Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

Hi Morganc, I have started my dac search with Metrum Octave, which is currently burning in at about 200 hours in my system. I'm very interested in your dac shootout with NAD M51 and EE+. I'm also waiting for Oppo105 to come out (it is attractive to me because I'm sure Modwright will offer tube upgrade for 105 later on).

All this talk about the Metrum Octave has me intrigued. I'd like to hear one without committing to buy new. I'd love to compare it to my Bel Canto DAC3. I had an original EE DAC and liked it quite a bit, but didn't feel it offered an improvement over the Bel Canto. The EE was stock, but with a Telefunken smooth plate. Briefly, I ran it direct to my amp, but heard a definite roll off in the low end. That was to be expected with its incredibly high output impedance of 22k and my amp's unusually low input impedance of 24k.

I live in the Bay area (Berkeley). I don't expect anyone local to reply, but it would be warmly welcomed.

Hi Mingles. I'm in San Francisco. Shoot me a PM.

Morganc, I sent a couple of messages to you through Audiogon, but haven't heard back. Please check your inbox

/ Thankful: would you give us an update of the comparisons between the EE MinMax Dac Plus with Dexa opamps, the Lampizator Level 4 and the PS Audio PWD MKII?

Thanks!

To other EE MiniMax owners: do you have a good experience upgrading other components? E.g. the output capacitors (if so, Auricap or Mundorf) ?