muon* Posted July 18, 2021 Posted July 18, 2021 Yes, hopefully the VTL will be the proverbial cat among the pigeons If it betters the Abbas it will really be something! Looking forward to hearing the 1540D again too! 1
MattyW Posted September 1, 2021 Author Posted September 1, 2021 Well, I think the VTL is more a step sideways though the differences are welcome as it's notably different in its sound signature to my Abbas whereas the TDA1540D is quite similar in some respects. Makes sense seeing at the 1540 is the predecessor to the TDA1541. Anyway, listed the TDA1540D on the classifieds. I daresay I won't lose as much as usual on this sale as a number of members got in touch about buying before I decided to sell. The fans on my media PC are starting to crank up with the hot weather so I think I'll use the proceeds of this sale for a new fanless media PC. PC's should be silent in operation when in the proximity of audio gear!
MattyW Posted September 3, 2021 Author Posted September 3, 2021 @RockRolley I look forward to reading about your experiences with this DAC. It's a lovely unit.
RockRolley Posted September 3, 2021 Posted September 3, 2021 5 hours ago, MattyW said: @RockRolley I look forward to reading about your experiences with this DAC. It's a lovely unit. @MattyW Thanks for passing it on to me. I’m really looking forward to hearing it. I’ll post my reflections for sure 1 1
MattyW Posted February 3, 2023 Author Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) @muon* it’ll be interesting to see how you go with your new TDA1540D DAC once you recieve it. I imagine it’ll get some upgrades and tweaks over stock. A very interesting starting point for modding Edited February 3, 2023 by MattyW
muon* Posted February 3, 2023 Posted February 3, 2023 44 minutes ago, MattyW said: @muon* it’ll be interesting to see how you go with your new TDA1540D DAC once you recieve it. I imagine it’ll get some upgrades and tweaks over stock. A very interesting starting point for modding Yes, was very taken by that one you had that started this thread I do have some thoughts on some cap changes at this stage, but will need to listen to it for a good while to get fully familiar with It's character, and then and only then I'll revise those original thoughts and make a plan 1
muon* Posted February 3, 2023 Posted February 3, 2023 @MattyW It does open a rabbit hole though, as the first thing planned will be a good transport for it 1
MattyW Posted February 3, 2023 Author Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) I’ve some nice discrete OPAMPS that might better the Marantz HDAM on its output….. Maybe, if you want to give it a try. Sonic Imagery Labs 994Enh-Ticha. They remain the best I’ve tried. I like separate transport to DAC. Easier to sort things out at times. Edited February 3, 2023 by MattyW 1
muon* Posted February 3, 2023 Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, MattyW said: I’ve some nice discrete OPAMPS that might better the Marantz HDAM on its output….. Maybe, if you want to give it a try. Sonic Imagery Labs 994Enh-Ticha. They remain the best I’ve tried. I like separate transport to DAC. Easier to sort things out at times. Cheaper in as a player as you don;t have to deal with different BUS systems, It's just straight i2s internally. Just means having to get a well priced suitable transport and cables, so more variables and more money. The open-loop current buffer module they use for the output stage might be best, short of making a tube stage. Might not be such a copy of Marantz's HDAM after all, I'm not sure, always a bit cloudy without schematics. Edited February 3, 2023 by muon*
MattyW Posted February 3, 2023 Author Posted February 3, 2023 Will get these OPS to you anyway. Never know until you just try something I find. Let your ears decide what’s best.
muon* Posted February 3, 2023 Posted February 3, 2023 7 minutes ago, MattyW said: Will get these OPS to you anyway. Never know until you just try something I find. Let your ears decide what’s best. Well no rush, as I'll be waiting a few months so I know it is run in and I'm familiar with it, and I don't listen as often as yourself or many folk here, so takes a while. 1
MattyW Posted February 3, 2023 Author Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) 23 minutes ago, muon* said: Well no rush, as I'll be waiting a few months so I know it is run in and I'm familiar with it, and I don't listen as often as yourself or many folk here, so takes a while. It’s probably because my system is also used for TV series, quite a few kids shows, movies etc rather than just music so my wife and child help with burn in/break in with gear. Not just when I’m listening or even home. Heck this is the very reason I moved away from tubes in my components. That said it’s easier said than done to do this when you love the sound of tube components. Edited February 3, 2023 by MattyW 1
MattyW Posted February 28, 2023 Author Posted February 28, 2023 Mmmmm, this is interesting: https://stereo-ru.translate.goog/p/msw4j-staroe-vino-v-novyh-mehah-test-platy-konvertera-create-dream-dac0-5?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc
muon* Posted February 28, 2023 Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) Yes, not a DAC for the measurements are important to me people Edit: he basically says It's worse than the original Philips players that used this chip, so there you have it...bad DAC. Edited February 28, 2023 by muon* 2 1
MattyW Posted February 28, 2023 Author Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) Why is it though that just about every DAC that sounds stunning to me “measures” poorly? Can’t help but think they’re doing it wrong Edited February 28, 2023 by MattyW 1
muon* Posted February 28, 2023 Posted February 28, 2023 3 hours ago, MattyW said: Why is it though that just about every DAC that sounds stunning to me “measures” purely? Can’t help but think they’re doing it wrong Yes, I'm liking this one.
RockRolley Posted February 28, 2023 Posted February 28, 2023 8 hours ago, muon* said: Yes, not a DAC for the measurements are important to me people Edit: he basically says It's worse than the original Philips players that used this chip, so there you have it...bad DAC. Haven't had a read yet (which I will), but I have 'The Truth' preamp which was demolished on a 'measurement' forum, and all I know is that it sounds the way it was advertised to sound and it effortlessly reveals details (and entire instruments that I never realised were there) in music that I've been listening to regularly for forty odd years and never noticed... Even if the poor measurements were correct (which I wondered about) it doesn't change the aural experience-yet it is still baffling... 1
MattyW Posted February 28, 2023 Author Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, RockRolley said: Haven't had a read yet (which I will), but I have 'The Truth' preamp which was demolished on a 'measurement' forum, and all I know is that it sounds the way it was advertised to sound and it effortlessly reveals details (and entire instruments that I never realised were there) in music that I've been listening to regularly for forty odd years and never noticed... Even if the poor measurements were correct (which I wondered about) it doesn't change the aural experience-yet it is still baffling... Haha, if you're referring to ASR they seem to demolish anything that doesn't measure well. They don't care about the actual sound quality..... A bit bizarre for a forum dedicated to measuring audio gear. I tend to believe measurements are useful for engineers in understanding what certain adjustments do, and allowing them to fine tune their designs in conjunction with listening. Using both will result in superior results. Better measurements do not necessarily equate to better sounding gear. Some really well measuring gear isn't that far off nails down a chalk board for me. After all, even order harmonics actually show as distortion despite having positive sonic benefits and 3rd order harmonics improve spatial cues somehwat..... I'm sure I read that somewhere. It's bizarre that forums seem to devolve into two camps with such things when even engineers who seem to evaluate their designs subjectively use measurements to aid them in design and testing...... Course then there are those who design purely from a measurements perspective though on the forums with listeners it seems to be subjective vs objective, with some of the subjective crowd sitting somewhere in between. Anyway, I'd better stop there as the subjective vs objective debate is never ending and tiring..... Edited March 1, 2023 by MattyW 1
muon* Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 The mains filter board after the no/off switch and before the power transformer is interesting, with 2 x 10v/82000uf caps. All regs (10 of them all up) are 317BT's, 2200uf Vishays (blue ones), a couple of big Elna for Audio caps and a single Rubicon (125c rated) near the diodes. Not sure of the brand of all the Polymer caps. 1
RockRolley Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 5 hours ago, MattyW said: Anyway, I'd better stop there as the subjective vs objective debate is never ending and tiring..... Yes, it's a rabbit hole. All I know is that I had received some glowing word of mouth reports of 'The Truth' preamp, then I read the article in question and despite creating some reservations in me prior to buying it, I decided to go ahead and decide for myself and I was really impressed with what I heard with my own ears in my own system. With the TDA1540, being 14 bit, again, technically I would think it could be inferior to later dac chips, however, in this case I think it is just so musical, non fatiguing, natural... all those terms, and I don't know why technically speaking, but I love it 1
muon* Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 6 minutes ago, RockRolley said: Yes, it's a rabbit hole. All I know is that I had received some glowing word of mouth reports of 'The Truth' preamp, then I read the article in question and despite creating some reservations in me prior to buying it, I decided to go ahead and decide for myself and I was really impressed with what I heard with my own ears in my own system. With the TDA1540, being 14 bit, again, technically I would think it could be inferior to later dac chips, however, in this case I think it is just so musical, non fatiguing, natural... all those terms, and I don't know why technically speaking, but I love it I think the TDA1540 works so well in non over sampling as it was designed as a 14 bit dac. I don't hear anything missing, and I agree, it has a very natural character 1
MattyW Posted March 1, 2023 Author Posted March 1, 2023 35 minutes ago, RockRolley said: Yes, it's a rabbit hole. All I know is that I had received some glowing word of mouth reports of 'The Truth' preamp, then I read the article in question and despite creating some reservations in me prior to buying it, I decided to go ahead and decide for myself and I was really impressed with what I heard with my own ears in my own system. With the TDA1540, being 14 bit, again, technically I would think it could be inferior to later dac chips, however, in this case I think it is just so musical, non fatiguing, natural... all those terms, and I don't know why technically speaking, but I love it The CD standard was originally developed to be 14 bit.... I don't remember the details but one company scr3wed over the other company who was co-developing the standard and released it as 16 bit prompting Phillips to do some tricky stuff to make it achieve 16 bit resolution..... Essentially 16 bit is completely unnecessary and the chips definitely sound better NOS to my ears at least. 2
muon* Posted March 1, 2023 Posted March 1, 2023 The irony is that the first gen players with these 14 bit Philips chips sounded better than the first gen players using the 16 bit Sony chips. 4
Misternavi Posted March 5, 2023 Posted March 5, 2023 @MattyW & @muon* there is a version without a case and it used a 1540P chip and has op amps (I can swap op amps) do you think it will be the same/similar? it's cheaper and all it needs is the right power supply, I've asked the seller (on Aliexpress) what the voltage is required. unless you know?
muon* Posted March 5, 2023 Posted March 5, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Misternavi said: @MattyW & @muon* there is a version without a case and it used a 1540P chip and has op amps (I can swap op amps) do you think it will be the same/similar? it's cheaper and all it needs is the right power supply, I've asked the seller (on Aliexpress) what the voltage is required. unless you know? Very similar yes, same no, the D ceramic chips are said to sound a bit better than the P plastic chips, how much the difference is I don't know. Whether of not a discrete OP Amp would sound better than the discrete current loop back stage I also have no idea. Otherwise it appears to be the same board. Edit: no label on my transformer so not sure of the secondaries, but think it is printed on the PCB? Edited March 5, 2023 by muon* 2
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