HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB

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Folsom

HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« on: 22 Dec 2006, 09:27 am »
http://us.hifidiy.net/index.asp

I built the DAC and got the USB to SPDIF as well. I am using an SLA battery to power it (8ah, with a charger) that run accross parrellel Panasonic 1500uf 50v capacitors (had laying about).

I think the inline mount for the capacitors is pretty nifty myself  8) .

The mounted board is a bit cheasy. I found it (a foot rest, it had things on the bottom you could fold out) in a car while I was working at a rental car place. I had nothing else to use haha...

This is actually a Christmas present for someone else.

I find it to be slightly bright despite my use of CAT5 for the leads to some Nutrik RCA plugs. I suppose it has some burn in time to go. In the first two hours it went from a tight soundstage to a normal one. The detail came out, and the smoothness. Now I admit I need to put in new resistors for my tweeters (everything is over bright for me right now) but I know that stuff is brighter through this DAC. I hope that dies. I hope it continues to get smoother and increased midrange. I will say that it does NOT have a dark background. It sounds more like Vinyl background (my amp contributes a tiny bit to this as I still need an X2 capacitor across the IEC) but quiet with no pops or crackles; it is actually kind of pleasing. The detail is nice, I would not rate the transparency to be exciting (if there). I will say that it is no Bel Canto DAC3 for detail though. Strange enough the smoothness is not far off from expensive DACs. If this thing gets a little less bright, well I would consider it good enough for anyone entry level, or as an upgrade for a lot of CD players.

I imagine the USB might be adding some to the background. It is as simple as possible. I hope to use a Hagtech USB myself as it uses a transformer to eliminate problems with the USB. However I think the people getting this with some speakers and hopefully (if I can save it) an amplifier for Christmas, will like it.

You are welcome to make fun of my mounting of the capacitors, I know some of you bastards are good for it :lol: .



Oh and HUGE thanks to Lei Song from HifiDIY for going out of his way to get me this stuff in time for Christmas. I would of felt weird giving them half of a present :duh: .

SET Man

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #1 on: 28 Dec 2006, 02:23 am »
Hey!

    Well, congratulation on the DAC kit. :D

    Interesting finding on the sound. As for my I have no idea how it sound on my main system when it first turn on since I used it in with my TV system for the first 20-30 hours with the cable box feeding it.... well every channel sounded better :lol:  Yes, it will need time to settled in... talking about that I remembered when I turn on my SET amps after for the first time after I finished them... well they sounded pretty bad! :lol:

    With my own kit I don't find it bright at all.... acturally I think I feel that it slightly rolled off at the very high top... seem to be normal thing for NOS DAC I guess. Any expert on NOS could correct me here if I'm worng :D And I took it on tour to 2 NY Raves and it performed well among other DAC with higher price. :D At the first Rave it got around 70 hours on it.

   Well, I guess at the end it is really come down to a personal preference and system. But for me this $40 kit is pretty darn good to the point that I just left it in my main system and not really thinking of getting more expensive DAC... well at least for awhile  :D

    And I'm thinking about upgarding those out put cap to Blackgate.... well, I made the case small so getting bigger poly or PIO caps is out since they won't fit :? Not sure if the Blackgate would be worth it.

   Anyway, congratulation on completing the kit. BTW... just wonder you mentioned that this is an Xmas gift for someone right? Did you give it to that person as showed in your picture? With the rubber board and all?

Take care,
Buddy :thumb:

PS
BTW... HifiDiy.net just came out with the tubed kit version. :wink:

Folsom

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #2 on: 28 Dec 2006, 04:08 am »
You better believe they are getting a "rubber" board :thumb: .

Definatly try some BlackGate N/NX/NX Hi-Q replacement for the electrolytics! They might end up being slightly bigger but I bet they will fit. I wish I had the DAC with me right now so I could follow the paths and see what other capacitors I would maybe replace. Also you can always lay capacitors on their side.

Check out Parts Connexion. They have Blackgates and they really will only cost you a few bucks to through two in for the ouput. Here is the kicker though... Think twice on the Blackgates. I might recommend the Panasonic FCs (under $5.00 for a pair of output area sized capacitors), as they are by no means considered bright at all. If you want to pick up a slight "bright" sounds than grab the Blackgates. I find the slight "bright" sound is also an extreme reveal of detail and precise action, not so much an ear killer. The Blackgates definately are not a laid-back sound though.

Non-oversampling has nothing pertaining to rolling off frequencies at the top or anything like that; but I can not say the DACs do not do that. Oversampling means that inbetween the stair step plot that is the digital sign-wave it creates extra steps, inbetween the normal Red book CD 44.1khz rate (how many samples, or rather how many plots are in one full 360 degree phase of a sign-wave). This is good for cheap DACs that suck because it gives them closer points to create a "smooth" connection between on the smaller stair steps. I find it can help with some detail but leave a lack luster of smoothness and ultimately sound quality. Really expensive DACs do upsampling and pull it all together really nice though... Well so you see there is no actual change in the frequency of the sign-wave; the function of rolling off is something else entirely all together.

Oh yeah if you do consider an upgrade, but like the sound, I would take a look at Peter Daniel's 1543 based DACs. Then an upgrade from that look towards 1541 based DACs (usually upwards of $500 in parts), or the stacked 1543 kits....

SET Man

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #3 on: 28 Dec 2006, 04:22 am »
You better believe they are getting a "rubber" board :thumb: .

Definatly try some BlackGate N/NX/NX Hi-Q replacement for the electrolytics! They might end up being slightly bigger but I bet they will fit. I wish I had the DAC with me right now so I could follow the paths and see what other capacitors I would maybe replace. Also you can always lay capacitors on their side.

Check out Parts Connexion. They have Blackgates and they really will only cost you a few bucks to through two in for the ouput. Here is the kicker though... Think twice on the Blackgates. I might recommend the Panasonic FCs (under $5.00 for a pair of output area sized capacitors), as they are by no means considered bright at all. If you want to pick up a slight "bright" sounds than grab the Blackgates. I find the slight "bright" sound is also an extreme reveal of detail and precise action, not so much an ear killer. The Blackgates definately are not a laid-back sound though.

Non-oversampling has nothing pertaining to rolling off frequencies at the top or anything like that; but I can not say the DACs do not do that. Oversampling means that inbetween the stair step plot that is the digital sign-wave it creates extra steps, inbetween the normal Red book CD 44.1khz rate (how many samples, or rather how many plots are in one full 360 degree phase of a sign-wave). This is good for cheap DACs that suck because it gives them closer points to create a "smooth" connection between on the smaller stair steps. I find it can help with some detail but leave a lack luster of smoothness and ultimately sound quality. Really expensive DACs do upsampling and pull it all together really nice though... Well so you see there is no actual change in the frequency of the sign-wave; the function of rolling off is something else entirely all together.

Oh yeah if you do consider an upgrade, but like the sound, I would take a look at Peter Daniel's 1543 based DACs. Then an upgrade from that look towards 1541 based DACs (usually upwards of $500 in parts), or the stacked 1543 kits....

Hey!

 I see so they get the board too. :D

  Thanks for the advice but I think I know about NOS DAC and oversampling well.

   Check out the measurment on the HifiDiy.net new DAC and you will see that it is also rolled off. Well, atleast this seem to be normal for this chip.

   And BTW... those Blackgate cap are still electrolytic just a better grade one.

   Anyway, goodluck with your audio things. :D

Take care,
Buddy :thumb:

Folsom

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #4 on: 28 Dec 2006, 06:26 am »
I just wanted to point out that non-oversampling does not have anything to do with frequencies by the basis of it's function.

I would not be surpized if the roll off actually is an attribute of the cheaper capacitors that come in the kits.

Yeah they may still be electrolytic but I gurantee they kick ass!




SET Man

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #5 on: 29 Dec 2006, 05:49 am »
I just wanted to point out that non-oversampling does not have anything to do with frequencies by the basis of it's function.

I would not be surpized if the roll off actually is an attribute of the cheaper capacitors that come in the kits.

Yeah they may still be electrolytic but I gurantee they kick ass!





Hey!

   Those output caps that came with the kit are Nichicon "Muse" series of which are pretty good. But the rolled off top end is not because of the those cap... any cap.

    Well, here is something interesting to read about. I don't know the author but he seem knowlegable.

http://www.pedjarogic.com/non_os/index.html

http://www.pedjarogic.com/1543/index.html

http://www.pedjarogic.com/1541a/L-sinc.htm

 And all the measurements, including the one from HifiDiy.net on their new DAC seem to support what I'm hearing on the very high top rolled off with this NOS chip schem. Of which I have heard it with my own system both with headphone and main system... also with other 2 systems I've at the NY Raves.

  And here from 47 Lab of which pretty much started the whole NOS DAC. Very interesting.

http://www.sakurasystems.com/articles/Kusunoki.html

  Still I feel that I'm willing to give up some top end and live with the rolled off top and have the rest sound right. :D

   Sadly I think you gave the DAC away too soon.... and haven't heard it at it full potential after it settled in :?

   DoS, now you know... well, we all learn something new every day. :D

Take care,
Buddy :thumb:

Folsom

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #6 on: 30 Dec 2006, 12:07 am »
I am not following what pertains to non-oversampling as to rolling off higher frequencies, so much as aparantly the current NOS DACs just do it. My only thought is they are not accurate enough, the timing, so it might lead to some sort of cancling or just lack of output due to feeding the same point over and over, something....

The Nichions are better than a lot of cheaper capacitors but they come no where near BlackGate, Solen etc...

You really ought to try something else as the output capacitors, just for fun :thumb: . Perhaps I will build another one. I really want to make a Scott Nixon Tube DAC. I think that is something I could keep for a long time as my main DAC. I would probably upgrade it here and there some though.

SET Man

Re: HifiDIY TDA1543 DAC + USB
« Reply #7 on: 30 Dec 2006, 05:50 am »
I am not following what pertains to non-oversampling as to rolling off higher frequencies, so much as aparantly the current NOS DACs just do it. My only thought is they are not accurate enough, the timing, so it might lead to some sort of cancling or just lack of output due to feeding the same point over and over, something....

The Nichions are better than a lot of cheaper capacitors but they come no where near BlackGate, Solen etc...

You really ought to try something else as the output capacitors, just for fun :thumb: . Perhaps I will build another one. I really want to make a Scott Nixon Tube DAC. I think that is something I could keep for a long time as my main DAC. I would probably upgrade it here and there some though.

Hey!

   Whatever... :roll:

    Goodluck with your audio thingy though :D

Take care,
Buddy :thumb: