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Topic: First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a (Read 7124 times) previous topic - next topic
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First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #1 –
Heh... that is really trippy.  Who'd have thought we would see something like this....

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #2 –
Is this some form of retrogression?

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #3 –
Yeah..  I had to pick the jaw off the floor and jam it back in place.

Better pics here: http://www.hardocp.com/image.html?image=MT...V8xMl9sLmpwZw==
(if the link's broken go to hardocp's Computex report,  AOpen section)

And the announcement in the news section of the AOpen site goes into a lot of tech detail of what it's all about..

If it dosen't hum and buzz, and all,  being inside a box with switching power supplies and digital circiutry.. it should provide a very nice sound..

Kinda cool that a big Corporation decides to put together a product that they have no chance of making any money on..  just because they love great sound. 

Who the hell does that nowadays??

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #4 –
I guess that some valve-maniatics will buy it.

What's next? A vinyl reading unit?

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #5 –
Quote
Originally posted by JonPike
Kinda cool that a big Corporation decides to put together a product that they have no chance of making any money on..  just because they love great sound. 


hehe.. guess it gives them this warm and fuzzy feeling 

pretty weird that they combine it with the (fairly crappy, iirc) AC97..
A riddle is a short sword attached to the next 2000 years.

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #6 –
I wonder how much space you would need if they replaced the P4 with vacuum tubes...
flac > schiit modi > schiit magni > hd650

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #7 –
Quote
Originally posted by indybrett
I wonder how much space you would need if they replaced the P4 with vacuum tubes...

LOL!

How much cooling needed too.  A heatsink the size of Texas?  Tornado force winds as the cooling fan.

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #8 –
Imagine a Soundblaster Live Valve Card.

edit
Ruse
____________________________
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around,
Go out and make a joyful sound.

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #9 –
Quote
Originally posted by ssamadhi97


hehe.. guess it gives them this warm and fuzzy feeling  

pretty weird that they combine it with the (fairly crappy, iirc) AC97..


AC97 is a hardware interface to access the codec (an API if you will). So depending on which implementation of it you have, the sound quality changes. Anywhere from the $15 bargain bin sound cards up to some audiophile gold plated terminals whizz bang models implement AC97 compatibility (the live and audigy do I think too). It is nicely compatible, and as long as they've used solid audio components it sounds good too. (I've heard some shitty AC97 cards, but I don't mind my Live  with it's AC97 mixer).

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #10 –
Quote
Originally posted by Ruse
Imagine a Soundblaster Live Valve Card.


Imagine the buggy drivers
flac > schiit modi > schiit magni > hd650

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #11 –
Not to bust anybody's bubble, but throwing a tube on there doesn't necessarily do anything positive for the sound.  I'm a recording hobbyist and all kinds of gear throws in a tube and calls itself "tube" whatever, but if a high-quality tube isn't used, the result can be worse than solid state electronics.

Given the electromagnetic noise present in a PC I'd suspect that this tube, combined with the "crappy" AC'97 codec, continues the crappiness trend and is merely for dick measuring contests and as a marketing tool to sucker in those gullible enough to think it'll make things sound better.  If I want tube warmth to color my sound, I'll go out and buy a high quality tube amp and keep the tubes where they belong, out of a modern PC.

G

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #12 –
Now, if only they would throw in a green marker for making CD's sound better
flac > schiit modi > schiit magni > hd650

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #13 –
Quote
Originally posted by indybrett
Now, if only they would throw in a green marker for making CD's sound better


hmmm! maybe painting the tube green with the marker would magically shield it from the electromagnetic noise!
A riddle is a short sword attached to the next 2000 years.

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #14 –
Well, there's a store near me with about 100000 tubes sitting around (literally) so I'm sure I could find a replacement of some sort if this tube sucks .

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #15 –
It just seems so bizarre to put a tube on a motherboard.  Is it made of regular glass... how are they gonna make sure it doesn't break in transit?  Does the company provided replacements if/when the tube burns out? 

It's just weird... :too_hot:

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #16 –
Heh.. well, like I expected..  good, bad, it's sure got peoples attention.

They seem to think it sounds good enough that it was worth finishing in the lab, and producing it as a product.  Either that, or the audiophile big boss REALLY wanted to do it, and they've had a good year as a company..

I read something that you might be able to run audio thru the tube without using the soundcard..

And,  I imagine there is a foam block with a tube sized hole inside that motherboard package...  would make sense..  though tube sockets tend to hold pretty tightly.  A little, light tube like that ..  you'ld have to REALLY bash the thing to do some damage.
 

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #17 –
I can't imagine the temperature in this box ! The tube must produce as much heat as an AMD CPU !

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #18 –
If anything, they'll probably just ship the tube in the usual little cardboard box in a separate partition in the mobo box, and make the end user plug it in.  Or it will be exposed for view by means of a bubble-pack window in the box.  Scary.

The only way that sticking tubes in a PC will do any good is if they eliminate the solid-state output buffer in the DAC--and I don't know of any that don't have that built in.

Furthermore, I don't like having 150 VDC running loose on the motherboard right beside sensitive 3.3v CMOS logic.  It's too easy to get shocked or for something else to get shocked.  I'd rather just use an optical connection and connect to external equipment instead.
godzilla525

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #19 –
Heat??  Oh no..  that tube probably won't dissipate more than a couple o' three watts, as opposed to the 40-50W that a high end processor does..  Not a biggie..

As for the voltage.. it's probably more like 200-250VDC!!    As long as it stays where it's supposed to be,  no problemo.    And,  why would you be fondling your motherboard after you've got it all set up, anyway..  But,  probably not a good board choice for a watercooled rig...

As for tube life.. it should last for more years than you'ld want to use the board for..

First on board solid-state audio, now on board Vacuum Tube a

Reply #20 –
Quote
Originally posted by JonPike

If it dosen't hum and buzz, and all,  being inside a box with switching power supplies and digital circiutry.. it should provide a very nice sound..

Kinda cool that a big Corporation decides to put together a product that they have no chance of making any money on..  just because they love great sound. 

Who the hell does that nowadays??


I Agree To me nothing sounds better than the warm sound of analog (not the pops and cracks)
What if the Hokey Pokey....is What it's all about?