DAC modifications
- Thread starter elaar
- Start date
To me most dacs or cdps just dont sound right - something is being added that I find unpleasant to listen to. The exceptions being the PT dacs and a few others. All of which seem to deviate from the standard approach of sticking a few OTS chipsets in a box. I have a feeling the difference lies in filter design and the PT interchangeable filters system did give different results.
wadia-miester
Mighty Rearranger
More generalisation again Nick 
I will say that digital filters have an impact on the sound for sure, yet again this is part of the whole. A correctly designed and implimented Dac/CDP (and with a time spent actually lisening to the prototype and making those adjustments at that critical stage)
will pay dividends.
Not just the designers spec of 120db s to n ratio. Thd of 0.004% blah blah blah
We use our own digital filters in some appilications, as we do fully discrete analogue stages too along with other careful tested items.
No AS Pete had a prod, I'll respond. All those items you've stated are nothing more that what I would consider a base starting point.
the fact that you have had to get to this stage may indicate that prehaps you stated this process too far down the ladder maybe?
The word Polishing a turd can be appilied maybe?
I do think that the sharing of information on here and other places is alays a good idea for a great number of people, I think Felix/Martin Clark along with Andy weeks inout has produced a first class informative site with some useful links full marks sir
Not all guys wish to get involed with DIY, but do enjoy reading about other expolits.
There are also some of us that do not wish to dilvulge certain items, Those that have asked me personally have been given some useful (I hope!!) idea's/links.
Though as I said before there really arn't that many who genuinely know their piece imo
Last one point for Nick, Know of any Brinkmann dealers that feel that the Esoteric CDP's are their opinion the best sounds they have heard period?
I will say that digital filters have an impact on the sound for sure, yet again this is part of the whole. A correctly designed and implimented Dac/CDP (and with a time spent actually lisening to the prototype and making those adjustments at that critical stage)
will pay dividends.
Not just the designers spec of 120db s to n ratio. Thd of 0.004% blah blah blah
We use our own digital filters in some appilications, as we do fully discrete analogue stages too along with other careful tested items.
No AS Pete had a prod, I'll respond. All those items you've stated are nothing more that what I would consider a base starting point.
the fact that you have had to get to this stage may indicate that prehaps you stated this process too far down the ladder maybe?
The word Polishing a turd can be appilied maybe?
I do think that the sharing of information on here and other places is alays a good idea for a great number of people, I think Felix/Martin Clark along with Andy weeks inout has produced a first class informative site with some useful links full marks sir
Not all guys wish to get involed with DIY, but do enjoy reading about other expolits.
There are also some of us that do not wish to dilvulge certain items, Those that have asked me personally have been given some useful (I hope!!) idea's/links.
Though as I said before there really arn't that many who genuinely know their piece imo
Last one point for Nick, Know of any Brinkmann dealers that feel that the Esoteric CDP's are their opinion the best sounds they have heard period?
Which generalisations would those be?
All I am saying is that proper attention to filter design is key and that those who have addressed it will reap dividends. If someone has gone to the effort of avoiding OTS chipset then this is more likely to be the case. I have heard some good examples, using standard chipsets but well engineered, like AVI. Esoteric might well be another but I havent heard it. If you have an esoteric dac I will be happy to give it a listen. I certainly didnt mean to imply s/n and thd were the end of the story quite the opposite.
Ahem I assume that would be walrus.
All I am saying is that proper attention to filter design is key and that those who have addressed it will reap dividends. If someone has gone to the effort of avoiding OTS chipset then this is more likely to be the case. I have heard some good examples, using standard chipsets but well engineered, like AVI. Esoteric might well be another but I havent heard it. If you have an esoteric dac I will be happy to give it a listen. I certainly didnt mean to imply s/n and thd were the end of the story quite the opposite.
Ahem I assume that would be walrus.
wadia-miester
Mighty Rearranger
Wrong guess sir 
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About 90% of dacs or cdp's I have heard using digital filters sounded artificial to me, I wouldn't say they was all bad but there does seem to be more crap than decent stuff unfortunately
Anyway I'm more than happy with my diy TDA1541S2 based dac with discrete I/V and output stage etc, it may have only cost me just over £200 for the parts but it sounds much better (to me)than most of this overpriced commercial ****e I've listened to
Desparately need a decent transport though!
Anyway I'm more than happy with my diy TDA1541S2 based dac with discrete I/V and output stage etc, it may have only cost me just over £200 for the parts but it sounds much better (to me)than most of this overpriced commercial ****e I've listened to
Desparately need a decent transport though!
Well I've given it a few days .....
After all the rhetoric and dissing, there is still no usable information from learned friends. That could be of the slightest use in modding the dacmagic.... well none has been posted in the public forum anyway. Let's hope that its been passed on by pm, I mean you wouldn't want everyone to know would you ?
Its a great shame, for all those who might still have one of these dac's tucked away in the loft.
I know what I think this means ......................let's just hope its not true.
After all the rhetoric and dissing, there is still no usable information from learned friends. That could be of the slightest use in modding the dacmagic.... well none has been posted in the public forum anyway. Let's hope that its been passed on by pm, I mean you wouldn't want everyone to know would you ?
Its a great shame, for all those who might still have one of these dac's tucked away in the loft.
I know what I think this means ......................let's just hope its not true.
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The guy has not posted for a while so maybe he's been put off or gone elsewhere
The actual dac part/implementation looks fairly decent in the dacmagic for what it is, sure the parts are standard and can be upgraded but to what depends on how confident the guy is
If it was mine the main thing I'd do is sort the input section out either run the dac by direct from the transports i2s (if it has it ) keeping the lines as short as possible and maybe adding a buffer or just build a better spdif input based around the CS8412/4.
If he wants to keep the modding simple then theres just the usual stuff like better caps,op-amps etc wh
The actual dac part/implementation looks fairly decent in the dacmagic for what it is, sure the parts are standard and can be upgraded but to what depends on how confident the guy is
If it was mine the main thing I'd do is sort the input section out either run the dac by direct from the transports i2s (if it has it ) keeping the lines as short as possible and maybe adding a buffer or just build a better spdif input based around the CS8412/4.
If he wants to keep the modding simple then theres just the usual stuff like better caps,op-amps etc wh
Can't disagree with that ....if not get the spdiff operating with the use of a good pulse transformer. Replacing the fixed pcb RCA sockets would also be a good idea, you just don'tknow what metal has been used. I'd go for the teflon insulated types,the ones that are bolted to the back plate and connect using the very best wire you can get hold of.
The actual board in the dac is rather small, so it would be a good idea to damp the top bottom and sides. This will lower any resonances and conver a large proportion of extranious vibration to heat. Wilko's do a rather good roof flashing material that is bitumen backed and plastic coated on the top. This is nearly ideal for the insides of steel cases.
The actual board in the dac is rather small, so it would be a good idea to damp the top bottom and sides. This will lower any resonances and conver a large proportion of extranious vibration to heat. Wilko's do a rather good roof flashing material that is bitumen backed and plastic coated on the top. This is nearly ideal for the insides of steel cases.
