My recent audio experience with a Direct Heated Triode DAC

Rx8man · « **on:** 16 Nov 2015, 11:33 pm »

A couple of my good friends drove to my home in Ohio from New Jersey a few months back.

They had been working and voicing a DHT Dac and Preamp for the past 4 years.

I removed my Dac, installed the DHT and fired up the system.

In less than 15 seconds I knew there was something very different going on. I sat there thinking for a moment and paused my CEC transport asking them WTF just happened.

I was hearing music from my system like never before or in any system before in my life.

I began rifling through my CD's to find any recording to challenge this newcomer.

Every CD I played sounded like live music from a master tape source, no joke.

The usual words like analog or digital don't even come to mind, only one word "REAL"

I have had the DHT Dac in my system for a good month now and recently invited my vinyl die-hard buddy over for a listen (he owns a Walker and Hyperion cart set-up)
His first comment after he looked over at me was, "I feel like I'm listening to my own system hearing yours, this is crazy"
He ordered a phono stage from them just from hearing the DAC.

So what did I actually hear?? – Well, music like I have never experienced before.
First each instrument has the correct tone and placement. Details, resolution not like what is usually described here, size and dimension, it just lets the music flow.
These are not subtle improvements, is was a complete sound change!!
They have been telling me about this for some time, but I figured that it was just the usually mine is better talk or certain aspects of the system would be better and possible worse than what I already felt I had from my system.

Now I know what they have been telling me for months!!

Don't take my word for it, try it yourself in your system and hear the difference.

My friends are in the process of offering their DHT products for commercial sales and are sending out their products for audition to a few audio people they know.

If anyone is interested in an audition please email Pete at vujadeaudio@optimum.net, to get the details.

arthurs · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 02:16 am »

I sent them a note. Thanks for sharing!

Rx8man · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 02:43 pm »

You're welcome Arthur, I hope it works for you.

I became a converted skeptic in one day!

kernelbob · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 03:07 pm »

Also sent a msg. I 'm currently using a Yggdrasil DAC from Schiit. It does a great job of retaining the leading edge of transients. How did the DHT DAC that you auditioned behave in that area? I"m interested in all the strengths of a tube DAC, but wouldn't want to lose that "leading edge" or detail recovery in general. Thanks

Audioclyde · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 03:17 pm »

Any idea of the MSRP for this DAC?

Thanks!

sfox7076 · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 05:47 pm »

And what tubes does it use? The big 4 pinners I assume, but 300B, 2A3, 6BG4, etc.?

brj · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 06:59 pm »

Folks, please note that this is a product review circle and not a sales forum. Contact information and detailed descriptions including MSRP are fine, but solicitations of auditions are starting to creep over the line a bit.

Rx8man, I'd recommend reading the Critic's Circle guidelines and expanding your review a bit. More details on your room, system, previous components evaluated, music preferences, etc. will help people better relate your comments to their own experience.

Thank you.

Rx8man · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Nov 2015, 10:59 pm »

"I've done enough reading" I do more listening, plus I'm not an avid, every day writer/reviewer for a living, so excuse my non-professional style.

My previous Dac was a Yggdrasil, very nice Dac, before that, I had a Meitner Bidat.

I have to say this DHT Dac sounds way better in all areas across the spectrum, I cannot single out one, two or three parameters, just everything.

The DHT Dac uses a pair of 101D tubes in the D/A chassis, it also has a separate, Built-To-The-Hilt Power Supply, containing two additional tubes in that chassis (a main and rectifier, can't recall the numbers right now) Pete will tell you.

The whole sonic picture is laid out in the most clear, musical fashion, I had a hard time coming to grips with what was happening at first.

When it hit me, I realized there was way more encoded bits of information that I thought possible, think esoteric LP detail, yes.

Another nice thing is, Karl runs the tubes at low temps for long life!!! I like that a lot.

I will try to answer more questions as this carries, I really think Pete and Karl have a true winner here, they are finalizing chassis revisions for RCA, Balanced and USB inputs (I use RCA only) and it's smokin' even with cheap Digital cables, yes I said cheap.

One more thing, esp. whenever I play older recordings, they really come to life in an alarming way.

JLM · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 12:50 pm »

Just as a heads up, I just got a reply from Peter at Vu Jade Audio regarding the DHT DAC. Pre-production price is $4800, afterwards $8800.

I just had no idea of the price and am embarrassed to have contacted Peter (although he's being terribly nice).

Rx8man · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 03:03 pm »

There are a number of Dacs that are $20K plus that don't sound nearly as good, not to mention Cables getting close to a used car price.

Getting in on a pre-production and the cost will be more than justified after hearing it, this is really meant to be an end of road search, you won't be wondering what's better next.

I'm not wealthy by any means of imagination and I am put off by really stupid ultra-high prices, that esp. don't represent any true-sound-value what so ever.

There are about 5 or 6 of these DHT Dacs already in the field being auditioned now.

I'm just putting this out here for anyone that wants to check it out, nothing more, nothing less.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 03:53 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 18 Nov 2015, 12:50 pm

Just as a heads up, I just got a reply from Peter at Vu Jade Audio regarding the DHT DAC. Pre-production price is $4800, afterwards $8800.

Well, the Lampi GG is well North of $10k and it's a DHT DAC. The Allnic is $12k for a DHT DAC, so the pricing (at least for the topology) is pretty reasonable assuming it's in the same league.

That being said, I think I'll keep hangin' with my Oppo 105 and focus on getting my dedicated mono vinyl rig and NAS going.

Gopher · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 04:15 pm »

While that is true, ACHiPo, the Lite 7 is also one of our DHT DACs and is less than half the price of the Allnic you also mention.

sfox7076 · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 05:10 pm »

Odds are the other tube in the power supply is a regulator. Those are hit and miss in my experience. Sadly, the hit is usually a 6H30 as the regulator.

Rx8man · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Nov 2015, 06:17 pm »

DHT Tube Compliment:

(3) – 101D tubes

(1) - GZ34/5AR4 rectifier tube

(1) – 6C45 Pi tube

(1) OA2 tube

sfox7076 · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 02:36 pm »

That is a very strange tube compliment. I get the rectifier. I get the 0A2 as it is a voltage regulator. The 6C45P (also 6S45pi) is an indirectly heated single triode. I am guessing that it is being used as a regulator, though I think it is a bit of an odd choice. Then three 101Ds. Again, this looses me. The 101D is a single triode (not a double like a 6SN7, 12au7, 12ax7, etc.), so both channels can not go through one tube. What is the single 101D there for? I applaud the use of 101Ds. They are great tubes. I have a pair of We tennis balls and about 10 WE ST shaped tubes. Great tubes. Not sure what these are used for. I am interested in the concept of this DAC, but more from an engineering view.

Rx8man · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 04:52 pm »

sfox, thanks for your keen interest, I sent you a pm.

rajacat · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 05:41 pm »

How do tubes in a DAC improve the sound vs. a solid state DAC? What's the technical reason for adding tubes to the mix? IMO if you want a tube sound why not just have them in the amp or preamp?

ACHiPo · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 06:26 pm »

Quote from: Rx8man on 19 Nov 2015, 04:52 pm

sfox, thanks for your keen interest, I sent you a pm.

Shawn,
If you become enamored let me know. I might be willing to take that GG off your hands

AC

steve in jersey · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 06:48 pm »

Wait a minute... Why are we calling a "DAC" a "Source Component" ?

(Do we have a "Digital Components" Circle over here ? ) (let me look)

Yep we do this belongs in "Multi-Category Reviews". (It would have been nice if my
Metrum Hex DAC comments had been allowed to see the same "light of day" some
time ago , before being "abruptly" moved)

brj · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Nov 2015, 07:23 pm »

DACs are source components per the circle definition: Players, DAC's, Hard Drives, Transports, Tuners, etc

You can see the 1-line description of each circle here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=24.0

Effectively, at the time the circles were established, a "source" was effectively defined as anything upstream of the pre-amp that helped generate the original musical signal. (I wouldn't include devices designed to alter the signal, such as digital room correction devices, etc.) This was likely at least partially a byproduct of how technology evolved. A CD player was the primary "source" competing with record players and had the DAC integrated. Then (audiophile) CD players started to get replaced by separate CD transports and outboard DACs, and then transports were mostly replaced with network streamers, etc..