Artnet Posted June 3, 2024 Posted June 3, 2024 I have heard the Hermes will have a stone front.. some pics posted on a different forum suggests Definately the PCM 63 if he is excited by it. It's taken some time and work for him to sound like this which is encouraging as he is very forward about chip quality and sound. Waiting in anticipation to see where you go @Silver Audiophile. Enjoy the 2.2 no matter you have a music machine until the upgrade 2
Artnet Posted June 3, 2024 Posted June 3, 2024 7 hours ago, Silver Audiophile said: In my earlier email to the Maestro, he informed me the best TDA1541 DAC he makes is the 3.2 SE/Signature I am curious about the 3.21 SE which I think replaces the EZ81 with a larger 5V4 for even more power Mind you if you have the coin and inclination the Signature in any of his DAC models would I feel sure be thrilling either the 2.4 TDA1541 or the UI PCM63 Sig version get special attention to the detailed tuning and faster build time is a plus The larger format in Signature versions gets pretty serious and I break into a sweat and go and clean some Vinyl. Maybe one day 1
Silver Audiophile Posted June 3, 2024 Posted June 3, 2024 34 minutes ago, Artnet said: Waiting in anticipation to see where you go @Silver Audiophile. Enjoy the 2.2 no matter you have a music machine until the upgrade I also own a Lampizator and Audio Note Kit 2.1 DAC. Both DACs have be upgraded with improved combination of caps, wiring, RCA/IEC terminals, fuses, and tubes. They are excellent sounding DACs with a true tube output stage and tube rectification. However, the Abbas DAC appears to me (based purely on its sound performance), to be the next level up. A mature and complete DAC. As mentioned by members, a clear vision of Mr Abbas' attempt to create bespoke individual products (designed, parts selection, and build), with no two DACs sounding the same (used old stock parts). For the money, I don't think one could go wrong. An Abbas DAC sells quickly used. Listening to my Abbas 2.2 SE, I am not even in the slightest contemplating 'should I upgrade a cap'? Why- complete fear of messing up the lovely sound the DAC is already making! 1
Silver Audiophile Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) 2 hours ago, Artnet said: Mind you if you have the coin and inclination the Signature in any of his DAC models would I feel sure be thrilling either the 2.4 TDA1541 or the UI PCM63 Sig version get special attention to the detailed tuning and faster build time is a plus The larger format in Signature versions gets pretty serious and I break into a sweat and go and clean some Vinyl. Maybe one day I am very curious as to what upgrades specifics apply to the signature models? I have no doubts it will sound as phenomenal for the money, as does the more budget minded Abbas models. Below is the updated models and price list (USD). One notes many new models of higher end Abbas DACs! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UXtco4tKdmWm2wp5ALu5ZbVBYLNVnW8akFoBlbh7Z9s/edit#gid=0 Edited June 4, 2024 by Silver Audiophile 1
Artnet Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 1 hour ago, Silver Audiophile said: Below is the updated models and price list (USD). One notes many new models of higher end Abbas DACs! Oh now you've done it Plenty to put on your wish list there. 1
MattyW Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 If I ever win the lottery….. His top TDA1541 DAC would sure be nice. 2
MrBurns84 Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 27 minutes ago, muon* said: DACX coming soon TDA1540P TDA1540p?
xlr8or Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 Who wants to chip (i. e., DAC chipset) in? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/296219784155 1
RockRolley Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 1 hour ago, muon* said: DACX coming soon TDA1540P Tell us more?
muon* Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 44 minutes ago, RockRolley said: Tell us more? Don't know more I just saw the model in the list that was posted. 1
muon* Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 1 hour ago, MrBurns84 said: TDA1540p? I run a DAC that uses TDA1540D, the ceramic version of the chip, the "P" version is the more modern plastic? one. Philips first DAC chip previous to the TDA1541. 1
Silver Audiophile Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) 2 hours ago, xlr8or said: Who wants to chip (i. e., DAC chipset) in? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/296219784155 The Abbas eBay store appears significantly more expensive than direct purchase from Abbas. I say stick to direct purchase, no fleabay (AKA eBay) middle men! BTW- AD1865-N chip is in my ANK2.1 Signature DAC. Very nice sounding R2R DAC chip indeed. Good dynamic bottom end and top end extension. K-variant in the above Abbas 5.0SE is the more expensive chip, low THD, selected for higher performance by Analog Devices (from my online search). Also, the Abbas has tube rectification power to the DAC chip.. "The tube rectifier gives you an extra degree of freedom in customizing your sound. Needless to say, being powered by a tube rectifier makes the sound smoother, more fluid, and closer to sound of LPs." - Wow Below: My ANK2.1 Sig. DAC Edited June 4, 2024 by Silver Audiophile 2
muon* Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) I think AD1865N-K is premium grade. Edited June 4, 2024 by muon* 1
MrBurns84 Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 1 hour ago, muon* said: I run a DAC that uses TDA1540D, the ceramic version of the chip, the "P" version is the more modern plastic? one. Philips first DAC chip previous to the TDA1541. Wow i didnt know that they (Philips) made a dac chip from ceramic. Learnt something new today From memory the first dac chips were 14 bit? 2
MrBurns84 Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 Some very nice caps and resistors on that AN dac there @Silver Audiophile 1 1
muon* Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) 5 hours ago, MrBurns84 said: Wow i didnt know that they (Philips) made a dac chip from ceramic. Learnt something new today From memory the first dac chips were 14 bit? Yes 14bit, but during development Sony pulled a fast one and changed the specs to 16bits as they didn't want to be beaten to market by Philips, so Philips used over sampling & other manipulations to get the 16bit performance specs. https://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/Philips-TDA1540-16bit-da-conversion/ Ironically first gen players using the Philips chips sounded better than the players using the Sony 16bit chips. They are mono chips, so one for each channel, mine run non over sampling, so as they were originally intended with all that 14bit goodness P and D versions. https://www-bramjacobse-nl.translate.goog/wordpress/?p=3189&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp Edited June 4, 2024 by muon* 2
xlr8or Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) There are some really good old school Philips CD players that utilised the TDA1540D chipset. These CD players also used the famous Philips CDM0 and CDM1 transports. Worth modifying with an Abbas Audio tube output stage. He has a nice 6SN7 I/V converter listed on eBay. https://vasiltech.narod.ru/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm#P https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/296267576697 Edited June 4, 2024 by xlr8or 2
muon* Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 (edited) An cut a big ass square out of the players lid and mount the Abbas output stage on tall stand offs and orientated so the connection is short. Cheaper to buy one of his naked kits. Edited June 4, 2024 by muon* 1
Silver Audiophile Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 19 hours ago, Artnet said: Oh now you've done it Plenty to put on your wish list there. Not sure where to start. I'd love to buy all, try all, and establish a Abbas DAC museum in Australia 2
MrBurns84 Posted June 4, 2024 Posted June 4, 2024 1 hour ago, Silver Audiophile said: Not sure where to start. I'd love to buy all, try all, and establish a Abbas DAC museum in Australia Please do..i'll come visit and happy to pay the admission price! 3
Silver Audiophile Posted June 5, 2024 Posted June 5, 2024 I've heard Esoteric and dCS DACs (costing well north of $30K). The processing involved with those.. reclocking, upsampling, advanced filtering, further processing etc. The net result to my ear is a lifeless, emotionless cacophony of sounds. The complete exact opposite of the rich warm organic lively emotional stir of the Abbas. Image, we lived in an alternate Universe, where the Abbas was only priced starting from $60K, and top dCS and Esoteric DACs were only say $3K.. many of us (in the know in this forum) will have to grit our teeth and live with (either the dCS or Esoteric) given it's affordable price. I would work double or even triple shifts, save aggressively, and buy every lottery ticket in the mere hope of upgrading to the Abbas. So, let us take a moment to acknowledge our wonderfully privileged position, that we don't live in that alternate Universe 1
Artnet Posted June 5, 2024 Posted June 5, 2024 2 hours ago, Silver Audiophile said: I've heard Esoteric and dCS DACs (costing well north of $30K). The processing involved with those.. reclocking, upsampling, advanced filtering, further processing etc. The net result to my ear is a lifeless, emotionless cacophony of sounds. The complete exact opposite of the rich warm organic lively emotional stir of the Abbas. I dont want to disagree with you here but share some thoughts because, I think there are many digital universes (multiverse so to speak ) in which some there is music, but I agree not all. I have had the pleasure of listening to 2 top end DAC's both from Weiss, one in my system side by side with the Abbas 3.2SE and another in a members system, both created fabulous music. Maybe a little more polite than the Abbas but both superior in mico-dynamics in large musical works and piano sonata most definitely the winner. Before you send out a Lynch mob and look for the nearest tree I think what I am hearing is the limitations of an R2R DAC and in this instance a TDA 1541 chip, but I think it doesn't matter which chip its the NOS conundrum in the digital realm. How to get more form the 14, 16, 18, 20 or more bits. Abbas excels with his topology and his ear. To me the Abbas appeared similar in tone to the former mentioned (played in my system I hasten to add). I do think it had more energy and listening to vocals it was the winner IMO!!! Hear hear to this sentiment. 2 hours ago, Silver Audiophile said: So, let us take a moment to acknowledge our wonderfully privileged position, that we don't live in that alternate Universe 1
Silver Audiophile Posted June 5, 2024 Posted June 5, 2024 55 minutes ago, Artnet said: Abbas excels with his topology and his ear. To me the Abbas appeared similar in tone to the former mentioned (played in my system I hasten to add). I do think it had more energy and listening to vocals it was the winner IMO!!! Hear hear to this sentiment. I would agree with you, that the R2R DAC chips of the 1990s (eg. TDA1541 etc) are not the last word in ultra high-end design and fidelity. Discrete R2R resistor ladder of varying complexity exist in many forms. I'm familiar (listening experience) with the Denefrips Terminator and Aqua La Scala DACs for instance (owned the later for about 2 yrs from new). Both with boards of resistor ladders. You're right however, the final output of a DAC is more than the sum of one mere part in the digital section. I've acquired the Lampizator, Audio Note Kit 2.1 Sig, and Abbas DACs relatively recently. My ex- Aqua La Scala Optologic Mk2 won't hold a candle to the Lampi, ANK, nor Abbas DACs, and hence why I sold it at a significant lose of many thousands (given it's a $12KDAC). The financial pain of lose is life's best lesson. 3
Artnet Posted June 5, 2024 Posted June 5, 2024 2 hours ago, Silver Audiophile said: The financial pain of lose is life's best lesson. Ouch, I get it, but it sounds like you have some experience of and now own some choice Dac's!! Wherever you are going with this later selection it sounds like your on a interesting journey. 2
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