I have Vlads monoblocs also and yes they do sound nice. I am parking them for the summer and using LTA ultralinear which is tubes without a transformer. Sound good and run a lot cooler. Vlad is building some new high end equipment. I am curious to see what it is about.
Audio Mirror Tubadour V / New and great sounding dac
- Thread starter Rocknroll
- Start date
Hi,
New to this website/forum.
In search of a DAC thats detailed but not bright and not too in your face. I enjoy gear that leans a little dark and musical in sonic signature. Tone and Timbre are key for me. I have mainly tube gear ( Leben CS 600 used with LTA MicroZotl preamp ) and DeVore O93 speakers. Have had several DACS none of which really did it for me and most of which were at some point fatiguing. Have been intrigued by Vlad's Tubadours but have not ever heard one. So, a long winded question. Do the Tobadour DACs lean towards cool sounding or are they more of the detailed slightly bright sound spectrum? Thanks in advance.
New to this website/forum.
In search of a DAC thats detailed but not bright and not too in your face. I enjoy gear that leans a little dark and musical in sonic signature. Tone and Timbre are key for me. I have mainly tube gear ( Leben CS 600 used with LTA MicroZotl preamp ) and DeVore O93 speakers. Have had several DACS none of which really did it for me and most of which were at some point fatiguing. Have been intrigued by Vlad's Tubadours but have not ever heard one. So, a long winded question. Do the Tobadour DACs lean towards cool sounding or are they more of the detailed slightly bright sound spectrum? Thanks in advance.
I'd recommend listening to a Merason DAC1. I have not heard one, but from all reviews and user reports I have read it aligns with your preferences.
Tubadour DACs are not dark. They are musical. They don't lack detail, though, and as the iterations progress resolution and transparency (neutrality) improves (at least that was my experience with Tubadour III and Tubadour IV).
My guess, based on your description, is that a Tubadour III may be more to your liking than a Tubadour IV or Tubadour V. It's the DAC that put Vlad on the map. He might build one for you if you asked. Used Tubadour III DACs occasionally appear for sale.
Once output transformer coupIing comes into play (Tubadour IV and V), some of the "romanticism" of the Tubadour III is lost (but resolution and tonal balance improves).
It'd be worth your time to audition a Tubadour (buy one and request an audition/return period). You will pay for round trip shipping if you return it.
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I am enjoying the V, but not good with descriptions. Definitely not fatiguing to me. Listening to my cds, I'm hearing music I didn't notice before. I would say neutral, not bright, but detailed. Nice separation between instruments with a good sound stage as far as depth and height.
Vlad has discontinued the Reflection monoblocs and has a new, much more expensive version, Addiction, still using the 6C33C tubes and 45W monoblocks. I talked with him yesterday, and he said he has sent the new amps out for review and is building a second set, and will update the web page with photos and more details. I'm looking forward to seeing what changes he made and how they compare with the Reflection.
I applaud Vlad for his quest to improve, but I have to admit I'm rather sad that he's decided to discontinue the Reflection amps because they really were a tremendous value. Used Reflection amps with the most recent transformers are a terrific bargain for anyone with speakers to match.
I have over 100 hours on it now. This is my assessment as well. It is not bright. It is detailed but not in the analytical sterile sense. It still has the musical and organic sound that is non fatiguing for long listening sessions. I don't need to have the nth degree of detail. Instrument separation and sound stage has increased from the III. It is not night and day different but it is definitely more refined. The bass is fuller and more controlled sounding. Hopefully as Vlad refines his future revisions it doesn't lose the organic musical sound that is so pleasant to me. The V has been a nice upgrade and I'm enjoying it.
The beast was delivered today.The Jays is even heavier and more substantial than I imagined. I hooked it up and left it powered on for about three hours. The evening before I was listening to John Mayall so since it was fresh in my memory I played that first. My first impression was smooth as silk but powerful - the iron hand in a velvet glove. Next was the lack of noise (jitter or something) making the music cleaner and clearer.Details/nuances that were barely there before were easily heard but never becoming analytical.These improvements made for a nice natural,layered soundstage.I'm very happy with this transport and very happy that it is a perfect fit in the system.No fussing or tweaking necessaryCompared to the Cambridge CXC IMO the music is sounding at least 25% better. The Jays didn't blow it out of the water.But it is a definite upgrade. If someone offered me a free brand new CXC I would turn it down. I'm already loving the improvement and can't go back.
Since the thread is about the Tubadour lll the Jays CDT mk2 and probably mk3 make a great match with it. I only ordered my Tubadour with coax.My favorite is a silver Voodoo digital cable.The only upgrade I got was the capacitors.It's worked flawlessly for going on four years. I've done a little tube rolling but the original tubes remain my favorite.
Thank you for your impressions. I received mine end of May, and it's truly phenomenal. We had the III, upgraded to the IV, then got the V. For the first time in years, I tried out something other than my Purist cables. I moved Shunyata PCs around the components, and Omega ICs to the monoblocks, and the DAC (and amps) not only kept up, but dramatically opened up the music, the dynamics, soundstage, and intimacy of the performance.
The frequency extension and instrument separation is among the best I have ever heard. When the music layers up with multiple tracks and heightened dynamics, everything remains clear and in its own lane. My wife now wants to sit and listen to music every night. We listen to a wide range of music. Lounge Lizards to Jeff Buckley, John Zorn, Anthony Braxton, Damien Jurado, Bill Frisell, Todd Sickafoose, and many others. What's most rewarding is that even our 4W SET amps can now capably orchestrate Death Cab for Cutie, Pineapple Thief prog and weightier music with the upgrade to the V.
Surprisingly, I found that different power cords from $40-1000 didn't have much of an impact on the sound of the DAC, not anything like they did on my preamp or monoblocks.
In order to connect with the players I always listen for, and require, hearing the background. The clacking of accordion keys, the musicians breathing, the piano bench creaking. The V really brings out the recording space and the humanity in the playing. I also am impressed that not only is the tone spot on--especially piano and violin--but the texture and density of the instruments is so present. Same with the vocals. The tube rectification is key. With the V, I can hear not only the tone of Chris Cornell's or Lyle Lovett's voice, but also the deliberate and delicate control of the vocal chords and the consonants against the microphone.
There is a distinct front-to-back dimensionality that I find makes the difference between a production and a performance. I can be impressed by the former, but only connect with the latter. Well done, Audio Mirror.
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As a happy owner (HUGE upgrade over the DAC in my Goldmund 590) I would suggest 1) Swiss Digital Fuse Box with super piggy tail and 2) Carbide Audio isolation devices. These unlock potential unimagined.
Thanks for the suggestions. Did you replace the IsoAcoustic Tubadour V feet with the Carbide Audio devices?
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