Van Alstine Transcendence Eight Tube DAC on A'gon $779

Art_Chicago · « **on:** 17 Feb 2009, 09:23 pm »

...the price looks right, the warranty is up to 2011, no shipping cost

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1240029007&/Van-Alstine-Transcendence-Eigh

rcag_ils · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Feb 2009, 12:09 am »

But looks like he stole the picture from another sold unit. I thought it was the same unit, but the sellers had different names.

JerryM · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 02:05 am »

It's down to $650.00 now. That's a steal on an incredibly musical DAC!

Have fun,
Jerry

oneinthepipe · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Mar 2009, 05:51 am »

There is another T8 DAC, originally purchased in 11/08, according to the listing on a'gon, that has been reduced again to $699.00, including shipping.

Triode Pete · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Mar 2009, 11:02 pm »

Is there any recommended digital cable to use on the Van Alstine Transcendence Eight Tube DAC? Will any transport do a good job? Any suggestions or opinions welcomed.

Thanks,
Pete

mark funk · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Mar 2009, 11:15 pm »

I use Belden cable from BJC and a $40 Philips 3140 as a transport with a Transcendence-R DAC for a few years now, works well for my.

Mountain-ear · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Mar 2009, 02:07 am »

I also use a Belden digital (coaxial) cable from Blue Jeans Cable with my Insight DAC. I have a used Theta Data Basic as my transport. The transport is built like a tank, but many of the older ones have a problem with the drawer mechanism. A replacement gear is readily available on eBay if you are mechanically inclined. If you can believe it. someone listed a brand new face plate for a Theta Data Basic on eBay not long ago and I snatched it up. It had to be 10 -15 years old. Made my old player look like new again. The wonders of eBay...

Steve

oneinthepipe · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Mar 2009, 02:25 am »

I had trouble with the 39.99 Philips DVP. The DVP threw noise into my system from the moment the DVP's power was turned on. Frank hypothesized that the DVP was throwing some RF into the system; someone else hypothesized that the DVP's cheap switching power supply was throwing dirty AC into the line. Either way, the fix was easy. I hooked up a 21 year old CDP as a transport, and, voila, audio bliss. Needless to say, I got rid of the Philips DVP. I am currently using a Marantz CD5001 without any problems. There are some good deals on CDPs on a'gon, but if you want to buy a brand new piece, I don't have any complaints about the Marantz @ 299.00, which included shipping. I am sure that there are better transports, but the Marantz will get the job done until Frank decides to produce a transport.

I also use Blue Jeans Cable's interconnects.

BrianM · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Mar 2009, 05:19 pm »

I noticed that $40 Phillips player was distinctly noisy as well. Figured that probably wasn't going to help matters and found a much quieter one from Sony. An inexpensive Belden coax is all you need for crystal clear, full-range full-dynamic musical playback from AVA gear. Feel free to try something fancier once you've got the Belden, and if you can hear a worthwhile difference, there you go. But definitely start with the Belden or something comparably priced and well-built.

turkey · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Mar 2009, 03:07 pm »

I've got a $40 Philips DVD player, and it's always worked just fine. I have it feeding my Insight DAC, and just recently also hooked it up via Toslink to a Spherex Xbox 5.1 system. It does a good job in both systems and I haven't noticed any noise from it.

martyo · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Mar 2009, 03:43 pm »

My brother had the Marantz and it was noisy, replaced it with the $40 Phillips and all is well. I'm like Brian, I've had 4 Sony's, 3 DVD's and one Blu-Ray(PITA) with my Ultra DAC. I'm using a DVD now. Awhile back there were a couple others that had noisy Phillips, and others that had no problems with theirs. Appears that their QC could be better. If you buy any cheapo one, and it seems noisy, it could be the player. I also use the same Belden coax as Brian.

mark funk · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Mar 2009, 06:56 pm »

Ya it seams to be kinda hit or miss with some of the cheapo CDP and DVD used for transports. Ya I tried a Marantz 5400 for $100 but the right channel had this pop corn sound, I though I had a tube going bad, but no it was the Marantz so I went to one of those big box stores and picked up a Philips 3140 for $40 bucks and it has been working just fine for a few years now.

Triode Pete · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Mar 2009, 10:42 pm »

Thanks everyone...currently using a Toshiba SD-5000 transport with the T-8 DAC...very quiet!

Also ordered the Blue Jeans digital cable (Belden 1694A)...thanks for the recommendations!

Audios,
Pete

turkey · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 04:04 pm »

Quote from: Triode Pete on 9 Mar 2009, 10:42 pm

Thanks everyone...currently using a Toshiba SD-5000 transport with the T-8 DAC...very quiet!

I refuse to buy Toshiba products. I've been boycotting them since 1987.

martyo · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 04:08 pm »

Quote

Quote from: turkey on 10 Mar 2009, 04:04 pm
Quote from: Triode Pete on 9 Mar 2009, 10:42 pm
Thanks everyone...currently using a Toshiba SD-5000 transport with the T-8 DAC...very quiet!

I refuse to buy Toshiba products. I've been boycotting them since 1987.

Thanks for sharing.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 04:15 pm »

Quote from: turkey on 10 Mar 2009, 04:04 pm

Quote from: Triode Pete on 9 Mar 2009, 10:42 pm
Thanks everyone...currently using a Toshiba SD-5000 transport with the T-8 DAC...very quiet!

I refuse to buy Toshiba products. I've been boycotting them since 1987.

Agreed. Although you do have to admit they have a record of making things quieter!

Brett

Art_Chicago · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 04:47 pm »

What is wrong with Toshiba? Something happened in 1987 that I missed?

avahifi · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 05:37 pm »

They sold the machinery to the USSR to make super quiet running propellers for their attack submarines, a technology the Ruskies did not have previously.

Nice Toshiba!

Frank

rcag_ils · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 06:02 pm »

Frank, I hope this is not the reason why you quit using the Toshiba transistors, I thought we are not supposed to let politic gets in the way of our music listening, some of the Russian music is very beautiful.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Mar 2009, 06:24 pm »

Quote from: rcag_ils on 10 Mar 2009, 06:02 pm

Frank, I hope this is not the reason why you quit using the Toshiba transistors, I thought we are not supposed to let politic gets in the way of our music listening, some of the Russian music is very beautiful.

It wasn't politics, it enabled the USSR to more effectively threaten the United States and the safety of every single person in the world. For $540 million dollars. And who ever defined what we are "supposed to" do? It wasn't and isn't some sort of word game, its deadly serious business. How much beautiful Russian music are you going to listen to when you are blown up?

Brett