Is older better ?

[Bernhard]

Hi,

Sometime ago I got a Teac ZD700 CDP which uses one PCM53 for both channels. Seems to be 2 x os. Not very sophisticated design...

Sounds very good and I think it beats anything else I have.

Darker sound compared to other players but highs not missing. Darker means less mids and less lower highs. Not crying like modern DACs.
Very fine highs, strong bass, voices and instruments got body.

Absolutely clean spectrum without any adjustment. Both two tested chips. Never seen that before on any other DAC.

Datasheet states 16 bit monotonocity...

Will post pictures in DAC measurements thread.

[carlosfm]

Originally posted by Bernhard
Sometime ago I got a Teac ZD700 CDP which uses one PCM53 for both channels. Seems to be 2 x os. Not very sophisticated design...

I have a very old Telefunken CDP with one PCM56 for both channels.

Originally posted by Bernhard
Sounds very good and I think it beats anything else I have.

I wouldn't say so but mine sounds quite good too.
I changed all the 1uf leaking electrolythics (old Panasonics ), it was this player's only problem, it didn't read CDs at all, and somebody gave it to me for "recycling".
I've changed the op-amps for OPA2132 on the analog stage.
Proper PSU bypassing on the op-amps was done, of course.
It has 4 double op-amps, a high-order analog filter.
There are plenty of (good) styroflex caps around.
Oh, I also removed the muting transistors.
The sound is very "analog" indeed.
It has very good bass "slam" and dynamics, and the bass is surprisingly TIGHT, beats too many modern players in this respect.
It seems to be 2x OS, the digital filter is a Sony.
Transport is a plasticky, clanky Sony too.
It even has a digital output.
Red led display, no remote.
Very retro.

[Bernhard]

This is PCM53.
Two generations before PCM56. Parallel data input.
When using one DAC for both channels there is a very little phase shift between left and right which could be noticeable.
But with one DAC for each channel, each channels signal passes a different sounding DAC.
Mono becomes pseudo stereo. Soundstage looses focus.

PCM56 is monotonic for 15 bits only.

[carlosfm]

Originally posted by Bernhard
This is PCM53.
Two generations before PCM56. Parallel data input.
When using one DAC for both channels there is a very little phase shift between left and right which could be noticeable.
But with one DAC for each channel, each channels signal passes a different sounding DAC.
Mono becomes pseudo stereo. Soundstage looses focus.

PCM56 is monotonic for 15 bits only.

You mean the PCM53 is better than the PCM56?
Or is it just better in case of this implementation (single dac)?

Btw, I don't know exactly what year is my Telefunken made, but it looks certainly some years older than my Philips CD650.
I would say it's really a first generation CDP (1983~4)?
The PCM56 already existed but some brands still used the PCM53. Maby it was cheaper.

[Bernhard]

Your player probably got pots for distortion adjustment, little yellow ones close to the chips.

In this player there are three pots that adjust noise, never seen that before.
Noise floor of this player is a little worse up to 7 kHz, but this is from implementation I guess.

IMHO for me this chip got some benefits over PCM56 and others:

Spectrum is perfectly clean. Better than PCM63.

PCM56 and other chips distortion adjustment is not temperature stable, and it only gets perfect results on about 30% of chips.
PCM53 probably doesn`t need it. Just tested two chips.

Parallel data input allows inverting specific bits very easy.
Second chip per channel for adding inverted output ?

And it is industry standard compatible, there are industry instrumentation DACs that are pin compatible.

Always dreamed of a DAC that got ceramic DAC chips with gold plated pins

I post a picture later...

[carlosfm]

I know where to get an old Technics player (SL-P1) for 25 Euros.
It uses the PCM53.

Don't tempt me.

[Bernhard]

No idea how is this one.

Just bought one SL-P1 for 10 EUR and removed the chip without even testing if CDP works

[carlosfm]

25 Euros is negociable.
Is the Technics no good?
It has an impressively chunky transport, did you see it?

[Bernhard]

Don`t remember the transport, just removed the main pcb on a flea market.
No idea if it is good.
You could buy it and if you do not like it, remove the pcb and send to me, I send you 2 x TDA1541A no crown in return.

Now negotiate

[stefanobilliani]

Hallo ,
Just resumed an old board of a Denon DCD (630?) from end '80 .
By your experience , have I a chance of putting to work a pair of PCM 56P and a digital filter NPC sm5818ap ( 8X ) soon after a CS8412 receiver ?
Or can the PCM 56P work also in non os mode...

In the board the Sony CXD1125 is supposed to be the receiver/processor .(...?)