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Interesting DAC Bargain - $135 [message #14250] Mon, 15 August 2005 13:19 Go to next message
FredT is currently offline  FredT
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Here's one that's hard to believe, but there are some favorable reviews of it on the web, so I ordered one to see (and hear) for myself. It's a non oversampling DAC that uses eight parallel DAC chips, much like the Audio Mirror DAC, with OPA 602 op amps, for $135. I did a special order with eight-pin op amp sockets instead of the standard model on which the op amps are soldered directly to the board and can't be changed easily. I plan to swap out the 602's for the much preferred OPA627's. Total cost including the eight-pin sockets and air shipping to Houston is $176. The DAC-AH can be seen under DAC's at

http://eshop.diyclub.biz/

I noticed there are several other dacs including a 6922 tube output model, the DAC-72 for $280, and several others including upsampling models for more. It would be nice if someone ordered one of these and let us know how it sounds. I'll post my impressions of the DAC-AH later.

Here's the link to a review by someone who did an op amp and coupling cap upgrade. This is where I learned the seller will accommodate special upgrade requests like op amp sockets. Kewl!

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93233&page=1&pp=20



Re: Interesting DAC Bargain - $135 [message #14251 is a reply to message #14250] Mon, 15 August 2005 16:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
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Oh, man, you're just finding all the cool stuff. Thanks for the tip!


Re: Interesting DAC Bargain - $135 [message #14252 is a reply to message #14250] Tue, 16 August 2005 06:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
akhilesh is currently offline  akhilesh
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Really cool link, Fred. They seem to have lots of good deals for the DIYer!
thanks
-akhilesh

Re: Interesting DAC Bargain - $135 [message #14253 is a reply to message #14251] Tue, 16 August 2005 07:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FredT is currently offline  FredT
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I chose this one because it's so cheap, but I'm especially intrigued by their $368 DAC-60, which uses the much better 24/96 Burr Brown PCM-1704 dac chip and has a 6922 tube buffer output stage. I'll post my impressions of the DAC-AH after it has had a couple of weeks to break in. It would really be cool if someone else bought the DiyBiz DAC-60 or the DAC-72 and we could do a comparison of these and other non-mainstream DAC's like the Scott Nixon and the dAck! at next year's Great Plains Audio Fest.

On another digital-related topic, I'm very happy with my Onix XCD-88 with the upgrade OPA627 op amps. This one is also an incredible bargain at $299, and it comes from a US based distributor.

Re: Interesting DAC Bargain - $135 [message #14255 is a reply to message #14250] Tue, 23 August 2005 15:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jim denton is currently offline  jim denton
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Fred----I have been trying to make up my mind about which used $1300 CD player to buy when I checked ART forums to see what is hot and WOW you come up with new DAC's!!!---Ok Fred, which model ;the 60 or the 72 do you suggest so we can test and compare---I'm game to try one out ---- Jim

DAC 60 or 72 [message #14257 is a reply to message #14255] Tue, 30 August 2005 07:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FredT is currently offline  FredT
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The difference described on the DIY biz web page is that the DAC72 uses the 20 bit Burr Brown 1702 DAC chip while the DAC60 uses the 24 bit 1704. I have no idea how that might translate into performance differences. There may be other differences that are not described, but both models appear to use the same two-transformer power supply and the same parts names (Dale, Oscon, etc) are used in the descriptions.

Given the minimal $73 price difference between the $295 DAC72 and the $368 DAC60, if I were buying I would go with the DAC60. The Burr Brown 1704 DAC chip is state-of-the-art. Take a look at the specs in the comparison chart at

http://www.audiodesignguide.com/DAC/dac5.html

Re: DAC 60 or 72 [message #14259 is a reply to message #14257] Wed, 31 August 2005 09:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jim denton is currently offline  jim denton
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Fred, these are all up sampling types, correct? So what happened to the Scott Nixon concept of non- upsampling tyes? Can you give me a brief over view JD


Non-Oversampling versus Oversampling DACs [message #14260 is a reply to message #14259] Fri, 02 September 2005 19:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FredT is currently offline  FredT
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This whole digital business is as clear as mud to me. PCM audio is a technically complex process that requires the use of technical terms I'm not familiar with. But the review of the Audio Note 1 DAC at the link below that provides the most understandable description I have seen.

Many believe the damage that brickwall filters do within the time domain is largely responsible for the unnatural digital sound we have grown accustomed to with PCM audio. They believe a DAC with no brickwall filter produces a more natural sound than one with. But in last month's Houston Audio Society meeting we listened to three non ovesampling DAC's that sell in the $400-$800 price range, then we heard all three seriously outperformed by a $2,200 oversampling DAC. Big surprise: the one that cost three times more sounded better than the cheap ones.

My interest in these Chinese DAC's is due to the fact that they appear to have many of the features you find in mainstream DAC's costing several times more, so I'm interested in whether they sound as good as the high priced spread. For $175 including air freight I'm willing to find out. Of course if I can persuade someone to buy one of the more expensive models I'll do that too so we can compare them:)

I'm sure someone who understands DAC's better than I do will read this, and hopefully they'll jump in here and help us understand this better.


Re: Non-Oversampling versus Oversampling DACs [message #14261 is a reply to message #14260] Sat, 03 September 2005 00:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
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There was another thread a while back on the same subject:
It's Singing In My System [message #14262 is a reply to message #14250] Wed, 07 September 2005 07:53 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
FredT is currently offline  FredT
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Registered: May 2009
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The DAC-AH arrived yesterday. It sounded harsh and two dimensional at first, but by this morning, after a full afternoon and all night playing, it has improved quite a bit. Then I turned it off, let it sit for about an hour, and replaced the OPA602 op amps with OPA627's. This wasn't as easy as I had expected because the space is tight and one of the sockets apparently had some debris in one hole. Getting the replacement in was hard. I hate all these little parts in modern electronic components - I pine for the good old days when the smallest part was a half inch long resistor and IC's were only a science fiction dream. No I don't.

I turned it on with the 627's installed and heard an immediate and obvious improvement. The image is quite a bit wider and more three dimensional. Instruments are more precisely placed. The digital harshness is gone. Now when little miss Norah whispers "Come away with me" I know she's talking to me and she means it. But I doubt she would buy me all this kewl audio gear like my wife does. This DAC will not cause any of the rich guys I know to sell their DCS Delius, Verdi, Purcell separates, but it's definitely one of those products whose performance exceeds what I would expect at its price point. Highly recommended as an upgrade from a mass market player!

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