Schiit's $2300 Yggdrasil D/A processor ...
link
...here's what Schiit claims on their product page:

To their credit, Schiit also uses the same AD DAC in their $600 "gungnir-multibit" D/A processor:
link

Just in terms of DigiKey pricing, the DAC chip is not cheap ($15...

Supposedly, Astell and Kern are using this in their latest AK-380 high-end/high-$ DAP:

I proto'd this DAC recently (along with AKM's new premium ADC)....what can I say ... I'm floored! This is the best digital I've ever heard to date.

Some hold-outs of antiquated multi-bit DAC religiosity may never be able to step outta their cognitive dissonance -- or warm-fuzzy nostalgia -- 'cause of their loss of virginity with their first loves (= classic R2R multi-bit) oh G A W D ... memories are so precious ... man -- I'm lookin' at my Philips CD650 and gettin' misty-eyed ....WAKE UP DUDE!!!
Folks, this is 2015 and technology does EVENTUALLY improve (tho', it takes time and is often 3 steps fwd, 2 back).

Unless Philips decides to revamp their TDA or SAA lines, AKM's your ticket ... or...

The popular YouTube channel hosted by Dave L. Jones (Sidney, Australia bloke) just released his latest episode:

EEVblog #626 - Ceramic Capacitor Voltage Dependency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDDoi70cxw0

Of course some of DIYA's know-it-all will claim that this is not new info at all ... well if all you do DIY-audio and tweak and breadboard (and you've gotta lab bench in the little engineer's room ... so you can defecate-n-DIY at the same time) ... well, I suppose you really must know it ALL.

For those of you not familiar with the USA book scene ... yellow-cover "...for Dummies" series has been one of the most successful (=popular/best-selling) book series in U.S. history.


It was so popular that the style was copied by several other publishers' series including:
"...for Complete Idiots".
The term "idiot" or "Dummies" is used as hyperbole in claiming ensured comprehension. The approach relies on explaining a topic via very basic terminology.

But that is not subject of this Blog post ... so stay tuned for a bit... I've gotta take a dump...

...and need a cup o' tea, love ...


....OK,...

I've posted several topics on DIYA over the past few mos. All of them -- almost predictably now it seems -- dissolve into non-issues. I.e., not a lot of outside-the-box thinking ... methinks
Most of my "DIY" time is now on non-English sites like Player.ru and a few sites from Asia.
While the language barrier is large, and all I can do is read (just barely) using Google Translate, etc., -- and can't really post -- these obstacles seem worth the bennies. Namely, modding or building-from-scratch very inexpensive projects.
Many of the members of these non-English forums seem younger ... so maybe more fresh ideas, with more zest to experiment, and members seem to be genuinely cash-strapped (unlike the English-based forums) ... so the economies-of-scale are a lot bigger.
Comparatively, the English-speaking-forum "DIYers", being older, have their bank accounts and retirement incomes ... and, hence, a lot of drive/passion are diminished ......