Finally got a new DAC (Tambaqui!)

[taww]

@Yorky Unfortunately my entire system has been in storage for over a year during renovation projects that keep getting delayed, so I couldn't tell you! However I would definitely recommend giving it a VERY long time to break in, like several weeks of continuous playback. My experience was that the perceived tonality of the unit will shift a bit during the break-in period and the bass may seem to go missing for a stretch, but it will balance out in due course. Also be sure to leave it powered continuously.

> I believe that the MU1 takes over clocking duties when AES is used.

Not sure that's possible as AES is an asynchronous serial interface - it's really just a balanced version of S/PDIF (or rather S/PDIF is a consumer version of AES-EBU). You would need an I2S or similar link for the MU1 to function as a master clock.

 

[PYP]

I believe that the MU1 takes over clocking duties when AES is used.
Which AES cables have you tried and was any particular one an obvious improvement over the others using AES?

From the Grimm website: "In the MU1 this technology [high performance FPGA based hardware] helps to reduce the errors in oversampling filters of downstream DA converters, by replacing their first, most calculation intense internal oversampling step with an extremely high precision one in the MU1. In addition the low jitter clock of the MU1 ensures an extremely low jitter AES or S/PDIF output signal that improves the timing accuracy of any locked converter."

I tried a Mogami AES, Kubala-Sosna AES and Black Cat S/SDIF. All sounded fine and are different flavors. I preferred the KS because it sounds more natural to my ears.

The Tambaqui will sound very good in two weeks or so, but it took a few months to finally stop improving in my setup. Of course, the improvements become smaller and smaller as time goes by. Agree that keeping it on all the time helps as does playing lots of music.