Hi fellows,
yes I did spend to many hours on the web, yes I used the search function.
But millions things came on my screen, and I'm lost. I am looking for a DAC, and hoped for a while I can afford a DDDAC 1794. Too expensive.
If anyone can advise a SPDIF (for my TEAC VRDS transport) and an USB (for my Volumio device) that I'll use as level line source (no volume adjust needed).
That been said I own old JBL 4313Bs moved by UCD400s. And that calls for two points: the price won't be more than speakers, else I would have been looking for speakers instead, and the sound type ; as the 4313Bs sounds quite clear and on the "bright" side (large windows and such to worsen things), I'd like something not bright at all. I've tried an Audio-GD NFB-28, was not as good as my very modded CD63 and worst, sounded brighter, close to harsh. Maybe a bad set-up at the time?
Anyway, I guess you see I did not find any clear answer to all that on the web therfor calling for experienced DIYers for a sub 400USD device after mods if needed.
Anyone?
yes I did spend to many hours on the web, yes I used the search function.
But millions things came on my screen, and I'm lost. I am looking for a DAC, and hoped for a while I can afford a DDDAC 1794. Too expensive.
If anyone can advise a SPDIF (for my TEAC VRDS transport) and an USB (for my Volumio device) that I'll use as level line source (no volume adjust needed).
That been said I own old JBL 4313Bs moved by UCD400s. And that calls for two points: the price won't be more than speakers, else I would have been looking for speakers instead, and the sound type ; as the 4313Bs sounds quite clear and on the "bright" side (large windows and such to worsen things), I'd like something not bright at all. I've tried an Audio-GD NFB-28, was not as good as my very modded CD63 and worst, sounded brighter, close to harsh. Maybe a bad set-up at the time?
Anyway, I guess you see I did not find any clear answer to all that on the web therfor calling for experienced DIYers for a sub 400USD device after mods if needed.
Anyone?
Hi,
Maybe a R2R DAC ? look at Soekris discrete r2r DAC in the vendor bazar aera: just a traffo and some plugs to be added...
Or: -a subbu V3, here on second hand... Lounge aera as well.
both are spidf,
Look for the similar thread in the other digital line aera
Maybe a R2R DAC ? look at Soekris discrete r2r DAC in the vendor bazar aera: just a traffo and some plugs to be added...
Or: -a subbu V3, here on second hand... Lounge aera as well.
both are spidf,
Look for the similar thread in the other digital line aera
Do you mean good old TDA1541 and such or the 28bits Soekris' R2R count in? have to learn more about DACs...
Hi,
Not sure if they're (easily) available in France but Cambridge DACmagic has both SPDIF and USB inputs and seems to be moddable.
Not heard one myself though.
Regards
Pete
Not sure if they're (easily) available in France but Cambridge DACmagic has both SPDIF and USB inputs and seems to be moddable.
Not heard one myself though.
Regards
Pete
TDA1541 is multibit but a good implementation is hard to come by. That plus the possibility of getting a fake chip. Yes Soekris' R2R is another multibit, no independent listening evaluations so far though. Another to try out is TDA1387 (my current favourite, best bang-for-the-buck).
There's one that looks like a really affordable modding base here, on Taobao - L1387A 8X ½âÂë1969´¿¼×¶ú·ÅÒ»Ìå»úTDA1387°Ë²¢ÁªÌôÕ½TDA1541Á¦×÷-ÌÔ±¦Íø
There's one that looks like a really affordable modding base here, on Taobao - L1387A 8X ½âÂë1969´¿¼×¶ú·ÅÒ»Ìå»úTDA1387°Ë²¢ÁªÌôÕ½TDA1541Á¦×÷-ÌÔ±¦Íø
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Funny, I just built a DAC into my 26 tube preamp using the ES9018 and the bass, soundstage, clarity, detail and timbre is better than that I hear from my other DAC, a multi-bit PCM1704. I think a lot of the sound has to do with power supplies and output stages, rather than the chip itself. For what my opinion is worth, the ES9018 provides the clearest, most real sound I have heard so far in digital. Almost analog to my ears in terms of smoothness.
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...Almost analog to my ears.
there is sw for that - add ~40 dB noise re the DaC's floor to match tape, vinyl
then apply FM modulation "jitter" but on time scales 6-9 orders of magnitude worse than the cheapest xtal clock...
there is sw for that - add ~40 dB noise re the DaC's floor to match tape, vinyl
then apply FM modulation "jitter" but on time scales 6-9 orders of magnitude worse than the cheapest xtal clock...
I was referring to the analog smoothness, i.e. non-harshness. Edited for clarity.
In the same time the VRDS transport will have always limitation due to its clock and spidf protocol... here if myself I will tweak it before (clock) or trying not to use the spidf but put in it a DAC by hacking the signal before the spidf output ! Risky and hassle work !
In an another way the R2R Soekris' s dac has input fifo so you can use with it spidf without jitter while the protocole stays safe and doesn't lose packets... but is limited to 96 Khz ! But no need to tweak the Vrds !
The sound od the R2R should be clear without harchness if well designed but maybe it is not your are looking for if you wisch a more mellow/soft analog like sound : just a second hand Rega planet could be better than a Dac behind your Teac reader... some choices are hard to do : it could be the pleasure of eyes VS the improvement of sound !
For the I2S DAC : i will go for Abraxalito advice with the good dynamic of multibits in relation to the bass allowed by the UCD... But I'm not you. Your choice
Good luck
In an another way the R2R Soekris' s dac has input fifo so you can use with it spidf without jitter while the protocole stays safe and doesn't lose packets... but is limited to 96 Khz ! But no need to tweak the Vrds !
The sound od the R2R should be clear without harchness if well designed but maybe it is not your are looking for if you wisch a more mellow/soft analog like sound : just a second hand Rega planet could be better than a Dac behind your Teac reader... some choices are hard to do : it could be the pleasure of eyes VS the improvement of sound !
For the I2S DAC : i will go for Abraxalito advice with the good dynamic of multibits in relation to the bass allowed by the UCD... But I'm not you. Your choice
Good luck
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More affordable: Musical Fidelity V-DACII 2nd hand or V-90 (new) - up to 250 EUR
More expensive: Arcam irDAC - around 500 EUR
I own the V-DACII in my system and irDAC is my future upgrade.
More expensive: Arcam irDAC - around 500 EUR
I own the V-DACII in my system and irDAC is my future upgrade.
second lap
Oh, I'm more confused than before =D . Anyway, thanks all for helping.
Let's look at multibit, two of you stated that it may sound nice and dynamic especially in bass; that seduces me as my speakers do that very well, really very well. The kind of sound I like is neutral and very dynamic, no emphasis if possible. This is what I guess I liked very much in my fried TDA1541 marantz CD40 nicely tweaked, much more alive than my newer player (wich is close to boring). I can stand all but harsh highs.
As for now I'll wait to see if the very high expectations about Soekris's DAC match the real sound. The tiny TDA1387A I can't find on eBay and don't see any way to order it. I'll keep searching the web...
If these don't get their way home I'll hunt for cheap used Cambridge and Musical Fidelity gear.
Maybe I should rethink what I've planed. I hope I don't bother people too much but have no hifi buddy in real life so I'm counting on you 😉
Ok now I have too much CDs to rip & play them all through USB/DAC. Not enough life expectancy left. Therefore the need of the SPDIF (16/44.1 only) if and only if I use the VRDS as transport, wich I bought it for. So I expect the VRDS 10 / DAC combo to sound better than my actual CDP (CD63 compared well in downtown shop to a 2500€ new Marantz player). Is the VRDS up the task? (reclocking was on my list as regulated supplies and new caps (FM & SEPC on Vdd)), will the coming DAC beat the DAC wich is in the CD63? It's all guesses and almost a bet, moneywise a russian roulette. And of course the DAC on USB must better the CD transport. I guess it does by nature. Maybe resell the VRDS and buy a DDDac... oh my it's not a multibit... but have been said very very good sounding and terrific bass...
Ok I'll take my pills and go to bed.
side note: it's a small world, always the same fellows around... for years! That's funny 😉
Thanks all!
Matthieu
Oh, I'm more confused than before =D . Anyway, thanks all for helping.
Let's look at multibit, two of you stated that it may sound nice and dynamic especially in bass; that seduces me as my speakers do that very well, really very well. The kind of sound I like is neutral and very dynamic, no emphasis if possible. This is what I guess I liked very much in my fried TDA1541 marantz CD40 nicely tweaked, much more alive than my newer player (wich is close to boring). I can stand all but harsh highs.
As for now I'll wait to see if the very high expectations about Soekris's DAC match the real sound. The tiny TDA1387A I can't find on eBay and don't see any way to order it. I'll keep searching the web...
If these don't get their way home I'll hunt for cheap used Cambridge and Musical Fidelity gear.
Maybe I should rethink what I've planed. I hope I don't bother people too much but have no hifi buddy in real life so I'm counting on you 😉
Ok now I have too much CDs to rip & play them all through USB/DAC. Not enough life expectancy left. Therefore the need of the SPDIF (16/44.1 only) if and only if I use the VRDS as transport, wich I bought it for. So I expect the VRDS 10 / DAC combo to sound better than my actual CDP (CD63 compared well in downtown shop to a 2500€ new Marantz player). Is the VRDS up the task? (reclocking was on my list as regulated supplies and new caps (FM & SEPC on Vdd)), will the coming DAC beat the DAC wich is in the CD63? It's all guesses and almost a bet, moneywise a russian roulette. And of course the DAC on USB must better the CD transport. I guess it does by nature. Maybe resell the VRDS and buy a DDDac... oh my it's not a multibit... but have been said very very good sounding and terrific bass...
Ok I'll take my pills and go to bed.
side note: it's a small world, always the same fellows around... for years! That's funny 😉
Thanks all!
Matthieu
I think a lot of the sound has to do with power supplies and output stages, rather than the chip itself.
Its all of the above, and some. For example a classA output stage on an ESS9023 won't rescue its sound. With any CMOS DAC the glitching is going to be pretty severe (CMOS means briefly crowbarring the supplies every clock edge) so RF filtering is another important aspect.
Matthieu - its TDA1387T, try here - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-TDA13...776?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d65a4210
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I have a lot of DACs. USB, S/PDIF, motherboard, laptop, DACs in TVs, DACs in DAPs, DACs in radios, satellite receivers, terrestrial DTV receivers, DVD and Bluray players. DACs in phones.
Just forget about DACs. Go with the flow. Enjoy the integration offered by modern systems.
Just forget about DACs. Go with the flow. Enjoy the integration offered by modern systems.
Hi Malefoda,
If it's your CD40 that's fried and not the TDA1541 chip itself you could try a 1541 based dac, analogmetric have a kit version that can be modded as you build it. The kit comes with a chip (but there's a lot of fakes around) or you can get just a bare board and populate it with whatever exotic components you like. It won't take USB input though but I guess you can get cheap converters from China.
I bought a kit a few years ago but building it is still on my to-do list.🙁
Regards
Pete
If it's your CD40 that's fried and not the TDA1541 chip itself you could try a 1541 based dac, analogmetric have a kit version that can be modded as you build it. The kit comes with a chip (but there's a lot of fakes around) or you can get just a bare board and populate it with whatever exotic components you like. It won't take USB input though but I guess you can get cheap converters from China.
I bought a kit a few years ago but building it is still on my to-do list.🙁
Regards
Pete
Hi Pete,
never seen you'd posted! The CD40 is looong gone, Now just my CD43 (more like a 63 as you know...) is the master but I must admit... that the re-clocked VRDS10 pushes more details while the TDA1387 handle the analog quite nicely... wich is better? let's see in few weeks 😉
Eldam right now keeping the VRDS is a possibility. Still room for uprgades like SPDIF output and supplies... http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/276748-teac-vrds-10-transport-cheap.html
never seen you'd posted! The CD40 is looong gone, Now just my CD43 (more like a 63 as you know...) is the master but I must admit... that the re-clocked VRDS10 pushes more details while the TDA1387 handle the analog quite nicely... wich is better? let's see in few weeks 😉
Eldam right now keeping the VRDS is a possibility. Still room for uprgades like SPDIF output and supplies... http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/276748-teac-vrds-10-transport-cheap.html
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