DAC/HP Amp upgrade?

D30 is on MD again for 4 more days, expected ship date is 12/21 I suspect the Maverick won't be here much sooner. Get the A30 from the same drop for your headphones.

If the Marverick doesn’t use the tube for headphones also then it would be a “waste” of effort. Still thinking about the D30 for the house and then look for something as an upgrade from the Fulla. I was even looking at the info on the Teac in BT, but is it an upgrade :dunno:.

On a side note did some critical listening through my standby Yamaha receivers headphone jack, it’s good enough for as often as I would use headphones at home. Just one rca interconnect swap to use it.
 
Have a look at Aune T1, it definitely uses the tube buffer for the headhones and would be more travel friendly. Plus the tube is accessible unlike in the Maverick which makes tube rolling easy. It also has tube-buffered line-level outputs so you can connect it to an external amp. Its tube buffer only used with the DAC operation, so while you can connect any analog source to it and use it as a headphone amp it won't use the tube in this mode. There were 3 iterations of this amp, the last one uses XMos USB and can do DSD. USB input only.
 
Anyone have an opinion if the first version of one of these on the cheap is worth a try out to upgrade from a Fulla?

I doubt you can qualify it as a definite "upgrade" but tube-rolling is fun and you can fine-tune the sound to your liking by trying different tubes (and spend more money on tubes in the process). Also head to head-fi.org to a relevant discussion, more chances of getting this question answered there.
 
Thanks for all the inputs. Going to try the Aune T1 out. If it’s not any better than the Fulla I will have one for sale also :beatnik:

:beerchug:
 
+1. I don't think the Maverick qualifies even as a "transportable" DAC. I'd look at the iFi lineup. Maybe XDuoo XD-05. I have a Centrance DACmini CX which is an older unit but pretty good and has all the inputs and a powerful class-A headphone amp, easy to pack, you can find one used for around $200.

I have to agree on the Centrance DACmini vote. I have had one since 2012 and I am still happy with the sound. Listening to it right now.
 
I have to agree on the Centrance DACmini vote. I have had one since 2012 and I am still happy with the sound. Listening to it right now.

I own 3 Centrance products and very happy with them. Good stuff. I went through the periods of love and hate with the DACmini but settled on love in the end. The do tend to focus on portable or transportable headphone gear these days. The DACmini was the only proper desktop DAC/amp they ever made. Since we are talking about portable gear, I can highly recommend their DACport Slim which can be had on Massdrop for a penny less than $100 incidentally the drop ends today. It is a little gem the only issue you can't use it with a mobile phone as it will drain the battery really fast due to its class-A operation, that is even if the phone can supply the juice in the first place. Can't say if it is better than the Fulla or not, but it sounds great to my ears, in some ways even better than the DACmini.
 
Thanks!! Not to worried about phone use. When at airports and on the plane I just listen straight from my phone or Kindle. Even the Fulla is really only used as a “desk top” in the hotel room. I’ll try the Aune and if it’s not really an improvement then I will decide which to keep and probably live with it, is what it is. Mostly looking because I like my new HP’s and made me wondering if a mid priced DAC/Amp would continue the upward progression of SQ.

:music:
 
On tubes. I like them. They can sound pleasant and reduce listener's fatigue during long listening sessions. However the harsh reality is that they rob you of fine details and add distortion. Something to keep in mind.
 
On tubes. I like them. They can sound pleasant and reduce listener's fatigue during long listening sessions. However the harsh reality is that they rob you of fine details and add distortion. Something to keep in mind.

Have you noticed my signature :banana:

I am at my sisters for Thanksgiving and have a ST 70 in the car to go try some speakers a local AK’er is selling.

Not sure if headphone tube amps will be the same but I am going to find out.
 
Not sure if headphone tube amps will be the same but I am going to find out.

The Aune is not a headphone tube amp, it has a tube buffer and a solid-state amp that actually drives the headphones, which is not to say there is anything wrong with that...
 
The Aune is not a headphone tube amp, it has a tube buffer and a solid-state amp that actually drives the headphones, which is not to say there is anything wrong with that...

Buzz kill :beerchug:
 
So if anyone cares what MO is (not mo·dus op·e·ran·di) ... the Aune is different (little less bright) but maybe not an improvement over the Fulla. That being said I have really only listened at my desk in the office and I have been out in the shop a lot (not a lot of listening). Since I listen to Vinyl thru tubes at home maybe my brain is trick f-ing me into thinking the tube buffer is softening the sound a little?
 
The tube is definitely softening the sound. You should roll some tubes to see if you like some more than others. The stock tubes, if yours is still on the stock tube, are usually not very good. There is a lengthy Aune tube-rolling thread on headfi, you can start there to find some pointers.
 
I have access to Surplus through work so I will have a NOS JAN Sylvania and a NOS Siemens tomorrow. It came with a Electro-Harmonix 6922EH.
 
My search for a headphone amp pretty much ended when I bought a Little Dot MKII. It's a full tube OTL HP amplifier. I have replaced the OEM tubes with upgraded NOS and new tubes. It can also be used as a preamplifier with one input.
 
Been looking at those also. I am trying to do a DAC/AMP combo since it will travel with me. Still thinking about the Maverick D1 but trying to not fall down the new gear rabbit hole. I think the Aune and Fulla plus 2 new set of headphones will keep me busy in the hotel room for a little while.

I appreciate everyones help!! :beerchug:
 
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