[joeriz]

I was wondering if anyone knows what DAC chip Frank uses in his DACs.

Thanks,
Joe

[mark funk]

Hi, I have a Transcendence R DAC. On the digital board there are 8 chips, only one has a name on it and that is Philips.

[avahifi]

Actually there is one more, a big 40 pin surface mount chip on the bottom side of the logic board:

There is a Crystal input chip, a couple of logic chips supporting that, the DAC chip, a couple of AD817 ICs, a couple of National LM6301 current amplifiers, and the digital filter and oh yes a 5V regulator chip and a couple of transistors to switch preemphasis in and out.  Besides that there are two ECC81 tubes and two J79 power mos-fets on the hybrid filter/amplifier board, and a couple of 3-pin 12V regulators and four power mos-fets used as high voltage regulators (one for each half of each tube), along with their necessary zeners. Finally there is another logic chip and a transistor on the mute board.  Lots of good parts, some we are not going to tell you about, don't want to make it too easy for another copy job to happen.  Did you like the original B&K 140 amplifier?  You should have, it was a nearly part for part copy of our first generation Mos-Fet 150B. Or where do you think the Dyna 416 and Pat-5 Bifet originated?  Unpaid for of course.

Then, of course, there is the design engineering, or how to put the whole thing together and make it work so well.  We suspect that the design effort is more important than the parts.

Frank Van Alstine

[Al Garay]

Frank,

You need an IP specialist, someone who can help you identify and protect your intellectual property. Maybe they're an audiophile and will want a trade.

Al

[rustneversleeps]

Frank,

Don't mean to pry, but it would be interesting to know if you went after those companies who coyied your design over the years. Most of them are out of business now, but I would make them pay.

[joeriz]

Wow -- thanks, Frank...but certainly more info than I was looking for.  I completely understand about not wanting your designs stolen.  I remember the B&K fiasco.  I was just wondering about the DAC chip itself was all...just curious.  If you'd rather not say, I understand.

Thanks,
Joe

[modular747]

i beleive they are Crystal 16 bit, 4X oversampling

[guest1632]

Actually there is one more, a big 40 pin surface mount chip on the bottom side of the logic board:

There is a Crystal input chip, a couple of logic chips supporting that, the DAC chip, a couple of AD817 ICs, a couple of National LM6301 current amplifiers, and the digital filter and oh yes a 5V regulator chip and a couple of transistors to switch preemphasis in and out.  Besides that there are two ECC81 tubes and two J79 power mos-fets on the hybrid filter/amplifier board, and a couple of 3-pin 12V regulators and four power mos-fets used as high voltage regulators (one for each half of each tube), along with their necessary zeners. Finally there is another logic chip and a transistor on the mute board.  Lots of good parts, some we are not going to tell you about, don't want to make it too easy for another copy job to happen.  Did you like the original B&K 140 amplifier?  You should have, it was a nearly part for part copy of our first generation Mos-Fet 150B. Or where do you think the Dyna 416 and Pat-5 Bifet originated?  Unpaid for of course.

Then, of course, there is the design engineering, or how to put the whole thing together and make it work so well.  We suspect that the design effort is more important than the parts.

Frank Van Alstine

Hi Frank, Wow! I had one of those BNK amps. A little soft on the bass, but it was pretty good. Soundwise, it was similar to the Stasis from Threshold. The threshold was about 3 times the money. I did like my BNK. Now, I have an old Linn 75W, and am hoping one of these days to do some definite upgrading. Mine was bought in the early .90's. Oh well, so much for nastouga. Hey Frank how are the speakers breaking in? any new stuff there?

Regards,
Ray Bronk