yes
but I guess you want to know the difference ;-)
The S1 and S2 are selected from the general production, and have guaranteed precision specs
So you may get lucky with an ordinary 1541 but you have a far better chance of hitting a sweet sounding TDA 1541 when buying the specially selected ones. The sound quality really improves a lot with the higher precision versions. I started with a S1 and ended up with the S2 and really was impressed by the differenence it made.
I'd go for the gold crown (two crowns stamped on the housing) any day....if available (and in case they are legit and not restamped ordinary 1541s)
but I guess you want to know the difference ;-)
The S1 and S2 are selected from the general production, and have guaranteed precision specs
So you may get lucky with an ordinary 1541 but you have a far better chance of hitting a sweet sounding TDA 1541 when buying the specially selected ones. The sound quality really improves a lot with the higher precision versions. I started with a S1 and ended up with the S2 and really was impressed by the differenence it made.
I'd go for the gold crown (two crowns stamped on the housing) any day....if available (and in case they are legit and not restamped ordinary 1541s)
I've compared the two, and to me the S1 is worthwhile. I won't go into detail, but to me my S1's sound has all the good points of a TDA1541A without as much of the flaws.
The S1 is just a selected grade, so in theory some normal TDA1541As should be just as good, but my S1 is miles ahead of any of my other TDA1541As.
Edit: Sorry, I thought this thread was about the S1. The A and non A sound different, but I don't have an opinion on which sounds better.
The S1 is just a selected grade, so in theory some normal TDA1541As should be just as good, but my S1 is miles ahead of any of my other TDA1541As.
Edit: Sorry, I thought this thread was about the S1. The A and non A sound different, but I don't have an opinion on which sounds better.
If yo are willing to waste your time and money with 1541, get S1 by all means.
Plain 1541 (1541A) have shut-in, harsh sound compared with S1, easily noticeable in NOS applications with analogue non-feedback stages.
Also all 1541 (1541A) sound different!!! I have tried 6 or 7 plain 1541’s and they all sounded different…. The S1 (I pulled out of CD94MKII) sounded far superior. Interesting thing was that even 2 S1 DAC’s I pulled out of that CD player sounded different (!?)…
It is interesting chip for DIY in NOS applications; however you will need to spend 10 X more money to get half decent sound compared to modern DAC’s…
I suggest you skip 1541 and try 1704 in differential configuration (if you can still find them), or an excellent 1794 with a lot of current-out swing (8 mA) -> perfect…. miles ahead of that 1541. If treated half as decent as 1541, that 1794 will blow your mind.
Boky
Nothing wrong with TDA 1541A - period.
Organise the power supplies on the player properly, give everything that'll take a clock signal it's own clock signal ( 11.289 and 5.6 ) and prepare for a shock Mr Boky.
You really must speak for yourself on this one - many love the 1541 and do not spend so much getting them right either.
I could spend the next 10 minutes saying that NOS is a waste of time ( i've done it and reverted back ) but it would be rude of me to insult NOS lovers.
Yours ears - my ears, music preferences, room acoustic , speakers and amplification....all completely different. Not to mention how our brains interpret music and noise.
We're so ' off topic ' already - apologies Chivvyp because I can't answer your original question either.
Organise the power supplies on the player properly, give everything that'll take a clock signal it's own clock signal ( 11.289 and 5.6 ) and prepare for a shock Mr Boky.
You really must speak for yourself on this one - many love the 1541 and do not spend so much getting them right either.
I could spend the next 10 minutes saying that NOS is a waste of time ( i've done it and reverted back ) but it would be rude of me to insult NOS lovers.
Yours ears - my ears, music preferences, room acoustic , speakers and amplification....all completely different. Not to mention how our brains interpret music and noise.
We're so ' off topic ' already - apologies Chivvyp because I can't answer your original question either.
Hi, To put the record straight,all S1's and S2 originate from TDA1541A.It superceded TDA1541 and subseqently Philips decided it made marketing sense to preselect the better A's to "prove" they had a better DAC to put
them in up market cd players and charged more for them.
I know that chip very well, and I modified some top-end CD players (Marantz CD7 and CD94MKII X 2) and number of NOS and upsempling DAC's that use 1541. I spent good year trying to get decent sound from that chip with NOS and NOS/recklocked applications… it has never thrilled me like 1704 or even sigma/delta implementations from Cyrus, not to mention WM8741.
It is nice sounding chip when adequate measures are taken, BUT... those measures cost a lot of money and need time.... nowadays with modern chips I can get the same or better results at 1/10th of the price in parts and labour...
I'll be fair and mention that the second CD94MKII I did sound really nice... but only because of the serial power supplies, swing arm mechanism, excellent servo and differential application. It is not the 1541 that made this CD player great, it is the implementation and all-around an excellent understanding of what makes good CD Plyer sound possible (kudos to Marantz designers of that age!)
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/104030-94-mk-ii-before-after.html
hence my advise: do not waste time and money on this chip
Boky
Your 94 looks fantastic and I'm surprised it didn't thrill you so much.
I have 6 transformers with dedicated bridges, big caps and regulation firing up various important parts of my TDA 1541A based machine. Have clocked the hell out of it ( except the DEM reclocking ) changed almost every cap, fast / soft diodes, discrete op amps where needed and generally tweaked as much as my intelligence level would allow. NOT at your level however but good for a novice all the same. ( with a lot of help from certain individuals here )
I'm still shocked by it's sound sometimes and can't imagine what else I could squeeze out of it now.
I'd really like one like yours though - thanks for the link - I might learn something else from that
I have 6 transformers with dedicated bridges, big caps and regulation firing up various important parts of my TDA 1541A based machine. Have clocked the hell out of it ( except the DEM reclocking ) changed almost every cap, fast / soft diodes, discrete op amps where needed and generally tweaked as much as my intelligence level would allow. NOT at your level however but good for a novice all the same. ( with a lot of help from certain individuals here )
I'm still shocked by it's sound sometimes and can't imagine what else I could squeeze out of it now.
I'd really like one like yours though - thanks for the link - I might learn something else from that
Pete,
This thread keeps wandering off topic.
I too have a TDA1541 S1 ( non - A version ) in a Marantz cd player.
I also have the same player with a plain TDA1541 and a similar player (Philips but same board) with the TDA1541A ... probably the same board as your Mission player.
Do they sound different ? Yes !
The 1541S1 is far better than the plain 1541 and, in my opinion, slightly better than the 1541A.
These are all unmodded players and, no doubt, improvements could be made.
Hope this helps.
Andy
This thread keeps wandering off topic.
I too have a TDA1541 S1 ( non - A version ) in a Marantz cd player.
I also have the same player with a plain TDA1541 and a similar player (Philips but same board) with the TDA1541A ... probably the same board as your Mission player.
Do they sound different ? Yes !
The 1541S1 is far better than the plain 1541 and, in my opinion, slightly better than the 1541A.
These are all unmodded players and, no doubt, improvements could be made.
Hope this helps.
Andy
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You’ve no clue about the CD94 and CD94MKII, and the minute differences... I had CD94 service manual, but did not really use it -> it is just a CD player. Besides, after 20+ years of experience I do not need the circuit diagram to modify HiFi gear.
Boky
Hi, AndrewGM: I'm curious to read your detailed listening assessment of NOS. What you dislike, and what you like (if anything). I'm already quite familiar with the theoretical issues involved, and I already do possess my own subjective assessment. Please understand, I'm not attempting to instigate a battle, I just desire to compare my own subjective evaluation to the subjective evaluation of others. To know how my perceptions may vary from the perceptions of others regarding NOS. Thanks.
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TDA1541
I recently plugged in a Magnavox CDB473 (manuf. 1987) that is totally unmodified. Not re-capped, all orig. stock.
This unit has the classic SAA7220/A and TDA1541 chipset. The TDA1541 is the non-A version -- it doesn't even have the "Philips" logo or icon. (see attachment)
The sound from this vintage, unmodded CDP is surprisingly good. It has that powerful/dynamic sound that seems to be missing from subsequent players. Even, dare I say, the soon-to-follow SAA7220/B + TDA1541A.
Maybe it's that Hall-Effect disk motor ... or maybe Philips total circuit design ... something is very right with this player!
This CDB473 maybe worth experimenting with for just the sake of "A" and "non-A" chip swaps .... hmm....
I recently plugged in a Magnavox CDB473 (manuf. 1987) that is totally unmodified. Not re-capped, all orig. stock.
This unit has the classic SAA7220/A and TDA1541 chipset. The TDA1541 is the non-A version -- it doesn't even have the "Philips" logo or icon. (see attachment)
The sound from this vintage, unmodded CDP is surprisingly good. It has that powerful/dynamic sound that seems to be missing from subsequent players. Even, dare I say, the soon-to-follow SAA7220/B + TDA1541A.
Maybe it's that Hall-Effect disk motor ... or maybe Philips total circuit design ... something is very right with this player!
This CDB473 maybe worth experimenting with for just the sake of "A" and "non-A" chip swaps .... hmm....
Attachments
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TDA 1541 (non A) S1 are found in the Belgium made Mission PC7000 and the Marantz CD 273.
Because I have a few Nakamichi Cdp-2e players and there was an early Nak in my collection with a TDA1541 (non A) witch has now the TDA1541-S1 from a PC7000. From non to S1 sounded different, more spacious/detailed. The player with a TDA1541A sounded not better. After modifications the player sounded a lot better even better as my Marantz CD-85 (with TDA1541A-S1).
The next player to be modified is the Nak with TDA1541-S1.
Because I have a few Nakamichi Cdp-2e players and there was an early Nak in my collection with a TDA1541 (non A) witch has now the TDA1541-S1 from a PC7000. From non to S1 sounded different, more spacious/detailed. The player with a TDA1541A sounded not better. After modifications the player sounded a lot better even better as my Marantz CD-85 (with TDA1541A-S1).
The next player to be modified is the Nak with TDA1541-S1.
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