Abbas dac 2.1 se

[Nuforce]

I'd certainly like to try one of his triode 6080 DACs at some point but whether it would beat my Acuhorn I don't know.

As an aside I recently took my Acuhorn to a Lampizator dealer to compare. We tried it Vs the Poseidon and again a Pacific 2.

Vs the Poseidon the Acuhorn (with PX4 tubes) was superior.

The Pacific was marginally but audibly superior, as expected given the high cost.

 

[limberpine]

The Pacific was marginally but audibly superior, as expected given the high cost.

What I think is interesting is that Abbas seems to buck the conventional thinking that higher cost = better SQ.

We did a blind A/B, single elimination with a group of 50 people and the Abbas kit dac (~$700) beat out everything. Including a mid level Lampi and a $20k dCS Rossini.

This was on a higher efficiency (98dB) horn system

 

[cal3713]

What I think is interesting is that Abbas seems to buck the conventional thinking that higher cost = better SQ.

We did a blind A/B, single elimination with a group of 50 people and the Abbas kit dac (~$700) beat out everything. Including a mid level Lampi and a $20k dCS Rossini.

This was on a higher efficiency (98dB) horn system

Can you remind me again which kit you've got?

 

[limberpine]

Can you remind me again which kit you've got?

The kit we used in the A/B was a kit with the AD 1865 chip in it.

I have a 2.0 kit, with 6bl7 output, but it's not put together yet.

I also have a 4.0 gold with the PCM-58P chip and the output stage of this DAC is a copy of Kondo's Audio Note SRPP stage, based on matched 6bl7 tubes.

 

[Nuforce]

What I think is interesting is that Abbas seems to buck the conventional thinking that higher cost = better SQ.

We did a blind A/B, single elimination with a group of 50 people and the Abbas kit dac (~$700) beat out everything. Including a mid level Lampi and a $20k dCS Rossini.

This was on a higher efficiency (98dB) horn system

Which Abbas dac was used? You mention a kit, what specs and output stage?

Sounds like a really interesting session.

 

[limberpine]

Which Abbas dac was used? You mention a kit, what specs and output stage?

Sounds like a really interesting session.

The Abbas kit we used in the A/B was a kit with the AD 1865 chip in it. I will have to find out which output stage, I forget.

 

[limberpine]

The Abbas kit we used in the A/B was a kit with the AD 1865 chip in it. I will have to find out which output stage, I forget.

5687 output stage.

 

[Nuforce]

Not a fan of any 9 pin tubes TBH. There is a reason he uses 6080 in his higher end dacs.

Resources: The 6AS7G Power Triode Tube

Extremely high linearity tube with low filament requirements capable of extremely high transconductance. Best for OTL amplifiers.

www.atma-sphere.com

Great article on the benefits of the 6AS7/6080.

 

[Nuforce]

Anyone got any more info on the PSYCHE Signature dac?

 

[gerihifi]

Anyone got any more info on the PSYCHE Signature dac?

Hi, as you seem you are on the Hybrid DAC (very different approach to Abbas and for sure something more related to Lampi newer DACs) side with Acuhorn, poland. Are you in any relationship with them?

Ask Abbas about any details, but PSYCHE/HERMES are more or less about his new pcb layout and more options for new Digital output, not changing anything in his core DAC designs.

 

[Nuforce]

No affiliation whatsoever to the Acuhorn designer but having heard both Abbas and Lampizator products I do rate this product.

 

[limberpine]

No affiliation whatsoever to the Acuhorn designer but having heard both Abbas and Lampizator products I do rate this product.

Have you emailed Abbas to ask him questions about his new models?

 

[cal3713]

No affiliation whatsoever to the Acuhorn designer but having heard both Abbas and Lampizator products I do rate this product.

I'm sorry, what do you mean by "I do rate this product"?

 

[Nuforce]

I'm sorry, what do you mean by "I do rate this product"?

Sound quality is exceptional.

 

[Artnet]

Speaking of exceptional.
Had another listening experience with my friend LPG, the new Abbas fan, owner of a 4.1SE and a 2.2SE. This time comparing my Abbas 3.2SE to a 2.2SE. with the USB to spdif convertor in front of both.
Spending several hours on both DACs to become acquainted with the track selection.
It becomes plain that the larger format provides greater levels of detail, harmonics and timbre through a larger sound stage provided from the whopping power amp inside the DAC.
What you would expect really for the different price point. The smaller version is however no lesser enjoyable for listening to music and we spent more time listening to this. Still I am impressed with the smaller format It is just a case of what you want to live with. The synergy of these DAC's in his system is really impressive.
Next hopefully a closer comparison between the 4.1 and the 2.2 with the USB convertor in front.

The take homes from this session is he is moving to the side of wanting to live with a bigger format and for me this new rectifier, not mine YET

 

[Treehaus Audiolab]

Sound quality is exceptional.

Im a big fan of Abbas stuff, Ive always been curious about the Acuhorn given what little I've read seems to be very glowing in regards to its sound. I was a little concerned that it being based on a stock Soekris board it might not have the pedigree, but it seems I am mistaken ;-)

 

[limberpine]

Im a big fan of Abbas stuff, Ive always been curious about the Acuhorn given what little I've read seems to be very glowing in regards to its sound. I was a little concerned that it being based on a stock Soekris board it might not have the pedigree, but it seems I am mistaken ;-)

Which is based on a stock Soekris board?

 

[Nuforce]

Soekris Audio ApS, Products dam1121

Home page for Soekris Audio ApS

www.soekris.dk

This is an extremely capable board with FPGA and Fifo reclocking.

Also, as Lampizator would no doubt agree, and Abbas for that matter, it's the implementation of the output stage that fundamentally impacts the sound.

Obviously there is a difference of opinion on the conversion, with Abbas using older R2R tech Vs the resistor ladder Vs Lampizator's engine which AFAIK is basically a sigma delta chip with the letters rubbed off...

 

[Nuforce]

Which is based on a stock Soekris board?

See above

 

[dcathro]

Speaking of exceptional.
Had another listening experience with my friend LPG, the new Abbas fan, owner of a 4.1SE and a 2.2SE. This time comparing my Abbas 3.2SE to a 2.2SE. with the USB to spdif convertor in front of both.
Spending several hours on both DACs to become acquainted with the track selection.
It becomes plain that the larger format provides greater levels of detail, harmonics and timbre through a larger sound stage provided from the whopping power amp inside the DAC.
What you would expect really for the different price point. The smaller version is however no lesser enjoyable for listening to music and we spent more time listening to this. Still I am impressed with the smaller format It is just a case of what you want to live with. The synergy of these DAC's in his system is really impressive.
Next hopefully a closer comparison between the 4.1 and the 2.2 with the USB convertor in front.

The take homes from this session is he is moving to the side of wanting to live with a bigger format and for me this new rectifier, not mine YET

View attachment 135469

I heard Bryan's system on Wednesday evening for first time in 4 months. I had previously enjoyed listening to vinyl on his Klipsch clones, but had not been such a big fan of his previous streaming effort through the MSB dacs.

The new JBL 2440 compression drivers behind the conical horns seen to have made a big difference in the quality of sound and the Abbas tda1541 DAC was providing music with great rhythm and coherency. Was definitely the best that I have heard from streamed music.