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  #151  
Old 12-05-2018, 02:35 AM
decooney decooney is offline
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MHDT Orchid "Break-In", update @ 100hrs.

Exactly as described by MHDT Labs their DACs (and included tube) do change tone and smooth out even more with time. They recommend a full 30 days time. I noticed a change at 20 and 50 hours. So far at 100 hours the tube has pretty much settled (not changing any more) each listening session and I'm not hearing any form of edgy or harsh sound with any of the tracks I'm playing on my system. For me, this Non-Oversampling NOS R2R Ladder DAC does it right. Super easy to listen to. Open and transparent without being fatiguing. Absolutely no fatigue now.

Maybe I just got lucky and found a synergy with my system. Whatever the case, it works.

Listening carefully, with more break-in time on the DA, one might think at first the highs are rolled off, but they are not. The detail of the highs is still "there", just not as forward, possibly recessed a bit further back in the sound stage but it all comes together in presentation. Definitely found a keeper here.
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  #152  
Old 12-05-2018, 06:18 AM
FloridaBoy FloridaBoy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by decooney View Post
MHDT Orchid "Break-In", update @ 100hrs.

Exactly as described by MHDT Labs their DACs (and included tube) do change tone and smooth out even more with time. They recommend a full 30 days time. I noticed a change at 20 and 50 hours. So far at 100 hours the tube has pretty much settled (not changing any more) each listening session and I'm not hearing any form of edgy or harsh sound with any of the tracks I'm playing on my system. For me, this Non-Oversampling NOS R2R Ladder DAC does it right. Super easy to listen to. Open and transparent without being fatiguing. Absolutely no fatigue now.

Maybe I just got lucky and found a synergy with my system. Whatever the case, it works.

Listening carefully, with more break-in time on the DA, one might think at first the highs are rolled off, but they are not. The detail of the highs is still "there", just not as forward, possibly recessed a bit further back in the sound stage but it all comes together in presentation. Definitely found a keeper here.
Good for you. The presentation of the Abbas DAC is similar. No digital artifacts. Perhaps it is characteristic of the TD1541?
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  #153  
Old 12-05-2018, 11:44 AM
decooney decooney is offline
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Originally Posted by FloridaBoy View Post
Good for you. The presentation of the Abbas DAC is similar. No digital artifacts. Perhaps it is characteristic of the TD1541?
Not sure. Maybe a side-by-side comparison would help narrow it down some more. Quite a bit going on here with this Abbas (wow), but I noticed the fully custom $2445 Abbas DAC2.1SE also uses a single TDA1541R1 chip.

They comment this in their ad to explain all the other doo-dads inside:
"The device is based on the legendary Philips TDA1541 chip.However, the best chip requires appropriate quality components around it. Chip does not play singly."


Pic:
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  #154  
Old 12-05-2018, 12:09 PM
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Do like the fact that the MHDT Labs Pagoda uses a DAC chip per channel in the single ended model. As the balanced model is two Pagoda in one chassis, assume they are using four (4) DAC chips. But, it is the sound that matters.
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  #155  
Old 12-05-2018, 01:18 PM
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Default Dac ?

It’s really interesting that the venerable Phillips TDA 1541 is getting so much love.

My second CD player was a Rotel 965BX that used the TDA 1541. What’s more interesting is that Rotel had an otherwise identical BitStream player, the 865BX. I auditioned both for several hours at the dealer’s and bought the 965BX multibit because I thought it sounded more natural.

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Last edited by W9TR; 12-05-2018 at 01:35 PM.
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  #156  
Old 12-05-2018, 01:25 PM
decooney decooney is offline
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Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2 View Post
Do like the fact that the MHDT Labs Pagoda uses a DAC chip per channel in the single ended model. As the balanced model is two Pagoda in one chassis, assume they are using four (4) DAC chips. But, it is the sound that matters.
DAC studies and the variation of different types of designs and approaches is interesting and somewhat difficult to rationalize. I.E Is 1 or 4 chips better sounding? Is one or three transformers better? Is 1 or 4 tubes better in a DAC, etc. And, Camp#2 says “fewer parts and components in the signal path is best”. I have probably favored for the more clean and simple design approach without a basis for any other confirmed direction. In the end is a single dip of ice creme or a banana split the better “flavor”. Choose your flavor and go for it as I take it now.
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  #157  
Old 12-05-2018, 02:48 PM
FloridaBoy FloridaBoy is offline
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Originally Posted by W9TR View Post
It’s really interesting that the venerable Phillips TDA 1541 is getting so much love.

My second CD player was a Rotel 965BX that used the TDA 1541. What’s more interesting is that Rotel had an otherwise identical BitStream player, the 865BX. I auditioned both for several hours at the dealer’s and bought the 965BX multibit because I thought it sounded more natural.

Tom
Tom,

Have a peek at the articles in the link: https://www.sakurasystems.com/articles.html

Perhaps we the Audiophools have been hoodwinked. Redbook done right sounds very good.
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  #158  
Old 12-05-2018, 03:18 PM
FloridaBoy FloridaBoy is offline
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[QUOTE=decooney;943543]Not sure. Maybe a side-by-side comparison would help narrow it down some more. Quite a bit going on here with this Abbas (wow), but I noticed the fully custom $2445 Abbas DAC2.1SE also uses a single TDA1541R1 chip.

They comment this in their ad to explain all the other doo-dads inside:
"The device is based on the legendary Philips TDA1541 chip. However, the best chip requires appropriate quality components around it. Chip does not play singly."

This unit has Blackgate and Audionote Kasai electrolytic caps. BG caps are great but weird at the same time. I had them in Welborne Labs 300B's amps years ago. They have to run a while to sound good and need to re-burned in if not regularly used. The output stage of the DAC I did get can be upgraded but it sounds fine as is. Abbas does sell complete Dac's w/o a case at a reduced amount. I saw that he had a case listed also.

Last edited by FloridaBoy; 12-06-2018 at 06:03 AM.
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  #159  
Old 12-07-2018, 01:56 AM
decooney decooney is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2 View Post
...
This is a most excellent thread and have enjoyed reading everyone's experience with their various DAC travels. Hope everyone will continue to post their thoughts.



fwiw, some other thoughts and banter back and forth over on AK a few years back related to similar topics around non-oversampling vs. newer approaches, some of the same dacs and such:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.p....773445/page-2


Update, edit;
There is a correction to be made in this other thread on AK. The Orchid is noted as being 16-bit. Current version is 24 bit / 192 kHz.

MHDT Labs website:
"Orchid DAC is capable of up to 24bits/192kHz digital signal inputs.. driving legendary TDA1541A R-2R digital to analog output."


.

Last edited by decooney; 12-07-2018 at 02:11 AM.
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  #160  
Old 12-07-2018, 09:44 AM
FloridaBoy FloridaBoy is offline
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Default Abbas journey

I read through the AK thread. There are so many different DAC designs and opinions are as varied as snowflakes. I have had the original Havana for ten years. I kept it because it sounded good. Great actually, when I found the coupling caps that were right for me. The Abbas sounds better and it is still settling in. I also bought his SPDIF cable and should have it soon.

I was conflicted between it and the Orchid. I went with the Abbas because after reading through his forum I could tell he is passionate about what he does. The forum is in Ukraine but if you open it in Chrome it is translated to English.

DAC 2.1 features:

1. Tube DEM clock ( E180F, EAA91, soviet tubes provided )
2. CS8414 SPDIF receiver 24/96
3. Shunt voltage regulators based on the germanuim transistors.
4. Vintage and modern audio components are used:allen bradley,philips,telefunken, Capacitors: Nichicon muse ,Kendeil, panasonic pureism Resistors: allen bradley, audionote tantalum.
5. Board covered with gold and a special varnish for best sound
6. Stranded wires composed of vintage copper wires taken from klangfilm,telefunken,siemens sound equipment
7. I/U convertor based on the special low noise germanium transistor. As a consequence of this fact, an excellent reproduction of quiet sounds,at -60..-80db level
8. PIO output capacitors
9. Shortest signal path, the tube output stage with the low output imphedance (5687,EZ80).
10. NOS mode(non oversampling)
11. Genuine TDA1541R1 or TDA1541A philips factory
12. Siemens film capacitors in the DEM cells
13.Separate power transformers for digital and analog sections. Separate transformer for DEM clock.
14. EZ80 tube rectifier

Output: 4v RMS (1khz,0db Full Scale)
You get this tubes with the DAC:
6N6P soviet NOS
6J9P soviet NOS
6X2P soviet NOS
EZ80 tungsram NOS

It came with a 6N6P output tube. From the description above I assumed it could also use a 5687. So I tried one and liked it... a lot. Then I found out that the 6N6P has no real equivalent but the 5687 is very close. So the 6N6P is back in it now. I am going ask, via his forum, if it is OK to use the 5687.
I will also ask about the 5687 output stage he sells. It is used in this Dac:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DAC2-1SE-4v...Z4xt:rk:9:pf:0

Sprague 121P's 2.0uf 150V are installed as couplers. They are metalized paper not PIO. Many folks believe all Sprague caps are PIO. They aren't. I bought some $4.98 Soviet KBG MN copper foil caps. The Dac should be settled in by the time they arrive. They are well regarded in the DIY arena and *I* like PIO.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-uF-400V-M...72.m2749.l2649

From an Audio Asylum post: On a whim I just changed my output capacitors on my 1541a D3a diy DAC from V-cap Cutf to KBG-MN. Blimey!!! Incredible! The best and most natural sounding paper in oil capacitor I've ever heard. This must be Russias finest capacitor for audio.

He replaced expensive V-Cap Teflon and copper foil caps.

I will update this as the journey unfolds.

Last edited by FloridaBoy; 12-07-2018 at 10:32 AM.
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