Golden Gate DAC arrives.

[khonfused]

I think we all more or less agree on the virtues of the Elrog 300b tubes in the GG. Although I was very hesitant to try them out due to their unreliability in the end I bought a pair. I have been so happy with their performance in my Tidal LA set up that I have not tried any of the other tubes that I have available such as a pair of Takatsuki 300B
tubes and a pair of the mesh tubes lukasz introduced a while back. Maybe I have been - just as Mike - lucky (so far) but my Elrogs are reliable. According to some the latest batches of Elrog tubes are (much) more reliable than their first 300B output. At the same time I have not made the step to insert them in my Kondo Gakuoh amps although I need a new quad of 300B tubes. Apparently I am still feeling somewhat uneasy about them.

Would be great if you could find the time to install those Taka 300b and give us your feedback.

 

[khonfused]

Which batch is yr Elrogs? I was contemplating getting them but jheld back due to reports of reliability. I bot the eml 45.mesh and thought they paired up well with Taka 274b

They are supposed to be from the latest batch and there were no problems at all over the last few months, warranty is still valid until the end of the year.
The EML 45 Anniversary Globe Lampi Edition is a nice combo with the Taka 274b, I just tested them again against the regular EML 45 and in another combination with the regular EML 5U4G.
They are both better alone and together as a combo. More definition, sweeter midrange and more details.

 

[Jazzhead]

View attachment 27713

Yummy pic

 

[Audiocrack]

Would be great if you could find the time to install those Taka 300b and give us your feedback.

First of all I need to get my Kondo Gakuoh amps up and running again. See the thread I started on WBF with the question which 300b valves I should choose for them. And I am somewhat reluctant to remove the Elrogs because they seem - as Al reported - vulnerable when changing them.

Guys, for what 300b tubes choose I opt as regards my Gakuoh amps?

 

[bonzo75]

AC, you are the only one who owns both Tak and the Elrog.those are the two obvious choices. If you send both over, Bill and I could listen to them and give you an opinion . The other one at lower cost that are considered very good are EML mesh.

 

[Audiocrack]

AC, you are the only one who owns both Tak and the Elrog.those are the two obvious choices. If you send both over, Bill and I could listen to them and give you an opinion . The other one at lower cost that are considered very good are EML mesh.

Ha, thanks Ked for your very kind offer but I think I will pass for the moment.??

Btw, I think you should not rule out one other serious alternative, at least for the Kondo Gakuoh amps for which they were specially developed: Definitive / KR audio new 300b Living Voice valves. You can find those on Definitive's website as I wrote in the WBF thread that I started on 300b tubes. Any of you guys who went to the Munich High End show heard those tubes in Kevin's demo room?

 

[wisnon]

Ha. You definitely should own the 242

Don't forget the Px-25 as word on the street has it that it is a steroidal Px-4. The latter has a beauty to behold IMHO and the benefit from being the quietest of all the tubes. If the Px-25 ups the ante with extra punch, speed, and dynamics, that might just be heaven for me.

Shhhh!

Hush man, dont want the floodgates open till I manage to score a pair. LoL

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi Fellow GG'ers,

I see all things have gone to Atlantic on the other thread so thought I would post this in the dedicated GG thread.

I have received my GG back with the new super clock and 512 dsd engine. I have only tested PCM and double dsd so far but the performance hike with the super clock is really awesome - I am getting:

> increased resolution (quite a lot more actually)
> instrument sounding even more real - I think this is the extra resolution allowing me to hear the timbre more so than even before
> deeper and textured bass
> big liquid soundstage - I gained more depth and width
> very engaging indeed

Anyway - all GG owners need super clock - the end

 

[Alrainbow]

Hello thanks for the post can you post what you use as a source , meaning server ?
Thanks

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hello thanks for the post can you post what you use as a source , meaning server ?
Thanks

Hi Al,

At the present time I use an Auralic Aries with various tweaks or oppo for discs or windows 10 laptop into ifi iusb and hqplayer or bughead emperor.

I don't have the SGM server with me any more as I completed my review of that - would be good to try the 512 out though!

Cheers

 

[thedudeabides]

At the present time I use an Auralic Aries with various tweaks

Hi Bill,

What tweaks have you done to the Aries?

Best

 

[Alrainbow]

If I may ask how much better was he SGM server than Aries
My reference server is pretty tricked out but not a SGM .
Just wondering what it sounded like over what you have.
Also is there a link to your review ?

 

[paul79]

Hi Bill,

What tweaks have you done to the Aries?

Best

I know of one that works wonders for the Aries, and that is to power it with an SBOOSTER power supply along with the optional extra filter module. Yes, even over the stock linear supply. Quite a significant upgrade. The Aries also works very well with the Totaldac USB Cable/Filter. I demonstrated this to the rep for Auralic at the time, and he couldn't believe what he heard.

 

[bonzo75]

I know of one that works wonders for the Aries, and that is to power it with an SBOOSTER power supply along with the optional extra filter module. Yes, even over the stock linear supply. Quite a significant upgrade. The Aries also works very well with the Totaldac USB Cable/Filter. I demonstrated this to the rep for Auralic at the time, and he couldn't believe what he heard.

Have you compared this to any of the Aurender models?

 

[wisnon]

Hi Al,

At the present time I use an Auralic Aries with various tweaks or oppo for discs or windows 10 laptop into ifi iusb and hqplayer or bughead emperor.

I don't have the SGM server with me any more as I completed my review of that - would be good to try the 512 out though!

Cheers

Didnt Mark offer to lend you the SGM server for another go-around. Now that you have Superclocks installed you are in a perfect position to evaluate and let us know...

 

[paul79]

Have you compared this to any of the Aurender models?

No. I use the totaldac d1 server with the separate supply feeding server module. This is by far the best digital source I have tried. I have compared the Aries to the microRendu though, and IMO, the Aries is better. It sounds more direct. It's more expensive though.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi Bill,

What tweaks have you done to the Aries?

Best

Hi Dude,

I have a custom made sablon cable from Aries Lps to Aries itself. I have SR black in Lps. I have custom sablon USB cable without 5v power line from Aries to GG. I have ers paper in Aries. With these tweaks and software v4.0, the performance has really climbed.

I made an isolation plinth for Aries Lps too and of course added Shun Mooks

 

[Audiophile Bill]

If I may ask how much better was he SGM server than Aries
My reference server is pretty tricked out but not a SGM .
Just wondering what it sounded like over what you have.
Also is there a link to your review ?

Hi Al,

The SGM is a very, very serious machine indeed. Please see review:

http://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/sound-galleries-monaco-server-sgm2015/

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Didnt Mark offer to lend you the SGM server for another go-around. Now that you have Superclocks installed you are in a perfect position to evaluate and let us know...

Mark did very kindly offer me the chance and brought it over to my house - alas my GG 512 upgrade developed a fault and so the GG went back to Poland for repair. I received my GG back now and all is working so I would be in position to test it out - would need to twists Mark's arm to get it over again though

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Put some more hours in on the GG with super clock.

Interesting because I felt that prior to installlation of the super clock that the r2r PCM engine was very close to the dsd engine and did not lose out by much. The super clock has widened the gap once again in favour for dsd imo. I remember reading that the dsd conversion process was particularly susceptible to jitter so perhaps the super clock has lowered the jitter a lot thus improved the dsd by a larger magnitude. Don't get me wrong though, cos the PCM is by far the best I heard it too.