Hawk28 I own the Havana and have owned the EE Minimax Plus. I would agree that the EE is more neutral a bit more detailed and has a very nice top end. Unfortunately it didn't meld with my system and over extended listening sessions it came across as too lean and well, digital. I could never just relax and enjoy the music with it in the system after trying virtually every tube out there including Tungsol, Mullard, Seimens Silver Plate, Pavanne and RCA. Everyone that listened to it had the same impression after a few initial "WOWS", a few in their own system. The Havana is not as detailed but more fleshed out and much more enjoyable and engaging without any fatigue factor. It is especially good with small scale works. It doesn't have an edge and gets out of the way of the music which is my chief beef with some of the budget DACs I've listened to. So far as the bass on the Minimax, a bit more controlled than the Havana but not even close to the W4S which is better in every parameter with the possible exception of upper frequencies where they are closer. I have come to the conclusion that to really get it right in this area more money must be spent on a better DAC. The W4S and Havana were both deemed more enjoyable over the EE by everyone that listened in various systems in my circle. A few preferred the Havana over the W4S, YMMV.
I would spring for the Havana if you like a nice 3-d presentation and don't mind missing a little detail and can settle for a bit narrower soundstage compared to the Sabre 9018 chip based DACs. Different tubes will also give a different flavor. I prefer the Tungsol and I also have a quite rare Pioneer Eclypse 2C51 which is essentially a Bendix 2C51, sounds identical. The Minimax might be improved by changing out op-amps but different tubes never changed the intrinsic issues I had with the unit. As Mr. Tennis notes, this unit doesn't sound like a tube unit at all and I wondered why have two separate output stages. I never went the op-amp change route as I felt that at the price increase this should have been sorted out by the designer. After reading so many good reviews on the original I was expecting a lot more on the Plus, it really didn't deliver for me.
P.S. One other thing Mr. Tennis said that I totally disagree with is that the Havana is IMHO less not more euphonic than the Paradesea with more detail as well. Having said that the Paradesea is wonderful with voice, a really nice unit.
