Review: Eastern Electric Minimax Tube CDP
BlueMDPicker
Posts: 7,569
Eastern Electric MiniMax CD Player
My initial interest in the MiniMax product line was sparked by a mini review contained in an ebay listing for a dealer demo CDP. Dennis of Cape Ann Audio in MA was the author of that review. He and his wife Colleen deal primarily in quality used gear and are people who, quite simply, know audio. They have been very helpful to me in the past with unbiased opinion based on decades of experience. Their ad for the MiniMax CD Player was notable for two reasons: it was the first offering of new equipment Id seen by them; and, their review of the unit left little doubt that they were very impressed. I had to learn more.
First stop was the web site for Morning Star Audio Imports (www.morningstaraudio.com), the exclusive North American distributor/retailer. I learned that the CDP had recently (February 2004) joined the existing MiniMax product lineup consisting of a tubed, linestage preamp and a pi-filtered, 5AR4/GZ34-rectified push-pull pentode amplifier (both featuring point-to-point wiring.) After a thorough read of the distributors site information, the surfing began to linked reviews and from there to audio forum user reviews. My curiosity was piqued.
I was finally nudged into taking the plunge and auditioning the MiniMax when I discovered an auction, by Morning Star, for a new MiniMax CDP on AudiogoN. As luck would have it, I was the successful bidder. I didnt realize how lucky until the unit arrived!
First Impressions Fit, Finish and Features
Although mini in footprint and name, theres nothing gimpy about this unit. It is solidly constructed of cast aluminum and steel no plastic is to be found in its front-mounted controls. Light weight equipment that slides on the rack shelf when touched is irritating to me. At 14 lbs. Minimax isnt going anywhere. It sits atop four conical rubber feet that provide a measure of vibration dampening. The chassis cover is easily removed with four bolts which are easily accessible on the sides, but you dont need to remove it for tube access a very nice feature. Output RCA jacks are gold plated. Its full-featured remote is a solid block of aluminum that feels good in the hand. The remote buttons are a bit on the small side, but I dont find it in the least inconvenient to use.
Im a vinyl sorta guy. I cut my teeth in two channel audio in the early 70s - long before digital. To be honest, Ive always considered CD audio a compromise of convenience. My vinyl collection (of some 1500 titles) dwarfs my CD collection. A quality turntable, tone arm and stylus have always been the source components on the top tier of my audio rack. This new kid on the block was unpacked and installed lower down the rack and burned-in, rather unceremoniously, by running it on repeat for a few days. I did sneak a listen now and then during that period. Right out of the box it was apparent the new kid came to play.
While Mini was breaking in, I took the opportunity to familiarize myself with its features and specifications:
One piece, block aluminum remote (AAAs included)
Cast aluminum faceplate and transport face
Adjustable brightness, multi-function operational display
Power and HDCD indicator lights
Tube output headphone jack with volume pot
RCA tube analog output
Digital coaxial output (75 ohm S/PDIF)
Burr-Brown 1732 DACs
Two 6922 or 6DJ8 tubes, with a pair of the 6922s included and pre-installed
Custom toroidal power transformer
Supports both conventional and HDCD-encoded compact discs
Output Level: 2 Volts +/-3dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz +/-0.5dB
Distortion and Noise: less than -60dB
S/N Ratio: 90dB
Dynamic Range: 93dB / 100dB (HDCD)
Channel Separation: 90dB @ 1kHz
Power Requirements: 1117VAC +/-5%, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption: 30Watt
Dimensions (W x D x H) - 12" x 13" x 3" (316mm x 338mm x 95mm)
Weight: 13.25 lbs (6kg)
Warranty: 2 years 30 day Money back trial period
MSRP: $1350 Direct web sales price $899
The equipment line-up used in my audition of the MiniMax CDP consisted of:
Anthem PRE 2L preamplifier (tubed - dual 6922/6DJ8, with stock Sovtec 6922s installed)
PS Audio 200 Delta power amplifier 200 wpc@8 ohms, 375 wpc@4 ohms
Polk Audio SDA-SRS speakers, bi-wired Nominal 4 ohms
Audioquest Diamondback RCA IC source to preamp
Monster RCA IC preamp to power amp
PS Audio Statement Bi-wire speaker cables
Electro Harmonix 6922 Gold Pins (for tube rolling)
Source material used:
Robben Ford Supernatural (HDCD)
Little Feat Dixie Chicken
Diana Krall When I Look In Your Eyes
A Marvelous Listening Experience
The source material chosen is all very familiar to me, or so I thought. Beside the fact of familiarity, the selections were chosen for their excellence in engineering. The Minimax rendered every detail of these well recorded selections impeccably, and provided new levels of depth and separation that were, obviously, there all along and waiting to be experienced. Lead vocals breathed with a level of realism that was breathtaking. Backing vocals and tight harmonies emerged from murkiness that I honestly never realized Id been experiencing. Instrument separation was superb with no blending of register and no instrument walking on another.
The stock Sovtek tubes had a hint of softness at the upper end of the mids and a slight loss of bass clarity. In went the EH 6922 gold pins. Fresh from the box they are extremely weak in bass punch. But, within 12 to 18 hours of play that issue evaporated and a new level of warmth, without softness, and clarity emerged that put a smile on my face. The Minimax can definitely benefit from tube rolling and I look forward to auditioning other combinations.
Lasting Impressions
My Minimax tubed CDP is now on the top shelf of the audio rack. In fact, my vintage turntable has been carefully packed and stored in my basement record storage room. I no longer feel that CDs are a compromise of convenience and Im having a ball working my way through (and thoroughly enjoying) the CD collection. If a tubed CDP is something youve been contemplating, the Eastern Electric Minimax is very worthy of your consideration. For price, features, quality of sound, and a 30-day no risk trial period you just cant go wrong giving it an audition yourself.
Happy listening,
Mike
My initial interest in the MiniMax product line was sparked by a mini review contained in an ebay listing for a dealer demo CDP. Dennis of Cape Ann Audio in MA was the author of that review. He and his wife Colleen deal primarily in quality used gear and are people who, quite simply, know audio. They have been very helpful to me in the past with unbiased opinion based on decades of experience. Their ad for the MiniMax CD Player was notable for two reasons: it was the first offering of new equipment Id seen by them; and, their review of the unit left little doubt that they were very impressed. I had to learn more.
First stop was the web site for Morning Star Audio Imports (www.morningstaraudio.com), the exclusive North American distributor/retailer. I learned that the CDP had recently (February 2004) joined the existing MiniMax product lineup consisting of a tubed, linestage preamp and a pi-filtered, 5AR4/GZ34-rectified push-pull pentode amplifier (both featuring point-to-point wiring.) After a thorough read of the distributors site information, the surfing began to linked reviews and from there to audio forum user reviews. My curiosity was piqued.
I was finally nudged into taking the plunge and auditioning the MiniMax when I discovered an auction, by Morning Star, for a new MiniMax CDP on AudiogoN. As luck would have it, I was the successful bidder. I didnt realize how lucky until the unit arrived!
First Impressions Fit, Finish and Features
Although mini in footprint and name, theres nothing gimpy about this unit. It is solidly constructed of cast aluminum and steel no plastic is to be found in its front-mounted controls. Light weight equipment that slides on the rack shelf when touched is irritating to me. At 14 lbs. Minimax isnt going anywhere. It sits atop four conical rubber feet that provide a measure of vibration dampening. The chassis cover is easily removed with four bolts which are easily accessible on the sides, but you dont need to remove it for tube access a very nice feature. Output RCA jacks are gold plated. Its full-featured remote is a solid block of aluminum that feels good in the hand. The remote buttons are a bit on the small side, but I dont find it in the least inconvenient to use.
Im a vinyl sorta guy. I cut my teeth in two channel audio in the early 70s - long before digital. To be honest, Ive always considered CD audio a compromise of convenience. My vinyl collection (of some 1500 titles) dwarfs my CD collection. A quality turntable, tone arm and stylus have always been the source components on the top tier of my audio rack. This new kid on the block was unpacked and installed lower down the rack and burned-in, rather unceremoniously, by running it on repeat for a few days. I did sneak a listen now and then during that period. Right out of the box it was apparent the new kid came to play.
While Mini was breaking in, I took the opportunity to familiarize myself with its features and specifications:
One piece, block aluminum remote (AAAs included)
Cast aluminum faceplate and transport face
Adjustable brightness, multi-function operational display
Power and HDCD indicator lights
Tube output headphone jack with volume pot
RCA tube analog output
Digital coaxial output (75 ohm S/PDIF)
Burr-Brown 1732 DACs
Two 6922 or 6DJ8 tubes, with a pair of the 6922s included and pre-installed
Custom toroidal power transformer
Supports both conventional and HDCD-encoded compact discs
Output Level: 2 Volts +/-3dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz +/-0.5dB
Distortion and Noise: less than -60dB
S/N Ratio: 90dB
Dynamic Range: 93dB / 100dB (HDCD)
Channel Separation: 90dB @ 1kHz
Power Requirements: 1117VAC +/-5%, 50/60Hz
Power Consumption: 30Watt
Dimensions (W x D x H) - 12" x 13" x 3" (316mm x 338mm x 95mm)
Weight: 13.25 lbs (6kg)
Warranty: 2 years 30 day Money back trial period
MSRP: $1350 Direct web sales price $899
The equipment line-up used in my audition of the MiniMax CDP consisted of:
Anthem PRE 2L preamplifier (tubed - dual 6922/6DJ8, with stock Sovtec 6922s installed)
PS Audio 200 Delta power amplifier 200 wpc@8 ohms, 375 wpc@4 ohms
Polk Audio SDA-SRS speakers, bi-wired Nominal 4 ohms
Audioquest Diamondback RCA IC source to preamp
Monster RCA IC preamp to power amp
PS Audio Statement Bi-wire speaker cables
Electro Harmonix 6922 Gold Pins (for tube rolling)
Source material used:
Robben Ford Supernatural (HDCD)
Little Feat Dixie Chicken
Diana Krall When I Look In Your Eyes
A Marvelous Listening Experience
The source material chosen is all very familiar to me, or so I thought. Beside the fact of familiarity, the selections were chosen for their excellence in engineering. The Minimax rendered every detail of these well recorded selections impeccably, and provided new levels of depth and separation that were, obviously, there all along and waiting to be experienced. Lead vocals breathed with a level of realism that was breathtaking. Backing vocals and tight harmonies emerged from murkiness that I honestly never realized Id been experiencing. Instrument separation was superb with no blending of register and no instrument walking on another.
The stock Sovtek tubes had a hint of softness at the upper end of the mids and a slight loss of bass clarity. In went the EH 6922 gold pins. Fresh from the box they are extremely weak in bass punch. But, within 12 to 18 hours of play that issue evaporated and a new level of warmth, without softness, and clarity emerged that put a smile on my face. The Minimax can definitely benefit from tube rolling and I look forward to auditioning other combinations.
Lasting Impressions
My Minimax tubed CDP is now on the top shelf of the audio rack. In fact, my vintage turntable has been carefully packed and stored in my basement record storage room. I no longer feel that CDs are a compromise of convenience and Im having a ball working my way through (and thoroughly enjoying) the CD collection. If a tubed CDP is something youve been contemplating, the Eastern Electric Minimax is very worthy of your consideration. For price, features, quality of sound, and a 30-day no risk trial period you just cant go wrong giving it an audition yourself.
Happy listening,
Mike
Post edited by BlueMDPicker on
Comments
-
Have I read your reviews in Stereophile before.....
Well done sir!Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Excellent review! Tubed CD players are getting really popular here. I heard great things about Jolida and now we've got the Minimax. Whenever I'm ready to get a tube CD player, I'll consider this unit along with the Jolida. They're pricey but one day I'll own a tubed source:).
The guts on that thing looks awesome. Big power supply there!
Thanks for posting the review. Now I'll have people to blame whenever I go broke;).
Keep us posted on the sound quality as the unit breaks in or whenver you get to try some new 6922. This is a tube I'll be rolling for some time.
Maurice -
Wow... and it's a little under $66/ lb....
Nice write up, Mike...
So exactly what has been "retired" to the basement?More later,
Tour...
Vox Copuli
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb
"Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
"It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
"There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD -
Originally posted by Tour2ma
Wow... and it's a little under $66/ lb....
I'm finally coming to understand that's the entry level price to pound ratio of anything in high-end audio. A true bargain when compared to the price to pound ratio of bass I've caught with a $25K boat and the $45K SUV that hauled it around.
So exactly what has been "retired" to the basement?
My MiniMax sent a Technics SL-120 DD turntable with Mayware Formula IV tone arm and ADC XLM (all, save cartridge, circa 1977) to the showers.
Thanks for the kind words. This CDP is well worth a listen. I'm so impressed with it that I'm hoping Santa will bring me the matching tubed preamp. -
Hope you've been "good"...
If you can sometime, I'd love to see a pic of that TT/ arm combo...More later,
Tour...
Vox Copuli
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb
"Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
"It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
"There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD -
Originally posted by Tour2ma
Hope you've been "good"...
Santa just grabbed one NIB from Audiogon last night...
I must be doing a few things right. -
Nice read, thanks for taking the time to post it for us animals.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
-
Just browsing AudiogoN this morning and noticed Bill (Morning Star) is running a "holiday special" on these units @$750. You might send Santa the link if this is on your Christmas list.
No affiliation
MiniMax CDP on AudiogoN -
I thought I'd reprise this thread with a tweak update. I received a pair of 1965 Amperex USN-CEP 7308's from a friend recently and they've found a home in this CDP. In fact, they've taken it to a level that is absolutely embarrasing to the other CDPs in the mix around here (one of which retails new for well more than double the EE's MSRP.)
If you can come by one of these in the used market, I highly recommend giving it a try. Even new, it's competitively priced with the competition. And, by all means, plug-in a pair of 7308's if you acquire one.
If I can make it to SC this fall (which is the plan), I'll bring this piece along. I'd love to see how it's reviewed by others. -
Thanks for the update Mike. Isn't it great that tube rolling makes a significant difference in these machines? I find it much more affordable than changing ICs and wires and such. I have a Jolida JD100. Tube rolling helps me match my speakers to the tone that I want.
Don't you also have a Shandling cdp? -
Super cool!!!! How does this unit compare to your Shan Ling?
I agree about the Ampex 7308. My fav from all the 6922/6DJ8 I've tried so far. -
"In the head-to-head shootout, the Shanling was left in a pool of blood."
OMG!!!! Are you serious????? I've been planning to get a tubed cdp for some time. Just waiting for the cash to come in. If this EE is as good as you say it is, I'm going for it! I also love the way they mount the tubes. No need to undress her for tube rolling. That saves a lot of time and did I mention the 6DJ8 family of tubes kick serious musical ****?:).
