Eastern Electric DAC mods

JLM · « **Reply #60 on:** 25 Aug 2010, 01:43 pm »

Any more details on the mods or reports from the tour?

Gopher · « **Reply #61 on:** 25 Aug 2010, 02:20 pm »

I don't think the tour has begun yet. But I'm very eager to see what this DAC is truly capable of.

pixy · « **Reply #62 on:** 6 Sep 2010, 05:19 pm »

I would like to join the tour as well. can you please include me in the list

Turnandcough · « **Reply #63 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 10:34 pm »

What ever happened with this tour?

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #64 on:** 30 Sep 2010, 12:10 am »

I believe the DAC was out there to somebody, I'm not sure who, Wayne would know though.

Pixy, it is a tour for those who have purchased the Eastern Electric DAC already and maybe want Wayne to do his upgrade package to those who already have it.

No other tour is scheduled at the moment as I am having a hard time keeping them in stock.

Kindest Regards,
Bill O'Connell

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #65 on:** 30 Sep 2010, 12:56 am »

Couldn't agree more.

Wayne is da man

Wayne1 · « **Reply #66 on:** 30 Sep 2010, 07:11 pm »

There is a delay for the start of the tour. There have been some difficulties in getting the unit sent to me modded. It went out on loan in it's stock state for a bit.

Right now I am trying to get products made to display at RMAF. After RMAF, I should have the time to finish up the mods to the tour unit and send it on it's way.

mobayrasta · « **Reply #67 on:** 3 Oct 2010, 08:29 am »

After using the stock DAC for a while I am very interested in having some mods done. Please include me on the modded DAC tour. I know I do not have very many post here but I am well respected on Head-Fi and bought the DAc directly from Bill.

sfox7076 · « **Reply #68 on:** 12 Oct 2010, 12:40 pm »

I would be interested in the tour as well. I am in Brooklyn.

JLM · « **Reply #69 on:** 23 Oct 2010, 11:59 pm »

OK, RMAF is over, lets get going with the modded EE DAC tour already! (Just a wee bit impatient.)

Going back to level/cost of mods. It's hard for me to get my head around spending more on the mod than the stock unit, especially with well respected competing DACs out there at 67% or 100% more than the stock EE DAC unit that wouldn't have the mod associated warrantee or resale concerns.

etcarroll · « **Reply #70 on:** 24 Oct 2010, 01:53 am »

If this tour gets off the ground I'd like to be included, I've heard 2 different versions of this dac, loved it every time.

etcarroll · « **Reply #71 on:** 24 Oct 2010, 03:17 am »

Gotcha.

Nuance · « **Reply #72 on:** 29 Oct 2010, 09:40 pm »

Now that RMAF is over, has the tour begun?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #73 on:** 29 Oct 2010, 10:16 pm »

Not yet.

Bill O'Connell has just taken delivery of the first modded EE DAC.

I am working on the tour DAC now. There are a few changes to the mod incorporating some lessons learned. Parts are on order and hopefully will be arriving shortly.

Paul Hynes is sending me his version of a constant current source. I will need to evaluate it before the tour DAC goes out.

Sorry for all the delays. I wanted to hear back from Bill O'Connell about his thoughts on the fully modded unit before I started work on the tour DAC. He was very enthusiastic about the modded unit when I talked to him today. He said he will post some thoughts after he rolls some tubes and spends some more time with it.

The Paul Hynes regulator options will not be included in the tour DAC.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #74 on:** 29 Oct 2010, 10:54 pm »

Quote from: Wayne1 on 29 Oct 2010, 10:16 pm

Not yet.

Bill O'Connell has just taken delivery of the first modded EE DAC.

I am working on the tour DAC now. There are a few changes to the mod incorporating some lessons learned. Parts are on order and hopefully will be arriving shortly.

Paul Hynes is sending me his version of a constant current source. I will need to evaluate it before the tour DAC goes out.

Sorry for all the delays. I wanted to hear back from Bill O'Connell about his thoughts on the fully modded unit before I started work on the tour DAC. He was very enthusiastic about the modded unit when I talked to him today. He said he will post some thoughts after he rolls some tubes and spends some more time with it.

The Paul Hynes regulator options will not be included in the tour DAC.

Very enthusiastic would be an understatement

I'll post my impressions a little later but OMG!

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #75 on:** 6 Nov 2010, 07:47 pm »

If I may use a seven card poker analogy.

The MiniMax DAC is like having a pair of Aces(a diamond & club) in the hole.
Your opponent (modded DAC) is the King and Queen of hearts.
The flop comes and it is the Ace of Hearts with the Jack of Hearts with a Jack of spades,
4th street is the case Ace of Spades. The MiniMax DAC is now 4 Aces

The river(last card) turns out to be the 10 of Hearts.
The Modded DAC just made a Royal Flush.

We're still very proud of our MiniMax DAC but what Wayne has done with his modifications is outstanding. There wouldn't be a soul on the planet that wouldn't be happy with this modification package.
I realize I have the entire package of what Wayne was offering to the DAC and waited patiently while he figured out what way was the best to implement his upgrades, but cutting edge of digital playback comes at a price of time and coin. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

I can't figure out how he put all that he did into the housing of the DAC

Wayne1 · « **Reply #76 on:** 7 Nov 2010, 03:13 am »

Bill,

I'm sorry I don't speak poker

I think you are trying to say the modded unit sounds really good.

Your unit was the first one I modded. There were lots of delays. The Paul Hynes regulators took 4 months to arrive instead of the normal 6 weeks. I had some problems integrating the regulators with the DAC chip. After 7 months of work, I think I got it right.

The tour DAC is being worked on right now. It will go out within two weeks, hopefully. There are some changes from the first mod to the tour unit. I am now replacing all the electrolytic caps and adding about 30 additional caps as bypass or supplemental caps under the board. All the diodes for the low voltage section are replaced.

Most of the tour DAC mods are to the passive parts. This mod will be a level 1 mod and should go for about $750.00. The mod Bill O'Connell has is a Level 2 mod that will go for about $2,000.00. There is a possibility of a level 1.5. That would cost about $1.5K.

The levels above 1 add active regulators by Paul Hynes. They will take at least 8 weeks to complete.

I just ordered 2 regulator mod parts today expected delivery dates are 12/15. If you might be interested in getting your EE DAC modded out before the end of the year, you should contact me right away. I will require a down payment to cover the cost of the PH regulators.

JLM · « **Reply #77 on:** 9 Nov 2010, 02:16 pm »

Bill,

Could you rephrase your impressions in "audiospeak"?

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #78 on:** 10 Nov 2010, 12:11 am »

Quote from: JLM on 9 Nov 2010, 02:16 pm

Bill,

Could you rephrase your impressions in "audiospeak"?

My shipment just arrived late today so I have to process a lot of orders at the moment and then my niece's little 2 1/2 year old drowned late Sunday night so we are dealing with this horific situation. I'll post sometime over the weekend after the funeral.

pumpkinman · « **Reply #79 on:** 10 Nov 2010, 12:20 am »

Quote from: Bill O'Connell on 10 Nov 2010, 12:11 am

My shipment just arrived late today so I have to process a lot of orders at the moment and then my niece's little 2 1/2 year old drowned late Sunday night so we are dealing with this horific situation. I'll post sometime over the weekend after the funeral.

My heart goes out to you and your family and you are in our prayers...............Bill,Cathy and Sarah