[woodsyi]

My WE396A tube should be here today. 
Do you have to remove the top cover to swap the tube?

Yes.

[F-100]

Thanks, Woodsyi. 

Well, I got my WE396A tube in my DAC. Right out of the box, it sounded horribly from top to bottom. After 12 hours of break-in, the sound improved a little bit but still way below par comparing to the stock tube.

How long does it take for the type of tube to break in?

Thanks

[tvad4]

Thanks, Woodsyi. 

Well, I got my WE396A tube in my DAC. Right out of the box, it sounded horribly from top to bottom. After 12 hours of break-in, the sound improved a little bit but still way below par comparing to the stock tube.

How long does it take for the type of tube to break in?

Thanks

No more than an hour, in my experience. 12 hours is more than enough time to determine if a tube is to one's liking.

[echo1]

I am getting the hum/noise also starting at 12:00. I have tried a cheater plug and different sources. Tried the USB out to a PClink transport, a internal sound card with toslink, and toslink out with a Turtle beach audio advantage in a different computer,a laptop.
All have noise/hum at 12:00.
 My amplifier is a Darkvoice and is dead quiet without the Paradesea.
So add one more to the list

[Scott F.]

I am getting the hum/noise also starting at 12:00. I have tried a cheater plug and different sources. Tried the USB out to a PClink transport, a internal sound card with toslink, and toslink out with a Turtle beach audio advantage in a different computer,a laptop.
All have noise/hum at 12:00.
 My amplifier is a Darkvoice and is dead quiet without the Paradesea.
So add one more to the list

Does your preamp drive your amp into clipping at (or before) 12:00?

If so read this;
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=34151.msg307114#msg307114

If you regularly listen with your preamp set above 12:00, then you likely have an issue. If you don't listen with your pre set above 12:00, then it should be a non-issue.

[echo1]

 I replaced the stock volume pot in the Darkvoice with an Alps pot which is more linear. So the clipping doesnt start untill about   2 to 4 oclock. I dont listen to it at that volume with headphones, but a speaker system may be different. But 9 to 11 is a normal  level with headphones. 12 to 2 is ear damage area.(depending on how loud the recording was recorded)

[echo1]

Well I just tried another amp. A yamaha reciever and it  hummed also.

[F-100]

I was rearranging the DAC in my system and by accidently I found out that the further I move the DAC away from my tube preamp, the hum will go away. But when I move the DAC close to the preamp, the hum become very loud. So now, I have my DAC about 2 feet from the preamp and no hum. Go figure!!!!

[Gordy]

   We tried that with Captain Humble's dac and it didn't seem to help, but I'm not sure how far away he was able to move it.  It may have only been 6-8 inches to the top of his cabinet?

[Captain Humble]

I was rearranging the DAC in my system and by accidently I found out that the further I move the DAC away from my tube preamp, the hum will go away. But when I move the DAC close to the preamp, the hum become very loud. So now, I have my DAC about 2 feet from the preamp and no hum. Go figure!!!!

Gordy's correct.  I've had it on top of my wall unit which gave me about 9 inches between the Paradisea and my pre.  I then tried putting it on top of my amp which put it just over 2 feet away from the preamp.

[NewBuyer]

Just wondering, did the hum issue ever get resolved, or is it inherent in this piece of gear?

[F-100]

Just wondering, did the hum issue ever get resolved, or is it inherent in this piece of gear?

IMO, there is definitely a hum issue with this DAC when matting with certain gears. However, the hum is not audible at normal listening level  .