TDA-1541A s1 vs modern DAC?

[daws0n]

Hi all,

I found a rare DAC a few years ago made by the british company AVI, and have been using ever since for audio playback in my stereo system...

It's very old (1991) and only accepts redbook CD standard (16 bit 44khz) but technically and sonically it still holds it's own in my opinion. It has a dedicated toroidal PSU, discrete output (no op-amps) and it uses a Philips TDA-1541A S1 DAC chip. Looking into the TDA-1541A it still seems highly regarded and sought after for DIY builds etc in spite of it being a very old design... This seems odd given DAC technology is far more sophisticated and elaborate nearly 20 years on (on paper at least).

I've nothing to complain about sound quality wise, but am fancying a change now Asus have released their new Essence One DAC...

Reckon it's worth a punt or is the TDA-1541A genuinely that good against it's modern counterparts?

[SoNic_real_one]

It's fame in DIY comunity is mostly nostalgia (why people buy vintage things anyway?), a hint of non-conformism (similar with hey look at me, I have piercings in my lips!), there are plenty of old and cheap players with this chip ready to be canibalized and the fact that most DIY cannot solder SMD devices
Joke aside, there where definitely OK sounding devices. If you want to hear some hi-def files you need a different option... you might want to keep both and decide what's best for your hearing.

PS: The Asus device uses the new C-Media CM6631 as USB bridge, Analog Devices ADSP-21261 as upsampler, some LM4562 as OpAmps (great), but I could not find what actual DAC chips uses. In picture I can see two of them - looks like Burr brown PCM1796. That makes sense, because of their claim of "32 bit DAC":



Now... does it worth 560USD? Hard to say, depends of ones income, I guess.

[stephensank]

I would predict that your 1541-based dac is going to have more lifelike "weight" and richness in the low bass through the mids, while the Asus(since when are they a high end audio maker?) will sound lightweight by comparison, but probably more spacious and possibly have more very top end smoothness. Looking at the photo dug up by Sonic, the Asus could easily sound downright anemic in the low end compared to the AVI. I'd further predict that you may find the Asus impressive for the first week or month, but ultimately find it unsatisfying, with the AVI always drawing you back to it's more organic nature. This is all based on my own experience with great ladder dacs versus all manner of these essentially bitstream dacs. I love spaciousness, but not at the expense of convincingly real weight.

[SoNic_real_one]

Don't say that just based on other DAC's that use the internal OS in the PCM cips (that is very minimal). The DSP ADSP-21261 has potential to do a better job at OS/upsampling and reducing the jitter (big RAM buffers). Analog section with LM4562 as I/V and NE5532 as filters:



It might sound interesting. But I don't know if $560 worth of interesting.

[AndrewGM]

Looking at pictures of it internally it looks very tasty.
It also looks as if you could mod the hell out of it and take it sonically to well beyond your expectations and even beyond the capabilities of the dacs you are looking at or even discussing.
It's got only one transformer powering the whole thing and the caps look wide open for an upgrade or at very least a change.
So much potential it's eye watering particularly in the power supply dept.

and not an NE5532 to be seen...hahaha ( what a load of cr.. )

If you do manage to sell it on PFM for the asking price I think your going to take one large step backwards and regret it.

Get your soldering iron out, spend a little and gain a lot

Oh...and Sonic...don't tell us what we can't say - we are all entitled to opinions....just like you
I've just given mine.

[daws0n]

Thanks for the input guys - I don't need any of the extra bells and whistles the Asus has to offer (headphone amp, upsampling, 24/96 etc...) but have always been impressed by the Essence STX card I have in computer. If that's anything to go by, it's bound to good. I'm usually a strict 2nd hand buyer when it comes to hifi, but I've oppurtunity to buy an open box Essence One for 20% off the going rate... Not much, but tempting enough!

[daws0n]

^^ Just read your post - well spotted there Andrew and nice find on the pics! Yes it's quite a beauty internally, all credit due to Martin Grindrod who is an excellent designer in my opinion.

I've never taken a soldering iron to anything before but no doubt it would be quite easy to mod given some practice - everything is well spaced out and easy to work with. I've often thought it's due for some kind of recap considering it's got to be 21 years old now.

Will keep your comments in mind and will think carefully before parting with it - I've only ever seen one other for sale so they're seriously rare indeed! Thanks again everyone.

[AndrewGM]

It's one of the nicest ones I've seen in a long time and I also think you are very fortunate to have it.
Just lovely...

[abraxalito]

Originally Posted by daws0n

Thanks for the input guys - I don't need any of the extra bells and whistles the Asus has to offer (headphone amp, upsampling, 24/96 etc...) but have always been impressed by the Essence STX card I have in computer.

I have an Asus Essence ST soundcard - its tonally nowhere near as true to life as my multibit DACs (which don't include a working TDA1541A) but are TDA1543 and TDA1387. I agree with stephensank's impressions of multibit vs delta-sigma parts. Nowadays I just won't do any serious listening with PCM179X.

Suggest for your change you set about upgrading your TDA with I2S attenuators and DEM reclocking rather than buying a whole new 'modern' DAC

<edit> Oh and do away with that dreadful toroid

[UV101]

That dac looks awesome! I'd love to have a go at it!! I can see decent caps, regs and a clock right now. Beautiful layout and looks really easy to work on