Posted by DRCope [ 66.168.44.241 ] on March 12, 2005 at 18:07:50:

In Reply to: DAC's sound posted by jim denton on March 12, 2005 at 12:52:58:

Gear that uses tubes doesn't necessarily sound "tubey". It's quite possible to put an all tube component system together that sounds very musical but at the same time neutral. It would sound warm to those who generally listen to all solid state systems, but natural to those who listen to unamplified music.

On another front, tubes are not really the key to great digital (natural, musical) sound. Having a digital pulse transformer on the DAC input or transport output, or both is important; avoiding digital filters, or filters altogether is very helpful; how the I/V conversion is performed makes a difference, and despite all the marketing hype, up and oversampling doesn't gain you a thing musically.

Yes, this lines up with the stuff I distribute, but it also lines up with what I've heard along the way and is my personal, as well as professional, opinion.

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