[Poultrygeist]

Still enjoying the C&C Tone Board DAC. I prefer it over a more expensive Topping D30.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I bought the Topping E50 DAC on sale.  It sounds way better than my Schiit Modi 3.    It is clear and detailed with good bass punch. It works great with my TV.  I am using a Jameco cheap LPS to power it and it made a slight improvement in sound.  I am going to try a Teradak LPS with it.  I would not use this dac in a higher end system though.  We tried it in my sons system (Cary Audio Integrated and Wharfedale Evo 4.4 speakers) and it sounded muddy in comparison to his Chord Qutest. However, it sounded great in my bedroom system which is an older Marantz 2ch receiver and Monitor Audio RX-1 speakers.  Now I will see how long it holds up.

[karnana]

Tried double and triple series LT3045 usb dongle today. Double LT3045 works flawlessly. Triple LT3045 works but unstable.

Used these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/323569530540


Triple LT3045 requires double usb cable to power. Double LT3045 works fine alone. Sound quality wise:

3 LT3045 > 2 LT3045 > 1 LT3045


Wiring scheme:

4 year update:
This device and sabaj da 3 are still working fine and used daily on a computer.

[zek]

4 year update:
This device and sabaj da 3 are still working fine and used daily on a computer.

Perhaps it would be good to indicate what this refers to?

[mick wolfe]

Apologies if it's been mentioned previously, but I'm currently enjoying the Phillips Little Giant DAC. Supposedly the same chip used by 47 Labs back in the day, but who knows? Regardless, very smooth presentation somewhat akin to vinyl in many respects. About $48 shipped from AliExpress. Caveats being it's a very simple device only featuring a single coax input, two RCA outs and a 12V input. So you'll need a decent 12V power supply to get the best it has to offer. FWIW, other DAC's in house include a Denafrips Ares, Geshelli J2 and Line Magnetic 502. As always, YMMV, but it's an interesting option and sonic change of pace for the fraction of what you'd pay for an over priced interconnect.

[mresseguie]

Apologies if it's been mentioned previously, but I'm currently enjoying the Phillips Little Giant DAC. Supposedly the same chip used by 47 Labs back in the day, but who knows? Regardless, very smooth presentation somewhat akin to vinyl in many respects. About $48 shipped from AliExpress. Caveats being it's a very simple device only featuring a single coax input, two RCA outs and a 12V input. So you'll need a decent 12V power supply to get the best it has to offer. FWIW, other DAC's in house include a Denafrips Ares, Geshelli J2 and Line Magnetic 502. As always, YMMV, but it's an interesting option and sonic change of pace for the fraction of what you'd pay for an over priced interconnect.

I see it has a TDA1387 chip. I can't say that I've knowingly heard one before, but there are threads in various audio forums where folks say nice things about it. That DIYAudio thread...tough crowd.

How do you like the Geshelli J2? [I may be buying a MHDT Orchid soon to hear for myself what it offers.]

[mick wolfe]

I like the Geshelli J2 a lot. It offers a somewhat opposite presentation compared to the Little Giant. IOW, a little more vivid with sharper contrasts, but by no means over the top. Both are very involving in their own right. Being as that I'm somewhat prone to swapping things out ( be it amps, speakers, DAC's ,etc.) on a regular basis, I find both offer an interesting perspective and certainly a bargain by today's standards.

[viggen]

my dac du jour is a pop pulse pcm 1796mk2 that i bought here on ac.  i put a xspdif2 in front of it and it sounds amazing. 

i also ordered this which should arrive this week:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803365529653.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.4.257af19c46ZRuL&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

and am thinking about getting this:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803308950521.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.1e3d38daRJCUYr&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

i think having a ddc in front of these older r2r chip is worth experimenting with.

[viggen]

So just received the TDA1543 dac I linked above.  It came in a brown envelope inside another brown envelope.  No packing material at all.  The whole DAC is made of plastic.  I am surprised it didn't shatter on its way here from China. 

Just swapped out the Poppulse for the TDA1543 and powering it with HDPLEX 300W's 12v DC output.  The thing sounds smooth right off the bat.  Definitely reminds me of the Scott Nixon 1543 dac I had many years ago but much better.  In fact, I like it better than other comparable dacs such as MHDT Orchid and Denafrips Ares/Pontus.  $60 dac powered by a $600 psu... well the HDPLEX has 4 outputs.  So, you can probably get a dedicated 12v LPSU for much less between $50 to $100 for a quality ebay one.

Only thing I don't like about this dac is the form factor.  The DAC's rca input and output are on opposite sides.

[jandrews]

@viggen
Can you post a photo of the dac?
the pics in the AliExpress ad are pretty poor.

[viggen]

sorry my pics are pretty crappy too.  didn't think to take pics before installation.





a few more images:

[jandrews]

thank you
it's open on the sides or that's plexi?
assuming this is a 16/44.1 converter?

[viggen]

nothing on the sides.  wide open.
spec on website: Support format: PCM 16bit 44.1k~48K
i am using a matrix xspdif2 in front of it.  so the dac is taking whatever the ddc is outputting.

it's been playing for about 3 hours.  soundstage, air... all bigger. bass is stronger too but a bit too strong for my taste.  for non bassy songs, i am not missing my other dacs.

vocals are very fleshy and textured. 

after about 5 hours, i switched back to poppulse.  i still prefer poppulse.  highs more expansive and detailed with a tinge of sweetness in the treble.

after leaving it powered overnight and listening to it this morning, the bass bump is gone and the sound is all good again.  swapping in the poppulse dac, i hear more higher end energy in comparison but now i miss the 1543 dac's sound more than the poppulse's.  the mids on the 1543 has a quality that makes my heart feel sunk when i listen to it.  iow, it's tugging my heart strings.

[Letitroll98]

Just read this review on the iFi Go Link dongle DAC and it looks promising.  $59 us and does both DSD and MQA in addition to PCM.  The What Hifi review highlighted an expansive head stage as is best attribute.  If you're looking for an inexpensive portable solution this could be it.
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/ifi-go-link

[viggen]

another impression on the tda1543 dac.  i changed lpsu from hdplex300 to a no name ebay lpsu which imo is very high quality that i bought for around $60-$80 about 5 years ago.  the dac sounds better with the hdplex.  with the cheaper lpsu, it loses a bit of soundstage and smoothness just enough to drop the dac from special to ordinary.  still very listenable but probably a tad below ares ii in terms of musical enjoyment.

[SET Man]

nothing on the sides.  wide open.
spec on website: Support format: PCM 16bit 44.1k~48K
i am using a matrix xspdif2 in front of it.  so the dac is taking whatever the ddc is outputting.

it's been playing for about 3 hours.  soundstage, air... all bigger. bass is stronger too but a bit too strong for my taste.  for non bassy songs, i am not missing my other dacs.

vocals are very fleshy and textured. 

after about 5 hours, i switched back to poppulse.  i still prefer poppulse.  highs more expansive and detailed with a tinge of sweetness in the treble.

after leaving it powered overnight and listening to it this morning, the bass bump is gone and the sound is all good again.  swapping in the poppulse dac, i hear more higher end energy in comparison but now i miss the 1543 dac's sound more than the poppulse's.  the mids on the 1543 has a quality that makes my heart feel sunk when i listen to it.  iow, it's tugging my heart strings.

another impression on the tda1543 dac.  i changed lpsu from hdplex300 to a no name ebay lpsu which imo is very high quality that i bought for around $60-$80 about 5 years ago.  the dac sounds better with the hdplex.  with the cheaper lpsu, it loses a bit of soundstage and smoothness just enough to drop the dac from special to ordinary.  still very listenable but probably a tad below ares ii in terms of musical enjoyment.

Hey!
     There's something special about that simple TDA1543 DAC chip isn't it?

     Back in 2006 I bought a kit off eBay for $40. Very simple with single 1543 chip and no output/buffer stage after. I swapped the output caps to WIMA red caps and bypassed them with .1uf K40Y-9 PIO caps. I run mine with 12V SLA batts with 15000uf cap.

     Over the years I had compared it to some higher and newer DACs from early ESS chipped Eastern Electric DAC and a few others when we used to have a local get together here in NYC area. And recently my two local audio friends came over to my place with their DAC, a Denafrip Ares which is also NOS and a Topping forgot which model but I think it was ESS based around $200. Well, I didn't like the Topping and to my surprise my little batteries powered 1543 was close and held up well against the Denafrip. Although, Denafrip Ares does have a bit better low end and drive though. But my simple 1543 have better mid overall to me, it is just more liquidity to it somehow. Some might say too laid back but to me it feel more natural, especially with female vocal. This surprised my friends also. So, yeah... after that I'm keeping my little 1543 DAC and honestly I was ready to save up for a Denafrip if it was way better.

   Anyway, even with that said. I've been thinking of building a tube buffer stage for my 1543. Also, I have to admit that I've been eyeing another NOS DAC for some years now... the ANK 2.1 DAC kit. But if I decided to go for it I'll hold on to my little 1543 DAC just in case I don't the ANK, although this is going to me a lot of money to find out 

     

[viggen]

Hey SET man. 

Yes, it's special.  Like the 1543 dac I mentioned above more than the modern resistor ladder dacs I've tried from Denafrips to Sonnet/Metrum.  This is especially so after I added this ddc replacing the matrix xspdif2:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805764362347.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.32.54441802h0d6Gv&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I did try some other 1543 tube dacs such as Lab12 and Border Patrol (not really a tube dac but... )  Also tried the Orchid (1541 tube dac. 

I like the $40 1543 dac more albeit when powered by the $600 HDPLEX psu. 

Although, recently, I am using this dac more than the 1543:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805660696598.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.21.54441802h0d6Gv&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

It's a sabre chip dac which I hate with a passion.  But, this dac sounds good.  I am using i2s connection between it and the ddc mentioned above.

[WGH]

Just swapped out the Poppulse for the TDA1543 and powering it with HDPLEX 300W's 12v DC output.  The thing sounds smooth right off the bat.  Definitely reminds me of the Scott Nixon 1543 dac...

My first DAC was a Scott Nixon Tube DAC, smooth for sure but eventually I wanted more drive plus extended highs. The TDA1543 seriously rolls off the high end.

Ted Smith, PS Audio DirectStream’s lead developer wrote:

“It’s [Philips TDA 1543 DAC] a very simple chip. For people who want NOS or R-2R style DACs it’s great. Also most people don’t seem to read the datasheet, the chip requires an opamp to meet its specs (which aren’t great), but many simply use resistors on its outputs which adds a lot of 2nd harmonic distortion and restricts the dynamic range.

"If your favorite music doesn’t have a lot of high frequencies and it doesn’t get too loud, the chip works well.

"Without an output filter the timing and waveshape of impulses is lost and PRaT will suffer, but if the original recording is already rolled off this won’t be a problem.
I suspect most people that really enjoy orchestral or, say, grunge [or rock] would be disappointed, but jazz trios, women’s solo voice, etc. should sound fine.”

But my simple 1543 have better mid overall to me, it is just more liquidity to it somehow. Some might say too laid back but to me it feel more natural, especially with female vocal.

...I've been eyeing another NOS DAC for some years now... the ANK 2.1 DAC kit. But if I decided to go for it I'll hold on to my little 1543 DAC just in case I don't the ANK, although this is going to me a lot of money to find out 

Three guys in our local audio club use ANK DACs: two 5.1 Signature and a 2.1. I was predisposed to not like the ANK DACs, a lot of money for a DAC that doesn't really do hi-res (24bit/96kHz) but I have to admit it is a very, very nice DAC. I use a HoloAudio May KTE, one of these years I would like to compare the two DACs.

I recently heard the ANK 2.1. We switched between vinyl and CDs (no streaming) and honestly, without looking, I wouldn't be able to tell what source was playing.

The turntable is excellent so the ANK 2.1 acquitted itself very well.




An in-progress build photo of another friend's ANK 5.1 Signature, the DAC is beautiful inside.

[viggen]

the nixon dac was one of my first dacs too.  it's in my avatar.  it sounded fine after a bit of mods.  the newer dacs using 1543 are much better than the nixon.  speaking of ank, the 0.1x uses the 1543 chip and some on the internet claim it sounds better than the much higher level ank dacs.

[Alfi]

Hi Viggen,
Please describe sound of the ES9038Q2M sabre dac in greater detail and how it compares to other dacs.

Thanks,
Alfi

Hey SET man. 

Yes, it's special.  Like the 1543 dac I mentioned above more than the modern resistor ladder dacs I've tried from Denafrips to Sonnet/Metrum.  This is especially so after I added this ddc replacing the matrix xspdif2:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805764362347.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.32.54441802h0d6Gv&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I did try some other 1543 tube dacs such as Lab12 and Border Patrol (not really a tube dac but... )  Also tried the Orchid (1541 tube dac. 

I like the $40 1543 dac more albeit when powered by the $600 HDPLEX psu. 

Although, recently, I am using this dac more than the 1543:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805660696598.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.21.54441802h0d6Gv&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

It's a sabre chip dac which I hate with a passion.  But, this dac sounds good.  I am using i2s connection between it and the ddc mentioned above.