analog devices evaluation boards

[metebalci]

Anybody using or recommends analog devices' evaluation boards for audio d/a ?

They feature;

CS8414 frontend
AD1852/AD1954/AD1853 dac
OP275 output

http://www.analog.com/en/DCcList/0,3...5F1165,00.html

are they worth to try over a standard cd player ?

[PMA]

I'll tell you at the end of October, when my EVAL-AD1853EB is coming. My PO is confirmed.

[metebalci]

from where did you order ? digikey was out of stock..

[PMA]

From a local authorized Analog Devices distributor here. I am a "company" and have regular orders at AD.

[Holger Barske]

I do have the AD1853 eval board.
It doesn't sound too good off the shelf, but it can be made a lot better. I like the switchable I²S input, I am working on a LVDS link to my TVIX player right now.
Drop the OP275 output stage and go for something real, I suggest the Pass D1 circuit. No too much of a problem as the current output of the DAC are quite easily accessible.

[metebalci]

what device do you compare it when u say that it is not good off the shelf ? I am asking because I am not looking for a magical thing at the moment, e.g. is it better than an entry level sony (xe370) or marantz (cd5001) player ? I think it must be better, because entry level players costs something like $300, this board only costs sth like $200. It seems to me it is impossible to use such components in a player lets say $500 and below..

[Holger Barske]

Let's say it is on the level of an umodified Marantz CD67, which I don't consider as really good. Okay, but not more.

The problem is not the AD1853 itself but the fact that those eval boards are designed to give good measurements, but not good sound. I don't think those AD guys don't care too much of all the stuff that makes a circuit sound good.

[metebalci]

OK I got the point. Since the receiver and dac connections cannot be done in many ways, the difference comes from -as you have said- output section and power right ?

It seems that only obvious difference between 1852 and 1853 is that 1853 is current mode. Do you have any comment on performance of them ? It seems eval board for 1853 is hard to get at the moment.

[Holger Barske]

Personnally, I like the DACs with current output a lot more, as the voltage output types have a built-in OP-I/U converter. Usually, you can do this a lot better with a discrete external solution.
So my vote clearly goes for the AD1853 over the AD1852.

[metebalci]

Thank you Holger. You have clarified all the questions I had.