A few words about using: it must be remembered that this is a very hot machine. About 100 watts of heat is dissipated inside. DAC should not be placed in a cramped niche, and it should be on the top shelf. Transformers allow non-stop use, but only if there is good ventilation. In fact, this is a power amplifier inside the DAC.
The device has two fuses, mains and an anode. Both must be at least five amps.
You need to have at least a multimeter and periodically measure the bias voltage of 6080 tubes, as we used to do with old tube amplifiers. The bias voltage -15v should not fall below -12…-13v. If it is lower, replacing the 5Y3 tube rectifier is necessary. 5Y3 can be replaced with 5V4, GZ32, and U50 — a matter of taste. Of course, a spare set of tubes should always be on hand. If the filament of 5Y3 does not light, immediately turn off the device and do not turn it on until 5Y3 is replaced with another tube. Since it is this tube that is responsible for the negative bias voltage for 6080 tubes. Operation without bias will lead to overheating and distorted sound.
To get the best result, you must try different tubes — adapting a device in your audio system can only be carried out by the system’s owner. And it is impossible to know what tube will be the best in certain conditions.
All tubes in a unit dramatically affect sound quality, although it’s less true for DEM clock tubes. All cables surrounding the device are also important. Power, interconnect, SPDIF. It is also impossible to give an unambiguous answer here. You need to try and compare different cables. I use only cables of my production, so I can’t advise something specific. My wires allow me to keep my hearing tuned to my own «ideal sound.»
Example of voltage measuring:
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Additional photos:
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