SBAF DAC Talk II

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Maxx134, Jul 22, 2018.

  1. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    Trophy Points:
    113
    From the description on Audial’s website, it sound like the main difference from the S4 to S5 is the I2S HDMI input?
    The S4 already had the balanced isolation transformer and the galvanically isolated USB input.
     
  2. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Holo Red (USB) -> Audial S5 (capacitor output) -> Enleum AMP-23R -> Susvara
    All powered by Furman P2400 IT.
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • heart heart x 2
    • List
  3. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2022
    Likes Received:
    1,990
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    The Deep South
    can anyone talk me out of getting a sfd-1mk2 vs my current dac, the gungnir mb a1/bleached a2 (not sure which it is, but it sounds like an a1)?
     
  4. Huhnkopf

    Huhnkopf Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,076
    Trophy Points:
    93
    No, I won't. Go for it. Worth it, though I ended up with a Processor 3 in the end.
     
  5. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2022
    Likes Received:
    1,990
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    The Deep South
    worth it over a gungnir mb?
     
  6. zottel

    zottel Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2022
    Likes Received:
    1,231
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Franconia, Germany
    @wbass What about trying the Meier Audio Corda DACCORD FF? It’s quite a bit below the price range you’re aiming at, even at its original price, but I feel it’s playing in a much higher league than the price suggests.

    I wouldn’t call it warm per se, but the treble is silky. It manages to provide great treble detail without a dark tilt, and also without any incisiveness whatsoever. It requires a decent source to really shine, but you have that with your Neo Stream.

    Might be worth a test? Jan Meier is a great guy, I visited him as he lives only some 30km away from here. He let me take home a headamp and the Daccord for testing without any upfront payment—if you’re unsure, just fire him an email, I guess he’ll give you more than the official 14 days return policy if you ask nicely.

    I’d personally be interested how it fares against the DACs you have, too. :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2023
  7. wbass

    wbass Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,545
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    Think my current front-runner is... Soekris 2541:

    --R2R, hopefully bringing some warmth (but not as much as Bifrost 2)
    --half-size form factor, so will stack with Ferrum Oor
    --balanced outs (trying to keep as much gain as possible for Susvara)
    --dual/mutli-voltage (as best I can tell)
    --basically available in UK/EU
    --good reports here on SBAF

    Now I just need to keep an eye out for, hopefully, a good used deal, as I tend not to buy new when it can be avoided.

    If a Bifrost 2 or a Gustard R26 comes along a good price, might go for either of those, but former a bit dark for me, latter a bigger footprint than I'd like.
     
  8. JeremiahS

    JeremiahS Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    286
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Jakarta, Singapore
    I haven't heard 2541 but 1541 is a good choice. I feel its sound signature is like Holo and Rockna, a more neutral and modern take on R2R sound.
     
  9. wbass

    wbass Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,545
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    Yes, going to keep an eye for the 1541, also.

    The Ferrum Erco is out there, for a perfect stack, but I can't really see that it's more than a standard ES9028PRO application, and for nearly $2500. I guess it can take advantage of the Hypsos PSU, but that's a real upcharge for a pretty plain jane DAC. One could get the SMSL VMV D1se 2 (with a ESS 9039 chip) for like $700. Not that I'm so hung up on the latest great chips....
     
  10. Collusion

    Collusion Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,058
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Finland
    dac2541 is a good choice, but it lacks a bit of bass heft if you ask me. Microdynamics on the other hand are it's strong suit.
     
  11. wbass

    wbass Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,545
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    @Torq described the 1541 as a bit lean back when. I think I saw a review of the 2541 on here that said it's linear in the mid-bass with a bit of a sub-bass bump. So, hmm, yeah... Gah, can't have it all.

    I'll keep the Bifrost 2 on the watchlist, despite/b/c of the darkness.
     
  12. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2021
    Likes Received:
    3,638
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    WI

    Bifrost 2/64 might be a good option if you are concerned about the OG being too dark.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 1
    • List
  13. JeremiahS

    JeremiahS Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    286
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Jakarta, Singapore
    If you are using Ferrum OOR then a DAC with fuller body sound may be a better synergy with your amp. If so then maybe the Soekris may not be a good match.
     
  14. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    386
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Admudnson-Scott Antarctic Facility (Seattle WA)
    Home Page:
    Yo dawgs, I'm lookin at just a regular Modi+ or iFi Zen to pair with a Piety and EM-U Teak/ Koss ESP-95X if it doesn't sell.

    Was looking for a cheapo DAC thread but couldn't find anything, I'd guess there's not huge differences between sub $150 anyway.
     
  15. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,474
    Trophy Points:
    93
    TBH, (this is hot take some places) there's not huge differences sub-800 usd. The first "huge" jump I ever had with a dac in that price range was the Bifrost 2. Second was bizarrely the Fiio K9 Pro ESS, but that was a weird situation where it was the amp and the dac in it being very synergistic and not THX-flat.

    Stuff like dac2541, bifrost 2/64, dangerous music source...that's when DACs start being a huge boon. But before that? Kind of deadzone. You don't need much more than a Modius or a modi. Hell, I feel bad I even bought a SU-9N.
     
  16. wbass

    wbass Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,545
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    Maybe I'll be right in that dead zone, but... Amazon UK carries the SMSL D1se2, the somewhat higher-end part of that line. GoldenOne seems to rate it. In the $700-800 range, so similar territory to Bifrost 2. It's an ESS9038 implementation. I got along quite well with the Matrix X-Sabre Pro, and this seems like a mini-version of that (?).

    Anyway, I've got a D1se2 on the way and will test it with Verité Closed and, in about a week, the Ferrum Oor/Hypsos and Susvara. If it's not enough meat on the bones, then will probably end up back at the Bifrost 2. Wasn't my favorite with Starlett/Utopia, but might do the trick in this new rig.

    Will report back.
     
  17. wbass

    wbass Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,545
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    The SMSL D1se2, thus far, is... decent, good... Typical ESS? The spiked feet are silly and inconvenient. Build quality is otherwise fine. I think it's maybe all a bit too clean and lean with the Ferrum stack, however, so I might be looking for an OG Bifrost 2 (harder to find in the UK) or possibly a Gustard R26.

    Sort of curious about the Border Patrol DACs, too.
     
  18. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2022
    Likes Received:
    1,990
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    The Deep South
    interesting, i saw one go up for 950 locally, but it's based on tda1543, plus tube in the output power supply (see below), so not an audible distortion champ... but i do want to demo one anyway tho lol. abbas also has some lofi-themed tubed-1543s, just fyi.
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2023
  19. gsanger

    gsanger Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2021
    Likes Received:
    248
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Florida
    I heard one at an audio show recently, and rather liked it, but, you can only take away so much from an audio show.

    And the tube is only in the power supply, btw. The only thing after the TDA1543 chip is a pair of coupling capacitors. No filters, no output stage, nada. Dual parallel transformers in the power supply, though, along with either tube or solid state rectification (selectable via the front.)

    I'm actually also interested in putting the Border Patrol DAC into a system that has a Slagle AVC preamp, a Decware Zen Triode and a pair of Zu DW speakers. Between the speaker drivers and the TDA chips, by my count, there's less than 10 parts total. No clue if it'll synergize well at all, but, morbidly curious to try.
     
  20. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 3, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,463
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Goshen, NY
    Which one? I'm very interested in getting a TVC or AVC volume controller/preamp.

    FYI, I have a DAC that uses a TDA 1541 and has a tube buffer on the output side (I've rolled good NOS tubes there to great effect). It's the MHDT Labs Orchid, an NOS design.

    Sometimes old school gear is just fine. I love the sound from this thing.

    I have a different NOS DAC in the nearby 2nd system (Audio GD R2R-11 MK2). It has somewhat higher resolution and sounds a little less musical than the Orchid, though it's still miles ahead of any delta/sigma DACs I used to have here.
     

Share This Page