[CButterworth]

Hello,

I am undergoing another bout of Upgraditis.  My philosophy is to improve what I consider to be the "weakest link" of my system.  I recently upgraded speakers to used 'higher end' Polk floorstanders (still sub $1K, but better than my previous ones).  My most recent project was to construct the TNT Flexy rack which, surprisingly has improved sound imaging a lot - isolation of equipment really does appear to improve sound over CD-player directly on amp, passive preamp on CD-player.

Anyway, my DC-player of choice is the Toshiba SD 3960SU.  $60 from BestBuy and touted as being extremely good value for money.  It has digital out, and by all accounts really improves with an external DAC.

So, for my next DIY project, I have been considering a DAC or DAC/clock combo.

I have perused Scott Nixon's DacKit, but it requires a higher impedence amp input (over about 100 ohm, maybe it's KOhm).  Anyway the AKSA's input impedence is around 47 ohm /KOhm - I cannot rememberwhich power of 1000 offhand.

Have any AKSA'philes DIY'ed a DAC that works well with the AKSA, and that preferably costs less than $500 US?

Thanks,
Charlie

[Greg Erskine]

Hello,
Anyway, my DC-player of choice is the Toshiba SD 3960SU. $60 from BestBuy and touted as being extremely good value for money. It has digital out, and by all accounts really improves with an external DAC.

So, for my next DIY project, I have been considering a DAC or DAC/clock combo.

I have perused Scott Nixon's DacKit, but it requires a higher impedence amp input (over about 100 ohm, maybe it's KOhm). Anyway the AKSA's input impedence is around 47 ohm /KOhm - I cannot rememberwhich power of 1000 offhand.

Those Toshiba units look interesting, but I can't find them in Australia. If you end up getting one can you let me know if they can work on 240V.

I think you may be confusing the output impedence of Scott's DAC (100 ohm) and input impedance (47k ohm) of the AKSA amp. I would imagine Scott's would have no problem running an AKSA.

[Lost81]

Have any AKSA'philes DIY'ed a DAC that works well with the AKSA, and that preferably costs less than $500 US?  ...

You can "semi-DIY" by getting your hands on an ART DI/O and then mod it.

Wayne of Bolder Cable still mods it.
I highly recommend it.

The sMart DIO level of modifications brings it to a very respectable and impressive level of performance. It will hold its own (and some say, beyond) with DACs in the $1000 range.

The Mensa DIO level of modifications is jaw-dropping. Unless you spend above $2000 for a DAC, it will be very difficult to get performance at this level. I was blown away by my unit after I got it back from Bolder Cable.

Or, you can do what I did and transplant the guts of the DIO to a larger chassis, and then mod it / have it modded. The added room will allow space to install components that are too large to be used in the stock chassis.

Don't forget to upgrade the power supply transformer.
It makes a big difference.

Wayne's workmanship is impeccable and he is a pleasure to deal with. Looking over the board when I got it back, you can't tell apart the factory solder joints from his.


-Lost81

[CButterworth]

Thanks for the info.  Maybe I should consider the Scott Nixon DAC.  However the Art DI/O is very affordable and can be modded.

But, for the Art DI/O the input says SPDIF.  My Toshiba outputs PCM or Bitstream via a coaxial cable.  Would it work with the Art DI/O?

The DVD player is only listed as 120V in my manual.

Thanks,
Charlie

[JohnR]

Hi there, FWIW, I prefer the Nixon DAC to the (self-modded) DIO.

As far as impedance goes, are you using a preamp?

[CButterworth]

John,

Yes, I am using a preamp - a homemade passive with an ALPS 50K pot in shunt mode, and the signal to the AKSA being attenuated using 33K resistors.

I did read a post on Audioasylum about the addition of a DAC making the cheap Toshiba sound terrible.  So, I guess I need to think carefully about adding a DAC.


Regards,
Charlie