New digital front end

Wm,

I realized that it is an old (and rather good) Sony mechanism found in CD players like CDP-X707ES or CDP-X779ES .

 

No Idea, to be honest I really don't know, however it definatley looked factory tweeked. I do try and avoid sony mech's if possible

 

OK Vasco, another suggestion: From the sale of the DAC64 you should be able to get yourself a 47 Labs DAC (the cheaper one) and you'll probably love it. Actually, after Ian's post about them I investigated and am tempted to give one a listen myself actually..... (just out of interest).

Michael.

 

Having lived with it a week now, I'm very happy. Timbrally it's absolutely spot on.

-- Ian

 

I saw one on Audiogon for $1000 the other day....

Michael.

 

In that case you should buy it...

47 Labs transports have a DC-coupled digital output designed only to be used with their DACs. I have absolutely no idea if that means their DACs sound better with their own transports however.

-- Ian

 

[As a matter of fact, and since you mentioned it, I would like to know what the rest of you guys think about the CDS1/XPS or CDI which have the holy mighty TDA1541 Philips DAC (like the CD7). Multibit but no oversampling this time... sorry Mike.]

Just a correction. I wrongly said that there was no oversampling when in fact there is (4x), although the TDA1541 is specified for both non-oversampling and 4 times oversampling applications.

 

Wm,

Me and Michael, we did an A/B comparision between the modded Philips CD202 by Tube Dude, Accuphase DP75, DAC64 with the Accuphase as a transport and a modded Panasonic DVD(?), also By Tube Dude, as a transport, and finally Michaelab's Marantz CD50 with new clock and power supply modules.

All I can say now is the modded CD202 is the best CD player I have ever heard. The DP75 is in fact too soft, laid back and not fast enough (don't buy it even used). The CD50 with its TD1541 DAC is for the price difference to the Accuphase a no brainer, a way better in the "live" department but not quite the same micro information though. The DAC64 with Accuphase as a transport was a very nice surprise, much less wronger but still compressed and flat in comparision. With the Panasonic transport the agressiveness was back. Although an optical digital cable was always used it shows how transport dependent the DAC64 equally is.

Multibit rules... and all you need is 4X oversampling 14 bits from Philips TD1540. That's progress...

 

I just did a long write up of yesterday afternoon's "bakeoff" at Tube Dude's place on the CdA and I'm too tired to do it all here again in English now but I'll just say that IMO the DAC64, used with the Accuphase as a transport, was up there with the CD202. Different, but no better or worse. I've also subsequently tested my DAC64 (at home again) with the Accuphase as a transport, comparing it to my modded Teac T1 and there's virtually no difference, so I'm still a happy chappy .

It begs the question how it's possible for the DAC64 to be transport sensitive though. Either it doesn't work the way Rob Watts says it does (which would totally eliminate jitter) or there's something other than jitter, as yet unknown, that can be sent down an optical connection.

Michael.

 

So Vasco, how's the Sim Eclipse sounding ?

Michael.

 

Yes. TT now sorted. It was a lot more straightforward than I thought it would be