swt61

Well OK this one may be tamed, but it is indeed beautiful to behold. Naaman's casework (and all around attention to detail) sets him apart, along with a handful of amazing builders we have in our group. But this one in particular really hit a chord with me. Simple but eye catching at the same time. I've had my sights set on this DAC for some time now, as it seemed a natural progression from the Epic Opus ( Opus DAC w/Zapfilter output stage) I had from the Twisted Pear line. And this DAC had a surprise for me. Naaman built in a Mini³ amp into the case, so that it could be used as a stand alone system if wanted. That would be nice for desktop use, meets and for me a reason to pick up those new Philips Fidelio L1s. Not much to say about the sound yet, as I've only just begun to listen, but first impressions do not disappoint. I really like my Adcom GDA-700, but this is a superior DAC from first initial listen. Detail and soundstage jump out as noticeable improvements immediately. I absolutely love the background Blue LED lighting, with the laser etched plexi. Nice touch Naaman! I also love the volumite handling volume control at chip level. This and the fact that all outputs can be used simultainiously (RCA, XLR and Headphone) make it easy to do a head to head β22 vs. PASS F5 shootout. More impressions to follow at some point, but now I'm going to immerse myself in the beautiful, beautiful music. Note that the blotches of the Blue in the 3rd pic is an anomaly of the camera. And it's hard to tell from the pics, but the faceplate is about 3/8" thick, with about 1/4" of faceplate depth around the cutouts.

http://www.talonix.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=8920

Have a terrific day!

Even as a cute little kid, there's a hint of an evil glint in your eye that says..."someday, someday".

Hey Naaman, This one is tempting! http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAQIN-EL84-6P14-Class-Valve-Tube-Integrated-Amplifier-/250985641696?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a6fe8f6e0#ht_2364wt_1139

I hate to be the one to inform you that she's not part of the package...

I never cared for Wilson or Focal top end. And they ain't cheap.

Wait until you see his latest build! Pics to follow tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Jeff!

Not a surprise really, due to the density and hardness. Oil would work as a coolant. It's not like it'll darken the Ebony too much. I'd love to see the Bocote knob when turned!

It's possible that the 110 ohms was chosen due to the jack. Either way I'm glad there seems to be some science behind my perceived improvement over RCA.

This!

I also find that rubbing the knob relieves stress. I bet I could relieve even more if I could get someone else to...but I digress. That really is a beautiful piece of work, and will make a fantastic addition to a fantastic amp! Hmmm, Gabon Ebony side pieces for the T-2?

Yep, T-Amp for cheap, decent sound. If you decide to go moar later, then a PASS design might be nice. However, A nice used NAD off ebay isn't a bad choice either. They made a nice 25 watt amp in the day, and they're reasonable used.

I did purchase 110 ohm cable, specifically for AES/EBU, and the new AES/EBU 110 ohm XLR connections. Hopefully I'm good to go.

Is AES/EBU any different, or is it as susceptible as RCA and BNC? I ask because it's my method of choice, because I think I hear a subtle difference.

No kidding! Jude's a bit spineless, and he's protecting his interests. Nothing new here. Nothing we haven't hashed out 500 times. Why do we care? I understand that we all had a vested interest in that site, but it's not that site anymore. Jude had his own ideas about where he wanted to go, and he didn't ask for our opinions, that's his option, because it's his site. I'm sorry to see the old HF sitting in the driveway up on blocks too, but we aren't going to change that, especially by re-hashing it every month. This site gives me far more enjoyment than that one ever did. No it's not the same, nor would I want it to be. It's what we have built together, and this time the site owner seems to understand us, and our desire for a place to call ours. We need to get past the complaining about Head-Fi. That said, I do enjoy the links to some of the stupid shit people spout over there.

WTF! 52 stars?

Nice boat Chris! Yeah Vicki!

Happy BIrthday!

Elephas, is that you buddy?

I agree, only the most experienced builders, and people we don't like.

Did you scare the waitstaff? Looks like a great time, with great folks!

Quite so. I thought you posted it to provoke thought, and that's never a bad thing. We don't become a better society by only looking at the good things. I was offended by the site, but not by you bringing it to our attention.

Hopefully that website will do more to bring races together by appalling those with common sense, than it will to further the cause of some thoroughly misled hateful people.