The dB Audio Labs Tranquility DAC - Wow!

jrebman · « **Reply #620 on:** 20 Oct 2010, 09:45 pm »

Ken,

You will not be disappointed given what I heard at RMAF this past weekend.

I just gave Eric my credit card and a new Signature will be on it's way to me shortly.

The base Tranquility is still wonderful as ever, but I want more, more, more!

In fact, I wish I could afford to hold on to the original so I could use it in another system, but that just isn't possible.

-- Jim

bhobba · « **Reply #621 on:** 21 Oct 2010, 12:43 am »

Quote from: tasar on 20 Oct 2010, 08:39 pm

Bill would you elaborate on the above....not sure what you're referring to ?

Simply click on advanced options and ensure memory playback is enabled. You may like to enable hog mode as well. How to do that has been detailed previously in this thread,

Thanks
Bill

Janedoe · « **Reply #622 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 08:20 am »

To those who have the tranquility, would you think a tube or a ss amp would go best with it?

mamba315 · « **Reply #623 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 08:22 am »

My Siggie arrived today

Have it burning in on some cheap active speakers while I wait for my amp to return with upgrades.

I guess at this point, one can never be too sure. But I really like what I hear so far, and cannot wait to feed this into some real speakers.

rpf · « **Reply #624 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 08:41 am »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 08:20 am

To those who have the tranquility, would you think a tube or a ss amp would go best with it?

Tube. IMHO.

bhobba · « **Reply #625 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 11:09 am »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 08:20 am

To those who have the tranquility, would you think a tube or a ss amp would go best with it?

I think this is a very neutral and transparent DAC that will let the signature of whatever amp you use with it shine. What I can tell you is when I fed it into a budget (but still very good) amp, the Sonofagum, it outshone another DAC feeding a much better amp:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/REDGUM-amplifier-SonofaGUM-SG5500-60-60WRMS-/320588820053?pt=AU_Electronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item4aa4952e55#ht_1833wt_905

My advice is to start with an amp like that and check it out with a few different amps until you get the one you like best.

Thanks
Bill

Janedoe · « **Reply #626 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 11:30 am »

Quote from: rpf on 22 Oct 2010, 08:41 am

Tube. IMHO.

Bill, rpf,

thanks for your feedback. I am currently using a very lean and dry sounding amp. If I am hearing correctly, the tranquility is lean as well. Not sure if the system will end up sounding analytical and lose musciality?

newzooreview · « **Reply #627 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 11:48 am »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 11:30 am

Bill, rpf,

thanks for your feedback. I am currently using a very lean and dry sounding amp. If I am hearing correctly, the tranquility is lean as well. Not sure if the system will end up sounding analytical and lose musciality?

The Tranquility is not "lean" in any sense. It is musical, fluid, and accurate. It will be an open window to the source material and to any colorations in the amp or preamp. If the amp and preamp are accurate and uncolored, and the speakers are neutral then you will be getting very very close to what is in the recording (for better or for worse).

Bigfish · « **Reply #628 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 12:02 pm »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 08:20 am

To those who have the tranquility, would you think a tube or a ss amp would go best with it?

I personally own a Moscode 402AU Hybrid but I think the answer to your question depends on whether or not you prefer sound produced from tubes in your system.

Let us know what you decide.

Ken

bhobba · « **Reply #629 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 12:18 pm »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 11:30 am

thanks for your feedback. I am currently using a very lean and dry sounding amp. If I am hearing correctly, the tranquility is lean as well. Not sure if the system will end up sounding analytical and lose musciality?

Hmmmmm. This is a difficult one. Heard in isolation the Tranquility sounded very musical, liquid, smooth and analogue like and anything but lean and dry. I have heard some died in the wool valve guys describe its sound as hard, but less 'biased' listeners vehemently disagreed with this. That said when compared to a valve DAC some have described as a bit 'hot' it did sound lean and dry - but only in comparison. This in fact generated quite a bit of discussion amongst those that heard it, and the consensus was the Tranquility is very neutral and transparent, while the valve amp was perhaps voiced slightly differently. I know what the designer of the valve DAC was trying to achieve and my gut feeling is he has departed from strict neutrality in an effort to make your average recordings sound real to his ears compared to live events he attends. Now I wont go into the advantages and disadvantages of this approach except to say a lot could be said on both sides. Ok - what is the bottom line here? IMHO it is the Tranquility will only sound lean and dry if you are used to equipment that is not. Do you like the lean dry sound of your amp? Then I don't think the Tranquility will change that. If you don't like it then I would suggest an amp change but only after you have had it for a while and tried a few.

Thanks
Bill

Bigfish · « **Reply #630 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 12:45 pm »

Quote

I am currently using a very lean and dry sounding amp. If I am hearing correctly, the tranquility is lean as well. Not sure if the system will end up sounding analytical and lose musciality?

Sorry, I posted earlier prior to reading your later post! Are you connecting the Tranquility directly to the amp? In my experience the Tranquility does not add warmth to a system. The Tranquility is not sterile or bright sounding and to me (and others) has an analog (turntable) sounding quality to it.

I personally prefer tubes in my system and am currently feeding the Tranquility into a Audio Research Ref 1 Preamp and then into the Moscode which has a tube input stage. I talked to Eric Hider earlier in the week about the possibility of running the Tranquility directly to the Moscode and using the volume control in Pure Music to control system volume. Typical of Eric his advice was to try it to see if I would like it. He commented that the music with the Tranquility to Amp connection would have a very distinct character which I might or might not prefer to the music produced with the preamp.

I look forward to reading more about your system and your results.

Ken

Janedoe · « **Reply #631 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 01:20 pm »

Wow, thanks for all the comments and making a newbie feel welcomed! Yikes I am torn between the pdx and the tranquility! While I seriously appreciate the liquidity and analogue sound of the tranquility (reading from reviews) but it looks like the tranquility is facing some serious competition from the pdx as described by bill. My amps are ss and thereotically, using a valve front end would help with the lean ness of the amp. Not that I do not like the neutral sound, but it may be too much! Ha, what an exciting yet frustating time to be in!

saisunil · « **Reply #632 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 03:05 pm »

I believe that The source should be as true, transparent, neutral and uncolored as possible ... it seems that Tranquility is just that ... the source should be agnostic of tube or solid state in front of it ... it should just deliver the goods ...

Bigfish · « **Reply #633 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 07:19 pm »

Quote from: saisunil on 22 Oct 2010, 03:05 pm

I believe that The source should be as true, transparent, neutral and uncolored as possible ... it seems that Tranquility is just that ... the source should be agnostic of tube or solid state in front of it ... it should just deliver the goods ...

The Tranquility is true, transparent, neutral and uncolored. I think many of us. at least I do, prefer having some tubes somewhere in the system to reduce what I call sterile, clinical sound of all total SS Systems I have heard. It is not that I don't enjoy the extreme detail I just find I tire of listening to that type of sound very quickly versus the relaxing style I obtain with the right tubes in the system.

Quote

While I seriously appreciate the liquidity and analogue sound of the tranquility (reading from reviews) but it looks like the tranquility is facing some serious competition from the pdx as described by bill.

If the USB only connection is not an issue to you I believe you will have to spend at least twice the price of a Tranquility to match its performance. Even if you move up to a much more expensive DAC I recommend you try it in your system before purchase as I suspect the Tranquility is not what is preventing you from being happy with the sound of your system.

I am just bummed out at the moment because my Tranquility is on its way to Ohio for upgrade to the SE Version. I am sitting here with a system without a source.

Ken

saisunil · « **Reply #634 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 07:31 pm »

I find myself in the same situation - being drawn to toobs ...

and I find the best place for me to have tubes is in the Pre section ... they provide slight warmth and glow ... without sacrificing dynamics, drive and transparency ...

But for each person they have to find what works for them ... apparently Ayon and others are doing good things with tube output stages in their source ...

newzooreview · « **Reply #635 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 08:30 pm »

Quote from: saisunil on 22 Oct 2010, 07:31 pm

I find myself in the same situation - being drawn to toobs ... and I find the best place for me to have tubes is in the Pre section ... they provide slight warmth and glow ... without sacrificing dynamics, drive and transparency ...

But for each person they have to find what works for them ... apparently Ayon and others are doing good things with tube output stages in their source ...

A nice alternative to consider in place of a tube-based preamp is the Wyred4Sound STP-SE preamp. I have one and compared to tubes it retains the excellent timbre and vivid realism that tubes can provide but is much more detailed and has better bass than a lot of tubes setups I've heard. It also is designed to mate well with a variety of amps (and certainly handles the Tranquility input nicely). Compared to the amp, I've found the preamp to have a much larger affect on the sound (after settling on the Tranquility as a reference on the source end).

Happy listening!

bhobba · « **Reply #636 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 09:48 pm »

Quote from: Janedoe on 22 Oct 2010, 01:20 pm

Wow, thanks for all the comments and making a newbie feel welcomed! Yikes I am torn between the pdx and the tranquility! While I seriously appreciate the liquidity and analogue sound of the tranquility (reading from reviews) but it looks like the tranquility is facing some serious competition from the pdx as described by bill. My amps are ss and thereotically, using a valve front end would help with the lean ness of the amp. Not that I do not like the neutral sound, but it may be too much! Ha, what an exciting yet frustating time to be in!

Especially for you guys in the US the PDX will be much more expensive. The base grade PDX will cost you guys about $2000.00 and when I compared it directly to the base grade Tranquility there was hardly anything in it. The outcome was clear - get the Tranquility if you live in the US. Here in Australia other factors come into it and it is not so clear cut. The PDX is not the only more expensive DAC to come close to the Tranquility - at least two comparisons I have read found the PS Audio DAC to be comparable to the Tranquility. Here in Australia I found the Tranquility to be one of the three best DAC's I and others have heard. The exact order is a personal preference. The key point however is of those DAC's the Tranquility is by far the cheapest. IMHO the result is pretty clear - get the Tranquility. Well actually what would be better is to come out to the Gold Coast here in Australia where we will be able to compare the DAC's for you and you can choose. Obviously though this will almost certainly not be practical so you will have to base it on others who have done that opinions. Having done that I recommend the Tranquility in your situation. I personally have both the PDX and Tranquility.

Thanks
Bill

jdbrian · « **Reply #637 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 09:49 pm »

Hi folks

I have had my Tranquility for about a week now. It got hung up in Canadian Customs and took forever to get here, but the wait was worth it.
I have a W4S STI500 integrated amp and GR OB7's. I find this DAC is a delicious match with the W4S amp. It does not sound dry or lean to me at all. In fact it is much fuller and real sounding then my old DAC a Behringer DEQ2496. I would say it is neutral(natural) overall. This thing sounds beautiful with everything I play on it. Classical, Jazz, Blues, Country or whatever. I was the biggest sceptic out there about this product. Believe me this is the real deal, a genuine game changing product IMO.
In my system I can now listen much louder without suffering from listening fatigue. So this 16bit solution has more dynamic range in my listening room than the 24bit 96K Behringer.

Cheers
Brian

bhobba · « **Reply #638 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 10:07 pm »

Quote from: Bigfish on 22 Oct 2010, 12:45 pm

In my experience the Tranquility does not add warmth to a system. The Tranquility is not sterile or bright sounding and to me (and others) has an analog (turntable) sounding quality to it.

I think that sums it up very well. The Tranquility is not dry - it only sounds that way when compared to a DAC that is warm - since it adds no warmth of its own. That is probably the better approach since once warmth is added it is hard to get rid of.

Thanks
Bill

Janedoe · « **Reply #639 on:** 22 Oct 2010, 11:21 pm »

I do agree that the preamp is a good place to add some tubes. I have heard a tube preamp in my system and while it is difficult to say that it is an improvement, but it certainly gives a more immersive experience. A different sort of presentation. Also the point that the source should be transparent and neutral does certainly make sense. One can then muck around with the preamp to get the sonic qualities to their taste.