TDA1541 CD Player for Non-Oversampling

[lovekylie]

Hello

I am searching for a TDA541A based CD player to convert to non-oversampling.

I have shortlisted;

Cambridge Audio CD3
Marantz CD80
Marantz CD-94 mk2

All of the above use the dreaded SAA7220 digital filter which is reportedly very noise. There is a company in the UK called Net Audio who make a NOS converter board for the SAA7220.
The questions I have are 1; is the Net Audio NOS converter the best way forward for non-oversampling or do better methods exist.

2; the CD3 uses 16x oversampling and I believe has a dedicated board to take care of this. Can the SAA7220 be replaced with the NOS converter in the CD3 with the 16 x Fs board?

Thanks
lovekylie

 

[anatech]

Hi lovekylie,
There is some discussion about DACs in this forum. Please do a search and have a read.

I have a CD player using that chip set. Sounds good to me. Most of it's magic is in the audio signal path.

-Chris

 

[lovekylie]

Hi Chris

Thanks for your reply.

I did search the forum before posting be found nothing specific to answering the question relating to the SAA7220 in the CD3.

If anybody would like to remark on replacing the SAA7220 with an NOS converter board when used for 16x oversampling it is appreciated.

lovekylie

 

[QSerraTico_Tico]

Hi Chris

Thanks for your reply.

I did search the forum before posting be found nothing specific to answering the question relating to the SAA7220 in the CD3.

If anybody would like to remark on replacing the SAA7220 with an NOS converter board when used for 16x oversampling it is appreciated.

lovekylie

AFAIK the CD3 does not have a SAA7220.

 

[lovekylie]

Hello

Thank you for your input.

If the Cambridge Audio CD3 did not use the SAA7220 which digital filter did it use?

Likewise with its predecessor the CD2, does this use the SAA7220?

All help is gratefully received.

lovekylie

 

[anatech]

Hi lovekylie,
An inexpensive CD player may not use a digital filter. Any good ones would have.

-Chris

 

[jacco vermeulen]

The CD3 was actually wellknown in it's day, both for the 4 Siemens stacked D/A boards as for the SAA7210/SAA7220 filter.
WATCHIT

 

[anatech]

Hi Jacco,
Thank you. I was not familiar with the brand, just the chip set.

The digital filter is not the big evil. It's the audio stages following the DAC stage (assuming the DAC is good). I do not like the sound of MASH or single bit. Personal taste. For me, the PCM1702 is a happy thing. My player uses two per channel.

-Chris

 

[jacco vermeulen]

Has nice caps too.

 

[anatech]

Hi Jacco,
Are those your purple fingers??

-Chris

 

[jacco vermeulen]

Yeah,
i'm Bruce Banner's twit cousin.