Tranquility DAC

[bhobba]

I remember reading a comment about the matched FETs they use, or the special grade FETs they source then re-match to an even tighter tolerance, so I'm guessing (ass-uming) it would be some type of discrete active output stage (I'll try find the thread/post again)

Yes they do that.  But evidently what they do in their signature is something totally different.  Just spoke to Eric about it today.  The skinny is, and when he told me this I simply could not believe it, but he swears it's true, his chief engineer is also a top patent attorney.  An engineer and an attorney - man that must some smart dude.  Anyway bottom line is under his advice they can't really release any details for a year.  Suffice to say however it sounds exceptional.

I can however tell you this, and Mike agrees, the current output stage is comparable to the best valve stages.

Thanks
Bill

[kajak12]

I remember reading a comment about the matched FETs they use, or the special grade FETs they source then re-match to an even tighter tolerance, so I'm guessing (ass-uming) it would be some type of discrete active output stage (I'll try find the thread/post again)

Y
I can however tell you this, and Mike agrees, the current output stage is comparable to the best valve stages.

Thanks
Bill

bill you have yet to hear a magical system if you think a jfet does what a best valve stage.

[bhobba]

bill you have yet to hear a magical system if you think a jfet does what a best valve stage.

To my ears it is not as good as the Killer.  But IMHO its close.

Thanks
Bill

[kajak12]

bill you have yet to hear a magical system if you think a jfet does what a best valve stage.

To my ears it is not as good as the Killer.  But IMHO its close.

Thanks
Bill

you havent heard the killer at its best yet running it through a preamp is not the answer.

[bhobba]

you havent heard the killer at its best yet running it through a preamp is not the answer.

Absolutely.  When Steve mentioned that's how he did it I knew immediately it was the correct approach.

Thanks
Bill

[bhobba]

I have recently been doing some experimentation with my Tranquility.  I downloaded Pure Music:
http://www.channld.com/puremusic/

It immediately sounded more detailed, lively, dynamic and real.  However it had a slight edginess to it that while it's positive virtues more than compensated for nonetheless was a negative.  I then discovered a feature called HOG Mode.  Tried that - all I can say is WOW.  No edginess and it is now even more detailed, real, and dynamic.  Simply fantastic.  It really is so much better I wanted to show it to Mike but can't raise him to see if I can pop down.  Hopefully he is taking a well earned rest.  Good on him.

The interesting thing is while I have the NAKSA over with Mario for you Perth guys to check out I am using a little Redgum
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/REDGUM-amplifier-SonofaGUM-SG5500-60-60WRMS-/320588820053?pt=AU_Electronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item4aa4952e55#ht_1833wt_905

To my ears it is streets ahead of the WFS DAC2 and the NAKSA even though the NAKSA is a much better amp.  I now believe after speakers the next most important thing is the DAC.

Thanks
Bill

[kajak12]

I have recently been doing some experimentation with my Tranquility.  I downloaded Pure Music:
http://www.channld.com/puremusic/


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/REDGUM-amplifier-SonofaGUM-SG5500-60-60WRMS-/320588820053?pt=AU_Electronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item4aa4952e55#ht_1833wt_905

To my ears it is streets ahead of the WFS DAC2 and the NAKSA even though the NAKSA is a much better amp.  I now believe after speakers the next most important thing is the DAC.

Thanks
Bill

i believe bill it all starts at the source and everything after it is important

[crazikid]

I agree mario.. the source is everything. though all parts of the whole are as important for ultimate music reproduction.

[bhobba]

i believe bill it all starts at the source and everything after it is important

I agree.  But I also believe your speakers need to be of sufficient fidelity to start with.  Speakers like Mikes ML1's, ML3's and SGR's are well and truly in that class so providing you have something like that then IMHO it all boils down to the DAC.  I have seen people spend heaps more on an amp than the combined cost of the Mac Mini, Tranquility and that little Redgum and obtain no where near as good sound. 

Thanks
Bill

[ozmillsy]

I now believe after speakers the next most important thing is the DAC.

I've come to the conclusion that absolutely everything plays a part in what we hear. 

Really annoying actually.   I'd prefer it, if it was a simple matter of choosing speakers and dac,  and then we have a world class system.     But I'm learning that there is more to it than that.

[Hens]

I agree, its only as good as the weakest link.

[bhobba]

I headed down to Mike Lenehan's place to check out the Tranquility with Pure Music on his reference system. I was hopeful it may now pip the prototype of the DAC he is working on, the PDX. But they had made a few changes to it that lifted it to another level and it wasn't to be - it still was better. It must be pointed out it is also more expensive. The signature is the PDX's more natural competitor.

We verified PM in hog mode was better. However we noticed a couple of things - first for some reason Itunes was louder which really should not happen if it is bit perfect. Which is not bit perfect who knows. Secondly it took on a 'cold' character and Mike thought it may have been a bit grungy. I really couldn't hear the grunge thing but the coldness was there for sure. I will have to give Eric a ring to check out what's going on.

Thanks
Bill

[kajak12]

I will have to give Eric a ring to check out what's going on.

Thanks
Bill

no valves or valve rectification so its going to be cold bill you need valves to heat the sound up a bit

[omodo]

first for some reason Itunes was louder which really should not happen if it is bit perfect.

did you disable the EQ in iTunes?

[zenelectro]

I now believe after speakers the next most important thing is the DAC.

I've come to the conclusion that absolutely everything plays a part in what we hear. 

Really annoying actually.   I'd prefer it, if it was a simple matter of choosing speakers and dac,  and then we have a world class system.     But I'm learning that there is more to it than that.

Haha Andrew.... wouldn't that be easy! 


 
Many years ago a few of us were modifying a bit of gear - I think it was a DAC I had built.
There were parts everywhere on the floor, caps, tubes, wires.....

A friend of Stevenvalves exclaimed - "next lifetime it's definitely stamp collecting" - we all burst out laughing


cheers

Terry

[bhobba]

no valves or valve rectification so its going to be cold bill you need valves to heat the sound up a bit

That's a possibility but we never noticed it before.  Eric thought it was a power supply issue - the mac mini should have not been plugged into a power conditioner - Eric specifically warned me about that but I forgot about it.  It does not do it in my system,  Anyway we will get to the bottom of it.

Thanks
Bill

 

[bhobba]

did you disable the EQ in iTunes?

Need to check that.  Chatted with Eric last night and he said Itunes has been mucking around with some stuff in their latest releases related to what he called 'flow'.  It seems for reasons I don't understand it is possible for bit perfect players to have different volumes. I find this a hard to grasp but he seemed pretty sure about it.  Its not that important really since Pure Music is much better and at $120.00 IMHO it's a no brainer.

Thanks
Bill

[rab]

An engineer and an attorney - man that must some smart dude.

I have some knowledge in this area.  To be a patent attorney, you must have a university degree relating to patentable subject matter, so a patent attorney handling a patent application for electronics will (or should) have a degree in electrical or electronic engineering or physics.

under his advice they can't really release any details for a year.

Probably they have filed an initial patent application within the past 6 months. Unless they limit patent protection to within the USA only, their patent application(s) will be published at around 18 months from the date of the first filing. So it seems we will need to wait a year before their secrets are made public.

- r.

[kajak12]

12 months and counting if nothing appears the eric is full of you know what
i really hope that they do have something up their sleeve

[bhobba]

I was just down at Mikes checking out the first production run of his new PDX DAC with USB input. Man this is one fine sounding DAC. It was not even fully tricked out with the top stuff like Duelund capacitors and already it is above the prototype, which is in the same league as the reference DAC Mike was using - and that clobbers a DCS Stack. This is serious stuff 100% for sure. We also checked it out against the base model Tranquility DAC. Now the PDX fully tricked out is nearly 3 times the price of the Tranquility but it was absolutely competitive. Very transparent and analog like. Very beguiling. The PDX just pipped it in bass control and coherency but it was far from shamed. A 'coldness' issue we previously had was completely removed by powering the Mac Mini from a non conditioned power supply as recommended by Eric. For the money the Tranquility is exceptional value. Mike was very impressed. The Tranquility Signature will be a tough challenge for the PDX, but the PDX we will check it out on will be mine which will be totally tricked out with Duelunds and the other top stuff. This promises to be one hell of a comparison and I really would like everyone who can to contact me and I will see if a place can be reserved for this shootout.

Thanks
Bill