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XDuoo MT-604 hanging out on an UMC202HD
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keyboard_arrow_downmvsantorini
39
Jul 15, 2021
The MT-604 is pretty decent-sounding with it's stock tubes, but unfolds & comes alive with matched 5654 tubes (about $40 from Riverstone Audio). Mine is fed from a Grace Balanced DAC, and does a wonderful job of driving HFMan Devas. This is my computer setup & gets listened to daily - Hitomi Uehara and the Mighty Maytones make work just fly blissfully by - I've spent lots more for far less pleasing results.
Fayne
2583
Jul 15, 2021
mvsantoriniMakes sense. Chinese 6J1 tubes are usually OK, but very much so not amazing. I generally find they have some really painful treble before they break-in. The GE 5654W are pretty much always better than the stock in most all amps that can take them, even before break-in. I like them enough to have bought a sealed factory box https://drop.com/talk/29131/photos. $1.125 a tube was a deal I couldn't pass up.
Same, this is one of my computer amps. For music I feed it from Roon -> RaspberryPi4 -> Drop+Grace SDAC-B -> Behringer XR18 mixer, and with the turn of a knob, directly from Roon -> RaspberryPi4 -> SMSL M500. I'm rather happy with the unit, though it does have some issues with ultra-sensitive cans like the Drop+Meze 99 Noir and JVC HA-SW01. 6AK5/6J1 tubes tend to be a bit on the microphonic side, and the sensitive cans really pick up pings from moving the cable. Other than that, it has been working wonderfully with my HE-4XX, HE-5XX, HE-X4, T1.2, HD58X, HD6XX, HD820, Elex, and ATH-R70x.
Work music of choice for me is Tangerine Dream, AstroPilot, E-Mantra, and Infected Mushroom. Totally get into that electronica groove while coding.
And yes, I have spent far more for on amps than this little guy, just to get similar or worse results. I won't say this one is better than the xDuoo TA-20, but it is dang close and eats cheaper cooler tubes.
(Edited)
Fayne
2583
Jul 14, 2021
Hahahaha. I'm waiting for another xDuoo to ship too. Ordered https://www.xduoo.net/product/ta-26/ last week from a vendor on AliExpress. It appears to be the xDuoo take on the DarkVoice, complete with preamp out. Considering all of the other xDuoo products I've purchased so far have been pretty great, I have high expectations.
I kinda wish they'd try their hand at amps for speakers. At the same time I hope they don't. I don't have enough space for many more full size amps.
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