Eastern Electric DAC

evan1 · « **Reply #280 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 11:57 am »

Quote from: goldlizsts on 20 Feb 2010, 11:55 am

You probably were at Apt. 101. Sorry, it's your faulty memory; it's Apt. 102, my friend. I was afraid to go check out when I heard banging and shouting next door. Besides, the music was too intoxicating!

And the women in 101 were also intoxicating

goldlizsts · « **Reply #281 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 02:35 pm »

Quote from: bravophase on 20 Feb 2010, 03:14 am

Can you please tell me what input did you use ? Or did you try other inputs ? It looks like the signal is not "caught" or the signal is not sent stably.

Cheers !

Alex

p.s. Do you mean that when your CD player was turned off, the DAC signal light was still on ?

Update -

Alex,

I just did some switching, 3 power cords, 3 coaxial wires, 2 CD players, 2 preamps, and 2 sets of I/Cs. Same flickering on the signal button; the music is just itermittently cutting out. I guess it still points to my theory that somehow something is not working right internally with the unit.

bravophase · « **Reply #282 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 03:24 pm »

Hi there,

If unplug all inputs and let the DAC stand alone, does it happen the same ?

Do you have a optical cable to try the optical input ?

I am thinking if there is any interference goes thru the ground as the ESS9018 mutes if no signal is detected.

Cheers !

Alex

Quote from: goldlizsts on 20 Feb 2010, 02:35 pm

Update -

Alex,

I just did some switching, 3 power cords, 3 coaxial wires, 2 CD players, 2 preamps, and 2 sets of I/Cs. Same flickering on the signal button; the music is just itermittently cutting out. I guess it still points to my theory that somehow something is not working right internally with the unit.

goldlizsts · « **Reply #283 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 03:34 pm »

Quote from: bravophase on 20 Feb 2010, 03:24 pm

Hi there,

If unplug all inputs and let the DAC stand alone, does it happen the same ?

Do you have a optical cable to try the optical input ?

Cheers !

Alex

Yeap,

I did just that also earlier this morning, pulled it, and checked with just a power cord on it. Don't have an optical wire. Doesn't matter, I use exclusively coax, so I presume that side of the signal chain on mine is faulty. I'd like to get it replaced ASAP. Thanks.

bravophase · « **Reply #284 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 03:38 pm »

Okay, please let me know how the replacement goes when you get it.

Thanks.

Alex

Quote from: goldlizsts on 20 Feb 2010, 03:34 pm

Yeap,

I did just that also earlier this morning, pulled it, and checked with just a power cord on it. Don't have an optical wire. Doesn't matter, I use exclusively coax, so I presume that side of the signal chain on mine is faulty. I'd like to get it replaced ASAP. Thanks.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #285 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 03:48 pm »

Shek,

I will send you a new one out on Monday to replace that one that seems to be faulty. I'll send you a check inside the box also to reimburse you for the return shipping of the DAC.
I would call you but you left on my voicemail your number so quickly and my voicemail cut out so I couldn't understand the number.
Sorry,
Bill

goldlizsts · « **Reply #286 on:** 20 Feb 2010, 03:57 pm »

Quote from: Bill O'Connell on 20 Feb 2010, 03:48 pm

Shek,

I will send you a new one out on Monday to replace that one that seems to be faulty. I'll send you a check inside the box also to reimburse you for the return shipping of the DAC.
I would call you but you left on my voicemail your number so quickly and my voicemail cut out so I couldn't understand the number.
Sorry,
Bill

Appreciate it, Bill. That's fast response, shipping out without getting the old one back first. I am next going to the post office to ship this one out then. It's already been packaged.

Have a nice weekend. Again, appreciate it!

Shek

doctorcilantro · « **Reply #287 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 06:03 pm »

Quote from: tubesound on 19 Feb 2010, 11:31 pm

It seems this DAC doesn't have a pure tube output stage as promised. This tube is still just a buffer.

What makes you say this?

roscoeiii · « **Reply #288 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 06:31 pm »

I believe that there are pics of the insides on the Audiogon ads for the DAC, for those who can eyeball the difference between a tube output stage and a tube buffer...

doctorcilantro · « **Reply #289 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 06:37 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 22 Feb 2010, 06:31 pm

I believe that there are pics of the insides on the Audiogon ads for the DAC, for those who can eyeball the difference between a tube output stage and a tube buffer...

thanks. that's why I asked.

bravophase · « **Reply #290 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 06:47 pm »

Hi there,

Just to clarify, it is a tube output, not a buffer stage.

Cheers !

Alex

srb · « **Reply #291 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 06:52 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 22 Feb 2010, 06:31 pm

I believe that there are pics of the insides on the Audiogon ads for the DAC, for those who can eyeball the difference between a tube output stage and a tube buffer...

Well, Alex answered before I was finished typing, but without knowing whether it is a double-sided or four-layer PCB, you couldn't definitively know where the tube connections go by looking at the photo, particularly since there is a switch to choose between SS and tube output.

Besides, tubesound is not interested in this model because the solid state output is "just a waste of money" and the volume control cannot be bypassed.

Steve

doctorcilantro · « **Reply #292 on:** 22 Feb 2010, 07:44 pm »

Quote from: tubesound on 19 Feb 2010, 11:31 pm

It seems this DAC doesn't have a pure tube output stage as promised. This tube is still just a buffer.

stop wasting our valuable time with your utterly vapid speculation. I'm wondering who you work for w/ 20 posts here on AC. Nuforce?

doctorcilantro · « **Reply #293 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 02:18 pm »

I did some low level listening last night for family reasons. Just breaking it in at this point.

Build quality is superb imo. Pots and buttons are solid. I'm VERY happy I can swap the tube w/o having to open the chassis.

I had my Maverick DAC at home from work the other day and and there is some hum and buzz with the EE DAC in place; substantially more which was surprising. I did however switch cables between changing DACs. I now have on a pair of MAC Reference whereas before I had some Tom Tutay Blue Velvets. Speakers are 94db Omegas.

I'll put the Blue Velvets on the EE and see what happens. I didn't get any dropouts when connected via BNC to the Musiland 01 (I will be testing with a Lynx card soon), but swore I noticed the sync light fade out once or twice.

I noticed in the manual that 96kHz is not an option so I wonder if this is like the Peachtree implementation but the inverse; they chose not to use 192kHz and only upsample to 96kHz.

So I'm guessing native 96kHz material is upsampled to 192khZ by the EE DAC???

roscoeiii · « **Reply #294 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 02:38 pm »

doctorcilantro,

Was the buzz and hum there for both tube and op-amp outputs?

Others hearing any hum and buzz?

doctorcilantro · « **Reply #295 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 02:46 pm »

Yes, for both. If I have my Klipsch RF7s still this would be substantial. I'm not pointing the finger at the DAC, just reporting my empirical observations. I have it connected to my wonderful EE Minimax and I think it very well could be the cable. I will be sure to check tonight.

Audioclyde · « **Reply #296 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 04:16 pm »

Re Docilantro's comments about 96khz--I also noticed that 96khz is not listed in the list of rates on the Audiogon ad. Bill and/or Alex, can you tell us what happens when the DAC is fed a 96khz signal?

Most of my library is upsampled to 24/96...

Thanks!

bravophase · « **Reply #297 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 05:29 pm »

When the signal is 96KHz, it is treated still 96KHz. In fact there are some frequencies in among all those listed are supported by the DAC and 192KHz is the highest supported frequency.

Cheers !

Alex

Quote from: Audioclyde on 23 Feb 2010, 04:16 pm

Re Docilantro's comments about 96khz--I also noticed that 96khz is not listed in the list of rates on the Audiogon ad. Bill and/or Alex, can you tell us what happens when the DAC is fed a 96khz signal?

Most of my library is upsampled to 24/96...

Thanks!

Audioclyde · « **Reply #298 on:** 23 Feb 2010, 07:08 pm »

Alex, thanks for clearing that up, and I'm glad to learn that indeed the DAC handles 96kHz.

Is there any 'easy, non-technical' answer to my earlier question re why so many USB inputs (including the EE DAC) are limited to 48Khz?

Thanks again,

Randy

sfox7076 · « **Reply #299 on:** 24 Feb 2010, 12:34 am »

I could not get the optical from my airport express to work with the dac. The signal light was flashing green. What does that mean?