Tubemagic D1 ordered

[blackraven]

I just ordered the Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 Pre/DAC with tube upgrade for my son. At first he will use it as a DAC with my old Technics SU7600 integrated amp from 1976 (its still a great amp and blows away the cheap Pioneer AVR he was using). Eventually I am going to buy him a class audio CDA-258 digital amp and he will use it as a preamp as well. I am going to upgrade the opamps in the preamp and DAC sections as have been recommended in other forums. I'll give a review on it and will try it in my main system as well.

http://www.mav-audio.com/

[frenchmon]

I just ordered the Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 Pre/DAC with tube upgrade for my son. At first he will use it as a DAC with my old Technics SU7600 integrated amp from 1976 (its still a great amp and blows away the cheap Pioneer AVR he was using). Eventually I am going to buy him a class audio CDA-258 digital amp and he will use it as a preamp as well. I am going to upgrade the opamps in the preamp and DAC sections as have been recommended in other forums. I'll give a review on it and will try it in my main system as well.

http://www.mav-audio.com/

Keep us posted on the sound and build....I've seen them over at audiocircle and wondered about them. Price seems right.

[Feanor]

I just ordered the Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 Pre/DAC with tube upgrade for my son. At first he will use it as a DAC with my old Technics SU7600 integrated amp from 1976 (its still a great amp and blows away the cheap Pioneer AVR he was using). Eventually I am going to buy him a class audio CDA-258 digital amp and he will use it as a preamp as well. I am going to upgrade the opamps in the preamp and DAC sections as have been recommended in other forums. I'll give a review on it and will try it in my main system as well.

http://www.mav-audio.com/
Sounds like the D1 has a whole lot going for it, especially at the price. Rolling tubes and opamps is fun, fairly cheap, and can result in really improvement.

Analog outputs apparently consist of "Analog Output" and "Tube Preamp Output"; are both volume controlled?

[blackraven]

Yes, I believe that they are both volume controlled. I think there is a way to by pass the volume control if I remember correctly. The SS output according to user reviews is just ok. Its the tube side that shines especially with the tube and op amp upgrades. I think the recommended op amps are about $10 from Digikey. You can use the Burr Brown opao627's but the dual channel versions are near impossible to find.

[Feanor]

Yes, I believe that they are both volume controlled. I think there is a way to by pass the volume control if I remember correctly. The SS output according to user reviews is just ok. Its the tube side that shines especially with the tube and op amp upgrades. I think the recommended op amps are about $10 from Digikey. You can use the Burr Brown opao627's but the dual channel versions are near impossible to find.
Nope, HERE (http://cgi.ebay.ca/2pcs-Opa627AU-model-one-model-has-two-opa627-SMD-ic-/200616958799?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb5b3db4f) are some.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqYOKj!E1tSVUi(FBNldLtCMrg~~_12.JPG

[blackraven]

I would like to know if those 0627's are counterfit at that price. I guess I will have to order a pair and find out. Thanks for the tip!

[Feanor]

I would like to know if those 0627's are counterfit at that price. I guess I will have to order a pair and find out. Thanks for the tip!
Like any tube or opamp swap, it's the results that count. However given that the OPA627 is a relatively expensive opamp, counterfeiting is certainly possible.

However if you're concerned about counterfeit, you can also get stacked OPA627's from Parts ConneXion, HERE (http://www.partsconnexion.com/product4269.html). The higher price might inspire your confidence.

http://www.partsconnexion.com/media/product/semiconductors/opamp_64358md.jpg

If they'll fit in the Maverick, an other option is the Burson discrete transistor opamp replacement, also available from PCX, HERE (http://www.partsconnexion.com/BURSON-74455.html).

http://www.partsconnexion.com/media/product/semiconductors/burson_74455.jpg

[blackraven]

I've looked into those stacked 0627's but they won't fit in the case. I'll see how these recommended LT1364CN8 amd LM4562NA replacement OA's sound and then consider the 0627's.

[samanthabg498]

First of all I must say Hi there everybody

First post on that forum hopefully not the very last :)

I was wondering if your young children might be acting strange recently Each of the children are looking for those Rodeo Coloring Books all of the sudden and I do not know why
I mean, there's no new cowboy or any rodeo film or a show on tv right ? So exactly what is the big deal ? Anybody had any luck tracking down some coloring books absolutely free?? All I'm able to find is just site who sells cowboy-coloring-books wikispaces com]Rodeo Coloring Pages but I mean it isn't free :)

Any thoughts?? The kids are craving for more

[harley .guy07]

Sounds like your son is going to get the hookup when it comes to learning and listening to descent quality audio which is something I think a lot of younger people in todays world are missing. I am a full time university student and some times will have some of my younger friends over to study and they all want to hear my system and they walk away stunned at what music can really sound like through a quality system and it makes them rethink their own system and since then I have helped several start to put together a starter system of their own.

[blackraven]

Sounds like your son is going to get the hookup when it comes to learning and listening to descent quality audio which is something I think a lot of younger people in todays world are missing. I am a full time university student and some times will have some of my younger friends over to study and they all want to hear my system and they walk away stunned at what music can really sound like through a quality system and it makes them rethink their own system and since then I have helped several start to put together a starter system of their own.

My son really started to get hooked a few months ago. He and I sit and listen to music on my system for a couple of hours a week. A few years back I bought him a cheap Pioneer AVR and multidisc sony dvd player which he rarely listened too. I recently hooked up my 35 year old technics integrated amp for him and he can't stop listening to music now. He really has a varied taste in music too. He likes all genre's except hip-hop.

[blackraven]

The Maverick Tube Magic DAC/Pre arrived here from China, 1 week after I placed the order. It came well packaged and came with the tube upgrade.

It feels solid and well made except for the volume knob which seems a little cheap, but for $199 I was not expecting much. The unit has good weight to it. It has multiple inputs- optical, digital coax, usb and analog. It has tube analog out and solid state out's along with a headphone out. It also has a direct button for bypassing the volume control for when you are using it as a DAC only.

I hooked it up to a Sony DVD/SACD multi disk player and a Technic's SU-7600 integrated amp that I bought in 1976. The speakers used where Monitor Audio S1's and B&W 602's. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got to hear it. It had good bass and depth to the music. There was some air and transparency. The high end could have used a little better detail. Mid range could have been a little smoother on vocals though. After a few hours of play time I upgraded the opamps as per recommendations from other owners. It cost me $10 for the opamps from Digikey. The upgrade really improved the sound. Bass was tightend up and had more punch, treble had more resolution but was slightly pushed back and the midrange smoothed out. There was also a bit more air.

I tried all the inputs and they work as advertised. The one minor down side is that the solid state analog out is not very good. It's harsh sounding, although I did not try it with the opamp upgrade. I don't ever plan on using the SS out. I will be hooking it up to my reference system later today and will give an update on the sound.

Over all it was well worth the money for a cheap system upgrade or if you need a usb DAC.