[Seamaster]

 
Quote:

  Well the CDM will "warm" it right up! 

Right?

 

[mscott58]

 
Right?

Exactly!

 

[Seamaster]

Got the CDM in the mail today, lovely device and it is well made. Again, I wish it comes with a bigger (different) USB input socket. Plugged in my MacBook running El Captian, no sound......my MacBook does not recognize the CDM......

 Changed to another USB cable, the same.

 

[Seamaster]

1) Downloaded the DSD driver and 2) selected CDM in the audio reference, it worked. But I don't know which one did the trick. Can someone confirm this?

 

[kikouyou]

The driver is only needed for Windows. For the MAC, The preference in the SW player just does the job. However, I do not think you can do DSD over PCM with a Mac for the CDM. I can do it with the Mojo so....

 

[Seamaster]

Thanks kikouyou.
 
Fresh out of box I don't really like the stock tubes. Their imaging is not centered. I feel the sound filed is toward to the top of my head instead centered.

 

[kikouyou]

Are you listening in balanced mode? This is the best mode for this amp. SE is inferior. Stock tubes are not bad, but not the best. Do not expect vast improvements by rolling tubes. Changes related to tube rolling are subtle in hybrid amps like the CDM or the CV5.

 

[Seamaster]

I don't have a balanced cable yet. CDM sound better when warmed-up. I will let it burn-in for a few days and see. I currently have IFI Micro DSD as a reference. 

 

[Seamaster]

CDM is a much warmer sounding amp and has better timbre than Micro DSD, but Micro is holding on its own so far. 

 

[Seamaster]

After reading the CDM tubing review, I want to try the Mullard 6021 really bad because in general, I am a Mullard fan and love that big warm British tone. After looking around, I just realized those Mullard 6021 are next to impossible to find. I went as far as contacted the tube supplier in UK where I got my hard to find GEC U52. No dice! Disappointed, and took my chance when I saw a pair of no name "British made" 6021 in white boxes, $20 right? What ever......

I took out my high speed solder iron and some Mundrof gold silver solder that laying around. An hour later (took some practice and precaution), my CDM got a fresh heat transplant. My wife watched me the whole time and she was so ready to see my expensive toy to blow up on start. Hey, it did not! Amazingly it sound great from the fist minute. The result, they blew away the stock tubes in every possible way after only an hour. They did warm up more quickly and produces little more heat.

PS: the 4th picture is my job compare to OEM work, still some flux on there that needs to be cleaned up. The mundorf solder does not look as shinny and clean as the solder ALO uses

 

[Seamaster]

These new tubes really changed my opinion totally about the CDM, which is now as enjoyable as my McIntosh D150. I don't know why Ken supplied those stock tubes for CDM, they just did not do justice about the amp, by a quite large margin, it is probably an availability decision.

 

[xxx1313]

Congrats, Seamaster! Nice work!
 
I would also love to try the Mullards (6112 and 6021), but for now I am waiting for the Sonotones 5719 and a balanced mini cable to arrive.

 

[Seamaster]

Congrats, Seamaster! Nice work!

I would also love to try the Mullards (6112 and 6021), but for now I am waiting for the Sonotones 5719 and a balanced mini cable to arrive.

I am still in SE mode too

 

[boomtube]

After reading the CDM tubing review, I want to try the Mullard 6021 really bad because in general, I am a Mullard fan and love that big warm British tone. After looking around, I just realized those Mullard 6021 are next to impossible to find. I went as far as contacted the tube supplier in UK where I got my hard to find GEC U52. No dice! Disappointed, and took my chance when I saw a pair of no name "British made" 6021 in white boxes, $20 right? What ever......

I took out my high speed solder iron and some Mundrof gold silver solder that laying around. An hour later (took some practice and precaution), my CDM got a fresh heat transplant. My wife watched me the whole time and she was so ready to see my expensive toy to blow up on start. Hey, it did not! Amazingly it sound great from the fist minute. The result, they blew away the stock tubes in every possible way after only an hour. They did warm up more quickly and produces little more heat.

PS: the 4th picture is my job compare to OEM work, still some flux on there that needs to be cleaned up. The mundorf solder does not look as shinny and clean as the solder ALO uses

could you post a link to the site you bought the Mullard 6021 on?

 

[CLXMUSIC]

I installed the 5719 sonotones for about a month and compared with philips series there is a clear difference then using the balanced you get a lot more dynamic and full-bodied ... great amplifier