DCC Archive CD output stage upgrade?

Maybe the perfect idea is to use a high- end CD player with the good pickup design and circut, and feed it to a tube-inspired offboard DAC. Expensive ideas. Turn your Hi-Fi habbits into Re-Fi-Your Mortgage habbits But yes, the AH! is a great unit desgign idea and not very expensive.

 

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/tjoeb_e.html

My opinion has always been, a good solidly made CD player will do ya well, I'm not wholly convinced that a tuby CD player will make you walk on water. I've had such awesome luck with the simplistics of a well made midrange CD player. God knows I've owned enough CD playback decks to float a boat.

Final amp stages, phono preamp, even some tube pre's.... your wet but truer sound is best found in these areas, IMO. Experiment...and listen...

[ October 24, 2001: Message edited by: Sckott ]

 

Hey Gary,

A friend of mine used to have an old Magnavox CD player that had been "modified" in a way similar to what you mentioned.

I never heard the CD player because he upgraded to a DAC...

About a year ago I got myself an Omega IV DAC from Audio by Van Alstine. It made the biggest improvement that I have ever heard by upgrading a single component. I use a Sony DVD player and a Philips CD player as a transport (both with coax digital outputs directly into the DAC.) An optical output can be used with the Omega IV, but requires an adapter.

Van Alstine has upgraded the DAC to "Omega Star" DAC, but I have not taken the plunge yet. I think the cost is now around 1200 bucks. At the time I bought mine it was a thousand.

I couldn't justify in my mind spending that kind of money on a device that didn't really *DO* anything, (just made the sound better) so...

...I spent last summer selling off some CDs and video tapes that I didn't really want anymore (on eBay.) I made the $$ in about three months and I gave old Frank Van Alstine a call! The DAC really did make a HUGE difference, but my wife still says that the last set of speakers I bought made a bigger difference than the DAC did. I disagree

I think you would be blown away by a good DAC, especially if you are listening (like I was) to a so so CD player. (Van Alstine says that ANY decent CD player with a digital out will sound fantastic with his DAC so you don't have to spend a ton of $$ on a new CD player to enjoy a good DAC!!)

I hope that my ramblings made some sense. I am just about to fall asleep sitting here...

Tony (the Hawkwind Procrastinator)

 

You're probably refering to the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000. It's a Dutch modified Marantz 4000 (lower low-mid level) CD player. Among other mods, it does have a tube output stage. I'm pretty happy with mine, and I'll be switching out the stock tubes shortly. These other tubes are said to sweeten the mid-range and increase the detail a bit.

Because of its SACD capability, I kind of regret not going for the Sony SCD333ES. It was the changer aspect of its design that put me off, although many other users are happy with it.

I agree with Sckott though, and when I put together my new system next year, will try to include at least a tube power amp. I always wanted a Mac...

 

My sentiments exactly. I don't want a changer, I don't need a changer. I don't want money spent on developing a transport mechanism that I'm not going to use. I'd rather the product either sell cheaper, or have the "changer" money spent somewhere else in the design or development.

Here's my trick for good sound on the cheap -- get a decent transport, and use the ART DI/O as your DAC. I have a Rotel RDC940BX CD player. This was very well-received in its day, but the DI/O presents a substantial upgrade.

ART DI/O

Here's the bonus: it's also a 24/96 ADC with variable tube effect. I've used it for LP rips going into a digital soundcard.

You can find this for around $179 in pro audio stores. It's a steal. Do a search on Audioasylum and you'll find many favorable comments.

 

The AH! can only be purchased through Upscale Audio (www.upscaleaudio.com) which is also an incredible source for vacuum tubes.
I was talking to Steve Deckert, from Decware Audio, (one of the few benefits of living near Peoria, IL) and he said that if you're listening to a digital source you HAVE to have vacuum tubes at some point in the signal path. I'd have to say I agree. While having a tubed CDP might be a necessity, unless you're spending thousands upon thousands for the best ss equipment, you could probably benefit from some ole vacuum tubes in there somewhere!