Abbas dac 2.1 se

[jespera]

Agree with you that the abbas dacs really shine when fed from a good cd transport. And aad material.

I think you should try the abbas usb-spdif converter.

 

[Campo007]

Hi LPG,

no tube-rolling so far for me, because already used my high-grade ones - very happy with them. Would also be carefully, because a lot of tube stages which need to harmonize, therefore I'm not too crazy and always use the NOS-tubes which have good measurements (proud owner of my Roetest https://www.roehrentest.de/).

As I also opt-in for XLR outputs, I can say: not worthwhile, as RCA way better with the Abbas regular copper Chinch cables (I've used €3k Audiomica XLR, fair comparison ;-).

Just did last night some in-depth comparison again with:
- Lumin U1 (Roon/Qobuz) + Abbas Hermes Sig (via RCA)
- Lumin U1 (Roon/Qobuz) + Abbas 3.2SE (via RCA)
- Grimm MU2 (Roon/Qobuz) (via XLR)
- Holo May KTE + Lumin U1 (Roon/Qobuz) (via XLR)
Pre-Amp: Soulution 725

Conclusion:
- 3.2 (TDA1541a) & Hermes (PCM63k-j) have slightly different tonality, but not too far away
- Still prefer Hermes, as for me the BurrBrown have some unique magic I love
- Is Abbas for me better than Lampizator, SW1X and Audio Note (owned serious contenders)? YES, because if you want to reach this tonality, you pay minimum 3 times more! Of course, we all now it most matters how the rest of your hifi-chain is setup'ed!
- Holo May KTE: best when using via USB to Streamer, but as it is a "traditional" R2R, can be too warm & blurry tonality (great for clinical-kind of speakers or active-ones aka Class-D)
- Grimm MU2, now owning it over 1y: anyone looking for his "end-game" streamer/roon-core/DAC, this is it. It combines the perfect worlds of analog (aka R2R/tube-based) and digital (Delta Sigma/FPGA-hybrid) sound signature in PERFECTION. Anyone spending that much, forget anything beyond €20k, sorry makes for me no sense anymore (yes, I'd test contenders in range up to €40k) - MY OPINION

Next tests in 2 weeks, when I exchange in my 2nd setup the speakers with full-range Cube Audio Lotus TQWT and getting finally my Pachanko Labs Streamer with Diretta Bridge. There I'll have brutal transparency and it maybe more obvious, will see.

WHY I'm all telling this in this Abbas-Thread?
..to show I'm not purely biased with Abbas gear and did serious DAC/streamer testing the last 6y, as many of you. Also, using 2 complete different hifi setups (low-efficiency speaker + transistor vs. high-efficiency + tube gear). Therefore, having my personal, strong opinion on it

Rgds
Gerald

I appreciate your comparisons. I currently have a Holo May KTE, and have had the pleasure of hearing @LanschePlasmaGuy 's Abbas. After reading this thread, i'm becoming very curious about a tube DAC. Maybe an Abbas.
How does the Holo compare to the Abbas?

 

[gerihifi]

I appreciate your comparisons. I currently have a Holo May KTE, and have had the pleasure of hearing @LanschePlasmaGuy 's Abbas. After reading this thread, i'm becoming very curious about a tube DAC. Maybe an Abbas.
How does the Holo compare to the Abbas?

Hi,

Holo is a good DAC, but have to say it best work with I2s ( in my case SACD/DSD transport) and USB.
Holo is for me always *lay back*, therefore recommended for highly analytical-sounding hifi chains. It is a typical R2R as intended originally;-)

But if I compare with a Grimm MU2, you will never go back to Holo. Therefore using it very specific for my USB-based Streaming solution in my *smaller* chain.

Abbas Burrbrown or Phillips implementation for sure also on those lay back side, but a bit more engaging, clarity and very authentic soundstage. I also compared it with Grimm MU2, even unfair price-wise and technology-wise, but MU2 is a different league and brutal good in longterm listening. This beast does everything fine, but not too much! Like I experienced with Rockna Sig, Chord Dave or Mola Mola.

Another example: you can play pretty bad recordings with MU2 and still sounding *ok*, if i do the same with Abbas *unhearable*, same applies for me personally with Holo. Many, many other DACs are just adding too much to the sound, nothing for me and I know some people like this...fine!

Greets
Gerald

 

[Campo007]

Hi,

Holo is a good DAC, but have to say it best work with I2s ( in my case SACD/DSD transport) and USB.
Holo is for me always *lay back*, therefore recommended for highly analytical-sounding hifi chains. It is a typical R2R as intended originally;-)

But if I compare with a Grimm MU2, you will never go back to Holo. Therefore using it very specific for my USB-based Streaming solution in my *smaller* chain.

Abbas Burrbrown or Phillips implementation for sure also on those lay back side, but a bit more engaging, clarity and very authentic soundstage. I also compared it with Grimm MU2, even unfair price-wise and technology-wise, but MU2 is a different league and brutal good in longterm listening. This beast does everything fine, but not too much! Like I experienced with Rockna Sig, Chord Dave or Mola Mola.

Another example: you can play pretty bad recordings with MU2 and still sounding *ok*, if i do the same with Abbas *unhearable*, same applies for me personally with Holo. Many, many other DACs are just adding too much to the sound, nothing for me and I know some people like this...fine!

Greets
Gerald

Thanks for the great review Gerald. I'm currently using my Holo with USB from my streamer and i2S from my CD transport. I like how it sounds, but i'm still curious about the Abbas.

 

[gerihifi]

Thanks for the great review Gerald. I'm currently using my Holo with USB from my streamer and i2S from my CD transport. I like how it sounds, but i'm still curious about the Abbas.

Hi,

don't get fooled with the usual response "it is day & night...bla..bla..bla" - NO it will not be like that. I really get angry about those statements, especially if you go in the "Ultra-Fi" area of DAC's & Streamer, because so many new DACs out there are getting closer to those super-expensive ones!

Tube rolling will have some slight impact, and you can play around with "tube-equalizing" I call it, I'm a bit more conservative in case of DAC's, because never had any serious sounding change with Abbas gear (yes, I already use good quality NOS ones and no new productions for his gear). Also was attending some session with Lampi Pacific & Horizion and someone proudly tried to convience the audience, how much tube rolling has changed "dramatically" the sound.... not for me, and I am a pretty sensitive listener.... <<< MY EARS

Abbas will sound more "open" and especially if you like Jazz or classical much more "authentic" in comparison with Holo, but (!!) in my chain . So without doing your own test, it only can be a tiny hint.

Best regards
Gerald

 

[gerihifi]

Okay, here some more updates on my Abbas Audio HERMES Signature PCM63P-K:

- I love the 3.2SE with the TDA1541A and together with my CD-Transport very, very musical. Details, depth, Instruments are awesome lively (I've to mention: real full potential after minimum 200h play time!)

..but

-HERMES is getting better and better every week. My choice for forcing Abbas to add AES/EBU was not the best idea, because the SPDIF-Receicer on AES/EBU has issue with 192khz. Working fine with RCA.

- One of the biggest difference to the 3.2SE is using CD Transport to the HERMES RCA, this is really next level. It is so brutal, clean, depth of soundstage, instruments are perfectly placed...very close to Grimm MU2 and this for a vintage DAC no FPGA-fancyness !!! Of course it is also a PERFECT match with full-range speakes!

- I always encourage anyone: try a good cd transport and attach it to the Abbas DAC, you will be surprised! 44.1khz is sooooo overlooked by many audiophiles! Using my ACT/Stockfisch/The lost Recordings or ECM CD's Records, blows me away how good they sound and many times I avoid Qobuz streaming. Vinyl gone long time anyway .

Attached current setup (chain #2 smaller listening room):

Speakers: Cube Audio Lotus TQWT (one special build from the MUC Highend 2023) full-range, attached two active subwoofers with SB34NRXL75-8
AMP: Audio Note Meishu Tonmeister 300b Silver Signature with my beloved ELROG 300B-Molybden tubes
Cables: Sternklang speaker cable, Signal Projects, Audiomica, Luxman, Driade Flow, Tara Labs
Sources: PS Audio Directwave SACD Transport, Lumin U1
Network: PaulPang Quad-Switch and Muon Pro Ethernet Filter between Lumin

So I'm very, very happy owner and greatly appreciate Abbas work, with all those crazy war times he is still challenged now for years!!! I'll say: he plays easiley In the €20k DAC-range when properly matched!

Rgds
Gerald

 

[Artnet]

Audio Note Meishu Tonmeister 300b

Another lovely write up Gerald, Your system is looking really good !! I friend heard a Meishu on the weekend in an Altec system and was very impressed with it. Dont have any more detail as yet but will ask.
I agree with you on the CD transport issue, I must collect a few more but noted your Sony in the rack.
For me I wonder what differences lies between the 3.2SE and the Psyche Signature (both TDA1541)
an itch soon to be scratched I hope.
For now just an encouraging words escaping my ears that Abbas's signature builds perform to these levels, wow. Your description of the vintage against the "FPGA-fancyness !!!" is gripping and dito do we need anything more than 44.1khz. understanding fully well your love of the MU2.
After this retched war I could well be curious enough about the BB PCM Hermes generation to try maybe with some full range speakers even

 

[Al M.]

- I always encourage anyone: try a good cd transport and attach it to the Abbas DAC, you will be surprised! 44.1khz is sooooo overlooked by many audiophiles! Using my ACT/Stockfisch/The lost Recordings or ECM CD's Records, blows me away how good they sound and many times I avoid Qobuz streaming.

In my system I use a CD transport exclusively (going through a re-clocking system, see my signature). Streaming is reserved for laptop and headphones . For now and probably a few years from now. It is not easy to get streaming to the same level as good CD playback, but it is getting better than it used to be...

 

[russtafarian]

Greetings fellow Abbas DAC owners. Here’s a brief service note that may be helpful.

I have a DAC2.3SE that I acquired 2nd hand a while back. When it worked, the DAC sounded amazing, and I’ve really enjoyed it. But I would occasionally hear muddy/distorted sound from the unit. The distortion was occasional and intermittent, but definitely there. I suspect this is why the original owner sold the DAC. Over time, the issue became more frequent to the point where the DAC always sounded distorted.

Time to replace a faulty tube. But which one? There are five tubes in there (E180F, EB91,6X4,5Y3, E182CC). I ordered a complete set, with the plan to swap each tube, one by one, until I found the culprit. The first swap was the 6X4, the rectifier tube for the DAC chip. That was it! Glorious sound has returned.

In summary:

1. Get a backup set of tubes for your DAC.
2. If you hear distorted sound, start with swapping the DAC chip rectifier tube.

Russ