Is it possible to modify this DAC?

[presscot]

I have an a/d/s/ DA20e. It still works fine. Today, I have opened the top cover to check the unit by sight. I found the condition is like new. I also found there’s a vacant socket labeled 9V, as shown in the red circle on attached. I wonder is it possible to modify this DAC? There’s very little info about this DAC. Has anyone ever experienced?

 

[TNT]

It cant be modified to lawn mover.

//

 

[rfbrw]

A lawnmower or even mover might be ambitious but I guarantee you it can turned into a doorstop or a paperweight.
More seriously why run the risk of losing what you liked about it in the first place? But yes it can be modified.

 

[fabrice63]

Have a look there : https://matsubaraharry.hatenablog.com/entry/DA20e/23-02-01

.

 

[presscot]

More seriously why run the risk of losing what you liked about it in the first place?

I had a chance to listen to its big brother: a/d/s/ DA44. And I cannot forget its sound. The DA44 was actually designed by Ed Meitner of EMM Labs. It’s difficult to find the DA44 though. So I’m thinking to modify the DA20e. But there’s very little info about it. The only available info is the chip models: 2 x PCM1700P – SM5840CP – YM3623B.

Maybe the letter “e” of the nomenclature might refer to “Ed”, I hope. Lol

 

[rfbrw]

The thing that is special about the DA44 is almost impossible to recreate. It is a custom digital filter built around a programmable DSP chip.

 

[presscot]

Is there anybody know the alternative DACs that have similar sound character to the Meitner’s?

Or if it’s a player; no matter CD, DVD, SACD, etc., in which it has digital inputs, I’m willing to accept because my current CD player is nearly gone.

 

[presscot]

Anyone?

 

[rfbrw]

You asked.

 

[Mark Tillotson]

The thing that is special about the DA44 is almost impossible to recreate. It is a custom digital filter built around a programmable DSP chip.

Surely anything digital can be recreated precisely - that's rather the point of the discrete domain

 

[rfbrw]

The relevant point is the one you missed.