Promitheus DAC anyone?

rollo · « **Reply #60 on:** 5 Jul 2007, 07:56 pm »

Hey Guys,

What digital cable and powercord are you using with DAC? We have found that the SteroVox cable works quite well. If you have any suggestions feel free to tell us all.

rollo.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #61 on:** 5 Jul 2007, 10:41 pm »

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What digital cable and powercord are you using with DAC? We have found that the SteroVox cable works quite well.

rollo,

I have tried quite a lot RCA and/or BNC digital cables. It is all depending on your CDP or SB3 and DAC you are using and also the most important factors are your preamp, amp and ICs. I have experimented so far three different RCA digital cables Harmonic Tech Cyberlink Platinum (copper), Audio Consulting (silver) and Homegrown (copper). The best one in my system is HT Platinum and second best is Silver Audio Consulting. I am connecting them between modded SB3 and Promitheus DAC. I will try the Stereovox VX2 and Blue Jeans (BNC)and Zu Ash (RCA).

I have used a custom made PC but Nick will send me his own built PC (only for the Promitheus DAC).

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #62 on:** 9 Jul 2007, 04:39 pm »

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I do not have NOS Paradisea DAC but I listened to it before from my friend. So I can not answer and help you to solve your troubleshooting of your DAC. Let the experts do the job.

In my opinion, the sound of Paradisea was not impressed (using TDA1545A) even though I have MHDT Reneaissance II (using TDA1543) which I did not like the sound in the first couple weeks. But I still love the analog sound of it after couple modifying tips in the signal path. I have had good impression with TDA1543 DAC chips since they sound more analog than 1545A (to me it is analytical). However, after listening to Promitheus SS DAC (using parallel TDA1545A or each channel has one chip-I am not sure) I have a good impression with TDA1545A. It sounds very very analog especially with vocals with seperation and decays (it is still in a break-in time). In other words, the Promitheus DAC so far is the best DAC I have owned before including NOS, oversampling and upsampling DAC. Thumbs up

We will have a comparison between Paradisea and Promitheus DACs this weekend at my house. So I will let you know.

highdfever · « **Reply #63 on:** 10 Jul 2007, 10:23 am »

Hi Tan,

Glad to hear the good comment from you, is the DAC also good in playing music such as 1812, Firebird, Carmina Burana, heavy metal kinds of music?

Regarding the digital cable, heard that Blue Jeans, Ack! The digital connect and Bolder Cable company are using Belden 1695A to make the digital coaxial cable. From other forum, it is better than Zu Ash (RCA) but with a much cheaper price.

Cant wait to hear the digital cables review from you.

F-100 · « **Reply #64 on:** 10 Jul 2007, 03:32 pm »

Quote from: tanchiro58 on 5 Jul 2007, 10:41 pm

Quote
What digital cable and powercord are you using with DAC? We have found that the SteroVox cable works quite well.

rollo,

I have tried quite a lot RCA and/or BNC digital cables. It is all depending on your CDP or SB3 and DAC you are using and also the most important factors are your preamp, amp and ICs. I have experimented so far three different RCA digital cables Harmonic Tech Cyberlink Platinum (copper), Audio Consulting (silver) and Homegrown (copper). The best one in my system is HT Platinum and second best is Silver Audio Consulting. I am connecting them between modded SB3 and Promitheus DAC. I will try the Stereovox VX2 and Blue Jeans (BNC)and Zu Ash (RCA).

I have used a custom made PC but Nick will send me his own built PC (only for the Promitheus DAC).

Hi Tan,
Make sure to include my silver plate DIY digital cables in your shootout too. I like to hear how my DIY cable stack up against the high price cables.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #65 on:** 10 Jul 2007, 05:38 pm »

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Make sure to include my silver plate DIY digital cables in your shootout too. I like to hear how my DIY cable stack up against the high price cables.

Yes another good new to know for anyone who use SB3 or CDP with an external decent DAC that F100 just make his own DIY BNC digital cable. I have tried in my system and it makes my musics more lively and more layers but not lack of bass (my system seems to have little bottom before).

I have compared with other RCA and BNC digital cables it sounds much better than my other favorites in the price range of $150-200. The sound is neutral, sweet, musical and revealing especially with vocals...I think I am going to keep this cable for my future reference.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #66 on:** 10 Jul 2007, 05:57 pm »

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Regarding the digital cable, heard that Blue Jeans, Ack! The digital connect and Bolder Cable company are using Belden 1695A to make the digital coaxial cable. From other forum, it is better than Zu Ash (RCA) but with a much cheaper price.

highdfever,

Ask F100 to send a 30 days trial of his DIY digital cable. I am sure you will like it more than Blue Jeans. This cable beats my HT Platinum (RCA) and it has more weight and smoother than Stereovox VX2 sonically. I will test it against the Zu Ash in a few days.

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is the DAC also good in playing music such as 1812, Firebird, Carmina Burana, heavy metal kinds of music?

I am sure you will like the Promitheus DAC like I do right now. It passed 400+ hours. We had a rave for a Promitheus DAC at my house last night and my friend who owned a modded AN 3.1 DAC. He finally told me the Promi DAC sounds almost the same to AN 3.1 DAC. I am shock and think this is a real biggest bang for a less buck.

audioFreaK · « **Reply #67 on:** 11 Jul 2007, 12:23 am »

Quote from: highdfever on 10 Jul 2007, 10:23 am

Hi Tan,

Glad to hear the good comment from you, is the DAC also good in playing music such as 1812, Firebird, Carmina Burana, heavy metal kinds of music?

Regarding the digital cable, heard that Blue Jeans, Ack! The digital connect and Bolder Cable company are using Belden 1695A to make the digital coaxial cable. From other forum, it is better than Zu Ash (RCA) but with a much cheaper price.

Cant wait to hear the digital cables review from you.

highdfever,
Carmina Burana ~ this is one of the best which i've heard in nic's system ~ GM70 Amp, C-Core TVC, SS DAC !
With the Promi's SS DAC the Soundstage is wide open ~the enchantment vocal, i can feels as if its 3D Soundscape. Not to mention, it has dynamics w/o losing control. You gotta experience this yrself.. !
i am still in the process of burn-in~ its such a pain-staking processs .. bout 80 hours now.

Tanchiro58,
Great to hear great reviews from yr side ~ i did not know that this thread has been moved. Have you manage to do the bypass cap. upgrade modification ? its one of the biggest improvement i've heard up to today.
the v-cap does alot of improvement but the x-tra auri-cap for the power supply stage i've yet to find out whether it makes any differences till i remove it this coming weekend as it needs time to burn in to make a difference as well.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #68 on:** 11 Jul 2007, 11:58 am »

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Have you manage to do the bypass cap. upgrade modification ? its one of the biggest improvement i've heard up to today.

AudioFreak,

I am waiting Nick's pics of close up where he soldered his Mundorf bypass caps in the DAC. Based on your pics I can see and do it but I have to make sure.

My DAC has passed 400+ hours break-in I believe. But still it has little bit up and down sound. In general it sounds the way I have expected in my system. I am beginning to replace some pure copper silver plated wires that I got in hand from pcb to output trannies and trannies out to connectors. It sounds way better than stock wires.

Good to hear your new improved system.

Tan

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #69 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 08:44 pm »

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What digital cable and powercord are you using with DAC

rollo,

How are you doing?

I found that Zu Ash RCA digital cable matches pretty good between my modded SB3 (with pulse transformer SC947-02) and Promitheus DAC. The sound is smooth, punchier, revealing and very liquid (like tube sound).

audioFreak,

How are the results of your modification with V-caps and Auricaps? Nick told me he modified with Mundorf 0.1uF bypassed the Panasonic Gold and the sound has more body. I did replace the two Sanyo caps with BG 1000uF/16V and all the wires around the two output trannies and installed some BHP on and underneath the trannies. There is a big improvement sonically. I tried to do the bypass caps but it is hard to solder on the surface of pcb. Therefore, I will do underneath the pcb.

gitarretyp · « **Reply #70 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 08:58 pm »

Tanchiro,

Did the promi/paradisea comparison happen this past weekend? If so, how'd it go?

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #71 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 09:19 pm »

Quote from: gitarretyp on 17 Jul 2007, 08:58 pm

Tanchiro,

Did the promi/paradisea comparison happen this past weekend? If so, how'd it go?

gitarretyp,

It was a comparison while the Promitheus DAC had not fully broken in yet. To my knowledge and opinion, if you listen to vocal jazz the modded Paradisea has more lush and mellow sound (it was connected to my all tube system but for SS system you should question F100). After a couple modifying like replace with BG caps and silver plated pure copper wire from and to output trannies the Promitheus DAC sounds more like a tube DAC, more decays, details and layers with a punchy bass and sweet midrange. Based on my taste I think the stock Promitheus DAC will bestout the stock Paradisea in a couple months.

F-100 · « **Reply #72 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 09:44 pm »

I agree with Tanchiro58 that the Promitheous DAC was not fully broken in when I had it at my place. The soundstage is wide but not quite focus yet. Other than that, it sounds very nice overall. However, I prefer the lush sound of my Paradisea DAC.

When I returned the Prometheous DAC to Tanchiro58, I got a chance to listen to it again in his tube system and it sound very musical. I guess the bottom line is you have to listen to it in your own system and form your opinion from there. It's all about system synergy.

shooter · « **Reply #73 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 09:55 pm »

F-100, What did you end up using in your modified Paradisea? opa2107 or lm4562? Did you use Paper in oil caps?

F-100 · « **Reply #74 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 10:11 pm »

Quote from: shooter on 17 Jul 2007, 09:55 pm

F-100, What did you end up using in your modified Paradisea? opa2107 or lm4562? Did you use Paper in oil caps?

Currently, I'm using stock opamp and vintage WestCap (spelling???) PIO caps. I also tried Mundorf Silver/Oil caps but it was too bright for my taste.

gitarretyp · « **Reply #75 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:14 pm »

Is there a source for the west-caps other than ebay?

F-100 · « **Reply #76 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:28 pm »

I got mine from Tanchiro58 and he got them from Ebay. They are hard to come by too.

DSK · « **Reply #77 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:36 pm »

Quote from: tanchiro58 on 5 Jul 2007, 10:41 pm

... I have experimented so far three different RCA digital cables Harmonic Tech Cyberlink Platinum (copper), Audio Consulting (silver) and Homegrown (copper). The best one in my system is HT Platinum and second best is Silver Audio Consulting. I am connecting them between modded SB3 and Promitheus DAC....

Hi, I used the HT Cyberlink Platinum a few years back with a Modwright P-3A/P-1A/P3 combo and it outperformed the digital cables from Audioquest and Transparent Audio that I tried. It was a very fast, open and airy cable with excellent detail and decays. However, it was a 110 ohm silver cable, not copper.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #78 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:44 pm »

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I also tried Mundorf Silver/Oil caps but it was too bright for my taste.

I believed Mundorf caps are good for coupling. PIOs are best for output and/or coupling. Once again it depends on individual taste and synergistic system.

Quote

However, it was a 110 ohm silver cable, not copper.

Good to know this. Thanks DSK.

anthony a. · « **Reply #79 on:** 25 Jul 2007, 02:48 am »

any more updates?