Xduoo TA-84 talk me out of it

[olds1959special]

I want to get this to use as a DAC + pre-amp to go before my class D integrated amp. I don’t need it as a headphone amp. Right now I’m going direct from the DAC to the amp. The sound is wonderful but tube amps are fun to play with. I want to see what it would sound like going into the RCA input of the amp. This experiment would cost 350 dollars though so I’m hoping someone can talk me out of it since I can’t imagine it would actually enhance sound quality.

 

[staticV3]

There are cheaper ways to experience Tube sound:

AIYIMA T1 Pro Tube Preamp Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the AIYIMA T1 Pro tube preamplifier with tone controls and Bluetooth support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $75. Build quality is a step above budget products in its class. Case feels sturdy and controls have good feel. Nice to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[olds1959special]

There are cheaper ways to experience Tube sound:

AIYIMA T1 Pro Tube Preamp Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the AIYIMA T1 Pro tube preamplifier with tone controls and Bluetooth support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $75. Build quality is a step above budget products in its class. Case feels sturdy and controls have good feel. Nice to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I wanted something with a built in DAC. I ordered the TA-84 to try as a pre-amp to add some "tube warmth" to my class D setup. To save money, I got an open box but I can't return it. I also ordered some Genalex EL-84's because I like how these sound. I already have a pair of Tung Sol 12AU7W's that I got to use with the Xduoo MT-603 (used one only) but I returned that unit. I'm hoping the TA-84 will be an improvement over the MT-603 since they will be basically used in the same way. I'm concerned that the sound will be too warm (bassy, bloated, lacking in detail) though, since I find that the setup I'm using has a basically perfect sound presentation with the XLR inputs. I just want to try a tube stage to shape the sound before it goes to my amp. I love my headphone setup so I don't really need the headphone amp output, but I will test it out for sure. I had to position my ASL headphone amp away from my router and computer/monitor to avoid interference and I'm concerned the TA-84 will be the same way, limiting where I can place it.

 

[Mr Swing King]

Talk you out of it? Alright, I’ll try.

I used to be very into tubes. All of the flowery lingo one often comes across whilst reading impressions of tube gear…well could have been written by me a good while back.
I loved and actually still love the look of a tube amp. My imagination would run wild listening to music while looking at those fiery tubes.

Fast forward to me trying my hand in blindtests: suddenly when I couldn’t see what was playing…I started detecting things I didn’t like. Sure..at the start I was fairly certain that the things I didn’t like emanated from the solid state amp that I was comparing to. Nope..what I heard was the actual distortion, the mud in the bass and a lack of overall detail vs the solid state amp.
Then again I’ve also blindtested several amps with tubes in them that were completely transparent aka they were indestinguishable from solid state amps in a blind setting. No differences whatsoever.

True tube sound is not something that most folks prefer…well is what my experience tells me. I’ve been to a lot of blindtests and have personally seen loads of professed tube fanatics, time and again, choose solid state gear, when they did not know what they were listening to.

Tube gear is perfect for visual placebo. It lets the imagination run wild. So does a lava lamp though, and the latter doesn’t develop ground loops, hum or muddies up your favourite tunes

 

[olds1959special]

Talk you out of it? Alright, I’ll try.

I used to be very into tubes. All of the flowery lingo one often comes across whilst reading impressions of tube gear…well could have been written by me a good while back.
I loved and actually still love the look of a tube amp. My imagination would run wild listening to music while looking at those fiery tubes.

Fast forward to me trying my hand in blindtests: suddenly when I couldn’t see what was playing…I started detecting things I didn’t like. Sure..at the start I was fairly certain that the things I didn’t like emanated from the solid state amp that I was comparing to. Nope..what I heard was the actual distortion, the mud in the bass and a lack of overall detail vs the solid state amp.
Then again I’ve also blindtested several amps with tubes in them that were completely transparent aka they were indestinguishable from solid state amps in a blind setting. No differences whatsoever.

True tube sound is not something that most folks prefer…well is what my experience tells me. I’ve been to a lot of blindtests and have personally seen loads of professed tube fanatics, time and again, choose solid state gear, when they did not know what they were listening to.

Tube gear is perfect for visual placebo. It lets the imagination run wild. So does a lava lamp though, and the latter doesn’t develop ground loops, hum or muddies up your favourite tunes

My existing tube setups (see signature) work well for me and satisfy my needs perfectly.