Former MHDT Havana Lovers: What did you move onto?

I hav mhdt COnstantine SS DAC and also Paradisea. Have not heard Havana.

I prefer the Paradisea in my second system where its warmer, softer and more tubelike sound plays well (no tubes otherwise).

THe Constantine is absolute top notch in my main rig where the Constantine's cleaner more detailed and more extended sound is required. I feel no need or desire for a different DAC there.

Out of curiosity, which interface are you using to hook up your digital files to your Havana? I ask, because I found the USB as implemented on both the Havana, and Paradisea+ to be entirely lackluster. The SPDIF on both were easily heard improvements to my ears.

That said, I actually found the PS Audio DLIII to be a more resolving DAC and at less cost than the Havana. It is available with various degrees of modifications from Cullen Circuits, but the one I directly compared was bone stock. There are lots of DACs in that price bracket that make for stiff competition. For the same money as a Havana, or just a bit more, if you can find a used Audio GD Reference 8 or 7 I'd jump on that. I have the 8 in my office system and it's a really great DAC, with remarkable resolution with no stridency throughout, and sounding entirely natural with all of the program material I listen to. I am particularly sensitive to the front end in that system because I listen to it frequently on headphones which are not very forgiving to various digital nasties.

Eugene81 - the Calyx is really something special at it's price point. It's not widely know in NA, but is getting killer reviews in Europe and Australia. I was also leaning to the Tranquility DAC, but opted for this instead. I had the Moon 300d at home for a bit (apparently very similar to the Bryston), and it left me completely cold (I called it vanilla).

The Calyx uses the Sabre chip, which like the Minimax when well implemented is really something.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Lots of interesting stuff out there! I think I'll stick with the Bel Canto for a while -- it is really growing on me -- and then skip a level and go straight to the Berkeley Alpha DAC. :)

Eugene I would definitely consider the Eastern Electric Minimax Plus based on what you are looking for. I too have the Havana and I too have the same reservations about it with large scale music. Having said that I still don't want to part with it just yet. The Minimax Plus is just an amazing piece, I have NEVER heard any component I've owned go through such changes to reach its voice. It is at once rich and resolving of the fundamental and harmonics of instruments in the soundfield. The reproduction of piano of which I am quite sensitive to is telling and nothing I've heard in my system approaches the sound I am getting with this DAC. I am still in the process of trying different tubes but let me say that this DAC may be exactly what you are looking for. The differences in tubes is even more readily apparent in the Plus than the Havana. The V-Cap upgrade will not give you more detail in the Havana but will increase dynamics, a friend did it and while it was an improvement and took some time to break in, it is not going to give you more of what you are looking for, detail. One big consideration of the Minimax is that out of the box I noticed the sound was light, it took quite a while to break-in and a few times I wondered if that was all there is? It is worth looking into and at the price point I can hardly see how you can lose anything. If you like the Havana but want the added detail, the Plus is a no reservation recommendation. The detail does not overwhelm nor is it overemphasised, it is complete and natural. Feel free to e-mail me for details.