Sabre EE Minimax Plus - Calyx - Audiolab 8200DQ

Guydebord, There is good news for you; forget about the DAC Plus not having balanced outputs. Instead use the AES/EBU connection between the Minimax DAC Plus and the Lyngdorf - this is superior to running balanced connections. You use a single XLR cable for the AES/EBU connection. With any DAC the results from using the AES/EBU connection can be far superior to the DAC's RCA or XLR output.

I did not have a Preamp which accepted AES/EBU at the time of the DAC Plus review for Dagogo.com, or else I surely would have preferred it to the RCA/XLR output.

Make sure to try several different cables as the results will vary widely.

Doug, I'm confused by your comment. The only AES/EBU connection on the Minimax+ is an input, not an output. And if there were an AES/EBU output, using it would amount to substituting the preamp's digital-to-analog converter function for the Minimax's, and would amount (at most) to using the Minimax just as a digital-to-digital format converter and/or a re-clocker/jitter reducer.

Or am I missing something?

Best regards,
-- Al

Al, egg on my face; went brain dead; yes, the AES/EBU is input not out. I used it with the orignal version and should have rechecked prior to commenting. Mea Culpa...

Ad on to the previous; I look back at the comment I made and think, "What was going through my mind?" It reminds me of the rule I instituted in regards to system building. When I get very tired I will not conduct work on setting up a system. One time when I was very tired I got a brain wave to reconfigure; I should have gone to bed instead!

I think I'll apply that rule to writing/posting as well; illogical things can take on a fuzzy validity when one is tired.

Guydebord,
No I am not using the Kingrex PSU. I'm just using the stock PSU. You have the option of using the USB power or the PSU. Meets my needs.

Doug,
I took your advice and set up a EE minimax with recommend mods to the output tube and opamps. Also used a Pathos Classic One MkIII. Agree it's a wonderful combination, but disagree that it can't be beat for a little more money. Maybe a little oversell??? Tough to beat at that price point, yes.