Tube DAC

[AlexanderSP]

Hi there, I intend to buy a new DAC. I saw somewhere (I can't recall where) one DAC using Tube technologies with preamp and line in. Anyone knows somethig about such a thing? Tks

 

[ID.]

Clicky?

 

[AlexanderSP]

thank you. i saw this:
Quad PA-One Headphone Amplifier / DAC... did you know it?

 

[ID.]

Unfortunately not, but a quick Google makes it sound interesting. As it's a fairly niche market I'm not really aware of that many products that combine all of those functions. Even the range of products that are combined DAC/preamps is fairly limited. Once you start getting tubes involved it narrows even further.

I guess other options would be to use a regular DAC with a tube preamp, but then you increase the box count and power cables, etc. For example, I've contemplated using this to introduce some tubes into the chain in my system. Their more expensive tube headphone amps can also be used as preamps and they stack neatly with the DACs in the same price class. Still not as neat as an all in one unit.

 

[MykhailM]

I also recommend to audition a well made Tube DAC design I think one can be surprises by naturalness and a clean detailed sound. I personally hared quite a few Op-Amps DACs and to me Tube DACs where sounding more open almost 3D sounds that hangs in the air. Of course all there audio components in a musical chain needs to support and maintain the clarity of the sound, but to have a good DAC is definitely worth it. Once you experience that sound you wouldn`t go back to other choices. But I have to say that the tube DAC needs to we genuine tube output stage, another words from the processor to the tubes out into your RCA sockets.