Eastern Electric DAC mods

Wayne1 · « **on:** 26 Apr 2010, 04:48 pm »

A week or so ago I was able to spend a small amount of time with the new SABRE 9018 based, Eastern Electric DAC. Alex has designed a unit with both tube and solid state outputs. It uses the 12AU7 tube.

It offers multiple inputs including RCA, BNC and Toslink S/PDIF, USB and AES.

You can switch on the fly between tube and solid state and can also switch phase.

I was able to make some small changes to both the analog section and digital input while the unit was here. The owner of the unit wrote to me that the soundstage had become very 3D and definition had improved.

I contacted Bill @ Morningstar and Alex, the designer. I have received semi-official permission to offer mods for this unit.

In fact, Bill is sending me his personal unit for me to work on. There are quite a few things that can be done to this unit. Alex designed it to a price point. Once you remove that restraint, many options can be offered.

The tube circuit can be modified a bit. The output coupling caps can be changed for a different "flavor". The op-amps used in the I/E section and the output section can also be changed and the circuit optimized for different op-amps. The voltage regulators for the DAC chip, while very good, can also be upgraded. The options for this can get very expensive but I do intend to install some Paul Hynes regulators in some of the sections.

The input switching can be disabled along with the output volume control to eliminate some mechanical contacts from the signal path. A more expensive volume control may be able to be used or the gain of the circuit can be adjusted to whatever would meet your needs. The input switch might be able to be changed out to a MUX type circuit.

I hope to get another unit to work on in the next week or so. I will try to keep this thread updated with the mods I might be able to offer and pricing. I have found the unit is stock form to sound fantastic. I hope that a modded unit will only improve on that sound.

rpf · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 05:12 pm »

Very interesting, Wayne. Please do keep us updated. I was very impressed with the stock unit and would love to hear one with some improvements: a bit more texture (harmonic richness), and better bass would make this a stunning piece.

toobluvr · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 06:05 pm »

I have owned EE gear (cdp and line stage) and it all sounds great in stock form. Of course, they are built to a price point, so if Wayne can work his magic on it, I'm sure it will be even better!

mfsoa · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 06:05 pm »

If you have Bill's "blessing" does this mean that the warrantee remains intact?

Thanks

-Mike

Wayne1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 06:11 pm »

The tube output circuit can be changed a bit to allow a bit more current to flow through the tube. This will help with both the bass response and harmonic texture.

While I have a blessing to work on the units and support from both Alex and Bill, I am fairly sure the EE warranty will be voided the moment changes are made from stock.

woodsyi · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 06:25 pm »

Yeah,

But we can count on your warranty. Right?

I don't remember you ever saying, "that's not my fault and we are not responsible," whenever something went wrong on your modded piece even if you didn't directly work on the troubled spot.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 06:42 pm »

I will cover any and all work that I do to any product I work on. The only problems that might arise is if parts used in the original product or parts I use in the mods become unavailable.

This has happened with the ART DI/O and the Squeezebox 2 and 3.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Apr 2010, 10:25 pm »

Wayne has stood behind his work with me - on a modded Teac he made things right after events that I would not even say were his problem.

Highly trustworthy.

Syrah · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Apr 2010, 01:53 am »

I will second that. Above and beyond.

Levi · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Apr 2010, 02:43 am »

Subscribed!

OPAMPS is a good start.

However, I maybe interested in achieving more gain or s/n ratio.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Apr 2010, 03:38 am »

Greater S/N ratio is almost guaranteed. A hotter output, that is higher voltage output may be possible.

There are some very distinguished experts helping me out with this mod. It should be fun to see how much performance we can wring out of an already great sounding DAC.

Levi · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Apr 2010, 04:45 am »

Thanks Wayne. Please keep us up-to-date. It looks like you already have potential customers.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Apr 2010, 02:32 pm »

Paul Hynes and I have communicated. He is very willing to help out with fine tuning the power supply. He has very intimate knowledge of the requirements of the ESS9018 chip.

I have also been in touch with Occam about op-amps. I have quite a few of various models that he has suggested on order to initially try out. I can then fine tune the circuit to get the best out of them. The new copper V-Caps may be an option.

All of this is going to cost some coin. I can see the parts cost alone easily double the selling price of the DAC.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Apr 2010, 07:43 pm »

Paul Hynes regulators on order now. Those parts alone are close to 90% of the selling price of the EE DAC. Lots of op-amps on order. The next victim is on the way to Colorado.

I will also be looking at alternative regulators that while not as expensive at the Hynes, will be a bit better than stock.

Carlman · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Apr 2010, 06:12 pm »

Just let me know when you need to do a DAC comparison.. I built a big room just for that purpose.. I'll be glad to have a nice event around it and even host some out of town guests. I'd love to have you visit, Wayne..

(And I may be able to talk Bill into coming down too!)

Wayne1 · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Apr 2010, 07:42 pm »

Carl,

Bill's DAC just made it to Colorful Colorado. I will start doing nasties to it shortly. I do not think I can make it out east for some time. My wife is getting her knee replaced in a couple of weeks and will be in recovery for 3 months. Maybe Bill can bring it out to you for a comparison in the late summer.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 May 2010, 07:04 am »

Once Wayne does his magic to my EE DAC I'm sure I will fly out to Carl's place for a quick 2 day listen. By that time Carl will have one of our stock DAC's on hand and should be pretty familiar with what it does as soon as the next shipment comes in as I promised him an audition.
I'll fly out with modded DAC in hand and maybe we can do a side by side comparison. I owe Carl and his lovely wife a sushi dinner from the last time I visited the NC audio club meet.They were kind enough to even put me up for the night. Bar none, just some of the nicest warm hearted people on the planet. Heck, maybe I can get my wife to come with just to monitor my scotch intake

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 May 2010, 12:49 pm »

Wayne and Bill:

Will you have a demo set up at the RMAF? Maybe a stock DAC versus a modded DAC.

Cheers
Charlie

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 May 2010, 04:15 pm »

Charlie,
I would imagine Wayne would want to show the modded DAC. You only have so much time per possible customer to make an impression and the traffic flow is usually pretty quick as folks like to try and visit all the rooms. Of course some keep coming back to the room saying "this is one of the most musical rooms at the show"

poseidonsvoice · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 May 2010, 12:36 am »

Quote from: Wayne1 on 30 Apr 2010, 07:42 pm

Carl,

Bill's DAC just made it to Colorful Colorado. I will start doing nasties to it shortly. I do not think I can make it out east for some time. My wife is getting her knee replaced in a couple of weeks and will be in recovery for 3 months. Maybe Bill can bring it out to you for a comparison in the late summer.

Here is to a speedy recovery to your wife Wayne and good luck on her surgery. We all get caught up in this audiophile biz but I sure wouldn't be in this hobby if I didn't get a smile from my s.o. every now and then.

Anand.