Loaner: abbasaudio DAC0.1 SE

Discussion in 'Closed Loaners' started by k4rstar, Nov 5, 2020.

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  1. skem

    skem Friend

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    Is @loadexfa the sole interested party in DAC2.1?
     
  2. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    a Christmas miracle - the DAC has left the USPS facility after 35 days of captivity
    hopefully reaches @dubharmonic soon and the loaner can resume

    thanks everyone for their patience, thoughts & prayers
     
  3. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    I can't seem to find information on the 2.1 seems most of their units are no longer available. Does the 2.1 have a tube rectifier?
     
  4. skem

    skem Friend

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    It has solid-state rectification. Clean up is done using a big power germanium. Tubes are used for elements of the clock (why baffles me!) TDA1541 convertor, and solid-state germanium IV stage, capacitively coupled output.
     
  5. dubharmonic

    dubharmonic Friend

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    USPS says it's out for delivery today! Send good vibes!
     
  6. dubharmonic

    dubharmonic Friend

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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. dubharmonic

    dubharmonic Friend

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    After over a month in a USPS facility, it's finally here! The box is in great shape, and the DAC is making music. It looks better in person than it does in pictures.

    After years with a Yggdrasil, listening to this DAC feels similar to getting a new pair of glasses or contacts. Everything seems just a bit out of focus. Maybe I need some brain burn-in time. I've never had this experience with a DAC before.
     
  8. skem

    skem Friend

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    What you’re hearing is typical of my experience with Abbas DAC 2.1. It’s not sharp/detailed. It’s more relaxing. Abbas likes lots of even harmonics which I took out of my DAC2.1 by retrofitting with different transistors. But I also think some of these older chips lack bit depth and lose low-level information.
     
  9. Tama77

    Tama77 New

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    Testing out the Abbas dac2.2SE via Pi2es with my hd650. One thing that stood out was the timing feels very accurate and precise. The flow of music, especially in the mids, feels very natural, realistic, and precise. It provides a more relaxing, rounded, and warmer sound signature with slightly thicker mids compared to my Adagio.
     
  10. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    so glad it arrived safely. please take your time, longer than 5 days is no problem given the season.

    i will note that the DAC2.1 skem is mentioning is sold as a populated PCB for TDA1541 for the cost of a few hundred dollars. it is simply not possible to coax maximum performance out of any of these classic multibit chips for a few hundred dollars, especially so the complex TDA1541. i do feel the DAC 0.1SE i put on loaner here is at a very good price performance point.

    that being said, these DACs will not be for everyone. that is the point of the loaner!

    thanks for chiming in. i will note that i can make the DAC2.2SE sound like anything. it can be bright, lean, warm, rounded, fat, dull, exciting by messing around with the digital transport and changing the tubes used. i don't mean to say that it has no sound of its own, but it is much more malleable than your standard off the shelf DAC. i agree with your point on the timing of music and it is probably my favorite part of the sound, and one of the most elusive traits for digital audio reproduction.

    there is not really any rhyme or reason to his DAC naming scheme, i was unsuccessful in making sense of it.

    there are basically 4 tiers to his DAC offerings:
    -populated PCBs, unassembled: these will use the most economical parts, come with soviet tubes, sometimes without the DAC chip itself depending on availability. they are meant to be an entry into the sound of his products without breaking the bank. they are not equivalent to the same model assembled into a chassis. availability depends on what is listed on ebay.

    -basic assembled units: these will come in a case, usually with slight improvements to the circuit or parts quality over the unassembled PCBs. the cases will have colored (not black) wood faceplates. availability depends on what is listed on ebay.

    -SE assembled units: these will come in a case with black glossy or matte faceplates. they have the most premium parts and circuit upgrades. come with great quality NOS tubes. the DAC on loan is an example of this tier. availability depends on what is listed on ebay.

    -custom orders: anything that gets more fancy than the SE assembled units, for example a DAC in a double-wide chassis, the use of octal or DHT output tubes, etc. may be accepted on an individual basis by contacting him directly.

    if anyone has questions about the differences between the models, please contact me, i am happy to answer
     
  11. loadexfa

    loadexfa MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I’m very much looking forward to how this DAC resonates with my ears even with less detail, I haven’t found switching a DAC sparking any “magic” for me in quite a while.

    We should probably keep the impressions and thoughts limited to the proper thread so more people see them.
     
  12. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Are you very familiar with the non-oversampling sound? That could explain the out of focus feeling.
     
  13. dubharmonic

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    @Hands this is my first exposure to a NOS DAC. I wasn't expecting the experience to be this different. Still working on gathering my thoughts.
     
  14. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    added an old associate @Jh4db536 to end of Cali portion of the tour
     
  15. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    Received. Much smaller and more beautiful in person.
     
  16. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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  17. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Feeling that my new Gungnir A2 is kind of sterile sounding, I’m interested In hearing this if you’re up for one more. I’m very close to @loadexfa so shipping between us would be fast and safe.

    I have a Pi2AES for good spdif output.

    but no worries if you’re wanting it back it’s your baby. :)
     
  18. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    how can I say no to best member of all time? :)
    I don't mind to get it back later but I feel bad for those later on tour getting pushed further out
    I put you after @Jh4db536
     
  19. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Thank you! Hopefully I can repay the favor. I’ll be sure to write up what I can in your preferred thread.

    can’t wait!
     
  20. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    @JoshMorr came to me on the day of my daughters wedding and asked to hear this DAC
    actually I made him an offer he couldn't refuse
    added to near end of tour
     
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