[eclein]

Guys:

I want to say a very special thanks to Eric Hider of db Audio Labs for taking an hour of his time yesterday, on the telephone, to help me optimize my new Mac Mini with the Tranquility DAC.  Talk about excellent customer service!  I would also like to thank TimzTunz for calling me this afternoon and helping me chose the optimum settings in Pure Music. 

Prior to setting up the Mac Mini I transferred all of my .flac files to a W.D. Fire Wire External Drive and saved them in .aiff format.  I also removed the stock internal hard drive in the mini (which contains 4 gb of ram) with a solid state drive.  With help from guys on Computer Audiophile I was able to connect everything properly and obtain music from my speakers, prior to talking with Eric later in the day. How do you spell relief?

Isn't great when it all comes together and you have wonderful sound like you knew was there!!!

[dBe]

OK, my turn.

The last 3 months have pretty much sucked when it comes to music at my house.  I sold all of my gear and started putting together a new system based on a music server.   All of this has happened in the final stages of the world's longest kitchen remodel - I think it belongs in Guinness   .  Anyway, I have been listening to a much modded Gigawork DAC driven by the media computer that I built (cool unit... more on it later).  Speakers have been some little Jordan JX92S fullrangers with vifa XT25 tweets (thanks for the X-over schematic, Sheldon).  Not at all what I have been used to for the last 5 years.

I think everyone has a good idea what I think of the Tranquility DAC based solely upon what I have heard at show and in other systems, never my own.  I finally got my Tranquility DAC about 10 days ago, but I am in the final throes of the kitchen remodel and business has kept me busy.  My friend Darrell McCombs has been looking to get a new DAC, so I thought it would be cool to let him audition the Tranquility and break it in for me, to boot.  It proved to be a good thing all the way around.  Seems like half of the Albuquerque bunch we hang out with has been over to listen to it, but I have just been slammed and tonight was the first night that I got to hear MY DAC, albeit in someone elses system.. not a bad thing - I know his system very well.It is Classe monoblocks driving B&W 802 Diamonds.  Cabling is DCCA and Purist.  The front end is a MAC Mini driving the DAC through a dB Audio Labs USB cable with level control being handled by a Denon HT processor.  His room is well treated with absorption and diffusion.  I have always found Darrell's system to be engaging, especially when spinning vinyl on the SOTA with a Zyx cartridge and head amp.

Tonight, however, was a completely different experience.  The Tranquility has ~ 100 hours on it and is well on its' way to being broken in.  What was different about listening to Darrell's system tonight was that at no time did I long for vinyl instead of digital reproduction.  As I have mentioned before the greatest strength of the Tranquility is the absolutely natural, analog-like presentation of the music.  I was immeresed in a huge 3-D soundstage with life-like image size and perfect placement with no image wander.  Sibilants, always difficult for digital to get right (along with the harmonic series from cymbals) were stunning in their ease and timbral content.  When was the last time you thought about the timbre of a sibilant or fricative?  I was taken with the rightness of the soft 'ssss' sound that I have NEVER heard a digital system get right before. Cymbals had zero grain.  Vocals were spot on.  Dynamics, micro and macro were startling.  The inner details were delicate and articulate... including ones that I had never heard before through my Cary 306 on software that I know, or at least thought I did, like the back of my hand (warts and all).  Pace and timing is there in spades.  It never seems to get ahead of or behind of the music.  It has an uncanny way of allowing reverb tails and very soft sections to completely ring out and finish.  Amazing! 

The word "music" sums it up for me.  It is THE MOST MUSICAL digital gear that I have ever heard, and that is a lot of gear - pro and consumer.

Bottom line: I like it.  I  really, really like it alot... 

dB Audio Labs has redefined digital for me.  Thanks, guys.  Remarkable achievement!

    

Dave

[Bigfish]

As I have mentioned before the greatest strength of the Tranquility is the absolutely natural, analog-like presentation of the music.  I was immeresed in a huge 3-D soundstage with life-like image size and perfect placement with no image wander.  Sibilants, always difficult for digital to get right (along with the harmonic series from cymbals) were stunning in their ease and timbral content.  When was the last time you thought about the timbre of a sibilant or fricative?  I was taken with the rightness of the soft 'ssss' sound that I have NEVER heard a digital system get right before. Cymbals had zero grain.  Vocals were spot on.  Dynamics, micro and macro were startling.  The inner details were delicate and articulate... including ones that I had never heard before through my Cary 306 on software that I know, or at least thought I did, like the back of my hand (warts and all).  Pace and timing is there in spades.  It never seems to get ahead of or behind of the music.  It has an uncanny way of allowing reverb tails and very soft sections to completely ring out and finish.  Amazing! 

The word "music" sums it up for me.  It is THE MOST MUSICAL digital gear that I have ever heard, and that is a lot of gear - pro and consumer.

Dave:

My Tranquility DAC/Mac Mini System has just reached 100 hours on it and want to thank you for being able to express what I am also hearing.  I find myself just absorbed into the music and for the first time not thinking about what I need to add or change next.

Ken

[dmccombs]

OK, my turn.

The last 3 months have pretty much sucked when it comes to music at my house.  I sold all of my gear and started putting together a new system based on a music server.   All of this has happened in the final stages of the world's longest kitchen remodel - I think it belongs in Guinness   .  Anyway, I have been listening to a much modded Gigawork DAC driven by the media computer that I built (cool unit... more on it later).  Speakers have been some little Jordan JX92S fullrangers with vifa XT25 tweets (thanks for the X-over schematic, Sheldon).  Not at all what I have been used to for the last 5 years.

I think everyone has a good idea what I think of the Tranquility DAC based solely upon what I have heard at show and in other systems, never my own.  I finally got my Tranquility DAC about 10 days ago, but I am in the final throes of the kitchen remodel and business has kept me busy.  My friend Darrell McCombs has been looking to get a new DAC, so I thought it would be cool to let him audition the Tranquility and break it in for me, to boot.  It proved to be a good thing all the way around.  Seems like half of the Albuquerque bunch we hang out with has been over to listen to it, but I have just been slammed and tonight was the first night that I got to hear MY DAC, albeit in someone elses system.. not a bad thing - I know his system very well.It is Classe monoblocks driving B&W 802 Diamonds.  Cabling is DCCA and Purist.  The front end is a MAC Mini driving the DAC through a dB Audio Labs USB cable with level control being handled by a Denon HT processor.  His room is well treated with absorption and diffusion.  I have always found Darrell's system to be engaging, especially when spinning vinyl on the SOTA with a Zyx cartridge and head amp.

Tonight, however, was a completely different experience.  The Tranquility has ~ 100 hours on it and is well on its' way to being broken in.  What was different about listening to Darrell's system tonight was that at no time did I long for vinyl instead of digital reproduction.  As I have mentioned before the greatest strength of the Tranquility is the absolutely natural, analog-like presentation of the music.  I was immeresed in a huge 3-D soundstage with life-like image size and perfect placement with no image wander.  Sibilants, always difficult for digital to get right (along with the harmonic series from cymbals) were stunning in their ease and timbral content.  When was the last time you thought about the timbre of a sibilant or fricative?  I was taken with the rightness of the soft 'ssss' sound that I have NEVER heard a digital system get right before. Cymbals had zero grain.  Vocals were spot on.  Dynamics, micro and macro were startling.  The inner details were delicate and articulate... including ones that I had never heard before through my Cary 306 on software that I know, or at least thought I did, like the back of my hand (warts and all).  Pace and timing is there in spades.  It never seems to get ahead of or behind of the music.  It has an uncanny way of allowing reverb tails and very soft sections to completely ring out and finish.  Amazing! 

The word "music" sums it up for me.  It is THE MOST MUSICAL digital gear that I have ever heard, and that is a lot of gear - pro and consumer.

Bottom line: I like it.  I  really, really like it alot... 

dB Audio Labs has redefined digital for me.  Thanks, guys.  Remarkable achievement!

    

Dave

Dave,

   I really appreciate being able to borrow your DAC.  It has been educational and extremely fun.  Digital has never sounded so good.

   I have to echo Dav's comment regarding the DAC.  Tonally it is balanced.  The bass is deep and tight, the midrange full, and the highs are detailed without being harsh.  Timing-wise, this DAC is right on the money.  Cymbals, and "s" sounds are just like being there.

  With the timing being so right, the seperation between instruments is well defined.  The soundstage is incredibly wide, yet the center vocals are focused and the right size (no 5 foot wide female singers).

   The detail and texture in the music is really allowed to shine through with this DAC.  The level of detail is incredible, yet the highs are not sharp.  As Dave mentioned, it is very vinyl-like.

   After hearing Dave's DAC in my system for a week.   I ordered one of my own.  Eric is a joy to work with and has been so helpful with advice on how to set up the Music server.  No matter what server you use, there are some services you will want to turn off, you will want to turn off unused hardware, and the individual music players all matter.  Eric is very knowledgeable and helps his customers get the most out of the DAC.  The combined result of this terrific DAC and a decent, well configured server is amazing!   

   Thanks Dave for the loan of the DAC, and the kind comments above regarding the system.  It's always nice to have you over, and to get constructive feedback from people with your level of knowledge.

One minor correction re: my system - Instead of the Denon Processor, I am using a Pass Labs XP-10 Preamp.

Eric, if you are reading this, keep up all the good work, and thanks for the advice with setting up the Mac Mini.  This DAC is so detailed, yet so vinyl-like.  Its quite an accomplishment...

[dBe]

Thanks Dave for the loan of the DAC, and the kind comments above regarding the system.  It's always nice to have you over, and to get constructive feedback from people with your level of knowledge.

One minor correction re: my system - Instead of the Denon Processor, I am using a Pass Labs XP-10 Preamp.

Eric, if you are reading this, keep up all the good work, and thanks for the advice with setting up the Mac Mini.  This DAC is so detailed, yet so vinyl-like.  Its quite an accomplishment...

  Whoops, my bad on the processor.  To compare the Pass to a Denon is darned close to heresy!

Everything I said is true.  I've always enjoyed your system, but more importantly your love of music that has led you to optimize it into a wonderful purveyor of the emotion that lies in a great performance.

To put it mildly, last night kicked my butt into an accellerated kitchen experience so I can get to the important things in life.  Back to the tablesaw...   

Dave

[dBe]

Dave:

My Tranquility DAC/Mac Mini System has just reached 100 hours on it and want to thank you for being able to express what I am also hearing.  I find myself just absorbed into the music and for the first time not thinking about what I need to add or change next.

Ken

Yeah, Ken: it is a mindblower, for sure.  What with the electronics that I've got, I think I'm done buying stuff.  Now I just have to finish my Super V's and start tweaking on everything to get it "there" or better put, "here".    I'll be glad when Darrell gets his Tranquility today or tomorrow.


Pesky remodel, anyway. 

Dave

[jrebman]

Dave,

I too want to thank you for so eloquently expressing the experience of this DAC.  My impressions of the Tranquility mirror yours -- and I'm anything but a "me too" guy.

I've had many really good dacs, but this one is the only one that gets it all right technically, and manages to sound like real music at the same time.  A DAC for the audiophile and music lover alike.  Sounds like an obvious thing, but this is really the first one that has managed to be both.

Someday I hope there's a high-res version, but then only so I can retire this one to my other system.

BTW, I have several hundred hours on mine now, and my perception is that both te dac and Essential cable get even better with more time.

I'm at aplace now with my "deep listening" system, that I really don't feel any need whatsoever to upgrade or change anything, and all the friends, audiophile and non-phile alike who hear it are awestruck when they hear CDs they think they know well.  For the guys who do know about such things, I have to explain that this is really redbook and with no EQ, filtering, or processing of any kind.

Thanks again, and get that remodel done, when you spend some quality time with this dac, the impressions just grow stronger.

-- Jim

[dBe]

Dave,

Thanks again, and get that remodel done, when you spend some quality time with this dac, the impressions just grow stronger.

-- Jim

  Thanks for the kind words, Jim.  I just call 'em as I hear 'em.

Like you, I've had many digital sources in my system starting with a horrid Philips 14 bit player back in early 1986.  I always blamed the "digital sound" on the bad initial implementation of Redbook.  Now, 24 years later, I understand just how much data is on the discs and it has been the decoding end that sucked.  I've listened to every kind of player imaginable, both in the form of one box units, transport/DAC versions and worked with various pro units like ProTools, SADiE and Sonic Solutions as recorders/editors.  Some of these sounded very good.  Before this, the best playback I have heard has been achieved by dCS ring DACs.  They are amazing in their own rights.  They are what I would call "Technicolor" in presentation, though.  Don't get me wrong, I would have a dCS piece in a heartbeat.  I like Technicolor better than sepia tones.  That is different from what I hear with the Tranquility.  Like I said, it just makes music. 

Eric and guys at dB Audio Labs chose a perfect name for their DAC.  I can listen all night.  Someday, in the very distant future when the kitchen is done, I'll be able to do that.  Actually it is about 2 weeks to completion on a 2 year project that was interrupted by motivation, health (broken ribs... twice) and work issues.  I see the light......................   

Dave

[truant]

I think it was in one of the HiRez forums I was browsing recently where I came across someone's experience with attenuators and digital and even though the application may have been different I thought I would try a pair of my unused attenuators on my Tranquility.  This is not like anything I've experience with attenuators before-greater resolution and immediacy.  The music has a livelier, more dynamic presentation with instruments more clearly defined.  Any similar experiences?

[dBe]

I think it was in one of the HiRez forums I was browsing recently where I came across someone's experience with attenuators and digital and even though the application may have been different I thought I would try a pair of my unused attenuators on my Tranquility.  This is not like anything I've experience with attenuators before-greater resolution and immediacy.  The music has a livelier, more dynamic presentation with instruments more clearly defined.  Any similar experiences?

Could you please expand on the attenuators?  I think I know what you mean (using attenuators instead of volume control in a pre) but Ii could be way wrong here.  Are you talking about fixed resistive attenuators for the output?  Uh, I'm new here 

Dave

[truant]

Sorry for being vague...it was getting late when I posted.  I'm speaking of attenuators that are used to help with the issue of too much gain.  I have a pair of Rothwell attenuators as well as another pair leftover from an earlier system when this was a particular issue.  My experience with them in the past was mixed.  While they helped with the gain issue often this would be at the expense of dynamics.  Reading something in the HiRez forum (relating to the M2 tech HiFace, I think) prompted me to try these on my Tranquility between the ICs and the dac.  I don't understand why they would have such an impact but with them in place music seems to snap into focus.  Bass lines are easier to follow, vocals sound more immediate...similar to the impact of Eric's computer tweaks...but perhaps to a greater degree.  I've only had part of two evenings to listen so will need more time to assess the differences.  Any thoughts?

[bixby]

Can someone explain what this tweak for the Mac means:

Shutting down all other operating systems running in the back ground improves the sound (considerably).

I only run one OS on my Macbook.  Could it mean shutting down other applications running on the machine like finder or a web browser?

Recently heard the dac in question with a few others.  Nice piece but only had about 24 hours on it.  I am sure it will sound much better when it is fully burned.   Folks heard bigger differences in the IC we changed than the DACs under test.  Very fine lines of differentiation on a short eval.

[dBe]

Can someone explain what this tweak for the Mac means:

Shutting down all other operating systems running in the back ground improves the sound (considerably).

A better way to put it is that all operational services - the ones that can potentially be running in the background - should be turned off, at least, or eliminated, at best.

I'm a PC and have recently built a Windows XP based music server.  XP is about 1.5GB when installed.  Using nLite and then eliminating manually all unnecessary services and crapware I got it down to about 300MB before adding the music software, Firefox and a few other "essential" (to me) programs.  By eliminating all of this baggage everything boots and works better and the sound quality is hugely improved.

HTH

Dave

[timztunz]

A better way to put it is that all operational services - the ones that can potentially be running in the background - should be turned off, at least, or eliminated, at best.

I'm a PC and have recently built a Windows XP based music server.  XP is about 1.5GB when installed.  Using nLite and then eliminating manually all unnecessary services and crapware I got it down to about 300MB before adding the music software, Firefox and a few other "essential" (to me) programs.  By eliminating all of this baggage everything boots and works better and the sound quality is hugely improved.

HTH

Dave

Come on Dave, get a Mini brother!

[satfrat]

Come on Dave, get a Mini brother!

I heard Texans don't pack "Mini's".   

[dBe]

I heard Texans don't pack "Mini's".   

You been talking to Art.  I'm from Clovis, NM aka "little Texas".  We don't pack Mini's, either.  I pack a .40 S&W.

I have an ulterior motive for hanging with a PC.  It has to do with my business, so............................   

Dave

[dmccombs]

OK, sorry, I need to vent...  In a good way.   

I have had the Tranquility DAC for a few weeks now.  It sounded great when I got it, and even better when it and the usb cable broke in.

I started out with a PC laptop driving the DAC.  It sounded very nice.  Eric told me how great a Mac Mini sounds as a server.  A friend of mine has a Mac Mini and we tried it with the DAC.  The Mac Mini sounded better.

So I bought a 2010 Mac Mini to drive the DAC (you may see where this is going)...  Eric helped me set up the Mac mini.  Many of the improvements are free (configuration of the software), but some involved $$$.  I know, whine, whine, whine...

My point is that this DAC gets out of the way and really lets the music and server sounds its best.  Every time I improved the server, the DAC let me hear it.  I am hearing fuller and cleaner music than I have heard from digital through this DAC.

Immersive soundstage, deep tight bass, crystal clear highs without harshness, full sound, excellent timing, separation of instruments, its all there.

It doesn't quite match my wonderful vinyl rig, but the vinyl rig did cost about 7x more.  This Tranquility DAC / Mac Mini combo does get into he same neighborhood sound quality wise though.

I thrilled with the DAC and db Audio Labs is great to deal with.  I even had fun getting the DAC and Mac Mini set up and tweaked.  It is great to work on something and see such spectacular results.   

[newzooreview]

I've had a Tranquility DAC since January (back when this thread started), and I wanted to jump in and report on the new power cable that dB Audio has just started sending out. It connects to the Mac Mini power supply brick (between the brick and the outlet), so this only applies to those who feed their Tranquility from a Mac Mini.

Before I bought the new cable, I asked Eric a bunch of questions about what it was supposed to do. Now that I have it, I almost don't care how it's working! 

In my system it made a very clear difference—one that surprised me. The level of effortless detail went up noticeably. I suddenly found myself sinking in to the sound and forgetting about everything else. The upper midrange lost a "glare" that I hadn't noticed before, but the absence was definitely welcome. The soundstage got deeper and wider (I think related to the ease of low level detail retrieval giving me better aural clues). And voices now have an ease and purity that is alluring (again, I think a combination of the reduction of the glare that I didn't know was there and of the ease of detail retrieval that makes a voice palpable). The reduction in the glare also produced a more balanced sound with the bass coming through more clearly and everything sounding even, top to bottom. Again, I think the reduction in glare allowed me to hear more clearly (and with less fatigue) what was already there. I'm not sure that the bass increased, necessarily, but rather came more into equilibrium when the glare was cleaned up.

From what I understand of  the technical explanation that Eric provided, the cable is doing a bit of cleanup (or tuneup) in both directions. The cable is designed to hit a sweet spot in inductance and capacitance feeding the power brick, so the brick (a switching power supply that generates 16.3 v, I believe, to the Mini) is producing the best quality DC for the Mini. The cable also has a filtering affect on the grunge that the switching power supply spits back onto the A/C lines (and into the other components on the same circuit).

When I received the Tranquility USB cable I was happy with it; it made an observable improvement; it was a keeper. But this is a much more dramatic difference. The system has never had the open, clean, and flowing musicality that it does now. 

[Bigfish]

Guys:

There are reports surfacing that the latest Mac Mini with internal power supply is sonically superior to the previous models.  I own a 2009 Mac Mini with a SS Internal Drive and 4 GB of Ram.  Last night I discovered on the Apple Core Circle discussion about a tweak to make the 2009 and 2010 Mac Minis run as 64 bit machines.  I followed this link:  http://blog.leanopen.com/tag/64-bit/ I discovered my Mini is running as a 32 bit machine and will have to follow the instructions to make it run in the 64 bit mode.  Many folks have performed the tweak and claim it makes a huge difference to sonic performance from the older Minis.

I would like to know if any of you Tranquility Owners are running your Minis in the 64 bit mode and can report on the sonic differences between 32 bit and 64 bit?

Thanks,

Ken

[newzooreview]

Guys:

There are reports surfacing that the latest Mac Mini with internal power supply is sonically superior to the previous models.  I own a 2009 Mac Mini with a SS Internal Drive and 4 GB of Ram.  Last night I discovered on the Apple Core Circle discussion about a tweak to make the 2009 and 2010 Mac Minis run as 64 bit machines.  I followed this link:  http://blog.leanopen.com/tag/64-bit/ I discovered my Mini is running as a 32 bit machine and will have to follow the instructions to make it run in the 64 bit mode.  Many folks have performed the tweak and claim it makes a huge difference to sonic performance from the older Minis.

I would like to know if any of you Tranquility Owners are running your Minis in the 64 bit mode and can report on the sonic differences between 32 bit and 64 bit?

Thanks,

Ken

I'll give it a try tonight.