Dac_pet, thanks for that.
Have you considered offering a package deal for DAC Kits, upgraded receiver and HDAM with one postage cost.
I notice you have a special on the classics kit at present, are there still any left at the $119.00 price?
Have you considered offering a package deal for DAC Kits, upgraded receiver and HDAM with one postage cost.
I notice you have a special on the classics kit at present, are there still any left at the $119.00 price?
Hi Everyone,
I have just completed a build of this TDA1541 x 4 DAC and the HDAM stage.
It is the most detailed and dimensional CD replay that I have ever heard. I am hearing macro detail that I was never aware of previously but what is more important it hangs the whole performance together with a beguiling mid-range and also majors on the low frequencies. In my book you would have to pay $1000's to come close.
I used three seperate toriodal transformers for the power supplies.
BNC connection for the SPDIF.
I have to say that I am persuaded by NOS applications but that may not be your bag.
John
I have just completed a build of this TDA1541 x 4 DAC and the HDAM stage.
It is the most detailed and dimensional CD replay that I have ever heard. I am hearing macro detail that I was never aware of previously but what is more important it hangs the whole performance together with a beguiling mid-range and also majors on the low frequencies. In my book you would have to pay $1000's to come close.
I used three seperate toriodal transformers for the power supplies.
BNC connection for the SPDIF.
I have to say that I am persuaded by NOS applications but that may not be your bag.
John
Attachments
Hi John
Looks good wish good listening.
Before few days I put also my order in eBay for thes DAC when receive and finish the will come back with my own musical experiences.
I want to report for the exceptional impression with the salesman that drew and materialised this DAC (polite, serious, communication, fast, infrequent you meet today)
GUS
Looks good wish good listening.
Before few days I put also my order in eBay for thes DAC when receive and finish the will come back with my own musical experiences.
I want to report for the exceptional impression with the salesman that drew and materialised this DAC (polite, serious, communication, fast, infrequent you meet today)
GUS
gus66 said:
Hi Gus,
Thank you for your kind remarks.
The seller is most helpful and will answer all your questions. He is to be recommended and I had him answer every question that I asked.
I hope you will enjoy building and listening to the DAC as much as I do.
John
Looks very good and I have every reason to beleive it sounds awesome.
In relation to Hi-end, I would like to add my opinion.
I have a TDA1541 based player and I'd most definately say it was high end! It's miles and miles in front of a musical fidelity A5.5 and only just behind my firends audioaero ($8000) player.
It looks to me as though several key principles have been considered in the design of this kit.
The many seperate regulators will ensure that little noise is transfered between key stages. High quility components appear to have been used (large smoothers clearly visible). Multiple transformer inputs ensure complete seperation of the PSU's. VCXO is way better than the std xtal in almost all cdps. Fully discrete output stage as compared to cheap opamps.
The 1541 chips are capable of an unbelieveable sound when they are presented with clean signal, clean rails with good decoupling and a good clock.
Most manufactuers claiming Hi-end performance are clearly falling way short of what this device will be capable of.
How much do you need to spend to get quad DAC's, 10+ supply rails and a discrete output stage from a mainstream manufacturer?? I would estimate that with handfull of transformers this kit (inc HDAM) would cost less than £400 to build.
I've never heard quad TDA's IMHO the theory says it all.
I'd certainly not hesitate to compare with a £2-3k player.
Just my opinion
In relation to Hi-end, I would like to add my opinion.
I have a TDA1541 based player and I'd most definately say it was high end! It's miles and miles in front of a musical fidelity A5.5 and only just behind my firends audioaero ($8000) player.
It looks to me as though several key principles have been considered in the design of this kit.
The many seperate regulators will ensure that little noise is transfered between key stages. High quility components appear to have been used (large smoothers clearly visible). Multiple transformer inputs ensure complete seperation of the PSU's. VCXO is way better than the std xtal in almost all cdps. Fully discrete output stage as compared to cheap opamps.
The 1541 chips are capable of an unbelieveable sound when they are presented with clean signal, clean rails with good decoupling and a good clock.
Most manufactuers claiming Hi-end performance are clearly falling way short of what this device will be capable of.
How much do you need to spend to get quad DAC's, 10+ supply rails and a discrete output stage from a mainstream manufacturer?? I would estimate that with handfull of transformers this kit (inc HDAM) would cost less than £400 to build.
I've never heard quad TDA's IMHO the theory says it all.
I'd certainly not hesitate to compare with a £2-3k player.
Just my opinion
Hi, for the balance output for this DAC, the only way is re-design the circuit as this is the difference application. I am appreicate if anybody can give the advice.🙂
Single-ended to Balanced output
Two commons solutions are a pair of Jensen or Cinemag line output transformers with 600 ohms split secondaries. The primary impedance should be properly matched to the HDAM output impedance.
Jensen and Cinemag will respond to technical queries if you tell them teh HDAM output impedance, maximum output voltage and load seen by the secondary. Expect to pay about U$ 160 for the pair of transformers.
A less expensive option is to make your own balanced line drivers using a couple of Burr Browns DRV135 chips. These are specified to drive cleanly long cables and tough 600 ohm studio loads. The schematic is in the datasheet.
Good luck
Two commons solutions are a pair of Jensen or Cinemag line output transformers with 600 ohms split secondaries. The primary impedance should be properly matched to the HDAM output impedance.
Jensen and Cinemag will respond to technical queries if you tell them teh HDAM output impedance, maximum output voltage and load seen by the secondary. Expect to pay about U$ 160 for the pair of transformers.
A less expensive option is to make your own balanced line drivers using a couple of Burr Browns DRV135 chips. These are specified to drive cleanly long cables and tough 600 ohm studio loads. The schematic is in the datasheet.
Good luck
Also have a look at THAT Corp line drivers and line receivers 😉 line receiver That1200 (searching this reference will directly lead you to the right website).
Can be bought from Mouser or from Profusion PLC.
Can be bought from Mouser or from Profusion PLC.
Hello
I am new to this forum, and my diy skills are mostly in the carpentry and metalworks area. (electronics is a french town in Russia)
I have resently had a major interest in buying a NOS DAC kit. It seems that for the TDA1543 chip, 8x or less, there is the benefit that you dont need an output stage, the chips alone is enough to feed the preamp. Also, a lot of the kits seem to have implemented a USB input.
Question: Is there out there, an assembled kit, TDA1541 based with USB and S/PDIF input, and the nessesary outputstage, with a pricetag that can match a 8x1543 kit?
Steen
I am new to this forum, and my diy skills are mostly in the carpentry and metalworks area. (electronics is a french town in Russia)
I have resently had a major interest in buying a NOS DAC kit. It seems that for the TDA1543 chip, 8x or less, there is the benefit that you dont need an output stage, the chips alone is enough to feed the preamp. Also, a lot of the kits seem to have implemented a USB input.
Question: Is there out there, an assembled kit, TDA1541 based with USB and S/PDIF input, and the nessesary outputstage, with a pricetag that can match a 8x1543 kit?
Steen
You may as well use a Behringer or the like (cheap presonus) usb small soundcard to output SPDIF, then you would be able to use any SPDIF DAC you'd like at any freq... Given jitter reduction is sufficient, but in case of computer , I think you really need good jitter attenuation.
jstang said:
Twisted Pear Audio has both a Toslink module that will just need some power to put out SPDIF and a SPDIF Mux module that will let you have 4 separate SPDIF inputs. I would go with the MUX module.
FOXYE said:
Initially impression is the rich mid range.
I have yet to do any serious listening to it. Still running in this DAC. I will comment on it in more details later.
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