Music Hall DAC 15.2 - Any thoughts on it?

[DSkip]

I'm starting to look at this one as an all-in-one solution. Anybody had a chance to listen to it?

[marvda1]

dskip, clear your inbox.

[falconcry72]

hmm no experience with that unit, but I'd think that in that price range you'd have to also check out the V-DAC II:

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/produ...eries/v-dacii/

[Tbone289]

hmm no experience with that unit, but I'd think that in that price range you'd have to also check out the V-DAC II:

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/produ...eries/v-dacii/

Indeed. Especially if you'll be using USB as an input. I've never seen Music Hall specs mention that the USB interface is asynchronous.

[marvda1]

i bought one of these that can also be used as a preamp and has tube and ss outputs.
http://shop.grantfidelity.com/Grant-...Converter.html

[tonyb]

Speaking of that tube dac big guy, I was looking at that puppy the other day and was wondering if you used it at all as a pre/dac alone. Have anything for comparisons sake ?

[marvda1]

i have used it with my usher r 1.5 power amp as a preamp. the sound was very organic and brought the best in the usher amp. i have been using it in my secondary syatem and the only other dacs i have compared it to was the ack dack (not the newer version) and the onix dac that is no longer being imported in. the grant beats them both and is so much more versatile.
here's some reading on the tubedac 11.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...ght=tubedac+11

[marvda1]

skip, ever get the grant to work? what are your thoughts so far?

[tonyb]

Any you guys gets a line on a used GF tubedac 11, give me a holler....please.

[marvda1]

i haven't seem any for sale. i even went to cannuck audio mart and there were none for sale.

[DSkip]

Marvin, getting this thing to work has been an absolute headache. Both computers I tried to hook it up to were having issues, but it wasn't the DAC's fault. I ended up getting it to work Monday night and listened to about an hours worth of music between it and the BDP. I've only used the tube out so far, but as I told my wife, I could live with this one. Its got very nice tone to it and adds some detail I've been wanting.

At this point, its definitely on the short list. I'm looking for ways to up my price bracket to get into one as I REALLY like the computer interface as opposed to all the effort/down time between songs that my BDP has.

[marvda1]

like i said it still has the stock tube in it. here is a spreadsheet that a tubedac 11 owner put together on tube rolling the tubedac 11.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=439184