EXPIRED Aqua La Scala DAC

[Czechzlin]

Item Condition: As New

Shipping Options: Shipping is included in price.

Suburb or Town: LAUNCESTON

State: TAS

Payment Method: EFT or PayPal

Reason for selling: Reducing Equipment Count

Up for sale is my as new condition Aqua La Scala DAC ( current version)

 

Everything is included such as all original packaging manuals etc.

 

Wanting to go back to a one box CD player solution.

 

Purchased January 2023.

 

Thank you for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Czechzlin
Description edit.

[roachy]

Nice price. Can you please tell me if this is current spec MK2 with the Optologic board?

 

 

[Waterpistol]

Drooooool…

[Czechzlin]

Yes this is the MK2 with Optologic version.

[Silver Audiophile]

My mate and I, bought new this same DAC. It is an absolutely phenomenal DAC for sound.

It comes standard with a new Gold lion ECC81 (12AT7) pair of tubes, in the output section.

Roll those tubes for an early 1950s Mullard ECC81, and this DAC unlocks another hidden level of Nirvana!

Man this is going really cheap! Retail is $11.9K on these currently.

 

Below: My mate's black La Scala DAC, and below that my La Scala in silver. Watch in HD and with headphones if possible.

 

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Silver Audiophile

[Silver Audiophile]

@captain.j

[Czechzlin]

Hi.

 

Thanks for the information, I'm thinking maybe not to sell it now and try those tubes you mentioned but have no idea where to get them.

Anyway I think I will have think about it a little further

[Neo]

55 minutes ago, Czechzlin said:

Hi.

 

Thanks for the information, I'm thinking maybe not to sell it now and try those tubes you mentioned but have no idea where to get them.

Anyway I think I will have think about it a little further

Give this place a call. https://www.thevalvestore.com.au
Neo

[Czechzlin]

[Silver Audiophile]

2 hours ago, Czechzlin said:

Hi.

 

Thanks for the information, I'm thinking maybe not to sell it now and try those tubes you mentioned but have no idea where to get them.

Anyway I think I will have think about it a little further

I'll try and hunt down some. They are not uber expensive, just most tube retailer will not have these tubes.

 

 

[hansseidel]

i have the non opto'. La Scala. have tried quite a few dif' bottles. in my system. the Siemens. sounded the best. & if u put the Herbies tube damper, on. well, thats another storey. i've owned a lot of Dacs. the Aqua, is hard 2 beat. cheers & have fun.

[petng]

I have a pair of Siemens 12at7 if you are interested 

[petng]

[Silver Audiophile]

53 minutes ago, petng said:

 

It's critical if you are going to roll the ECC81 tube in the La Scala DAC, that you have the measured values of 'each' of the triodes in the tube. Remember, the ECC81 is a twin triode tube and the LaScala use the one triode for the left channel output and the other triode in that same tube for the right channel. A significant difference in the mu gain between the the two triodes, will result in channel imbalance. From factory, Christian measures each tube and fits only suitability triode balanced tubes. 

 

 

 

[Piddi]

+1 here 

 

Keep the Optologic, spend some money on a couple of NOS tubes as mentioned above. If you can buy a very good USB cable i.e. Shunyata Sigma and up - the improvements in terms of realism, separation and overall musicality are massive. Most important cable after speaker cables. The Aqua is in the heart of my system, tweak it a bit and it’s absolute stunning and world class 

[Czechzlin]

Wow, everyone sends me pics of their Aqua DAC and tells me to keep it.

I would like to try different tubes but not sure what.

I really like female vocals that is my aim.

 

Thanks everyone

 

David 

[hansseidel]

i'm with u fella's. cables r very impor'. ur Dac, is the next most importantm unit. after ur Pre'. as the saying go's. feed sh..t in & u'll get sh..t out. Raythion tubes. can give a big bold sound, Siemen's a big fat sound, so try b 4 u sell. & dont 4get the Herbies. cheers

[AlurkA]

14 minutes ago, Czechzlin said:

Wow, everyone sends me pics of their Aqua DAC and tells me to keep it.

I would like to try different tubes but not sure what.

I really like female vocals that is my aim.

 

Thanks everyone

 

David 

Love my La Scala, don’t give up on this DAC. 

 

I have tried a few sets of tubes. Likely not as many as @Silver Audiophile  

 

Raytheon 12AT7 (1960’s)

Telefunken ECC81 (1950’s)

Mullard ECC81 (late 1950’s I think)

Siemens E81CC (1950’s) - triple mica

 

 

My favourite is the Siemens. 
 

I’d like to try the early 1950’s Mullards given their rep here but haven’t been able to find one/pair. 
 

 

[petng]

Anyone compared the Aqua to any Audio Note Dacs? 

[Silver Audiophile]

47 minutes ago, Czechzlin said:

Wow, everyone sends me pics of their Aqua DAC and tells me to keep it.

I would like to try different tubes but not sure what.

I really like female vocals that is my aim.

Thanks everyone

David 

 

That's because Aqua La Scala DAC owners are usually very satisfied beyond reasonable doubt

 

Below, I recorded this of a La Scala DAC in action at the Duntech Audio listening room. Kiat Low (CEO of Duntech speakers), couldn't be happier with his La Scala DAC! It sound absolutely phenomenal too.

 

 

 

 

 

[Allan]

I think you fella's need to search through my expired classifieds, I have just the tubes your all looking for...

All are in great shape and had very little use. They were all bought for a VTL pre I once had for about 12 months before moving back to SS (Pass X1)

PM me if your interested in any, all pricing is negotiable. I'm currently away for work so cant ship until mid next week.

 

[Silver Audiophile]

1 hour ago, Allan said:

I think you fella's need to search through my expired classifieds, I have just the tubes your all looking for...

All are in great shape and had very little use. They were all bought for a VTL pre I once had for about 12 months before moving back to SS (Pass X1)

PM me if your interested in any, all pricing is negotiable. I'm currently away for work so cant ship until mid next week.

 

 

With the exception of the Telefunken and the Raytheon tubes (ECC82), the rest should be compatible with the La Scala DAC (ECC81).

The ECC82 tube has a much lower gain factor (about a third of the ECC81 tubes), and therefore not to used interchangeably.

 

So long as they are tested and measured (triode balance). On average in the real world, after testing about 20% of tubes are likely reasonably close to triode balanced to be suitable for use in the La Scala.

 

 

 

 

[Allan]

45 minutes ago, Silver Audiophile said:

So long as they are tested and measured (triode balance). On average in the real world, after testing about 20% of tubes are likely reasonably close to triode balanced to be suitable for use in the La Scala.

 

 

so what max percentile variance do you regard as being balanced?

 

By the way, that rubbish tin lid bashing music in your video's above, you could use a fart filled milk bottle as a tube and not pick the difference between it and a triode. Sorry I cant help myself, but man I dont call that entertainment at all, not in the least. Try whistling it 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Allan

[Silver Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, Allan said:

so what max percentile variance do you regard as being balanced?

By the way, that rubbish tin lid bashing music in your video's above, you could use a fart filled milk bottle as a tube and not pick the difference between it and a triode. Sorry I cant help myself, but man I dont call that entertainment at all, not in the least. Try whistling it 

 

To answer the first question:

 

One should contact Cristian Anelli from Aqua Audio in Milan, Italy. Cristian is the CEO and chief designer of the La Scala DAC. I ran a series of emails regarding tube rolling on the La Scala DAC. Before installing my ECC81 in my unit, I ran all the triode measurement number past Cristian first. Aqua La Scala owners, can contact Cristian at support@aquahifi.com

The Aqua La Scala is $12k DAC new. I wouldn't advise anyone to risk putting any random unmeasured/tested or incorrect tube in the precious DAC. Do so risks damaging and/or voiding their warranty.

 

To the comment about the music choice. As audiophiles, we listen to the quality of the system or equipment. Calling other people's choice of music 'rubbish' is unnecessary and unprovoked.