From Importer/Distributor Gini Systems, I have an interesting little integrated tube amp in for review. The AudioSpace Mini Galaxy I is a tiny and cute integrated amp powered by EL-84 tubes in a "push pull" configuration. It sports handful of cool features, including a headphone output, separate matching power supply, and most interestingly, a USB input for computer audio.
EL-84 tubes power the Mini-Galaxy. Known for their low power but sweet sound and highly musical nature, they powered many of the classic integrated amplifiers of the 50's and 60's that have attained cult like status today. Amplifiers like EICO, Fisher and Scott are all highly sought after units after 50 years. And what is that these old classics have in common? That little EL-84 tube. There's something about it that so many listeners over the decades have found to be magical.
It's a popular tube, but even with the tube audio resurgence going today there aren't a lot of amps using this tube. The low power output really limits your choice of speakers. Sensitive speakers, with sensitivity of at least 89db are required to really show off what an amp like this can do.
Listening
I started out my review period with the Epos M12.2’s, which I knew would not be an ideal match. The Epos have a sensitivity of 87db, this is just too power hungry for an amp like the Mini. Nonetheless, this pairing gave me a nice taste of tube goodness. Sweet and delicate - if very soft - high frequencies, that rich and intoxicating midrange that is one of the Epos strong points, all were on display. But the sound was somewhat “collapsed” overall. The body and oomph was completely missing with these power hungry speakers. The Epos need a good 60 watts to get going, and the diminutive Mini’s 12 watts just couldn’t get it done. All that this combo really offered was a glimpse of what each component could do with a more appropriate mate.
My Sound Dynamics RTS-3's are not quite the resolving speaker that the Epos is, but they’re versatile, reliable, and sound good. Most importantly, their 89db sensitivity made them a better match for the Mini. Indeed they were. The Mini and the Sound Dynamics made for a surprisingly rocking little combo. Robust and tuneful bass (one of the RTS-3’s strengths) complemented by very smooth and downright pretty high frequency extension.
While the RTS-3’s were able to squeeze much more music out of the Mini, things still felt just a bit compressed. I couldn’t help but wonder how my old Klipsch Cornwalls – highly efficient and designed to work with low powered tube amps - would have performed with such a sweet little amp. Unfortunately I sold them when I moved into a smaller apartment.
USB DAC
One of the more interesting features on this little amp is its USB input. This allows you connect your computer to the unit so you can play music and internet radio from your PC. I'm nuts about this kind of stuff. I love high-end audio and I love the convenience, power and flexibility of PC based music. Bring the two together in such a way and my geek meter goes off the charts.
But you can't just slap a USB input and crappy DAC in there and call it a day. Audio geeks are smart enough to know that there's more to it. What kind of DAC is it using? How good are the drivers? How does the overall implementation and performance compare to an external DAC or even just the PC's sound card? This is what I am here to (attempt to) illuminate. It helps that I have a great standard to compare to - Scott Nixon's USB Tube DAC. This is my reference DAC and in my mind, an instant classic in the world of high-end PC audio.
The Mini-Galaxy I a Japanese Burr Brown DAC chip, model number PCM2702 for the curious. This appears to be one of Burr-Brown’s earlier “USB enabled” DAC chips. For the technical minded, this article details some of the trials a tribulations of developing this early DAC.
Overall, I found the built in DAC to good, but not great. Working against it was a terribly loud hum when using the USB input. I heard this on my both my Mac and Windows machines. Placing my Scott-Nixon USB Tube DAC in the chain was a relief. The hum & noise was gone and the music was back. Of course, the Nixon is a stand alone DAC that costs more than half the price of the Galaxy. It features a sophisticated circuit and it’s own power supply. Even still, I don’t think the Mini’s built in DAC is up to par. It just doesn’t do the amp section justice.
Headphone Jack
Another nice feature on the Mini-Galaxy is its headphone amp. The jack is in the back hiding in between the speaker jacks. Plugging in a pair of headphones disables the speakers. I tested it out with a pair of Sennheiser HD-595 headphones, one of Sennheiser's better set of cans. It turns out this is a pretty sweet combo.
It made for a nimble and dynamic combination. Instead of music being projected directly into my ears, I heard a wide-open and spacious sound field with sounds coming out of nowhere. That buzz from the USB DAC did creep into the sound, and when there was no music but I kept my headphones on (as I often do) the sound was unbearable.
Conclusion
This is a neat little amp. As small a tube amp as I’ve ever seen, it’s just plain cute. It can also really rock too. I really enjoyed the sound, but I feel like my speakers were not quite sensitive enough to really show what the Mini can do. I did get a good glimpse, and I found it to be an enjoyable little amp. With the right speakers, it could make for a very little bedroom or office system. The built-in USB DAC, however, is not quite ready for primetime. If this feature could be spruced up a bit, we could have a real winner.
AudioSpace Mini-Galaxy I
$890
Gini.com |
