Modwright Transporter VS Opera Droplet 5.0 CDP.

The short version,Swamp, is this:

Two favorite rectifiers are the EML 5U4G Mesh, which I'm using, and the Mullard High Wycombe GZ37 (NOS). A few folks like the usual suspects 5AR4/GZ34 variants but the majority is with the EML mesh. I found 5AR4's to lack some body/weight when I tried them.

If you stick with 9-pin signal tubes the RCA 6CG7 cleartops get the knod. Better still get a octal adapter from Boulder Cable or Jim Cross and use 6SN7 variants. The cream of that crop are the pricey Tung Sol rounds. Others are having very good results with the Russian military version of that tube (Grant can speak to this end) which are cheaper than the TS rounds and pretty close in performance I'm told. A further possibility recently being explored by some seeking a "cheaper" TS round is using a Loctal adapter and 7SN7's. No direct experience there but my friend just picked up the goods so I'll post if I hear anything soon.

There'll be a quiz later on...

Marco

Jax2 was very helpful providing me with his MW TP tube rolling Cliff's Notes, and in my system, the EML 5U4G and Tung-Sol 6SN7GT round plates have produced the best sound. Thanks, Marco.

I don't use my MW TP as a reference component, so since absolute, optimal sound is not a priority, I'm perhaps more forgiving about subtle differences in tubes than others. I found the Russian 6H8C from Upscale Audio were close enough in sound to the Tung-Sol round plate to cause me to sell a second pair of TS round plates that I had purchased. They are *not* the same, and there *are* definite differences between the two. The Tung-Sol has better balance, tighter bass, and slightly smoother highs (everything that causes these tubes to sell for the premium they do).

The RCA 6CG7 cleartops are also very good.

Many people would be quite satisfied with either the RCA 6CG7 or Russian 6H8C, IMO.

Thanks, guys. Sorry to hi-jack your thread, Chillinimrod. The MWTP is a great unit and I am using it as my digital reference. I am not having any trouble w re-buffering or timing out, w a MusicVault streaming wirelessly to a NetGear wireless router, to the MWTP.

You bet - I don't think it's really a hijack - more an addendum as that info goes a long way in MWTP considerations.

and in my system, the EML 5U4G and Tung-Sol 6SN7GT round plates have produced the best sound.

This has been my experience as well. This is the combination I'm using.

For the record, I'm running wireless from two stories above my base station (in my basement). Like Grant, I have a repeater (Airport Express) in the same room with my MWTP and have not had any problems at all with dropouts or timeouts, rebuffering, etc. That's not to say they're not unheard of, just simply that I haven't had it come up for me. A possible runaround is to wire your network via Ethernet. I know in Grant's case this is impractical, as it is with my own setup. Reports are that a wired connection is slightly better than via wireless. The wireless sound on my system is excellent, and it is my digital reference as well. I'm baffled by Grant's connection problems as well. The only thing I could think of was that it could be wireless interference where he lives (I think the TP runs on a frequency similar to some older portable phones). No doubt it is very frustrating.

For the OP's benefit - you may want to go over to the Audiocircle Modwright forum and ask there if anyone using the MWTP has compared with the Droplet and can comment on that comparison.

Member Trelja was once the USA distributor for Consonance. He liquidated all his inventory due to poor product performance and poor factory support of products sold in the USA.

Consonance may have improved upon this since Trelja gave up the distributorship, but you should do your due diligence before purchasing a Droplet 5.0.