Soekris dac1101 R2R DAC/Amp

DSD on Soekris is handled by conversion to PCM onboard currently I believe. There's no such thing as a multibit DSD converter though, guess the closest is the Holo Spring?

Edit: Also BNC as a connector is a lot trustier than HDMI or RCA etc.

 

Don't see any need for I2S over HDMI, not a standard.

Our DAC's do DSD the perfect way, a digital lowpass filter at DSD rate, then volume control and out over our R-2R ladder. With what some call pure DSD you miss the possibility of digital volume control. Most DS DAC's are also multibit, so they're not even pure. Anyway, I don't believe in DSD, DSD is just moving a crappy DS converter from the player to the encoder, still a crappy DS converter you then have no control over....

The dac1541 have a clock generator specified at 0.3 pS jitter, some calls that Femto Clock, we just call it a ultra precise clock....

 

@soekris

Any potential interest in sending @Torq an evaluation sample of the dac1541 for inclusion in his "Life after Yggdrasil" comparo? As a fully-balanced DAC and top of the line Soekris, I imagine it would satisfy nicely the inclusion criteria.

 

Thanks for clarifications on your side.
Always interesting what designers have to say.

Excited what this DAC(s) can do...

 

Sure would be neat if @soekris could get one of his DACs and/or DAC/amps to the June 17 SBAF SoCal meet...

 

I could make a dac1541 loaner available to SBAF, for measurements and/or for @Torq and/or for the SoCal meeting and/or for a tour.... You need to see what a correctly done R-2R Sign Magnitude DAC can do.

I can have a preproduction unit (just some minor mechanical issues) ready in about 2 weeks, or a full production unit in early June.

 

@soekris that'll be awesome! IMHO your new lineup could be game-changing!

 

The cool thing about that, is that it could go on both sides of the pond, on its way back to soekris in EU.

 

Actually yes it would be, maybe, available for us as well.

 

@soekris: Pictures of the dac1541 show an output selector. Can the device output to both headphones and the XLR+RCA at the same time? Does the volume control attenuate both the headphone output and the XLR+RCA jacks? (In other words, are the outputs line-level or preamp?)

Thanks! I would just check the manual, but it doesn't seem to be available yet.

 

If a 1541 is available to @Torq I would be happy to measure it as well. The 1321 also appears very interesting.

 

The dac1541 have both line and headphones outputs, the output selector switches between the outputs, both are not active at the same time. The volume control works on both but the line output can also be fixed at 2V RMS for use with preamps.

 

I have plenty of dac1321 prototypes, the electronics are perfect but the mechanics have some minor issues.... I can make one of those available to SBAF if you can ignore the mechanics....

I only have two dac1541 prototypes, didn't get enough cases, I need those two for the Munich show. If I get more cases I can make one available to SBAF, otherwise it will need to wait to after Munich....

We need to work out the logistics, best would probably be measurements first, then listening test, maybe send it by the SoCal meeting....

 

Im pretty excited about the 1541. Looks like a well engineered unit at a great price. Id like to see its measurements compared against the Yggdrasil.

 

I can ignore cosmetics and mechanics if they don't have an effect on ground loops or residual hum / noise.

 

I am, similarly, not worried about casework etc. ... though if it's completely un-cased it'll probably get placed in a little grounded test-cage I have just to make sure there's no undue effects from potential outside interference.

And that's mostly because I ran into a situation recently with a prototype DAC that exhibited definite noise issues when operated as a bare-board but that were completely cleared up by putting it in a simple metal box.

 

100% in for any potential 1541 loaner!

 

@soekris Can the DAC1541 be used as a preamp/DAC? For example, as a desktop system I have a Xindak PA-M stereo amp and Amphion One15 speakers, can DAC1541 be used as DAC and preamp at the same time?

 

Still interested to hear this thing.

And with a bit of luck I'll have my measurement rig up, running, and dialed in by the time that happens.

I'm hoping that, when set to "Line Out" mode, the volume control processing is bypassed completely.

 

Wait, did I just wake up on Head-fi? Don't get the poor thing a Nighthawk-type rep before it's even out.