DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender

My honest apologies if somebody thought that my post is a part of some advertising campaign... I have been following this thread for a long time, however as I saw the question about RADA, I thought I should express my experience. I know Dalius (the owner of RADA) and Darius (DaVa) personally, so for me there are no doubts how talented these Eastern European "one man bands" are and I do not see any problem to say it loudly. Sorry, I did not know that I had to write 1000 posts and donate 200€ before letting myself say something good about one or another company or creator, especially from Eastern Europe...
 
My honest apologies if somebody thought that my post is a part of some advertising campaign... I have been following this thread for a long time, however as I saw the question about RADA, I thought I should express my experience. I know Dalius (the owner of RADA) and Darius (DaVa) personally, so for me there are no doubts how talented these Eastern European "one man bands" are and I do not see any problem to say it loudly. Sorry, I did not know that I had to write 1000 posts and donate 200€ before letting myself say something good about one or another company or creator, especially from Eastern Europe...

Dear Tokareckas,

I think most folks will honestly find your reports on these boutique Eastern European analogue products most interesting - please keep the info coming. Pictures of internals / externals would also be interesting.

Best wishes and happy 2022
 
Dear Tokareckas,

I think most folks will honestly find your reports on these boutique Eastern European analogue products most interesting - please keep the info coming. Pictures of internals / externals would also be interesting.

Best wishes and happy 2022
agree, keep the feedback coming. thanks.
 
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My honest apologies if somebody thought that my post is a part of some advertising campaign... I have been following this thread for a long time, however as I saw the question about RADA, I thought I should express my experience. I know Dalius (the owner of RADA) and Darius (DaVa) personally, so for me there are no doubts how talented these Eastern European "one man bands" are and I do not see any problem to say it loudly. Sorry, I did not know that I had to write 1000 posts and donate 200€ before letting myself say something good about one or another company or creator, especially from Eastern Europe...
And thank you for this. I’m always looking for the best solution and any option about the unknown devices are very valuable for me.

The pictures of Rada Precious One are available here:

 
And thank you for this. I’m always looking for the best solution and any option about the unknown devices are very valuable for me.

The pictures of Rada Precious One are available here:


That is a pretty serious build going on there from the pictures!
 

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That’s also my impression.
Few more photos received from Darius.

Do you know what tubes are used and is it transformer coupled on the output stage?
 
Do you know what tubes are used and is it transformer coupled on the output stage?

From his facebook:


Phono preamplifier Valkyrie C was launched in production approximately 10 years ago. It uses 5687 and 6AU6 tubes. The latest version was upgraded with Rada EI bifilar transformer with special silk winding concept as output transformer. It is more than grownup - during these years there was many changes applied in order to make it reliable and with better SN ratio. Valkyrie C isn‘t a copy - it‘s long term project dedicated to new phono preamplification concept trying to get as much as possible from records without compromising audio quality and hardware reliability.
We strongly believe that simple things works better so it don‘t have gain switches, MC step – up transformers or other bells and whistles inside.
Case construction is made from steel with tinted glass front. All casing, hardware together with transformers are made in Lithuania.
Valkyrie C has limited production series Valkyrie CLE
It’s limited by special components inside:
- NOS 6AU6WC tubes
- special Sic diodes in power supply section
- KLE RCA sockets
- plus some other NOS components
Some of NOS components used in limited series can’t be found on the marked so Valkyrie CLE limited to 10-15 pieces.
All these improvements digs even more deeply especially into high frequency fluent presentation making it closer to Precious Once series.
Upon agreement with we can add step-up transformers inside – it’s possible and we do know how to do that. Please contact for detail
 
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From his facebook:


Phono preamplifier Valkyrie C was launched in production approximately 10 years ago. It uses 5687 and 6AU6 tubes. The latest version was upgraded with Rada EI bifilar transformer with special silk winding concept as output transformer. It is more than grownup - during these years there was many changes applied in order to make it reliable and with better SN ratio. Valkyrie C isn‘t a copy - it‘s long term project dedicated to new phono preamplification concept trying to get as much as possible from records without compromising audio quality and hardware reliability.
We strongly believe that simple things works better so it don‘t have gain switches, MC step – up transformers or other bells and whistles inside.
Case construction is made from steel with tinted glass front. All casing, hardware together with transformers are made in Lithuania.
Valkyrie C has limited production series Valkyrie CLE
It’s limited by special components inside:
- NOS 6AU6WC tubes
- special Sic diodes in power supply section
- KLE RCA sockets
- plus some other NOS components
Some of NOS components used in limited series can’t be found on the marked so Valkyrie CLE limited to 10-15 pieces.
All these improvements digs even more deeply especially into high frequency fluent presentation making it closer to Precious Once series.
Upon agreement with we can add step-up transformers inside – it’s possible and we do know how to do that. Please contact for detail
This refers to the different model from Rada - Valkyrie C. I’m not sure if this is compliant with Precious One
 
Precious one is similar to Valkyrie C just it is on steroids:

-has not 5687 but E182CC tube in output
-Also output transformer is amorphous C core not EI.
-Power supply is different it uses tube EZ81 at least in mine
-Also it has 2 EI power transformers and 3 EI chokes.
-IMO it's the biggest differences but I am only owner not manufacturer.

Greetings from Lithuania :)
 
Precious one is similar to Valkyrie C just it is on steroids:

-has not 5687 but E182CC tube in output
-Also output transformer is amorphous C core not EI.
-Power supply is different it uses tube EZ81 at least in mine
-Also it has 2 EI power transformers and 3 EI chokes.
-IMO it's the biggest differences but I am only owner not manufacturer.

Greetings from Lithuania :)

Welcome to WBF. May I know what is the rest of your system?
 
As it was mentioned above, E182CC output tubes are used in the Precious one. This model has handmade chokes and transformers, output transformers - Swedish amorphous steel core, others - German steel core. ROE and silver mica in oil capacitors are used in Precious one and this technical solution gives a great result for the RIAA accuracy.

Some photos of piano gloss veneer cabinet:
 

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Welcome to WBF. May I know what is the rest of your system?
Thorens TD 520 / Jelco 750EB with Ikeda 9 EM modified by Darius (so it's DaVa on permanent magnets)
Garrard 301 now with Aidas very early low compliance - waiting for DaVa Mono
Step-up from Darius
Precious phono + Precious preamp (preamp is in the picture just up)
DIY monoblocks
KEF 107 reference speakers
 
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Bonzo claimed he(Mike L) was one of the serious contenders when he visited here just before corona

I'm a sucker for sleeping giant/out of the box audio (yes, ended up w Zu Lol)
But if I had my wicked way w any cart...would I want one of the usual suspects, or one firmly off beaten tracks?
I used to pine for the Emia Straingauge based on NOS Panasonic cart and crazy tubed energiser.
This on one arm, and yr DaVa on another would do me nicely.

I think Mike L needs to hear this DaVa on his Saskia. Oh, brother...
been enjoying this thread for awhile and could no longer resist. thank you for everyone's thoughts here.

well...ok....i ordered a DaVa Reference cartridge with the 'large' (ey500 tubes) tubed power supply today, and paid my 50% deposit to get in line. plan is for the Saskia, and will have plenty of time to determine the best tone arm for it there.

at some point will need to sell one of my Etsuro Gold's. two is enough.
 
Mike, Saskia remains one of the two or three TTs only that hits me right *here*, and having heard the DaVa a couple of times at Bill's, I'd confidently venture it's a match made in heaven. Somehow this adventure piques my interest even more than your Wadax one.
 
Mike, Saskia remains one of the two or three TTs only that hits me right *here*, and having heard the DaVa a couple of times at Bill's, I'd confidently venture it's a match made in heaven. Somehow this adventure piques my interest even more than your Wadax one.
:cool:

agree......it's got my deep interest too. i already love how the Saskia does things, this doubles down on those things.

how might that sound?:)
 
:cool:

agree......it's got my deep interest too. i already love how the Saskia does things, this doubles down on those things.

how might that sound?:)
Interesting, Mike. The question will become ... is it too much of a good thing or not. It'll be fun to experiment.
 
:cool:

agree......it's got my deep interest too. i already love how the Saskia does things, this doubles down on those things.

how might that sound?:)
Double the love? Gotta be, um, lovely Lol.
 
Interesting, Mike. The question will become ... is it too much of a good thing or not. It'll be fun to experiment.
the Saskia is really a high level belt drive tt with an idler drive. it has that silence and nuance and detail, along with the drive. so i expect it to be able to use the silky delicacy of the field coil effect to the limit.

we will see.
 

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