steelie Posted October 30, 2004 Author Share Posted October 30, 2004 Not to throw a monkey wrench in all the good suggestions but I took the day to visit some high end audio stores today and ran into the Tri-Vista 21, from Musical Fidelity. It's a 96-192 kHz, 24 bit TUBED DAC. I was surprised because I haven't heard much talk about tubes in DACs before. The sales guy switched between the DAC and a high-end CD player to give me a chance to comapre the sound and while both sounded great, the DAC seemed more detailed and more accurate in terms of the imaging and how the music was spread around the soundstage. My ears probably aren't refined enough to describe all the differences and I was listening to the music through speakers that I wasn't accustomed to, but I enjoyed the experience. The Tri-Vista is a chunk of change, and it's certainly way to pricey to experiment with, but red book sounded as good as I've heard it. Any thoughts on tubed DACs? Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 ---------------- On 10/29/2004 6:42:49 AM Frzninvt wrote: I have yet to hear a DVD player in any price range that can rival the playback of a dedicated CD player. ---------------- I guess you better come on over, listen, smile, frown cause YOU ARE WRONG... I have personnal knowledge and a ton of $$$$ on this subject..you would be AMAZED what is being done now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 Steelie, check out www.exemplaraudio.com and www.aplhifi.com than google search the exemplar denon 2900, and the apl sacd 1000. I have owned both, and compared to the MF tri-vista(6K)/electrocompaniet(6k)/esoteric dv50(6)/ect, ect. I have John(exemplar), and Alex(apl)both modding me the 3910, which will blow both those away, plus they KILL the other IMHO. If you want great redbook/SACD I have 1 APL SACD 1000, with or without volume control available. let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 John Tucker (Exemplar Audio) is a hech of a talented designer. That Denon 2900 modification is $3,500 if you don't have a player already, and $2,500 if you send him one youm may already have. It could be outstanding, very good, etc., but unfortunately kind of expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 I worked with a guy who went to school with John Tucker and had visted him a year or so ago. Mark couldn't recall what type of tube amp(it wasn't a triode amp) but he was using the speakers that you always see pictured on the net. Said his stereo kicked some serious butt. Mark also said entry level amp was 5k. Yup, spendy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 ---------------- On 10/30/2004 7:24:22 PM Erik Mandaville wrote: John Tucker (Exemplar Audio) is a hech of a talented designer. That Denon 2900 modification is $3,500 if you don't have a player already, and $2,500 if you send him one youm may already have. It could be outstanding, very good, etc., but unfortunately kind of expensive. ---------------- If you guys wanna get a GREAT deal, let me know, my buddy reps him, John can only sell at RETAIL, I never pay retail, I made $$$ on the 2900 after using it, so I have him doing a 3910 Yes he makes GREAT stuff, read the reviews, they are correct, for redbook. But sacd is MUCHO better from Alex. So I have him doing 1 for me as well. They should both be ready next week. Also the 2900 dis not play HDCD, and I have about 30 of them including all the DEAD remasters which sound fantastic in HDCD. heh heh heh. With johns mods all channels are modded, but the tube stage is only for 2-channel. I have alex making sure I can use all channels too. You should check these guys out. I bought a 8000 MF Tri-Vista to compare with, these are better IMHO in my system, with my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiob Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 ---------------- On 10/30/2004 8:02:42 AM Audio Flynn wrote: In the end, I opted for neither and went with a modded Jolida JD-100, tubed output player (modded by Underwood). Very detailed, wide soundstage, and warm and full sound. Never heard an unmodded JD-100, but they also get rave reviews. ++++++++++++++ I heard Shapeshifters Jolida; it is a keeper. Deeper souindstage than my MSB DAC ++++++++++++++ If I were you, Steelie, I would do a tubed player (Ah!, Heart, or Jolida) or a higher end CD player, as mentioned previously. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ I agrre, the Jolida with mods, or the Ah, Tojeb Audio Flynn mentioned, if you like solid state, check into the Electrocompaniet Cdp EMC - 1 24/96 ,you can buy one used for 1600.00 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 I run a Jolida 100 modded by Underwood and upgraded with Sylvania 1966 AX7s. The new tubes opened it up much more than the stock upgrade tubes. However, I added the Musical Fidelity Tri Vista 21 DAC and found the combined performnce much better than the Jolida alone. Using the Jolida as a transport is perhaps a waste and I would be as well served with a much less costly transport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 Like I said, I have the TriVista 21 DAC (transport is a Planet). Love it. My previous units were the Rega Planet, the Denon 2900 (which was great, but is now my DVD player), and the Sony DVP 9000es (which was my DVD player until the Denon trounced it). The TriVista smoked 'em all. The best way to describe the difference is that cd's sounded great on the other units. All of them are very fine pieces which I would not hesitate to recommend on their own. Now, however, it's as if I don't listen to "cd's." I am a step closer to the music. The Sony is now on SACD duty. kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 one more thing...look on the internet for GREAT prices on a TriVista. I am pretty sure I just saw a new unit at Upscale Audio for about 33% off. Units now appear to be widely available at about $1250 - $1300. Remember - that was a limited production run. I believe less than 2000 units were produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 ---------------- On 10/31/2004 12:00:36 AM kev313 wrote: one more thing...look on the internet for GREAT prices on a TriVista. I am pretty sure I just saw a new unit at Upscale Audio for about 33% off. Units now appear to be widely available at about $1250 - $1300. Remember - that was a limited production run. I believe less than 2000 units were produced. ---------------- For that type of When you combine the Transport/Dac combo IMHO it adds more stuff to the signal path, and a machine like I use is much better. I compared mine to the top of the line MF and mine blows it away. But, to each there own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I'm not sure what "stuff" you are referring to. Jitter, perhaps, but a good transport and interconnect goes along way toward eliminating that. Unless I'm wrong (and I surely could be) the same process is occuring within your unit. It is just housed in one box. I will concede that I have an extra external interconnect in my process. By your logic, though, it would appear that my best option would be an integrated with the cd plaver built in. Speakers too - like a boombox I like external processors. My HT went to another level with the Denon as a transport to a DVDO ISCAN HD. Same result on my 2 channel with the external DAC. Shoot me an email if you want. I'm in the city if you ever want to drop by and hear the Tri Vista. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Smilin; You may be blowin something away; but at what price point? $ 3500 retail for the modded Denon but you get a deal? to what net price? I do not listen to components way out of my budget; maybe double and that is it ($ 1200-1400 for a cd player...someday). Of course having budget stereos and musical instruments for my 4 kids takes away from my audio budget. I gladly invest in music diversions for them; the anti drug! I would like to hear a Moon or Arcam FMJ someday at the $ 2000 price point. If I had the $ 3500 plus I would look to get a used Meridian or Mark Levinson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelie Posted October 31, 2004 Author Share Posted October 31, 2004 "one more thing...look on the internet for GREAT prices on a TriVista. I am pretty sure I just saw a new unit at Upscale Audio for about 33% off. Units now appear to be widely available at about $1250 - $1300. Remember - that was a limited production run. I believe less than 2000 units were produced." That's what the sales guy told me today. Actually, he said they should be gone by December. But $1,250 to $1,300?That's MUCH more than 33 percent off, at least from the price I saw today. If that was the advertised price I think I would be enjoying it right now instead of writing about it on this board. I'll have to check out the Web a little more. Thanks for the tip. I'd forgotten you wrote about the Tri-Vista in your orginial reply when I saw the model today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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