM	#4
noSmoking diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SanAntonio,Tx	so no tubes for you?What outputs do you like ,I am waiting on dac board to come it has op amps out so is balanced trans the best or what do you like? Thanks

29th September 2010, 03:37 PM	#6
Kenobi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2010	Actually, this EE DAC allows selectable SS or tube output--to please both sides of the spectrum. The reviews are very positive and I should have a unit coming in shortly. Kenobi

29th September 2010, 04:02 PM	#7
qusp Sometimes a square peg fits a round hole just fine diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia	hmm the idea doesnt appeal; do one thing and do it well IMO. interesting though, if I didnt already have 3 sabre dacs

29th September 2010, 09:01 PM	#8
Kenobi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2010	Hardcore response. What do you think of the Sabre 32 DAC since you have 3 of them to play with? Kenobi

9th November 2011, 02:05 PM	#10
mcoaggie diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA	Wayne over at boulder cable did a series of mods to the original dac. He had some previliged info from alex the designer. Check out audiocircle. Eastern Electric DAC mods

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