I'd like to hear more about how this DAC stacks up to others in its price range, from people who have compared a few and thus have a frame of reference...

I subscribe. I like it. And I like getting annoyed at it.

I will not be purchasing this DAC, all evidence to the contrary. Toobs shouldn't go in DACz.

not even really pretty tubes with lots of glowy things inside?

Edited July 22, 200916 yr by Smeggy

The design uses a balanced dac chip, has balanced outputs, and uses a single tube. That tube only has two grids, two circuits, which means that these numbers don't add up. This suggests that either the tube is not actually part of the signal, of that the output is converted from balanced to single ended and then the tube is being used as a cathodyne phase splitter to make it balanced again.

Also, the headphone out looks like a single opamp.

The design uses a balanced dac chip, has balanced outputs, and uses a single tube. That tube only has two grids, two circuits, which means that these numbers don't add up.

Ooh! Good catch.

I still subscribe to Stereophile....I like it for the pictures

I would avoid this DAC at its price. Everything I've heard in the past from MH is better than average but in dire need of updates/upgrades, and just not worth the price of admission new.

Dan Wright did a very nice mod job on one of their CD players, but he replaced the whole output stage to start (though yes, with tubes).

Cheaper parts, and as dsavitsk points out, some questions on implementation.

All adds up for overpriced in my book.....

There is no Sam Tellig, it's a pseudonym, and Sam [sic] and Roy go way back. Sam made Roy a bunch of money with his unrealistically positive reviews of Creek integrated amplifiers.

I own the Music Hall 25.2 Dac. The tube is only used for the Single Ended RCA outputs. My original intention was to also buy a Cambridge Audio DacMagic and compare them, but I lost interest. The 25.2 handily beats my EAD DSP-7000 DAC. It is the primary source for my bedroom system, being fed USB from my bedroom PC and TOS from a Logic Tech Duet.

The 25.2 is good enough that it

There is no Sam Tellig, it's a pseudonym, and Sam [sic] and Roy go way back. Sam made Roy a bunch of money with his unrealistically positive reviews of Creek integrated amplifiers.

Did Sam laugh his "evil laugh" all the way to the bank?

My understanding from posts years ago on Audioasylum is that Sam's real name is Sam Gillet and that he reversed his last name to get his pen name.

Did Sam laugh his "evil laugh" all the way to the bank?

My understanding from posts years ago on Audioasylum is that Sam's real name is Sam Gillet and that he reversed his last name to get his pen name.

Tom Gillet, not Sam.

either way he's still a tool

Thanks for straightening me out, not that it matters. To me, he's the worst shill among the various audio magazines and has been for years. However, I haven't read any in the last couple of years, so maybe somebody has supplanted him.

either way he's still a tool shill

And that's the nicest thing I can think of to say about him.

Yes, but at some point most Tools are useful.

Sam Tellig was a decent read when he was the Audio Cheapskate. Now he just promotes his Anglophile predilections. He raves about all British products (Even when they are built in China), Creek, Musical Fidelity, Harbeth, you name it if it

Yes, but at some point most Tools are useful.

Sam Tellig was a decent read when he was the Audio Cheapskate. Now he just promotes his Anglophile predilections. He raves about all British products (Even when they are built in China), Creek, Musical Fidelity, Harbeth, you name it if it

Walter's a friend of mine. Walter at one point was a minority owner of Ensemble. I use to work for Ensemble in Arlington, and then Nashua. I quit after the 2nd bounced pay check. I believe that he's totally divested himself of Ensemble. I also hear that Ensemble is a little more solvent these days.

The Harbeths are good, although I don't think they are as good as Sam Tellig makes them out to be.

Walter's a friend of mine. Walter at one point was a minority owner of Ensemble. I use to work for Ensemble in Arlington, and then Nashua. I quit after the 2nd bounced pay check. I believe that he's totally divested himself of Ensemble. I also hear that Ensemble is a little more solvent these days.

I remember Arlington....almost got some Ayre gear there years ago, but couldn't quite afford. Weren't they even their own entity for a while (IE, not partnered with Ensemble)?

Sorry to hear of your issues with Ensemble. There were several folks there (Mark M., Mark P., and Brad come to mind) who left to do their own things. John is running the show now and they are seemingly doing well.

The Harbeths are good, although I don't think they are as good as Sam Tellig makes them out to be.

I haven't paid too much attention to Sam recently, so don't know what kind of praise he's lauded on them. But I have definitely enjoyed what I heard.