a. no one was complaining this site was being used to promote one persons products, do you see anyone complaining about John, no, Russ White, no.
b. 'in order to make this site more credible'? excuse for not knowing your qualifications but what makes 'you' think this site is lacking in credibility, it's the numebr one www. diy audio site bar none.
The only thing lacking in credibility on this thread is your as yet unnamed vapourware taiwan wonder.
Maybe you should start another thread and not crap this one.
b. 'in order to make this site more credible'? excuse for not knowing your qualifications but what makes 'you' think this site is lacking in credibility, it's the numebr one www. diy audio site bar none.
The only thing lacking in credibility on this thread is your as yet unnamed vapourware taiwan wonder.
Maybe you should start another thread and not crap this one.
No you are right sq I have committed a crime for not having revealed its name. As i said i am still in the process of evaluating it fully. The dac is made by Vintage Audio LAb, a small co which sells on ebay only. The version i have is a pre full production model and not as yet for general sale but i understand will be available over the next few weeks.
PS your rude and aggressive comments were not appreciated and no doubt will be frowned upon by many other members of the DIYAudio.
also meant to make more credible 'this thread' and its high regard for the Da Capo, comparing and contrasting can help reinforce another products qualities.
Also John in an earlier post I do believe was almost apologising for talking about his new products as he did not want to appear to be solely using this thread as a promotion tool!
PS your rude and aggressive comments were not appreciated and no doubt will be frowned upon by many other members of the DIYAudio.
also meant to make more credible 'this thread' and its high regard for the Da Capo, comparing and contrasting can help reinforce another products qualities.
Also John in an earlier post I do believe was almost apologising for talking about his new products as he did not want to appear to be solely using this thread as a promotion tool!
Ok the VALAB has been burning in for 24 hrs, and i did an ab comparison with my dacapo. I felt the dacpo was now significantly behind the valab. What more can i say.
I hope others will be able to get this dac and give unbiased opinions in the very near future. This is only my opinion using my own equipment in my small audio world.
Luke
I hope others will be able to get this dac and give unbiased opinions in the very near future. This is only my opinion using my own equipment in my small audio world.
Luke
Cheers for the info Indypants,
much appreciated; makes it seem more real, and that it might be available soon! So, is this 'Mephisto' range to be complemented by a more expensive Dacapo range at a later date (as had been intimated previously)? Have you any idea when the new Dacapo range will be available (particularly the DAC/digital pre-amp)? I has also heard that these would all be for sale over the internet only, has a website been set up yet?
The Moog
much appreciated; makes it seem more real, and that it might be available soon! So, is this 'Mephisto' range to be complemented by a more expensive Dacapo range at a later date (as had been intimated previously)? Have you any idea when the new Dacapo range will be available (particularly the DAC/digital pre-amp)? I has also heard that these would all be for sale over the internet only, has a website been set up yet?
The Moog
Moog, Apart from the email, I don't know any more than what I've read in this thread, i.e. John Westlake, the designer of the PT DaCapo, is close to getting some new designs into production - the Mephisto range. I believe he will be selling only direct via the internet in order that he can keep the price down. He claims that the DAC in this new range will far out perform the DaCapo - which he has been using as one of his references for the new design.
John obviously knows the sound of the DaCapo better than anyone, and this is what's getting a lot of existing owners like me worked up. A lot of this seems to have come about after he had been generously carrying out repairs for some unlucky folks due to a widespread problem with leaky capacitors.
With any luck, John will come in at this point to correct me and give us all a proper update
John obviously knows the sound of the DaCapo better than anyone, and this is what's getting a lot of existing owners like me worked up. A lot of this seems to have come about after he had been generously carrying out repairs for some unlucky folks due to a widespread problem with leaky capacitors.
With any luck, John will come in at this point to correct me and give us all a proper update
Looking at Indypants' picture a little more closely reveals the brand name Lake West along the sides of the units. A whois on lake-west.com revealed it's owner has a familiar name.
So folks, keep an eye on www.lake-west.com.
So folks, keep an eye on www.lake-west.com.
Hi JC,
this DAC is a hybrid utilising the old TDA 1543 and new DIR9001, it is a very small and heavy plain aluminium box designed by Kevin a Taiwanese engineer. I only bought this DAC blind because of his other products which have a similar sound signature. I happened to buy his first pre full-reproduction model. I have tried to order another one myself because I wanted to see if I could do some DIY improvements. He has emailed me back informing me he is building 10 more units ( all by hand and I believe mostly by himself) now before waiting for more feedback so that he can tweak it further. If you email him he is very helpful indeed and will let you know roughly when the new DACS will be available.
Please make no mistake about it i will buy Johns new DAC, but this DAC to my ears is probably the best DAc I have ever heard at the present time. All i will say is that in my set up and to my ears because of its accuracy in depicting music both in terms of time, clarity and realism, you really do begin to understand and appreciate the structural architecture of the music behind the emotional impact.
I eagerly await John's new DAC to see if the frontiers of sound have been pushed any further forward.
this DAC is a hybrid utilising the old TDA 1543 and new DIR9001, it is a very small and heavy plain aluminium box designed by Kevin a Taiwanese engineer. I only bought this DAC blind because of his other products which have a similar sound signature. I happened to buy his first pre full-reproduction model. I have tried to order another one myself because I wanted to see if I could do some DIY improvements. He has emailed me back informing me he is building 10 more units ( all by hand and I believe mostly by himself) now before waiting for more feedback so that he can tweak it further. If you email him he is very helpful indeed and will let you know roughly when the new DACS will be available.
Please make no mistake about it i will buy Johns new DAC, but this DAC to my ears is probably the best DAc I have ever heard at the present time. All i will say is that in my set up and to my ears because of its accuracy in depicting music both in terms of time, clarity and realism, you really do begin to understand and appreciate the structural architecture of the music behind the emotional impact.
I eagerly await John's new DAC to see if the frontiers of sound have been pushed any further forward.
From what i can see on the insides of the unit, there appears to be no filter CHIP just the receiver and dac. There are NO APPARENT OPAMPS WHATSOEVER ON THE OUTPUT STAGE, I am unable to see any amplifying devices !!!, very unusual discrete design filter /amplifier analogue stage. There are certainly separate power supply regulations for the digital and analogue stages. I am not an electronics expert, so dont count on my findings to be accurate.
I have noticed that another company has combined a modern cs chip with an old philips tda dac 'Satch DAc' Designers are obviously finding there is a lot more to be had from these older DACs reinvigorating them with modern ancillaries. I certainly for one love the old TDA1540. In fact my reference was the Revox B225 with the 1540 (heavily modified output stage) which was almost identical to the Da CApo for sound, but because of the hassle of its temperamental circuitry I was able to rest it once the da capo arrived.
Very interesting times these, as some designers are actually abandoning the modern 24/96DACs for the original 16/14 bit DACS. Well if the VAL DAC is anything to go by then I believe this is the right road. But then again John will I am sure prove a lot of us wrong with his implication of the modern DAC. At least the web site is being constructed now so progress is being made.
I have noticed that another company has combined a modern cs chip with an old philips tda dac 'Satch DAc' Designers are obviously finding there is a lot more to be had from these older DACs reinvigorating them with modern ancillaries. I certainly for one love the old TDA1540. In fact my reference was the Revox B225 with the 1540 (heavily modified output stage) which was almost identical to the Da CApo for sound, but because of the hassle of its temperamental circuitry I was able to rest it once the da capo arrived.
Very interesting times these, as some designers are actually abandoning the modern 24/96DACs for the original 16/14 bit DACS. Well if the VAL DAC is anything to go by then I believe this is the right road. But then again John will I am sure prove a lot of us wrong with his implication of the modern DAC. At least the web site is being constructed now so progress is being made.
Here is info from the designer of the Vintage Audio LAb Designer
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Valab Non-Oversampling DAC using TDA1543
Why non-oversampling DAC? ------ 'oversampling' kill music!
You may not know, the actual digital signal recorded on your CD title is 16bit/44.1k format. Yes, never doubt it! Then why almost all modern DAC feature 24bit/96k or even 192k specification? In modern digital recoding studio, music will be recorded in new 24bit/192k format but when they need to 'write' onto CD, these information rich formation must be degraded into old format. These 'New' DACs will try 'restore' the degraded back to more informative format using some talent algorithm work out by smart mathematician. ----- That is problem! why? All music you hear from CD will be processed by some smart algorithm, then you hear the artifact sound ---- actually bad sound!
My over-opinion? No! If you are a experienced audiophiles, you will find if these cd players or DACs use the same dac chip inside, they all will have very closer sound features, even their analog circuits designs are quite different. Why? You hear the same artifact derived from the same talent algorism.
These artifacts contamination did hurt your audio enjoyment! Why, they mask real tone color and even 'atmosphere' of music player. You do not believe!? Try to find CD records which also have vinyl LP version, compare music from vinyl and CD. You will know how bad these artifact sound is!
Back to vinyl record?
No! Vinyl LP really too troublesome! Listening music should be easy and relaxing.
Non-oversampling DAC is a compromise answer.
NOS-DACs may be an acceptable answer to CD music. Why? No artifact anymore from these NOS-DACs. You get non-refined music recorded on CD although it is still a degraded music. But in my experience, it is still much better than artifact juck.
Why? 'modern' dac can not De novo generate right music signal from degraded records on CD, but rather add mathematical generated fill-in bits into your music.
So NOS-DAC is a can-not-but choice!
VALAB NOS-DAC TDA1543 --- simple elegance
All NOS-DACs are simple. because these old NOD dac chips are so small and simple IC with few pins and only need simple circuit to work well.
TDA-1543 may be the most small but tough one. It is a real vintage chip developed by Philips 2 decades ago. We choose it to implement our own NOS-DAC.
No special innovation on this chip for it is too simple. What we should do is try to extrapolate its most potential! How?
1. Keep most accurate digital signal and feed to TDA1543 in low jitter fashion.
DIR9001 digital receiver is the answer for this propose. DIR9001 is a new modern IC, much more expensive than that popular CS8412/4/6 used in all other DAC. Much more music details keep and accurate sound you obtain. Fig. 5 and 6 is DIR9001 digital receiver board. It have independent 2 voltage regulator build-in to get best performance.
2. Paralleling DAC chips.
We parallel up to 8 TDA1543 chips as you see on Fig. 4. It is a independent DAC board, no other circuit associate with it to keep most 'clean' electronic. 8 paralleling did enhance performance, get better resolution and lower output impedance. TDA1543 will generate many heat, so you separate each chip and make use alumina chassis to work as heat dissipation.
3. Profuse power supply
10W sealed military grade power transformer was used in this DAC, it can offer up to 5 times required electronic power. No vibration, heating from this transformer. In rectification circuit, we use best sound 1n5062 diode, this is most credit diode which is popular in audio tweaking. It do signicifantly improve sound quality, more smooth and natural sound. Expensive LT1084 5A voltage regulator and Philips BC 118 and Nichicon capacitor were used in power supply section to offer clean and low drop voltage to tda1543 and dir9001 chips.
This simple and small NOS-DAC do have most delicate design and very good parts choice. You can take it to compete other much much expensive DACs of your friends. You will be very happy.
This is not a high cost DAC, because very few parts required. We sell it at low price. Actually no even cheaper DAC in audio market can you find. While it may be very indispensable equipment in your audio system. If you get used to sound of NOS-DAC. You will 100% agree what I say 'artifact junk' about these modern dac or cd player.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Valab Non-Oversampling DAC using TDA1543
Why non-oversampling DAC? ------ 'oversampling' kill music!
You may not know, the actual digital signal recorded on your CD title is 16bit/44.1k format. Yes, never doubt it! Then why almost all modern DAC feature 24bit/96k or even 192k specification? In modern digital recoding studio, music will be recorded in new 24bit/192k format but when they need to 'write' onto CD, these information rich formation must be degraded into old format. These 'New' DACs will try 'restore' the degraded back to more informative format using some talent algorithm work out by smart mathematician. ----- That is problem! why? All music you hear from CD will be processed by some smart algorithm, then you hear the artifact sound ---- actually bad sound!
My over-opinion? No! If you are a experienced audiophiles, you will find if these cd players or DACs use the same dac chip inside, they all will have very closer sound features, even their analog circuits designs are quite different. Why? You hear the same artifact derived from the same talent algorism.
These artifacts contamination did hurt your audio enjoyment! Why, they mask real tone color and even 'atmosphere' of music player. You do not believe!? Try to find CD records which also have vinyl LP version, compare music from vinyl and CD. You will know how bad these artifact sound is!
Back to vinyl record?
No! Vinyl LP really too troublesome! Listening music should be easy and relaxing.
Non-oversampling DAC is a compromise answer.
NOS-DACs may be an acceptable answer to CD music. Why? No artifact anymore from these NOS-DACs. You get non-refined music recorded on CD although it is still a degraded music. But in my experience, it is still much better than artifact juck.
Why? 'modern' dac can not De novo generate right music signal from degraded records on CD, but rather add mathematical generated fill-in bits into your music.
So NOS-DAC is a can-not-but choice!
VALAB NOS-DAC TDA1543 --- simple elegance
All NOS-DACs are simple. because these old NOD dac chips are so small and simple IC with few pins and only need simple circuit to work well.
TDA-1543 may be the most small but tough one. It is a real vintage chip developed by Philips 2 decades ago. We choose it to implement our own NOS-DAC.
No special innovation on this chip for it is too simple. What we should do is try to extrapolate its most potential! How?
1. Keep most accurate digital signal and feed to TDA1543 in low jitter fashion.
DIR9001 digital receiver is the answer for this propose. DIR9001 is a new modern IC, much more expensive than that popular CS8412/4/6 used in all other DAC. Much more music details keep and accurate sound you obtain. Fig. 5 and 6 is DIR9001 digital receiver board. It have independent 2 voltage regulator build-in to get best performance.
2. Paralleling DAC chips.
We parallel up to 8 TDA1543 chips as you see on Fig. 4. It is a independent DAC board, no other circuit associate with it to keep most 'clean' electronic. 8 paralleling did enhance performance, get better resolution and lower output impedance. TDA1543 will generate many heat, so you separate each chip and make use alumina chassis to work as heat dissipation.
3. Profuse power supply
10W sealed military grade power transformer was used in this DAC, it can offer up to 5 times required electronic power. No vibration, heating from this transformer. In rectification circuit, we use best sound 1n5062 diode, this is most credit diode which is popular in audio tweaking. It do signicifantly improve sound quality, more smooth and natural sound. Expensive LT1084 5A voltage regulator and Philips BC 118 and Nichicon capacitor were used in power supply section to offer clean and low drop voltage to tda1543 and dir9001 chips.
This simple and small NOS-DAC do have most delicate design and very good parts choice. You can take it to compete other much much expensive DACs of your friends. You will be very happy.
This is not a high cost DAC, because very few parts required. We sell it at low price. Actually no even cheaper DAC in audio market can you find. While it may be very indispensable equipment in your audio system. If you get used to sound of NOS-DAC. You will 100% agree what I say 'artifact junk' about these modern dac or cd player.
yes correct, i am very enthusiastic about the new DAC. The pink triangle is indeed up for sale. It is not that heavily modified, I hope I have not misled anyone toomuch. Just renewed the caps and the diodes.
In a/b comparisons the new dac does something which I have never encountered in any other DAC. It has the ability, to my ears anyway, to completely unravel a piece of music and lay bare its structural rhythmic make up. This then allows you to focus right into the music and hence gain maximum pleasure from its emotional content.
e.g Ali Farke Toura's LP 'heart of the moon'. Only two instruments mostly playing extremely complex interacting rythyms. In a lot of systems it is hard to tell that there are two instrumenst mostly in the mix let alone tell one from the other. The complexity of the rhythms and complexity of the African 'harp guitar' sounds produced often make it difficult to decipher the exact emotionally engaging content of the music. You can be left cold and disinterested becasue of this. The Vintage Audio Lab DAC somehow clearly highlights all the various complex rhythms and their relationships with one another, which then allows you to hear melodies you never knew existed. Before long you get the emotional charged rhythmic subtleties that make you want to enjoy the music and get your feet tapping. Please note i am not talking here of the speed and timing that NAim. Audio note and a few others are famed for. They may capture the essence of the piece, the general swing of the piece if you will but will not IMHO capture and present all the individual on going rhtyhms that make up the whole, and make it that just more exciting again.
In a/b comparisons the new dac does something which I have never encountered in any other DAC. It has the ability, to my ears anyway, to completely unravel a piece of music and lay bare its structural rhythmic make up. This then allows you to focus right into the music and hence gain maximum pleasure from its emotional content.
e.g Ali Farke Toura's LP 'heart of the moon'. Only two instruments mostly playing extremely complex interacting rythyms. In a lot of systems it is hard to tell that there are two instrumenst mostly in the mix let alone tell one from the other. The complexity of the rhythms and complexity of the African 'harp guitar' sounds produced often make it difficult to decipher the exact emotionally engaging content of the music. You can be left cold and disinterested becasue of this. The Vintage Audio Lab DAC somehow clearly highlights all the various complex rhythms and their relationships with one another, which then allows you to hear melodies you never knew existed. Before long you get the emotional charged rhythmic subtleties that make you want to enjoy the music and get your feet tapping. Please note i am not talking here of the speed and timing that NAim. Audio note and a few others are famed for. They may capture the essence of the piece, the general swing of the piece if you will but will not IMHO capture and present all the individual on going rhtyhms that make up the whole, and make it that just more exciting again.
dacmagic?
Hi
is THIS the unit aka Mephisto?
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/09/0...os-dacmagic-upsampling-digital-to-analog-con/
/ BR Tomas F.
Hi
is THIS the unit aka Mephisto?
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/09/0...os-dacmagic-upsampling-digital-to-analog-con/
/ BR Tomas F.