Mola Mola Pre/dac review compared to DAVE dac

[Davidny]

7 hours ago, yyz said:

It will be interesting to hear feedback from actual owners. 

 

I got the following email from a dealer that I asked about the Tambaqui :

 

" I spent the whole summer with it in prototype mode and you will see it is rather compact and comes in a nice flight case.  Therefore, I was able to take it around with me along with having clients bring their digital gear in.  I have heard it against the $90K+ MSB, dCS Vivaldi, Playback Design, Lampizator, D1 Esoteric, Mytek, Berkeley, Aqua , Weiss and a few more I am sure I am forgetting of course PS AUDIO and Auralic Vega.  In every case the Tambaqui was the sure favorite.  It is so lively and natural in the real sense.  There are no veils, there are no dynamic constrictions, there is no coloration, no electronic sound.  It is bigger sounding, more dynamic, truer to the natural scale and incredibly transparent.  It just sounds real and natural.  In my option there is no better DAC on the market whatsoever."

I just received mine, fresh out of the box, WOW, eveything I had hoped for. 

Major leap in performance to my PS Audio Directstream DAC with Snowmass.  Increased clarity and dynamics with no digital harshness.

If this is like other digital I’ve owned,  in 500 hours it will sound even better.

Auditioned the the Makua with DAC board this Summer but I’m glad  I waited for the Tambaqui.

[Davidny]

6 hours ago, Marcel073 said:

 

Hi Davidny,

 

You say that you are glad that you waited for the Tambaqui.

 

I'm not sure if it was on this forum but I have read from more than one person that using the Makua pre-amp with DAC board instead of connecting the Tambaqui straight into Kaluga monoblocks improved the SQ. Assuming that the DAC board and Tambaqui DAC circuit are identical such SQ improvement - if it is really audible - has to result from other components in the Makua.

 

Interesting to read that you are actually stating the opposite.

 

Will you pls elaborate a bit further on this, i.e. your experience in comparing the Makua+DAC board versus the Tambaqui standalone?

 

What amp(s) and speaker did you use?

 

Thanks,

Marcel

 

 

Hi Marcel:

 

I can’t answer your question because I have not A/B’d the Makua preamp versus Tambaqui DAC.  But I’m a believer, to optimize sound quality, in using a preamp as opposed to using a DAC direct to an amplifier.  I already have a great preamp, an Audionet Stern.

if I had known it would take 2+ years for Mola Mola to introduce thier standalone DAC I would have bought a Makua with DAC board and just used it for the DAC board, bypassing the preamp functions.

 

To get an answer to your questions, I suggest that you call Bill Parish at GTT Audio, who is the US distributor for Mola Mola.  He really knows their products.  Fior example, I know he has been working directly with Mola Mola to help them perfect the Tambaqui over the past 6 months.

As far as I’m concerned the Tambiqui is a must hear, try product.  I will let others who do so speak to how it compares with all of the other “hot” DACs  on the market.