Aqua La Scala MKII Optologic Dac Owner Testimonial

[Sablon Audio]

Fwiw I did a fair bit of 12at7 tube rolling in my Riviera Levante (post 5 below). By all means, take it with a pinch of salt since different equipment and function (phase splitter rather than output) however, I wouldn’t rush to pay TFK / Mullard money when the far cheaper 1950's options from Philips 5965 / Tungsram ecc81 / most ecc40 sound so exceptional.

Riviera levante

hola, alguien tiene alguna experiencia con el integrado riviera levante y lo compararia con pass labs

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[Designsfx]

@Emperyan @rgmd11
Hearing these accounts makes me I’m glad that I have left both tube slots populated in the La Scala. Even though it really doesn’t matter to me I find it interesting that there are different recommendations being made. Please inform us on the next clue to the puzzle.

@Emperyan on the Mullard- it sounds like you’re in tune with what you‘re looking for and I think that if you’re more into what that tube is providing you should definitely stick with it! Your comments about being impressed at first but only to tire of it afterwards make total sense. I’m discovering this now with my Lampizator.

I‘d like to have the experience that some here possess (like @Sablon Audio and others) but I don’t have a long history or collection to draw from. Although the Tele’s were a little pricey the pick paid off as it left me looking for nothing else That to me is worth it!

 

[rgmd11]

Fwiw I did a fair bit of 12at7 tube rolling in my Riviera Levante (post 5 below). By all means, take it with a pinch of salt since different equipment and function (phase splitter rather than output) however, I wouldn’t rush to pay TFK / Mullard money when the far cheaper 1950's options from Philips 5965 / Tungsram ecc81 / most ecc40 sound so exceptional.

Riviera levante

hola, alguien tiene alguna experiencia con el integrado riviera levante y lo compararia con pass labs

www.whatsbestforum.com

Hello Mark

That's very interesting about the Philips tubes you mention, I have to say that good tubes really do bring a very "Lush" presentation to music...

 

[rgmd11]

I have read this comment as well. But when I asked this question to Anelli, I was forwarded to the tech guy from the German Aqua distributor. He was totally sure this is not the case and both tubes are being used at the same time - at least for the balanced connection. Therefore I also put in two identical ones, as I can´t be sure about anthing.

I am not sure about your specific "selected" Telefunken ECC81, but the Tele 801S are somewhat different from the regular ECC81 I have tried. The 801S were even more open sounding and holographic. But as stated before, I could never get used to them. I put them in several times and was kind of in awe at first listen. But a couple of days later, I swapped them back to Mullards again, as I fould the Teles to sound somehow artificial. So maybe different taste or different chains.
The Teles do feature a tight and dry base, though.

Reply from Cristian at Aqua about the Tube sockets on the PCB..

 

[Designsfx]

Reply from Cristian at Aqua about the Tube sockets on the PCB..

View attachment 120900

This response is almost word for word what I received from Cristian as well. I’m still going to leave the tubes in place though- too much of a PITA to be bothered with at this point. Thank you for confirming.

 

[Emperyan]

That´s good to hear! So if you are curious to try expensive tubes like the Tele 801S, you only need to invest in one.
But at the same time this means that the triodes need to be perfectly balanced inside the tube as each triode will cater for one channel. That´s pretty tough to find with NOS tubes.

 

[Synaxis]

Reply from Cristian at Aqua about the Tube sockets on the PCB..

View attachment 120900

Hi - can you tell me if when they say the right / left tube if it is looking down from the front or back of the unit?

Thank you!

 

[rgmd11]

Hi - can you tell me if when they say the right / left tube if it is looking down from the front or back of the unit?

Thank you!

Hello

That I would not know, i would e-mail Aqua Acoustic for a definitive answer, they are usually quick to query's...

support@aquahifi.com

 

[Designsfx]

Hi - can you tell me if when they say the right / left tube if it is looking down from the front or back of the unit?

Thank you!

Cristian (in an email to me) also said that running the dac with one tube is not recommended. As for the orientation of the dac with respects to left or right I do not know. I didn’t feel like pulling things apart to check- sorry!

 

[Synaxis]

Cristian (in an email to me) also said that running the dac with one tube is not recommended. As for the orientation of the dac with respects to left or right I do not know. I didn’t feel like pulling things apart to check- sorry!

I agree I would not run with one tube. But I'm guessing it would be OK if I run my NOS tube on the side I use and keep the stock tube in the non-used side.

 

[Designsfx]

I agree I would not run with one tube. But I'm guessing it would be OK if I run my NOS tube on the side I use and keep the stock tube in the non-used side.

Of course- but what isn’t clear is if running balanced used both or if it’s just as simple as right and left. What tubes are you planning on using?

 

[Synaxis]

Of course- but what isn’t clear is if running balanced used both or if it’s just as simple as right and left. What tubes are you planning on using?

I'm currently using Siltech 880 RCA's with Mullard NOS tubes.

 

[skids929]

Any of you La Scala owners listen to the La Scala against any of the Audio Note DACs?

 

[Designsfx]

Any of you La Scala owners listen to the La Scala against any of the Audio Note DACs?

I was on a mad chase for an AN Dac for over a year- I finally realized (for various reasons) that it just wasn’t going to turn out like I had thought it would. I ended up buying a new Lampizator Golden Atlantic TRP3 Balanced and haven’t thought much about AN since. I still have my La Scala as a backup as I know it well but rarely use it these days.

 

[Emperyan]

I was on a mad chase for an AN Dac for over a year- I finally realized (for various reasons) that it just wasn’t going to turn out like I had thought it would. I ended up buying a new Lampizator Golden Atlantic TRP3 Balanced and haven’t thought much about AN since. I still have my La Scala as a backup as I know it well but rarely use it these days.

Interesting! How would you compare the sound of the Lampizator Golden Atlantic to the La Scala Optologic?

 

[skids929]

I was on a mad chase for an AN Dac for over a year- I finally realized (for various reasons) that it just wasn’t going to turn out like I had thought it would. I ended up buying a new Lampizator Golden Atlantic TRP3 Balanced and haven’t thought much about AN since. I still have my La Scala as a backup as I know it well but rarely use it these days.

Thanks for the reply..Yeah I have been on the search for a while finally got one and now I am questioning whether I want it after the wait and hassle to get it. I had a chance to audition the La Scala while I was waiting but never did it because the AN Dac was supposed to come, but then got delayed and delayed.

Now I will be forever curious as to whether I would like that over the AN.

 

[Designsfx]

Interesting! How would you compare the sound of the Lampizator Golden Atlantic to the La Scala Optologic?

Emperyan-
First things first- check out the new release from Inner Prospekt that I posted on the Prog thread- it’s very cool!

Now to the La Scala vs Atlantic TRP3. Towards the end of last summer I ordered a Golden Atlantic TRP3 Balanced- it wasn’t that my Aqua was on the skids or anything it was just that I had read about them for some time and was very intrigued. I had chased the Audio Note thing for a while and decided to go a different route with Lampizator.

When I first hooked up the TRP in my system I wasn’t totally blown away but I knew that being a brand new device and that it is ABSOLUTELY dependent upon the tubes that are being used I decided to wait it out and see where things went.

Using a AES distribution amp I’m able to send the same source to four different dacs and route each through its own channel on my REF 6 preamp. This allows for A/B comparisons at the push of a button and retains the proper output between channels after level matching.

The first week was a little rocky as the tubes that were sent with the dac just didn’t gel with my system. I was using a quad of LinLai dream KT88’s and a Sophia Aqua 274B rectifier. Even with these new tubes and no break in I could hear where the TRP was ahead of the La Scala- particularly in the upper frequency detail, scale of the overall image and in the low frequency response. The area in which the La Scala still excelled over the TRP was in the rendering of mid range frequencies, which anyone who’s used a La Scala knows are excellent.

After about 50 hrs of run time on the TRP I realized that the tubes (KT88) were probably what was holding things back in this so I replaced them with a quad of 6L6GC’s and that’s when things changed for the better. The TRP has a much bigger presentation compared to the Aqua- everything is just more present. After adding the 6L6 quad the treble became much more even through the upper midrange and I noticed a nice extension past that which is the norm with the Aqua. The low frequency response was now past that of the Aqua as well- not by a large amount though.

Jumping to where I’m at currently with the dac I can tell you that there really isn’t a point to where I will be going back to full time use of the La Scala. This was solidified once I started using single triodes earlier this year, a quad of vintage 6J5’s as well as other triodes have taken the TRP to another level.

I still listen to the La Scala occasionally because of its exceptional midrange detail. It’s interesting to bounce between the two and I use it as kind of a datum point to compare how things change with the TRP after tube rolls. I don’t really know how to say much more on the subject so I’ll just close with this- the addition of the TRP and taking the time to find the right tube combinations has definitely pushed my system and listening experience to new heights.

 

[skids929]

That´s good to hear! So if you are curious to try expensive tubes like the Tele 801S, you only need to invest in one.
But at the same time this means that the triodes need to be perfectly balanced inside the tube as each triode will cater for one channel. That´s pretty tough to find with NOS tubes.

did you happen to try any of the Matsu Mullards? Supposed to be similar in materials and Mullard tooled their factories. Just curious as it seems those are more available (not cheap) than the Blackburns. Even found some sealed boxes from the 50s and 60s.

 

[skids929]

I have the La Scala in my system now for an audition now. First impressions are this is an INCREDIBLY good dac. Might lack a little bass weight but otherwise this is better than my MSB Discrete by a fair margin. Im actually a little shell-shocked at how good it is to be honest..I have to put some more tracks through it of course but most of the reference tracks and Albums I use have been impressive to say the least.

 

[barbz127]

this is better than my MSB Discrete by a fair margin

Can you please elaborate on this? I own the MSB at present and have had the la scala here in the past on loan; Ive always had an inkling of wanting to own the la scala or another tube dac.