The Extremist DAC

[fireworks]

There is a very interesting DAC detailed here:

The Extremist DAC

The designer is ecstatic about its performance:

I have been listening to this DAC for some time now. Now what I notice is that this device produces the most awesome sound I ever heard. Unfortunately I am not very well versed in stereophile-lingo, so what can I say ?

• Air : outstanding. Air is the sense of space around instruments, the ability to hear through everything into the tiniest details and then into the black background behind. This works very well. There is no masking or congestion.
• Ambience recovery : outstanding.
• Imaging : good. Horizontally, the image stays between the speakers, but it has good height, and good depth too. Instruments and voices are well pinpointed and do not move or wobble. I think I should fix my room and position my speakers better before commenting on this.
• Rythm (or "air guitar factor") : extreme. On recordings with good rythm, this is awesome.
• Voices : Delicious apart from a little boxiness from the speakers. Especially no over-sibilance even on reputedly hard recordings like Diana Krall.
• Trumpets, Trombones and other brass, and especially Saxophones : unfuckingbelievably you-are-there. Sex mob-Din of Inequity as loud and as burning hot as it was live.
• Drums : Good feeling of hitting skin. Great slam, very good dynamics. Sound very natural. Cymbals are incredible.
• Listening pleasure : very, very good.

As you can tell I'm quite enthusiastic with this machine !

Has anyone built this DAC ? I'm interested in a second opinion and also PCB design, etc..

[abraxalito]

I haven't built Peufeu's design but certainly have been inspired by his website and listening report. I'm currently developing a DAC based on the TDA1545 which he uses and have similar responses as him in listening to it - the listening pleasure is indeed very very high. I'm using passive I/V though, not his JFET stage.