Its great to see so many people sticking with the abbas gear over time (post 1 is from 2020!). Would also love to hear from anyone who moved on if those types happen to read the thread too.
Abbas dac 2.1 se
- Thread starter jespera
- Start date
I don't think a more commercial business model could survive what he is working through. You start burdening yourself with overhead when you run a business like that, which makes adjustments like this very hard to deal with.
I too consider myself fortunate to enjoy his devices and often email him to tell him how amazing his DAC is. Because it's just so amazing to listen to!
Did you do an Abbas vs Sw1x comparison while having both in the same room, so that you could A/B then back to back?
NOTHING against SW1x , had an DACII Balanced. Yes, did A/B testing (of course not "blind", because price-wise- biased and type of tubes they are using). So, I'm not comparing SW1x nor Lampi with Abbas. I prefer the signature from Abbas, even over the AN DAC 4.1x Balanced I'd here for a while...
So please everyone, MAKE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE and don't judge based on forum *experts* or usual youtube reviewers statements - nor trust blindly my opinion!
My complete personal opinion: (Ultra) High End DAC and streamers are not for anyone, nor you get extreme more change above €25.000! I've done my OWN testing and lot of listening in other chains as well (as many of you). There is so much AROUND DAC/Streamer you need to take care, first as well... if you have a complete hifi chain for €25k, you will for sure NOT getting 50% sound improvement with an €30k DAC!
I happily own: Holo May KTE, Grimm Audio MU2, Abbas Audio 3.2SE, Matrix X-Sabre 3 and all of them are not leaving my house again ;-)
Left my house (owned, still love all of them): Weiss 501 MKII, Laiv, Merason DAC-I, Chord Dave, Mola Mola
Tested: oh boy too much.....
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So time for a bit of an inventory. Some of these overlap into other devices but all are applicable to the Abbas DAC 3.2SE.
To start the 6080 - 6AS7 collection
Rectifiers
DEM Clock and Digital
It can get a bit on the obsessive, excessive side considering most where purchased prior to my DAC arriving.
Favorites are GEC 6080, 80 Rectifier with socket adapter, Valvo EF13, Telefunken EZ11, Mullard GZ32 or 83V with adapter and the Marconi EZ81. Some other gems are the Bendix 6106, MAZDA 5Y3 and the Brimar 5V4
Definitively not exhausted all the possibilities and in terms of priorities well all of them matter and I haven't done a breakdown as to which tube position has the most impact, more about a happy combination that work for the music.
Happy Listening
Regards to the Abbas fans
Internet ;-) Abbas is only adding well-selected NOS tubes for his gear.
Many tube sellers out there, but NOS getting more and more expensive and mostly overpriced .
Also when you start collecting, you should have definitely a good tube tester (i own a Roetest V11)!
Rgds
Gerald
Music for your abbas dac:
Qobuz now offers “flat transfers from original analog master tapes” on some jazz classics.
They sound great and _remarkably_ uncompressed and life like compared to all the digitally remastered glittery hi-res non-sense that you can enhoy from the same channel.
But you need to turn up the volume quite a bit (12db ish) when you compare!!
Try it!
Qobuz now offers “flat transfers from original analog master tapes” on some jazz classics.
They sound great and _remarkably_ uncompressed and life like compared to all the digitally remastered glittery hi-res non-sense that you can enhoy from the same channel.
But you need to turn up the volume quite a bit (12db ish) when you compare!!
Try it!
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Thanks for that!
Another recommendation from my side: use a good CD-transport + Abbas DAC and get some CD's from The Lost Recordings (outstanding !!) ...besides Stockfish DMM or ECM records (their quality is amazing).
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Yes cd transport is the way to travel digitally. When you can.
Imagine how good unmolested digital could be:
analog master -> abbas adc -> abbas cd -> abbas dac -> ..
Imagine how good unmolested digital could be:
analog master -> abbas adc -> abbas cd -> abbas dac -> ..
Which CD transport do you use? The ones I've tried haven't sounded better than streaming to me, but always interested to try things.
Simple Cyrus CDI with external PSU and as well a Swoboda highly modified Sony XA50ES (just to compare the vintage DACs).
With half of this ultimate link unobtainable I console myself with your former comments regarding Abbas USB to SPDIF running between your Auralic and Abbas DAC and thank you for this recommendation
Recently a friend has purchased on the secondary market an Abbas 4.1SE, a 2.2SE and a USB to Spidf convertor. He runs a very resolving Horn based system.
These simple half width DAC's have been in and out of his system pimped with tubes (more of that later) to compare the different sound qualities.
Both provided music with ease and very enjoyable at that!!
Now an Abbas fan after a long digital journey, wait for it he placed in the usb to spdif and Wow we where very impressed by the not insignificant improvement in the sound from the Auralic G2.
If your streamer has a USB out I would recommend trying the addition of the Abbas usb convertor.
Will Abbas no longer make those components?With half of this ultimate link unobtainable I console myself with your former comments regarding Abbas USB to SPDIF running between your Auralic and Abbas DAC and thank you for this recommendation
Recently a friend has purchased on the secondary market an Abbas 4.1SE, a 2.2SE and a USB to Spidf convertor. He runs a very resolving Horn based system.
These simple half width DAC's have been in and out of his system pimped with tubes (more of that later) to compare the different sound qualities.
Both provided music with ease and very enjoyable at that!!
Now an Abbas fan after a long digital journey, wait for it he placed in the usb to spdif and Wow we where very impressed by the not insignificant improvement in the sound from the Auralic G2.
If your streamer has a USB out I would recommend trying the addition of the Abbas usb convertor.
I can concur with the Abbas USB to SPDIF converter. I did an A/B with the Abbas vs Audiophilleo and the Abbas was better. I've not tried any other converters.
I uses a Raspberry Pi streamer to the converter and the sound is sublime. I've never wanted to look at other streamers.
With half of this ultimate link unobtainable I console myself with your former comments regarding Abbas USB to SPDIF running between your Auralic and Abbas DAC and thank you for this recommendation
Recently a friend has purchased on the secondary market an Abbas 4.1SE, a 2.2SE and a USB to Spidf convertor. He runs a very resolving Horn based system.
These simple half width DAC's have been in and out of his system pimped with tubes (more of that later) to compare the different sound qualities.
Both provided music with ease and very enjoyable at that!!
Now an Abbas fan after a long digital journey, wait for it he placed in the usb to spdif and Wow we where very impressed by the not insignificant improvement in the sound from the Auralic G2.
If your streamer has a USB out I would recommend trying the addition of the Abbas usb convertor.
Yes all Abbas' stuff is good.
What do you guys make of the difference between the 4.1SE and the 2.2SE?
I am not sure what insights I can offer as you are also in the fortunate position of owning these two DAC's.
The 4.1SE (PCM58) presents a big sound stage with tight bass control that is hard to relinquish and keeps you focused on the music. Possibly at the risk of lacking some variety in presentation through the tracks we played. The fast bass response in electronic music is amazing for a small device but my feeling is its detail is suited to a larger orchestral play list which I favor, but others may experience it differntly.
It leaves me wondering about the larger full width 4.0 and the newer 4.2 yes as well as the Hermes
The 2.2SE had me gripping my seat as I am a 3.2 owner and this half width DAC was in fine form. The TDA1541 in my lesser experience than some readers here is a magical chip or is it the Abbas implementation? Definately the sum of all parts
Less detail maybe, smaller sound stage and the bass less defined, then why am i clinging to my seat. Well the vocals to start with, on Mono recordings sounded sublime. Nuances in vocals and instrument timbre flowing across many music genre made for an engaing listening experience.
Unfortunately our comparison ran short on time and the USB to SPDIF convertor that added another jaw dropping moment and another 45min (or was it 90) to our listening meant we only tried it on the 2.2. I would like to hear what it contributes to the 4.1 another day.
Overall, glad of the listening opportunity and experience. I dont have a desert island policy of one DAC to pack in my bag or for that matter one DAC to rule them all. If the music you like is cerebral I would use the 4.1, if heart racing excitement the 2.2. or just get both.
Other takeaways, both DAC's are small form factor and performed fabulously (both are now superseded). Tube selection, we tried 2 GEC 6X5's both ST type but slightly different in the placement of the inverted cup getter and grid and one sounded much better than the other and both where an improvement from the existing rectifiers (provenance unknown as both DAC's have changed hands). Lastly IMO full range horn systems are the way to enjoy music
This is what I found so interesting. The owner of the system has had many way more expensive DAC's in his system. This exercise in part was to test synergy with his amp and speakers without necessarily a very large outlay. I have both a 4.1 and a 3.2 Abbas DAC and what was the "get out of here" moment was that I have not heard my 4.1 sound so good in my system. To me It challenges the price concept firmly and the results told me to look at my system and most definitely the tube selection. It is a tube DAC that found great synergy in this system and maybe not others.
Now an Abbas convert he may look to get a larger format DAC that could be a fare comparison to the Acuhorn? I dont know of one where I live but did contact them to establish if it where still available, as at that point in time I recalled your previous post. This gentleman was wanting to try something different so we started with my 3.2. The Larger format Abbas does offer a little bit more and for the price point comparison to return in sound quality gain still represents good value.
Comparisons of DAC's are difficult in my book as this becomes about topology, synergy and a preference in what you like to hear. As you know the only way is to try and see what works.
For now this guy is lost in Music with his Abbas collection unsure of whether he needs any thing more.
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