Abbado II NOS DAC kits

[Vunce]

Agree Pete!

The Sigma11 and Sigma22 are excellent low noise psu’s that are perfect for DAC’s and preamps. If you have a JLsounds I2SoverUSB, using 2 independent power supplies for it will bring another noticeable step up in performance.

Nice job!

 

[Destroyer OS]

Funny question, if I order one assembled could I get it without the lytics on it?

 

[abraxalito]

Yeah I can do that but the downside is - the amount of testing I would be able to do on a 'lytic-less Abbado will be a bit limited. For example, I won't be able to listen to it as the outputs are coupled via 'lytics. Just the basic DC voltage checks won't be a problem though.

 

[Destroyer OS]

What value do the output ones have?

 

[abraxalito]

330uF but that relatively high value is because often the DAC's driving the input trafo of my classD amp. For a normal amp input stage it could be lowered to 33uF.

 

[turion64]

Richard, just a suggestion for any next generation boards...could you make connections for a off-board normal thru-hole LED so one could mount it on the front of the chassis one mounts the DAC in?

Enjoying this clean sounding DAC.

Thanks, Pete

 

[Prodigy85]

Hey Richard. Sent you a PM

 

[Destroyer OS]

Is clean the only description have? I Haven't heard a dirty DAC before.

 

[turion64]

Would you prefer the term uncolored, or maybe "calm"? I've heard many unexciting DACs that really don't provide a positive listener experience...I would term them dirty. My use of the term "clean" refers to the the blackness of the background maybe. You can hear more of the nuances of the music because of the blackness. The projected sound is intermediate between speaker centric & forward projected out into the listening area. Does it beat a Denefrips or a Chord? Can't state that since I own neither (but I'd like to.. ;>)...)

 

[Destroyer OS]

Calm is an excellent word. The last thing I want is fatigue.

I've got an AudioSector kit that I have never been able to replace. It's just NOS but nothing has pushed it out yet. I've heard lots of high res things but they lack as much as they add. I've played with different stuff but I've been hoping the development of this would push out mine now. I've got an earlier version of it... but this one is years more in the making.

 

[turion64]

Agree Pete!

The Sigma11 and Sigma22 are excellent low noise psu’s that are perfect for DAC’s and preamps. If you have a JLsounds I2SoverUSB, using 2 independent power supplies for it will bring another noticeable step up in performance.

Nice job!

I wish there were a less expensive form of the JLsounds board. I think it's out of stock anyway... ;>(

Pete

 

[Tesla Audio]

Hi,
Abbado owners, please could you describe sound from this dac or any other Richard's dac. Anyone compared it with sigma dac. I'm owner of Gustard A22 with best AKM dac but when I heard Nos dac pcm63 I've decided to go to NOS and sell my Gustard

 

[turion64]

330uF but that relatively high value is because often the DAC's driving the input trafo of my classD amp. For a normal amp input stage it could be lowered to 33uF.

Hi Richard... A nieve question.. If your dac feeds into a preamp first, do we need any caps at C9 & C19 at all?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[PJN]

Hi,
Abbado owners, please could you describe sound from this dac or any other Richard's dac. Anyone compared it with sigma dac. I'm owner of Gustard A22 with best AKM dac but when I heard Nos dac pcm63 I've decided to go to NOS and sell my Gustard

I have the 20 chip version of Richard's DAC. It bumped my AK4493 delta sigma DAC out of my system. It sounds more realistic, better base, for me a easily heard step up

 

[Tesla Audio]

Which Richard's model?

 

[ClaudeG]

Which AK4493 DAC?

 

[PJN]

The ak DAC is a jlsounds ak4493 with jlsounds i2s to USB and IV/filter using separate salas ubib shunt PSUs for each section. Decent build and sounds very nice, but I prefer Richard's Celibredaci (?) nos DAC using similar PSUs.

 

[abraxalito]

Hi Richard... A nieve question.. If your dac feeds into a preamp first, do we need any caps at C9 & C19 at all?

Normally they are a requirement because the DAC's power supply is asymmetric. However it will depend on your preamp whether they're needed in a particular case. Does your preamp have input coupling caps? If not then definitely caps are required in the DAC. Even with caps in the preamp, there might be a turn-on thump if the DAC's caps are deleted.

 

[ClaudeG]

Thanks PJN

 

[abraxalito]

Abbado owners, please could you describe sound from this dac or any other Richard's dac. Anyone compared it with sigma dac. I'm owner of Gustard A22 with best AKM dac but when I heard Nos dac pcm63 I've decided to go to NOS and sell my Gustard

Abbado doesn't quite play at the level of PCM63, even though there are many paralleled DAC chips to lower the noise level. In my own listening, dual PCM58 slightly betters PCM63 when played through my I/V stage. We're getting to the level of personal preferences here though so others may well disagree.